"Having said that, she then packed her things and moved out of the opera house, not unlike how an ordinary person might."
"She simply said that... she was tired, and needed to rest."
Neuvillette's words were stuck in his head. It had been a few days since the Flood happened, and now that the crisis had been averted, he decided to take a break for once. Pouring himself a glass of water, he contemplated the quiet departure of Furina from the palace. Her cryptic explanation, shrouded in weariness, left him pondering the depths of her struggles.
A sigh escaped him, carrying the weight of Furina's trial in his conscience. He couldn't shake the shame and remorse for subjecting her to such an emotional ordeal. He knew now why she didn't tell anyone. His stomach churned as he thought more about the trial, shoving all the blame to her was something he could not accept. He was still waiting for the compensation from Neuvillette after he and Paimon went into the Fortress of Meropide. Apparently, a courier would be sent to his temporary abode in the hotel. So he decided to stay in for a while.
"Morning Traveler, any plans for today?" A cheery Paimon materialized out of thin air as per usual. Aether gave her a soft smile. He was happy that even if there was no one by him, Paimon would always be there for him. But what about Furina?
"So interminable... so lonely... Just how much longer…"
"I never imagined that it would hurt so much…"
Her haunting words echoed in Aether's mind, a poignant reminder of the pain Furina endured. He heard her anguish, he felt her despair. The image of her tear-streaked face lingered in his thoughts. Aether stood up from his bed, his face full of newly founded determination.
"I do, I want to see someone." Aether said to his floating companion. The small spirit turned her head to the side, not knowing who he wanted to see.
"Oh? Who do you want to see?" The floating spirit asked him.
Aether gave her a small smile. "I want to go see Furina. I want to check up on her. How she's doing and all that.
"Furina? Alright then, Paimon gets it. But Neuvillette said that she moved out, right? How do we find her now? She could be anywhere in Fontaine."
"I know how." Aether walked to the door and left his room.
Aether was walking up the stairs of the Palais Mermonia. He left a note and request to the hotel receptionist, letting her know that a package for him from the palace would soon arrive. Luckily the sun was shining and the winds were cool and light. He could see the Fontainians busying themselves with their daily lives. He was happy to see that everything went well. The prophecy was altered and everybody lived.
As he opened the large doors of the palace, he was greeted with busy goings of the everyday. The corridors were packed with workers, no doubt trying their best to continue the city's recovery. Reparations to facilities needed to be made, food and shelter needed to be provided, and more. Aether made his way through the crowded corridors, with Pamon beside him, greeting the few Melusines he recognized along the way. Sedene greeted him and Paimon as per usual, before letting them into Neuvillette's office.
"Ah, Aether and Paimon. To what do I owe the pleasure? Do you need help with something?" Came the warm voice of the Hydro Sovereign. He always liked the kind and warmth of the dragon. He had grown to be one of his close friends.
"Hello Neuvillette. I see you're as busy as usual." Aether smiled, as Paimon waved to the busy dragon. "I do need help with something."
"Oh? May I ask what it is? If it's regarding your compensation, I've already arranged for a courier to send it to you, no?" Neuvillette asked.
"Oh no, it's not that. I…uh…I want to know where Furina is, or where she's currently staying." Aether answered.
A soft smile grew on the dragon's face. "Ah, you were wondering about Miss Furina. I see. I can give you her address if you'd like."
Aether smiled. "That would be nice. Thanks Neuvillette!"
"Oh, don't thank me Aether. You're doing me a favor, here. I haven't had the chance to personally see her after she left. My work appears to be endless, especially after the Flood. Please check up on her on my behalf as well." Neuvillette said as he gave Aether a small slip of paper.
"Alright then. Will do. I hope you have a nice day, Neuvillette." Aether bid him farewell.
"Paimon hopes you don't stress yourself out, Monsieur Neuvillette!" Paimon joked.
"My thanks to you both. Goodbye, Aether and Paimon."
"Paimon, doesn't know why Furina wanted to leave the Palais Mermonia. Paimon would die for a chance to live in the palace."
Aether gave her a look. Despite being loyal and cheerful, her lack of emotional intelligence was always an unwelcome part of her. "Hey, she's been stuck there for hundreds of years. I'm sure that place doesn't have the best impression on her."
"Anyway, we should be close by. Apparently she lives near Estelle's place."
