Honkai Star Rail: The Archiver

[Monyu!!]

"Hmm…"

[Monyu! Monyu…]

Seeing the little creature shake in his hands, Yuuto squeezed its soft outer skin and lifted it into the air.

"Cute…"

[Monyu?] The creature's little head turned to the side as it watched Yuuto's reaction

"Urgh." Feeling the beady eyes stare right at him, Yuuto felt an arrow strike his chest and he immediately began squeezing the creature making its small face morph.

It tried to resist his hands by using its small tail but unfortunately for it, Yuuto had a desire to fulfill right now remembering what this little thing was.

"I didn't think I'd see one of you guys come up to me so willingly." 

This creature or more so one of Ruan Mei's creations was lifeforms made with the single objective of being made into a natural-born genius. After some research meeting this goal of creating a sentient lifeform was easily done.

However, it was still marks off from what she originally wanted.

She soon realized that despite being a lifeform that can think and communicate independently. They failed to meet the other objective of being considered something of a true genius.

Resulting in a failure where they now stayed in an area right beneath the Space Station. Yearning for the day when they could gain their creator's approval and acknowledgment.

'But that might be a bit difficult…'

A wry smile formed as he thought of this and eventually released the little creation onto the desk in front of him and watched as it bounced away from him.

After creating some distance, the creature shot him a sharp glance but that just made Yuuto smile even more.

Thinking for a moment, Yuuto waved his hand, and a small cookie he had been eating just a few minutes prior appeared and he waved it in front of him.

Seemingly as a peace offering or apology for his actions.

"Wanna try this? It tastes pretty goo— wait… " He paused for a bit 

"Can this be considered cannibalism if I give it to this little fella…"

[Monyu!!]

"Ah, it ate it." 

Before he could take back his offer, the creature stole the cookie from his hand and quickly munched it down. Leaving a trail of crumbs on its tiny face.

Even with its lack of legs to help it walk around, it was still pretty quick and surprisingly caught Yuuto off guard. 

Seeing how happy it was to eat his peace offering, Yuuto shrugged his shoulders thinking that he couldn't take it back now, and decided to let it have it.

Resting his chin on his palm while watching the cookie gradually disappear, he heard its happy cries before turning to Yuuto and rubbing its face on his hand.

Scratching its soft skin, the smile on his face still stayed the same. "I'm not giving you another one."

[Monyu.]

The creature immediately turned its head away and narrowed its eyes as if it were being accused of something. 

'How cute.'

Yuuto thought that it had quite the mental capacity to figure out that using its appearance could help grant it advantages.

Unfortunately for them, Yuuto was already used to this behavior as a certain gray-haired raccoon had tried to do the same thing quite often.

"But the question still stands. Why did this little one come out of nowhere when I tried to attract the Wubbaboo…"

Feeling his surroundings for any other presence other than one of Ruan Mei's creations. There was still a lack of a trace that could help him find the little phantom thief Herta was looking for.

[Monyu.]

Yuuto felt a gaze land on him and he noticed that Ruan Mei's creation had managed to land on his lap once again.

"You might be able to help…?"

[Monyu! Monyu.]

"How? It's not like you have a device that can help me right? Or do you have some sort of special sense that…."

[Monyu–! Monyu…]

"I see… you know a Wubbaboo but you're not sure if it's the one I'm looking for huh…"

Yuuto placed his knuckles on his lips to think. Taking a few seconds to organize his thoughts, he looked at the little creature on his lap with a serious expression.

"Can you help me call your friends?"

[.....Monyu..]

"3 cookies—"

[Monyu!!!]

"Pleasure doing business with you."

Yuuto and the creature looked at each other with respect and the two shook hands. Or more so shook paws and it led Yuuto to a certain spot where they could start their cooperation. 

–PSSHH

Metalic doors separated as Yuuto entered a room that was isolated even further than where he originally was. Giving off an eerie silence as the sounds of walking and something bouncing were the only things audible.

"Little Gray Bean Paste, where are you leading me..?" 

[Monyu.]

"Just around the corner, huh."

The creature who gave its name to Yuuto after a moment of bonding, bounced quickly in front of him and skillfully touched a pad containing numbers that controlled a certain door.

–PSSHH 

Air was released once more as the door opened and inside was a large space that had a few computers and desks.

But there was a conspicuous object seated in the center of the room that made it hard for Yuuto to ignore.

