A few hours ago, when it was still late morning,
She was busy doing her usual Deaconess duties, when suddenly...
"We finally found you, Big Sister Barbara!"
"We planned to surprise Daddy, but we can't do it alone!"
"It's something we decided on recently, called "the Animal Patrol"!
"We want to show our work to Father, but have to wait at the "Surprise Location" for him to arrive."
"And this is the thing we need your help with, Big Sister!"
"Big Sister Barbara, can you get Venti to the "Surprise Location" for us...?"
"You and Venti are really close, right...? So Venti will follow you anywhere!"
"...Big Sister, please help us surprise Papa!"
The children suddenly ran out to her and started telling her of their plan,
As they soon begged for her help while showing the "Puppy Eyes"...
*She found that she couldn't resist their...U-uh...
...
And so she soon agreed to their request.
...
...
But first she had to finish her duties for the day,
And thankfully, the children were understanding and told her they could wait...
...
...
A few hours later, she was finally free for the day,
And just as promised, she started her search for Venti,
Going to every place she could think of that he usually frequented...
...
But no matter how much she searched, she couldn't find him anywhere,
And for some unknown reason, the Winds wouldn't tell her anything either...
...
...
At some point, probably seeing how discouraged she became,
Her Big Sister came to her, asking her what's wrong and offering her help.
...
Her Big Sister, Jean, also couldn't get an answer from the Winds,
But it all changed when they met with Sister Rosaria, who managed to...
...
...
The Winds told Sister Rosaria why she couldn't find Venti,
And without thinking, she rushed to the Cathedral,
To the room they...
...
...
A-and Venti was...
...
H-he was so still...!
...
...
S-so still that she...!
"...Nothing is happening…
...W-were we too late...?"
...
"...L-LORD BARBATOS!
Y-YOU CAN'T BE DEAD!"
"...Venti...He was lazy...And childish...And silly...And…
...But for him to die...And like this...!"
"Venti became our friend.
...And now he is…"
"BARBATOS! STOP FOOLING AROUND!
I KNOW YOU LOVE PULLING PRANKS ON EVERYONE, BUT THIS PRANK OF YOURS HAS GONE WAY TOO FAR!
SO STOP PLAYING DEAD AND WAKE UP ALREADY!"
...
"The Fatui and the Abyss order will have to pay for their crimes against Mondstadt!
I will make sure of it!"
...
...
S-she thought he was...!
...
S-she thought that he was...!
...
...
A-and then with the "Potions"...!
...
...
N-no matter what she...D-did...
...
H-he was so...Still...!
...
...
H-he was...!
...
...
...
H-he was...!
-...Barbara...-Venti couldn't help but sadly say, just as the Deaconess suddenly burst into tears, abruptly finishing her recollection. He now knew why she was...LIKE THAT when he "woke up"...But how could he reassure her everything is fine now and he is alright...? - ...As you can see...I am really fine...Now...
He tried to look and sound reassuring, but failed miserably,
As he couldn't help but feel guilty about what happened:
He wasn't waking up for literal hours, worrying her and everyone else,
And even though him being sent to a different Timeline was out of his control...
...
...
Wait...
- ...Was I deeply asleep for all this time or...? -He couldn't help but ask in some confusion and shock, in reaction to which everyone's expression shifted to different stages of serious and/or worried. If his human-like body was still here, then...- ...What exactly happened to me...? Albedo...?
He soon asked the person that had the highest chance of knowing.
*Which was why he was called here to begin with, right...?
...
...
Was it just his imagination or did Albedo's expression suddenly darken...?
-...I did not want to believe it at first, but upon checking again and again...-The Chief Alchemist's words suddenly trailed off, before he deeply sighed. -Your soul, the core of everyone's being, was not where it should have been: Inside of your body. -He finally explained, before motioning to the others. -Which is why, at a certain point, we came to believe that you were dead. With your body staying intact possibly due to the huge amount of energy acquired during the last year.
