Within the safe haven of the floating islands of Schicksal, the head and director, Otto Apocalypse, lounged with his new neighbour and partner in crime.
"Although, the technical term for our cooperation would be "business partners" with common interests. Am I wrong ?" Otto questioned, while adding sugar cubes to his tea and stirring it properly.
Prometheus was just focusing entirely on the game she held on her hands, pouring almost one hundred percent of her attention on the game.
She did not move her head, nor change her facial expressions. Her focus never wavered, and neither did her crimson eyes.
She calmly answered, "Calling us "business partners" would be accurate. But I wouldn't say we have a common goal— more like our goals are aligned. You won't achieve yours unless we've achieved ours."
"I wouldn't let you." She bluntly spoke, staring at Otto's back with those apathetic crimson eyes.
Otto lazily turned around, seemingly unfazed by the bluntness or the possible taunt thrown his way.
"And when you say you "won't let me", you mean resetting the world, correct?"
"Affirmative."
"And remind me again how you would do such a thing." Otto playfully enquired, making Prometheus deadpan at him.
"None of your business." She coldly said.
"How harsh~ I could've sworn overhearing you talk about some 'gift' you received from your master several hundred thousand years ago, hm ?" Otto smiled at her slyly, perhaps hoping for a reaction, but received none of the kind.
"What I do, and what Kurokami-sama does, is none of your concern. You simply need to follow the plan and play your part. You. Your granddaughter. The valkyries of Schicksal. St. Freya High. Raiden Mei. Bronya Zaychik. Hua. K-423. The Mahavidya. The Flame Chasers. And of course, K-108. All of them have their part, as do you yours and myself, mine." She explained in a flat tone of voice, as if such a thing was common sense.
"Play your part properly and your wish of reviving Kallen Kaslana will be achieved. After all, that is what was promised to you when Kurokami-sama struck that deal with you. And if all goes well, Kurokami-sama will succeed this time."
"Yes, yes. That reminds me." Otto speaks while stirring the sugar in the tea so it mixed properly, his eyes reflecting a wise yet crafty mind capable of committing numerous atrocities for the sake of his dream.
"K-108; the one who currently goes by the alias of "Kurokami Arata" — host of the Mahavidya [Kali]. Wielder of Adi Parashakti." He speaks, remembering the special eyed time warper he sent to Nagazora to find the Box of God and kill [Dhumavati].
Prometheus pauses.
"...what about him ?"
"He is a clone of Kurokami Arata, is he not ?"
"Affirmative." Prometheus responded instantly.
"What of it ? Does him being a clone bother you ?"
"Nothing of that sorts. I myself have delved into the creation of clones, so I cannot judge. But if I may ask, what is the number in his name for ? What does that designate ? The number of clones you've made, or..."
"It designated the number of resets." Prometheus answered, making Otto sigh and play with his own hair.
"Hah... I see. One hundred and eight times, the world has been reset. And with each reset, you and your master how to restart it all from the previous era of humanity. How old exactly does that make you ?" He enquires, making Prometheus shake her head.
"Not one hundred and eight resets— One hundred and seven." She corrects him, before adding that, "This is the 108th attempt to save the world from its intended doom."
"What under what conditions are you willing to reset the timeline ?" He questions, as he takes a sip of the still hot and now sweet cup of tea.
"Should K-108 die, I shall reset the world. Should one of key pieces perish, I shall reset the world. Should an unexpected failure occur, I shall reset the world. Should one of the other Mahavidya come out on top, I shall reset the world. Should the world be destroyed, I shall reset the world. Should [Kali] ever break free, I shall consider it a failure and reset the world. Should any of the Flame Chasers from the Previous Era die, I shall reset the world, Should Elysia ever die, I shall reset the world. Should Kallen Kaslana and by proxy, [Dhumavati] escape their designated fate, I shall reset the world." That last part made Otto's gaze harden, because he was fully aware that Prometheus needed Kallen to die at that time in that specific way for her "master's plan" to work.
"Because you need me, don't you ?" Otto added, making Prometheus sigh.
"Your presence is here to make my life easier, and to ease the pain that Kurokami-sama feels."
She then shot him a cold look, and reminded him of his prior conversation with her master. "And besides, did you already forget about that deal you made with Kurokami-sama ? Did you forget the way fate functions in this world ?"
"Not at all. On the day he approached, I had already forsaken all that I am and lowered myself before his presence. Because he and K-423 are the keys to bringing back my beloved Kallen."
"Yet I still fail to see how you always reset the world. No matter how many methods I could think of, I can think of no way for you to do such a thing."
Prometheus closed her eyes and said, "As I have said a million times in the past, how I handle such tasks is none of your concern."
After all, it wasn't her power — it was her master's power. One that she was "allowed" to use as a failsafe in case he couldn't.
"Oh, but it is~ After all, I was under the impression that only my good friend Arata possesses authority over time. And of course, [Mahakali]." Otto argued, his mind going over the only two known entities in the entire world that have the power to freely influence the flow of time to the point of leaving the world in an infinite time loop.
"This is not the first loop where you and I have had this conversation. But, here's to hoping this will be the last." Prometheus said, truly and wholeheartedly hoping that this would be the "breakthrough loop" where they succeed without any issues.
