Jean was currently doing paperwork, or rather trying to,
As she was constantly distracted by her own thoughts...
...
Venti's current situation,
Just like everyone else, she couldn't help worrying about it...
...
Ever since that day, he was not the same,
It felt as if all happiness left him, leaving only sadness and regret...
*He was truly grieving this time, wasn't he...?
Did he even get to grieve the first time his friend died...?
...
...
That time, 2600 years ago, when he became an Archon,
Did he even have actual time to properly grieve...?
...
Even though he was the God of Freedom, at that time, the people surely turned to him for guidance,
And since it was still during the Archon War, he surely had to guard Mondstadt from enemy gods' attacks...
*Getting the position he never wished for, having to take care of the land and the people and just after his first friend's death...
...
...
And now, after 2600 years, when his friend was finally back, even for a while,
He had no choice but to grieve again, this time that much more intensively...
-...Venti, how much are you truly hurting right now...? How much of your negative emotions were you repressing for all this time...? -Jean couldn't help asking aloud, as she sadly put her quill down, before sighing. -...You know that we are here for you, right...? That you are not alone...
And yet, they couldn't do much for him,
They couldn't magically wish his grief away...
*Even though it would have been so much easier if that were possible...
...
...
They couldn't leave him to grieve alone, yet also understood he needed some space,
So it was collectively decided that her younger sister, Barbara, was the best choice for this...
*The two were already quite close and not just because they cuddled at night...
...
Barbara was someone who strived to make people happy, while also taking into account their feelings,
The way in which she got her Vision is a testament to that, when she stayed by a patient's bed for the whole night and...
...
...
Her sister, she was way too nice and selfless,
In order to help others, she would ignore her own wellbeing...
*It was surely better now, especially when Venti insisted she takes care of herself more, but still...
...
While taking care of their Archon and friend, would she really be okay herself...?
While seeing the state that Venti was in now, would she be able to stay...?
"We are sorry to interrupt you, Acting Grandmaster Jean, but we bring important news.", the Winds suddenly said, sounding quite serious, "Falcon of the West Vennessa has just returned from the Abyss and is now inquiring the birds around the city about Barbatos' condition.", they informed, before there was a slight pause, "It looks like she is going to come here next, in order to discuss things with you, Acting Grandmaster. We will be sure to telepathically link you two, so that you could freely talk and hopefully decide on how to better help Barbatos...", a sad sigh was heard soon enough, "...Seeing our favorite Archon so distraught makes us wish we had a solid form...Maybe then we could do this "hug" thing that apparently makes people feel better and..."
They continued to wishfully mumble, their words soon getting too quiet for Jean to hear,
As she was also wondering how her talk with her hero would go...
...
No, Lady Vennessa wasn't just her hero, she was also one of Venti's oldest friends,
Surely, by talking with her, they would be able to find a solution,
There was no way they would leave Venti in this state...
...
...
Though, the fact he was using his Time powers for a full day was worrying,
Especially since there wasn't any apparent backlash up until now...
It was some time since she finished her song,
And Barbara had to admit that it helped, even if a bit...
*It was a good decision asking the Winds to be her teachers,
Even if a little, the song did seem to have calmed Venti down...
...
He didn't stop her from opening the curtains and letting the sun rays enter the room,
And neither did he stop her from opening the window wide and letting the wind flow in as well...
*It was a small change for the better, but it was still something, especially considering how Venti was acting until just recently...
...
...
Venti, in a way, she was linked to him now,
Their Blood Pact, one she unknowingly formed herself...
*Back then, so many months ago during the Fatui invasion,
She didn't even realize she was clutching the Anemo Gnosis so tight...
...
Back then, the only thing on her mind was...
...
"Lord Barbatos, please...Please, don't die...! Please, don't leave us...! Not now, when I finally realized that you were always here...! I beg of you, don't...!"
-No, this was...It was already long ago...! I shouldn't be thinking of it anymore...He is okay now, not fully but okay...-Barbara soon reprimanded herself, trying to forget of her horrible experience back then, failing to notice a certain Archon now glancing towards her with an unreadable expression on his face. -...Venti is not dead and...He is mostly depressed...
She couldn't help admitting, feeling sad about this whole situation again,
Especially as she remembered why he was so depressed and about their Blood Pact...
*If Venti created a similar pact with his friend back then, he wouldn't have to feel so miserable now,
Just like her life was saved due to their Blood Pact, his friend's could have been saved too...
...
...
And yet, it was just her, Barbara,
An inferior replacement for his dear friend...
