"Come on, just a little bit further back…" Furina tentatively reached out and gently nudged Gentilhomme Usher's hat back so that it didn't appear to obscure his vision. If she was going to be summoning the Salon members to accompany her frequently, they had to look perfect. What would people think if they saw her with untidy looking hydro constructs?
She may not have ever had true command over hydro but she was going to get as close as she could with her own constructs.
With Gentilhomme Usher finally looking presentable, Furina put her hands on her hips and admired her work.
"Good, now you're ready to join the others," Furina smiled to herself, letting Gentilhomme Usher float around the room with Mademoiselle Crabaletta and Surintendante Chevalmarin. "Now you're all set and just the right size."
It would have been preferable to have them be larger so she could ride around on Mademoiselle Crabaletta on land and Surintendante Chevalmarin in the water just as she imagined them but given the damage caused to her entire apartment building, it was significantly easier to keep them from bursting since she had come up with the temporary but now permanent solution to scale them down a fair amount.
Perhaps summoning all three at once in a closed space after very little experience was a bad idea in hindsight.
Satisfied with her progress for now, Furina gave a mental command to dismiss her companions and sat on the unfamiliar bed. Hopefully the damage she'd done to the apartment building would be fixed soon. She considered herself lucky to have the option to stay in the Serenitea Pot and for there to be an available room.
Why she had gone after the so called Vivianne of the Lake without much of a plan was beyond her. She had perhaps hoped that the unforgettable feeling of joy she had from receiving her Vision and the events following would somehow translate to her emerging victorious.
Spending most of the night excitedly rolling around on her bed after seeing Aether off had eaten into time she could have been sleeping but not even her lack of sleep could stop her, she told herself. It could only have been more perfect if she'd had the courage to say to Aether what had been on her mind before he left.
Ultimately though, the less said about her encounter with the so called local legend, the better.
Returning home to study her Vision following a tactical retreat, Furina was determined to find out what she was capable of. Certainly more than flailing her arms to launch jets of water and bubbles at things.
She wasn't sure what brought the story of Mademoiselle Crabaletta to the front of her mind again but the idea of forming constructs based on its characters to help her was an appealing one.
There was also the other construct she had been working on once she realised none of the three offered much if she did get hurt, which she imagined at this point was an inevitability given her inexperience. Not that she imagined herself venturing off into the wilderness alone often, if at all, but if she happened to be with a companion, she could ensure that wounds were tended to promptly, provided she could master her control over her Vision.
Using a weapon was also something she would have to look in to. She'd ask Clorinde to see if she could help her pick something out and give her some pointers, though for now, her constructs would be enough to protect her.
Said constructs forming for the first time was like a dream come true. She'd twirled around her apartment holding Gentilhomme Usher's tentacles, hugged and squeezed Surintendante Chevalmarin and sent bubbles everywhere before throwing herself on the back of Mademoiselle Crabaletta's shell giddily laughing to herself and imagining the fun they would have.
It was only when she tried to make some adjustments to them when she ran into issues. When she directed her focus on one of the then much larger constructs to make them look presentable, the other two had a tendency to wander away from her and eventually burst. Stubbornly summoning them straight back, she'd tried to continue while ignoring the growing puddles they created.
Whether it had been her frustration or overuse of her Vision that caused the Salon members to become more unstable with each summoning, she couldn't be sure. All she did know was flooding her apartment building in the middle of the night wasn't her proudest moment. Neither was turning up to the Serenitea Pot mansion soaked to the bone.
At least Tubby was the only one who saw her and was able to help her get settled for the time being.
She'd at least give it a few days before checking in on her apartment building again. She'd already apologised profusely to her fellow tenants for what she had done to the building in the immediate aftermath, though understandably she knew they wouldn't be happy with her for a while. Still, she knew she'd have to return to at least let Neuvillette know where she was at some point before anyone thought she had vanished from Fontaine completely.
While she had the teapot available to her though, she was going to make the most of the space to master her Vision.
The change in scenery was welcomed too. Despite not having been to Liyue, her temporary room certainly gave her a wonderful impression of it. To her delight, there was a bookshelf and even a tea set close at hand meaning she had almost everything she wanted out of a living space given her current situation. In the time she had spent not focusing on mastering her Vision, she'd sat down some tea and had started reading 'Flowers for Princess Fischl', a novel she'd found in the study. It was displayed quite prominently and with how hard the author's works could be to come by, she thought it would be a good chance to read it for herself to see if it lived up to it's reputation.
