hydrangeabloom | (no subject)

[ Above them, some grey clouds have started to roll in, making what was previously a pleasantly blue sky look more like a used rag in several places. It's not the kind that portends a heavy downpour, bur rather signifies a slight shift in the Hydro Dragon's mood. ]

Yes. By destroying the throne and returning the power stolen by usurpers, Focalors made me the final judge of Fontaine and its citizens.

[ Not the Heavenly Principles. He thinks back on Focalors' final moments as she finished explaining her plans to him, bidding him farewell as she stepped into her dance, moving around the stage with that massive sword of condensed Indemnitium following her and hanging directly above her head throughout the whole scene; he doesn't know if she had thought it appropriate to end this centuries long "drama" this way, or if it was something as mundane as wanting to do something human in the few seconds she had left.

After all, that is all she had wanted for herself—"In my eyes, to be human is to be part of the greatest opera ever known."

A few raindrops begin to fall to the earth in an uneven cadence, splashing their hair and clothing. Neuvillette isn't outright weeping, but the equivalent of an errant tear has escaped to drift along the dragon's cheek. Nevertheless, he continues, voice just as steady as before. ]

My predecessor was the beating heart commanding the Primordial Sea that birthed all native life in this world. Unlike Egeria who could only create an incomplete race of facsimiles, I was able to grant all Fontainians true humanity and thus absolve them of their sin.

[ "I came to care for the species seeded by the foreign invader that had upended the ancient world. Unbeknownst to me, that was exactly what Focalors wanted—"

Zhongli's mind drifts to the curtain call of his own Archonhood, a play also wrought of his own design. He remembers the look of betrayal on a certain Harbinger's face then. One that he had traveled all this way to make amends for as it had taken so very very long for Zhongli to understand the pain that he went through. After all, what was the pain of one individual weighed against the good of a nation? To measure strictly by what is fair and the best outcome for the many, the plight of the one is always ignored.

(Is it the title that makes them the Archons behave this way? The responsibilities. Or perhaps only beings prone to such dispositions ever rose to the ranks of Archon in the first place.)

Raindrops start to dampen his coat and hair as Zhongli reaches out a hand to catch one in his palm. It's wonderous and terrible in a way — that the hydro dragon can only express his sorrow in such a manner.

Will Neuvillette then too crack and splinter like the rest of them had over time? Or would being a Sovereign grant him the strength to avoid such a fate?

Zhongli takes a deep breath, fingers curling around the water pooling in his palm — asks the question that he should have asked back then — back in the halls of the Northland Bank. ]

Do you regret the part you were forced to play in all this?

"Forced" is not the word I would use. I willingly accepted her invitation and I don't regret the life I've made.

[ To Neuvillette, the word forced implies compulsion or coercion, without the individual's voluntary consent or choice. Neither Furina or Focalors did such a thing; Focalors had simply penned the letter and likely left some instructions for Furina on how to receive their guest should he arrive in Fontaine. Furina only knew the bare minimum about her divine half's plans; she had been kind and encouraging as he had taken his first tentative steps into the human world he had rejected as a young child over a thousand years ago.

He could have left Fontaine and returned to his previous life at any point and no one could've stopped him. There were a few times he considered doing so, early on, but the thought never materialized into reality as he continued to find reasons to stay. Law school had been difficult and exhausting, but had given him a sense of purpose and meaning he had lacked when he was living out the wilderness. He came to see the value in both his own work and in all the endeavors of the people of Fontaine, feeling pride and fulfillment in carrying out his duties as a judge. ]

I am glad my power was returned to me after a lifetime of aching for that missing part of myself. [ He continues, closing his eyes for a moment as scattered raindrops hit his face, cold yet soothing. ]

But I wish it had happened in different circumstances, where I wasn't an unwitting piece in a scheme that ended with her killing herself in front of me.

[ The sight of the sword slicing through her body like the blade of a guillotine will haunt him for decades, possibly even centuries; it has been indelibly etched upon his memory. ]

[ Perhaps forced is too strong a word for such an situation, but Zhongli can see how Focalors had guided all of them to this conclusion — the risks calculated and the ends justifying the methods. Perhaps that is simply the way of the Archons as Rex Lapis cannot claim he was any different during his rule. (Cannot really claim that he is any different now in his retirement.) Nor was Makoto on the day she followed the call, leaving her sister Ei behind. And now the Tsaritsa follows that same path with her own grand schemes.

