The Dance that Gods' Gift

by Tales of a Legend

For just the faintest of moments, the smile on Furina's face wavered, like a slight blemish on an otherwise perfect and pristine appearance. But just as quickly as it came, it disappeared, with none ever the wiser as to what laid beneath perfection. An exploration of Furina's story, the life she endures, and the "justice" that she proclaims to the world.

3. Act I, Part II: Humanity, Divinity

A/N: This is a long chapter, but I figured breaking it up any more would be anti-climactic, so I hope you're cozy, and enjoy!

---

…

Two days later, the next Hydron Archon's successor was announced.

According to Neuvillette, there was a palpable sigh of relief in the Opera Epiclese when the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale finally uttered a name in its daily audit, after two long years of failing to fill the empty throne – although it wasn't until much later that Furina learned of this fact.

Instead, on the day of the event in question, Furina had started the day like she would've any unassuming weekend morning – waking up way past what was an acceptable time to do so, and then scavenging in the kitchen for any scraps of food that she could find.

For the two days since her encounter with the person in the mirror, she had been noticeably on edge, unsure of anything had actually changed. After all, as far as she could tell, there had been no tangible difference or distinct sign that she had just magically become the next Archon.

But on that unassuming morning, that vague notion of peace – the calm before the storm – was quickly shattered when the front door of their house abruptly slammed open, the perpetrator none other than the person that Furina was sharing the house with.

"Feena! Feena! What is going on?!" her friend exclaimed loudly, out of breath.

"H-huh?" Furina poked her head out into the hallway from the kitchen, trying to see what all the commotion was. "Oh, it's just you. What's going on? I thought you were going to the middle quarter this morning."

"You – they…the next Hydro Archon was just announced!" she explained in between breaths, clearly overwhelmed. "And…you're not gonna believe who they said it was!"

Instantly, Furina felt her blood turn ice cold.

'Then, it wasn't a dream, after all…'

"...Let me guess – was it me?" Furina said after a slight pause, gulping nervously.

"Y-yeah," her friend nodded apprehensively, a nervousness in her eyes that Furina had never previously seen. "You don't seem surprised. Feena, don't tell me…a-are you…a god?"

"Uhm…" Furina looked away and sighed, not quite sure how to answer that question. She could almost taste the anxiousness that her friend was practically exuding off of her body as she stared at Furina, wide-eyed and alarmed.

…But then again, that was probably the natural response.

For now, her main priority was probably to convince her friend that she hadn't been committing heresy by mistreating her own undercover god for the past two years.

"Haah – well, for starters, how about we have a chat over some breakfast?" she pointed towards the kitchen. "I've got a lot of explaining to do, I suppose. Oh, but make sure you close all the doors and windows."

"Uh, r-right!"

As her friend hastily ran inside the house and locked the door, with a sort of fervor one might have as if they were being commanded by a higher being – Furina could tell that this was going to be a long morning.

…

"..."

"..."

In the minutes immediately following their seating at the dining table, not a word was said as the two sat in silence, a heavy, awkward tension filling the air.

If Furina was being honest with herself, she hadn't really given that much thought as to what to tell her friend at all. She was so caught up in figuring out whether what happened two days ago was actually real, that she failed to account for what to do if it actually was.

But now that there was tangible proof that it wasn't actually a dream, Furina quickly realized that matters involving her friend were a little…complicated. At the forefront of Furina's mind, and the main reason why she had stayed silent so far, was figuring out what – or rather, how much, she should say.

"Should your identity be revealed to the world at large, then all hope will be lost."

Those words that the enigmatic lookalike in the mirror had said to her ringed clearly in her head, as she heavily debated on how much information to divulge. After all, the largest issue at hand was that Furina had spent the last two years of her life as a human, and a very modest one at that – certainly not one befitting that of a god. And the primary witness of that humanity – meaning, the one most likely to compromise her identity…was the person in front of her.

It wasn't as if she didn't trust her friend, but as long as the information was out there, the possibility that it would get leaked wasn't zero. To be as safe as possible, and for a secret as important as this, she felt like she needed to keep her cards as close to her heart as humanly possible. Especially if it was her friend's life, and indeed, everyone's lives, on the line.

'...Yeah – I'm doing it for her,' Furina tried to rationalize, latching onto any semblance of logic that she could muster. 'It's too risky; ignorance is bliss, right? I could just come up with some lie about how I wanted to see how humans live, or something…'

In the end, she decided that it might've been for the best if she kept her friend in the dark, weighing the potential lives of many over the truth. But just as she started to begin devising an elaborate lie to tell her friend…

"H-hey, Feena…"

Her thoughts were swiftly interrupted by the person in question – and when she looked up at the perpetrator, she locked eyes with a face that looked like it was holding back tears.

"Are you still…my Feena?" her friend asked dejectedly, her voice quivering as if uncertain if she was even still allowed to ask that question or not.

"...!"

And at that moment, any remaining willpower she had to lie to her lifelong friend quickly evaporated, replaced by a tacit understanding of why she had been so anxious this entire time.

'Ah…I'm so dumb.'

She had been misinterpreting her friend's fear this entire time; she had never been afraid of Furina turning into an Archon, nor was she cowering in repentance for having mistreated a higher being. No; rather, she was scared that Furina had turned into a different person entirely – that the one, precious family member that she had just found had now gone far away, never to descend back down to the earth ever again.

And lying to her meant…she would only be confirming that fear.

Seeing her friend's tears, Furina knew that she couldn't do it: there was no way she could just nullify the meaning that her friend attributed to the past two years that they had shared together. It was the same for her as well – to her, the significance of the past two years of her life with the girl in front of her was everything. Telling the lie may have allowed her to become the perfect Archon that no-one would doubt…but with it, she realized she also would inevitably be severing the bonds that made her human – as if she was tossing those two years away entirely.

It would almost be like throwing away her humanity…in order to achieve true divinity.

…To hell with that.

Her resolve to become an Archon came from the fervent desire to help the lives of the ones she held dear, as well as the ones who couldn't even help themselves. So if that was the case – shouldn't she try to keep the bonds that formed that resolve as close as possible? After all, it was such a human emotion, the wish to protect. Without it, her becoming the Archon was meaningless. If she had to trade her humanity to become a god…then she had no reason to become a god in the first place.

So as a result, as the newly crowned Archon of Justice…Furina made her first verdict.

The lives of the many may have been a substantial weight on one side of the balance – but as one who was now arbiter of the scales, Furina had the right to render judgment. And ultimately, her personal decree was…the familial bonds that she had found as a human were just as heavy. If doing so meant that she would be a flawed god, who might one day be exposed as false…so be it.

But if it also meant that she could keep her family intact, and not break the hearts of not just one, but two people – then she would keep that shred of humanity in her, for as long as she kept those feelings close in her heart.

Such was the justice newly afforded to her, now that she had gained the power of the divine.

Reaching across the table, Furina gently put her hand on top of her friend's – her decision no longer clouded by doubt.

"...Of course," she nodded, a reassuring smile forming on her lips. "I'm still the same Furina you know – and I'm not going anywhere. We made a promise after all, remember?"

"...Yeah…sniff…yeah, okay."

Her friend nodded, as if understanding the intent behind Furina's words, before quickly pulling back her hand to wipe away her tears.

"...Hey, listen…" Furina said calmly, after her friend had calmed down a little. "What I'm about to tell you can never leave this room – it is of the utmost importance that you carry this secret with you to the grave. Can you do that?"

"What, are you going to tell me you love me, or something?" She gave a small, bittersweet smile, lightening up the mood a little.

"Hey, I'm being serious here…"

But despite her words, Furina smiled a little bit as well, glad to see that she still had her old friend with her.

"Ahah, sorry – couldn't help it," her friend laughed softly, before turning serious again and nodding. "...I understand. For you, Feena, my lips will stay shut for as long as I live. You have my word."

"...Thanks," Furina nodded solemnly, preparing herself to explain everything. "Then, here goes…"

…

"Okay, so let me get this straight…basically, an older-looking reflection of you in the mirror started talking to you, and the next thing you know, you've become the next Hydro Archon?"

"Okay, well, when you say it like that, it makes it sound so dubious…"

When Furina had finished explaining, she leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh, half out of relief for sharing her secrets, and half out of exhaustion for providing credence to such an unbelievable tale.

"No, no – I mean, I didn't mean to say that I think you're lying or anything," her friend quickly clarified. "It's just, uh…how should I put it?"

"Nah, don't worry about it," Furina waved a hand in front of her dismissively. "I don't think I would've believed it either unless I experienced it firsthand. Honestly, I still didn't really know if I imagined the entire thing – but with the way that things have unfolded, I guess that person held true on her word, in the end."

"Yeah, I mean, they officially named you the next Archon, after all…"

She paused for just a brief moment, as if ruminating on what she had just said, before frantically jumping out of her chair.

"W-w-wait, hold on – you are taking this way too lightly," she said with a sort of high-strung tone, as if just now comprehending the implications. "I was so in shock that you were named that I didn't really think of anything else, but now that I think about it…you've literally turned into a god, Feena! Y-You basically just became the rightful ruler of Fontaine!"

"Well, technically speaking, according to the mirror lady, I didn't actually become a god; the only physical manifestation of that would be that I wouldn't age. Otherwise, I'm still just your ordinary, run of the mill human," Furina clarified, almost in a matter-of-fact like tone. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, though."

"O-oh, I see – that's what you meant when you said no-one could know you're still just human."

