Chapter Four

The next morning after breakfast, the two brothers decided to go to Jean and explain the situation to her. Diluc was hotly against the idea, but Kaeya's argument about manpower was stronger, and the scarlet cat finally gave up with a look of supreme annoyance.

Of course Kaeya would come up with about twenty reasons for his side of things, Diluc grumbled to himself. Whatever. I came to him for help for a reason, I suppose. I may not agree with the Knights, but there's a few good people in their ranks, like Kaeya and Jean. Despite this comforting thought, he still shifted nervously as Kaeya walked up the steps to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. A shiver ran down his spine as they stepped inside. It's been years since I was last here. He didn't realize his ears lay totally flat until Kaeya slowed to a stop, pulled aside out of the flow of knights moving in and out of the great building, and reached up to run a comforting hand across Diluc's head.

"Are you all right? I forgot… you don't usually come here." Kaeya's voice was quiet, keeping his remark low in the general hustle and bustle of the foyer. His star-blessed eye was concerned as he stared at Diluc, still perched on his shoulder.

Diluc looked around the foyer. I can do this. It's not that big of a deal. I dropped off a package in Jean's office not that long ago. I'll be fine. He lifted his chin a fraction and locked his claws into Kaeya's cape, letting out a soft, confident meow of assent.

Kaeya studied him a moment longer, then nodded. "Let me know if anything changes." He started forward again.

In just a few strides, they reached Jean's office, and Kaeya knocked. Diluc could hear Jean shuffling papers inside as she called out, "Enter!"

The pair slipped inside, closing the door behind them. Jean looked up from the letter on her desk, and her jaw went slack. "Kaeya? Er… you have a… a cat now?" She made a valiant effort to gather herself from the unexpected sight. "I'm sorry, of course you didn't come here to discuss your pet choices. What do you need?" Diluc smirked at her surprise and nudged Kaeya smugly. I should really get him a cat after this is all over.

Kaeya retaliated with a quick breath of air in Diluc's face. The redhead recoiled with a sneeze, and he felt Kaeya's huff of laughter through his shoulder. "Ah, yes. Well, we actually are here to talk about my cat," Kaeya said to Jean. The Acting Grand Master blinked at him, arrested in her movements. Diluc watched a drop of ink fall from the tip of her quill and land unheeded on her blotting paper.

"You want to talk about… your cat?"

Kaeya strode to the desk and tapped his finger lightly on the wood. Obligingly Diluc sprang down in a single jump and sat on the desk, cocking his head curiously up at his brother. "Well, there was an incident yesterday involving a Dendro Abyss Mage and Master Diluc. It seems something went wrong during the Abyss Mage's attack, producing a rather… unusual development." He glanced down at Diluc again, as if asking, "Last chance to back out."

Diluc huffed, then got up and strode across to Jean. She reached out with a mailed glove and stroked his fur absently as she waited for Kaeya to go on.

Shrugging, Kaeya gave up on subtlety and stated bluntly, "Master Diluc was turned into a cat."

Jean's mouth fell open. She stared at Kaeya for a moment, then looked down at Diluc in the same instant she jerked her hand back. "I-You-Is this a joke, Kaeya?!"

He shook his head, lounging against the side of her desk. "Unfortunately not. That's our Diluc there." He reached out and tickled the end of Diluc's tail. Diluc whipped his tail out of reach and glared at Kaeya.

Jean studied him uncertainly. "The resemblance is certainly uncanny, but… How could this happen?"

Diluc sighed sharply. That's what I'd like to know, too.

She crossed her arms and glared at Kaeya over Diluc's head. "I'm sorry, but I simply can't accept such a ludicrous story without proof."

Kaeya merely nodded. "We thought you'd say that. Ask him some questions, then."

Jean regarded Diluc again, her sky-blue eyes filled with doubt. "Er… Are you Master Diluc?"

He snorted. That's an easy one. He nodded his head, then waited for the next question.

