to be human [honkai inpact 3rd fanfic]

Chapter 18

Maybe before monday was a lie...

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Rita led me to the locker room, her footsteps echoing faintly in the sterile hallway. Neither of us said a word; the silence only amplified the cold, sterile feel of Schicksal's halls. Finally, we arrived at a steel door that gleamed under the overhead lights.

"Here we are, Devi-sama," she announced, stepping aside with a polite smile. "Your combat uniform is already prepared." She paused, eyes glinting as she added, "Or... would you need assistance with changing?"

I shot her a glare of disgust, not even bothering to dignify her offer with a response. I just sighed and walked past her into the changing room. As the door slid shut behind me, it sealed the room in an unsettling quiet, broken only by the hum of fluorescent lights.

I looked around—a room of cold metal lockers and a large mirror. I started to peel off my shirt and glanced at the clock. Barely ten minutes had passed, leaving me with plenty of time before the mission began.

In front of the mirror, I caught a glimpse of myself. It felt strange—almost foreign—to see my own reflection again. My eyes traced the similarities to Angie. The same unruly hair, the same sharp features. The only difference between us? His red eyes, my blue. Yet, even that felt like a fragile distinction.

Shaking off the thought, I focused on the battlesuit laid out for me. Fully black, sleek, and unremarkable at first glance. No fancy designs, no insignia—just pure, practical black. I pulled it on, struggling a bit with how tight it was. The material clung uncomfortably to my skin, stiff and inflexible in all the wrong places.

As I twisted awkwardly to adjust it, my eyes caught something in the mirror. Tattoos—three of them—etched across my back. Two were barely visible, like they had been rubbed out or faded over time. But the third stood out: a tree, its roots entwined with shadowy arms that seemed to claw at it from below.

Creepy.

I finished putting on the suit and realized just how impractical it was. Too tight in some areas, too loose in others—it felt like wearing someone else's skin. I grabbed a white shirt and black pants from the locker, both plain and devoid of any distinct features, and slipped them on over the battlesuit.

A knock on the door broke the silence. Victor's voice came through. "Devi, you in there?"

Before I could respond, the door creaked open, and Victor stepped in, his eyes scanning me and the suit with a sigh. "I guess you're not having the best time with that, huh?"

I shook my head.

Victor stepped closer, pressing a spot on my back. Suddenly, the suit tightened around me, shifting until it fit perfectly against my body. No longer restricting, it felt like a second skin now, snug but comfortable.

I nodded, smiling in thanks.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. "Facing a Herrscher head-on for the first time... Must be a lot to take in." His tone was light, but there was something else beneath it. Something he wasn't quite saying.

A heavy silence lingered between us for a moment. Victor scratched his head awkwardly before speaking again. "Listen, mate, I... I didn't want to throw you straight into battle right after everything. Especially with all the chaos we've been through." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, truly. I never wanted any of this for you."

His apology caught me off guard. I hadn't expected it. But there was sincerity in his voice, and I could see the regret in his eyes. I smiled and nodded to show I understood.