Amber was currently sleeping,
Completely exhausted due to today's events,
Fallen asleep on top of her still unconscious friend...
...
Eula made sure to watch over both her and Collei,
As well as put a blanket over Amber so she wouldn't catch a cold...
...
But still, even though she was there for her friend,
The Spindrift Knight still didn't feel like she did enough...
*If not for Klee arriving here recently, insisting on giving the two pats on their heads,
She would have surely broken down by now from the hopelessness that was now haunting her...
...
...
Amber was her good friend, the first person who accepted her despite the fact she is a Lawrence,
And yet, all she could do was stay by her friend's side and try to reassure her that everything is going to be okay...
*That Collei, another good friend to them both, who nearly died and now has her life drastically shortened...
-Aunty Eula, it's okay. Don't feel sad. -Her saddened and guilt stricken thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the familiar child's voice, as Klee proceeded to hug her waist. -You did all you could to help your friend, Klee knows this. And I am sure that Amber knows this too.
The child reassured in a calm mumble,
One which made Eula wonder that maybe she was right...
*That maybe, even though she didn't do much,
It was still enough in order to help her friend...
...
...
But she still wanted to do more,
Seeing both Amber and Collei in such a state...
...
It felt so wrong, so horribly wrong...
*Amber should be the ongoing person that she usually is,
And Collei should continue experiencing what it means to live and not just exist...
...
...
Right, she was now the Lawrence clan "head",
And the Lawrence Estate that she "inherited" after her whole clan's annihilation...
*And the one she already decided to make into an orphanage of sorts, a school for others,
As she also planned to invite the friends and family she made in Mondstadt for a visit...
...
Collei was also a good friend and part of the family,
Giving her honorary Mondstadt citizenship and adopting her to the family...
*And not just to make Amber happy, but also because the idea itself feels right...
...
...
Click!
-...We are sorry to interrupt you, darlings, but Jean and I wanted to check how our Outrider and little Collei are doing. -A warm, yet worried mumble was soon heard from the open door, behind which Jean and Lisa now stood. -If you don't mind, we can talk outside the room, so that the two cuties can continue...
-Miss Lisa, before you start talking about grown-up stuff, I have a question first. -Klee suddenly interrupted her, finally letting go of the hug, as the child's expression soon shifted to annoyed and then to mad. -...Can Klee blow up this "Dottore" meanie that made Amber, Collei and Auntie Eula sad?
-Thank you so much for the help, Knight Trainee Noelle! If not for your assistance, it would have taken so much longer to clean up the area! -Mika gratefully told the other, as Noelle was currently moving some heavy pieces of debris out of the way, before his expression turned apologetic. -Even though you just returned from your vacation, Miss Noelle, because I am still so inadequate...
-Please, don't speak of yourself like this, Surveyor Mika! You are not inadequate in any way and you are already doing all you can to protect Mondstadt and its people! -Noelle interrupted him in all seriousness, as she finished moving some of the debris and turned towards him. -Besides, there is no need to thank me. Just like you, I am simply doing my duty. Earlier vacation or not, I am part of the KoF first and foremost and as such...!
-Miss Noelle, you are still a knight trainee! There is no need for you to overwork yourself so much! -He interrupted her, looking and sounding quite serious and also slightly frantic. -Don't you remember what rules Captain Eula had you memorize by heart and promise to follow?
-"I shall do no less or more than I am ordered to. I shall strive to not only do the work to the best of my abilities, but to do so in moderation, taking breaks and/or asking for help when needed.", I remember. However, I can't sit still and do nothing when Mondstadt is in such a state. -She interrupted him, looking and sounding a little sad now, before her expression turned determined. -And this is why I decided to help. I will accept any punishment that Captain Eula wishes to give me!
And with these words, she moved to another heavy looking piece of debris,
Much to Mika's shock, as he tried and failed to stop her from continuing to work...
*This whole scene looking quite interesting and/or cute to everyone who saw it,
Like Huffman, who was doing his own work and sometimes glanced towards the two in thought...
...
-Those two really seem to be in their own world. -Diona couldn't help but comment, as she was one of the people watching the scene, her expression confused. -...Are they doing some new weird type of courting I don't know about...? Is that why Huffman is looking at them like that...?
-...I am not sure...But I suppose they are...? -Bennet slightly reluctantly agreed, looking and sounding confused himself, as his expression soon turned thoughtful. -...They are quite similar in their personality (Like being very serious about their duties, while also being very polite to others and helping out wherever asked), so maybe they just "clicked"...? They do look quite nice together, so they have to be at least very good friends, right...?
-...If they aren't already, they probably will be soon. Their interaction somehow reminds me of my own with Venti. -Barbara quietly agreed, as she glanced towards the duo, before turning to look towards the refreshments that were left on a nearby tray. She already drank and ate enough when their break just started, but maybe her two companions still wanted some...? -Diona, Bennet, you can have the remainder of my share if you want, I am already full. -She suggested upon looking between the two, soon noticing the latter's eager expression. Seems like Bennet was still not full, but felt bad about asking this himself. Which he really shouldn't have, since...-...Bennet, Diona, thank you for filling in for me while I was away on vacation. If not for you two doing my healer duties, the crisis situation might have been...