It's strange. Perhaps he should feel more trepidation at a sovereign regaining their power. It was something that the Archons always knew to be wary of, and it would be well in the hydro soveriegn's right to be angry with the Archons for what they had lost to them. And yet— Neuvillette had been cooperative and even courteous in allowing Zhongli to remain in Fontaine for purposes that could only be described as meddling. He knew the entire time who Zhongli was and let him wander his land freely as long as he conducted himself according to Fontaine's rules.

And yet here they are sharing stories as if they were— well, friends. And were they friends? Zhongli had no reason to not believe so, at least from his side. Because there are some stories that can only be shared with the understanding that the listener resonates with the storyteller. And this— this seems like one such story. Who else can understand the magnitude of such a tale except those who have lived to see as much as someone like Zhongli has.

He does not congratulate (or even acknowledge) the return of Neuvillette's powers. To do so would be too awkward. However— ]

Life is full of people that we treasure. Families, friends, loved ones, the community to which we belong, the nation that we call our home.

But sometimes, there are brief encounters, unexpected in their intensity, that stay with us forever. I am sorry for your loss and for what you experienced that day. That the chapter will close as is with no chance to get to know her more than in those fleeting moments.

But I am glad that you are sharing such a tale with me. And glad that she will live on in your heart and memories.

Is that not the greatest gift that can be given to one who sacrificed so much for the sake of others?

[ Above their heads, some of those gloomy clouds begin to part, allowing shafts of sunlight to pass through the gaps. Although he can't quite figure out why, it seems that sharing his encounter with the God of Justice has taken a burden he wasn't even aware he was carrying off his shoulders. He didn't feel this way when he told everything to Furina, possibly because he could tell from the start it would not bring her any comfort, whereas with Zhongli... it feels akin to removing a splinter lodged in one's finger.

It's strange, feeling this way when the man next to him is one of the usurpers he intends to call to trial in the distant future. He does not like Zhongli. He had only allowed his involvement as long as all rules were followed to the letter because it's his sworn duty as the Iudex to uphold and apply the law fairly and impartially, even when the Lord of Geo himself enters his territory to stick his nose in foreign affairs. And yet working with him has been... tolerable, even if he only uses that word begrudgingly. He doesn't want to like him.

...Emotions are a complicated labyrinth to navigate, and it doesn't seem like it will get easier anytime soon. ]

I agree; the dead deserve to be remembered, not just because they died, but for why they died. [ "You speak with wisdom befitting your age sometimes," is the thought that follows but is not spoken out loud. A Sovereign should not be praising one of the Usurpers in that manner.

A single raindrop lands on his forehead; it seems to be the last one. ]

Thank you for listening, Monsieur Zhongli.

[ Zhongli presses his fingertips to the fallen drop, pulling it down to look at it before it is absorbed into the thick leather of his glove.

"Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry."

Is it a blessing or a curse — to have one's very element give away one's deepest feelings? The earth had never betrayed Zhongli's own personal inner turmoil at the difficult decision he had to make. Something he had always considered a necessity until now. And though he does not regret it, though he is thankful for it, perhaps in another place and another lifetime... ]

Of course. I would not wish for this chapter of your journey to close with regrets. Not with the difficult path that lies before you.

Lady Furina has stepped down, yes? Which means her responsibilities will fall to you for the time being. Even though the loss of life was minimal, the damage to Fontaine itself is not. For all that you and your country have taken care of me in the last few months, I only wish to see that repaid in full.

[ It is a bit of a roundabout way to show his support for Neuvillette stepping in to watch over Fontaine. Zhongli rose to the title of Archon because that was what would ease his people's suffering — it was never about power or control for him. In this way, he sees a little of himself in Neuvillette's own ascension, not quite understanding the attachment to mortals— perhaps driven more by justice and fairness than anything— but devoting himself to their well-being all the same.

During that time, Rex Lapis had many people he could rely on and be supported by. And surely Neuvillette does as well and does not need the meddling of an ex-Archon. But perhaps for selfish reasons, Zhongli this once would like to support rather than lead. If only for a short time. (He could never keep himself from Liyue for too long, after all.) ]

[ With his bout of sadness having receded, Neuvillette reaches up to flick some water out of his bangs as he considers Zhongli's words; it's rather roundabout, but he... supposes he can appreciate a sentiment of support, even if it comes from a former Archon. ]

Yes, she has been relieved of her duties and will spend the rest of her mortal years as an ordinary human now that her curse of immortality has been lifted.

