you hide your face with your disguise // 'cause someone filled your head with lies

[monoceroscaeli]

[It had been a few days since the hunt for the Great Mujina Youkai had come to an end, having to say goodbye to the kids and to Yoimiya too. The ship that was to take him back to Snezhnaya would be arriving a bit later in the day, and Childe sighs as he sits back in his chair in the tent he's occupying in one such hidden Fatui camp. He had a great time in Inazuma. The country was beautiful, rich with a new culture to learn and all sorts of places to explore and fight new and more exciting enemies. All his things were in order- the gifts that he'd bought to bring back to his family, Teucer's Onikabuto in a little bug box with some food to keep it alive during the trip back- all he'd have to do is wait for the ship and he'd be on his way.

He tells himself that he'd return to the country one day, once tensions between the Fatui and the Shogunate calm down. It was a miracle that he was able to stay as long as he has, evading the Tenryou Commission. He has some people to thank for that, and he won't forget what they did for him while he's been here. Some gifts would be in order for them upon his return.

The Harbinger idly plays with a writing utensil between his fingers. He'd like to bring something from Snezhnaya for Yoimiya, too.

There's a sharp rap at his door, and Childe sighs. He doesn't really want to deal with work right now, perfectly happy reminiscing on the time he's spent in Inazuma before he leaves, but answers with a bored tone to his voice:]

Come in.

[An agent enters, bowing and standing at attention.]

Sir, we've captured a Tenryou Commission spy that was found sneaking around. We've taken her into custody and are awaiting your orders on how to deal with her.

[Childe's eyebrow raises. It should have been hard to find this camp, even by the Shuumatsuban. Somehow, doubt creeps into his mind, but stands from his chair.]

Alright, I'll deal with it myself. At least I can have one last bit of fun before I depart.

[The agent only bows once more, to lead Childe towards the prisoner. He knows better than to argue with the Harbinger, but feels sorry for the spy. The two cross the camp to another tent, the agent stopping him right before lifting the flap for his senior commander.]

She claims to be from the fireworks shop, but we've seen Tenryou soldiers stop frequently at it.

[Before he can answer, the flap is lifted to reveal a certain girl that he'd met not but a few days ago...]

Comments

[niwabi]

[ The sight of Ajax's warm, genuine smile combined with his blue eyes gazing down on her grips and tugs at her heart. No doubt the two of them are in for a rough night's sleep, not even the most hardened veteran would be able to slumber in peace with everything they have on their plate but seeing that wonderful smile spread across her lover's visage is yet another reminder that they made it and lived another day to rest in each other's arms. She's finally able to relax in his hold, feeling safe and secure from the harsh reality that a vile monster wants her dead. Maybe, just maybe, she can fall asleep to Ajax's warmth enveloping her.

I love you too, Yoimiya. Goodnight.

She'll never get tired of him proclaiming his love, it gives her the slightest bit of hope that Seraphina's influence has nothing on Ajax's willpower. This man has been through hell and back, there's no telling how many death-defying situations he's come out of, if there's anyone who can defy the whims of a crazy woman in love, it's him. From the bottom of her heart, she truly believes they will come out of this situation stronger than ever.

With that peace of mind, Yoimiya closes her eyes, nestles her face against Ajax's chest, and eventually, drifts off to sleep. What awaits her is not the sweet dreams of her lover she was hoping for, but instead...

She's all alone, pulled back to that same ocean she saw in the fog of her consciousness. Not a speck of light can reach the place she's at, there's nothing but pitch-black darkness and ice-cold water engulfing her body, her chest hurts, it feels like ice is pumping into her bloodstream, and she's unable to breathe. But instead of being scared, she's simply resigned to the fact that no one can dive in and pull her out. All she can do is accept her fate to sink endlessly into the sea with no hope of escaping.

Alone... ]

---

[ It's only when something soft and warm touches her that Yoimiya finally begins to stir. She blearily opens her eyes, immediately using Ajax's chest as a shield against the sunlight pouring into the room. Although she managed to sleep, it wasn't the relaxing rest she was hoping for. Still, she had a feeling this was going to be the case. Sleeping with a threat looming over them feels like an impossible task.