-From what I noticed, they were already contemplating about holding a funeral for you. The Seneschal was about to call for our overworked Cardinal just moments before you finally woke up. -Rosaria soon "informed" him, looking and sounding quite serious. -...Oh, and the Acting Grandmaster looked like she was going to join her sister in...
-There is no need for Venti to know that, Sister Rosaria. -Jean interrupted her, looking and sounding a little embarrassed, as well as sad. -...But it's true that we really thought that...
She sorrowfully added, her words soon trailing off, before she sadly sighed,
Leaving venti to wonder, once more, about what he just heard...
*Not only did he somehow "appear" in a previous Timeline, one that was going to soon end...
"...Barbatos...? H-how are you...?!
...Oh, we see now...So that's how it is...You are Barbatos, but not OUR Barbatos...
...(OUR) Barbatos is already..."
...
"...Another Timeline...? Yes, that sounds reasonable.
...If so, then we have to help you get back to your own Timeline. Even though there's not much time.
...Barba...You still didn't check the sky, right...? We urge you to do so now."
...
"...So there is really no way to stop it now...Since Barbatos is already...
...The quiet sobbing...Can you hear it...?
...Ever since (OUR) Barbatos died and that Timer appeared, we can occasionally hear her anguished weeping."
What he heard from that Timeline's Winds and what followed after...
...
...
But now he even found out that, during all that time, he was practically "Semi Dead" and...
...
"...V-Venti...Y-you...A-are you...R-really...?
...Y-you weren't...! Y-you weren't...W-waking up...! N-no matter...W-what everyone...! N-no matter...W-what I...T-tried...!
...I-I even...T-tried the...A-Anemo..."potions"...W-with a kiss...! A-and still...Y-you wouldn't...Y-you wouldn't...J-just like...I-if you...W-were dead...!
...I-I though...I-I though...Y-you were...D-dead...!"
...
...
...
-Sorry, but I need some time alone. -He couldn't help but soon say, looking and sounding guilt stricken. -...I need some time to think everything through...
-...Can I stay here, too...? -Barbara asked almost right away, looking like she was holding back tears. -...Venti, please, I...I have to be sure that you are still...A-alive...
Jean, Seamus, Albedo and Rosaria soon left the room,
Leaving him alone with his Adorable Deaconess...
...
...
"...V-Venti...Y-you...A-are you...R-really...?
...Y-you weren't...! Y-you weren't...W-waking up...! N-no matter...W-what everyone...! N-no matter...W-what I...T-tried...!
...I-I even...T-tried the...A-Anemo..."potions"...W-with a kiss...! A-and still...Y-you wouldn't...Y-you wouldn't...J-just like...I-if you...W-were dead...!
...I-I though...I-I though...Y-you were...D-dead...!"
...
"...Can I stay here, too...?
...Venti, please, I...I have to be sure that you are still...A-alive..."
Who was clearly traumatized by his recent "Semi Death"...
*Based on her recent words and that...Recalling...
...
...
"L-lord Barbatos…?
YOU ARE ALIVE!
Thank Celestia!"
...
"...So...Aren't you angry with me...?
...Aren't you dissa...?"
"No.
The blessing of the lands and the freedom to choose our own paths in life. It's enough for us.
...And even if you won't do anything else and "fool around" as you called it, it doesn't matter to me or anyone else in Mondstadt.
As long as you are still alive, we can..."
...
"...Barbara...?
...What is...?!"
"Y-you almost disappeared!
Y-you were almost gone, Lord Barbatos! A-and you ask about being angry or disappointed?!"
...
"...Barbara...? Don't you want to say anything about this...? Since I ultimately tricked you, even if there were no bad intentions behind it...? At least get annoyed or...?, In reply Barbara started crying again, which made his eyes widen to the size of saucers, "...Wait, why are you suddenly crying?! I don't think I said anything to warrant that kind of reaction!"
It seemed like it was the wrong thing to say, since she just got up and ran away...
...
...
...
