Klee: Blessings of Many
Alice had been one of the mightiest explorers of her time and she was as capable as she was bizarre, but there were certain things not withstanding that held and that was, she had been a loving mother, she had been a skilled witch, and she was really a bit off some days.
Her daughter Klee knew of her mother's exploits and her own tale had begun to grow as well as the spark knight in the Knights of Mondstadt fighting already the chaos order and exploring the golden apple archipelago with a group that had no real name but she knew had come from many different countries for many different reasons and she was happy to see her daughter be accepted by so many.
Every once in a while she would take the time to see how her daughter was and how the people were treating her. There was little doubt in the eclectic magician that she was doing fine, for if there had been any real problem or change Albedo would be the person to tell her, despite her attempts to get lost on the lands he had ways to find her. No matter if she be in Fontaine or a base there would be one of many different birds that could find her the world over and were at Albedo's command and she could not understand how herself, but it had been written down so she could ask such things next time they were face to face.
Alice had noticed her daughters adventurers and had taken to take pictures and make a scrapbook with her ray of sunshine and the friends on her journey often times pasting them in as she sat in the middle of whatever dirt road was empty enough she could do so peacefully. Some creatures would always try to attack if she was new in the area but after a couple times the monsters had taken to her being another young maiden from the cities or villages and would try to attack her, it was a compliment as she figured but still she would not do anything that prevented her from going back to her daughter.
The people she left in charge were great as babysitters and while the damage her daughter could do to buildings and nature was often shocking to those who did not know, there just was not an evil bone in her body. Her and the one called Childe had sparred a few times and the first time she saw it from a peak far enough away that she felt she had to step in, because Childe, he had been known, he was a Fatui, a harbinger and she watched the spark knight clash it was clear they were on equal levels. Doing this and that to try and get away just so they could get a real test, but afterwards to see the red haired fighter giver her child a pat on the head and tape up any scratched she had gotten made her heart melt.
She could not often be seen in the same area until the very end of her own journey as she did have somethings that with her child could be used to tilt the balance of power, and that was not going to happen, her baby had to see the world in all the splendor. One place she had taken to was the fireworks shop in Inazuma that her daughter had spent a lot of time over the years and was going to be something of an adopted daughter she could tell with a smile.
When it was clear they had left she had taken to investigating the shop closer under her Inazuma camouflage. Having a nice conversation with the grandfather while hard of hearing could be understood with a little magic assistance on her voice. The older gentleman had gone to work on a couple smaller fireworks and she was a little intrigued at the art of making the explosive art piece
He had been a nice man going over the different steps of making a basic firework as well as some of their other products and she loved to make notes at how the tube was packed with what powders and some of the forms it could take. There was a simpleness to it that almost seemed peaceful while the many moments that it took to get everything perfect. It made her want to try it herself and after feeling him step aside the smile on his face explained more she had been trying to hide her face before the old man had whispered low enough for only the pair to hear.
"So how long have you been away from your daughter."
Alice panicked for a moment before the face of the old man had been like it had been before, in fact unless they could hear what he was saying there was very little chance that anyone knew, and looking from behind the doors had been closed on the shop meaning that they could have a private conversation in peace.
"What tipped you off?"
"I am a grandfather, there is a look a parent has on their face when wanting to both be hidden and still care about their child. You wore it, I knew it." He muttered.
She nodded being caught so cleanly, she had thought her skill at being unseen over her long lifespan meant she was nigh untraceable and for an old human to be able to see through her act and dress so easily had been something also.
"Also get a veil, no woman has been in the army for the goddess for a century."
The triangular basket woven hat had been another point and he had seen it, and soon explained that few loved long enough to know that save for the forgemaster and himself it wouldn't even be public knowledge making her heart skip a beat before explaining how the master was like him and was too old to care when some threatened with his life.
"How long have you lived, 500 years?"
Extending a finger from her fist she tapped the air as if to say he was correct before working on the firework, a class from the teacher she had was rare and she was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The notes in her journals filled up with how the history of the fireworks came to be and how to make some again in case she was ever curious as well as the basic tools to need for such the occasion, she could get them easily if she did not have them already and her own lab was a place he would be happy to see for all the tools and specialty items that could be played with.
A hand was put up before she could ask.
"I am getting to the end of my life and the bouts of sickness are taking more and more from me, when you can afford it let my daughter know of this instead, and let her into your work, like I let you in mine please, I understand it may be some time down the road, but when you can extend her that courtesy."
Giggling, the pair had come from far down the road and looking out it was clear the meeting would be cut short against the sun falling from its apex, she shook the man's hand before coming in for a hug and left her hat down to cover the gift for her daughter and ran off up the steps and away her light blonde locks tied to her head.
That same hat had become the target of the young child's focus looking at it like she had remembered it from something.
"Young one, your mother had stopped by and wanted to give you something, it is over under that hat there."
"You talked to mama!" She squealed in delight.
"Yes I did we had a nice little lesson about fireworks, she picked it up very easily, so she may surprise you with one sometime."
Alice could hear the old man talking just loud enough her long ears could pick it up and smiled ear to ear as she listened to his speech talking about she had to go off as she was called. Shaking her head it was clear he had been a parent and knew what was going on. Looking back the old man half bent over looking at the forge seemed to put somewhat of it together himself as he called the pair out allowing her to get a good look out from her seat at the bar and he directed them to the tea house her daughter squealing at the black and orange Vulpo toy she had gotten.
Seeing the pair run to the tea house up the trellises and cliff going for something had been enough of a view for her to get misty eyed.
"So I take this is the odd one's mother."
He had a voice that sounded like he worked the forges and Yoimiya's grandfather had appeared as she was lost in the reflection of her cup of soup.
"Indeed, I feel she needs a moment to talk with other parents, let us join her."
"You two had to be trouble makers in your own youths as well for acting so cocky, she had said half joking."
"Of course, but the part of the parent is to make the mistakes...
"And them to learn from the parents experience." The blacksmith and fireworks maker explained ordering two more bowls of soup before joining the meal with the explorer who had gotten more then just a glimpse.
"Look, they are firing arrows from the garden park."
All three turned in their seat to see arrows with fireworks popping in different shapes and one of them made her cry as it blossomed in the four leaf clover of her family and she stared at the firework and could hope that her baby girl could realize just how much she was loved. Wiping away a tear she could only be smiling as she would soon have to teleport off wanting to hold her baby girl once more, but there was still more work to be done and that meant she had to stay away until it could be finished.
Downing her soup in a gulp she had taken the sight in until the last firework faded from the skies before standing up and bowing to the pair for their help and for the sight of her daughter growing up well. She did not know how much she needed the sight of her daughters face lighting up while playing with the one called Yoimiya, some day she would hope to spend the time needed making herself known among all the people that had taken Klee in as part of their own lives.
That was something in the future because as an alarm rang there was some work in Fontaine, and the Hexenzirkel would need somethings finished up soon before some work in the lost lands could be wrapped up and there was much more to be done, but one day she could hug her daughter with no fear if the connection being used as a chip in a hostage situation and until that time Alice vowed to do her best with her work until she could one day return, and Klee could see her mama again.
Pulling her head back up she smiled to the pair of men, before the light of teleporting to the next stop was soon faded and the scene in Inazuma was back to normal. Sans one mighty sorceress who had been there just before everything was going to be as it had been save for the pair of fiery girls with bright blond hair would come back to the shop and the Vulpo toy held against her child's chest.
She yawned and smiling as the day was nice enough and the note just icing on the cake for the small knight before finding her futon going to sleep, a side effect of a full day of blessings.