"What's your favorite drink?"

Hey! That is not a fair question! How does she expect me to answer that?!

Kaeya intervened. "For obvious reasons, it has to be yes or no questions."

"Right, right. I knew that." Jean bit her lip as she mentally rephrased the question before asking carefully, "Do you like wine?"

Diluc shuddered as the question suggested the feel of wine in his mouth. He shook his head violently. Jean smiled slightly.

"That's certainly a definite response. All right, one more." She leaned closer, her periwinkle eyes narrowing with uncharacteristic cunning. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she asked slowly, "If you are indeed Master Diluc… Are you the Darknight Hero?" She held her breath.

He recoiled, furious. How did she find out?! He shot an accusing look at Kaeya, but the tall Cryo user looked mystified. He shrugged. "I didn't hear the question, Diluc."

Diluc discovered that cats could still raise a single brow of flat disbelief. He glared back at Jean, his tail lashing. She never took her eyes off him, but her lips curved up into a smile that was disconcertingly reminiscent of Lisa's. Abruptly she stood. "That was my last question."

Stiff with displeasure at his secret being dragged unwillingly from him, Diluc stalked away from his old friend. Kaeya scooped him up and ran a hand across Diluc's soft fur, silencing his small yowl of displeasure. "Satisfied now, Jean?"

The Acting Grand Master was watching Diluc with a tiny hint of apology, but she nodded. "All right, I believe you. So how do we change him back?"

Kaeya's hand slowed on Diluc's fur, and he looked troubled. "I haven't been able to figure it out myself yet. I think it hinges on finding that Dendro Abyss Mage, though. Diluc and I searched for it yesterday, but we lost the trail near Springvale. I was hoping you could lend us some knights, and a bit of Mora to recruit some hunters from Springvale to help us." He set Diluc down again, leaning over and nudging aside papers until he uncovered a map of Mondstadt. "We'll need to search in this general area, I believe. It's imperative that we track this mage down before he has a chance to inflict similar attacks on other citizens."

Jean agreed. "You're right. You know how shorthanded we are, though…" She stood and leaned over her desk, studying the map. "But if I'm careful in how I deploy patrols in the next few days, I think I could pull a few knights off to send with you for a search. And we have plenty of Mora to send with you to recruit more help."

Diluc eyed the map, hope rising. If we catch him soon, we might be able to reverse this before long. I certainly hope so. To his mild surprise, Jean started petting him again. She caught herself and jerked back, blushing.

"I apologize, Master Diluc. I didn't mean to overstep boundaries. It's just… you're so…"

"Fluffy," Kaeya supplied cheerfully. "I know, right? He's so adorable and fluffy you just want to hug him and squeeze him!" He reached for Diluc with a sparkle of suppressed mischief in his eye, and Diluc shot out of reach, landing on Jean's shoulder, much to the Dandelion Knight's surprise.

"Oh! I…" She trailed off, holding as still as she could so as not to dislodge him. He let out a huff of amusement and leaned against her cheek. She sighed happily. "Oh, you're right, Captain Kaeya! He's so soft!" Then her own words registered. "I-I didn't mean to imply that he's… that you're…" She didn't even know who to address at this point. Diluc bared his tiny teeth at her in a cat smile, having gotten full revenge for her unfair question, then jumped down again. Probably best to let her recover herself.

Kaeya chuckled as Diluc returned to his side. "Well, we'll head out then. I still have some paperwork I need to go over later, but I can take it home with me this evening, in the event that we don't find our elusive quarry early in the day."

"Oh no, I'm coming with you," Jean announced. She checked the sword at her hip, tugged on her hair tie to make sure it was secure, and met Kaeya's surprised look. "You're not the only one who needs to get out of the office once in a while."

He laughed quietly as Diluc scrambled back up to his perch. The cat settled himself on his brother's shoulder, a thin thread of a thought winding through his mind. What if this doesn't work? Will I be a cat forever?