"Mhm," Furina nodded. "To the world at large, Furina the Hydro Archon will have descended from the heavens, ready to lead Fontaine to a new age. In other words, they can't know about the me that has been living in the lower quarter for the last two years. So, suffice to say…there's going to be a lot of changes."

"...We would have to pretend like we didn't know each other beforehand," her friend sat back down solemnly, understanding what Furina was implying.

"And for obvious reasons, we probably can't live together anymore."

"...Right."

"..."

"..."

"So, then…what happens now?" her friend eventually asked, breaking the silence between them.

"Uhm, well, when I'm ready, I suppose I would head to the Palais Mermonia and work with the Maison Gardiennage to announce my ascension. Oh, but I would need to get some new clothes I think," Furina theorized, glancing over at the worn sleeve of her shirt. "Can't have the Archon looking like she just came out of the lower quarter."

"Hmm…oh, I know!" Her friend quickly stood up and ran out of the kitchen, a newfound eagerness in her stride. "Gimme a sec, I'll be right back!"

"Wait, wha? Where're you going?"

But before Furina had finished asking her question, her friend was already gone, running down the main hallway. Two minutes later, she popped back into the kitchen again, holding a blue, frilly dress. It featured a button-up component in the torso area, while also having a long trail in the back, giving it a sophisticated, yet elegant look.

"Tada!" She held the fancy looking dip hem dress in front of her, clearly proud of herself. "Whaddya think? Not bad, right?"

"! Where'd you get that from?!" Furina gasped, taken aback. "It's so pretty! I didn't realize you had a dress like that!"

"Hehe, right, right? My grandma actually gave this to me before she passed. Said she bought it a long time ago, and wanted to see me wear it one day. Truth be told, there were times when I thought about selling it for some Mora, since times are tough and all…but I could never bear to do so."

"W-wait," Furina shook her hands in front of her. "I can't take something that valuable from you; it belongs to you and your grandmother!"

"Nah, c'mon, I insist – it was just collecting dust in my closet anyhow. After all, well, you know me…" she looked away, slightly embarrassed. "You know I can't pull this stuff off. …The girly stuff, I mean. …Agh, anyways!"

She shook her head, trying to move on from the subject.

"I think you should take it," her friend said again, but this time with gentle encouragement. "Once you put this on and become the Archon, you won't be able to live here anymore, right? So…consider it as a parting gift, from me; that way, at least part of me will still be with you, yeah?"

"...!"

Upon hearing those words, Furina stood up from the table and walked over to her friend, abruptly pulling her into an embrace.

"W-woah! What's wrong, Feena?"

"...You seriously never play fair, you know that?" Furina murmured dejectedly. "How can you say that with such a straight face? I…I don't wanna separate…sniff…"

No longer caring about the subtleties, Furina hugged her friend tighter as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Aww, Feena…"

For a brief moment, her friend simply held Furina in her arms, rubbing her back gently.

"...Of course, I don't want to separate either," she soothed. "But you willingly chose this path, so that you could save everyone and give them a better life, right? …I'm proud of you for making that choice, really – and I support it wholeheartedly. So I can't mope around and complain when you've shown so much resolve; the least I can do is see you off with a smile."

"B-but still, I'm going to miss you so much…" Furina lamented sadly, her tears now falling on her friend's shoulder. "Hey…come live with me – please? We'll figure something out, I promise."

"You know I can't do that; it would be too unnatural for a girl from the slums like me to be by your side. Too much attention would risk someone figuring out our connection."

"I know, but…sniff…"

"H-hey, c'mon, don't be like that," her friend reasoned calmly. "Besides, I'll still be around, right? I mean, we might have to pretend to be strangers at first, but it's not like I'll never see you ever again."

"...Okay – in that case, I've decided. Once I've become Archon, I'll start a citizen meet and greet program," Furina said decisively. "That way, you can come visit me without suspicion. You better come everyday, okay?"

"Eeh? Everyday?"

"Everyday!"

"My, quite a demanding Archon, aren't you…?"

Her friend took a glance at the dress that was still in her hand while embracing Furina, before speaking up once again.

"...Ah, that reminds me. I might eventually need this dress back, since I don't own any other nice ones. I guess what that means is I'll let you borrow it, instead of keeping it," she said slyly. "I might need it back pretty often though, so I guess I have no choice but to keep on visiting you in person, huh?"

"...Hehe – in that case, I might end up wearing it everyday, in the hopes that you'll visit me more often," Furina giggled softly, despite the situation.

A brief silence overtook the two of them for a little bit, as they just held each other in their embrace.

"...Hey, listen…" Furina eventually spoke to her friend, after calming down a little.

"Yeah?"

"Once I'm up there...I'm going to do my best to change Fontaine for the better. It might take a while – but I'll make it so that you can always live with a smile on your face. I'll make it so you can fulfill your dream of living a long, fulfilled life. Just watch me – I'll do it, as long as it takes. So, wait for me…okay?"

"...Yeah. I will," her friend simply replied, a knowing smile on her face. "I'm always watching, Feena."

"...Thanks. That means a lot."

"Mm."

Slowly, Furina pulled back from the hug, a newfound determination on her face now that she had let out her feelings.

"Feel better?" her friend asked, a smile on her face.

"Yeah. I suppose I owe you even more, now."

"I keep on telling you, you don't owe me anything."

"No, you're wrong – I owe everything to you," Furina shook her head, returning the smile. "I know I don't say it enough, but I'm really glad that it was you that found me that day – truly. I might only have memories of the past two years…but I can confidently say that they must've been the happiest two years of my life. …I'm going to miss you a lot."

"! Jeez, you…"

This time, it was her friend's turn to hug Furina without warning.

"You're gonna make me cry now," she complained, holding Furina tight.

"Oh?" Furina teased lightheartedly. "What happened to seeing me off with a smile?"

"Shut up and let me hug you, you big dummy…"

Faced with this unexpectedly cute action from her friend, Furina couldn't do anything but laugh pleasantly in surprise, before happily returning the gesture.

"Hehe – and who says you're not girly…?"

---

…

In the weeks following the announcement, the only word that Furina could use to describe her life was 'tumultuous'. So much happened in such a short amount of time, that everything felt like it all blurred together; in fact, looking back, Furina could really only remember the bare minimum.

The first major hurdle that Furina had to overcome was her ascension address to the public. Leading up to it, Furina heavily agonized on how best to present herself to the public for the first time – even going so far as to memorize a speech that she felt would best assuage the ordinary citizen, and one that emphasized mutual cooperation and growth.

However, when she actually got up on the stage of the Opera Epiclese to deliver her initial address, and saw all of the anxious and scared faces, looking for any telltale sign that she was the answer that they had been desperately holding out for…that's when she instantly realized.

…The people did not want for cooperation. They cared not for benevolence, nor would they come to idolize one who they deemed as friendly and approachable.

No – what they wanted…was a savior.

They wanted a person to miraculously and unrealistically transform their lives for the better. They wanted someone to come and tell them that they would fix everything, and to confidently do so with ease; for then, and only then, would they recognize her as a deity worthy of their worship.

Looking down at the populace, she had no doubt as to the feelings in their hearts; after all, they were beings chained to the ground – and she too, had walked the earth alongside them for two whole years once. It was at that point that the words that the person in the mirror acutely reminded her of bubbled up to the front of her mind, pushing aside all other thoughts:

"You must have some idea of what kind of expectations and desires would be foisted upon such an entity, yes?"

…In the end, she tossed away all of her memorized lines that espoused such flimsy ideals, and instead began her endless act as the Archon with a speech that was strictly off the script, opening with a line that Fontanian bards would end up reciting, word for word, for decades to come:

"My fellow Fontainians – I am the god Focalors, the Archon of Justice! Now that I, Furina de Fontaine, have taken the stage, you need not worry anymore; so long as I stand before you, there will no longer be any trouble in this world that justice cannot solve. You need only follow me, your one and only god, and you shall be saved. That shall be the justice that I grant you, as one who delivers judgment upon the wicked, indiscriminately rewards the righteous, and sits atop the scales, providing a just and never-ending trial for all of Fontaine, nay – all of Teyvat itself."

The general public's response to Furina's ascension was overwhelmingly positive, mainly due to the fact that the two years immediately following Egeria's passing were rife with chaos and disorder, including a heavy economic downturn. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the power vacuum amongst the aristocrats in those years of turmoil led many to shirk their duties, and the burden of that dereliction often fell upon the ordinary citizens under their protection. So to the regular Fontainian, they saw Furina as the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel, an infallible being for which they could thrust their expectations of stability on. Furina, for her part, took these expectations all upon herself in stride – and surpassed them all with flying colors, if she did say so herself.

The response from the aristocrats, however, was a little bit more mixed. While none were outright confrontational, and indeed, the majority of them did their best to curry themselves in Furina's favor – it was clear that many sought to use Furina as a primary means to further their own seat of power in Fontaine's highest court. To a small portion of them who actually gained substantial influence during the two year gap, they must've seen Furina's arrival as an annoying setback.

Regardless, following Furina's official ascension and move into the Opera Epiclese, she wasted no time getting to work on government affairs – including various tasks such as restructuring government entities, ousting corrupt officials, and digging her nose into official legislation and government spending. While conditions didn't dramatically turn around overnight, the positive impacts of Furina's administration manifested in tangible improvements over time, and it was clear to all that the trajectory was positive. By the end of the third month, it wouldn't have been a far cry to say that hardly anyone doubted Furina's legitimacy anymore.