But... as soon as her vision comes to and she sees the wonderful sight of her boyfriend greeting her with his handsome face, she feels recharged and ready to face the world with him at her side. ]

Mm... morning Ajax.

[ She manages to crack a small, tired smile at him. ]

Breakfast sounds lovely. Does the hotel provide room service?

[monoceroscaeli]

[There she is. He's grateful that it didn't take a lot to wake her up, though he hopes she did at least get enough sleep. The shadow of the day before hasn't left him yet, and he won't tell her about how he thought about it all night until he finally passed out from exhaustion. But strangely, whatever he'd dreamt of the night before left a positive, warm feeling in his chest, so at least he was granted that much...]

It does, I suppose that means you're still tired and need a little more rest, huh?

[Which is okay. He wasn't sure if she'd have the strength or willpower to get up today, not after last night. He's sure she's absolutely sore and moving probably sounds like a terrible idea, but she'll have to get up to at least go to the bathroom or stretch her limbs.]

I can't guarantee the food they'll bring up will be better than what they serve in the Grand Bazaar, but it's edible. I guess I'm just leery of hotel food...there's always better choices around. Would you rather I go and fetch us something from one of the local shops? I don't mind.

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya nods in response, the aftermath of that brutal sex session hits her like a truck, the bruises that were left on her have bloomed overnight, leaving big red marks all over her chest and hips. And her legs... she doesn't dare move them, her whole lower half feels sore all over. She can already see herself falling flat on her face if she attempted to get out of bed right this very second. ]

Are you sure? I'd hate to force you on a fetch quest. I'd like to at least go with you...

[ She already feels awful for being such a burden on Ajax and the lack of good sleep isn't helping her anxiety. Yoimiya grunts and groans as she attempts to move, but try as she might, her legs feel too much like jelly to even slip out of bed, much less make the trip to even a nearby local shop. For a go-getter like her, the worst thing in the world is to be crippled and unable to move. ]

Sorry, I guess I really do need to spend the day in bed. If you don't mind grabbing breakfast from somewhere, I'd really appreciate it.

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's concerning to watch her fail to even get out of bed with how sore and battered she is, though not unsurprising. He still feels a wave of guilt wash over him to see her like this, given he was a big part of the reason why her body was in pain today. So he'll do anything for her, all she has to do is ask or even imply that she wants something.]

I will, please, stay in bed and try to rest. I'll go and bring back something nice for the both of us. I believe there's a cafe just down the street, so I won't be long.

[He leans down to plant a kiss to the top of her head, before going to get himself dressed to go out. Pants, his shirt, socks. No need to put on his full uniform.]

Don't fall asleep though, you wouldn't want to sleep through breakfast and have it get cold, now. I'll be back soon~

[Ajax quickly leaves so she doesn't wait too long for him. There's this nagging feeling that he really shouldn't leave her alone for too long, so he wastes no time at all making his way out of the hotel to get breakfast.]

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya nods and puts on her best reassuring smile to see him off. It pains her that he feels the need to go above and beyond for her when none of this is his fault. Seraphina is the sole perpetrator... is what she wishes to believe. Deep down inside, she still can't banish the thought of being partially at fault because she's so weak and ordinary.

But that's neither here nor there. Ajax seems much more rejuvenated than last night and doesn't wish to ruin the mood with her self-deprecation. It's short and sweet but the kiss to the top of her head gives her the warm fuzzies all over. She's so lucky to have a kind, caring, and considerate partner like Ajax. Now if only she could move, she'd be returning the kiss back like crazy. sobs. BUT! Yoimiya isn't about to let her lack of mobility get her down. Determined to give him some form of affection, she props her back against the pillow and blows him a kiss as he departs.

