Gia stared at the picture for minutes, which felt like hours to
her. "So, if I'm getting this correct, that thing instantly paints
the thing in front of it?" Gia asked, "And you get the picture it
paints ... for free? You don't the thing for it?" Her confusion was
limitless and she just stared at the picture.
"Let's just get to the camp and we'll go from there..." she said.
I may seem like a bunch of useless text, but I LIVE HERE and I
don't welcome visitors >:(
"You have to find the right kind of paper for it, but I won't
explain any more than that." Aspen didn't exactly know how it
worked himself, his father only explained how to use it, not how it
worked. He put the photo back in his pocket and continued on.
"We're pretty close, I'm pretty sure we're already in Liyue." he
remarked. He was still thinking about the temporary camps he
spotted by the river and wasn't able to shake off the anxiety that
had crept up on him. He shook his head as if it'd help, but it
wasn't effective.
"Okay, I like hunting for flowers..." Gia was still puzzled on how
the strange contraption worked, nevertheless, she continued with
what she likes to do, "My favorite one is the Calla Lily, my father
taught me how to make all sorts of food with it."
As she walked forward, she looked inside her own bag and pulled out
a small paper. Gia pointed her finger at it, stating, "You can use
crabs, a bit of mint, and a Calla Lily in order to make a great
seafood dish." She turned the paper to Aspen, "See?" she said
eagerly. Even if the recipe was practically illegalable, it still
had a sort of understandable equation to it. A small picture of a
crab, some mint, and a lily-like flower were all added together to
equal a decently drawn seafood dish.
I may seem like a bunch of useless text, but I LIVE HERE and I
don't welcome visitors >:(
While Aspen didn't quite understand the recipe, he probably
wouldn't have understood even if he had a better grasp on written
language, so he just nodded along. "There are some beautiful
flowers in Liyue," he commented. "Some are found on the peaks near
the camp if you're interested." He tried pointing out some of the
peaks that he knew had Qingxin flowers blooming on them, but could
only remember a few that he saw recently. "There are more areas
where they grow, but I can't remember them at the moment," He
clarified.
Eva watched the mysterious girl as she put her vision away. The
Polearm was still strapped to her back and she had no intention to
pull it out for now. She loved the beautiful patterns that slowly
creeped up the wooden staff, slightly wrapping around the end too.
"I've heard of those before, my father always had a painting of
them in his room. He said they gave him good luck and fortune." Gia
responded. Her boots clicked throughout as she kept her pace. Her
eyes were still sighting the mountains that Aspen had pointed to.
She wondered how much time it'll truly take to climb the mountains.
"You must know about a lot of things concerning mountains," she
smiled, "My father and I never left the house unless to go to
Monstadt and trade."
I may seem like a bunch of useless text, but I LIVE HERE and I
don't welcome visitors >:(
"Oh hello there!" a pale pink haired young woman with a pyro vision
on her belt waves to Jekylline. "Xin Sui sent you?" she says.
"Well, sit right down then!" she waves her into a comfortable seat.
"What hurts the most?" she asks, pulling on a pair of white
gloves.
Akane grips the spear a bit tighter. "There's to much elemental
energy around here." she murmurs. "Come on. Let's hurry. We'll have
company soon." she says to the group, as she hastens forehead.
After a few minutes, the group comes across a cliff above them.
"We'll have to climb." she murmurs, glancing back at her
companions. She sighs, spins the Jade Winged Spear again, and fire
surrounds the group. She crouches down and jumps. She reaches
upward with her hand, gripping the cliff's edge and swings upward.
She pants, tired. She had basically lifted the group with her
elemental skill up the cliff.
"Mind telling us why you were eavesdropping on us?" ZhongYun asked
tentatively, guard still up even after Eva hadn't shown any signs
of attacking. To be fair, they were wary of everyone but for now,
their biggest worries were the two women before them as well as
Jekyllines safety. If any hostiles found this camp, who knows what
harm could befall her.
"Uh, just head injury I think. Frostbite on the fingers maybe? I
can't really feel them." Jekylline rattled off, slumping over in
the seat. While she hated to be doing nothing, she also knew that
she'd be getting an earful from her sibling if she didn't at least
co-operate with the medical team
The pink haired woman nodded expertly. "My name is Xing Hua, I'm a
healer from Liyue." she says. She flicks her her pointer finger and
the tip of her finger ignites. She repeats this process for each of
her fingers and then takes Jekylline's hand. Jekylline can feel the
frost bite melt off her fingers. Strangely, she doesn't feel like
she's being burned at all.
Xin Sui narrows her eyes. The air around the three of them
practically crackles with electricity as the tension level raises.
"A question was asked. It is most polite to answer." she says
quietly, but critically. "No harm will come to those who speak."
she adds, quoting a book.
"Just Coincidence I guess, though I don't believe in them" Eva
answered, letting her hands comb through her silky hair. The way it
moved and felt to her hands reminded her of the wind itself. "i
can't stay in one spot forever you know?" she spoke again. "Not
with them around."
Staring at Eva for a couple more unnerving moments, they finally
relented and backed off. "What a convenient answer, but no matter."
They sighed, closing their eyes. They were a bit too tired to push
any further, nerves too high strung to properly assess the
situation. The tension bled out of them in one go and it was too
much effort to simply stand. Running frostbitten fingers over their
face, they could feel their own exhaustion and stress eating away
at them but placed a brave face for those present. "But if this
conversation is over, excuse me. I'd hate to impose on your camp
more than necessary."