*Venti looked so happy when they were together, that she wished...
...
...
Maybe it was a bad idea to discuss this with her father, after all,
And she even chose to do it when Venti was still asleep, her sister watching over him...
...
...
She was, fundamentally, his "Cute Deaconess",
Yet, was she ever truly his friend...?
*Only recently, did she even start calling him by his preferred name...
...
Maybe this is why he wasn't getting much better even now,
She just wasn't good enough to heal his heart or fill the void ever so slightly...
...
...
Even though she promised to stay by him and help him heal,
She was not the best person for this, was she...?
...
...
...
It would have been better if her sister was here,
She would have surely known what to do…
…
Unlike herself…
BAAAM!
-Good day to you, Venti! I heard that you were feeling better and have something you would like to...! -Amber started as she practically barged into the room, before her words broke off as she noticed the unusually downcast Deaconess. -...Barbara, why are you...?
"Actually, it would be best if we answer that.", the Winds suddenly interrupted, sounding a little conflicted, "...Truthfully, we were quietly watching things unfold until now in the hopes that Deaconess Barbara would be able to help Barbatos. Which unsurprisingly, she did, but then...", they soon telling her what happened just minutes ago and the summary of the Deaconess' suddenly depressive thoughts, making sure not to go into too much details as this was still a private matter, "...We were so certain that Deaconess Barbara was the best person to help Barbatos, that we didn't think about the effect this might have on her."
They sadly and guilt-strikingly admitted at the end of the summary,
Before deeply sighing and then getting quiet once more...
*The Outrider suspected that they were still feeling bad about the whole situation,
Which wasn't purposeful on their part, they were just too worried for Venti to think things through...
...
So this situation wasn't their fault,
It wasn't Barbara's or Venti's either...
*Looks like she had to reassure both of them...
-Barbara, it's alright. I heard about what happened and you did just fine. -She reassuringly told the Deaconess, upon walking towards and proceeding to pat her on the head, which came as a surprise to the other. Amber couldn't help feeling unusually nostalgic, as this reminded her of the times when her grandfather patted her on the head. -...Even if slightly, you still succeeded, so there is no need to be down. -She continued in even more reassurance, soon seeing the Deaconess' mood becoming a little better. This was not the best she could have hoped for, but this was still progress, right...? -...Venti, here. This is what I wanted you to see. -She said upon letting go of Barbara's head and taking what looked to be a scroll from her Vision's "Hammerspace", soon giving it to the quiet Archon. -...I hope this would also be of help...
She quietly mumbled, wishing that everyone efforts would pay off,
That the survey they so hastily made would make Venti realize he was not alone...
*Said Archon was now quietly looking at it, wondering what all this was actually about...
...
He didn't understand why they would suddenly hold a survey,
And neither did he know why Amber decided to show it to him...
...
...
But, fine, he would check it anyway...
*He was already feeling awful enough, not like this could...
"IN CASE OF GREAT DANGER, WHO WOULD YOU SAVE?
1. Family, friends and/or lover
2. Our Archon
3. Both, even if you have to sacrifice yourself"
...
...
-The third option, why did so many people chose that?! -Venti couldn't help saying in shock, as his eyes rapidly widened. -...It should be the first one...I...Why would anyone...? -He continued in even more shock, not believing his eyes. And yet, no matter how many time he reread it, the third option was still...-...I know why...I always did...-He soon quietly admitted, starting to get sad and guilt stricken now. -...But ever since Ven...My friend...Left...-He tried not to get sorrowful again at the mere reminder, which was so hard. -...I kept staying here...And ignoring everyone...-Like Barbara, his cute and overly devoted Deaconess, who even learnt a song from another world in order to make him feel better...-...This...I...I can't understand it...! Why would anyone...After I...?! -...After he closed himself, after he...-...Why do you people...Still care...? I don't understand...-He couldn't help sadly mumbling, not understanding this at all. Nor why his people still cared for him so much, they would make this kind of a survey and choose that options of all things...And moreover...-...Barbara, I...I recently read your thoughts...I couldn't help it, since you suddenly looked so downcast...-He admitted while lowering his head to look down on his hands, feeling too guilty to even check what her reaction must be. -...I am sorry for making you feel like that...I just...-He couldn't even save his friend...-...You are also my friend, not a "replacement". Especially not an inferior one. -...To make her think like that, was he even a good friend at all...? -...It's not your fault for me being like this...Rather, it's my own fault for being so clingy...I should have already come to terms with others leaving me sooner or later...And yet I...I can't just say goodbye...