With the amount of variety offered by the realm, Furina entertained the idea of adding some Fontanian items to the mix. Some of her old belongings that she couldn't fit into her new home and couldn't bear to part with were in storage so they could maybe find a home here instead. Surely there'd be others who would enjoy the things that she could bring as well.
She'd have to ask Aether and Tubby. She couldn't imagine any particular objections however she stopped at the thought of asking Aether about bringing any of her belongings in.
Wouldn't he think she was trying to move into his home? He had to have an idea of her feelings given what she had done last she saw him. What if he thought she was moving too fast and got the wrong idea?
No. No. She couldn't risk causing a misunderstanding. Furina didn't think her heart could take it if she made him think less of her. Even with how much she had grown since her abdication, she didn't think she had it in her to say what she truly meant to clear things up between them. Maybe she should just let things continue as they were considering it seemed to be going well enough for her as it stood.
Furina looked down and sighed, lamenting how difficult she was making things for herself regarding Aether. After 500 years of isolation and not letting anyone get close enough to discover her secret, she was only just managing to ease herself into how she should interact with others without her title. How was she supposed to manage what she was feeling for someone who had been there every step of the way since her new life started? It had taken everything she had just to kiss him on the cheek in what he could have easily written off as a thank you gesture.
She was jolted from her thoughts when she heard the main doors of the house close and faint conversation coming from the entryway. Was Aether there? Had her thoughts somehow caused him to appear? Furina leaned in, straining her ears to see if she could tell who was there.
"Let us away, Lady Megistus, we shall soon uncover the whereabouts of the missing tome of lands afar! You search downstairs while I search the upper levels."
"You expect me to search the whole study? Fine, you did say you last saw it upstairs after all."
Furina sat back. It didn't sound like Aether was with the visitors.
She stared into space for a moment before falling back onto the bed and dragging her hands down her face.
"Why is that always my default?!" she groaned to herself. She let her hands fall beside her and stared at the ceiling.
It wasn't guaranteed to be Aether anyway, she thought. She wasn't the only one he had invited to his home after all. Though she had only entered the realm once before, she hadn't actually seen anyone else around. As Aether only invited people he seemed close with, Furina felt she could probably at least get along with them.
Furina jumped as there was a knock on the door. Oh, she did hear one of them say they were coming upstairs so she should have expected as much. She slowly pushed herself up from the bed. She couldn't help herself from trying to get mentally prepared. Even if this was someone friendly with Aether, she hadn't expected visitors.
Hadn't they said something when she was listening in before? She couldn't remember anymore. It couldn't have been something urgent otherwise the knock would have been more frantic. Furina eventually got herself up, telling herself the longer she waited, the more difficult it would be. She tentatively opened the door only for her expression to turn from worried to slightly confused.
"Greetings, fellow denizen of the teapot realm," the girl in front of her began, posing dramatically. "I am Fischl, Prinzessin der Veruteilung, and I come bearing a matter of great importance!"
Furina felt that perhaps she had fallen asleep exhausted at some point while she was studying her Vision. The title, name and appearance definitely matched that of the Princess Fischl she had been reading about. She found herself trying to recall what she had read of the book so far to see if she was somehow reenacting the plot as she replied.
"Uh, hello, I'm Furina," Furina offered a polite nod. "How can I help you?"
A look of excitement crossed Fischl's face as she went on to explain her supposed quest. "A tome offered to me by one of my retainers has vanished from my possession. Said tome hails from a distant land containing information relevant to the interests of the Prinzessin and I seek assistance in locating it."
As if the connection between the Fischl before her and the character from the book hadn't been made clear enough, a raven appeared beside her with a spark of electro. "What mein Fräulein means to say is, she has misplaced the book she has been reading."
Fischl faltered at the correction. "O-Oz, who's to say I was the one who misplaced it? An adversary seeking to thwart my quest for knowledge is the more likely culprit."
"Given the safety of this realm and the fact that we were here yesterday, it seems unlikely," Oz replied. He turned to Furina. "We must give Lady Furina all relevant information if she is to help us."
