***
VTOL
"So Ellie, what are we to expect from this Mobius person?" He leaned in next to Elysia's ear and whispered. She felt a jolt go down her spine from him whispering so close.
Her thoughts ran a little wild, completely forgetting what he asked 'Is this what ASMR is like? If so, I can see why Su had a whole playlist of it.' Her thoughts continued, going further and further down the rabbit hole.
Sigh, Thor saw her not responding, but instead she was flushing. He watched her for a few seconds before he got an idea. He leaned in closer,
"Fwooo." He blew into her ear. This caused her to shiver heavily, snapping her out of her fantasies. She snapped to Thor as he sat back up in his chair with a teasing smirk, causing her to blush completely.
'Why am I so weak to this now?' She thought. Trying to deflect her embarrassment, "What did you say?" she asked.
"What, you mean before you started having those fantasies in your head." His provocation seemed to work as she pinched his side, but it did nothing but make his smirk seem more annoying to her so she used her secret weapon and pouted.
"Mou~, Thor, why are you teasing me like this?"
"Alright, I'll stop…" She lit up "...For now." Then back to pouting.
"Mou~ humph" She humph'd him.
"Okay, ok, I asked what are we to expect from this Mobius character? I'm assuming the stereotypical mad scientist that's misunderstood or some shit like that." He stopped teasing her as he knew she'd stay like that otherwise.
She stopped pouting and peeked his face with one eye and seeing he dropped the smirk she answered with her own question. "Why do you think I know?" It's not like she tried to hide her association with Moth, but it's not like he could figure that out.
"I know what I know, and don't know what I don't" He stated.
She didn't bother to push him for more, "You're right about the mad scientist part, Though Moby-Chan is a–" He interrupted.
"Moby-Chan? Really? She must hate you then."
"Don't interrupt me. Moby-Chan is different, she's not misunderstood, she's just obsessed with fixing the flaws with the human genome. People just fear her, as whenever she looks at someone, they are stuck with fear of being her next experiment. Everyone knows of her obsession and most avoid her except for a select few." She recalled how often coffee mugs shattered whenever Mobius walked the halls of the institute.
"So she's reclusive then." He compared Mobius to his teacher in terms of reclusiveness and obsession with perfection.
"You could say that, still don't hold her to that image, she's strong enough to blow a hole in a wall of concrete, so she might try to beat you for that." She warned.
The spectators to whatever this is–being Kevin, Mei, Eden, Himeko and Aurora felt like they were intruding.
Himeko had a sense of deja vu, Kevin was meticulously taking notes in his head, Mei was watching kevin like a hawk, Eden didn't know what to think seeing her teacher in this light was an experience to say the least and Aurora, she was hit point blank range from their sweetness, trying not to die from it. The duo in question seemed to just forget they existed.
That was how the majority of the flight was, Kevin pitched in here and there, Himeko questioned Thor about his and Eden's relationship, Mei and Aurora were mostly quiet–Mei with her thoughts and Aurora trying to piece together how her life will change from now on.
***
Shenzhou - Landing Pad
Klein had been standing here for the past 30 minutes, a miraculous feat for someone like her, but I digress. Klein was waiting for the arrival of a few key individuals to arrive. Specifically Thorald Arawnsson, a mystery to them as even under the Dr's orders, Moth couldn't seem to find anything on Thorald past a few bits and pieces of his past that didn't quite check out in their investigation.
It's as if he appeared out of nowhere with a fabricated past. If only they knew how spot on they were.
As she watched the VTOL descend to the platform she adjusted the tablet in her hands as profiles began to appear as she received the rest of the background checks on the individuals on board and a very brief summary. Her tired eyes gained a little life at the list.
[Raiden Mei. High value asset for the Fourth Institute]
[Kevin Kaslana. Absurd physical capabilities surpassing that of seraph-class beasts]
[Elysia.] She skipped over already knowing
[Aurora Carter. The Third Herrscher, formerly. A normal human until 28 hours ago when the eruption occurred and she became the Third Herrscher to reveal themselves. Under the custody of Thoral Arawnsson, with them being the only one capable to combat should she relapse, whether she has retained the powers of her Herrscher state are unknown at this time.]
[Murata Himeko. An overachiever, top of her class in the academy, excels in leadership, has the lowest mortality rating in the entirety of the Japanese branch. Only behind Elysia of the 5th institute herself in terms of successful missions. Been in service for 6 years from the age of 18.
P.S. She is scheduled to receive a promotion to Commander of a specialised task force for search & destroy/rescue missions in association with Cocoon agents.
