"Everyone ready?" Kaeya asked, as he, Albedo, Sans and three other Knights of Favonius stood in front of the doors, swords in hand… Except Sans. He never used one. Even then, others wouldn't notice in slowly creeping darkness as late afternoon turned into early evening.
"Ready." Albedo repeated.
"Then here we go." Kaeya nodded, creating some ice from his fingertips and stuffing it into the door lock, filling the hole. "Detective?"
"Hm." Albedo hummed, suddenly creating a small pebble inside the frozen lock, busting it open with a loud crack.
"Go, go, go!" Kaeya called as three other Knights ran into the spacious entrance room, catching several people and weirdly yellow on the top crates by surprise.
"Hands in the air!" One of the Knights shouted, as all three pointed their swords towards the throats, running in between the overrun group while Kaeya and Albedo casually walked in as a second group.
"We got them boys." Kaeya clapped his hands, satisfied by early victory.
CRAH*
"By Barbatos!" One of the Knights called out, rolling to the side as the floor above them fell down and crashed on the base level with Sans in the middle.
"Sans! What happened up there?" Albedo asked in a quick reaction.
"Ugh…" Sans groaned, slowly standing up and dusting off the front of his armor before walking away with a staggering step. "Well, uh, I took a shortcut to secure the upper level… and…"
"Save the breath. Junior!" Strong voice came from above as down the stairs came a muscular body of a familiar person. "I have five more to take away today."
"You again?" Kaeya asked, as the whole room looked at the newcomer with 'Boss battle' energy all across.
"I should be saying this line. Pirate." Man said, slowly walking ahead as Favonius Knights backed away with no contest and away from crates. "You just like to test your luck. Don't you?"
"Part of a pirate's life." Kaeya tried to be smug, seeing recently pinned to the walls people grab crates and run away to the doors leading further into the base floor. "But we takin' you down."
"Oh, is that so?" Man asked, looking over the total of six people in the room slowly spread to surround him. "Hmph. Then let's quit yapping and come get these hands!"
"Run!" Sans shouted, leaping as the ma smashed the floor with his fist, causing an erupting water wave to push all six Favonius members either into the walls strong enough to leave body-sized prints.
"Augh!"
"What's wrong?" The man asked, quickly running up to the closest Knight and grabbing him by the face. "Is vision that decisive?"
"K-u-ze…" Kaeya muttered, seeing letters from water droplets on the floor before standing up and seeing his opponent smack the Knight head-down into the floor so hard, it broke through it and left him struck wiggling. "KuuzzzeEE!"
"Oh?" Enforcer looked unimpressed at rushing Captain, making a quick 360 turnaround which made the rushing enemy stop in startle.
"Ouf…" Albedo stood up with a gasp, looking up and seeing Kaeya fly across the room with several ice shards around him and the sword sliding down to him. "Huh. You're strong."
"You thought I'd go easy on newbies like you?" Kuze asked, seeing him pick up Kaeya's weapon as well as his own, going into dual-wielding.
"Not a chance." Albedo responded, jabbing both swords down, which caused two lines of rock pillars to rush Kuze by the sides.
"Horiya!" Kuze shouted, smashing his fist into one of the pillars, breaking it clean before pushing it further with the back of his second hand and chucking it at Albedo from a backhand spin.
"Whoa!" Albedo ducked down, crossing the holds of both swords as a makeshift garde to block the rock piece, which bounced away from it and went sliding down to the bursted doors.
"Think fa-eh?!" Kuze tried to rush ahead, but was stopped in confusion as his body gained a deep blue outline.
"Nah, I feel like being slow." Sans sighed, standing against the wall with left arm extended forward. "Guys, cuff him please. Oh, and take the vision."
"Sure, sure." One of the two other Knights nodded, as they both headed up to the local protector.
"Now!"
"Huh?!" Whole group gasped, as the back doors went wide open and at least a dozen people with spears, knives and beat-down-ready fists pouted into the room, sweeping two Knights near Kuze in a tidal wave of mass violence.
"Bones." Sans sighed, before tossing Kuze into the ceiling, breaking it through and and just directing a barrage of bones at the new crowd.
If the event frequency kept up, it was going to be a long evening.