It was around that time that Furina introduced her citizen greeting program as well, which turned out to be surprisingly popular. Before long, Furina had her hands full juggling both her regular duties as well as the meet and greets with Fontanian citizens.

And on one such meet and greet occasion…

…

"...Haah, man, am I glad it's you. Honestly, I really needed a break."

"...You know, you seem way too relaxed, Feena. You sure this is okay? What if you get caught?"

"Ah, don't worry about it. My secretaries were heavily instructed to not come into my greeting room when I'm meeting citizens, so you can speak freely here," Furina replied, lazily flopping down onto the couch directly facing the other couch that her friend was sitting on. "Ah, tea, by the way?"

She gestured to the table between them, which housed a freshly brewed teapot and an assortment of various sweets and snacks on a dessert stand.

"You should be thankful, you know?" Furina mused with a casual tone, taking a sip of tea. "I've heard that the waitlist for meeting me is now a couple of months long. And yet here you are getting to enjoy these tasty desserts so often."

"That's partly what I mean by too relaxed, you know?" her friend sighed, yet reaching for a strawberry shortcake nevertheless. "I mean, I'm thankful, of course – the cakes in particular are to die for. But this is like, what, the third time in the past two months I've seen you? Won't people get suspicious that I'm getting such favorable treatment?"

"Eh – who said Archons can't have favorites?" Furina shrugged nonchalantly. "For all everyone knows, I took a liking to you after our first meeting and just decided to bump you up every time I saw your name on the list."

"But still, I'm just a girl from the lower quarter…it's not just the act itself that's suspicious, it's about who in particular you're showing favor to. I'm sure you have things under control but just be careful, alright? We don't want to draw too much unwanted attention."

"Haah…maybe you're right. I'll cut back on the queue skipping."

"Well, as long as you understand," her friend nodded satisfactorily, sitting back and happily taking a bite out of the slice of cake she had picked out.

"Still though, a couple of months just for an audience with you?" her friend asked, the words barely decipherable through her mouthful of cake. "Guess you've been getting pretty popular, huh?"

"I guess so?" Furina replied, putting down her cup of tea and grabbing a scone. "I can't really tell myself, to be honest. How's the sentiment in town?"

"Pretty good, I'd say," her friend affirmed. "At least in the lower quarter, many people have had nothing but praise for the changes you've implemented. Seems like our supply of food has been stabilizing, and many people are now able to get food from the weekly food stamp program, so that's already a big plus in their eyes. I went to the middle quarter after you asked me to snoop around last time, and it's mostly the same there. Although, I've heard a lot of buzz about the, uh…tax bracket stuff? I'm not too familiar with the subject – but that one seems a little more controversial."

Furina let out a small groan in response, anticipating this kind of mixed reception already.

"Ugh, yeah – well, that's to be expected, I think. The Mora required for all those infrastructure and food distribution projects doesn't grow on trees, you know? Truth be told, one of my officials brought the idea to me as an idea to raise funds. In the long run, I think it'll be good, and people will get used to it – but certainly, those in the middle and upper quarter won't like it very much in the meantime."

"Hey – I think you're doing a good job, though," her friend encouraged, a smile on her face. "You may not be able to please everyone with every change, but it's clear that as a whole people are happy with your rule. In town, all I see in the newspapers and all I hear people talk about is you. Heck, even a lot of the aristocrats have actually started doing their jobs again, and that's no small feat. At the very least, I've heard no-one expressing doubt that you're the real Archon – which is the more important thing, I think. …Speaking of which…have you found out anything about that 'prophecy' that you mentioned?"

"Nothing," Furina hung her head in disappointment. "I tried looking through the Fontaine Library archives in my spare time, but I've found no mention of it."

"Well, in the first place, we have no proof that this prophecy is even legitimate, right?"

"I mean, we don't, but…"

Furina trailed off, unsure of how to explain the feeling she got whenever she thought of it. For whatever reason, in her mind, the prophecy existed as a certain fact – like a building sense of dread that failed to ebb. Right now, it might've been close to dormant – but in time, it would grow, and eventually overtake all of Fontaine; that, at least, was clear for her, with no room for doubt. It wasn't a matter of if…but simply when.

"...I just know," she finished after a pause, not elaborating any further.

"Hmm, I see – well, I trust you. If you say it's true, then it must be," her friend said simply, closing the matter on the situation. "If there's anything I can do to help you on this front too, let me know, okay?"

"It's fine; you're already helping me plenty, seriously," Furina replied, waving a hand in front of her. "In the first place, the impression I got from mirror me was that this prophecy is something that's gonna be a long way off. Seeing as how I can't find anything by myself, I think this problem will require more than just you and me to solve. Maybe I'll start a research institute or something."

"A research institute, huh? Sounds fun," her friend smirked. "When you do eventually open it, make sure they accept people from the lower quarter as well, yeah?"

"I mean, sure, but, would you even qualify for that kind of a job? I thought you couldn't even–"

"H-hey! No need to point that out! I'll learn, you just watch me!"

"If you say so," Furina teased endearingly, before wiping her mouth with a napkin and standing up. "Anyway, I hate to do this to you, but I have another legislation meeting soon, and I want to get prepared for it. It's a little early, but do you mind if we end this here? It won't make up for it, but I'll let you take back some of the sweets."

"Hmph – you have some nerve, after I trekked my butt all the way up here to see you," her friend feigned annoyance, before quickly swiping some more of the strawberry shortcake. "But your apology is accepted, given that I am a very gracious being."

""Right, whatever," Furina rolled her eyes playfully. "I'll see you soon enough again anyway."

"But not too early, right?"

"Yes, yes, of course. Lemme see you out."

Furina walked to the door, with her friend quickly following after grabbing a couple more sweets and stuffing it into her bag. But as Furina opened the door for her–

"...Honestly, what's the deal with that slums girl, anyway? Why do you think Lady Furina sees her so often?"

"!"

The voice of one of her secretaries rang out from across the hall, candidly talking about her and her friend; evidently, they didn't anticipate her ending her meet and greet early.

"Who knows? You think she has some dirt on Lady Furina, or something?"

"On a god? No way – Lady Furina would probably just smite her or something, no?"

"Hmm, I guess that's true…we should have a talk with her next time she comes, don't you think? I mean, if Lady Furina likes her so much, we should introduce ourselves – it would be the courteous thing to do, obviously. We could have a real nice talk about her and Lady Furina's relationship…"

"Aha, I like that! I've already memorized her face. Maybe we can use her to influence Lady Furina's legislation decisions, or something…"

The voices gradually grew more faint until they were replaced by receding footsteps, indicating that they had left the vicinity of the hall.

Instantly, Furina whipped around to face her friend, whose face housed a complicated expression upon overhearing a conversation that she most likely shouldn't have.

"...I'll go tell them off," Furina said quickly, anger rising in her voice upon seeing her friend's face. "Secretaries are replaceable anyways."

"Nah, it's okay," she simply shook her head, gently putting a hand on Furina's arm. "I think making a big deal out of it will only backfire and bring more attention. Besides, well…I think it's only natural for them to have that reaction. It is true that I am just a regular girl from the lower quarter, after all."

"But even if that's true, that doesn't give them the right to look down upon you like that. We've been working so hard to close those class gaps and discriminatory thoughts in the first place…" Furina rationalized with an upset tone, before bowing apologetically. "...I'm sorry about their behavior. Don't worry about them, okay? I'll make sure that when you come here next time, you'll be welcome."

"...Next time…huh?" her friend murmured under her breath.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"Ah – no, nothing," her friend replied with a sheepish look.

"? Well if you say so," Furina said, none the wiser. "Take care getting home, alright? See you soon."

"Yeah – thanks."

Her friend took a couple of steps in front of Furina, before turning around, a hard to read smile on her face.

"...See you soon…Furina."

With those parting words, she turned around and walked out of the Palais Mermonia, not waiting to hear Furina's response.

…At the time, Furina didn't really think much of that parting, even if something felt a little off; instead, her mind was more focused on returning to her quarters and preparing for her meeting – while making a mental note of giving her secretaries an earful later.

However, in hindsight, she should've recognized right away. Perhaps it was the fact that she was surrounded by so many new people, and had gotten used to them calling her 'Lady Furina' – otherwise, she would've never missed such an easy signal.

Because if she was really paying attention, then she would've instantly realized that that bittersweet smile, along with the fact that, for the first time, her friend had called her 'Furina', was a clear indicator that something had fundamentally changed that day.

It was a miss that Furina would come to regret for years upon end…because after that day, her friend never came by to visit ever again.

---

…

Six months later, Furina found herself wandering on the streets of the lower quarter for the first time since before she became the Archon.

She had been meaning to come back and visit earlier; if she was being totally honest with herself, there was a part of her that missed it, despite her living conditions having vastly improved since then. It was more so the unspoken charm, rather than the material comfort, that made it so congenial – like a home that the heart never forgets.

Walking down the familiar main streets with a tattered hood pulled over her hair, she looked at the couple of construction projects that were currently underway on the main street and on the buildings above her. Having not been around for a while, the difference was pretty noticeable; she couldn't even find the familiar, heart-shaped pothole that she always leaped over when turning into the side streets anymore.

'Kind of a shame, really – I was a little fond of that one in particular,' Furina joked in her head.

But at the very least, she was relieved to see that the government funds allocated for infrastructure had eventually made its way down here as well. These days, she was so busy attending to administrative matters that she basically found herself cooped up in the Palais Mermonia all day. Getting to walk the streets was a nice change of pace, and it also allowed her to see the full effects of the changes that she was implementing.

