Blood.

The essence of humanity. That which gives the body its sustenance— the oil that burns within the soul, invigorating its existence.

That which brings life itself. Yet, which appearance heralded death.

Too red. Too viscous. She despised it. Cursed it. She hated how it smelled of rust and cold steel. She hated how it tasted. Like iron and lead shoved down her throat. It choked her. Drowned her lungs with the nauseous acid of her stomach. A riveted marker that dyed everything in its hue, sullying the beauty of the white snow that surrounded her. She could no longer feel the chill in her bones, and the sight of blood reminded her that she was alive.

She stopped herself from vomiting long enough to see more blood splatter the snow.

It wasn't hers.

She only wished it was hers.

Bennett!

The Prinzessin and the Curse of the Timeless Mountain

Liyue. The land of enduring bedrock that stirred as the augur of new dawn laid bare at her feet. Immortal contracts hath withered, as Teyvat— as the endless multiverse— had sought to challenge Celestia itself with a power that rivaled her own, dubbed as 'the Abyss.'

Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort, Prinzessin der Verurteilung of Immernachtreich, puffed out her chest with enough pride to make up for its modesty. "Hark, citizens! Rejoice as your savior, your Engel der Erlösung, has beseeched your calls and has come to rid the curses that ail your lands."

She pointed a noble finger at the man on the bench who was rightfully minding his own business. "You there! Thou shalt have the favor of servicing me first in my devoir. Speak to me the location of my subjects, for time is of the essence! Mine audience is required, posthaste."

Raven wings flapped monotonously. Oz wasted no time, no beat, in translating. "She wishes to ask if you could point us in the direction of the Adventurer's Guild, kind sir."

"Oh, the Adventurers Guild." the man answered, as if talking with a bird was as normal as breathing. "You adventurers?"

Oz nodded. "Yes, basically."

"It's on the other side of the harbor. Go along the main streets and follow the smell of iron. The Guild's right next to the blacksmith."

"Thank you— "

"Oz," Fischl reprimanded, taking offense at her familiar's actions. She held out a pouch of coins for the man. "Have you forgotten your manners? This man has served his Prinzessin well; it is only natural that he be rewarded greatly for his endeavors."

Can ravens shriek? Maybe squawk would be a more appropriate term, but it sounded more like a shriek to her.

"But, mein Fräulein! I must strongly advise you against spending any more of your Mora. The bounty we gathered from those meteorites is almost spent!"

The man stared at the pouch nervously while scratching his cheek. "I don't take money from strangers…"

"Hush now," Fischl said. "'Tis but a trite sum— enough to bring him succor in his time of need. What kind of majestic, gracious ruler will I be if I let such a worthy man starve without so much as a loaf of bread to feed his family? Oz, kindly remind us why I, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, had visited this vast country of wealth and commerce in the first place."

"...Because we're broke?"

Oof.

"D-don't be absurd! We came here just as fates decreed us to. To share with these kind folk mine altruism true. Do you not hear it? The twisting of the knots on the lyre of destiny— the chorus of echoes as was prophesied by the ancient historians of mein Immernachtreich. 'And for where there is valor, there are riches' so they say in this domain."

Before she could utter the last syllable, a blush crept up her cheeks. "A-And besides! My spending habits aren't that bad!"

Definitely not as bad as a certain, over-qualified astrologer to be sure— but that was beside the point.

"So…" Oz said, rolling the words. "We're almost broke?"

Foolish, her familiar was. Of course, the answer would be...

"...Yes."

Oh, the shame! A princess with no Mora to her name? She would rather feed her head to a Mitachurl than admit the fact that maybe, just maybe, she hadn't been responsible with her budget.

Fischl hung her head and sighed. "Seriously, Oz. Your mouth has been running a lot more ever since we met the Traveler…"

"I believe when you get to know someone you can relate to on a personal level, it can change any man."

"...But you're a bird."

"Aye." Oz gently perched on her shoulder, looking far too pleased with himself. "And methinks that not only I have changed, in hindsight."