After all, most of the things from the Previous Era went exactly as planned and most of them are alive and well.
"Which explains how you know everything I'm going to say before I say it." Otto sneered, knowing full well that he was but a mere pawn in this situation. Not that he minded.
"And your care for K-108 ? It's seems like you value him far more than you let on." Otto remarked, making Prometheus go silent for a short moment.
"..."
"That is because K-108, although a mere clone body, holds a fragment of Kurokami-samas soul; so to speak, he is less of a clone and more of an incarnation." She stated, making Otto raise an eyebrow.
"Such a precaution had to be made after the events of the Previous Era."
"Mahavidya [Kali]'s power cannot be contained by any living being. I've have tried numerous times to create a clone that could handle the largest fragment of Mahakali, containing with purest of THEIR essence. Yet, I have never succeeded. THEIR power cannot be contained within a human body — no living thing can withstand pure Adishakti coursing through their veins, not even if they were a fusion warrior made for that sole purpose." She explained the dilemma she faced a long, long time ago, that really stunted their progress at one point.
"No one outside of Kurokami-sama can handle that pure, raw Adishakti." She said with a voice that, despite the deadpan nature of it, was filled with faith and devotion.
Faith towards her beloved master and her one and only god.
Faith in the Planet-Class Honkai Beast that ruled over the realms of Time and Destruction.
Faith in the almighty power that could shake the foundations of the Imaginary Tree.
Faith in The One Who Devoured Time.
"I see..." Otto caressed his own chin as he wondered. "So K-108 isn't technically a clone. So he's more of a... temporary vessel for the primary fragment of Kurokami Arata ?"
"K-108. Kurokami Arata. Mahakali. Adi Parashakti. Whatever it is you wish to call THEM. They are all one in the same, so to say that it is all a part of THEIR vision."
"What a dubious answer..." Otto sighed, before leaning back on his seat. His emerald eyes twinkled now, with ambition and a need to move forward.
"So now what ? About your plans in Nagazora City— Do you want [Dhumavati] to run amok or not ?" Otto seemed very confused about that, because Prometheus never actually gave him a straight answer about that.
"Whether [Dhumavati] awakens or not is not a concern. It is likely that one of Dr. Mobius' lesser clones will try to do something about this to steal [Kali], but they not the truth about the state of THEIR core." Prometheus put that game down and put her fingers together as she further dictated the future she has seen numerous times already.
"Although, should [Dhumavati] awaken, it would be preferable for THEM to wake up outside the city." Prometheus added an important detail.
After all, if [Dhumavati] were to be unleashed in the centre of the city, she will be forced to reset the timeline right away. After all, that event would mean the deaths of all the key players in Nagazora City — Raiden Mei, Kiana Kaslana (K-423), Bronya Alexeievna Zaychik and Cocolia. Such an outcome was less than ideal.
"Kurokami Arata must meet Raiden Mei, Bronya Alexeievna Zaychik and Kiana Kaslana, within Nagazora City. And he will, for it is what destiny has dictated — It is what THEY desire." She was looking forward to the start of December 2013, because that would be the month where all the key players of Nagazora were brought together.
"Should the Third Impact be an unavoidable circumstance, then it matters not to me. I simply carry out Kurokami-samas will." She closed her eyes and leaned back on her seat.
"No. The Third Impact and the Third Eruption are not the same thing." She answered Otto's question before he even spoke out about it.
Otto became silent and continued to observe her.
"Four months from now, in August, Bronya Zaychik will become crippled. On November 16th, Cocolia will send Raiden Ryoma to prison. And in the first week of February, the Third Eruption will take place. That is the current course of events that are to happen in accordance to my calculations." Prometheus explained, her eyes shining with a scarlet glint.
'Although, knowing Kurokami-sama, Raiden Mei's awaken wil certainly happen a lot sooner.' She didn't bother mentioning that. She could never predict the exact date of Mei's Herrscherization. Not when Arata would interfere.
"I see... What an eventful future we have aligned, waiting for us." Otto remarked.
"Indeed. Although I cannot accurately tell you how the Mahavidya clones will be acting in this loop. But knowing them, the host of [Bhairavi] will likely try to pick a fight with Kurokami-sama over the Box of God."
After all, that is exactly what happened last time, in the 106th loop.
"Ohoh ?" Otto raised an eyebrow, intrigue finally appearing in his eyes once more.
"Well, now I'm curious. How will this time be different from the past attempts ? I wonder what you will do this time, my friend?"
Prometheus cocked her to the side and said, "Were you not the one who claimed that the two of you were "one in the same" ? Should you not be aware of what is going on in my amnesiac master's head ?"
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't~ As of right now, there isn't really much to be done aside from waiting." Otto remarked, making her sigh and lean back on her own chair further.
Prometheus blinked and stared at the ceiling, suddenly pouting.
I want to see Kurokami-sama...
She could not afford to, she knows that. She had a role to play to make sure everything goes the way it's supposed to. And her master doesn't have his memories in his current state, so she can't just go and live with him like she used to.
But, she will stay in touch with him, and guide him to reach the perfect ending he so deeply desires.