Honkai x LOTM: Godish of Mysteries

Even as Otto gave the finger toward the "God" of the Honkai, it did not attempt to react. It merely stared at him with an indescribable expression, and soon it took the shape of a colorless Otto, wearing the robe of a priest.

Otto let out a tsk at the lack of reaction from "It". He always did want to provoke a "God," but judging from his last encounter with the Will of the Honkai in the Second Eruption, as long as one doesn't have the intent to cause harm, "It" would do the same.

Otto had thought of the possibility of this happening when tampering with Herrscher Core along with his Sequences, Pathways, Sefirots, and overall foreign powers coming from his Soul, but to sum it up... 'This was a dogs*it situation.'

The thought of screaming out his lungs crossed his mind, but one must stay calm in a situation. So the only thing to make it out of this in one piece...Was to fake it, till you make it. 

He calmed his nerves into complete nihilism and spoke in a confident tone.

"So you did lose your individuality after fusing with the Imaginary Renormalization Group...Well, I don't know what to say, but thanks for making the Herrscher Cycle follow the same route, PROMETHUS."

"It" didn't blink an eye at the mere mention of the name, but stared at him with a curious gaze.

WHAT ARE YOU

Otto felt a slight overbearing voice in his head, but he stood his ground and faced "It's" gaze.

His face shifted into a comforting smile as he bowed gracefully under "It's" gaze and soon spoke gently as if facing a colleague.

"I am Otto Apocalypse, Overseer of Schicksal, A man with a brilliant mind...And the Angel of Regression, who was Blessed by the one and only Mr. Fool...It's a pleasure to meet you, Senior."

"It" stood quiet at his words, and with "It's" Authority of Reason to visualize the man down to its very details and analyze him, but no matter what "It" tried, it couldn't see through him...Only a Gray Fog blocked "It".

INTERSTING

"Didn't DR. MEI tell you it's rude to peek at a person like that? Do deities have no sense of privacy? Why did you pull me up here anyway? I was experimenting on a Herrscher Core...Was that what ticked you off so much?"

CUROSITY

"That's so? Since I am already here, why don't we make a deal? I know what "You" and THEY want, that Cocoon...I had my guess, but is it true that it's a twin of that Shapeless Prince (Terminus)?"

REFUSAL

Otto smirked at "It's" reaction, it was the first time he saw "It" get all defensive.

"Getting this info from "Him" wasn't cheap, you know. I had to haggle like a Chinese auntie to get it...Who knew that beyond our solar system were Gods of the Stars (Aeons) that were bonded by their Path like a Primum Mobile. 

Speaking of Aeons, say, are you an Emanator, or are you merely just a higher being?"

BOTH TECHNICALLY CORRECT

"So we are getting somewhere. It would be quite easier if you could shift and speak in a more normal way rather than using my face. I am quite repulsed at looking at myself with such a bland color scheme."

Taking his words to heart, the monochromatic figure quickly shifted into a shorter figure as an astonishing amount of light started to quickly converge. 

Otto whistled at the scene and thought to himself, 'I didn't think "It" would actually do it...what a lonely bastard. I wonder how much I can ask for before "It" starts getting suspicious.'

The lightshow started to dim, and what was out was an androgynous looking figure. 

"They" had Long, silky white hair with soft pinks and purple pastel hues blending in, especially in the strands flowing outward.

Sharp, red eyes matched with a blank-looking face. "They're" skin was a pale and smooth complexion that went to inhumane levels.

"Their" outfit was a long, white, futuristic cloak with high shoulders and open sleeves. Inside was a diamond-quilted pattern fitted bodysuit in soft lilac tones.

"Better now, Angel?" The once-overbearing voice was now but a smooth, ethereal voice in Otto's ears.

As if memorized by "They're" appearance, Otto took a closer look at "Them" with a thinking pose.

Humanity was something "They" hadn't felt for myriad years, and seemingly losing it all since becoming the Will of the Honkai, but seeing this Error of a man gazing at "Them" like a beautiful piece of art brought PRIDE to "Their" being. 