There! Now she feels a whole lot better already. Yoimiya giggles to herself as she gets comfy underneath the sheets, fantasizing about their delicious breakfast from a quaint little cafe. About five minutes after Ajax's departure, there's a knock at the door accompanied by a female voice. ]

Hotel cleaning staff! Are you in need of fresh towels and sheets?

[ Oh! Last night's harrowing events made her forget all about the hotel staff. Yoimiya contemplates sending them away to focus on getting some much-needed rest but after some consideration, she figures it wouldn't hurt to get a fresh change of sheets and towels. Thankfully, she's wearing one of her boyfriend's nightshirts long enough to cover her nude body, so she doesn't feel weird about letting anyone in. ]

Oh, what fantastic timing! Come on in! We used up all our towels last night and some spare sheets would be lovely.

[ Despite being in immense pain, her voice is loud as ever, able to reach the housekeeper's ears even as she shouts from the bedroom. Yoimiya will always have it in her to greet everyone with her warm disposition no matter the situation. With a click, a hotel maid enters the room with a cart full of cleaning supplies and the promised towels and sheets. ]

Sorry for interrupting you. I won't be but a minute.

[ Yoimiya waves off the apology with a smile. As far as she's concerned, this lass is just doing her job. ]

It's not a problem at all. Thank you very much.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Childe hurries down the street, swinging into the cafe and getting in line to order their food. Unbeknownst to him, something else has other ideas for the couple, and was just waiting for the right moment.

Back in the hotel room, the maid keeps the door open with a door stop, pushes the cart over to the bath where the two had been assaulted by Seraphina the night before, cleaning the area up a little bit and swapping out the towels they'd used. It's all a fairly quick, easy process, not needing to do a deep clean since the residents were there. She works quickly, gathering all of the mess up for them, depositing the dirty towels in a little bin on the cart, and turns the cart to push it back out of the room and leave Yoimiya to her business for the day.

Halfway through the room, the maid suddenly stops, and her body seems to go rigid for only a moment before returning to normal. However, she makes no moves to leave, instead fixing her gaze on Yoimiya.]

Ma'am, I'll need to swap out your bedsheets as well and make your bed up. If you could please allow me to do so, it won't take long.

[But even with or without permission, the maid comes over to the side of the bed where Yoimiya is, her eyes blank as she offers a hand for Yoimiya to take to help her out of bed. Like she expects her to comply, and get out of the bed for whatever time it would take to fix it, and won't take no for an answer.]

[niwabi]

[ The process is routine, not setting a single alarm bell off in her mind as Yoimiya reaches over the nightstand to grab a nearby magazine for her reading pleasure. She hums to herself as she flips through pages of Sumeru's beautiful landscape mesmerized and not at all paying close attention to the maid. It's only when she hears her voice that her attention is pulled away from the magazine in hand. She flickers her gaze over at the maid who is now at the side of her bed and offering her hand. Yoimiya looks at her hand and then back at the maid, the gesture is sweet but there's something about this that's not sitting well with her; hotel staff don't approach their guests without their permission... right? Still none the wiser, she tries not to think too hard about the exchange, brushing it off as her just being an attentive staff member.

Yoimiya gets ready to take her hand but then, stops at the very last second. ]

Wait a second...

[ It's then, a horrible realization occurs to her. ]

Why are you holding your hand out to me?

[ Sure, she might be lying in bed but there's no way this maid should know she's lying in bed because she can't move. Only herself and Ajax are aware of this fact.

The maid doesn't say anything for a few good seconds and simply stares at her guest with a blank expression that turns Yoimiya's blood cold. She closes her green eyes and when she finally opens them, the blonde is met with striking pink irises that will forever be burned into her memories. Before Yoimiya can react, she's suddenly grabbed by the arm and thrown onto the floor, her body hits the the ground with a sickening thud. She screams in pain as she's slammed onto the ground, her body has already been through the wringer after last night and now, it feels like she's getting thrown off a cliff. ]

I'm impressed, you're actually a lot more perceptive than I originally thought. Not that it matters because you're all alone and there's no Ajax to come and save you.

[ Seraphina.

