"Live, Kiana"
For the first time in a long time, Sirin knew she was almost bested in combat, seeing as she was not dead, and glaring at the woman over her.
"That's... my final lesson... for you..."
Himeko's body fell towards Sirin, now that her claymore's blade had shattered from the intense battle it had just gone through. Sirin, her face showing absolute surprise, could only stay in place, even though she had the perfect chance to end this once and for all. All she has to do is just act now! So she did.
All it took was a headbutt, and off went the body of the teacher of the pathetic girl she took control over. She should be happy. So why was that teacher smiling at her?!
And why does she feel something penetrating her neck?!
And why was something being injected into he-
"ERRRRYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Sirin's hand clawed at her face as all she could feel was the immense pain her body was feeling. She couldn't even describe the pain she could feel as her body was shaking uncontrollably. She could feel the Honkai energy within her leaving her as it flew into the sky, attempts at making portals were in vain as they didn't even open. Her control over that pathetic girl still inside her was taking back control over the body! She isn't supposed to! She is the queen! That girl had no right to take something that was never hers to begin with!
But Himeko could care less about what the imposter wanted. She just wants her Valkyrie to be back with her family. All she can do now is hope that her sacrifice won't be in vain.
Himeko closed her eyes for the last time she ever will in this lifetime, her last sight seeing her Valkyrie close her eyes as her body went unconscious. All she could do was lay in place on the cold ground as she felt herself grow so tired. She can finally rest after fighting for so long.
The last thing she expected however was to hear a voice behind her.
"Himeko."
She opened her eyes, seeing that she was still in the area where she had her battle, but everything seemed to be put on pause. She looked behind herself and... well she didn't know what she was expecting.
But a skeleton with blue eyes and wearing a dark purple cloak, gray pants, black shirt, leather gloves, boots, leather jacket and a scythe was probably the furthest down her list of things she expected.
"It's nice to see you, though I wished the circumstances were better."
That only made the red head confused. "You know me?"
"Of course. I know everyone and everything that is alive on Earth. But I know my friends the best."
"You know me, on a more personal level?" She asked, stepping closer to the skeleton.
The skeleton scratched his head at the question as his bones, where his eyebrows would normally be, moved upwards as he looked confused. "Huh, I thought my voice was enough, especially since it's only been half an hour or so since we last spoke, but I guess not." Himeko started to think after that, the voice certainly WAS familiar to her, and as she continued to think about it, the skeleton continued. "Does the na-"
"Grim?" Himeko finished, looking at the skeleton expectantly. "Is that you Grim?"
The skeleton dropped his hand into his jacket as he nodded. "It is Himeko." Grim said he cocked his head to the side. "It's nice to see you."
"Pffff!" Himeko covered her mouth with her hand as she smiled behind her hand. "Sorry Grim, it's just weird seeing you as a skeleton who is still able to pronounce words just fine even though your jaw is just moving up and down."
"Hehe, yeah, I bet that does look weird now. But if it helps..." Grim planted his scythe into the ground neck to him as he covered himself in his cloak, opening it to reveal his human form, or at least what he chose his human form to look like. "This is probably the face you recognize the best isn't it?"
Himeko looked surprised at that. "Wow, yeah, I'm used to seeing that face whenever we spar together, drink together, and even fight the Honkai side by side together."
"Then I'll continue to look like this for the time being then." He said as he stepped up to Himeko, seeing her look him up and down. "Himeko?"
"I guess the nickname 'Grim Reaper' wasn't too far off was it?"
He only smiled at that. "It certainly was not. In all honesty, I thought you figured out who I was when you gave me that nickname."
"I had... some suspicions that you were some very powerful being, or at the least a very strong human."
"Oh really? I'm curious to see what made you get those questions."
"For one thing, you were always apprehensive of removing your gloves whenever we did... anything together, especially if physical contact was needed. And you would rarely ever wear different clothes than what you are wearing now, just without the cloak. Anytime you did however, it was towards creatures who were too injured to heal in time, and they would die not long after you would touch them, or even hug them for that matter."
"Ahh, so you saw a... side effect of what being Death does and can do." He scratched his neck at that. "And as for the clothes, these are the only pieces of clothing that will help prevent the living from dying prematurely whenever they get too close to me."
"But I've seen you wear other clothes for special events, and even then some people would come up to shake hands with you or pat your back. How come they didn't die at that moment?"
Grim put his hand into his cloak, pulling out a tux that he wore when he was at Himeko's promotion party when she became the Hyperion's Captain. "I had to basically use magic to 'death proof' any article of clothing, and that can become a bit taxing since I'm basically preventing the very thing I embody."
She nodded at that as she understood. "Makes sense I suppose. But why those clothes specifically?"
"Uhh... because they are comfortable?" Himeko started to laugh at that. "I have personal opinions too you know!"
"I know! I just thought you would have some philosophical reason or something as to why you chose to wear normal clothes!" She continued to laugh.
