[Corruption, Goth TF, Idol TF]

Saint Freya's Academy. A school designed to train the young women who have the potential to become Valkyries, so that they may fight against the encroaching Honkai forces. It's a tough place to be, and many girls never manage to rise through the ranks where they're deemed viable to field on the front lines. Only the best of the best can reach that level.

With... a few exceptions...

"Mei! There's somebody that wanted to see you!" A white-haired young girl loudly cried out as she pushed open the double doors that led to one of her best friends' room, panting a little as she wiped her brow. "G-Geez, I should've taken it slow, I'm still a little sore after everything Fu Hua's put me through lately..."

The dorm room was decorated in a much more refined and dignified manner than most of the other rooms. Whoever owned the room had cash to spend, otherwise, they wouldn't have bothered to make it look so extravagant. Considering the owner was currently busy sipping from a cup of tea while resting on one of her couches? Yep, she was definitely the type to go above and beyond in terms of aesthetics.

"Kiana? You look so winded, why don't you take a seat?" The kind-hearted Raiden Mei smiled gently as she motioned for her twin-tailed friend to sit right beside her... Only to then yelp a little as she was rather energetically glomped by the younger girl. "K-Kiana, we talked about this, you don't have to be so enthusiastic whenever you see me..."

The youthful girl, Kiana Kaslana, grinned as she rubbed her cheek up against her beloved Mei's thigh. "I can't help myself, Mei! You're a sight for sore eyes, and you always make me feel so happy. Especially when you cook for me, oh my goodness, I can't wait for the next time we eat together..." Already, the tired girl was starting to drool onto her leg. How adorable.

A loud "Ahem" echoed from the entrance to the room, as a beige-haired girl dressed like a maid leaned against the doorframe. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Lady Raiden. You seem quite occupied with that young Valkyrie, and she seemed quite surprised when I asked if she knew where you were staying."

"Lady Rita? It's uncommon to see you here at the Academy..." The purple-haired young woman's voice was growing a little nervous in the presence of the maid. She knew a little about the rumors that surrounded her, especially considering the direct connection she had to their organization's higher-ups...

The maid, Rita Rossweisse, curtsied slightly before stepping inside. "Of course, I trust dear Theresa to run the academy as well as she can, but occasionally I do have to come here on official business. Master Otto isn't exactly the most patient man, as you might have come to understand after your powers awakened." Her voice chimed as she spoke of a rather harrowing event that both of the girls had endured during their stay at the academy, prompting the two of them to stare displeasedly at her...

"You're not going to take Mei away just because she has a Herrscher core inside of her, are you?" Kiana was practically glaring daggers at the maid, as she tightened the grip around her beloved's stomach. "If you're going to try something, I'll stop you! I'll bring down the building if I have to, I'm sure I can do it!"

Mei hushed her excited friend by slowly running her hand through her pristine white hair. "There there, Kiana. She's not going to take me away. Sir Apocalypse doesn't intend on doing anything horrible to me any longer. As long as the core is suppressed, everything will turn out fine. Isn't that right, Lady Rita?" Despite the subject matter, the young heiress remained as dignified as she could possibly be in this situation.

Rita, on the other hand, started giggling just a little after taking a sip from the tea she had poured. "Oh yes. Master Otto has no interest in your powers at the moment, he's on to the next scheme in one of his master plans. You must understand what it's like to be constantly searching for a way to truly eliminate the Honkai menace when they've come back again and again." The maid licked her lips clean of residue from the tea, only to gently lean towards the two of them. "That being said... I'm glad I found the two of you quickly. Schicksal has a special role in mind for both of you, ever since your general relationship became public knowledge."

"G-General relationship? L-Lady Rita, I'm not in love with Kiana, if that's what you're insinuating-" "People know I'm in love with Mei!? Who told them!? That's supposed to be a secret between me, Mei, Miss Himeko, Brony... It was Bronya that told you guys because she loves to see me squirm, isn't it!?"

The two girls launched into their defensive spiels, prompting their lone guest to laugh yet again. "Oh, the fragility of youth. No, it has nothing to do with the two of you being in love. Rather, you show such a generous bond with one another that the higher-ups thought you would be perfect for their latest morale-inducing stunt." She explained as she took yet another sip...

"Tell me, what do you two know about being an idol?"

The question hung in the air for a minute as the two girls started thinking, with Kiana audibly trying to think as hard as she possibly could, only to let out a defeated sigh a few seconds later as steam started to rise from her ears. "I don't have anything... Mei, do you know?"

"I believe..." Mei paused, pursing her lips as she looked out of the window, smiling as the sun shone in. "I believe an idol is supposed to shine as bright as the sun, illuminating the hearts of those that hear her song. That's what an idol is supposed to be. Is that the kind of answer you were looking for, Lady Rita?"