There's not a single doubt in her mind as to who this is. It has to be Seraphina. No one hates her or wants her dead as much as she does. And now, she's hit with another horrible truth; Seraphina has the power to control not just her and Ajax but also everyone around them.

Using the maid's body as her new vessel, Seraphina forces the woman to stand over the weakened Yoimiya, she rolls the blonde on her back and cruelly pulls her arms behind her with full intent of inflicting as much pain on her as she possibly can before she ties her wrists together. Yoimiya cries out, unable to do anything in her condition, all she can do is scream with tears streaming down the side of her face. ]

Let go! Let go of me...! Please, somebody... HELP!

[monoceroscaeli]

[Screams from Yoimiya and Ajax's room are heard down the hall, and there's the beating of someone's footsteps as they run down the hall towards it. Seraphina celebrates to herself in how Yoimiya cries out desperately, her pain evident on her face and her fear delicious as she viciously pulls Yoimiya to her feet. The maid isn't strong enough physically to pick Yoimiya up, but there is someone who is strong enough, and they're about to arrive on the scene.

A Fatui guard swings in quickly to see the terrible scene before him, the maid assaulting Lord Childe's beloved. He and others had been briefed by Childe to be near and keep an eye on them in case something happened, and the solider had brushed it off as his Lord being a little paranoid for no reason until now. He draws his knife from under his Fatui jacket, brandishing it at the maid with a stern tone in his voice:]

Let her go, or else-

[The guard's voice catches in his throat, gargling a little as something seems to assault him, arms going limp at his side and his head arcing backwards as Seraphina smiles wickedly from her place behind Yoimiya.]

Hahahaha-! Come, come take her for me. She won't put up any resistance for you.

[And like a doll come alive, the guard puts away his knife and moves to Yoimiya to sling her right over his shoulder, silently obeying Seraphina's orders. If it weren't for the mask on his face, Yoimiya would see that his eyes were completely blank of any sort of consciousness, a slave to the witch's whims as he begins to march her right out of the room. More Fatui come, but they slowly come to a stop as well, suffering the same fate- Seraphina traps them in their own minds, allowing the soldier to carry Yoimiya right out of the hotel and into the busy streets of Sumeru City. No one seems to notice or care about what is obviously a woman being kidnapped right before their very eyes- the gazes of the citizens glaze over the moment they notice, allowing passage for Yoimiya to be walked right out of the city without a single alarm raised.

See? A voice inside of Yoimiya's head rings out. No one cares about you. You're worthless. Just dross to be rid of as soon as possible.

Down the ramp towards the docks they go, with no one bothering to stop them from reaching the water's edge. The Fatui solider stops, and the maid swings around to get a good look at Yoimiya. She reaches out and takes Yoimiya's chin gingerly between her fingers, lifting her head up so she can get a good look at her victim before ensuring her demise.]

Did you think that trick last night would save you? My precious Alnair may not be able to finish the job himself, so it falls to me to make sure you're disposed of. Goodbye, mortal, and die knowing that Alnair is safe in my loving embrace.

[niwabi]

[ A small ray of light comes in the form of a Fatui Soldier marching into the room to her rescue, Yoimiya looks at him through tear-soaked eyes in a mix of joy, relief, and pain as he brandishes his knife at the maid. Soon, this nightmare will be over, all he has to do is pull her out of the maid's clutches and buy just enough time for Tartaglia to return. But before she can even thank her savior, that small bit of hope is cruelly snatched away from her as soon as the guard stops in the middle of his threat.

One horrible realization after another keeps hitting her. Soon as the Fatui's arms drop to the side and begin to pick her up, Yoimiya realizes the true extent of Seraphina's powers. She can control not just one person but multiple people at a time. The realization becomes even more horrific as she's carried out of the hotel, the other Fatui soldiers simply just allow her to be taken away. Not only that, no one roaming the busy streets of Sumeru City seems to care that she's obviously being taken away against her will, bawling her eyes out, and completely out of function. The worst part of it all, the one that really digs the knife into her heart and cruelly twists it is how a few people just step to the side without a care in the world, as if she is just an insignificant bug.