Rather than Barbara just getting traumatized now...
He suddenly felt a weight shift on top of him and looked to see...
...
Barbara...?
Why was she here...?
"...Well...", the Winds said in uneasiness and some sadness as well, "...It's a little awkward to explain..."
...
...
When she finally opened her eyes, he was shocked to see that she looked scared and lost.
But then she saw him and for a second it looked like something registered in her eyes, as her face soon lit up.
...
What was this all about...?
"Lord Barbatos…! I mean Venti! You are awake now!
I am so glad! S-so glad!"
...
"...She got it pretty badly, the poor girl...", the Winds sadly said and it didn't seem like they wanted to elaborate further.
...
...
"...You had nightmares about me dying...
So, you ran here and stayed with me until now, to reassure yourself that I am okay..."
...
"...I am sorry, Barbara...
...I made you experience something like that, without even realizing how it might affect you..."
...
...
Her past trauma had resurfaced...
*Even though he really tried to be more careful...
...
...
Because of him semi dying, Barbara's past trauma had resurfaced.
*Venti knew it's not something he could control, but he still couldn't help but feel guilty,
Because of him, once again, Barbara's psychological state was...
-I-it's okay, Venti. It's not your fault that...T-this happened. -His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the familiar voice of Barbara, who was clearly trying to reassure him as much as she could. -...I-I am going to be okay. So don't worry.
She soon showed him a small but reassuring smile,
Or rather, one which she clearly tried hard to show, but mostly failed...
*Did his thoughts show in his expression and so Barbara tried to make him feel better...?
...
...
-I am sorry for worrying you, Barbara...-He couldn't help but say soon enough, trying not to look and sound guilt stricken for her sake, as moments later he gently took her hands in his own. - For all it's worth, I promise that I won't leave you. No matter what happens, just like many times before, I will return again and again.
He soon said with as much reassurance as he could muster,
In reaction to which she looked surprised at first, before slowly nodding...
*It was clear from her expression that she tried really hard to believe him,
Even with the Emotional Trauma that she must still be feeling after...THAT...
...
...
...
But he was serious about his promise,
He couldn't die, or the Timeline will...
...
A weird timer appeared in the sky, right above Mondstadt, showing 24:00,
Seconds later, the time started ticking down and when it got to 00:00...
...
It rapidly started becoming darker and darker,
Soon enveloping everyone and everything in it...
...
Until it was pitch black, with no one and nothing around,
Vast and hollow darkness, that reached far and wide...
...
And then, after an unknown amount of time,
There was suddenly light...
...
Because of him...
*Because his mother, "Kairos"...
...
"As I stated before, I have a Resistance, not outright Immunity. So even after I was able to revert it, there's still a tiny bit of corruption remaining in "me".
But it's alright, I will snap if and only someone gets me extremely mad... Like if THEY dare murder a certain person I love and once again I would have to..."
...
...