Sigh*
"Oh, Matthias!"
"Noelle?" He asked, as the two net each other right in front of KoF headquarters. "What's the occasion?"
"I need to ask you something." Noelle responded. "Actually, Stas wanted me to ask this."
"Oh, here we go…" Matthias crossed his arms. "It's about what he thinks I should do?"
"... Eee…"
"Sorry for being rude." Matthias took a deep breath. "I am not in the mood and drinks weren't helping."
"I-I-It's fine! Really!" Noelle excused herself. "I was just, uh, worrying about you."
"... Pardon?" He gave her a confused look.
"When you arrived, at first I thought you were a nice person. Just a little lost in the process. Kind of like me." Noelle said, staring him straight into the eyes. "But after what Stas told me today, I think it is my duty as a Maid of Favonius to comfort the guest in need."
"Aren't you a- Oh." Matthias tried to oppose, before realizing something. "They didn't strip away the maid title once you became Outrider."
"That's correct." Noelle agreed. "Still, both Maid and Outrider are expected to help people in need. And that includes you."
"And the work over there?" Matthias tried one last trick, looking past her at the solid stone building.
"Stas and Mika took a turn for me in documentation and taking care of Acting Grand Master respectively, so I could rest for tomorrow." Noelle gave him an ego-shattering warm smile. "Isn't it great to have friends that care about you?"
"Have?" Matthias asked. "You can have a sword or a house. Friends aren't objects."
"Want to talk about it?" Noelle asked, walking up to his side as if she wanted to walk beside him.
"... I feel I don't have a choice." Matthias said, sighing afterwards. "Alright, what do you need to know?"
"Whoa." Sans weaved away from the water-boosted punch, sliding all across the floor in a dodge flurry as Kuze tried to rush him down. "Chill." He added, as Kuze almost tripped over, being stopped by ice tapping his right leg down.
"Nice line." Kaeya smirked, moving his sword up from the floor and into a loose, wide swing that smacked one random opponent into the wall.
"Hey, I'm a professional gest."
"Hurgh." Kuze groaned with a lip smack before punching down into the ice, breaking it apart into a shatter. "Is that all you got?" He asked, casually moving his body back up and moving the right arm on a straight angle into the face of another sneaking Knight, making a satisfying 'Bap' sound as it mashed into the nose.
"Jonah!" Albedo ran up, grabbing the falling ally from behind as Kuze turned around to face the two.
"Shame that his nose doesn't exist anymore." He said, cracking his fists before turning around again and just punching the approaching bone in half. "But, I have a job to do."
"Huff, ironic." Sans commented, leaning against the broken window frame with a tired face. "That's, uh, kinda why we are here too."
"Oh?" Kuze made a suggestive face, before turning to face Kaeya. "Then why are you half-assing?"
"I play a long game." Kaeya pointed the top of his sword upward. "Sayonara."
"He?" Kuze looked up, seeing how the floor above him was being brought down thanks to a large chunk of ice attached to it pulling the already weakened structure down.
"Goodnight, criminal."
"Why did you choose to turn down that opportunity?" Noelle asked, as she and Matthias rounded the corner along the wall of a building, squeezing through a large group of people moving on the street both ways.
"Many, really." Matthias began with a note of indecisiveness. "First, I don't think I have what it takes to be a King. Or any sort of ruler for that matter."
"And what is it that you do not have and others do?" Noelle asked, giving him a curious glare.
"... I'm too kind."
"Eh?"
"He isn't wrong."
"Huh?" Both looked behind as a third person in a white toga and thick set of maps tucked into a sack held by hand joined them.
"Ike! I am proud to see you in person." Noelle greeted him.
"Likewise, Outrider." Iramati smiled, walking up to the other side, making Matthias a middle of the group as they resumed the way. "So, you ask what is lacking to be an owner of land in Zirte?"
"More so, what I lack." Matthias corrected.
"Heh, thank you." Ike smiled, before clearing his throat and going onto a calmest rant ever known. "You lack a fickle mind to forgive friendships and promises on the fly when they are no longer beneficial and confuse your always following rivals, you lack callousness to make examples of those who care opposing you that are ripped into mind forever and ever, be it to, or from, a noble or peasant. You lack the drive to rip away even tiniest bits of advantage whenever possible without looking at past and present, you lack opportunism to shelter even the most evil of enemies once they turn of use to your cause, you lack self-enforced superiority to make your will and push those around you into submission."