Feeling like she probably would have woken up by now if she had been dreaming, Furina watched as Fischl continued to try to save face with Oz and could only wonder how Fischl had come to associate with Aether.
Fischl coughed into her fist and theatrically gestured to Furina. "Regardless of my familiar's accusations, you wouldn't happen to have knowledge of it's whereabouts, would you? It contains fascinating insights into the lore of one of Teyvat's distant nations, one such tale of particular interest being 'The Crow and the Fox'."
Oz let out a heavy sigh. "Mein Fräulein advised me to stay away from foxes lest I be tricked by one."
Furina blinked.
"Uh, it's not really what I'd call a book of a nation's lore but isn't that from Fables de Fontaine?"
Fischl's eye lit up. "Yes, that's the one! Most excellent, it is nearby. Thankfully the elusive text was unable to escape your gaze. Pray tell, where did you find it?""
"W-well I haven't actually seen it around here," Furina began, slightly overwhelmed by the enthusiasm. "I just happen to have read it in the past."
"Hmm I see," Fischl said, holding her chin in thought. "Then we are again at a loss."
Holding the door open wider, Furina stepped to one side. "I could have overlooked it so it might be in here somewhere. I can help you look around for it at least."
Fischl gave a polite bow. "Your assistance is most welcome, Lady Furina. Come, let us begin the search!"
Casting a quick glance over the room as the duo stepped inside, Furina tried to recall if she had seen Fables de Fontaine since arriving. The memory of the book brought a smile to her face. Many iterations of the fables had been added over the years and it amused her to read her people's creativity across generations.
The pleasant memories were interrupted by a gasp from Fischl that made her jump. Furina turned to find her holding the copy of Flowers for Princess Fischl.
"You have excellent taste in reading material Lady Furina," Fischl beamed. "It warms my heart to meet a fellow enjoyer of the exploits of the Prinzessin. Tell me, how are you finding it?"
"Oh, I only started reading it earlier today but I'm enjoying it so far," Furina admitted, trying to keep up with the somewhat frequent bursts of enthusiasm. She supposed she should have expected the reaction from Fischl considering she had left the book out. "
"Ah, you have much to look forward to and it appears we have much to discuss given your literary knowledge," Fischl nodded before gesturing dramatically to the room. "Quickly now, my tome must be found so that we may proceed with celebrating our meeting!"
The sound of footsteps and a heavy sigh from the corridor interrupted further searching efforts. Furina looked over in the direction of the door to find an exasperated woman wearing a large hat, Fables de Fontaine in hand.
"Honestly, have you just been making proclamations this whole time?" She cast a quick glance towards Furina before facing Fischl again. "I thought Lisa said you were good with taking care of books and yet with the one I get for you..."
Apparently having only just registered who she had just seen in the room, Mona snapped back to verify that she had in fact seen the former Hydro Archon.
"Um, hello," Furina offered awkwardly.
"My thanks to you, dear retainer, for thy diligent efforts in retrieving that which was lost and with such speed too," Fischl excitedly took the book from Mona, who still looked incredulous. "Ah, Lady Furina, this is Lady Megistus. Though known to most as an astrologist, she is also under mine own employ as Court Archmage."
"Just Mona will be fine, Miss Furina." Mona sighed again. "I have to say, it's surprising to see you here given what I heard of your back and forths with the traveller."
Furina scratched her cheek. "W-well… things have changed for Fontaine and myself as I'm sure you can imagine."
At the name and appearance, Furina recognised where her earlier sense of familiarity had come from: the regular column in The Steambird and panel a few days before her trial. She was aware 'All Things Astrological' had had a somewhat recent change in author and she had hoped that the column would one day mention something about the prophecy.
In the recent panel, Mona had clarified that providing exact details of anything the prophecy entailed was beyond her abilities as an astrologist.
The rational part of her felt that she shouldn't get her hopes up as she had already looked into every possible lead she could find over 500 years but with how close they appeared to be to the prophecy, Furina hoped that there would be something she had overlooked that she could cling on to.
"Indeed, Fontaine's future appears in good hands. As for yourself," Mona glanced down at Furina's Vision. "Well, the change is quite evident."