Ÿ̶̡̖̟̙͚͔̩͈̯͙̭̜̲́̕ơ̸̧̢̧̛̦̜͖̳͖̪̼̠͓̯̣̳̫͈̬̙͔͇̪̬̗͈̻͈̞̔͆̈̀̀̿̆̎͂̓̌̍̐́̈́̀̋͛͘̕̕̚͝͠ͅu̶̢̨̨͈͕̰̣̳͕̤̼͈͚͙̪̥̜̰̤̟̝̹̺͍̜͇̥͓̮͆̌̑̀̓̋̾̿̉́̈́̍̄͗̿̎̿͐̐̅͗̕̚̚͜͝͝ ̵̡̯͖̙̖̱̠͍͕̮̻̗̜̝̖̬̖̯͖̟̹̞̞̩̩͌͋͒̿́̎̿̕ͅä̴̧̛̪̓́͆̅̓͛̇̂͑̔̅̔̑̇̎̀͐͗̊̌̃͒͘͝r̷̡̲͈̲͎͓͈͍̀͛̃̑̇͂͊̓̔̄̂̚͜͝ê̶̯̩̼̗͎̻̻͕̭͉̠̪̖͕̹͔͍͌͋ ̷͇̰̟̑̄̔̈̀̎̉̐̽̈̏̈̓́͌̈́̌̒͘ą̵̼̻̝̺͔̠͇̱͕̱͕̖̻̯͔̤͇̲̬̙͇̙͓̤̖̦̬͓̌̃̓̓͗̎͜l̸̢̨̡̡͇̳͍̬͍̘̤̟͕̹̫͔͍͉̮͎̩̝̲̹͓͖̤̯̮̮̂͊̓̐̽̅̃̊͛̆͐͂̒͒͑̽̈́̈́̐͂̓̎̏̀̀̍̇̂̚s̷̺̯̮̯͓̉o̴̡̨̧̢̧̢͕̥̥̭͓͕͚͙̫̜̪͇̜͍̘̥͈̰̯̩̗͎̊̈̐̄̇̚̚ͅ ̵̫̯̤͍͙̞͖̽̋͗́̈́͗͛̾t̶̢̡̢̤̤̤͙̼̣͙͉̘͓̖̺̬̠̗͕̺̳̙̑̈́̃̾̏̍͌̐̑̏̏̏̏͒́̂̕͜͜͝ͅh̴̛̳̩͙̳̤̫̝͙̓̈́̽̈̚ͅȇ̸͈̯͓̦̘̘̯̘̫͇͉̣͈̹̟̰̘̠̠̬̇̔̆͜͝ͅ ̷̢̧̛͚̠̻͎̠͇̖̦̘̞͖̺̫̲͙̤̳͇̭̈́̏̑̉͌̓̒́͒͌̒̇͋̓̿̊͛̾͋͊̄̏̈͊̒̃̕͝͠ͅǴ̷̳̖̦̔̈̎̀̏̀̃̃͊́͘͘͠ǫ̸̡̤̠̻̹̱̦̱̮̰͍̝̩̥̼͇̲̹̼̞̒̊͐͝͝d̶̙͖̦͈̮͕̱̜͐͂͌́ ̵̢̡̢̧̨̣̻̮̖̻̟̖̗̖̗͈̫͖̯̳̞̗͙̹̯̜̣̭͌̀̌̈́͐͆̏̈̓̑͆͒̌̒̓͊̉̓̈́͗̅̕͘̕͝ͅó̸̙̭̪̥̠̹̪̮̜̩̰̟͍̔̀̽̊̀͜ͅf̶͎̱̞̲̽͊͑̓̆̀̆͐̓̐̿́̉́̚̕͘ ̸̛͎͚̘̞͎́͊̇̈́͛͂͂̐͗͛̅̀̓̋́̉͂̐̏̑̌͑̂͒̎͠͝͠ͅT̶̡̛͖͕̘̞̗͔̹̏̊͂̋͐͌͂̀̈͛̊̀͒̆͑̿̂͐̔̚͝í̷̛̯͙̲͉̗͇͔͈̼̘̯̙͚̘͈̺̌̈̿̓̑̈́̎̅̈̿̌̑́̊̾̈́͒̀̕͜͝m̶̨̧̛̛̛͉̘͓̳͕̭̮̠̤̳̫̯̣̘̰̙̃̽͒̒̔̄̈́̃͊̈́̓̋͗̓̎̒̐̐̍̅̎̂͘͜͜͠͠ę̵̛̗̜͍̫̩̹̝͍̜̜͈̥̗͕͉̲͍̪̞̱̾͒̍̅̍̾͂̇͌̉͊̅̂͗̌͗͐͘̕
̴̗̼̻̬̪̹͊̋̌̈̈́͒͑͗̀̿͜͜ͅ
̶̨̨̰͕̹̗̘͉͇̠͇̩̯͚̼͉̩̦̯̏͌̔͒͌̽̌̅̊͒̈̔̒̈́̽͛̅̉̀͗̆̌͋̕͜͝.̴̢̘̝͓̩̩̜̦̱̤͙̭̦̣̾̂͗̌͒̊̊͋̈́̀́͒̔̐͂̈́͗́̽̀̄͒͒̔̚͘͘͜.̸̪̜̬̝̘̰͍͕̪͕̯̙̆̀͘ͅ.̸̨̠̙͔̤͎̹͙͇̫̥̺̆̀̃̓̑̃̈̈̇̏̔̅̒̐͆̂͐̌͜ͅB̸̨̢̨̡̖̟̲̺̲̯̯̭͉̠͓͂̍̌̏̈́̂̎̂̈́̿̅̕̕̚͜u̸̧̯̪̳͕̻̦̦̭̜̼͇̞̦̼͕̫̠̤̞̮̭̳̟͕͇̓͝ͅţ̸̙͕͖͔̙̙̪͙͈͉͔͕̰̥͐́̐̈̊͆͜͜͝ ̴̢̛̛̙͆̀̋̑̿̈͋̈́̀͐̏͛̇͂̐̓́̽̌̆̿̒̂̚̕ņ̷̨̡̗͙̙̯̲̫͎̮̩͇͈̙̺͗̈́̈̇́̔͒̉̂̎̚̕͜͜͠o̵̡̨̧̢̤͚͇̫̜̞̫̼͖̱͇̞̩̘̖̖͓̙̙͑͒̅̈́̒̀̈͋̄͐̍͊̏̀̇̆̎̈̕̕͠͝͝͠t̷̡̧̰͍͌̊̊͌̉̑̒͘͝ ̸̨͕͔̤͙͓͙͔̻̣̦͕͙̺͖͈̗̯̂͊̓̈́̿͊̇̓͋̾̎͗̇͑͠ͅy̵̢̨̨̻̜̭̠͈̠͇̱̖̪̪̳̮̩̩̞͇͔̣̻͓̫̟͒̊͗͝ͅͅe̴̛̠͊͊̉̀̅̈́̅̕̚t̷̡̝̮͎͍͈͈̗͍̥̤̤̳̬͚̱̩̤̬̰̄̓̃́͝ͅ
...
And she was going to die soon enough,
In turn making him...
"In inheritance, a hereditary successor is a person who inherits an indivisible title or office after the death of the previous title holder. The hereditary line of succession may be limited to heirs of the body, or may pass also to collateral lines, in case of extinction of heirs of the body, depending on the succession rules."