"Wouldn't put it in words better." Matthias nodded.
"... What?" Noelle asked in a voice full of shock and despair.
"I know, your kind soul cannot process that evil can be an unpunishable and lucrative way of life." Matthias sighed with a patient face. "But Aegpan and Revenland often are pathological to the core even by regional standards, let alone yours local. It's just that they are very different about how they show this."
"Agreed. From all I heard, read and write, Aegpan is a land of often proud people, and that causes them to often be blatant with how and why they commit their crimes." Ike continued for him. "Razenvy Khaganate is very open about bringing all existence itself under tyrannical rule of the Great Khan or fully erasing it while trying. Elites of coastal merchant city-states of the east coast openly brag about populism being the way democracy is intended to be led and corruption with abuse of power are only ways of governance that can ensure anything done."
"Revenland, however, is more focused on hidden half-truths and deceit. At least Zirte is from what I remember." Matthias added.
"Seems so." Ike nodded in agreement. "Right now, as peasants said to me on the way here, Slajland warriors from a second expedition are led by General Harald onto Lawrence Clan by the Generals' sole will. Without even bothering to inform Favonius. And Zirte… waste of words. You would need to experience it first hand to believe."
"That's terrible…" Noelle commented with a bit of a let down in her voice, but quickly got her disarming positivity back. "Don't you think we should go there and give people there hope?"
"If so, then I'm not made for this." Matthias shaked his head. "Sorry."
"Heh, guess that's it." Ike slightly bowed to the two. "But I must take my leave now. I was told to deliver these maps for your Favonius scouts, but unfortunate events in regard of dear Captain Eula delayed the details."
"Then goodbye! And stay safe!" Noelle gave him her own goodbyes.
"Well, see you around." Matthias added as they made their ways apart.
"... Is there anything I can do to convince you?"
"Why me?" Matthias looked back at her with confused glare. "Isn't there anyone else with delusion of grandeur that thirsts for a crown on their head?"
"Don't talk like that!" Noelle exclaimed. "I know you may not like the idea of going back there. But if what I heard from Stas is right…"
"... Hm?"
"Then you are the only hope these people could have-"
CRASH*
"Brace!" Matthias shouted, quickly drawing out his sword and cutting through a rapidly moving wooden box, splitting it in half like a worn out rope.
"What was that?" Noelle asked.
"Are you alright?" Matthias asked, looking aside at her.
"I'm fine. Thank you…" She responded, tilting her body away as if to look past him and into the distance. "Everyone here is undamaged?" She followed up, calling across the street.
Smack*
"Argh!"
"Kaeya?" Matthias asked, seeing a back of a familiar person stumbling out of the building to his side of the road and sit under a cracked wall.
"Matt? Giidness mee…" Cavalry Captain said, evidently shaken by mistakes in his speech. "Can ya' kend me a hand? This guy can punch…"
"Gladly." Matthias responded, swiftly moving ahead with blade ready to jab upward into the eye level.
"Now I see why you're called a box-er." Sans joked, sitting in a corner on a throne-like chair made of bones as he passively observed Kuze make Albedo head be jammed inside a small plank crate against the latters will.
"Still, making a few bones shouldn't make you that sweaty." Kuze responded, casually tossing unmoving Albedo out into the street like a ragdoll before turning to face a visibly tired comedian. "Shows that you are putting in a lot."
"Heh… Thanks." Sans grinned weakly. "But we both know this isn't enough."
"And that's why I spare you." Kuze shrugged his shoulders. "Unlike that eyepatch haver, you at least bother about consequences. And I wasn't forced to study your background to realize that."
"Apologies for interruption in this heart-to-heart." New voice joined them as both looked towards the hole pretending to be an entrance, where Matthias stood with a blade ready for battle. "But I don't like when someone under my protection is threatened."
"Box making a ninety degree turn upon being thrown out is bullshit." Kuze answered quickly, turning around and cracking his knuckles. "But I can see you don't care about the truth anymore."
