At the Church of Barbatos, everything seemed like a normal day, until Beelzebub busted in. « 'Sup ladies! Who's ready for a motherfuckin' Party! »
« Whilst we're truly tempted by your offer…I think we'll have to pass… » one of the nuns replied.
« Not even Barbara? I heard she's like one of those kids in Japan that everybody fucking drools over because they're a bunch of weirdoes even for my standards. » Beelzebub asked. « Speaking of Barbara, you know where the kid is? »
« Oh, this is perfect. Sister Barbara said that she was going out to pick some herbs earlier, but I'm afraid that she has yet to return. » the nun replied. « Would it be possible for you to look for her? We're getting worried…»
« No need to worry, I'll go fetch her for ya! » Beelzebub replied.
« Alright, I'll leave it to you. Before sister Barbara departed, she said that she was headed to Wolvendom to pick some herbs. » the nun replied. « You could start by looking for her there. »
Xxxxxxx
After a while, Beelzebub had reached Wolvendom, and not long after, she found Barbara.
« Huh, how strange... I can't seem to find any... » Barbara pondered, before Beelzebub walked in.
« There you are kiddo! Your girls at the church are, like, super worried for you! » Beelzebub said.
« Oh, you must be Beelzebub! The producer of that really strong drink, Beelzejuice, was it? » Barbara asked.
« That's me! Everyone says that my industries are competition for that Diluc guy, but, like, my Beelzejuice is better for demons who are used to alcohol being strong as shit, and like, respect to you guys, but I think you should stick to wine for a while. » Beelzebub replied. « You in particular, like, being underage and everything, you shouldn't drink alcohol for a while in general. »
« Let's just say…I'm not tempted as of yet…» Barbara replied shyly. « Nevertheless, no need to worry, there hasn't been any sign of danger. I'm just here to gather some red Wolfhook berries, that's all. »
« Any luck so far? » Beelzebub asked.
« Not at all! The strange thing is, there should be lots of them here... and I can't seem to find any. » Barbara replied. « Hmm, anyway, no need to worry about me. I'll just have another look around here, and if I can't find any, I'll just—»
« Miss Barbara... Hmm...» a voice could be heard. « She's not here either...»
« Huh? Somebody seems to be coming this way? » Barbara pondered, before turning pale. « Oh, I'm sorry, but... please, just keep quiet, okay? Don't let them find us... »
« Who do I need to kill? » Beelzebub asked serious.
« No killing, please! » Barbara implored. « Let's go deeper into the forest and wait for them to leave. »
And so, the duo hid deeper into the forest.
« Shh.. Keep your voice down. We mustn't let that person find us here. » Barbara said. « ...This should be a good spot. Let's wait here for a while. »
« So who's bothering you, girl? » Beelzebub asked.
« In Mondstadt, I often perform songs for people. Because it's been so well received, the other sisters have started encouraging me to perform across Teyvat. Now, more and more people are showing up to hear me perform. I'm happy to see such turnouts, don't get me wrong... but... Now, people always stop me on the street when I go shopping, or when I go out for personal matters... I know that all they want is to get my autograph, or to ask me how I'm doing, which isn't a bad thing. And... I'm very thankful for all my fans, but... there are simply too many of them. I always do my best to fulfil their requests and not let them down. » Barbara replied. « But... sometimes... I feel that I just don't have the strength to do so. Even when I'm in the church, people will still come hoping to greet me. I'm constantly in a state of tension, no matter where I go. The reason I came here was not only to find Wolfhooks for making Tunner's cough medicine, but also to have some quiet time alone... Do you understand that feeling? To sit peacefully and not think about anything... just by yourself. It's simply the feeling of relaxation. It's been far too long since I've had that feeling. Before I knew it, I was out here all day and forgot to return to the city. »
« Yeah, fans can be both a blessing and a bitch, all right…» Beelzebub sighed. « Let's forget about them for a while, and focus on the Wolfhooks, shall we? »
« I'm looking for red Wolfhook. No matter how hard I look, I can't seem to find any. I clearly remember that they always grow here. » Barbara noted.
« Let's just wait until that douche leaves, and then we can look for some. » Beelzebub replied.
« I guess that's all we can do for now. Although, it certainly isn't nice to treat someone that way... But today, I simply wish to keep to myself. » Barbara admitted.
« Nothing bad in wishing for some me time. » Beelzebub replied. « By the way, how did a kid like you join the church? »
« Well, my father has always worked at the Church... And the Church has always looked after me. I guess it was only natural for me to join the Church when I grew up. And besides, my sister works in the Knights of Favonius... I can't even begin to compare with her! Not only is she adept with a blade, she's also capable of shouldering all the Knights of Favonius' matters on her own. » Barbara replied. « I guess that's just who she is. I've never been able to come close to competing with her. Aside from singing and performing, I don't really have any abilities worth mentioning. Besides, my singing alone could never truly heal the wounds of others. I suppose that's another reason why I decided to join the Church — to learn how to truly heal others. Though I may not be particularly skilled in battle, being able to heal the wounds of others is good in its own right. At least, that's what I think. »
« That and dealing with your workaholic sister! » Beelzebub joked.