A sightseeing tour, however, wasn't exactly the main reason why she had come back though; given the fact that she had come incognito, it was more so for reasons that she couldn't publicly do as the Archon.

Stopping in front of the door of the familiar house at the end of the street, she slowly walked up the steps, a mix of nostalgia and anxiousness filling her. In the moment, she wanted nothing more than to knock on the door, surprise her friend, and enjoy a dinner with each other like the good ol' days.

But on the other hand…

'You haven't visited me for over half a year now,' Furina thought uneasily. '...Did something happen?'

That feeling of dread stilled her hand from knocking for a brief moment, precisely because she was afraid to find out what that answer was. But she had come too far to turn back now; if something had happened to her friend…she needed to know.

Swallowing nervously, she summoned what remaining courage she could find, and knocked on the front door. The seconds after that knock felt like they stretched on for ages.

'Please just open the door and say you've been busy, please just open the door and say you've been busy…'

A couple of seconds later, she heard someone approaching the door and undoing the lock. But when they unlocked the door –

"...?"

…She made eye contact with an elderly man, who she had never met before.

"Yes? Who might you be?" he asked Furina.

"Uh– w-wait, wha?" Furina asked back, utterly flabbergasted. "W-who're…do you live here?"

"That I do, miss."

"I-but…this house belongs to my friend!" Furina tried to explain. "She lived at this address, I-I've been here many times!"

"Ah, you must be talking about the previous owner," the elderly man nodded, as if understanding. "Yes, she was probably around your age; sold me the house around three months ago, if I remember correctly. For a mighty generous price too, might I add, bless her soul."

"She…moved? T-this is so sudden," Furina exclaimed. "Did she say why she sold the house or where she was going?"

"She said she had some circumstances that required her to move…didn't really elaborate on that one though. As for where she was moving to – I didn't hear a peep about that one either, unfortunately."

"I see…"

'But…why?'

"Oh, that reminds me! You must be the friend she mentioned!" the elderly man spoke up suddenly.

"? Did she say something about me?"

"She said another girl might drop by and ask for her whereabouts – lo and behold, here you are, just like she said! And to give you a letter that she wrote to you; let me see, it should be around here, somewhere…"

The elderly man went back into the house, disappearing into the kitchen.

"A letter? But that can't be…" Furina murmured. "After all, she can't…"

'She doesn't know how to read or write…' Furina finished in her head.

"Ah, found it!" she heard the man say from inside the house, before reappearing at the front door and handing her an ordinary looking envelope. "Here you are, miss. Don't say I didn't deliver you this here letter now."

"O-oh, right, thanks," Furina said, bowing a little.

"No worries – you take care now!"

The old man closed the door behind him, leaving Furina in front of a house which was all too familiar, and held many a precious memory – but now no longer housed the people that made it the home it used to be.

…

Finding a nearby park bench, Furina sat down and carefully opened the envelope that her friend had seemingly left behind, revealing a handwritten letter with shaky handwriting:

"Hey Feena! Oh, wait, oops – you go by a different name now, huh?

If you're reading this, then I bet you're a little confused right now…sorry about that. It was a tough decision for me too – honest. I can't say too much because I don't know who might be reading this letter, but I'll try my best to explain.

After I visited you last time…I came to the painful realization that it would be too dangerous for the both of us if I stuck around. I mean, those rumors – they won't stop at just the secretaries. You might not know, since you haven't dealt with them all your life, but all of us in the lower quarter know exactly what kind of people they are – some of them will stop at absolutely nothing to gain more power. Now that they know that I'm your favorite, they would do anything they could to use me for their own means; they would constantly hound me, probe into our relationship, find out as much as they can about me and my past…it was just too much of a risk. Given that they know my full name, finding my address would've been a matter of time as well. I couldn't risk our little secret leaking – so I made the difficult decision of bowing out of the picture. Even if they know my face and name, if I move out and change my name, then it'll be a lot more difficult for them to track me down.

I'm sorry you had to find out this way; the truth is, I would've loved to see you one last time before I left, and explain everything to you in person, but I couldn't very well go back, and I couldn't send a letter to you directly as your secretaries read them first. But perhaps…it was for the best. If I saw your face in front of me as I wrote this letter…I'm sure I would second guess myself.

The reality is, Feena – you and I walk separate roads now. You're destined for greatness – I know it. I would hate to be the one to tip the scales over to the side of ruin, after the resolve you mustered up when you made your decision. Call me selfish – but I want there to be a zero percent chance for me to screw it up for you.

However, while our roads may be separate, that does not mean they don't go in the same direction. Whatever you decide to do in the future – I intend to support it. The fact that you're even reading this letter should tell you that! What do you think? Pretty good writing for only having learned after three months, right? So, don't worry – when the Fontaine Research Institute eventually opens, know that I'll take the admission test as many times as it takes until I can get in and kick some prophecy butt.

And, who knows? Maybe you'll be so mesmerizing in your position, that I'll feel absolutely compelled to come back and confess my love for you in person. When that day comes, know that I'll be ready to greet you with a smile – just like always. But until then…I'm afraid we'll have to say our goodbyes for now.

I know that you'll most likely object to my decision – you can resent me, or even hate me for it – I think I kinda deserve it, to be honest. But know that no matter what happens, Feena – I will always love you.

From,

Your number one cheerleader – now and always."

"..."

After Furina finished reading the letter, she simply leaned back on the bench and let out a small sigh.

"...I see…so, she's gone, huh?" Furina said softly.

Aimlessly looking at the sky above, she wasn't really sure how to feel. Part of her was blind-sided by this sudden turn of events, but another part of her…didn't find it that surprising.

Making life changing decisions at the drop of a hat. A disposition that was too kind for her own good. Annoyingly naive and optimistic to a fault, but surprisingly mature and grounded when it came to the things that really mattered.

And always, always…a step ahead of Furina, turning around and asking her to catch up.

'Heh – this was just like her.'

"...Why did you have to be so responsible now of all times, you idiot…? Hmph…"

There was nothing that could be done – her friend had once again run off to a place beyond Furina's reach, leaving her behind once again.

Despite that, however, Furina was surprised that she didn't really feel that sad or empty. Given how she normally was, she expected herself to have taken her friend's sudden departure a little harder. Certainly, her old self would've started crying before she even reached the end of the letter.

Instead, all she felt was…a neutral understanding – nothing more, nothing less. Perhaps it was because she knew that her friend would still be out there, cheering her on and watching over her?

"Maybe you'll be so mesmerizing in your position, that I'll feel absolutely compelled to come back and confess my love for you in person."

…That had to be it.

Her friend might've run off without her, as usual – but this time, it was different. For the first time since she had known her, Furina finally had the power to overtake her and be the one to lead.

"...Fine, then – I'll do it," she smiled knowingly, accepting her friend's challenge. "I'll turn Fontaine into the greatest nation that Teyvat has ever seen, and become so beloved by all, that you'll practically be on your knees begging to meet with me again."

She would run, and continue down the road that she had chosen for herself – so that one day, when their paths did eventually converge once again…she would be the one waiting for her friend this time at the junction, an unabashed hand outstretched…welcoming her home.

---

…

And for the days that followed, Furina did exactly that.

Expending no effort, Furina dived deep into her work, trying her best to make her ideal Fontaine a reality.

Drafting up new legislation. Overseeing Fontaine's trials at the Opera Epiclesse. Meeting with Fontaine's everyday citizens. Founding new public entities, including the Fontaine Research Institute. Furina did it all; not just for the sake of those who impacted her life, but for all of those who would yet need to be saved in the distant future.

Much to Furina's dismay, she also caught wind of various plots from the aristocrats to gain influence into Furina's legislation decisions – some of which did indeed include using 'that slums girl' as a lynchpin. In the end, her friend was right; the power-hungry nobles of the Court would use any means necessary to gain Furina's ear. Had they stayed complacent, it was almost assured that they would've uncovered their secret in one form or another, as loath as Furina was to admit it. Of course, none of that ended up happening, given that they could never locate her in the first place.

It was around that time that Furina met and became acquainted with Neuvillette – although he wouldn't become Fontaine's Chief Iudex until a while longer. But in the meantime, he became a trusted assistant of hers, helping with administrative tasks that, quite frankly, were beyond her abilities (although she would never admit that).

"Eh? What do you mean, you want to see a list of applicant names for the Fontaine Research Institute?" Neuvillette asked when Furina had made the inquiry one day.

"We just founded it last year, and have only just now started accepting new applicants," Furina replied matter-of-factly, as if that was perfectly logical. "These people will determine the future direction of the Institute; it's only natural that I would want to oversee the application process a little bit."

"Certainly, but would just seeing their name suffice?" Neuvillette said in a dubious tone. "Besides, we have very qualified proctors administering the entrance exam…"

"Ugh, jeez, it's good enough for me, alright? Or do you doubt your Archon?"

"...Understood."

But even though she closely monitored the list of applicants for the Institute during its first three years of opening, she never saw anything resembling her friend's first or last name. At a certain point, with so many other duties going on, she eventually lost the time to do even that.

So it was that she passed her time in this manner, attending to her various duties as Fontaine's loyal Archon – garnering beloved support and widespread adoration from the populace every step of the way.

…

"...So? Can I get a status update?" Furina asked Neuvillette in her reception room on one of such routine days.

"Certainly, Lady Furina," Neuvilette replied dutifully. "Regarding that bill that we passed last month, I do believe it has had a positive impact on the market. We have been seeing more and more merchants from other nations trickling in now that we have reduced the amount of tariffs. As for news from the Institute…we have found some cryptic messages tucked in a old tome that might have some relevance to the prophecy, but no confirmation as of yet."

