Honkai Impact: The Serpent's Tale

Chapter 30: From One Journey To Another

Time felt like it had froze in that moment when Mei embraced Alex, trying to ease him of his concerns.

The boy hesitated on what to do as his arms awkwardly raised up, trying to determine if he wanted to hug back or not.

That was until Alex finally snapped out of it as he quickly realized where his head was placed, immediately moving himself off of her and looked away in embarrassment as he blushed.

Mei found this a little cute though was blushing herself as she wondered why she didn't even second guess what she did for a second.

"I-I'm gonna go for a walk to clear my head." Awkwardly said Alex as he got up and walked away.

He went on a stroll for a brief moment before hearing the sound of a waterfall off to the side.

He'd approach it and came across a gorgeous view of the waterfall in the distance as just up ahead was a riverbank with plenty of rocks to throw.

Alex would sit by the bank and just enjoy the view.

It wouldn't be long though until Alex heard a noise behind him as he turned around and was surprised to see the young boy Adam.

"A-Adam?"

"O-Oh it's you mister. Um, why're you here?" He asked.

"Made a quick stop with the caretaker."

"Okay. Uh, did the tall girl with horns also come with you two?"

"You talkin' about Mei? Yeah she did. She's elsewhere though. Come and take a sit. This place looks nice doesn't it?" Asked Alex, patting the ground next to him as Adam nodded and sat down.

"Why're you even out here? I'd thought you'd be at the house."

"I, got uncomfortable and went outside."

"Why?"

"I, kept getting looks from the other kids. It makes me feel like I'm an outsider." Said the kid.

Alex kept quiet for a bit before getting up as he approached the edge of the riverbank, motioning Adam to follow him carefully as he got a handful of rocks for them.

"You know how to skip? All you gotta do is this."

Alex would toss the rock as it skipped along the water's surface a couple of times.

Adam mimicked what he saw from Alex as the kid only managed a few seconds.

"That's a decent start. Just keep following my lead."

The two would skip rocks along the water as Alex engaged in a conversation with him.

"You know, me and you are a lot alike." Said Alex.

"Huh? How?" Asked Adam.

"You said that you lost your parents before you could even speak right? Well, I was given away to an orphanage only a year after I was born. Never got to know my father and my mother. Just like how you ran away from an unwanting uncle, I too ran away from that unwanting orphanage. We both spent a while living on our own."

"..................was it, hard when you were alone?"

".....I'd be lying if it said it wasn't. During that time it was like rolling the dice of fate on whether or not I'd keep skating by or finally bite the dust. Thankfully though, I came across this orphanage and was brought into this family."

"So, you were also an outsider?"

"Yeah. I didn't let it bother me though. I just did my best to befriend everyone here and we all hit it off rather well. I'm sure that if I was welcomed, you will be too. Just gotta have confidence in yourself. That was something I figured out pretty recently." Said Alex, remembering the moment with Mei just now.