« Alright, then! That person should be long gone by now. I still need to find some of those Wolfhooks. » Barbara replied. « I can't seem to find any of the red variety anywhere... »
« Let me help ya out, girl! » Beelzebub proposed.
« Your help would be much appreciated! Let's search the nearby area, I'm sure we'll find some in no time. » Barbara replied. « Strange... I'm almost certain I've seen lots of red Wolfhooks growing here before... »
And so, the duo went looking for the Wolfhook berries. It wasn't long until they finally found them.
« Yep, that should be enough! But it's still strange, I know for sure that I've seen lots of red Wolfhooks growing here before... » Barbara noted. « I wonder if someone had already gathered them all... Well, never mind... Thankfully, the berries you gathered should be just enough. Let's go! »
Xxxxxxx
And so, the duo finally reached Mondstadt.
« Ahh... Glad we've finally made it out of there. The Wolvendom forest is a nice getaway to be alone for a while, but there's not much sunlight...» Barbara stretched out.
« Yeah, no kidding! » Beelzebub added.
« If you stay in there for too long, you can't help but start feeling a little gloomy. A little sunlight always helps keep your spirits up! Ah yes, now that we're here, I'd like to go to Dawn Winery and check on Tunner's condition. I've told him before that he should take it easy and rest for a while, but he never seems to listen... He even told me not to let Guy know anything about it. » Barbara replied. « I'd like to check on him before going back and deciding which medicine I'll need to make. Umm, would it be possible to... you know... ask for your help again? If you could go back and report to Sister Victoria while I check on Tunner, that would be a big help! She's most certainly worried about me after being away so long. And besides, there's a lot of matters I still need to take care of back at the Cathedral... It would be better if I let her know the situation. »
« Leave it to me, kiddo! You go enjoy your you time, ya really need it! » Beelzebub replied.
« Aww, thank you so much! I truly appreciate it. » Barbara replied, as she headed off.
« What a fukken' cutie… » Beelzebub commented.
Xxxxxxx
After a while, Beelzebub reached the church to report in.
« Oh, you're back again. If you're looking for Sister Barbara... she's yet to return. » Victoria greeted her.
« Not to worry, she's fine! » Beelzebub replied.
« Oh, I see... Thank Barbatos that she's alright. » Victoria sighed. « But it sounds like she won't be back any time soon... Hmm, perhaps I'll have to pass her responsibilities in the Cathedral to someone else... »
« Well you just found the girl for the job! » Beelzebub pointed at herself.
« Oh, well that's most kind of you. I certainly wouldn't want to trouble you... Hmm.. Let me think for a moment... Ah yes, you could help tidy up around the Cathedral a bit. » Victoria replied. « People tend to bring dust in as they come into the Cathedral, so the floor is often quite dirty. Cleaning and the like have always been Sister Barbara's responsibility... So the moment she's gone, everything starts getting dirty... »
« Seriously, why do all of you fucks depend so much on these two girls? » Beelzebub asked with a deadpan expression.
« I know. I know. But she always said she could handle it herself and that there's no need to ask anyone else to help her. she does often appear quite exhausted after she's finished with the cleaning, though. » Victoria sighed. « To be honest, I'm most surprised that you're willing to help... Or rather, that Barbara is willing to let you help. However, this would help lighten her burden. Anyway, I'll let you handle the cleaning for now, Miss Beelzebub. »
« All right, ladies and motherfuckers! FOR BARBARA AND BARBARA! » Beelzebub grabbed a broom and lift it up, much to Victoria's confusion. « Barbara's the nickname I gave Barbatos. He's chill. »
Xxxxxxx
A while later, Beelzebub crawled out of the Church, completely exhausted.
« OH MY BARBATOS! » Barbara, having just arrived, yelled out in panic and concern. « Are you all right!?»
« How do you do this on your ownnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?» Beelzebub asked nearly voiceless.
« Hold still! Let me heal you! » Barbara exclaimed, as she healed the poor demon.
« You're a life saver, kiddo. But seriously, you do this shit everyday? How have you not killed yourself yet? » Beelzebub asked concerned.
« Guess I am related to Acting Grandmaster Jean after all…» Barbara joked nervously.
« Respect. » Beelzebub replied.