Furina's heart skipped a beat, a sense of panic washing over her as she shrank away. Was Mona able to perform a divination of her just based on their short interaction? What if Mona thought she was trying to conceal her identity to escape her responsibility? It was true that she hadn't told Fischl that she was the former Hydro Archon, but she felt it hadn't been a particularly important detail to disclose, considering all they were doing was looking for a misplaced book.
Taken slightly by surprise at Furina's reaction, Mona scrambled to fix the apparent misunderstanding. "H-hey, relax, that was just an observation. I at least trust Aether's judgment in who he invites here, strange though he and some of the company he keeps may be."
"As you can see Lady Furina, nothing escapes the observations of the Prinzessin's Court Archmage," Fischl said proudly. "Fear not, for I am sure the change she sees is thus: that thy fate has now become inextricably linked with that of the Prinzessin and the Immernachtreich."
"Sure, why not, let's go with that," Mona rolled her eyes. "What I meant was that you seem much less burdened than before. I may not know how you have been fairing since what happened but there is a newfound sense of freedom about you."
"Oh, thank you." Furina smiled. "Your insight is truly valuable."
Fischl meanwhile chuckled to herself.
"One was right to believe it was no mere coincidence that both of my Fontaine venturing subjects are known to your good self." Fischl stroked her chin, already looking to be considering future possibilities. "A ceremony shall have to be held at a later date to formally bestow upon you a title fitting for your role in the Immernachtreich."
"You mean you didn't even know who you were talking- oh never mind," Mona groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. Furina didn't have the heart to object to being made part of the Immernachtreich, as based on Mona's expression, she imagined the best thing to do would be to go along with it.
"Tsk tsk, loyal follower, you forget that mein Auge der Verurteilung is also capable of witnessing and interpreting the threads of fate," Fischl struck a pose with a hand over her eyepatch. "All that transpires in this world is known to me whether it originates from the thunderous islands of Inazuma, the vast deserts of Sumeru or the judicial and aquatic lands of Fontaine."
"That is to say, mein Fräuleinreads the newspaper." Oz concluded. "As a fellow traveller of worlds, the events following Sir Aether are of great interest to her."
While Fischl spluttered to silence her familiar, Furina froze.
Not having read The Steambird, Furina didn't know the exact coverage of the lead up and aftermath of the prophecy. As the trial had revealed the truth of her not being the Hydro Archon, there was no doubt reports would include that detail. It made sense that, as the Archon, the star of Fontaine and never one to shy away from the spotlight, the other nations would want to know about what had happened to her.
"T-then you knew about me the whole time?"
Despite Oz having knocked the wind out her sails somewhat, Fischl continued. "Indeed, though what effect does it have on our interaction, I ask? Divinity or no, what matters most is that we have found instant rapport with one another through our shared interests. Rejoice, for the Prinzessin extends her blessings to all those in her favour!"
Furina was unsure of how to respond, not having expected Fischl's words. She had been enjoying the feeling that came with not being recognised for what felt like the first time in years and even though that hadn't quite been the case, she couldn't deny the warmth that filled her chest at being seen for who she was instead of who she had pretended to be.
The progress she had made since moving into her new home was something she had only recently felt proud of. She had initially thought that it only really showed when she was with those she already knew she was comfortable with but for someone else to recognise it made her feel all the more thankful for all that everyone had done for her.
"Now then, with our quest concluded, we must convene to continue our earlier discussion," Fischl declared, her visible eye sparkling with enthusiasm. "Join us, Lady Megistus as we are all bound by a common thread and must celebrate! Lady Furina is well versed in the stories of her homeland and has recently begun her venture into tales of the Prinzessin."
"I see, so that's what's got you so excited," Mona began. "Well, I'm not opposed to that. I suppose whatever you have planned can be some form of compensation for having me find something you lost yourself."
Furina also wasn't against the overall idea however celebrating wasn't quite the word she'd use. With what she was being invited to, she felt there wasn't much more thought that needed to be given to what they could do.
"A tea party should do nicely, shouldn't it?" Furina suggested. "It shouldn't be too hard to set up. We can move some things around and I can go back to Fontaine to get cakes and sweets."
Mona was immediately enthused by the plan. "Fischl, as your Archmage, I insist we embark on this endeavour."