"You brought me to a… toilet..?"

[Monyu. Mon–yuu]

"We need to go down this so we can meet your friend?"

Seeing Gray Bean Paste nod its head, Yuuto looked at the toilet strangely and rubbed the center of his temples.

Taking a few seconds to himself, he dialed his phone and called Screwllum. 

[Have you managed to find something?]

"Possibly, but I just want to ask a quick question."

[If it is something I am familiar with. I will gladly answer any question.]

"Is a toilet a safe mode of transport?"

[A toilet you say….]

A moment of silence continued as Screwllum thought seriously.

[If it's in a separate room such as a laboratory, then it should be fine. But if you're talking about the ones in a bathroom it may pose another question altogether…]

"I understand." 

Yuuto said a final word of goodbyes before cutting the call and looking at Gray Bean Paste who was enjoying the cookies he received.

"I better not end up in some feces collection center or else I'll be having a side of pastries with some tea tomorrow."

[Monyu….]

***

"I honestly didn't think I would have needed to go down here…"

Staring down a dark hallway that was lit by the few beads of red lights, Yuuto felt like an eerie presence was lurking in the dark shadows hidden behind each corner.

It was quite a unique of an experience going down a toilet to get to the Sealed Zone hidden beneath the station. He would have honestly preferred going down the traditional route in the form of an elevator.

However, according to Gray Bean Paste, it would have been faster to meet this Wubbaboo compared to taking the elevator since it led to an area where a large number of Ruan Mei's creations lived.

A place where the Wubbaboo frequently visited to play with them whenever it felt bored.

'But it seems like this little guy became quieter the moment we arrived.'

Yuuto looked down at the green outer shell that covered Gray Bean Paste and felt its small shivers as he continued to carry it.

Possibly in an attempt to help its mood, Green Bean Paste began to hum. But this made Yuuto look down at it in sadness as he could predict the exact song it was humming.

(In a circle, Ruan Mei's creations join hands with each other.)

(Ruan Mei intertwines joy and sorrow.)

(Ruan Mei, Ruan Mei, why do you not turn back to look at us?---)

"Little guy…"

Not wanting to hear more of the song, Yuuto turned Green Bean Paste to face him and gently rubbed the under portion of its soft chin.

"Don't hum such a sad song, okay?"

[Monyu…]

"There will definitely be a day where Ruan Mei looks at you," Yuuto said with a serious expression. "So until then, you just need to show her that you are as much of a genius as she is."

[Monyu..]

"Of course. Show her that Little Gray Bean Paste is the best in the world."

Seeing the sincerity and kindness in Yuuto's eyes, Gray Bean Paste felt an emotion well up inside it and couldn't help but rub its face against his.

Yuuto felt a smile grow as he accepted its cute act and noticed that the shivers had almost disappeared. 

—BANG

As he was about to calm Gray Bean Paste down, Yuuto heard a sharp crash down the hallway he stood in. Alongside the crash, loud cries, identical to the creature in his hands right now exploded.

Indicating a serious issue was in the process of happening.

[Monyu!]

"Yeah, I know. We have to be fast."

Faint traces of golden lines lit up underneath Yuuto's clothes as a dense hue of silver immediately shrouded his body.

Kicking off the ground, he accelerated down the hallway and kept Gray Bean Paste close to his body so it wouldn't accidentally fly away as he ran.

Turning the corner, Yuuto narrowed his eyes through the darkness and with the help of [Clarity], he was able to locate the source of the cries.

Behind a bundle of trash cans, three of Ruan Mei's creations were huddled together. Hiding from an enemy that made Yuuto click his tongue.

"I always hated these damn bugs."

A red underbelly, exoskeletons that were as hard as metal, and jaws that salivated excessive amounts of fluid. A Juvenile Sting slowly approached the three creations hiding.

With only one thing running through its mind. Devour the animals in front of it and multiply.

However, before it could open its jaw filled with teeth, a frigid wind brushed upon its outer shell, and the force of a projectile forced it to fly backward.

—BZZZT

"Little guy stay with these three and calm them down. I'll take care of this thing quickly."

[Monyu!]

Yuuto nodded his head hearing its answer and waved his hand. A faint barrier covered Gray Bean Paste and a sword instantly materialized in his hands.