« I can't thank you enough for how much you've helped me today, both here in the Cathedral and back in Wolvendom... You must be thirsty after so much work, no? How about I treat you to a drink? Oh, I've just remembered that the Cat's Tail is promoting a special drink recently. Miss Margaret said that the name of the drink is "Fantastic Summer-Serendipity Coral Sparkling Tea," haha! » Barbara proposed. « She also mentioned that it's her secret weapon to beating Angel's Share in drink sales. Word is that the drink's pretty good, but there's always a line to get it. We'll probably have to wait if we want some... If you'd rather not stand in line, I could make you a glass of my very own Chilibrew. Which would you like to drink? »
« … Fantastic Summer-Serendipity Coral Sparkling Tea has got to be the best fucking name for a drink I've ever heard. I NEED it. » Beelzebub replied.
« Yeah, it does sound amazing. I'm not sure how Margaret came up with such a name... But I have heard that the drink is quite popular now. There's even a line of people waiting to purchase it every day. If you'd like to get one, we should head over to the Cat's Tail as quickly as we can. » Barbara replied. « However... even though I've already requested a half day of leave from Sister Victoria, she still insists that I let her know where I'm going... With so many people trying to get in on the newest Cat's Tail offering, I'm worried we'll have to wait for ages if we get there too late. Ah, I've got it! Why don't you help me check in with Sister Victoria while I get in line at the Cat's Tail? That would save us some time! »
« No problem, girl! » Beelzebub replied.
« It's settled then! Let's meet up at the entrance to the Cat's Tail. » Barbara replied, as she raced off.
« And if they ask for an autograph during your day off, tell 'em I said "FUCK YOU!" » Beelzebub exclaimed.
Xxxxxxx
And so, Beelzebub reported to Victoria once more.
« Man, we're meeting one another a lot today! Did we just become best friends? » Beelzebub greeted the woman.
« Hey, who am I to say no to a demon who's actually bearable…» Victoria replied.
« So, can Barbara have some time off? I think she deserves it…» Beelzebub asked.
« Oh yes, Sister Barbara just submitted her request for half a day's leave. She said she had plans with a friend. » Victoria replied. « I must say though, it is quite unusual for Barbara to request time off just to see a friend... But that's beside the point. What is it you'd like to ask me? »
« We NEED to drink the "Fantastic Summer-Serendipity Coral Sparkling Tea", our bodies D E M A N D it! » Beelzebub replied.
« Oh? You mean to tell me that Barbara intends to accompany you to buy this... special drink? Then you must be the friend that she mentioned, I presume? » Victoria asked. « Hmm, seeing as you're NOT someone that gets off by blowing up portions of Teyvat, I guess that's fine... Well, then please take good care of Sister Barbara. »
« Does Barbara always report everything she does? » Beelzebub asked.
« Well, as you may already know, Sister Barbara is quite popular in Mondstadt for several reasons... Although the citizens here may only be acting out of good intention, there are too many of them, and Sister Barbara can't handle it all. If they appear while she is working here at the Church, we can come and intervene. » Victoria replied. « But if she's approached by fans during her time off, then she can only fend for herself. And no to mention, she's too... kind. She'll always try to fulfil the requests of the citizens of Mondstadt, even when it takes a heavy toll and leaves her more exhausted than actual working hours. So with that in mind, we thought we'd have Sister Barbara always tell us where she'd be, just in case we need to come rescue her from the crowds. »
« Ouch…» was all Beelzebub could say.
« My hope is that Sister Barbara stops pushing herself so hard... » Victoria sighed.
Xxxxxxx
When Beelzebub arrived at the Cat's Tail, she saw Barbara being submerged by fans of all kind.
« Oh, God damn it! » Beelzebub cursed, as she dashed in between the crowd. « All right, ladies and motherfuckers! I get it, she's, like, a kickass singer and all that shit, and I would love having her singing with me at tonight's party, but she's having a day off! Now, I understand you guys might have a problem with that- »
« Wait, she's having a day off? » a member of the crowd asked.
« Yes, as a matter of fact. » Beelzebub replied.
« …Miss Barbara, why didn't you say so? » a member of the crowd asked.
« I just didn't want to let you down. To make up for it, if you come to Beelzebub party tonight, I'll make sure to be there! » Barbara replied.
« Wait, for real girl? » Beelzebub asked.
« It's the least I can do for you after everything you did today. Besides, I quite like singing! » Barbara replied.
« You're awesome kid! You're like the sister I never had! » Beelzebub replied.
« In that case, we'll see you tonight. Thank you so much for your time, miss Barbara! » the crowd essentially replied, as they went to their separate ways.