[ This isn't something he wants to think about—the knowledge that the person he worked with for over four centuries will be gone in approximately five to seven decades—so he pushes it to the recesses of his mind. He will figure out how to process it once that day actually comes and fretting about it now is not going to do him any good at all. ]

As the now sole ruler of Fontaine, I will carry out my newfound responsibilities with dedication. The duty of the Hydro Sovereign and the duty of the Iudex shall coexist within my person.

[ He had said the same thing to Lumine and Paimon not long ago, when the pair sought him out behind the Opera Epiclese. With his full power restored, he wants to settle the blood debt owed by the Seven (now the Six) and the one seated on their throne in the skies, but Fontaine comes before everything else and that includes his personal grievances. His people (his creations in a sense) needs a leader to set the course and keep things steady; although most are optimistic about the future ahead, a certain sense of unease permeates the populace after a no doubt traumatic experience. ]

[ The Sovereign and the Iudex now as one — a story unfolding parallel to the Tsaritsa's own ambitions. All paths converging to an inevitable and inescapable conflict. It fills Zhongli with an uncertainty he has not felt in many centuries though he has no voice to give his doubts or concerns, ambiguous as they are.

Perhaps for the time being, he should just let things be. The Traveler still had two more countries until this leg of their journey was complete. The final curtain call (while looming) was not yet upon them. ]

A tremendous undertaking indeed.

Then while I still am in this country, please allow a humble consultant from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to offer his assistance before returning home. This land has been kind to him and seen his friend safe—

[ Injured as Childe may be, Zhongli knows him well enough that the fight must have been a thrilling experience for him. Perhaps enough to soothe his anger at his wrongful imprisonment. ]

— and back to his own home.

[ Or so the Traveler had told him as she departed on her next journey. One more duty fulfilled and the reason Zhongli came to Fontaine after all. ]

[ What Neuvillette wants is to tell him that his assistance is not necessary and to get out of his country immediately, but he holds his tongue. His personal feelings don't matter here. Zhongli is offering something Fontaine needs a lot of right now; even though their reconstruction efforts are going as smoothly as they possibly can, it doesn't feel like there are enough hands on deck. He had actually taken out some of the exiles serving time for lesser offenses in the Fortress of Meropide, offering reduced sentences and monetary compensation in exchange for physical labor. ]

Fontaine could use any help it can get; thank you kindly for the offer.

[ He says after a short moment, keeping his words coolly polite as he looks to Zhongli. ]

There are many reconstruction sites that could use assistance from a skilled Geo user. Or, if you would prefer doing something more social, there are children in need of a tutor until more schools reopen.

[ Or soup kitchens in need of volunteers, and so on... the list of ways Zhongli could help is almost endless. ]

[ Poised and proper, Monsieur Neuvillette. Zhongli can't help the small tug of a smile at how polite he is being when millennia of bad blood exist between Archon and Sovereign. But the Chief Justice remained laser focused on what was best for Fontaine and her people. It is a testament to his character and his goodwill, truly the nation could only improve under his care, nurtured by the love and unwavering dedication of its former rulers.

(A testament to perhaps another inevitable change. As the age of humanity rose, perhaps it was time for the rule of the Archons to fade into history.) ]

Both sound like areas that I might be able to offer aid. I thank you for your abundance in patience or generosity.

[ Ah, but even so, the scales seemed tipped in Neuvillette's favor, even if Zhongli's the one offering recompense. His Harbinger friend was safe. Neuvillette has never once threatened to expose his identity even if it may be advantageous to do so. And even being allowed to stay beyond his welcome felt more like a generosity than anything.

It reminds Zhongli of when he was younger, unused to holding the reigns of a nation he sword to love and protect. It also reminds him of the words his friends would whisper in his ear when it seemed he was taking on the whole world— ]

And I hope perhaps that someday that favor can be returned in kind.