-It's no problem, Barbara! And thanks for the food! -Bennet interrupted her in reassurance, as he proceeded to take the rest of the food and drink. -...Oh, this is not bad...It's not even spicy…! Wait, what...? Who made it, then...?! -He soon mumbled in rising shock, as he partook in the refreshments, before suddenly pausing as he realized where he was. -Oh, Barbara! S-sorry! I-I didn't mean to insult you in any way! I-it's just, me and spicy things...W-well...
He soon went on a small shaky explanation of how bad it was for him, without going too much into specifics,
Making sure to add that it wasn't Barbara's fault in any shape or form, his body just didn't agree with spicy food and...
*The whole thing was taking quite a while, most of the trio's remaining break, in fact,
And soon, they would surely need to return to doing their "healer duties"...
...
Honestly, as Dvalin was watching their' and the previous duo's interaction,
He couldn't help but wonder just how much he still needed to learn about humans...
*Barbatos would have surely helped him with this, if he just asked,
But he didn't want to wake his Archon friend up, especially after the recent crisis,
And even more so after checking on the other and seeing him sleeping so soundly...
...
...
The humans also seemed to have everything under control,
So now, it was "high time" to visit Durin, right...?
*Surely, the other dragon would gladly keep him company,
And would listen to his retelling of their time in Liyue...
...
...
"BARBATOS, HOW COULD YOU RIDE ON ANOTHER DRAGON?!
I THOUGHT WE HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL!"
Like the fact Barbatos cheated on him with another dragon!
*That Morax, just because he was older, stronger and a god...!
...
...
"I heard that you two are sibling in-laws, so that should also count as family, right? But you two don't seem to be overly close, which is a real shame."
"Changsheng, this is not the time nor place for this kind of discussion.
...And this has nothing to do with my goal either, so please let them discuss this between themselves..."
...
That snake's, Changsheng's, words about himself and Emilia,
As well as that human doctor's, Baizhu's, reply to her...
...
"...Theoretically speaking, Durin is indeed a brother to me, the same way as Albedo is. As such, if you were to marry him, you would be my brother in law and myself your sister in law.
...Yet, due to the fact that you are a dragon and I am a homunculus, do human rules still apply to either of us...? Do you suppose it would be alright for us to make use of human connotations in order to refer to our "familial relationship"...?"
"...I...I am honestly not sure. I still fail to understand some human customs, even with Barbatos' help...
...But if you are indeed my mate's sister, then you are also my family...
..."Sister in law", I don't mind calling you that if you want, Emilia. I don't think anyone would mind it. But do you want me to...?"
...
...
That small discussion he had with Emilia afterwards...
*One which did not really go anywhere,
As Emilia looked conflicted about the idea...
...
Perhaps,
He should consult with Durin about this...
...
...
His mate would surely have an answer, right...?
At the same time, in the Laboratory room of the KoF,
The two resident Alchemists were discussing a certain matter:
Collei's current condition and possible treatment.
-...Seeing as Collei's situation is a very difficult one, I am not certain what kind of treatment we could possibly do. Even though Venti reset her condition to the time before she underwent the experiment done to her, her body and soul are still weary from the whole ordeal, hence her Eleazar became that much worse than it was before. -Albedo couldn't help but say, both in thoughtfulness and concern, before he paused for a few seconds. -...What Yaksha Xiao said back then, about how the scholar's life was prolonged due to the use of the Sigils of Permission our Archon made. It could have been a possible treatment, yet not only it might not work as effectively, Venti just recently made some...
-There is no need for us to put Lord Barbatos in possible danger. -Emilia interrupted him, upon taking out and soon opening the familiar medium sized bag, revealing the many Crystaltears encased inside of it. -Those are the Crystaltears that "Venti" generously gave me earlier today, just after I told him of the stolen Crystaltears during Jubiläum. -She soon started the small retelling of how their discussion went, how much the Archon reassured her that it's not their fault and how he gave her this bag afterwards. -...For the record, my "Dear Twin", I do not regret telling our Archon of our earlier issue. On the contrary, I am glad I decided to do so, regardless of your concerns. -She added by the end of the retelling, sounding and looking dead serious. -With the Crystaltears we have remaining and in addition to the ones in this bag, if we distribute them smartly, we might just fulfill all we planned to without putting our Archon in any danger.
"Both the Der Frühling and the Vayuda Turquoise Gemstone brooch enchantment, as well as Collei's treatment, should be doable.", was left unsaid,
Yet it needed not be, as Albedo quickly understood what his "Dear Twin" meant...
-...Alright, Emilia, I agree to your idea. -He soon said, looking and sounding as serious as Emilia, before taking the bag from the other's outstretched hands. -But firstly, we shall run a few calculations in order to ascertain the amount of Crystaltears that should be used for each task in order to succeed.