« Whew... I shouldn't be saying this but... thanks for intervening. I understand everybody's enthusiasm, but the longer I stay here the more people will gather. It's always been that way. I just don't know how to turn them away. In the end, the Knights of Favonius always have to come and restore order. » Barbara sighed. « If only I had your way with words... Here, it's the Fantastic Summer-Serendipity Coral Sparkling Tea you wanted. I ordered this one especially for you. I hardly ever get a day off. Why don't we... take a stroll outside the city together and finish our drinks? »
« No problem, girl! I should be thanking you for joining my party! I wish more of your girls joined in…» Beelzebub replied.
Xxxxxxx
And so, the two girls went out for a stroll.
« It's nice to finally relax for a while — thanks for accompanying me. It's nice to meet a demon that doesn't cause too much trouble to Mondstadt or Teyvat in general… O—Oh! I hope I'm not offending you! What I mean is, you're a really nice person! » Barbara commented. « I hope I can be as great as you one day. But for now... all I can do is sing. »
« And heal people! And besides, singing kicks ass! Brings life to any fucking party I've ever been! » Beelzebub reassured the girl.
« We've walked a long way — why don't we take a break up ahead? » Barbara proposed. « It looks so peaceful here, nobody's passing through except us. Let's rest for a while. »
« You sure you wanna come to my party? I dunno why, but I'm getting bad vibes from you. I think you should rest a bit…» Beelzebub commented.
« A deaconess shouldn't ever be self-interested or let other people down... But at the end of the day, it's like my father said: I just don't know how to turn people away. My father and Sister Victoria always told me, if I wanted to become a proper deaconess, I would have to learn how to turn away others. » Barbara replied. « But I've never been able to... When I see somebody in need, I lend a hand without a second thought. If I see somebody struggling, I want to help them solve the problem. If somebody comes to me with a request, I can't help but do my best. No matter how tiring, I'm happy as long as I can bring a smile to everybody. »
« I'm surprised you haven't collapsed like your sister after all the work and the crowd…» Beelzebub commented.
« Hehe, I'm so used to it by now, but thanks for wanting to intervene. Usually, the Knights of Favonius end up arriving to restore order. » Barbara explained. « Then someone from the Church comes to escort me away. It's happened so many times already, I don't really notice it anymore. »
« How are you still alive? » Beelzebub asked concerned.
« Exhaustion for the sake of not letting everybody down is okay. » Barbara replied.
« All right…moving on, I heard that some weirdos started something called the "Barbara Fan Club." The fuck is that? » Beelzebub asked.
« Heh, that thing? Uhh... It's a group of my Mondstadt... supporters. But I'm usually in the Cathedral. The knights and sisters stationed outside the Church won't let them in. » Barbara replied. « So they support me in other ways — cleaning the Cathedral, helping their fellow citizens with difficult matters, stuff like that. It's... very considerate, though sometimes they get carried away. »
« How big is this group of degenerates? » Beelzebub asked.
« Uh, I'm not really sure... but of the ones I know, there's Mr. Albert and Mr. Huffman. » Barbara replied.
« Huffman? I think I know that dude…» Beelzebub pondered.
« Oh, do you know Mr. Huffman? He's a very strict knight, not to mention disciplined. He's never asked for my autograph or tried to make conversation. Every time he comes to the Cathedral on official business, his face is a picture of seriousness. » Barbara replied. « I'd never have known if I hadn't overheard Mr. Albert talking about it. When I found out, I had someone deliver my autograph to him. I hope he was happy with it. »
« Man, so much for you being a nun! You're, like, white Whoopi Goldberg! » Beelzebub exclaimed.
« Yeah, it's a little embarrassing... Do you know what an "idol" is? I guess you've heard that I... sometimes sing for the people in Mondstadt? I can use the power of my Vision to heal physical wounds, but it's no use on someone afflicted by sadness. » Barbara explained. « I found out in a magazine that there was such a thing as an "idol." In the magazine, it said that an idol was... a person that spreads love and hope through song and dance. I don't know if it's really possible, but... at least the residents of Mondstadt seem to like my singing. »
« Singing can do a fuckload of things, I tell ya! » Beelzebub replied.
« Still, using song and dance to heal the sick of heart... It's easier said than done. » Barbara replied. « I don't know if I'm up to it. I'm not even very good at being a deaconess... »
« You are in my book, kiddo. » Beelzebub replied.
« Aw, if that really is true... then that's amazing. Thank you. It's been a long time since I've had such a long conversation, and it's all me complaining! Thanks for listening. » Barbara sighed. « So... we've still not finished our drinks! Let's finish them off while we're here. We can rest today, but it's back to the grindstone tomorrow. »
Xxxxxxx
Many thanks to Inanna for many of the suggestions for this chapter.
I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Please review so I can know your opinion. I'm willing to accept suggestions for what is going to happen, so stay tuned! Also, remember to like and follow, if you want!
See you to the next update!