They descended from the flight of stairs by a humble apartment. The size wasn't that big, and the exteriors look dated as well. But, in his opinion, it looked pretty good, he was glad that she at least got someplace decent for a home.
"Uhh... Did Neuvillette really give us the right address? She lives... here?" Paimon was unbelieving. "N—Not that there's anything wrong with this place, it's just, uh... a bit of a step down from the Palais Mermonia."
"Hey, this place doesn't look that bad. I think it's a nice and cozy place to live." Aether replied.
"If it isn't the Traveler and Paimon. You know, it's common courtesy to make sure the homeowner isn't in earshot when you're denigrating their abode." A soft voice came from behind them.
Furina stood before them, with bags full of things on each hand. She looked dissatisfied with Paimon's comments.
"F-Furina?!" Paimon raised her hand in surprise. "Where did you come from?"
"I was just out on a shopping trip. I ran out of macaroni, so I went to grab a few more bags." Furina shrugged.
"Hey Furina…It's…nice to see you again." Aether greeted her.
"It is, but I'm curious, why are you here? I'm no longer the Hydro Archon, you know." Furina asked.
"It's not that. I wanted to check in on you, and I was hoping that we could have a talk, you see." Aether replied, scratching the back of his neck.
"You came…to check on me?" Furina said, her face expressionless.
"Yeah. I wanted to see how you were doing. Neuvillette said that you moved out and I haven't had the chance to talk to you after everything that has happened." Aether spoke honestly.
"I'm guessing that Neuvillette told you my address." Furina remarked.
"Yep! Paimon and Aether went to Neuvillette this morning to ask him." Paimon said.
"Alright then, come on in. I knew you couldn't have come here just to ogle at my fall from grace."
Furina walked to her door and tried to open the lock, while struggling to find her keys with bags on both hands. Aether and Paimon stood behind her as she struggled. "Oh come on…I should have tailored a dress with more pockets…" A soft annoyed mutter came from the girl.
"Let me help you with those." Aether offered. He freed her hands from the bags and Furina finally found her stubborn key.
"Ah, what a gentleman you are." Furina commented, appreciating the help. "Now come along."
The trio walked into Furina's apartment. The inside was nice, and simple. It didn't have many things yet, and there were several boxes that have yet to be opened. A simple bed and desk set, a kitchen, a private bathroom, a couple closets, and windows were all there were. Aether could appreciate the simpleness. Furina welcomed them, extending an invitation to settle at the table while she prepared tea. Aether, genuinely impressed by the unpretentious beauty of her living space, couldn't help but voice his admiration.
"I must say, your place looks nice," Aether complimented, with sincerity imbuing his words.
"Oh, please, you don't have to lie, you know," Furina responded, a hint of self-consciousness in her words.
"I wasn't lying. It's a simple and cozy place, what's there to be ashamed of? I like it," Aether insisted, his sincerity cutting through any pretense.
Her eyes carefully studied him, searching for any trace of deception. Finding none, Furina's face softened into a genuine smile.
"Why, I appreciate the honesty, dear Traveler. It is a wonder how one such as I had ever doubted your chivalry." Furina gleefully replied as she brought a teapot full of tea and several cups. "You certainly are full of surprises, aren't you, dear Traveler?"
Furina sat down beside him. Aether didn't respond. He was trying to piece together the words he wanted to say, he needed to find the right building blocks to help convey what he wanted to say.
He had thought of what he wanted to say to her throughout the day, but seeing her now in the flesh just swept all the things he had planned on saying clean, like the ocean wave. He stared into her heterochromatic eyes, the pair of eyes that stayed in his mind.
"...Oh… Uh…I'm sorry." Her voice pulled him from the depths of her eyes. Furina fidgeted slightly. She looked down to the floorboards as she spoke timidly. "I…I…".
She took a deep breath before speaking once again. "Did I say something wrong? I've been trying to…nevermind" She said sheepishly. "So…uh…what did you want to talk about…?"
Did he need her help with something? She was sure he knew that she was never the Archon to begin with and never had any powers of her own. What use could she be to him?
"I've been meaning to talk to you…it's about…well everything really. I wanted to see how you were doing too." Aether admitted. "And…I wanted to say that…"
"I'm very sorry for what I did to you." Aether said with no hint of hesitation.