–BZZT

The Sting looked at Yuuto angrily as the feeling of having its meal interrupted didn't feel all too good. But seeing the person approaching it, the fluids within its mouth began to gather.

Gathered to the point where a puddle began forming right under it.

"Shit, it's totally thinking I'm some sort of delicacy right now…"

Yuuto didn't like the feeling of being seen as a meal for the bug in front of him but he pushed those feelings down and quickly ran at it.

Knowing the annoying abilities this Sting carried, he felt like if he didn't act quickly the situation would turn into something more troublesome.

Releasing a dense aura of moonlight at the edge of his sword, he drew his arm backward and lowered his posture to ready his stance. Traces of mist also materialized behind him as four spears hovered in place.

Ready to be launched at the slightest sign of an opening. 

Seeing Yuuto approaching quickly, the Sting closed its mouth and formulated an acidic fluid that increased by the second. 

Reaching an amount that could hardly fit its mouth, it began to shoot a stream of this acidic mixture in Yuuto's direction. Dissolving the metallic walls that came into contact as Yuuto used it for leverage in dodging this fluid.

Making up the distance that separated them, he waved his hand and threw the spears toward four points surrounding the Sting.

—BZZZZT

The Sting felt a deep shiver as the bitter cold left a trace of ice on its outer shell and suddenly cried out.

Countless waves of sharp wind assaulted it as the spears focused all their attacks on the bug in the center.

Creating a cage of fierce blade-like air that chipped at its hard limbs.

"I guess trying out this memory came sooner than I expected…"

Yuuto mumbled as the center of his sword lit up in a pure white light and several star-like points appeared on the Sting's body.

Inhaling a deep breath, a series of lines began to form as Yuuto traced these points with the tip of his sword and weaved a chain of rapid cuts.

[Illumine]

—BZZZZT

The multitude of attacks threaded through each point instantly multiplied and created numerous deep fatal cuts into the Sting that the protective shell it had, shattered.

Reddish purple blood seeped out of Sting's body and its limbs began to fall one by one.

"...."

Feeling a wet liquid fly onto his face, Yuuto looked at his sword in awe and an empty chuckle came out.

"Cyrilla… what kind of dangerous memory did you give me…?"

It may have been his imagination but the center of his sword shined faintly as if saying it wanted to keep its silence and his chuckle continued.

As he was wiping the remaining portions of blood off his body, Gray Bean Paste and the others bounced towards him. 

Gray Bean Paste felt a cold shiver down its body as it noticed the damage Yuuto created in front of it.

Metal floor and walls covered in countless sword slashes and ice containing the severed body parts of the Sting.

It slowly hopped in front of Yuuto and placed its paw on his foot while giving a kind sound that showed its cute side.

'Why don't you look at this…'

A deep smile grew on his face as he noticed that it was trying to suck up to him. "Don't be so obvious. I can see your intentions from a mile away."

[Monyu…]

Yuuto felt amused seeing it turn its eyes away before he finally looked at the three behind him and noticed their eyes sparkling.

[Monyu!!!]

[Meow!]

"Uhm.. Hi?"

Watching them begin crowding his legs, Yuuto picked up each one and placed Gray Bean Paste on his head.

"Everyone, be quiet for now. We don't know if there's more of these insects."

He nodded hearing their voices go down as they responded. "Little guy, show me where the meeting spot is."

[Monyu.]

Walking past the frozen remains of the Sting, the crystals that encased the corpse were covered in white light and disappeared after Yuuto stepped within a meter from them.

Feeling the remains turn into fragments and enter his library, Yuuto ran towards the direction Gray Bean Paste was leading and kept his eyes at the front.

The hallway ridden with damage eventually turned silent as the sounds of footsteps gradually disappeared. Shrouding the space in darkness once more.

However, by the bundle of trash cans that fell over during Yuuto's confrontation, a blue ember manifested and came out of the empty space.

Its fire flickered oddly. Neither too hot nor too cold

But its form seemed like it would disappear with the slightest touch. Phasing out of existence if it so wished.

{That human… has the ambiance of everlasting Destruction…}

Letting its words hang in the empty darkness where it illuminated. The ember flickered before it disappeared.

Phasing out of existence as if it was never there in the first place.

***

Another chap will come tomorrow.

Did the recent quest and was expecting Jingliu and Luocha to appear when we went to the Shackling Prison but was blueballed. It actually left on a cliffhanger…

Also Feixiao our general o7