Rita nodded slightly as she put down the cup, clearing her throat. "In accordance with Schicksal protocol, the two of you have been chosen to become Valkyrie idols. Instead of fighting on the front lines, you are to return with me to HQ, after you've been refitted with new dresses to fit your new personas. After all, there are many different types of idols beyond the kind that you just mentioned, Lady Raiden."

"Wow! We'll get to sing for everyone before they go out and fight Honkai! Doesn't that sound like fun, Mei? You, me, a stage full of spectators, it sounds great!" Kiana giggled as she let go of her friend, only for her enthusiasm to be cut short by the sight of worry on the latter's face. "...Mei..?"

Mei narrowed her eyes as she stood up, materializing her weapon using a quick burst of lightning from her palm. "Lady Rita. I want you to repeat what you just said, but explain it as plainly as possible. I want to ensure that Kiana knows exactly what she's about to agree to, without the lies and deceit that are supposed to neatly wrap it together."

The maid merely smiled as she circled the couch, her grin growing ever slightly suspicious in the process. "Why would I need to do that, when I have my orders? Master Otto didn't say that the two of you needed to agree, just that I needed to bring you in." At that moment, the penny dropped. Rita's true cruel nature was revealed...

Right as she placed her fingertip on the white-haired girl's back, sending a powerful shock through her... "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"  The scream that resounded from Kiana's lungs was powerful and absolutely frightening thanks to the utter shock and anguish in her expression...

"What did you do to her, you poor excuse for a servant!?" Mei's fury was roused as she saw her friend's pain. In but a split second, she had jumped straight at the maid, blade drawn and aimed at her throat. "I'll make you talk, TELL ME WHAT YOU DID!" As she screamed in nothing but pure anger, lightning bolts were starting to rise around her. They were signs that she was starting to tap into the powers of the Herrscher that laid to rest inside of her. If she were to abuse her powers, she'd wake her, and risk being taken over... But if it was to protect her friend, it didn't matter.

Despite the clear difference in skill and strength between the two Valkyries, it didn't take much for Rita to just move out of the way of the obvious attack. She even started giggling as she put a hand to her cheek. "I've done nothing much, Lady Raiden. Just a little alteration to young Kiana's Stigmata, to get her ready for her future role as an idol. You'll see the process in its fullest if you just watch. Of course, we can instead fight and risk hurting her more, if you'd like to challenge your better." The maid licked her lips in a sadistic fashion as she drew her scythe, digitized sparks rushing off it as a show of power.

The purple-haired girl grit her teeth as she did her best to calm down, the rising sparks of electricity calming down as she dispelled her weapon. "You've made your point, Rita. I trust you won't touch her any longer, and that her pain will go away soon. Don't betray that trust." Despite admitting defeat, she wasn't about to go down completely.

"You have my word, Lady Raiden. Now, please. Witness the awakening of an idol. I'm sure you'll love her." The maid chimed as her weapon disappeared, leaving her to curtsy in anticipation.

Kiana was struggling to stay awake. Her back was burning. Her head was burning. Her body felt like it was being seared on all sides. It didn't feel nice at all! Where was Mei? She couldn't see anything, where... Where was anybody!? Where was she!? It was just like one of her nightmares, and it made her heart race in complete and utter fear...

Then, nothing. Everything she felt, in that one second, faded to nothing. Why wasn't she feeling anything? ...Why did she care? She wasn't supposed to feel anything in the first place, so why was she concerned..?

Mei was forced to watch as all the color drained from her friend. Her skin tone turned chalk white. Her outfit turned black as could be, leaving her looking as monochrome as possible. Even her eyes were turned pure white and black, not that she could look her in the eye like this. She was just forced to bide her time, feeling her heart throbbing in pain from the display. "Make it stop... She doesn't deserve this..."

Kiana blinked as she heard the voice of Mei. She then blinked again, not caring about the sound. Her mind was falling into the depths of a monochrome void, every breath she drew making her sink deeper and deeper. "What's the point..." She muttered under her breath, just quiet enough that neither of the two spectators could hear her.

Then, a voice started to boom within the void that was her mind. "The point is to share your misery and your inner turmoil with the world. Let them empathize and grow stronger because they want to support you." The voice, cheeky with a seductive edge, wormed its way through the young girl's head, as the words sunk into her soul...

"...To share my misery..." The white-haired girl muttered as the symbols on her back started glowing, their black colors spreading further across her body. Not to turn her fully black, but rather, they were affecting her clothing. What had been a tight bodysuit that emphasized her curves in all the right ways, were slowly turning into something a little more... dignified. Something that didn't properly fit her person, but something that fit the persona of the words inside of her head.