[ Yes, Zhongli thinks he would like to spend time with Neuvillette when not knee deep in a nationwide disaster. ]

[ A brief silence settles between the two as the Iudex considers the other man's words. Unless he's wildly misinterpreting something, it almost sounds like he wishes to spend more time with him... but why? They're not friends. Quite the opposite, in fact; Zhongli is an enemy who owes a debt of blood for his part in upholding Celestia's illegitimate regime. For sealing the rightful ruler of Geo deep beneath the earth in Nantianmen. Perhaps he mistakenly thinks they're friends and is trying to replicate the bond he supposedly shared with Azhdaha all those centuries ago. ]

I need no personal favors in return, Monsieur. [ He replies, maintaining a carefully neutral tone that doesn't betray the enmity simmering deep within. ]

Simply do what you can for Fontaine, and return home once you're satisfied. I will pay the remainder of the debt you owe the hotel.

[ He tries to frame it as his way of thanking him for his surprisingly useful assistance over these past few months, but in reality he's just looking to get the former Archon out of his hair. With how slowly he's been paying off the debt he incurred, Neuvillette is starting to think he might end up staying here for years if he doesn't step in and do something.

Meanwhile, the vishap that had been eyeing Zhongli's shoe earlier is now sinking its teeth into the heel and trying to pull it off the other man's foot. ]

[ While Neuvillette is as dignified and respectable as ever, the slight tone shift between them does not go unnoticed. It is to be expected of course that Archons and Sovereigns would have a difficult time co-existing with all that came before. The companionship he had shared with Neuvillette, while certainly unconventional at times, was one that Zhongli could share with very few beings in Teyvat. But ah— perhaps he had once again been wrapped up in his own selfishness without seeing the world as it must appear through the eyes of a still young reincarnated dragon.

Had their conversation not been fraught with the secret of the second Hydro Archon's passing and now this sudden return to formality, Zhongli might indulge in playing with the young vishap. As it stands now, however, the conversation had taken a turn that needed careful navigation, so the poor hatchling will chomp down on a jade shield that forms over Zhongli like a second skin — footwear saved from an unpleasant end for the time being.

As if in quiet apology, a small whirling ball of geo energy coalescences just to the side of the young vishap — an intricate floating cube. It spins idly in the air for a few moments before drifting off to one side in an obvious game of fetch.

A game that Zhongli currently is paying only the barest amount of attention to as he regards Neuvillette with as much composure and companionship as their months together have so tentatively forged. ]

Ah, perhaps that was worded poorly. I seek not for a exchange of favors, Monsieur. But for your company if you ever wish to travel to Liyue.

Though perhaps I have overstayed my welcome here. This, too, I understand, if you wish for our collaboration to end with the conclusion of the prophecy.

[ The vishap winces as it inadvertently bites into something solid as stone, glaring down at the shoe as though it's somehow to blame for this before it gets distracted by the cube that materializes out of thin air. It tilts its head, staring at it for a few seconds before it breaks into a sprint, chasing after it, having practically forgotten about the shoe. Neuvillette spares the young creature a quick glance before returning his gaze to the other dragon.

Well, false dragon. Zhongli may take the form of something that looks like a dragon, but Neuvillette doesn't consider someone with no relationship to the vishaps a true dragon. A hare and a rabbit may look similar but are entirely different species, after all. ]

I doubt I will leave Fontaine anytime soon. Now that the Oratrice has ceased to function, I'm personally powering the nation with Pneumousia until a viable alternative is found.

[ He deliberately phrases it in a manner that can be interpreted as him not being able to leave at all; it's true that he can't travel too far from Fontaine, but as far as he can tell he should at least be able to go to Chenyu Vale without causing any power outages. He's been thinking of perhaps going there briefly for the next Lantern Rite but Zhongli doesn't need to know that. There's no possible way they could run into each other there by chance, anyway. ]

Our collaboration has come to an end, but perhaps our paths will cross again in the future, Monsieur. [ The Sovereign will see to it that they will, once it's time to put him on trial. He then pauses, briefly, thinking back on his conversation with Skirk. ]

...There is one more thing I would like to bring up; if you are still in possession of the Geo Gnosis, I advise that you get rid of it as soon as possible.

[ It should not be strange to Zhongli that the more things change, the more that they stay the same. Whether Sovereign or Archon or Sovereign again, one seemed bound to their nation in so many more entrenched and intrusive ways than just duty. Or perhaps duty was the crux of the issue much like Fontaine was the source of all water. It is unsurprising that Neuvillette would be tethered even moreso to Fontaine after all that had transpired. But a small part of Zhongli hopes deep down that he does not have to be the nation's battery for too long. Such a system seems woefully easy (and tragic) to exploit.