Her eyes narrowed. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, mein Fräulein," Oz said, turning to the now-empty bench before them. "Except it appears that your humble servant has already left us to go grab himself a drink."

"Ah."

…

Guess the man didn't want the money, after all. She was right about one thing, though. Damn bird's getting good at stalling.

Huffing and pouting their way through the harbor, Fischl sniffed the air for the tang of iron and steel being pounded. It was a busy day in Liyue, she reckoned. Merchants clamored incessantly while perfumers flaunted their wares, mixing in with the odor of saltwater fish that made her miss the breeziness of Mondstadt. Vagrants in shoddy clothes claiming to be farmers brushed by her like clockwork, and it was fortunate that with her all-seeing eye, she was able to infer their motives before they could nick her purse away when she wasn't paying attention.

It wasn't all bad. Bustle indicated peace, and for every new country she visited, Fischl could always count on there being the tasteful aroma of food being cooked. She could count on there being bookshelves with literary worlds she has yet to visit, and exotic jewelry she could fantasize about wearing when she turned of age. The people around her wore fancy dresses in all different colors. Suddenly, she didn't have to feel so self-conscious anymore. Pirates were also a hot topic here. Maybe she could buy a new eye patch, too.

It wouldn't be fair to claim that it was inferior to the windy plains of her homeland. Liyue Harbor had its own charm. Too light for her tastes, but hey, adventurers go wherever their jobs take them, right?

And speaking of devotion to the job…

"Good morrow, Katheryne," Fischl greeted. If she were more honest, she'd say that it comforted her to see a familiar face— sort of. "How fares thee on such an… extravagant day where stars slumber under a veil of azure, mine Immernachtreich invisible to all but the opportunistic eye? Has thy bud of kin sent forth a message, informing of mine holiest of arrivals?"

Katheryne blinked slowly as if the gears in her mind turned to decipher the message.

"Ad Astra Abyssosque, Miss Fischl," Katheryne said. "My day has so far been lovely as your Majesty's beautiful hair glowing under the sun. We, and the adventurers who will take part in this expedition, were expecting you."

"Ah, as expected of their loyalty," Fischl said. "Neither hell nor dust shall deter those who serve a noble cause from retainer duties. For whom, pray tell, should I ask for their names, so that I may graciously imprint it upon mine eternal memory of their visage?"

A name to their faces… on the off-chance that she might accidentally call her senior by the wrong name. Goodness knows how many times she embarrassed herself like that. Dealing with the aftermath usually did not end well for her composure.

Thankfully, Katheryne seemed to have understood and smiled pleasantly as she handed Fischl a black slip. "There's no need to worry about that. The guild has assigned each adventurer a partner, and yours just happens to be someone you might be familiar with. They should be waiting out back."

Okay…? Fischl cocked her head and turned to Oz. He looked just as confused as she was.

The Guild usually wasn't so discreet about team assignments, and neither was she the pickiest of the bunch. At worst, she could tolerate anyone so long as they don't get in her way. The unfortunate ones that do, however, realize just how much strength a 'little girl' needs to shoot an arrow through a monster's skull. Confrontation wasn't her strong suit, but at least the Guild knew never to assign her someone she refused to work with.

She could trust Katheryne, though. Taking the receptionist's word for it, Fischl waltzed inside the building where the noise was at its loudest, Oz flapping in tow.

"Simpletons," Fischl grumbled, pinching her nose. The smell of alcohol wasn't as thick as Mondstadt's, but she also smelled the grease and metal from the smith next door. Apparently, no matter where she went, men drank without worry that a minor was in their presence. The way they seemed to ignore her also implied that asking nicely wasn't going to cut it.

Squeezing her way through the maze-like tavern, Fischl scanned the adventurers and the tables for a black slip similar to her own.

She found none.

"Oz."

"Yes, mein Fräulein."

At her command, Oz flew up and perched atop an overhang. Closing her eyes, an image of the entire tavern appeared in her vision— as if she was looking at it from Oz's gaze. A literal bird's-eye view, and an invaluable asset to her and her job. She surveyed left to right, up to down systematically just as she has done a thousand times. Oz glided to the opposite end of the tavern, and she looked again harder. Still nothing.

