A blow to the soul! Utter madness!
The shocking scene of Orchis being skewered quickly fermented into a storm of public opinion in the community!
It grew more and more intense! A field of wailing and misery! The discussion surrounding it soared with a particular kind of bitter satisfaction!
At that time, Honkai: Star Rail had not yet developed into its later stages, where characters would casually endure thirty million reincarnations of suffering and your favorite character would be locked in the past, never to return. The writers, those depraved bastards, had not yet started chasing players down to force-feed them industrial-grade glass shards. The players' mental states were still stable.
Therefore, Orchis's story, at this current stage, was a dimensional takedown! It was considered the first shot fired in the return of the Honkai-series' tragic narrative!
Let's look back at the kind of plot we had in the 1.0 era of Star Rail.
Up to this point, the greatest tragedy players had witnessed was Miss Tingyun's funeral and the regrets of the High-Cloud Quintet.
But none of that really had anything to do with the people on the Astral Express.
After Dan Heng cut ties with his past, the rest was essentially the personal trifles of the natives on each planet.
We Nameless have always maintained a detached yet chivalrous stance. We tour when we tour, help when we help, and mourn when we mourn, but we carry on with our business.
Overall, it was a fairly normal space journey, filled with other people's blood and other people's tears.
Players were even looking forward to the day March 7th would get a hole punched through her chest! Give our little March a new form-switching outfit!
Everyone naturally assumed—how could the tragedies of the Trailblazing path ever befall the protagonist?
If the sky were to fall, Elio would be there to hold it up with his script. The writer is right by my side, so how could our little gray-haired girl possibly suffer?!
At most, because of Miss Himeko's presence, people were always afraid of a "Final Lesson" lying in ambush... but that, in turn, was far too predictable.
And so, when Orchis fans from all walks of life saw their waifu finally implemented into the main story, they were so gratified they wiped tears from their eyes, completely letting their guard down against the writers' malicious tastes. Do you have any idea how long we've waited for this crumb of content?
Being called a non-existent character who just eats up resources without doing anything was driving us crazy!
This time, she finally got to stand up! Everyone was looking forward to seeing what kind of interactions their little waifu would have with the little gray-haired girl, hoping for some sweet dating plot.
They hoped their white-haired waifu would get on the Express, uncover the truth of the protagonist's past, and they would all harmoniously beat up Emanators and ascend to Aeonhood together.
A simple, classic love and adventure story for the protagonist and heroine! A happy ending where they end up together! We, the gods of pure love, will conquer all today!
And then... there was no "and then."
The Orchis fans were brutally crushed by the writers' heavy hand, left lying on the ground with their mouths agape and eyes shut.
The heroine players had been longing for was hung in the sky like a teru teru bōzu! Discarded like a rag! Her fate, unknown!
If Orchis weren't a puppet, it's hard to imagine how bloody that scene would have been!
Damn you, miHoYo!
What do you call waiting a whole year to finally see the light, only for my Orchis to be cut down by the writers like a disposable pawn?
Hey! Wait, why? On what grounds?!
"A trap! This is a trap!" people cried out, their defenses shattered.
"This is a trap set by the writers to lure in and slaughter Orchis fans! A shameless plot-driven character assassination!"
"Ultimately, isn't it strange that the protagonist awakened the power of their bonds but still couldn't defeat the boss?!"
"This is proof of an internal vendetta to get rid of our Orchis—!"
Have you ever seen a situation where two people support each other through a bitter fight, in a passionate scene where they awaken the power of their bonds, only for the heroine to die? Writer, stop right there!
The little fairies in upper management are at it again! They're jealous that our 2D waifu has such a large fanbase protecting her! Their dark hearts led them to strangle the true heroine!
"It's not supposed to be like this! Honkai: Star Rail isn't supposed to be this kind of game!"
We're supposed to be a world built on memes! Even more for fun than just for fun!
The Astral Express crew is supposed to be a cosmic road trip movie, traveling to each planet and resolving local incidents!
We are the noble Trailblazers! Travelers who journey through worlds with ease and grace!
The overall story atmosphere should be lighthearted most of the time, with a positive message and some serious narrative during key moments!
A space comedy where combat power inflates to the point of cultivation, where a single glance from an Aeon can grant special powers.
With the little gray-haired girl unlocking a new Path on every world, one can't even imagine how terrifying the power creep will get!
Positive! Optimistic! Upbeat! How could anyone die in such a harmonious work?!
A young person's first miHoYo game... No! To be precise, a young person's first Honkai series game!
"You are all murderers!! (crying) (crying) (crying)"
If Orchis dies, I don't mind destroying this world.
I will create a world with Orchis in it.
Quick, go flood their Bilibili feed! Make the arrogant old bastards change the plot!
They started writing and forgot their roots, stuffing their personal biases in again! They dared to kill off a beautiful girl today! I can't even imagine what they'll do next!