Supported by; Commander of the Japanese branch Mikami Satou, councillors representing the USA, UK, Australia, Russia, China South Korea, Cocoon Overseer Adam Grant.
P.P.S. Who the Fu–]
She stopped reading at the end as it just turned into a rant from the person compiling the report on how a seemingly normal person is so well known by the higher ups, yet in such a low position.
She looked at the next one on the list.
[Eden. "The Voice Of Heaven", as she has come to be known to those in the music industry. A solo artist who has topped all charts since her debut for the past few years never losing her No.1 spot. Participates in relief movements, such as concerts to honour those who have fallen to the Honkai after outbreaks around Japan.]
Finally she sets her eyes on the mystery of the group and the reason for her being here.
[Thorald Arawnsson. DOB: Unknown, POR: Unknown, Family: Unknown, Close associates: Elysia, Kevin Kaslana, Su, Raiden Mei, Eden.]
That was all they had on the guy, there was literally nothing else that shows his existence other than his name from word of mouth.
Finally the VTOL landed and the ramp lowered. Soldiers assembled around the VTOL guarding the precious payload in essence.
7 people stepped off. They made their way towards her. Coming to a stop the man leading the group nodded to the soldier behind Klein as they stepped aside allowing Klein to interact with the group.
"Welcome to the 5th institute of FireMoth," Her voice is flat and fatigued.
Thor scanned her up and down, his amber eye let off a subtle glow going unnoticed under the sunlight.
Klein experienced the same piercing interest she'd felt when Mobius first looked at her.
Elysia jumped forward, pulling Klein into a hug. Klein was stiff as a doll in her arms, unresponsive to her actions and just put her focus back on Thor's group, "Mr Arawnsson, I am Klein, Dr Mobius's assistant, we have been expecting you. Please follow me." She wiggled out of Elysia's hold and started to walk inside.
Everyone else was left there as Thor followed Klein alone. A nearby guard came by asking the group to follow him to a room for debriefing.
***
Walking through the halls of the facility, Klein remained silent. She took occasional glances at her tablet, still working even while escorting Thor to the doctor's lab.
Thor scanned his surroundings, peering beyond the walls, mapping the facility in his mind. Ahead was the largest room yet—inside, only one life signature. A woman. He assumed this was the infamous Dr. Mobius.
Klein pulled out her ID and scanned it, then leaned in for an eye scan. The door slid smoothly into the wall.
As they entered, Klein stepped aside—and without warning, Mobius appeared and punched Thor square in the torso with all her strength. A small boom echoed through the room as his jacket fluttered from the force.
Silence followed. Only the subtle beeps and gurgles from the pods filled the air.
Thor looked down at the woman, her fist still pressed against his chest. She was beautiful, the lime-green hair, piercing emerald eyes, the way her lab coat hugged her assets. She was also strong. Strong enough, he guessed, to handle weaker knight-class beasts barehanded. If she were a combatant, that is. No form. No technique. Just brute strength.
He grabbed her arm, sending a pulse of energy through her body. Only then did he understand the true source of her strength.
"What did you do?" She asked, not offended, but interested in the sensation once he grabbed her arm.
"Interesting." He ignored her question.
Mobius was a little annoyed that he ignored her so she attacked him with her other hand.
*FWOOSH*
He had used his speed to appear behind her and poked her neck, sending another pulse through her body "Really interesting aren't you Dr?"
Rather than flinch, Mobius smiled—that unsettling, analytical kind of smile. "Just as expected," she murmured, emerald eyes glowing with interest. "You're even more valuable than I thought."
This sort of interaction repeated a few times before Klein had to remind them why they were here.
"Anyway, why have you brought me here doctor?" He was sitting at one of the desks skimming a few of the papers scattered over them.
Neither Mobius nor Klein cared, as these papers were at most reports that had a mix of truth and lies so nothing of value would be compromised anyway.
"Klein." Mobius said.
Klein came forward and handed Thor a clipboard and while he started to read it she began to explain.
"Dr Mobius, offers you a position in this very lab, accommodation is provided, a high salary, numerous other benefits and all you need to do is assist the Dr in her experiments."
He put the clipboard down and turned to face Mobius and looked her in the eyes. He watched as her gaze turned predatory.
He laughed and answered, "Sure, I'll join. On one more condition."
"Anything." Mobius agreed instantly.
"What is your goal? What do you want to achieve with all this?" He gestured to the pods in the back.
"Evolution. The best human evolution has to offer. That is my goal." Mobius became uncharacteristically serious for once.
Thor studied her for a moment before he nodded slowly, a smile forming on his face.