Furina eyes' widened. Did he do something to her? She saw that his face was genuinely remorseful and lacked any deceit. And frankly speaking, he hadn't been as cheerful as he usually was when she first saw him outside her home.
"Why…are you saying that, Aether? You don't have to be sorry for anything." She raised her hands trying to reason with him.
"No…I betrayed your trust Furina…I can't not be sorry about it." Aether rebutted. "And that's not all. Because of what I did…You were ridiculed and shamed in front of everyone. No one deserves that kind of treatment, especially you, Furina."
Furina looked appalled, why did he think of it like that? His face was full of genuine remorse and self hatred. His face was red, from anger at himself. She held his hand.
"No, no, no, no, no…you shouldn't say that. If anything, I should be thanking you for what you did…"
Aether raised his head to meet her eyes…"What…? Why? You know what I've done to you…I don't deserve your thanks."
Furina smiled somberly, "I do know… When the trial was held. It did hurt. Seeing all those eyes on me, judging me. But if it weren't for you, Fontaine wouldn't have been saved."
Aether's eyes locked into hers. His gold with her sapphire blue. Furina fidgeted lightly, she had hoped that she didn't have to bring it up so early. "I know that…you saw… me , right?" Furina looked away for a moment.
Aether remembered. The moment his hand touched her tears, he saw her . Her for who she truly was. Aether nodded.
Furina took a deep breath before continuing. "So… you must know why I hid myself from everyone…It wasn't your fault. You…and everyone else, were just doing all you could to save Fontaine. No one should be at fault for not knowing the whole truth - even I was in the dark for most of it."
"Everything was according to the prophecy, and as Mirror-me said, a trial would happen. And it did happen. I just never expected it to be that specific trial." Furina looked back at the sorrowful face of the blond. He still looked unconvinced, despite everything she said.
"So…you must understand, I want you to understand. I don't hate you, or anyone else for that matter, for the trial." She now held both of his hands. She was blushing lightly. She wasn't used to opening up about her feelings.
"I'm sorry. But I still can't absolve myself from guilt and shame. Even though it was necessary, it doesn't mean that it was right. I took advantage of your moment of weakness and tricked you." Aether teared up a bit.
Furina smiled somberly. "I know…but you must already know that I still wouldn't have confided in you at that time, right? I couldn't spill anything, and at that time, I was still playing the Hydro Archon, the holiest of them all who had everything planned and ready. Not who I am, now…" She said the final parts with no punch in them.
Aether still looked unconvinced, the thought of just forgiving and forgetting made him sick to his stomach. "I'm sorry…but I can't let myself be so easily forgiven. Are you sure I can't do anything to make it up to you?"
Furina sighed. The Traveler was really that stubborn huh, it felt like all her words fell unto deaf ears. "You really are hard-headed, huh. You still don't get where I'm coming from, do you? You're too kind for your own good." Furina rolled her eyes.
"I could say the same for you, Furina." Aether chuckled mirthlessly. "You're just too kind."
Aether saw the small curve forming on her lips. He couldn't fathom deserving her forgiveness after doubting her and trampling on her trust. She was too good for this world.
Furina's spoke, "I think I know how you can make it up to me." Aether widened his eyes. Anything . He wanted to say.
"I want you…to take me out for a walk." Furina said sheepishly.
"A…walk?" Aether repeated. Was she joking?
"Yes, I want you to take me out for a walk." Furina smiled.
"It's a refreshing change to have company during these walks," Furina remarked, her voice carrying a touch of warmth, "I haven't had the luxury of taking walks with anyone else for a while now."
Aether, Furina, and Paimon were side-by-side as they took a stroll through the city, well for Paimon's case, she was floating. Luckily for them, there weren't many people around so they went out without any distractions.
"It does. How have you been doing?" Aether asked. His eyes showed worry for her, which Furina appreciated.
"Honestly, it's been quite the struggle. I'm used to having most of the basic household chores done by the attendants at the Palais, but right now, I have to do most of them on my own." Furina admitted.
"I see. If you need help feel free to come ask, alright?" Aether offered her. "I'll be here for you if you need me."
"Thank you, but I'm doing okay right now." Furina smiled lightly. "I'm still trying to learn all the basics first, and I can say that I'm getting the hang of it."