The newcomers were in disbelief, wailing incessantly that their Orchis couldn't be treated this way.
But the old-timers were already revealing rather depraved smiles. Jie jie jie!
This is just the beginning!
Some people didn't even find Orchis's death that sad; instead, they let out joyous laughter.
When are we getting the grim grand reunion package and the world-line reboot? That's the ancestral law of our Honkai series.
Do you know how gentle it is for a character to be able to die?!
Look at Kevin, who couldn't die even if he wanted to. Now that's what you call torture.
It could be even more heart-wrenching!! They could have left you alone and unloved across a vast timeline, only to be bound by your bonds and forced to live on!
Facing the end of the world and still having to say, "Let's smile," certain that a different kind of romantic story will unfold—that's the correct way.
"So cruel, so cold! What changed you? Was it miHoYo?!"
And are the players and miHoYo's story team not a pair of star-crossed lovers themselves?
-----------------
Returning to the story itself, a large number of players in the main story reached the laboratory battle against the Swarm King.
The Trailblazers of both the surface line and the hidden line were steadily losing ground under the Emanator of Propagation's assault, until Orchis gambled her life to save them.
The two storylines seemed to connect, beginning to converge towards the same outcome.
One Trailblazer hated herself for being powerless, for being unable to do anything.
The other Trailblazer couldn't understand the girl who sacrificed herself for her, and also felt an indescribable sense of failure for her own incompetence.
But no matter what, the Stelles of both storylines would experience immense emotional turmoil due to the harm Orchis suffered.
The unwillingness to accept their own powerlessness!
The puppet girl had intervened in the Trailblazer's life, becoming an indelible part of it.
The protagonist now fully understood that there was a good girl willing to give her all for her, and that she herself was too weak to do anything but watch her get hurt!
The Trailblazer of the surface line could no longer live as she had before, just going with the flow.
The Trailblazer of the hidden line had already begun to stand on her own, but simply lacked the strength.
Their converging fates both pointed towards Orchis's location! The Trailblazer could not, under any circumstances, accept someone sacrificing themselves for her!
"What do I do, what do I do, think—"
Fifty-six seconds passed. The Swarm King vanished from the world. The Trailblazer held Orchis in her arms, muttering to herself anxiously.
Because Orchis was a puppet, the little gray-haired girl clung to the extravagant hope that there might be a sliver of a chance to save her.
There must be a way!
On the screen, the Trailblazer wore an expression of extreme grievance and sorrow, a stubborn look that held a trace of hope amidst despair.
Her breathing was heavy, ragged, and short. It was a truly pitiable sight!
Kisaragi felt her heart ache. Although veteran players were long accustomed to miHoYo's gut punches, having evolved into numb, bloodthirsty spectators who reveled in the chaos, it was precisely because of their love for the game that they also felt pain for the characters in the story.
The bullet comments in the livestream were a frenzy of people tearing their hair out over Orchis's fate. Little gray-hair, you really did your best. The writers are heartless. It's not your fault it was a plot-driven death.
A sense of powerlessness spread. The protagonist's heart was filled with grievance and confusion with no outlet, forcing herself to smile and press on, tasting all the bitterness in the world.
Kisaragi was now truly curious as to how this story would develop...!
(If it follows the pattern of the miHoYo writers I'm thinking of, there's definitely something bigger coming.)
Just when you think it's already desperate, they'll hit you with another heavy-handed design to stab you one more goddamn time!
The most delicious moment is when the hope found in despair plummets into an even deeper despair, yet remains far from complete hopelessness.
The character will have a... strong feeling that they'd be better off dead than alive! But they're forced to keep moving forward!
Just like Kiana, who was both a Sirin clone and K-423, who wandered the world during her Void Drifter days because her life was saved by Himeko! You can only carry your sins and move forward! You have no right to choose! Your life is not your own! It is the mission of a Kaslana!
There will be a design that makes you feel like you're living a fate worse than death, hanging you by a thread! Scarred and battered! Torturing our Honkai-series protagonists to bear their burdens and press on!
(There will definitely be... a heavy-handed little 'touch' that ensures the protagonist can never return to their former warm, daily life of glass shards.)
Kisaragi's gaze sharpened. *I'm ready!*
I've already figured out your little tricks, miHoYo. Bring it on!
Hurry up!!!!
-----------------
The plot continued to unfold. The Trailblazers of both lines, holding Orchis, began to think of a way out.
The Trailblazer of the surface line, because Dr. Ratio was nearby, naturally had the desperate thought of turning to anyone for help.
She even found it strange. Orchis was so badly injured, yet the man in the plaster head hadn't acted on his words! He made no move to help!
But Dr. Ratio also didn't take advantage of her plight for his own gain, leaving the Trailblazer unable to figure out his motive—why was he just watching?!