"I see – well, let me know if there's any further developments on that end."

"Of course. Then, I will take my leave now."

"Ah, hold on Neuvillette – do you know if I have any remaining meetings today?"

"Honestly, Lady Furina, I am not your secretary…"

He flipped through some papers that he was holding in his hand before speaking up again.

"It seems like you still have another meet and greet," he responded curtly. "It is in approximately fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen, huh…" Furina let out an exasperated sigh. "Alright, I understand. You're dismissed."

"...Yes ma'am."

After Neuvillette closed the door behind her, Furina stretched her arms in the air exhaustedly.

"Whew…one more meet and greet, and I'm done for the day…well, beats having a meeting with those stuffy nobles…"

Getting up from her seat, she started brewing some tea and setting out the desserts at the reception table, absentmindedly thinking about what sort of topics to have with her guest. At this point, she had done it so many times that it was practically second nature. Simply offer some delicious snacks, smile and take in all of their candid admiration, and then leave them with a positive impression. Easy peasy.

Before long, she heard a knock on the door, indicating that those fifteen minutes had passed all too quickly.

"Lady Furina?" one of her secretary's voices came from behind the door. "Your guest has arrived."

"Understood – let them in!"

At her command, the door opened, and an old woman and a young girl, presumably her granddaughter, were ushered in.

"Welcome, welcome!" Furina said enthusiastically, walking up to both of them. "Thanks for stopping by!"

"Ooooh! The Archon, in the flesh! So cool!"

The girl looked up at Furina admiringly, a large smile on her face.

"Sweetheart, remember what I told you? Mind your manners, okay?" the old woman reminded her granddaughter, before turning to Furina and giving her a slight bow. "The pleasure is all mine, Lady Archon. It's always a pleasure to see you in person."

"? Always?" Furina inquired. "Have you attended one of my meet and greets before?"

'Come to think of it…could this be the old woman and the little girl that sold me those bracelets a while back? Must be, seeing as how I can't recall any other grandmother granddaughter combo. That would explain why the lady looks a little familiar," Furina wondered. "Well, at the very least, they don't seem to remember me from back then.'

"Oh, yes," she nodded happily. "Though the last one was a while ago. An entire lifetime's worth, it feels like."

"I see – well, the queues to meet me are very long these days," Furina replied, a small semblance of pride present in her voice. "I do applaud your dedication in coming back! Although, I suppose it is only natural, when one such as I am your beloved Archon. Here, go ahead and take a seat! Help yourselves to any treats you like."

"Yay, treats!"

The little girl quickly ran past Furina and sat down by the coffee table, eagerly plucking a cookie off of the dessert stand along the way.

"Hey, sweetheart!" the old woman scolded. "I'm sorry Lady Archon, my granddaughter is so ill behaved these days. She insisted on tagging along, and I just couldn't say no; I must spoil her too much…"

"Hehe – no worries! There is nothing more joyous than seeing a citizen of mine as happy as her. …I'm sure she was raised by a happy family."

"Thank you for your kind words, Lady Archon – you flatter me. Now then, I'll go ahead and take my seat…"

…

"I see – so you used to work at the Institute?"

"That I did – I must've worked there for…oh, how long was it again? I must've lost count, my apologies. I've just hit my seventieth birthday this year, so my memory isn't what it used to be, you see."

"Ah, but regardless, you must've been a very senior member!" Furina exclaimed, giving her guest a light clap. "Your dedication to our academia is much appreciated."

"Oh, not at all," the old woman dismissed delightfully. "I'm just glad I can contribute in some way. To ensure a bright future for the next generation, you see."

"Uwah!"

She put her hand on her granddaughter's head lovingly, who let out a small cry of protest upon being disturbed while wolfing down their third cookie.

"Nonsense! Such character must be rewarded!" Furina gestured dramatically. "What do you wish for? I, Focalors, shall do everything in my power to see it through."

"Please, there's no need for that," the old woman waved a hand in front of her. "Simply having the pleasure of eating this delicious cake as well as a conversation with you is reward enough."

"My, such modesty! Very well, then. I shall ask my secretaries to prepare more of this cake for you to bring home."

"You're too generous, my Lady Archon. I humbly accept your kind gesture."

"But of course! And you, my dear?" Furina turned her attention to the little girl. "Is there anything that you wish for?"

"Ooh, me?!" the little girl asked excitedly. "I wanna hear stories about you!"

"Stories about me, you say?"

"Ah, yes – my granddaughter is quite fond of you, see. I'm sure she would love to hear some stories of your exploits."

"Oho, I see!" Furina nodded pridefully. "But of course, I have many stories to tell if that is the case. Then, listen well…"

…

"And then, and then?! What happened after that?!"

As Furina continued to tell the story about how she managed to double their supply of grain in a matter of months, the little girl interjected excitedly, eager to learn more.

"And then, the responsibility of distribution was given to the registered merchants – this ensured that they would take a cut of the profit, and motivated them to sell it to all across the country! Quite genius, isn't it?"

"Woww, you are a genius! Can you tell me another story?!"

"Now, now, sweetheart. Let's not bother our Lady Archon that much, okay?" the old woman suddenly piped up. "I'm afraid we don't have time for another story."

"Oh?" Furina looked up at the clock near her desk, and found her words to be true. "My, would you look at the time. My deepest apologies, my dear – we will have to save the story of the underwater princess for next time."

"Aww, okay…"

After some nudging from the grandmother, the little girl reluctantly got up, and the pair walked to the door, before turning around and saying their goodbyes.

"Once again, thank you, Lady Archon," the old woman bowed. "It was an absolute delight. I'm sure my granddaughter here made many a precious memory today as well."

"It was so much fun!" the little girl gave a big smile. "Tell me more stories next time, okay?!"

"Of course – there's plenty more where that came from," Furina nodded contently. "Feel free to come back soon!"

"But of course, we will. Farewell, Lady Archon. C'mon, sweetheart, say goodbye to the Archon now."

"Bye bye, Archon Feena!"

"...!"

'What did…what did that girl just say?'

"Sweetheart!" The old woman quickly chastised, before giving another bow to Furina. "I'm sorry Lady Archon, she's still learning how to properly pronounce words. I'll make sure she understands the appropriate manners. Then, if you'll excuse us…"

Opening the door in a hastened manner, the old woman quickly excused herself and closed the door behind them, leaving Furina in an utter state of bewilderment.

'Just now, that girl called me 'Feena' – but how does she know that name? Only she called me that…'

Was it a coincidence? Or perhaps, that girl remembered her friend calling her that from way back when they bought those bracelets together?

'But, wait – would she even remember something as mundane as that?' Furina thought hazily. 'In the first place, that must've been years ago…'

"..."

She paused, putting a hand to her head as she tried to remember just how much time had passed her by.

"Actually…huh? How many years ago did I become Archon again?" Furina wondered aloud, her eyebrows deeply furrowed.

With how similar each day was to the last, Furina had stopped actively monitoring the days passing her by – especially given how she now had an immortal body that didn't age. As a result, the years just kind of felt like they all blended together, as she tirelessly worked on the stage of Fontaine's greatest play.

Or, rather…no. It wasn't how many years she had lost count of. It was…

'…Decades?'

Sorting through her memories, if she thought about it logically, it was impossible that her guests just now were the woman who sold her that bracelet and her granddaughter.

After all, it must've been at least…

"...Fifty years…" Furina gasped astonishingly in recognition.

It wasn't as if Furina had stopped keeping track of time entirely – it was just that at a certain point, she didn't really think about it that much anymore. After all, the passage of time no longer really mattered to her anymore…but what about for everyone else?

If it had really been fifty years, then for someone as young as that girl back then, they would've now been…

"!"

Instantly, Furina's eyes widened in shock as a potential possibility entered her mind.

Without warning, she threw open the door and frantically chased after the old woman who, in the past, had encountered her before.

"An entire lifetime's worth ago," that woman had said to her.

'As in, someone who threw away a previous life that used to belong to them,' Furina realized.

Running as fast as she could, she turned the corner into the main lobby of the Palais Mermonia, where she just barely caught a glimpse of the old woman that was just in her reception room, preparing to leave.

"W-wait!" Furina cried out, her voice echoing throughout the large lobby.

"?"

Hearing the echo, the old woman turned around, looking to see what all the commotion was about.

"Oh my, Lady Archon, what is it?" the old woman asked in slight surprise. "Did I forget something?"

"You…have you met me before?!" Furina exclaimed frantically.

"? Yes, I believe I told you that I've attended one of your meet and–"

"That's not what I mean!" Furina shook her head. "Have you met me before?"

"...I'm not sure what you mean," the old woman said slowly. "Whatever your Lady Archon is thinking, you must be mistaken. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

"Wait – one more thing!"

"With all due respect, Lady Archon, my granddaughter is waiting outside, I merely stepped back in to use the bathroo–"

"This won't take long," Furina replied as she walked up to the old woman, cutting her off.

In one swift motion, Furina reached out her hand to the woman in front of her…and grabbed a hold of her right arm.

"Eh?!" The old woman exclaimed, taken aback. "Fe-Lady Archon, what're you-"

Without hesitation, she pulled the old woman's sleeve back, revealing a well-worn bracelet with a faded, purple gemstone in the middle.

"!"

Immediately upon doing so, the old woman looked away, avoiding eye contact with Furina as best as she could.