"Something the matter, guest?" "They" asked.

"You look strangely cute, but I can't put my finger on why."

"They" took a moment before responding subtly, "If you're finished with you're staring, may we start talking business, guest?"

Otto nodded along, "Why don't you call me by my name since we're going to be business partners...What would I even call you by?"

"A name...a word or set of words by which a person, animal, place, or thing is known, addressed, or referred to. It doesn't matter what you call me." 

The man took a moment deep in thought before coming up with one based on a fitting character, "Faust."

For the first time in a while, "They" blink their eyes in confusion.

"You decided to bestow me a name after a fictional character whose avarice for knowledge runs to the very extreme, to the point of making a deal with the Shadow of Lucifer, Mephistopheles."

Otto nodded while facing her with a cheeky grin, "Yup...After all, Faust knows all outcomes, wouldn't you say so? An "Omnipotent" God, but still a scholar, am I right?"

"...It is unfitting for me, but it'll do. Whenever we make contact, I'll be the individual known as "Faust. With introductions aside, tell me this. With all the knowledge you have and the help of your benefactor, is there any reason to make a deal with such a being as myself?"

"Mr. Fool has the common goal of Humanity and Earth embracing the Finality, or better yet, transcending it. In a sign of good faith, I'll tell you this, although I don't know the exact reason why "He" is doing this, but all I can say is that Humanity is worth it

...You see it as well, Faust, despite your disregard for Humans, you still see them as beings filled with infinite possibilities, who can follow whatever Path they want, either in Justice, Evil Destruction, or in Finality.

Just as the Aeons who were once mortals ascended to Aeonhood to follow their True Self and Path."

Faust stood still in apathic silence, and when her lips parted, a sense of dull curiosity was laced in her words.

"I see your point, your words speak a certain truth, but they're still merely in their Childhood. What's in it for you, do you share the same perspective as this Mr. Fool...Are you in part of "His" plan as well, being used as a Pawn just as you used everyone else as a Chess Piece?"

Otto chuckled at "They're" jab at him.

"It's more like we're simply using each other for our own goals, just like what we're doing right now." He took a step closer until his face was a breath away from "Them."

"Come on, Faust, let's use each other till the very end, till the day the billion upon billions of hearts enter into the paradise that envelops all!"

"They're" crimson eyes stared back as "They" listened to his words. It was as if his devilish sweet words were pulsing through "They're" mind to accept...Just like how Faust made a deal with Mephistopheles, "They" took a bite out of the forbidden fruit named Otto Apocalypse.

"What are your terms and conditions?"

Enveloped in pure elation, Otto wrapped his arms around "Them" in a tight hug.

Within his embrace, Faust felt a sudden warmth enveloping "They're" body and the smell of vanilla flooding her nose...It felt disgustingly human, but it didn't matter if "They" stayed longer, Faust would die sooner or later when Finality was transcended.

"Sorry for that, I was so happy that I could finally sca-, share my burden with someone." Otto let out a sheepish but contented smile.

Faust fell into a daze before quickly replying, "Warn me before any attempts of affection lest I use force."

"Oh, so if I asked for a hug, would you accept it?"

"Yes, if the situation demands it...Will we get back on track with your deal?"

"Right! I know about your limitations since you're a higher-dimensional being, you can't interact with our Reality but only through Herrschers Cores and Honkai Energy...So, how about this: give me access to as many Herrscher Authorities as you can, and in five years, I'll make Humanity transcend Finality."

"This deal of yours, without any proper context and backing, would be a sham, and I would have immediately expelled you from here, but knowing your History, this is more of an investment. Why ask for my help when you have the backing of a being who knows about the Aeons and the deepest secret of this World?"

"Simple, just as you have your limitations, "He" has them as well...We're both Proxies of Slumbering Gods, plus, I've always wanted to work together with a like-minded partner, and if you're worried about being backstabbed, we can make a contract, the Cocoon of Finality has an Authority of Law, right?"