No one cares about you. You're worthless. Just dross to be rid of as soon as possible.

...

She's right. Seraphina is absolutely right. Not a single soul cares about her worthless self, she should just simply accept her fate to die. If she wasn't around, Ajax could go on grand adventures without being forced to take care of her. She's just a weak human who can't even hold a candle to her lover's incredible strength, so Seraphina truly is the better match for him, they'll be able to brave dangers that Yoimiya isn't capable of.

If she dies then Ajax can finally be truly happy.

Seraphina has successfully whittled her spirits into dust, the light in her once bright gold eyes vanishes, no longer able to fight or scream, the least she can do is accept her death with grace. Yoimiya doesn't even flinch when the maid grabs her by the chin, all that's left of her is the tear-stained face of a woman who is broken beyond repair and ready to accept her death. ]

Ajax... Ajax... Ajax... [ Scared, completely broken, and unable to move, all Yoimiya can do is whimper out her beloved's name between choked sobs. ] Ajax... A-Ajax... I'm so sorry... Ajax...

[ Oh, the look of despair painting her victim's face is simply splendid. A sickly sweet laughter pours out of the maid's lips, seeing Yoimiya in such a pathetic state is like music to her ears. ]

Even when you're getting ready to face death, you sound pathetic as ever. Alnair isn't coming to save you, he'll never love you more than me. Hehe but rest assured, he'll be even better hands. I'll take care of him better than you ever could.

[ The maid motions for the guard to take her away and dump her in the perfect place no one can find her; the ocean. With Yoimiya bound and hauled on his shoulder, the Fatui mindlessly trudges to the edge of the dock, ready to toss her over at any second. The whole time, Yoimiya is unable to do anything but cry and blubber out Ajax's name. The one thought that crosses her mind is maybe that's why she kept seeing herself sinking in the ocean, maybe this was always her destiny.

She's just a stepping stone for Alnair and Seraphina's love. ]

This is your fate, you were always destined to die like this. All alone.

[monoceroscaeli]

[The Fatui guard isn't affected whatsoever by Yoimiya's cries, reaching the water's edge and stopping as he grabs a hold of her petite body, ready to throw her in. Seraphina knows that Yoimiya is already too weak to be able to swim back up with her legs alone, and with her hands bound, she'll drown and die a terrible death in a matter of seconds. It's ensured to be painful, and she is delighted in how easily she was able to snatch Yoimiya away, now at the precipice of getting rid of the last obstacle in her way to claim Alnair's heart for her own.

In one swift motion, the guard drops Yoimiya directly into the water, creating a splash of water that barely even splashes back up onto the dock.

Seraphina feels empowered and triumphant, walking over to the edge herself just to look over and imagine how the oxygen is leaving Yoimiya's body and how all she can breathe in is water into those pathetic lungs of hers. After a minute, she turns and begins to walk the maid's body back, and the Fatui soldier follows along to return to the hotel. With their job done, all that's left now is to claim Alnair utterly and completely, but she'll enjoy this win for the moment before she enacts her plans.

Under the water, a figure swiftly swims down to Yoimiya, grabbing her and swimming away from the docks, pressing his mouth to hers to give her a small amount of breath until they've gotten a safe distance away. Further down the river away from Sumeru City, Childe comes up with her from the depths with a gasp, desperate for air himself. He swims with one arm towards the shore, tired from the effort, but managing to find the strength to lie her down in the soft grass.]

Yoimiya, are you okay? Blast that terrible woman, what a cowardly scheme...Yoimiya, please forgive me for not being there...

[He scoops up her head, holding her gently in his hands, feeling guilt gnaw away at him for being so careless. To think he thought that leaving her alone for any second would be safe...]

[niwabi]

[ The last thing Yoimiya sees before she's dunked into the water is the wicked face of the maid acting as a mask for Seraphina, the sight of that terrible smile and those pink eyes capable of burning a hole into her soul will never leave her mind. But not that it matters, she'll be dead in a matter of minutes, and all her worries will vanish along with her. There will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more Seraphina, she can finally rest in peace without constantly fearing for her life or holding Ajax back.