"Then we are in agreement!" Fischl beamed, hardly able to contain her excitement. "A most splendid idea indeed, Lady Furina." She grabbed Mona's wrist and tugged her along. "Come, we shall enlist the help of Tubby while Lady Furina prepares a wonderous selection of delicacies."
As Fischl dragged a complaining Mona away, Furina considered what she could get. She knew couldn't get too much on such short notice but that was no reason to cut corners.
She hadn't had a proper tea party since stepping down as Archon. Having little drive to even leave the house in the immediate aftermath of her abdication was a large contributor to it and she couldn't get herself in the mood to suggest a tea party to Clorinde when she visited. Even recently, Clorinde, Neuvillette and Aether were usually busy and wouldn't have had the time to dedicate to truly appreciate the full tea party experience.
Oh, and there had been the time she went to the café with Aether and Paimon before they went shopping. She supposed that didn't quite count even though tea and cakes were involved.
That was just… spending time with friends?
At least, that was what she told herself after feeling certain that it couldn't have been a date. After all, how could it be considered a date if Paimon was also there and she hadn't even felt the way she did now back then?
If she could arrange for something similar again however…
Furina slapped her cheeks and willed herself to tune back in to the present. There was a tea party to arrange.
Still no sign of Furina.
Aether didn't imagine she would have gone far but he had looked all over the area beyond the walls of the Court of Fontaine and she was nowhere to be found.
It wasn't supposed to be such a frantic day.
He didn't have much in mind for the day besides the usual commissions and browsing Beaumont's Workshop. On the way, it was impossible to miss what was going on outside Furina's apartment block. It seemed strange to hear that there had been a flood of the entire building but the damage spoke for itself and the residents had been forced to relocate.
Putting the cause of the flood aside, he wondered where Furina was.
Her neighbours might have had an idea where she went, which would have been helpful if they also hadn't had to evacuate or if he knew who they were. That left going to see Neuvillette as an option since he was covering her expenses for accommodation. Eventually deciding the Chief Justice didn't need to get involved for what was a trivial matter, he and Paimon had set off to find Furina themselves.
She was probably fine but it wouldn't hurt to make sure.
Issues arose when no matter who they asked, no one had seen Furina since the day before. She hadn't checked into any hotels and, thinking about how she usually enjoyed spending her time, they hadn't seen her sitting down at any cafes either.
That was odd. Even though Furina was becoming more outgoing, Aether couldn't picture her going far by herself.
Trying to put himself in Furina's headspace upon receiving a Vision, the first thing that came to mind was her wanting to accomplish something she couldn't before. That being said, what would have been off limits for her even as Archon?
Thinking further back to their last outing, Aether felt like he had stumbled upon a potential lead. When slimes appeared in their path while with the troupe, Furina was forced to admit her helplessness at dealing with the threat at hand, minimal though it may have been. There may have not been anything else open to her with a Vision in the Court of Fontaine proper, but she now had some combat ability with it.
With what she had said about her activities being 'personal matters', why did he feel like Furina had developed some kind of vendetta against a creature in the past that she had inadvertently stumbled upon and annoyed?
He hated how plausible that sounded.
Combined with what they had heard about he not being seen since the day before, there was cause for concern. What if she headed out the day before and hadn't come back?
Leaving Paimon to continue looking around the city, Aether headed for the outskirts. With each passing moment, his worry deepened, his mind racing with countless possibilities of what could have happened to her.
Furina already beat herself up enough about feeling useless and it was giving him the horrible feeling that she was throwing herself headfirst into danger to feel like less of a burden.
His mind drifted back to when they last parted. He recalled the vulnerability in her eyes after she had summoned up every bit of courage she had to show him how she felt. Though they had gone their separate ways not long after, Aether couldn't deny how his own emotions had stirred.
There was a warmth in his heart whenever they were together and her presence had brought a lightness to his life in recent times. The memories of her fascination with his travels, her unbridled joy when she first used the wind glider and when she was there to comfort him all had him feeling like there was far more between them than just a friendship.