"Teyvat has its own laws." Matthias responded, giving his sword a little spin that left a visible mark over the heavy dusted and cracked floor. "Now, your weapon."
"Heh, sure." Kuze responded, casually punching the floor and causing a water wave to rush towards him.
"Whoa!" Matthias cried out in surprise, getting sweeped by the wave into the wall but bouncing back on his feet and deflecting a follow-up punch to the side with the sword. "That hurt." He added, taking a moment to stretch his back with free hand as Kuze took two steps back and looked over his right hand.
"Likewise." Kuze agreed, quickly covering his cut hand in a tight water glove which stopped the bleeding before it could even begin.
"... You can-can do that?" Matthias blinked twice and stutter in surprise.
"If you put your mind to it, junior…" Kuze shrugged his arms as he started to make low warm-up hops. "Now come over here!"
"Sans?"
"Nah bro, I'm tired." Comedian excused himself.
"Ok, tired. Can you help me?"
"Got me there. Sorry, Gramps." Sans nodded, casually giving Kuze the blue outline and tossing him into a wall beside Matthias. "But man' gotta do his job."
"No hard feelings…" Kuze smirked, falling freely down after Sans let go of his soul. "But I will do MINE!" He shouted, pulling his right arm back for a full-force punch into the floor.
"... Shit!" Matthias panicked, turning around to flee as he realized what was about to happen.
FLUSH*
"Whow!" Kaeya exclaimed, stumbling from Noelle's arms and into a cutting off half of a box, landing on it as if he was tossed onto a table unconscious. "Is it flood today?"
"*Gasp* Matthias!" Noelle exclaimed, running ahead into the spilling water at ramming speed, stopping into a standstill as she grabbed the yanked arm of Matthias and turned around in place, taking him into safe grab. "Are you alright?"
"Hopefully. Bleh!" Matthias responded, interrupting himself to spit out some water from his mouth. "That guy is strong…"
"Excuse me, ma'am." Kuze said, posted up in an even wider hole in the wall with an X-shaped body pose. "But I kind of need to go now. So please, take him to safety-"
"Hey!" Sans shouted, casually standing on the opposite side of the road, pointing slightly above him. "Wanna look where you stand."
"Sure." Kuze shrugged his arms, before the whole wall came down onto him and got ripped in half before breaking apart on the road, with him being completely unmoved as dust went all around him and granted a menacing aura. "But why would I do that now?"
"Any ideas?" Matthias asked, slowly standing back up from Noelle's arms, who in turn looked at the contextual liability.
"Can I ask you something?"
"... I don't have time for that." Kuze responded, suddenly dashing backwards with water sliding under his feet.
"Bads news then." Sans responded, extending his left arm and moving Kuze all the way back to where he was with help of blue magic. "It's rude to run away from questions."
"Khhk… It is." Kuze found himself hard pressed, but smirked as he looked aside to the right. "But I have to think about myself."
"..."
"Kaeya!" Matthias shouted all of a sudden, tossing himself aside like a four-legged jumpscare monster in a horror game and landing right in front of the wasted Captain.
BLAM*
"Fuck I missed!" Distant cry sounded just as Noelle turned around, seeing basically nothing other than an empty street.
"Ugh!" Sans went down onto his knees, grabbing himself by the sides and sweating heavily.
"Looks like my team has done their part by now." Kuze said, casually walking ahead and walking away from the gathering. "Cya' in never, Knights of Flavor." He added before turning into water and sliding down in between the bricks.
"... Urghhh." Kaeya slowly went onto his knees, stepping aside for Noelle to get up to Matthias. "What did… I miss?"
"He got… Away." Sans informed him. "All the people and their stuff too."
"Matthias, are you alright?" Noelle asked, taking the downed man into her hands.
"Mostly." He responded, looking up at her while holding onto his left elbow. "I-lt hurts a bit though."
"We must get you to infirmary. Quick!"
"Heh." Kaeya looked aside, seeing Noelle run ahead with Matthias in her arms. "Off she goes."
"Yep." Sans nodded, standing back up with a sour face. "What now, Captain?"
"We go back and rest. Even if we failed, these guys know they can't go around like they own this place." Kaeya responded, walking up to him with a positive face. "Besides, I know a guy who can take a pot shot at them… "