"I may be Death, but I still have preferences!"
Himeko continued to laugh until she started to calm down and breathe again. "B-Besides, doesn't the Grim Reaper normally wear just a black cloak or something? At least that's how stories depicted you for the longest of time."
"I mean, they were true? At least back then when they didn't exactly have very much to offer in terms of looks."
Himeko looked shocked at that as she smiled. "So you were just as picky back then as you are in the present?"
"Y-Yeah? Looks go a long way you know!" Himeko began to laugh again, and Grim could only blush at that, before laughing along with his friend. Only after some time did they start to calm down and Grim said something that brought the mood down sadly, as he saw behind Himeko a white light peeking through the fabric of reality. "It's time for you to go, Himeko."
She turned behind herself as she saw the light. "Ah, right. I died..." Himeko looked sad as she remembered what happened a few minutes prior.
"Don't worry Himeko. Where you're going will certainly be better than what Earth would have ever given you."
"W-What do you mean by that?" She asked as she looked at her friend.
"I mean, you never told me if you were the religious type, but there is a place waiting for you when we go through."
"We?" She asked. "What do you mean we?"
Grim smiled as he placed his hand on his chest. "I mean, I am the Grim Reaper, Himeko. The stories that were told weren't exactly not true. I do take souls of the departed to the afterlife, keep them safe as they travel."
"Oh right, forgot about that since you're not in your skeleton form."
"Fair." He walked past Himeko as he used his scythe to open the tear in reality, the light shining brighter than it was before, almost blinding Himeko, but she could see Grim extend his hand to her. "Ready to go?"
Himeko took one last look around her, still seeing time in the real world having been paused, seeing her Valkyrie falling from the sky. "Will I still be able to visit? And if not, will you watch over Kiana while I'm gone?"
Grim looked almost offended at that latter statement. "Sometimes, you'll be able to. As for Kiana, I will never stop taking care of her, she is the beauty of this world afterall. No matter what Fate has in store for her, I'll always make sure I'll be right by her side, whether that be physically or spiritually."
"Then..." Himeko took Grim's hand. "I'm ready."
He pulled Himeko to him as he walked through the light with his friend. When they came through, Himeko saw what she could only ever describe in her dreams. Floating islands that had waterfalls falling from them, mountains that go past the clouds, ravines that stretch for miles, plains that scatter infinitely in all directions, trees as wide as a suburban home, just like the one she entered from, forests that are incredibly dense with trees, and so much more.
Not only that, but while hard to see, she could make out towns and cities within the many regions this realm has to offer, and it wasn't just humans that were here, animals were too. She could see flocks of birds flying in the sky, bison running in the plains, deer running about in the forests, and more.
Himeko turned to look at Grim as she saw his look changed into one of a Military Captain. "During my time on Earth, I did spend some time rising in the ranks of the military. All for this purpose." He stood in front of Himeko, his face turning serious. "Valkyrie Murata Himeko."
His voice was commanding, and Himeko instinctively fell into line with her arms behind her back.
"Because of your service to humanity, you will be forever recognized in the hearts of the many you saved because of your actions. It is thanks to you that humanity has been given a chance in their battle with the Honkai, and it is thanks to you that your heart touched many people while you were alive."
"In your time serving humanity, you've made an impression on the many who got to fight beside you. From your commanding and leadership skills when you were once the Captain of the Hyperion, to your friendly interactions with everyone, I can say there is hardly a single thing that hasn't ever been said by your comrades."
"To the many people who you've saved because of your actions can only give their thanks. From total strangers to your family, a thanks is all that is needed because your actions don't deserve to go unnoticed. And I thank you for persevering whenever time was hard, whenever it would've been easy to give up, I thank you for not giving up and pushing through all of the hard times."
"You will most certainly never be forgotten by your comrades in arms, and to the people you call your family. Whether that be from simple drinking buddies, teaching your many students, or even your selfless action in helping Kiana Kaslana. Those whose hearts you've forever touched will deeply miss you as they mourn for you, but your memory will certainly live on in their hearts for the times they got to share with you."
"It is of great honor that I, the Grim Reaper. Your Superior. Your Comrade-in-Arms. Your Friend. Your Family. Your Brother, can say you have reached the finish line for a final time. Consider this your final act to humanity, and your final order. Murata Himeko."
She looked at her friend with tears in her eyes, smiling as she did so, and as she waited for his response.
"May your soul finally Rest In Peace."
At those words, Himeko hugged her friend as she cried into his shoulder. Grim accepted the hug without hesitation as he wrapped his arms around her. She could feel the weight on her shoulders disappear as if she was still holding onto her duties, and she never felt more free in her life. She could feel herself accepting and feeling at peace with what had happened, and she could only feel happy.
"T-Thank you Grim..."
"You're welcome Himeko." He loosened his grip on her as he took in the sight of this realm with her. "Himeko, I welcome you... to the Final Field."
A Teacher and a Captain's Sendoff
<2195 Words>