What if she wanted to be able to do more for him? Furina had always expressed how happy and thankful she was for everything he had done and she had said that she wanted to be there to do what she could for him even if she didn't think it would amount to much, Now with a Vision, there was definitely more that she could do directly if she wanted to join him on a commission or something similar but he hardly had that in mind when she told him that or when he told her he could rely on her.
Aether looked out over the water and grit his teeth, a growing sense of dread settled in his chest. It was all hypothetical but he would never forgive himself if anything had happened to her.
Why didn't he ask her for more details or better yet, why didn't he insist on going with her? He could just picture her responding with a huff and claim that she would begrudgingly accept the offer to accompany her. Maybe it might have been a little too much for her at the time given that she had kissed him on the cheek not long after but at least he would have known where she was.
"Aether!" Paimon called as she flew over.
"Anything?" he asked.
Paimon looked uneasy and shook her head. "Paimon couldn't find her anywhere. She can't be at the Opera either. No one in the aquabus station said they saw her board any of the buses."
Aether clenched his fist. How could Furina have just disappeared without anyone seeing her? At the point they were at, getting Neuvillette involved would be the next best move. The sooner the better. He'd never forgive himself if anything happened to her.
"Argh, how can everyone have not seen Furina of all people?" Paimon ran her hands through her hair frantically before suddenly stopping. "Wait, maybe she's messing around with her Vision and she can do what Yelan does where she… uh Paimon forgets how but she can turn invisible or something. They both have Hydro Visions and it's not like Furina could have just vanished from Fontaine completely!"
Just as he was about to tell his companion that they should see Neuvillette, Paimon's words brought forward the large oversight he had been making. "Wait," he said, his eyes widening with realisation. "That could be it."
"Huh, about the invisible thing? How are we supposed to find her then?!"
Aether retrieved his Realm Dispatch and looked at it dumbly. "Maybe she did vanish from Fontaine completely."
"I see, so Oz can also act as your eyes when you're investigating," Furina nodded and turned to her Salon members, wondering if she could find similar uses for them.
Fischl looked proud of herself as she set her teacup down. "Quite so, even with the restrictions placed upon him so as to not bring utter devastation to this world, Oz is talented in many things despite appearing as but a mere raven to most."
"Ranging from a literal bird's eye view to a parasol" Oz said.
"I wouldn't worry too much about expanding on their capabilities," Mona commented. "They've been quick to learn the art of the tea party given they were only summoned for the first time yesterday."
Furina hummed in agreement. "Still, I won't be having tea parties all the time, much as I'd like to. They could stand to learn how to make themselves useful in my day to day routine."
Though she was used to her tea parties usually having more planning and time to prepare, Furina could hardly complain with the results. There was already a variety of tea to choose from in the house itself and following a quick trip back to Fontaine to buy a modest selection of cakes from Café Lutece, she was all set. She was enjoying herself and Fischl and Mona were more than happy to take part.
Furina had then decided that the first order of business when she could return home was to check on her hopefully undamaged tea set and provide another as a contribution to the teapot realm.
Her attention was then caught by Fischl waving her hand at something she had just noticed. Looking in the same direction, Furina found a dumbfounded looking Aether and Paimon. Was it just her or did they both seem to breathe a large sigh of relief upon seeing her?
"What ho, Aether and Paimon, my dear companions. Join us in our revelry, for we are welcoming the newest addition to the Immernachtreich and celebrating with our first official tea party!"
Aether and Paimon exchanged bewildered looks before Paimon shrugged and said it would be rude to not help themselves. They approached, greeting the group.
"Is something wrong?" Furina asked. "You both look like you were worried about something a moment ago."
"Yeah, you could say that," Aether gave an embarrassed chuckle. "We passed by your place and didn't know where you went. Guess I kinda forgot that you could come here."
"We were looking all over the place!" Paimon chimed in. "Everywhere we went, no one said they'd seen you at all."
"O-oh, I've just been here," Furina tugged at a strand of hair. "After the, uh, accident at my home, I've been trying to get better with my Vision here. Then I just happened to meet Fischl and Mona and here we are."
"It's hardly the strangest set of activities I've been a part of," Mona said. "I can't say running into Furina so soon after leaving Fontaine followed by a tea party was what I expected when I was dragged here by a certain someone but I can't complain."