"That's weird…"

Fischl glared at the slip again.

"Mein Fräulein," Oz whispered, hovering close by. "Your partner does not appear to be present at the moment."

That was obvious enough. She saw blue, pink, white, and yellow ones. Four teams, composed of four adventurers each with one designated as the captain— standard Guild procedures.

So what did black mean? Could there have been a mistake? She was sure the branch master Cyrus ordered her to come all the way to Liyue for her next expedition— and assuming they didn't leave her behind, her team should be here.

Should be.

...It was a prank. No doubt about it.

"Tch."

Before she could storm off, an idea seemed to have flashed on Oz's face. "Mein Fräulein, there is no need for you to hold such an expression. I think I may have an inkling of where your partner may be. Or who."

Fischl breathed deeply and nodded. Her lips frowned to a neutral expression. Oz's words relieved her to an extent— unfairly so but she supposed she should have been used to it by now. "Where?"

"...The infirmary."

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"Ugh, I said stay still! You can take it like a man, can't you?"

Those phrases weren't really something an average person would hear from a seasoned adventurer nor a kind-hearted nurse. Granted, Fischl was not an average person, and neither were the two people currently grappling on the cot of the infirmary. One was covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises, while the other stunk of sweat and was dressed head-to-toe in drenched clothes made for dancing.

Fischl smirked. Her usual modus operandi was to announce her presence with gusto, but watching two of her close friends duke it out was way funnier.

"It stings—!" Bennett exclaimed. "Like, really, REALLY stings! Can't you use your magic now?"

Barbara shook her head in exasperation. She pressed another cotton ball on the large gash on Bennett's arm. "If you're gonna complain about the treatment, don't go climbing up trees just to watch me practice. You KNOW that's pretty much asking for you to fall off."

"You're mad because I snuck a peek?"

Another malicious dab. Bennett winced.

"I'm mad because an idiotic friend of mine insists on getting himself hurt. Thank Lord Barbatos you didn't crack open your skull or something." Scowling, Barbara slapped a gauze on top of the wound. "And for reference, if you wanted to watch me practice, all you had to do was ask."

"Oh, uhh. Right…." Bennett chuckled and scratched his head innocently— as if he had done it a thousand times. "Sorry? I forgot."

Barbara sighed.

Now should be as good a time as any, right?

"Oh, the woes of youth, it pains me like so!" She sauntered into the room purposefully and winked, making it abundantly clear that she heard everything. Barbara's flustered reaction was more than enough to fuel her giddy.

"Fischl?"

Given the situation, Fischl decided to amp up her flair. "What does thou seek, yet is blind to look but a glance away from what thou craves? So near, yet so far. Beating hearts unable to twine out of sweet ignorance— an ephemeral mirror incapable of revealing even the most basic fruits of desire. Such tragedy."

Fischl gestured to the space between the other two. More specifically, to their hands that were still holding the other.

Now, why is that, she wondered. How curious.

"Wha— !" Barbara yelped in a panic, practically shoving Bennett to the floor. She stuttered out an excuse. "T-t-that doesn't mean anything; I hold my patient's hand during treatment all the time. That's all."

'And yet, you're still blushing,' Fischl didn't say.

"For that long? Why, I do apologize for my interruption! I was merely cautious of any scandalous interloping that might occur; 'twas not my purpose to meddle in such mortal affairs."

"S-scandalous interloping?" Face on the brink of tears, Barbara made the smart move and turned to Oz. He shook his head understandingly.

"Do not despair, Miss Barbara. Mein Fräulein is simply delighted to see you— as am I."

Barbara sighed again, hair disheveled as she helped Bennett back up.

He didn't seem to mind at all at having been thrown to the ground and instead flashed Fischl his signature toothy grin. 'Happy to see you too,' according to the wordless dictionary the two of them shared.

Fischl smiled back.

"You're gonna join the expedition too?" Bennett asked. There was a noticeable feeling of hopefulness in his voice. Barbara patted his back in reassurance.