"...A long time ago, I made a promise with someone," Furina said after a long pause, her voice on the verge of trembling. "It was a promise with someone who I held very dear at the time. Can you guess what kind of a promise it was?"

"..."

For a moment, the old woman said nothing in response – the silence in the air between them being the most deafening answer of all.

"...I see – so that's your response, huh?" Furina said in a defeated tone, reluctantly letting go of the old woman's arm.

But just as she forced herself to blink back the tears in her eyes, and put on a fake smile while making up some excuse for her behavior just now…

"...Was it a promise to live and grow old together?"

"!"

The old woman responded with exactly the answer that Furina was looking for – with the words that Furina toiled fifty long years for to be able to hear once again.

"...Yeah. It was," Furina nodded tearingly, a reminiscent smile growing on her face. "Did you make a promise like that, too?"

"I did, once upon a time. But even if it was under a different name, a promise is still a promise. That's why I can confidently say that you fulfilled your promise beautifully – even if you are stretching the limits of what 'grow old' means," the old woman smiled back, a newfound twinkle in her eye. "After all, I must say you look quite well for your age…eh, Feena?"

"!"

With the mention of her old nickname, all restraint that Furina previously had quickly evaporated, and she unceremoniously pulled her long-lost friend, now an old woman, into a tight embrace – simply happy just to be able to see her once again.

"Y-you big idiot!" Furina cried out, tears streaming down her face by this point. "I missed you so much!"

"H-hey, c'mon, who's the idiot here?" her friend reasoned, trying her best to wriggle herself free. "What're other people gonna think, when they see their Archon crying in the hands of an old lady?"

"I don't care!" Furina objected unreasonably. "I made the mistake of letting that reason separate us long ago; I'm not letting it happen again!"

Furina pulled her friend in even tighter, not giving a second thought as to who might see – for in that moment, she was no longer Focalors, the Archon of Justice…but just simply, Furina, the girl who missed her dear old friend.

"Agh, hey! Jeez…"

But despite the vocal complaint, her friend eventually gave an understanding look, before returning the gesture wholeheartedly.

It might not have been how they both imagined it, with her friend being an old woman, and Furina herself looking the same as the day when she had first uttered those words…but despite that, it was undeniable that they had indeed made good on that carefree promise, back when they were just kids – all of those days ago.

"Heh – fifty years later, and still the same old crybaby, huh…?"

---

…

A couple of days after their reunion, Furina invited her friend back to the Palais Mermonia for another get together – off the record this time, of course. By that point, Furina had learned a couple of tricks to move unofficial business along in an incognito manner.

"...Hey, come to think of it, you said you joined the Institute right at its founding, right?" Furina asked her friend, pouring her a cup of tea. Presently, they were in Furina's private study, separate from her official reception room – though the layout was mostly the same, this room was usually only reserved for Furina only. "I checked through the applicant's list for three years straight trying to find you, but I don't recall ever seeing your name."

"I told you I changed my name, remember?" she reminded Furina, slowly reaching over to the table to grab the cup. "It was in my letter. Luckily, you made it pretty easy for people to apply for citizenship during that time, so it was pretty simple pretending like I was an applying citizen under a new name."

"But your last name too?"

"My last name?" her friend asked quizzically. "Ah..."

Her friend let out a slight giggle before holding out her left hand.

"I got married, see?" she smiled, drawing attention to the ring on her ring finger. "I took my husband's last name."

"Haah, no wonder…" Furina sighed, deflating in her seat. "All that effort, and I was pretty much barking up the wrong tree. …Wait, so you got married before the Institute was founded, then? I know I didn't establish it immediately after I became Archon, but it couldn't have been more than five years..."

"Yeah, I guess you can say we moved pretty quickly," her friend laughed sheepishly, putting a hand over her mouth in slight embarrassment. "It was like a love-at-first-sight kinda thing, you know?"

"Oho? Now I'm interested," Furina said excitedly, leaning forward in her seat. Given that she didn't really have any sort of romantic experiences in her life, she found the topic quite exciting. "Tell me more! How'd you guys meet? What's he like?"

"Ahah, you really like this kinda stuff, huh? Hmm, let's see…it must've been two years after you became the Archon? I met him while working a new job as an executive assistant – while we were in separate departments, my glance would always catch his whenever we had our lunch break in the common room. From there, we kinda hit it off, and well, the rest is history. …He was a kind man," her friend gave a distant smile, as if reminiscing about the past. "Patient enough to deal with my antics, yet always filled with a quiet passion that I admired so much. …He was a lot like you, in some ways."

"'Was', huh? So then, he…"

"He passed away a couple of years ago – bless his heart," her friend nodded. "But I'm not sad over it; we had a very happy life together. These days, it's enough for me to just look over my grandkids."

"Ah, you mean that little girl that came with you during your visit?" Furina extrapolated.

"Yep, that's her. She really adores you, you know? When she was really young, she loved listening to stories of you, so I often told her bedtime stories of your accomplishments. But then one time I accidentally let slip the name 'Feena', and she loved the name so much that she started calling you that too. I originally wanted to come by myself, but she wanted to meet you so bad that I just had to take her along."

"Mmm…"

'And it was only because she came, and let that slip, that I figured out who you were. Meaning you had no intention to…'

She glanced over to her friend, who looked so familiar yet so different at the same time, now that over fifty years had passed since she had last seen her.

"...Hey. Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Furina asked all of a sudden, her tone turning more serious.

Her friend, realizing the shift in Furina's voice, slowly put down the teacup in her hand, and gave a reassuring nod.

"I think I have an idea of what you're going to ask. But please, go ahead. I'll answer any question as best as I can."

"...Why now?" Furina simply said, shaking her head dejectedly. "It's been over fifty years. Surely, if you had the intention of coming to visit again, you would've come sooner. I held out hope for the first couple of years…but then after that, I gave up. I knew that you would've found a way to come visit me if you wanted – so the only conclusion I could reach was that you deliberately chose not to. And even when you eventually did, you had no intention of revealing yourself if I didn't recognize you, did you? …Why? …It was lonely, you know?"

"..."

For a moment, her friend said nothing, opting to stare at the table between them. But soon after, she closed her eyes, and gave Furina a deep bow.

"...Forgive this pathetic excuse for a family member, Feena."

"! H-hey, please raise your head!" Furina exclaimed quickly. "I'm not angry or anything. …Sure, I was pretty sad for a time, but I'm sure you had your reasons. I just…want to know."

"Right – I'll tell you everything."

She slowly raised her head and put her hands together, as if preparing to tell a long story.

"...In the beginning, I never intended to be away for a super long time – just enough for things to die down and for all the aristocrats to forget about me. I was thinking like ten years at most, maybe. But, well…a lot can happen in ten years, you know? I got married, had kids, started research at the Institute and all…my life had changed so much."

"Well, of course – that's only natural, after all. What's wrong with that?"

"That's the thing. After those ten years passed…I was like a completely different person. But when I saw you in the newspapers, it was like a day hadn't passed since we lived together. It made me sort of realize…that we live different lives now. It really sunk in that you were a god, along with all that that would entail; I thought that if you saw how much I had changed, that it would only further highlight the differences between us. And that one day…"

"One day?" Furina repeated quizzically, not quite certain where this was leading.

"Ah…no, it's nothing – please forgive the musings of an old woman," her friend smiled gently, quickly dismissing the thought. "I guess the point I was trying to make was that it felt like I belonged to a past life of yours, from which you had ascended from long ago – and I didn't want to complicate things by re-entering that life. …I knew that it would hurt you if I kept my distance, but I also thought that it would hurt you even more to see me like this."

"But you still did in the end," she pointed out curiously. "What changed your mind?"

"It was nothing special, really. After my husband died, I decided to move out of the house that we had bought in what used to be known as the middle quarter. It was just too noisy – I wanted to relocate to someplace quieter. By a stroke of luck, I found out that the house we used to live in was up for sale – so I ended up buying it. But, ah, what can I say…I really am just a sentimental person, you see? Living in that house again, just by myself…didn't feel right. I was constantly reminded of the years of our youth that we had spent there. Simply put…I missed you. That was what compelled me to visit. …I'm sorry, Feena – in the end, even though I thought it might cause you heartache, I still wanted to see you for my own selfish whims."

"No…you have nothing to apologize for!" Furina shook her head, trying to dispel her doubts. "It doesn't cause me any heartache at all. In fact, I'm glad to be able to talk to you again like this! No matter how old you are – you're still you. I'll always cherish the time we spend together; me becoming the Archon doesn't change that."

"Feena…" For a moment, she held a conflicted expression, as if wanting to say something more – but ultimately decided against it, as her face gave way to a gentle smile once again. "...Thanks. It's reassuring to hear you say so. Really."

"I mean it – so don't think otherwise ever again, okay? You've done so much for me – even silently supporting me at the Institute for all of these years, even though we weren't able to see each other. No way being reunited with you would ever cause me heartache, physical appearances be damned."

"Hehe – of course, of course – I'll keep that in mind from now on. Although, I will say, I do wish that the Special Investigations branch was able to open sooner. My kids were getting married by the time I was able to start doing research into the prophecy..."

"T-there's not much I could've done! There were regulations…and stuff…"

"Yeah – I know," her friend reassured gently. "…I'm sure it hasn't been easy, these past couple of decades."

"Tell me about it," Furina pouted, slumping back in her chair. "It's just boring meetings, and dealing with all the dumb aristocrats…it's all so exhausting..."

"And yet, you still did it for us, against all the odds."