"Don't tell Paimon you don't know how to cook?" Paimon exclaimed. "No wonder you're only eating macaroni."
"How rude! Questioning my cooking skills, the audacity! And what's wrong with macaroni anyway? It's good and it's cheap."
"So you don't really know how to cook yet? It's alright, everyone has to start somewhere." Aether reassured her while chuckling.
"I guess so…Why don't we-" Before Furina could continue, an unexpected call interrupted their conversation, calling for Aether from the adventurer's guild.
"Traveler! Traveler!" The voice of the familiar Katheryne captured the attention of the trio. All three of them turned towards the receptionist. Seeing no reason not to come over, they decided to go have a listen to what she wanted to say.
"What is it, Katheryne? Is something wrong?" Paimon wondered with curiosity laced in her words.
"I wanted to let you know about your request for a commission yesterday. We have a commission posted recently, from a small acting troupe. I can give you the details if you'd like." Katheryne informed them.
"What do you think, Furina?" Aether asked. They were accompanying Furina for a walk, so, naturally, he wanted to know her opinion on the matter.
"What kind of commission?" Furina inquired softly.
"A troupe is currently looking for a replacement for their leading actress for their final musical before they disband. Unfortunately, the lead actress was feeling unwell so they had to find a replacement. Are you interested?" Katheryne answered.
"A…lead actress?" Furina murmured. Did that mean her? Was she ready for that task? Centuries of playing the role of an Archon had left a deep mark on herself. A mark that she would never be able to heal from. No…she wasn't ready. She probably wouldn't be willing to play any new roles. Furina stayed quiet without a word escaping her mouth.
"Ooo! That should be a breeze for Furina. We'll take it!" Paimon exclaimed.
"Wonderful, the commissioner's right beside the receptionist table, you can find him there."
A hand on her shoulder pulled her back to reality.
"Hey…You don't have to do this if you're not ready. I can help them look later after we finish our stroll." Aether said.
Furina turned towards Aether, his eyes showing worry. Worry for her.
"N-No…it's alright. I don't have to be the actress right? Hehe. Maybe I can help you look for a replacement?" She pushed out a giggle, "After all, I was once the brightest star in all of Fontaine, well-versed in all the various performing arts. So I'd say I have quite the eye for talent."
"Are you sure?" Aether held her hand. "You don't have to force yourself."
"It's alright, Aether. The need to help my fellow artists out is something that only another artist could understand. I'll be okay."
Aether nodded, accepting her answer. Aether and Furina walked towards the struggling actor who commissioned them. The actor was currently conversing with Paimon. As the duo approached them, much to Aether's amusement, he nearly jumped.
"L-Lady F-Furina?! And the Traveler?!"
"Please, you don't have to call me that. Just Furina or Miss Furina is fine." She shook her head.
"Oh…Of course, L-La Miss Furina, forgive me." The actor said.
"So, what's this about looking for a lead actress?" Furina inquired.
"Oh…You probably already heard from Miss Katheryne there. My name is Lauwick. Our lead actress has fallen terribly ill, and she can't perform for us. If we can't find someone to step in, we'll have no choice but to cancel the show... It would be such a shame." Lauwick admitted.
"Oh we have Furina here, I'm sure she's willing to take on the role." Paimon suggested.
"HuH" Furina gasped for a moment before gathering her composure.
"Wow, Miss Furina, really? That would be wonderful!" Lauwick beamed.
"N-No…I can't." Furina replied sheepishly.
Aether understood why she was reluctant. Having seen her life through her lens, he knew how hard it would be for her to suddenly play another role, after finally gaining the freedom she longed for.
"But, come on, Furina…I'm sure this'll be a piece of cake for someone like you." Paimon urged.
Furina wanted to protest but she was stopped by Aether.
"Paimon…I'm sorry Lauwick, but Furina can't take on the role due to…personal reasons." He lightly scolded Paimon. "But, don't worry, Furina and I are willing to help you find someone, and as you know, Furina has quite the eye for talent."
"Hehehe, indeed, I'm sure we can find someone willing to help." Furina nodded in agreement.
"Which brings me to why I'm here... I thought you should probably know that not everyone here is ready to forgive and forget after the Hydro Archon's inaction in the face of catastrophe."
"To avoid upsetting the peace, I told the townspeople that everyone here is a member of the theater troupe... and that you are just an actress playing the role of Furina."