Flexing her fingers, Jekylline whistled in appreciation. "Pyro?"
She guessed, her headache fading away. Overall she felt much better
like she could take on a tribe of hilichurls by herself. "I haven't
seen you before so I'm guessing you weren't employed with Bubu
Pharmacy and ran your own clinic? You're pretty good if that's the
case."
Xin Sui smiles a mournful smile. "Where do you propose you go
otherwise?" she says slowly. Her sad eyes reveal what she won't
say. "There is no other place for us. This is the only safe place
left."
Xing Hua nods cheerfully. "I started at Bubu pharmacy, but when I
received my vision, I broke off and started my own small clinic.
Much easier." she finishes with Jekylline's fingers. "I did love
Qiqi..." she says, somewhat sadly. "I mainly worked in Qingce
Village, they had the most... er... accidents there." she says.
"But I worked everywhere!" she adds.
"Well, I may have explored these mountains, but once we get out of
this part of Liyue I probably have just as much knowledge on the
area as you." he admitted. "And you get this sort of knowledge
after traveling for a while, so you will probably get a better idea
of the land as time goes on." he tried assuring her. He stopped to
look at the terrain and stopped his gaze at one area. "There it
is," he said, relieved that nothing major happened while he was
gone. "It may be a little basic, but it's home."
"... Fontaine. At least My Lady will be safer there." ZhongYun
admitted as if they hated the answer that they gave. They had a
vague idea of how to get there and while the journey would be
dangerous for Jekylline especially, it was a risk that both of them
had agreed was worth it. While this camp certainly was safe, sooner
or later the Fatui would find it and stamp it out. At least in the
land of justice, Jekylline could find refuge. Or at least that's
what they hoped
"I see... Qiqi was quite the sweetheart, yes." She agreed with a
laugh. "Impressive though, going around helping people like that."
Xin Sui's eyes blaze for a second. "You didn't hear then I
suppose." she says coolly, sounding as if she was very much trying
not to get angry.
Xing Hua nods again, more somberly this time. "It was hard work at
the start. But after I discovered my specialties, it got much
easier. I find everything is easier when you've found your
footing." she says, turning. She appears to be crushing the petals
of a white flower with a weird knife.
"Heard what..?" They asked voice matching Xin Sui's cold tone,
crossing their arms as they levelled her with a stare. Their calm
demeanour paved over their internal panic, fear beginning to nibble
away at their mask. While they knew that the whole continent of
Tyvalt was in disarray over the Fatui takeover, they knew that
Fontaine would be safe. As long as the nation's judicial ruling
hadn't toppled, Jekylline still had a chance to live by using the
laws of the land to her advantage.
Finding her footing... Mulling over those words as she watched Xing
Hua preparing powder, Jekylline nibbled at her lip. She knew that
she was still young and had time to learn but she always felt like
she didn't have any solid ground to even stand on in her life. She
had simply floated around, following her father's wishes and she
wondered what her specialty would be. "... How did you even find
your passion for healing?" She dared to ask
Xing Hua pauses. She squints a little, as if trying to remember. "I
met a girl. When I was small. She couldn't see." she begins. "One
day, we were playing with some flowers and... well she didn't see
the dendro slime." for once, the cheerful healer sounds bitter.
"Her screams haunted me for years. I wanted to find the cure for
everything. But I knew I couldn't. Not without help. I prayed to
the adepti of Jeuyan Karst. (not even bothering to try to spell
that right) I got an answer... it was one glowing glaze lily.
Within the glaze lily were seeds. I crushed up the seeds and
attempted to make them into a medicine of sorts. After much trial,
error and frustration. I succeeded. But I was too late. My friend
had... passed. And so I dedicated my life to trying to save
people." she says, finishing her story.
"The Fatui have taken over Fontaine as well." Xin Sui says,
sounding a million years old.
That was news for ZhongYun but they didn't waver. "Honestly I'd be
surprised if they haven't already. The Fatui have poisoned the
judicial system a long time ago, half of the jury acting as their
rats." They scoffed, worry wavering their voice slightly. "It's
rotten to the core but its still the safest option for My
Lady."
Ah, would it have been better if she hadn't asked? That was a bit
awkward but Jekylline nodded nonetheless. "I see... but in the end,
i suppose such a selfless act must have been spurred on by a
selfish intention. It is only just after all." She sighed to
herself.
Xin Sui scoffs. "The safest place for her is here. The safest place
for YOU is here." she says, somewhat softly. "You go out there, and
you'll die. Or she'll die. Or you'll both die. What good will that
do? Wouldn't you rather rid Fontaine of it's oppressors' and then
take her back? Wouldn't SHE would rather return to a place not torn
apart by war?" she asks.
"It never mattered what I want!" ZhongYun hissed, anger boiling
over into a simmering rage. "I don't get a say in this. Neither of
us did. The Master ordered My Lady to return so return she must,
regardless of whether or not it's safe to. Of course I want her to
stay here where there are other vision holders to protect her. Who
wouldn't? It's an Eden for vision holders, despite all its flaws.
But if we disobey and stay, justice will come for us and when it
does I can't protect her from what will come. No one is safe from
the scales of justice, not when its corrupt and twisted." They
finished bitterly, the anger leaving as quickly as it came. 'You've
spoken too much, now they'll use that evidence against you in
court' a voice that sounded suspiciously like their father
whispered, forcing them to ball up their fists. "We're just kids.
What can we do but obey?" was the whispered bitterness, defeated
and weak