Empress of Thunder - 4

The sudden increase in Honkai radiation with Mei's seemingly all too closer awakening as a Herrscher meant that the safety Soleil and Kiana thought the old school building would have offered was cast aside all too quickly. While they were able to rule out the front door, it was likely the shamblers had gotten in either through other, likely less stable doors, or, considering the appearance of the Seraphs, some holes busted into walls from them charging to meet their "liege" and the threats they saw to her.

"God, it's just getting worse with the horde gathering up here like this!" Kiana grumbled as she shoved her pistol into its holster rather than bother to reload it, taking to smashing in zombie heads as she and Soleil broke through to the third floor, quickly looking around for any sign of Mei on this floor. "We're just wasting time and energy on all of these grunts!"

"Then the roof it is!" Soleil wheeled around and shit back up the last flight of stairs, Kiana hot on his heels.

The two went bursting through the final door, right out into the pouring rain. The rooftop of the old schoolhouse was simple as expected. Sparse except for a few benches and an old chain fence surrounding the edge to make sure no… incidents could have happened. Though said fence was long rusted and worn, looking ready to crumple under even the slightest bit of strain.

And standing at the center was Mei, looking up to the eye of the storm with a distant expression on her face.

"Father… just a little more… just a bit more and Mei can finally be what you need her to be."

"That's odd, she's not acting like herself…" Kiana took a step forward, stopping when Soleil put an arm in front of her. "Shouldn't we…?"

"That wasn't Mei talking…" Soleil's voice was edged in caution, and Kiana gripped her bat at the ready as Soleil stepped forward. "Y'know, I think standing out in the rain isn't that fun an idea! Bad for your health, don't you think?"

"Hm?" Mei's gaze turned to Soleil, her expression turning from distantly euphoric to cross in an instant. "You two… are you here to try and ruin my happiness?"

"What are you on about?!" Kiana snapped. "We're trying to help you!"

"Like I need your pity!" Mei swiped her arm, a wave of electricity stopping Soleil and Kiana dead in their tracks. "Everything… everything should just DISAPPEAR!"

Thunder cracked the sky, and a bolt of lightning came crashing down atop Mei, splitting the air in violet light for a brief moment.

For a moment after the flash, it seemed as if almost nothing had occurred. Mei was still standing before Soleil and Kiana, seemingly unharmed, standing with her eyes closed. But that quickly changed.

The glowing mark on Mei's hip grew brighter, the sparking electricity burning away some of her uniform around it. The sparking electricity around her gathered, drawing into her left arm and dying the skin a deep, glowing violet, markings appearing across the limb like some kind of tattoo. And at Mei's shoulder, more lightning gathered, bursting into a wing of condensed power, made up of three "feathers" that wavered and sparked with power.

Mei's eyes opened, changed to a dark red. She flexed her hands as she brought them up. And that placid look changed to a sinister smile.

"Ahhh~, what a feeling this is!" 'Mei' cast her arms wide as she broke out into laughter. "Hahaha! Do you feel this, Raiden Mei? The whole world is by your side now, none shall abandon you again! Your wish for revenge, to reclaim what you lost, allow me to help make that desire reality!"

"So you're the Herrscher that was inside of her!" Kiana spat, 'Mei' looking to the two before her.

"Hah… who I am hardly matters for you two," she raised her left hand, lightning gathering at her palm. "You'll be joining these other corpses soon enough!"

With a mere flex of her fingers, lightning flew from 'Mei's' hand, striking for the two. Soleil and Kiana dodged to the side. A few more bolts followed, the Herrscher chuckling at seeing her targets still unscathed.

"Ohoho~, good job dodging that! You two will make for good practice!" 'Mei' flexed her hand, the lightning at her hand forming into a sword-like shape. "I'll be sure to make this good and slow."