Aether noticed immediately her shift in tone when Poisson brought up. Her demeanor became even more clear when they actually arrived in Poisson. He knew he wasn't the best at comforting others, but something in him pushed him to try. To try and help her resurface from the depths of her depression. It felt like a responsibility, how it became that, he didn't know. But the how doesn't matter, for now he needed to be there for her.
"I'm grateful that Miss Navia was so understanding. To be perfectly honest, I didn't know if I was ready to meet her." Furina confessed, "It's…It's always so easy to run away from your problems and hide. But that never fixes things, do they? You can't move forward when something keeps dragging you back a step."
"So that's why you were nervous when we brought up Poisson." Paimon commented.
"Yeah…I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't scared of coming here. Even now, I can see all the stares and hear all the whispers from around us." Furina sighed.
"But still, it's my responsibility to come here and see my failure with my own eyes. I…I just hope that everyone here could find it in them to forgive me…But I don't think I deserve it after what I did, or rather what I didn't do."
Aether didn't know that she felt that way. Despite everything she did, she still thought that Poisson was her fault. Her failure. Each word that came out of her mouth added more knife wounds onto his heart.
"Hey…don't say that. If anyone deserves an apology, it's you." Aether held her hand. "You shouldn't beat yourself up too much."
"I know, okay? It's just that, I was their god, their leader and I failed. I let all those innocent people die…" Furina sniveled. "I'm sure some people here see the idea of someone coming to Poisson dressed as the pathetic Hydro Archon as extremely disrespectful. I used to be terrified of the gaze of other people, especially when they had suspicion or resentment in their eyes."
As they conversed the chatter and whispers grew, rounds of people gathered around them; and just as Navia said, the stares only grew exponentially. He was growing worried.
"Hey Furina. I think it's time we go somewhere else." Aether suggested. "a crowd's gathering over there and they're not staying quiet either."
"You're right. How about we check out Spina di Rosula's ship? We should have a view of the whole of Poisson from there."
"I'm sorry that things turned out all depressing here. We planned on going out on a quiet happy stroll but now I'm dumping all this heavy stuff onto you."
Aether and Furina sat on the edge of the ship side-by-side, overlooking all of Poisson. It was actually pretty chilly as the wind blowing into Poisson was cool. He could see why Furina wanted to go here, you could basically see everything, the people, the houses, and more.
"It's alright, Furina…I'm here for you." Aether comforted her. "It's nice that we're having this heart to heart."
"Great. I appreciate your company, and you're the closest thing I have to a friend, so please don't disappear just yet." Furina smiled.
"We won't! It's actually refreshing to see a different side of you" Paimon chimed in.
She gazed upon the whole of Poisson. "As you saw in…whatever that was, during the trial. The centuries of loneliness and suffering aren't the only reasons I have a hard time facing everything." Furina said.
"As I sit here on this ship, I can't keep the images of the rising waters out of my head. The horrors and screams of my people drowning while I stand doing nothing. They thought that I, their god, their deity, would come down and save them…But I…I did nothing." Furina admitted, her voice full of sorrow.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "I've had to go through so many moments like that for the sake of protecting the truth. As time went on, it got harder and harder to bear, and I became more lonely and isolated. Eventually, I realized I had nothing left except the truth. I became terrified of completely failing in my task, and was haunted by the thought of being left all alone, weeping on my throne."
"The irony is…the loneliness didn't come from the failure of my task, but from me doing what I was supposed to do to avoid that loneliness." She mused as a mirthless chuckle escaped her lips. "Luckily we have heroes such as yourselves who saved the day, and I finally regained my freedom."
"But the thing about that freedom…Is that my purpose, my whole person has disappeared. I'm no longer the Hydro Archon and I'm no longer the person I used to be. I have..I have no further use to people." Furina broke down, tears streamed down her soft cheeks. She tried to wipe away her tears, but her efforts proved naught.
The sight of Furina, tears streaming down her delicate cheeks, ignited an unexpected surge within him. It was as if an electric current coursed through his veins, propelling his muscles into an involuntary dance. His arms, seemingly guided by some unknown force, instinctively reached out and enveloped the weeping girl. In that moment, Furina's widened eyes witnessed the unexpected warmth and solace emanating from the touch of the blond's body.