"Alright then, what should we do first 'Boss'."
"Great, now give me your blood." She demanded 'Is she a vampire now?' He thought
She picked up a needle and syringe from a rack and came close to Thor, her cheeks flushing the closer she got, the potential his body holds–it was her haven.
He did nothing and held out his arm already knowing that this won't go as she thinks.
Klein, used to these outbursts, silently slipped away to gather the necessary equipment. She didn't need instructions—she'd seen this kind of madness before with Elysia when she first joined. Elysia though, wasn't as cooperative as Thor is being.
Mobius gripped his arm, maybe a bit too much, if he was a normal human even his bones would be crushed in her grip. Doing the normal procedure. She went to pierce his skin—
*Snap*
The needle cracked like brittle glass, its tip flinging off and clinking against the lab floor.
Mobius blinked. "Huh? It worked on Elysia so—" She was stumped. It wasn't a normal needle by any means but one made of a diamond graphene alloy, so it was one of the sharpest and strongest materials they could make.
"It won't do anything if I don't let it, you'll need something stronger than that or I could just do this instead." He put two fingers over his chest as a glowing red and white drop of blood came out, through his clothes until he held it up and looked at Mobius as if asking her 'Do you want it or not?'.
'THIS. This is what I need, I finally have it!!' Mobius was ecstatic about it
Klein had also just walked back carrying a compact electron microscope and witnessed the scene muttering "What the hell…"
Mobius quickly uncapped the syringe and passed the tube to him as he lowered the drop of blood into it before he sealed the tube and handed it back to her.
Rather than thank him, Mobius moved straight to grab a petri dish and rushed to the microscope that Klein had just put down and connected power to.
Dropping not even a 1/100th of the blood onto the dish she carefully secured it in place before looking through the lens.
Adjusting the zoom to a much lower magnification, what she saw causes her to start shaking, "Incredible" She muttered.
She changed the magnification again and this time she started laughing. "Hahaha, his cells are still alive, they're active, as if they're still in the body."
She quickly stops however when she starts to see them start behaving strangely, the cells begin to turn cancerous, attacking themselves, destroying themselves and then finally withering leaving no trace of the blood on the dish, no DNA evidence that it ever existed.
"What!?" She checked the tube and saw that the blood he had given her had also vanished. As she thought of a theory Thor revealed.
"You're too slow."
"What do you mean?"
"You were too slow with your actions. My blood is very dangerous when outside of my body, a precaution I had to take in the past." He said, causing Mobius to understand what he means.
If she wants to do anything with his blood she would need to be quick about it or convince him to remove that protection of his.
***
Thor had spent the past two hours with Mobius, answering some questions, asking his own, Klein handing him and mobius instant noodles halfway through was something he didn't expect. 'At least it was the premium stuff that's also healthyish.'
Eden had communicated to him that where they were taken they were debriefed on some aspects of Honkai and FireMoth. It turned out that Kevin somehow ended up joining, she did say a lot more happened, but that it would be better for them to tell him theirselves.
This was why he was now standing in the doorway as a black-haired streak followed by lightning appeared behind him, it was Aurora.
"Thor, help me, she's…sh–she's…being. Ugh! Never mind!" She blushed and crouched down covering her face with her hands embarrassed.
A pink–haired women then stopped in front of him, she was giggling to herself before, she looked at Thor and softly smiled before pulling him into a brief hug, then turned her attention to Aurora, who was peeking up at them and Elysia winked at her before kissing Thor on his cheek making sure she could see it.
Thor raised a brow, but didn't move, used to Elysia's antics. Aurora's reaction and blush was…Amusing.
Aurora somehow got redder and steam started coming out of her ears. Elysia crouched down next to her and whispered "Remember what we talked about okay~"
Aurora didn't respond but the small headshake showed she heard her. Elysia stood back up winked at Thor and walked off to do something else, maybe tease someone, who knows with her.
Considering the position Thor patted her head, as she froze, he did so for a few seconds before entering the room to see everyone else doing their own thing.
Aurora's thoughts were a mess, Thor's patting her head combined with what Elysia talked to her about earlier made her brain overheat and shutdown.
She took a few minutes to reboot before she could go back into the room still red-faced trying to avoid Thor, and Elysia's playful smirk.
Thor, meanwhile, was talking with Kevin and Mei. "I heard you've joined as a new recruit."
Kevin let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, turns out, my strength would be a great asset or whatever that means."
Mei's glare at him intensified as she pinched his arm "Ow, hey." he feigned pain.