Fischl nodded in agreement. "Indeed, our Grand maîtresse de cérémonie does not disappoint." Furina shrunk into her chair, trying to hide her face from Aether and Paimon's bemused looks. "One looks forward to your future service, Lady Furina."
"Ahaha, this is embarrassing…"
"I'd say you'll get used to it, but I can't say I have myself yet." Mona sighed.
"Ooh, Paimon's looking forward to the next time we get the gang all together again." Paimon said between mouthfuls of cake.
With Paimon continuing on into her own anecdote, Fischl correcting Paimon's use of the word 'gang' to refer to her subjects and Mona trying to clarify that she wasn't getting involved, Furina felt like she could withdraw from the conversation. At that thought, she glanced to the Aether who had sat next to her. She quickly tried to turn away when she found him already looking to her.
"We were really worried about you, Furina," he said softly, his voice filled with concern. Furina felt her heart skip a beat at the intensity of his expression.
Trying to brush off his concern, she let a faint smile play on her lips. "Oh, you're just saying that."
Aether didn't seem at all deterred by her deflection, reaching out and took her hand. Furina's breath hitched at the unexpected contact. Her gaze shot to her hand in his and then to his face.
"I mean it," Aether continued, his eyes never leaving hers. "No one had seen you all day and I thought something had happened to you."
Furina stammered, unable to articulate any of the thoughts that ran through her mind. Her cheeks were burning and she felt like her heartbeat could be heard by everyone present.
Some degree of salvation came when Mona made a point of interrupting whatever Fischl and Paimon were talking about.
"Ah, Fischl, allow me to show you where I found your book," Mona urged. "I don't want to be dragged into doing this again."
"Y-yes, verily, my thoughts exactly," Fischl replied, seeming all too eager to escape from the brewing situation. "We must attend to this... rift in spacetime as to, um, save future reading material from meeting the same fate. Come Paimon, lest we need to appease this being with emergency sustenance!"
"Wahh, at least let Paimon take some cakes!"
Now left alone with Aether, Furina wasn't sure whether to feel releived or more worried about what could happen. She was at least able to find her voice again.
"Y-you really didn't have to worry so much," she tried again. "Things didn't quite go they way I thought they would when I first tried using my Vision so I just wanted to make sure I knew how to use it properly next time. My apartment just wasn't the right place for it, hehe..."
Aether's brow furrowed, which made her realise she'd only dug herself deeper into a hole. "What do you mean things didn't go right?"
Furina stayed silent for a moment and looked down his hand still holding hers.
"...Promise you won't laugh?" she eventually said quietly. "When I was Archon, my presence must've disturbed a local phantasm and back then, I couldn't do anything so I thought, with this, I could..." There was a slightly tighter grip on her hand and Furina trailed off when her explanation appeared to have the opposite effect she hoped for.
"The local legend?" he asked simply. At her nod, he sighed deeply. Admittedly, she hadn't looked into what gave the monster the title, only feeling excited that it was still around so she could teach it a lesson.
"I'm fine, though," she offered, predicting what he would say next. "I didn't get hurt, I just got soaked. I know I shouldn't have gone after it the way I did but it helped me to focus on what I wanted from my Vision." Furina gestured to her constructs. "Look, these three will be able to look after me."
"Furina," he began, before biting his lip, looking unsure of how to proceed. "I can see that you're not hurt but that thing is really dangerous. I know you thought it was for a just cause but you know you don't have to prove anything to anyone, right? You were lucky to get away from it unscathed and I don't even want to think about what could have happened if things went differently."
He took her other hand, clasping both between his own, and looked directly into her eyes. "You're important to me, Furina. More than you realise."
The three salon members suddenly popped as Furina's heart swelled with emotion at his words. A feeling of warmth spread through her as her hands settled into his but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his own.
"I-I didn't know you cared so much about me," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aether's expression softened. "Of course I do."
Furina felt her cheeks flush with warmth as she took in his words, repeating them to herself. Yet, some part of her was urging her to continue, feeling that, in these circumstances, she could push further. The rational part of her mind told her that she should be happy with things as they were.
She had already had enough fortune recently with finally being free, having people care about her as a person rather than an Archon and receiving her Vision. Being selfish was never a luxury she could afford in the past but...
What if it really was alright?
Surely now she could put herself first just this once.