What is this feeling? Is this what a hug…feels like? I've never felt…this before.
The warmth radiating from his body enveloped her. It felt…good, warm, and…missed. Furina reciprocated, her arms wrapping around him in a desperate embrace. In that shared closeness, she pulled him closer, an unspoken plea for him to comprehend the depths of her pain and remorse.
"Let it all out, Furina…I'm here for you." Aether reassured, his hand gently patting her back in a soothing rhythm,
Furina's sobs lessened. The warmth she was feeling felt foreign, yet at the same time it felt like she was home - a reassurance that everything was going to be okay.
"I…Thank you, Aether…" Furina managed to form words as she sniffled.
Aether gently released her from the embrace, pulling back with a comforting hand placed on her shoulder. With his other hand, he tenderly wiped away the lingering traces of her tears, his touch a gentle reassurance.
"I want you to know that, everyone who knows of your sacrifice, appreciates you. Neuvillette, Clorinde, the twins, and everyone else. We want you to know that…Okay?"
Furina nodded.
"You're free. You don't have to be alone now. And if you think you aren't ready to face the whole world. Then start with me, Furina. Confide in me. I'll be there if you need me, alright?"
Aether gave her a warm smile. Furina flushed lightly, a hint of pink on her cheeks…she never felt so…empty. Empty, but in a good way. As if all her pent up stress and emotions vanished in an instant. And for a moment, she truly felt… free .
"I…I…don't know what to say." Furina mumbled softly.
"Then you don't have to say anything. From now on, you do what your heart wants." He patted her head.
She had to admit it, being touched by someone who cares felt nice. The headpats she was getting felt good, so good that might melt into it. She never knew how touch starved she was.
"Alright…Thank you…my witness ." She said sheepishly. "Back then, I didn't even dare to dream about having someone to confide in."
"I was scared of someone recognizing me for who I truly was, and exposing the secret I swore to protect."
" 'Believe in the Furina you see on stage. She is the one you can trust.', I had to keep all my feelings, all my curiosity about life to myself. No-one could be allowed to know..." She continued. "That's what I really meant back then when I said I'm no good at maintaining relationships."
"So that's where you were coming from... Paimon totally thought you were just a bit of a diva at heart." Paimon commented.
Both gold and blue looked incredulously at the flying spirit. "Could you please get off my case!? I don't know what's gotten into you today. I'm making an effort here, you could at least try to do the same."
"Paimon, can you please go check on Lauwick and the others? We'll go to you once we're done here." Aether tried to subtly shoo her away. Now was not the time for her comments.
"Alright then, don't take too long!" The flying mascot disappeared into thin air, leaving the two of them on their own.
"I apologize on her behalf. As you can see, she isn't the most emotionally intelligent." Aether expressed a hint of regret coloring his words. While he valued Paimon's companionship, her occasional childish antics could prove challenging.
Furina, however, reassured him with an understanding smile. "It's alright, Aether. I understand." In that moment, her smile radiated a genuine warmth, revealing a facet of herself that transcended the burdens she carried. Aether saw her true self, a blend of beauty and strength that left him in awe.
"Do you feel better now?" He wondered. Furina held his hand. Not wanting to let go, just yet.
"I do. I once had nothing but the truth, and now, I'm finally free to live my own life again. And even though I have no idea where I'm going right now…" She smiled. "At least the choice is in my hands, and like you said, I don't have to be alone anymore."
In a swift motion, Furina leaned in, planting a quick peck on Aether's cheek. "That was for everything you did," she declared. Both gold and blue blushed in response. "You're quite the gentleman, so this goes without saying. Keep that between us, alright," Furina giggled.
"Of course. Not a soul will know," Aether sputtered, earning another small giggle from the girl. "Alright, it's about time to head back. Pauleau should have finished the ending by now."
"Yeah, let's head back," Furina agreed, a genuine smile gracing her lips as they prepared to return to the troupe.
AN:
After playing the 4.2 Archon Quest and Furina's story quest, I felt quite unsatisfied with some of the writing decisions Mihoyo made. So I decided to give my own spin on Furina's quest, and here it is. I spliced some of the lines from the original quest and kept the plot similar, as I think the story quest was good, but just lacked a solid beginning. I hope you enjoy it. It's my first time posting on AO3, haha.