Her friend patted the seat next to her, indicating for Furina to come over and sit next to her.

"Hm? What now…?"

Furina lazily stood up and walked over to her friend before sitting next to her, not quite sure what her friend wanted. But before she could ask what was going on, her friend pulled Furina into a tight embrace, one which was filled with warmth and gratitude.

"Thank you…for all of your hard work," she said genuinely, stroking Furina's back. "Because of you and the changes you made to improve our lives…I was able to fulfill my lifelong dream of happily growing old, surrounded by loved ones. There's not much this old woman can do for you anymore…but for now…let me return the favor."

"E-eh?" Furina exclaimed in surprise, trying to blink back the sudden pressure forming in her eyes. "I-I didn't do that much, really…"

"No, but you did – you worked tirelessly to fulfill all of our hopes and dreams, and you did so beautifully. …You've done well, Feena."

"!"

Somehow, someway, even after all of these years…her friend still didn't play fair.

But just like every other time that she had done so, Furina smiled happily from the bottom of her heart, happy to be the victim in this relationship that gave so much. For the second time in a long time…she let her tears flow freely in the arms of another, as she pulled the person closest to her tight.

"...Thank you. It means the whole entire world to hear you say that."

It had been a long fifty years – years full of longing, solitude, and hard work as she toiled to one day hear those words of validation that her friend had just said to her. But in that moment of catharsis, Furina felt that it didn't matter how much time had passed – she was simply glad to have been reunited with her friend and lifelong family member once again.

---

…

But…time does not wait for anyone – not even one who has loudly proclaimed themselves to be a god.

…When one becomes an immortal, a being that no longer ages – what might they think?

Perhaps, they might think that they were now someone with effectively an 'infinite' amount of time – for no matter how many days, or years, or even decades may pass, it would mean very little. When they emerged on the other side of that day, or year, or decade, they would still be the same age; they would still have an infinite amount of time left to live. They would be impervious to the time passing them by.

…Once upon a time, Furina used to think like that.

…

"Lady Furina! Please shake my hand!"

"Ohmygosh, she smiled at me! This must be the best day of my life!"

"Hehe, my loyal subjects, rejoice! Now that you have seen me in person, your day is surely going to go that much better!"

Looking up to the sky, Furina carefreely put a hand over her eye to block out the sun as she watched the birds soar overhead.

It was an ordinary day just like any other ever since she had become Archon. Purely on a whim, she had decided to do a casual stroll through town in the afternoon – ever since reuniting with her friend a year ago, she often felt the urge to do more frivolous activities such as these whenever she had the time. However, even though the general public seemed overjoyed at this spontaneous decision, her guard and logistics team most likely did not. Currently, they were doing all they could to clear the road and prevent fervent onlookers from overwhelming her and storming the street.

"Ah – hey, kid! Stop!"

But realistically speaking, they couldn't always stop everyone – least of all small children that could run between their legs.

"Archon Feena!" a voice cried out in distress.

"?"

Recognizing a nickname that was seldom known, she turned toward the commotion and locked eyes with the intruder – a little girl who had run past the guards, and had tears streaming down her face.

"Hm? Aren't you…"

But before she could finish her sentence, the girl spoke three words to her – three simple words, that, for Furina, was enough to make the blood in her veins turn ice cold.

"It's…it's my grandma!"

"...!"

…That day, Furina realized just how erroneous her concept of time was.

She had thought that because the passing of the years no longer affected her, then time, to her, would be frozen.

But in fact, it was the opposite – for how could one have so much hubris to assume that the clock would stop for only themselves?

No – in actuality – she, herself, was the frozen one.

Because even if she was immune to the passage of time, frozen in that one, singular moment forever… that did not mean that time itself would not mercilessly continue downstream, uncaring of the fact that Furina, and Furina alone, chose the lonely path of remaining in stasis for eternity.

---

…

…On the day that Furina chose to visit the grave, it was raining.

Of course, Furina couldn't attend the funeral; everyone recognized her at that point, and a disguise wouldn't work when it was a private event. Plus, it made no sense for the Archon to personally attend the funeral of an ordinary citizen who she supposedly had no connection with.

As a result, she ended up visiting an entire month after the official funeral – when the world had, uncaringly, moved on. Naturally, she was the only one at her grave on that day.

Passed away due to old age, is what her friend's granddaughter had told her in private later on. Said she died as natural of a death as she could – that she went to sleep one day with a smile on her face…and never woke up again after that.

'Natural'.

As she stood over the grave, umbrella in hand, the thought of that one word made Furina grimace a little bit. She both understood that word, but also didn't at the same time.

In her head, she could comprehend the reasoning behind it – over fifty years had passed, and her friend was nearing the end of her lifespan. She was old, and death was inevitable at one point or another. Logically, it made sense.

So, then…why had it come as such a shock to her? It wasn't as if she thought that her friend didn't age either; that was preposterous, even for her.

…Furina didn't know. Perhaps she just thought her friend would always be around – like the idea that she might be gone someday was never even a possibility, in her mind.

Part of the reason for that might've just been that the concept of death didn't even really register in her head anymore. As someone who was effectively immortal, death, just…was not a thing anymore. It was anything but natural.

But, Furina suspected, the bigger offender was in the fact that her friend, and indeed, time itself, had left her behind without her even knowing it.

It was ironic, really. Her time stretched on without end, progressing into the future forever more. But at the same time, it kept her shackled to her past, frozen at the very point in time from when she became an Archon all those years ago. To Furina, she still very much felt like the same person as she was from when she first regained her memories – the same old Furina that was taken in by a rambunctious girl, as they lived tough, yet fulfilling lives together in the lower quarter.

She had not grown ever since those tranquil days, from when her friend was always by her side. And so, in her mind, it only made sense for things to stay the same from back then as well. It felt simply 'natural' that her friend would always be alive and kicking – ever the happy-go-lucky and annoying, yet endlessly caring and doting girl that Furina would always adore, unchanging.

In the end, those clashing ideas only served to make it difficult for Furina to understand. The only conclusion that Furina could reach was…she no longer understood what 'natural' meant anymore.

But even though she couldn't understand that, she was able to understand the feelings inside of her that pained her heart so.

It was, quite simply…the pain of outliving the ones that you love, knowing that you would no longer see them, or talk to them, or happily break bread with them…for the rest of your life.

And for Furina – the rest of her life meant a very, very long time.

"I thought that if you saw how much I had changed, that it would only further highlight the differences between us. And that one day…"

That was what Furina's friend had mentioned to her when they had reunited; she didn't fully understand at the time, but now, it all made sense why her friend was hesitant to visit her again. She must've innately understood that the differences between them – that is, in their lifespans…would ultimately only cause more pain. Because for every reunion…there had to be a parting.

'And that one day…you'll leave me behind. …That was what you wanted to say to me, wasn't it?' Furina thought to herself solemnly, completing her friend's sentence for her.

She had thought that she had finally caught up to her friend, only for her to leave Furina behind in the dust…forever.

"...You just always have to keep true to your word, huh? …Widowing me, that is."

Her words were lost amidst the wind and the raindrops falling atop her friend's gravestone – but then again, there was no longer anyone available to receive those words any longer. Now…they were simply just words for herself.

With a dispirited motion, she took the umbrella that she was holding, and bent down to put it over the gravestone – a familiar scene that was now no longer possible to re-enact.

Once upon a time, Furina had grown to love the rain, back when her friend had reached out to her with an umbrella. It was the rain that had brought them together, after all.

Perhaps, then…it was only fitting that this be the way that she said her goodbyes, with the rain being the sole witness to a parting that was equal parts soul-crushing and empty.

"But don't worry – I'll keep my promise as well; no cheating…isn't that right?"

Slowly standing up, she looked at the gravestone one more time before turning around and walking home alone, this time without an umbrella – with none the wiser to realize that it was more than simply just rain on her face.

…And true to her word, Furina never got close to a human ever again.

---

…

"I see…so to summarize, in your meet and greet today, you met with an old woman who was separated from their best friend when they were young, because them being together threatened to give away an important secret. And by the time they were able to reunite, they had both grown old, with her friend passing away soon after that?

"Yep – what do you think about that story, Neuvillette? Do you find it sad?"

"What do I think? Well, I'm not really sure…"

Standing in front of Furina's reception desk after having listened to her story, Neuvillette put a hand to his chin, as if giving the matter some serious thought.

"I suppose that is sad," he eventually concluded. "They spent the majority of their lives apart, and then couldn't even enjoy what little time they had left together."

"So you agree too, then?" Furina nodded, her tone seemingly distant. "It is a tragic tale indeed. In one moment, she is experiencing one of the happiest moments of her life, to be reunited with her old friend, alive and well. And in the next, she is brought to the lowest of lows, having been forcefully torn apart from that which she had just regained. In other words, she had to experience that painful loss not once, but twice. Perhaps they were better off not reuniting after all?"

"I would not go that far," Neuvillette disagreed. "While I do agree it is a tragic tale, I do think that reconnecting again before the end was for the best."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Furina leaned forward in her chair, curiosity in her voice.

"This is simply my opinion, but I do believe that the grief that the woman experienced is proof that she loved her friend very much – otherwise she would not shed so many tears. The pain of losing her friend is immense, yes, but I believe that it is most likely equal to, if not less than, the immense happiness she probably felt when she saw her friend again after all those long years of being separated. They offset each other," Neuvillette gestured, putting both of his hands face up. "...Yes, almost like a balance. Humans are quite emotional beings – but you cannot have one without the other. Reuniting may have brought great grief, but I am sure that it brought great happiness as well."