She hesitated, knowing that whatever she said, she would have to live with . "Th-then... you must have noticed... how I feel."
There was no immediate response from Aether which left Furina's heart pounding in her chest. There wasn't any shock in his expression and his hands never left her which she took as a good sign. She wanted to be hopeful, to believe that there was some chance he might feel the same way about her, yet doubt gnawed at her as the seconds passed, telling her to brace herself for disappointment.
She could only ask herself why she had thought to push her luck. They were having a nice time and he'd expressed how much he cared about her. She should have been happy with what she had.
Finally, Aether spoke, his voice gentle and sincere as he appeared to be searching for the right words. "Furina, you really mean a lot to me," he had begun to say.
Furina felt her heart sink, fearing the rejection she had dreaded. She forced herself to look down at their hands, enjoying what little time she thought she would have left of the feeling.
"I can't even begin to tell you how lucky I am and how amazing It's been to see you so happy after everything we've done together recently..."
She felt one of his hands leave hers and rest on her cheek. Her eyes shot back up to meet his.
"...and nothing would make me happier than to see where your future journey leads together."
Furina's breath caught in her throat as she processed what he said. Aether's words hung in the air and a moment of silence passed between them. Furina's expression gradually shifted from disbelief to one of hope and overwhelming joy.
"I never thought... even when I was Archon, I never even dreamed that I'd... " Unable to finish her thoughts with perhaps her brightest smile crossing her face, Furina threw her arms around Aether, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Aether returned the hug, holding her close. "You're not going to be alone again, Furina. I'll be by your side."
Thinking to herself that, for so many years, that was all that she wanted, Furina pulled back to look him in the eyes again. Seeing the warmth and sincerity in his eyes and afraid anything she said wouldn't come out coherent, Furina only offered a shy smile.
They had shared hugs before but that was fine. Her heart was already soaring and she didn't think she could bring herself to be any more bold than she already thought she had been. She couldn't ask for anything better.
When she noticed Aether leaning slightly closer than he had been before, she wasn't about to complain though.
Furina closed the remaining distance between them and their lips met in a fleeting kiss.
Her pulse quickened as she felt the warmth of Aether's lips against hers, a feeling unlike any other washing over her. As soon as their lips met, Furina realised she had let herself get caught up in the moment and had no idea of what she was supposed to do next.
Her thoughts were already a jumbled mess before and she had nothing to draw upon to help her. Yet she soon found any coherent thought falling to the wayside as her instincts took over, responding to Aether with a natural ease.
When they parted, Furina had no concept of time in her mind. It could only have lasted mere seconds, surely. As she finally felt she had processed the whirlwind of emotions, Furina let go and sat back.
"Th-that was... haha... I've never felt so happy." Still feeling giddy, she finally pulled her eyes away and fidgeted in place, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Oh gosh, s-sorry, give me a moment."
"I hope that's enough to put an end to any other quests for vengeance against anything else you've got on the wrong side of over the years," Aether chuckled.
Her previously short circuited thoughts were instantly put back in order. Furina turned back to him, not sure what she expected from him following what had just transpired, only that she was sure it wouldn't come back to her previous failure. However she refused to let her spirit be dampened.
"Vengeance? Please, it was for a just cause and besides, the foul creature has added yet another transgression to its list." She then poked him in the chest repeatedly. "And I recall you saying you were going to be by my side so I expect you to accompany me on my next attempt."
"Alright, alright," Aether laughed, trying to bat her hand away as she continued to jab her finger at him. "Shouldn't we put that aside for now and find the others though? The tea will get cold if it isn't already."
"Ah!" Furina frantically inspected what was left over of her tea party. "Help yourself, there's still plenty to be had." She hastily grabbed a plate and cake, shoving it in front of him. "Let me retrieve my guests, I can't have them think this is a regular occurence I allow as a host."
With that, Furina made a swift exit to find where everyone went.
By herself, she replayed everything that just happened in her head, as if convincing herself that she wasn't in a dream. Her heart fluttered again and a joyful smile spread across her face. She never wanted the feeling to end but for now she couldn't let it distract from her duties as host.
She wasn't about to let a tea party arranged by her of all people to have anything go to waste.
Afterwards, she could look forward to her future with Aether all she wanted.