In reality, because Orchis was a Memetic Entity, in Dr. Ratio's eyes, the Trailblazer had single-handedly summoned a puppet army to fight the enemy. The Nameless was as powerful as a demon god! It seemed he didn't need to intervene at all. He was, in turn, wondering why the little gray-haired girl was holding her arms out in a princess carry at thin air.
The Trailblazer of the inner line, however, sought out the members of the Genius Society. Stelle believed that since Orchis was a type of Intellitron, Herta, the master of puppets, and Screwllum, the Mechanical Aristocrat, could surely repair her!
"Cough, cough cough—"
Panting and covered in wounds, the Trailblazer carried the battered Orchis before Madam Herta.
In Kisaragi's livestream, the audience watched the scene of the protagonist begging the three geniuses for help and suddenly realized something was wrong.
The little gray-haired girl was in such a hurry that she didn't even have time to hold Ruan Mei accountable for creating the Swarm King, looking past the woman in traditional garb directly at Herta.
It was a matter of life and death; she was terrified Orchis would perish right then and there!
Herta also gave the Trailblazer a strange look. She had heard a loud noise earlier and mobilized her other puppets to investigate, discovering a high-energy reaction from the Seclusion Zone. Madam Herta belatedly realized she seemed to have given Ruan Mei the ID card access for that area. She had actually known where Ruan Mei's lab was from the start, but had simply paid it no mind and ignored it.
Herta had entrusted the Trailblazer with investigating Ruan Mei. Seeing the little gray-haired girl in such a sorry state, it was surely related to the earlier high-energy reaction. She had most likely fought a great battle with one of Ruan Mei's creations. Herta hadn't even had a chance to head over before the person in question arrived, so she naturally began to ask questions.
"Hey kid, you're just in time. What happened over at the Seclusion Zone? You don't have to rush to tell me. Rest up first."
"Herta! Please help me, save Orchis. She's severely injured."
"Orchis?"
Herta looked at the Trailblazer's frantic expression and her strange posture of maintaining a princess carry, though her arms were empty.
As a Memetic Entity, Orchis could not be perceived by anyone other than the Trailblazer.
Herta raised an eyebrow, but she didn't say much. Given her relationship with the Trailblazer, there was no need to question every strange thing.
"Alright! Take me to see her. Where is this person you're talking about?"
The beautiful and kind-hearted Madam Herta didn't quibble over gains, losses, or oddities. You say save her, I'm willing to help. It was that simple.
"...What are you talking about?"
But Herta's words confused the Trailblazer. Where is this person?
In the eyes of the wounded Stelle, who held the dying puppet girl in her arms, the sight of the very obvious Orchis and Herta's question of "where is Orchis" were two statements that were logically disconnected.
Anyone with eyes could see she wanted to save the girl in her arms. She had even brought the person right here. It was like Herta was telling a bald-faced lie.
"I'm asking, where is this Orchis you speak of?" Herta repeated.
The Trailblazer's strange expression also made Herta look puzzled. The back-and-forth yielded no results, which made the little gray-haired girl, already extremely worried about Orchis's life, snap.
"What kind of joke are you making at a time like this?!"
...?
Something was definitely not right.
Herta observed the Trailblazer's anxious expression and her gesture of seemingly holding something. Could there be someone there? Hidden for some special reason that I can't perceive?
A normal person might think the little gray-haired girl had lost her mind, but Herta trusted that the kid before her wouldn't act without reason.
So, with a strange expression, Herta walked forward, preparing to investigate personally. She reached out her hand and pressed it forward in front of the Trailblazer.
The result—
To Stelle's utter disbelief, Herta's hand passed right through Orchis's body.
There was no resistance, as if she were touching a pocket of air.
"!!!"
The Trailblazer stared at this scene in disbelief. The livestream audience outside the screen was also quite astonished by what they were seeing.
Memetic Entities are life forms of memory, detached from physical bodies.
And the medium for a Memetic Entity can be any object or action capable of carrying and projecting information.
A book, a disc, an article, a memory bubble—all could serve as a medium for a meme.
Orchis's medium was, in essence, the golden pocket watch carried by the Trailblazer.
Earlier, the Swarm King of Pestilent Stars had been able to touch the memetic Orchis only because it had attacked the watch that had fallen to the ground along with her.
Under normal circumstances, in a world not composed of Memoria, concepts of physical meaning are ineffective against Memetic Entities.
"So, where is this person called Orchis you were talking about?"
Having touched only air, Herta waved her hand. Although she trusted the Trailblazer, the facts before her forced her to acknowledge Stelle's error.
"See? There's clearly nothing in your arms."
"——"
Stelle lowered her head in disbelief, staring intently at the puppet girl in her arms, whose eyes were closed in exhaustion.
What! What is going on?! What is this...?