"He's an idiot, that's what. He did because they offered for me a position as Assistant Director in the 4th Institute, and I took it, before he made that idiotic decision. Why would he do something so unnecessary." With each jab Kevin looked as if he got hit by an arrow through the heart falling off the chair flopping onto the floor..
"I–I… was… trying to… be close…" He died
Thor watched on amused. Mei's shift in demeanor when Kevin died to concern as she kneeled next to him.
Thor left the two to their own devices and to a quick look in Aurora's direction and he caught her stare, freezing like a deer caught in headlights she blushes and turns off to the side whistling peeking every few seconds.
'Cute.' His thought was simple.
Getting back to what he was doing he moves to where Himeko and Eden are discussing something, clearly important if the tenseness in Himeko's body said anything.
"Himeko, you okay there?" He asked with a concerned tone
She heard him and her face twisted into a form of anger as she rushed him. "What did you do!!??" She demanded
Even as she grabbed his jacket he didn't react, he was just confused by what she meant.
She scanned his face and sensed nothing but the giant question mark marring it. She calmed herself and let go of him before being more clear. "What did you do? I've suddenly been promoted to commander of a specialised squad. This only happened now when you showed up. What did you say to make this happen?" She wasn't mad about the promotion, more so she was mad that she's been promoted when she didn't even earn it.
He understood now, what she meant. He saw Eden staring with that wry look as even she was confused. Luckily Mobius gave him the tablet Klein originally had at the landing platform. Good thing he memorised it otherwise he wouldn't really have anything to say against her accusation.
"Ohhh, that. Yeah that wasn't me. I saw it on Kleins tablet earlier. You were scheduled for the promotion as is anyway. You're supported by many of the councillors in the Moth council, even though Commander Satou supports you. I did nothing, it was all said to be done in a few weeks when they next gathered. They only sped it up because–" Himeko listened closely, hanging on every word. The more she heard the better she felt about herself. However, what confused her was why was she supported, it's not like she's special or did anything special… So why?
Thor gave her cheek a light double tap bringing her back to reality. "Don't think about it much right now, if you want I can have Mobius look into it. That was one of the conditions she agreed to when I signed on." The statement shocked both Himeko and Eden, even Elysia who was sneaking up on him stopped what she was doing.
"You joined?" Elysia asked, now beside him.
"Yep, Guess you can call Dr now if you want." he teased. Elysia didn't understand it for a second before it clicked and her cheeks got a dab pinker.
"Eden. You said there was a decision you made?" Thor was curious what decision she could make that would be bad enough she would need to say it in person.
"I won't be staying here with the rest of you. They offered me that, but I feel being here wouldn't be right. I want to be out there singing for the people, providing hope to those that had lost others." She preached. He understood her determination and wouldn;t stop it.
Why would he? She's his student, he won't restrict her freedom. He wasn't restricted. Besides, as long as she pushes herself in her solo training sessions like she had been the past month, he won't have to teach her himself in a way that he could only describe as torturous. He shivered remembering the first time his teacher did it with him, when she caught him slacking off for 3 weeks without training.
"It's good that you've chosen for yourself what to do. No-one will restrict you on this, so no need to worry just don't slack off, okay~" he cooed at the end as she gulped and saluted exaggeratedly.
"Yes, teacher." She then exited the room heading towards the dorm that she'll be staying in for the night.
Shortly after her exit Himeko got what she wanted from Thor and left as well. She needed the rest if she's to take command of a new team tomorrow morning. Kevin and Mei left with her going to their designated shared dorm.
Elysia came up to him and whispered "I'll see you later~" and then ran off. He smiled watching her leave knowing what's to come.
Aurora took the hem of his sleeve. "I–I'll see you tomorrow" she stuttered before running off leaving Thor alone to go back to his dorm on his own.
***
Laid down on his bed he thinks back to what's happened since he arrived here.
The stronger space and time laws. How he's physically weaker. The corruptive energy reminiscent of Chaos. The Honkai, Herrscher. His new companions, Aurora, everything.
"Sigh, This world is interesting for sure." His thoughts were interrupted by a knock.
*Knock* *Knock*
He looked through the door to see Elysia, she was dressed rather… promiscuously.
***
A/N:
Editing this was a challenge for sure, Docs kept trying to auto correct some words or phrases into the opposite for some reason.
Anyway a little rushed towards the end as at the time I was tired as fuck from building a garden house for my younger sister. My back still hurts to this day.
Anyway, that's the chapter. Next chapter will have some more action, with the beginning of Aurora's training.
Should I do the lemon for Thor and Elysia or should I skip it. I have never written smut. I've read it, but never tried to write it.
***