"It's unnecessary for a contract...I'll always be observing you one way or another from time to time. Though that Fog of yours is quite troubling...Everything you do is nothing but a Void."

"Ah, that's pretty endearing, my dear business partner watching over me...What a good friend, but I do love my privacy."

Faust partially ignored his sweet words and addressed an important predicament, "There are two problems with your proposal...One, you can not become a Herrscher since you do not have the potential to be one. Two, the protection of that Gray Fog will reject and frighten any Herrscher Authority you come in contact with." 

"But there is a solution, I still have the Void Archives within, a Divine Key made with a Herrscher Core from the Previous Era...Essentially dead. So do you get what I am saying?"

Silence took over, Faust for a second, before reaching out her right hand.

"Which Authority do you desire? From capability, I can only make up three active Herrscher Core from the Previous Era."

"Oh, is your limitation acting up again? Is it because of how ancient tech the Previous Era Herrschers were...Having a 0-Dimensional Imaginary Singularity and were fixed, unable to learn or change hosts, unlike the Current Era's cores."

"Correct. Just as humans discard the old and embrace the new. The Honkai does the same, and is constantly evolving, discarding their weak flesh onto carbon, discarding fixed Herrscher Cores to ever-changing ones. It's like forcing a human to act like a primitive caveman."

"Hmm...Say, how would you feel if I asked for the Authority of Origin for one of my choices?"

"I would grant you the stigma of a greedy but wise man...Unfortunately, I can not grant you it, the Daughter of the Honkai has it deep in its grasp."

'Damn you, you sweet stingy cute little pink elf' Otto cursed and lampooned in his mind.

"Binding, Void, and Dominance." He requested with a gentle voice.

Hearing his request, three sources of light started to shimmer and converge onto her hand. 

One was wrapped in golden radiance that seemed to bind everything in existence, another was swinging in deep yellow as if it were a puppet guided by strings, and lastly, a core meshed with transparency as the space started to fold within.

Once fully formed, materialized, she unexpectedly threw them to the man. With his Clownish reflexes, he caught them gently in his grasp and glanced at them with a delighted smile.

Having finished with the deal, Faust looked at him and asked,

"Do you have anything left to say, Otto Apocalypse?"

"Yeah, you've got to know my reasons on why I offered this partnership, why don't you explain yours?"

"It's simple, I am merely programmed to send and manifest Herrschers in a timely and correct manner...If you're expecting a personal reason from me...If I can compute correctly in an intimate way. You are simply a piece of work that I enjoy converting with...So goodbye and may we meet again in reality."

Otto tilted his head in dismay. "What type of confession is that?"

Before he could even blink, a surge of white light surrounded his entire being. It took a moment for him to adjust his eyes from the sudden flashbang of light. His eyes constantly blinked to ease away the irritation.

Upon returning to reality, he noticed two things: the Cores in his hands didn't glow or bask in light, but instead shimmered softly and dully as if they were dead.

He then noticed the smell of decay..."Ah!" The metal charms that were gracefully carved were no longer on his desk and were instead a mist of metal that slowly dispersed into nothing.

Otto knew he could make them again, but seeing such hard work simply gone in a blink eye thanks to a rock, really did get on his nerves...It was like burning money. Well before he started crashing out on the Herrscher Core, there was one thing he needed to do.

Placing the three dead Herrschers onto the table, he moved to the couch he pressed his face into the cushion, and,

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Coming face to face with the Will of the Honkai was one of the most stressful things Lin had ever done...It was like talking to someone while they had a gun on your head while having a nuke strapped onto your back.

'I can see now why Otto folded immediately against them. Now I just want to laze on my couch and go to sleep, but I still need to perform one more time.

"Angelica! Wanna make a bargain? Give me three Pathways for three Herrscher Cores."

That's right, he was going to haggle his way to getting more Pathways again.