Fischl could sympathize; it'd been ages since the unlucky boy-wonder was abandoned by his previous team for reasons beyond his control. Flourishing the black slip between her fingers, she proudly raised it up for Bennett to see.

It was a match.

"Alright!" Eyes shining, Bennett shot to his feet and punched the air, singing to the Archons the phrase he longed to use. "Benny's Adventure Team…"

Fischl struck a pose beside him. "...Assemble!"

Humoring them, Barbara clapped and cheered excitedly. The round of applause was a welcome change to the pitiable silence that followed whenever they did this. Everyone, save for an amused Oz, shared a laugh.

"Still," Bennett said. "I'm super glad you're my partner, Fischl. It's been so long since we went on an adventure together."

"It really has— " Fischl said before catching herself. She coughed into her fist. "I mean, Time is but a fleeting concept for one such as I. Mortals count the days as they come, yet for your Prinzessin der Verurteilung, the one who has traversed the myriad dimensions, the one who skalds time immemorial, to cross once again on our journey through this existence, brings innumerable joy to my heart."

"...Brings innumerable joy to her heart," Oz repeated, with emphasis. "I fear that mein Fräulein has been suffering from, shall we say, a crippling loneliness recently."

"Silence, Oz."

"What was it? Something, something, missing a certain Traveler, or something. Am I mistaken?"

"Hey!" Fischl shouted, failing to grab Oz's tail as he flew out of reach. Her cheeks flamed red and she had no way to hide it now. "Get down here, you cocky little bird!"

"Not denying it, mein Fräulein? Hoho. Interesting."

"S-shut up!"

"Now, now," Barbara interjected. She held out her arm for Oz to roost at and stroked his head. "It wouldn't do well to start fighting before the expedition's even started. Since we're all here, how about we go grab lunch together instead?"

"Don't you have to get back to practice soon, Barbara?" Bennett asked in return.

"Oh, don't worry. The live show isn't for a while anyway, and someone has to stop you from fishing inside the city again."

She poked Bennett on the chest. He looked away sheepishly.

"Well, you got me there," he said. "'bout time, too. Those Millileth guys were starting to look at me weird."

"Exactly my point!" Barbara pouted, her hair messier than ever before. "I don't expect you to pay me back for lunch or anything, but so long as you're healthy and eating properly, that's fine with me. I told you that."

"Thanks, I—"

"I'll buy lunch," Fischl said.

Huh?

The other two looked at her questioningly.

Crap. Broke form again. "T-there is no need for you to concern yourselves. Oz and I, in our humblest ministration, shall prepare a banquet for all of us. To celebrate a reunion long past due. Mora is no object."

"Are you sure?" Barbara asked.

Finally regaining momentum, Fischl chuckled, composed and dignified as a noble lady should. She struck a pose again, careful to mask the distress shaking her resolve at the thought of her impending poverty. "Of course! What kind of majestic, gracious ruler would I be if I held reservations for mine dearest of comrades? An adventure is a war; 'tis only right to treat the calm before the storm as if it may be our last. I promised you a feast, and a feast there shall!"

...It shouldn't really matter, anyway. If the expedition went well, she'd be living like a queen again. Maybe buy some books too and a new journal.

"Lucky!" Bennett exclaimed. His grin dipped a touch too much on the relieved side to be anything but lucky. "After how much Mora I lost on that last job, I thought I was a goner."

Fischl froze. "Eh?"

"He burned down an entire pirate ship on his own," Barbara said, staring off into empty space. "Fortunate that everyone survived and didn't drown. Unfortunate that he had to pay for damages to the cargo."

"Miss Beidou covered for me."

"YOU BURNED HER SHIP."

"Okay, yeah. That was my fault, but— "

As their bickering faded into an obscure noise, Fischl heard none of it. Cold sweat started to pour down her neck, and she couldn't move her arms. They were forever stuck in limbo— like her wallet. Oz shook his head at her, and she whimpered. Guess she's not buying that eyepatch, then.

Was it too late to beg for a reassignment, yet?