...
...
As he found out a few days ago, on his birthday,
When so many people arrived to celebrate it...
*Even Morax, who found time for him in his recently busy schedule...
...
...
...
Yeah, he should continue his "recalling" from here...
*Or else he will return to thinking about...THOSE situations,
And getting guilt stricken about what happened...
...
...
...
Morax arrived together with Childe and his siblings,
As well as Enjou, who was really insistent on having a duel with him,
As the Abyss Lector once again reminded him of his earlier promise...
"Yo, "Venti"! How are you doing? Taking a break from that small quarrel you and "Zhongli" had...?
I have to admit, your flying and dodging ability is quite good~ Which reminds me…
Your friend stopped me earlier, but you do want to spar with me, right...?~ I will even let you choose the location, so there wouldn't be any accidental casualties~"
…
"I apologize, but while I don't mind sparring with you, I would rather refrain from going all out. There are certain skills I won't use during our spar.
This condition and the one you proposed before, do you agree to them?"
…
...And just when I wanted to see this "Power of Time" in action…
I understand. I agree with your conditions. Tell me whe..."
"We apologize for interrupting you, Barbatos, but you have to go to the Statue Plaza and fast!" , the Winds suddenly said, sounding both serious and concerned, "Since you weren't seen for most of the day and considering them noticing Deaconess Barbara's, Acting Grandmaster Jean's, Battle Nun Rosaria's and Chief Alchemist Albedo's recently frantic actions, your people realized that something is wrong and started gathering in order to storm the Cathedral for answers!"