But, ah, it seems that perhaps these next meetings were to be their last for quite a while unless Zhongli came to Fontaine again. For even if he did visit, what reason would he have to find a spot on the Chief Justice's very busy calendar? All questions with no answers at the moment.

The sudden shift to bringing up the gnosis catches him off guard, and thus Zhongli defaults to his most tried and true strategy — revealing little to none of his own hand as he does not at first answer Neuvillette's question. ]

Might I ask why you would suggest that?

[ Zhongli's response doesn't say anything whether he still has it or not, but that's fine. Neuvillette doesn't particularly care if the former Archons prefers to keep his cards close to his chest regarding this matter; he simply wishes to share what he personally considers to be deeply unsettling information. What Zhongli does with it is ultimately up to him. ]

After defeating the All-Devouring Narwhal, Lumine and I encountered Tartaglia's master, Skirk. She said she could smell the presence of something similar to a god's curse and then asked if I had "the remains of the Third Descender" on my person.

[ He explains as the vishap in his arms wakes, blinking groggily as it begins to squirm in his arms to be let down, which Neuvillette obliges immediately. It chirps happily and then wanders off to the side to instigate a play fight with one of its peers. ]

I do not know who this Third Descender is or how they died, but their corpse was carved up into the seven Gnoses. I don't think it's a good idea to hold onto the remains of the deceased; sooner or later, it will invite misfortune.

Thank you for letting me know.

[ A god's curse— well, isn't that one way to put it mildly.

Zhongli nods solemnly as he receives this information, his own tangled web of duty and contracts severely limiting what he can say or do in response to this situation. It seemed so unfair though, after all that Fontaine had gone through and how it had to struggle on its own to thwart prophecies and curses— that they should be rewarded with being kept further in the dark.

And was this not an olive branch offered to Zhongli himself? Rex Lapis was dead — so Neuvillette could easily assume that the gnosis was no longer in his possession. And yet, here he was offering a warning and for what — the safety of an ex-Archon wished by a reborn Sovereign?

(How everything was changing so fast as it all spiraled down to the quickly approaching conclusion.) ]

Monsieur Neuvillette.

[ He watches the vishap scurry off to play with its peers. Watches the other drag the glowing bit of rock to the other in its mouth, tailing thumping happily. ]

Do you know what a Descender is?

I haven't been told what it means, but I assume it refers to an individual originating from beyond Teyvat. Presumably, they must also possess a particular quality or characteristic to be called a Descender.

[ He's been mulling it over from time to time ever since his conversation with that mysterious woman, and this is the conclusion he's arrived at based on the minimal amount of information he currently has. Not all who come from outside of Teyvat are necessarily Descenders; if that were the case, wouldn't the All-Devouring Narwhal also be one? So there must be more to the title than just being a foreign entity. ]

The Traveler said she's the Fourth. If we take Descender to mean something along the lines of "outlander capable of disrupting the present world order," then the Heavenly Principles is likely the First.

[ And if this line of thought is correct, then there's only one obvious candidate for the Second: the invader who showed up to instigate a great war against the first usurper, ravaging the earth and rendering the skies asunder in the process. ]

[ Zhongli's nod is non-committal neither affirming or denying Neuvillette's line of reasoning. The logic was sound and the conclusions reasonable. ]

It seems that you are well-versed in this world's history.

[ Perhaps all then that was needed was a small nudge. ]

Should your responsibilities wane enough for you to investigate further, I believe the help of a neighbor might provide more wisdom.

[ Whether he means the newly freed Dendro Archon or going to visit fearsome (and grumpy) Apep is purposefully vague. But at least there might be less hostilities there between Sovereign and Archon, seeing as Dendro's own Sovereign still wandered the mortal plane. ]

As for your warning, I fear I'm a bit too old to deal with such misfortune. So I shall take your words to heart.

[ Or empty chest-cavity equivalent. ]

[ Neuvillette nods. He's far too busy to conduct an investigation into the matter at this time, but one day he will pay Buer a visit in the nation of wisdom; he wants to meet with her in person before rendering any judgment, so that would be a good opportunity to ask the little God of Verdure if she knows anything about these Descenders. ]

Unless there's anything else, that's all I wanted to discuss with you. I hope you will enjoy the rest of your stay here in Fontaine, Monsieur Zhongli.

[ To be continued... ]