"..."

"...Lady Furina?" Neuvillette asked, after she didn't say anything for a couple of moments.

"...Huh? Ah, sorry, I was just…surprised, I guess," Furina responded, her mind wandering elsewhere. "I didn't realize that you thought about this kinda stuff, seeing as how you usually seem so stoic. Or, rather, I didn't realize you took so much consideration into how humans think."

"It is nothing so grandiose as that," Neuvillette shook his head. "You have been Archon for five hundred years, and I, your Chief Iudex, for four hundred of those, after all. Having interacted with humans for so long, I have learned a thing or two about how they think. …Although that being said, even though I might be able to say I understand, I would not go so far as to say that I comprehend the feeling. To tell the truth, I am a little envious of that woman, myself. Both of those feelings are…foreign to me. I wonder if there will ever come a day when I care for someone so much that I would shed tears for them as well."

"Hmm…you, envious of humans?" Furina pondered, her tone questioning. "Perhaps it is like you say, or perhaps not. I would be careful for what you wish for, Neuvillette; those emotions can be…a double edged sword. But, I see – so you've never experienced those emotions before."

"Well, yes – I feel like that much is obvious, as I have never formed a close bond with any humans before. Considering the difference in our lifespans, and my station, that is pretty much a given," Neuvillette replied matter-of-factly. "Why, have you, Lady Furina?"

"Me? Well…"

She pursed her lips for a bit and let out a breathless sigh, before leaning back into her chair.

"...No; there is no human that I, Focalors, the Hydro Archon, have ever gotten close to with."

"...?" Neuvillette raised an eyebrow, seemingly confused by Furina's wording, but decided not to question it any further. "I see. In any case, there is one more thing I am curious about. In the story you mentioned, you keep on referring to the old woman's friend as just "her friend". Does she not have a name?"

"Ah, right. About that…" Furina trailed off, her voice becoming quieter. "She said…she doesn't remember. There was so much going on in her life – and then one day, when she woke up, she just…forgot."

"...I do not understand," Neuvillette shook his head. "Even if she forgot, surely there are many such methods to find the name again? Would her friend's name not be on the gravestone?"

"It's a matter of principle, I think," Furina said with a conflicted expression. "It would be simple to find the name again – but she has actively chosen not to seek out those answers – nor has she ever been back to the gravestone ever since her first visit. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be that she herself feels like she does not deserve to so easily earn an answer to such an important thing in her life – an important thing that she has easily forgotten. It would be…like cheating, in a sense. So she simply lives with that regret in her heart, understanding that by forgetting, she has turned into something reprehensible and beyond redemption."

"But why would she inflict such wounds upon herself? Surely since they are of similar age, she does not have long yet to live. Why live out the rest of your life in regret?"

"Similar age…once upon a time, that might've been true," Furina replied wistfully. "But her friend is gone now. Seeking out her name would only be like re-opening a door to a past life that she can no longer grasp, nor deserve, as she had turned her back to it long ago. And yet, she cannot bear to forget it and move on; so instead, the pain is both a punishment, and a reminder – for without that pain, she fears that she would probably forget it all entirely to begin with."

"..."

"..."

Neither of the two said anything for a bit after Furina finished her monologue, which almost definitely included a little bit too much detail to have come from some fictional woman's inner thoughts. For a brief moment, Furina feared that she might've said too much, and Neuvillette would get suspicious – but when he next spoke, there was no mention of such.

"...To me, it is still unfathomable," Neuvillette said in dismay, shaking his head after their brief silence. "It is difficult for me to see that perspective. Humans are…odd beings."

"Heh – I suppose that's one way of describing them," Furina scoffed. "I'm sure if you told them that you could not shed tears for another, they would say the same thing about you. Certainly…that might be the case for me. …In any case, I tire of this conversation. You're dismissed."

"...Very well."

Neuvillette gave a quick bow and walked towards the door, before turning around again.

"Ah, one more thing, Lady Furina."

"Hm?"

"It is not often that we have conversations about informal matters such as this," Neuvillette pointed out. "I would not be opposed to having another one again when time allows."

"...I'll think about it."

"Yes ma'am. Then, if you will excuse me…"

He gave another bow before exiting the room, leaving Furina alone with her thoughts once again.

"...Haah…"

'Like a "balance", huh?' Furina thought absentmindedly, recalling what Neuvillette had just said moments earlier. 'I never thought about it like that. The 'justice' for them to feel such emotions, which belongs to humans, and humans alone…'

Sliding her chair back a little bit, she opened the drawer underneath her desk, and took out a small jewelry box. When she opened it to take a look inside, her gaze was met with a rusted bracelet that housed a dull and faded blue gem in the middle.

It, like all else, had lost the fight to the decay of time – even still, however, she thought it was still just as beautiful as the day when it was first picked out for her, seemingly in a past life.

Perhaps, in that sense, humans were indeed a little "odd".

"But…better a human than an Archon," Furina muttered to herself.

She remembered how much more of a blue luster that the gem used to shine with, or the resolve that she felt when she looked at it and decided to become the Archon. And yet, in that same vein…she couldn't even remember the name of the person who had picked it out for her, or the face of that very same person for which she swore to change the entirety of Fontaine for.

"Because if a human is odd…then a god is heartless."

Without a second thought, she closed the jewelry box – and in doing so, locked away the 'justice' that had once belonged to her humanity, discarded long ago.

Once upon a time, she may have been flawed, shackled by the aspects that made her mortal.

But now…she had indeed become a true Archon.

"Isn't that right…friend?"

---

A/N: One of the main themes that I wanted to portray with this entire chapter was the idea of the "decay of time". Even in the main game, this concept is something that is a focal point with long-lived entities – namely, "erosion", the idea of one's mental state declining due to their extended lifespans and overflow of memories. We've already seen an Archon's response to "erosion" in Inazuma – but how would a mere mortal fare, as Furina would inevitably have to during her long, five hundred year reign?

Given the fact that this entire chapter was a retelling entirely from Furina's perspective, we already have some clues as to what the answer is, based on how she told it to us. In the beginning while she is with her friend, each and every day is detailed, and fraught with emotion. The days pass by slowly, and you can tell there is a certain 'energy' to Furina's life. However, after her friend leaves, the days become mundane, and time passes her by in the decades – before she knows it, fifty years have passed, even though it might've felt like five. And then in the end, when her friend finally passes away…we skip straight to the present day; almost as if Furina is telling us that within those four hundred and fifty years in between, there just simply were no more events worth telling. By that point, Furina may still appear to be her same, whimsical self as she always was…but that "energy" that used to belong to her is nowhere to be seen. The heavy tonal whiplashes, and the abrupt, inexplicable timeskips, in Furina's retelling of her story – they all give us a glimpse as to how Furina now views the world, and her mental state as she fights her lonely, lonely battle with immortality.

And then…there's Furina's friend.

The idea of Furina's friend really began as wanting Furina to find something valuable during her life as a human, before she becomes the Archon. After all, I feel like there's a lot of lost weight for Furina if she didn't really have any lingering mortal attachments – especially because it's quite obvious that she will eventually outlive said friend, and suffer mental repercussions for years to come. One might argue that Furina should've seen her friend's death coming, and that it shouldn't have been such a shock to her – but to that, I would say that probably for a lot of you readers, your initial thoughts when reading through the first half of this chapter isn't "Furina is going to outlive her friend, and her friend is going to die", even though it is inherently obvious given that we know Furina will go on to live for another five hundred years, and that this is a flashback. It's kind of the same thing, with Furina's mentality – these things may be obvious if you really think about it…but oftentimes we don't realize it until it actually happens. Or we just simply…don't want to think about it.

Speaking a little bit more about the friend's name: in the beginning, I debated heavily as to whether I wanted to give Furina's friend a name or not. After all, this unnamed friend is indeed a big driving force for the majority of Furina's motivations and actions in my rendition of her story, so it would only make sense to give a person with so much presence a proper name. But in the end, I decided that omitting it was a much more powerful way of conveying Furina's "loss" – and I don't mean her friend's death. Of course, her friend was always going to pass away at some point or another, leaving Furina behind all alone – such is the fate of one who lives an endless life. However, time refuses to let that death become a distant memory – ironically enough, because she fails to preserve that memory. For Furina, she both can't forgive herself for forgetting, and is now eternally fearful of forgetting everything else entirely…so she decides that this is a form of divine punishment that she must live with for the rest of her life. It's a judgment that she, the Archon of Justice, gives to herself, and can only pass on herself…precisely because she has turned into a pure god, one who no-longer views themselves as human now that she has turned into a heartless creature that has forgotten her last mortal attachment. I figured that the best way to convey this change over time was through Furina giving us her perspective herself…and if that was the case, how better to convey that pain then through omitting the name for the entire story entirely?

Perhaps some of you might think that the omission of the name of such an important character is a shame – but if that's the case, then you can probably imagine Furina's despair as she tries desperately to cling onto any semblance of memories she has left of that past life while retelling it, but failing to remember the most important detail. For my part, as the author, I just hope that you didn't get annoyed reading "her friend" for the billionth time, haha.

At the end of my (always long) author notes, I'd like to thank everyone for reading through this lengthy chapter – it took a long time for me to write it out the way I wanted, but I'm pretty happy with the end result, so I certainly appreciate you taking the time to read it all the way through. As for future chapters – I'll probably be taking a break, but I'll be back soon enough.

This chapter was kind of a departure from my usual, so comments are always appreciated to let me know how I did! Until next time.