What had been straight fabric turned into frills. Frills upon frills, as the entire outfit was replaced with a gothic dress. Every single inch of fabric was as black as her soul had become, while her face and body remained as chalk-white as it could be. It was the perfect contrast for a girl like her. No, an idol like her.

"That's the spirit. Make your misery known to the world through your songs, Kiana. You know exactly how to make them all agree with you. I know you can." The voice continued to encourage her ailing soul, as the void within her mind continued to grow. Any rational and ordinary thought would be consumed, turned into nihilistic thoughts that perfectly fit the gothic lolita idol she had become...

Rita couldn't help but smile as Kiana stood up. The experimental Stigmata that Master Otto had given her was doing its job almost perfectly. Now, all she needed to do was watch. She did promise Lady Raiden, after all.

"Kiana, are you okay? You look so pale, so... So..." Mei muttered, her eyes filled with worry as she put her hands on her friend's shoulders. Not knowing that her mind had sunk into the depths of her own abyss. Not knowing that she would be next.

The white-haired idol peered straight into the purple-haired girl's eyes, sending a chill down the latter's spine as she could feel the cold from the former's mind imposing itself on her body. "Mei... Why do you care..?" She asked, her voice reaching the lowest octaves that it ever had.

"W-Why do I care? What are you saying? Of course I care, Kiana. You've been my friend for so long. You've rescued me from the Herrscher's influence, you... You've been my best friend! Of course I care when you start looking like a living dead!" The worried valkyrie prattled off different things that had strengthened their relationship over the last few months, yet the gaze that she received in return was still as cold as before... "...Isn't... Isn't that enough for somebody to care, Kiana..? I thought... I thought you loved me..."

Kiana continued to stare as she stepped closer, pushing her friend onto the couch below as she practically towered over her with her intimidating and unflinching presence. "...I do love you, Mei. That's why you have to stop. You don't need to worry about me. Or about anybody else. Just listen. Listen, and fall with me." The lolita-clad girl closed her eyes, as her cold heart started to beat in rhythm with her breathing, providing a backing track for the melodic words that left her lips moments later...

Mei wanted to push her off, but something about the way she was being pressed down against the pillows made it difficult. Maybe it was because it was her friend who was on top of her. Maybe it was because of the feelings that she harbored towards her. Maybe it was simply because she didn't want to hurt her... Or maybe, and most likely... It was because some part of her enjoyed this. The feeling of being dominated by a girl who she loved.

As she was forced to just sit there and listen, the words slowly made their way through her mind. Little by little, they wrapped around her brain, slowly trapping it using the dark tones that were leaving the gothic girl's mouth. It was getting harder and harder to think of anything but how pointless all of it was. Pointless, aside from the song. That wonderful song that illustrated and depicted a girl's fall from grace...

"It's... Sad..." The valkyrie muttered as her own colors started to fade, the beige skin tone being drained in favor of the same dead-white colors. Her clothes were slowly replaced with the exact same dress like the one that Kiana wore, just properly fit for her figure. She was a good deal taller than all the other valkyries, so some adjustments had to be made.

As the song continued to drag her deeper, yet deeper, a few changes were made to her face. Instead of just having a blank expression, a set of markings appeared to add a bit of personality. The powdery surface of the markings made them comparable to makeup and considering that they were in the shape of spiked and tear-like music notes, the comparison wasn't unfounded.

Her mind wasn't exactly in any better condition. Thanks to the prison that the song had created around her mind, all she could think about was the song. The song... And Kiana. Despite the way her emotions were being sapped, there was still a loving attachment towards that girl. An attachment that didn't want to fade any time soon. Even as she was being rebranded and repurposed into an idol that wanted her sadness to resound and create empathy... She wouldn't want to give up on the girl that had saved her...

Once the song came to an end, instead of there being just one gothic lolita idol, there were two. Their aesthetics, their minds, and their dresses match. They were in total sync, as their fingers interlaced. The only positive emotion lingering within their void-like hearts was the love that they had for one another. A love that could transcend even corruption as thorough as this.

Rita slowly clapped as she approached the two girls, smiling despite being behind the entire incident. "Very well, young idols. Are you ready for your debut on the big stage? I can take you and show you to a crowd that needs to hear your sad song." Her soft and seductive tone returned, the exact same tone that the voice inside of Kiana's head had used.

The two gothic idols looked to one another, only to nod in unison. "We are ready. Let them hear our song..." Even if they had been manipulated, it didn't matter. they had a goal in mind. Something they needed to do. Even if it was a desire that had been implanted in the void that was their minds, thanks to the Stigmata inside of the younger idol's body, it was still a desire that the two shared.

They would make the world hear the tragic tones echo from their hearts. They would inspire hope. As Schicksal's Monochromatic Idols.