In a way... Seraphina is doing her a favor. It's painful to go on living in a world where no one cares for her. Might as well just accept the sweet embrace of death and finally, rest for all of eternity.

...

A cold darkness envelops her body just like in her dreams. Once again, Yoimiya sees herself sinking deeper and deeper into the water but only this time, it's reality. Just as she's getting ready to close her eyes to accept death, she can barely make out a blurry figure swimming down to grab her. Before she even realizes what's going on, she feels the brush of warm lips pumping air into her system to keep her prevent her from slipping into an unconscious state. The next thing she knows, she's pulled out of the water and gasping for air until her body is set on dry land. She repeatedly coughs in an attempt to hack the water out of her system. She's still slowly coming to but even in this state, there's only one person who has been desperately trying to save her. ]

Ajax, *cough* Ajax... *cough* *cough* Is that... you...?

[ His voice is the confirmation that she desperately seeks. Slowly, she opens her bleary eyes to see Ajax's face staring right at her. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Relief sweeps through him as she coughs water out of her lungs and refills it with life-giving oxygen. Childe's thankful he got to her as quick as he did, and as far as he knows, completely unnoticed- which will work in their favor for the time being. But for now, all he wants to do is concentrate on making her as comfortable as possible until she's finally able to come completely back to her senses.]

Yes, it's me.

[He smiles as he looks down at her, shifting so that she can rest her head in his lap, keeping it elevated while he tends to her.]

I'm so relieved to know you're alright...I was scared half to death when I didn't find you back in the room.

[niwabi]

[ As Yoimiya coughs out the remaining water out of her lungs, her eyesight comes back into focus, finally able to see a not-so-blurry Ajax staring down at her. She fully relaxes the back of her head in his lap, not saying a word for a solid minute. It's hard to process everything that's happened, all the negative thoughts swirling through her head, and every terrible thing Seraphina told her. She still can't believe she's even alive, a small part of her wondering if she's actually lost consciousness in the water and is dreaming this whole thing up.

But no, the longer she stares at Ajax, she becomes all the more assured she's alive. She should be happy and yet, she still can't sake the feeling that maybe Ajax would be better off without her. ]

Thank you... for saving me. I... don't want to think about the outcome if you didn't make that timely rescue.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Ajax studies her face, seeing that there's more beneath the surface of it all that she's not saying. He can't imagine how frightening that whole experience was, and if it had been in their interests to stop it head on, he would of done so, to keep her from experiencing that trauma. He can only hope she'll forgive him.

His hand comes down to brush her cheek, gently stroking it as he looks down on her fondly, trying his best to keep any fury off of his expression while he comforts her. He's so angry at Seraphina and her tricks, and he swears he'll kill her the second he gets the chance. But for now, Yoimiya comes first.]

You're safe now, that's all that matters. I know this is sudden, but we need to leave Sumeru City as fast as possible. We're going to get a few backpacks, return to the room and gather only the necessities, and go...somewhere. I haven't worked out where, but we're too vulnerable here with a city full of puppets for her to use.

[A thought that terrifies him. If everyone can be used by her, where are they safe?]

Do you know of anywhere that might be safe for us to go? You know Sumeru better than I do.

[niwabi]

[ The heat permeating from his fingers warms her cold, wet body like a furnace. Yoimiya breathes a heavy sigh through her nose and uses the little bit of her energy to nuzzle her face into the palm of his hand, appreciative of his sweet care and concern for her. She's still shaken by the whole ordeal so it takes her a minute to process everything he's saying. Her shivering body cuddles close to him, in need of warmth and his comforting presence. ]

Let's hide in the forest somewhere far away from here. I brought camping supplies in my luggage so hopefully that will keep us tide over until then.

[ She's not sure where they will go but anywhere is better than Sumeru City. There's no telling how far Seraphina's influence reaches but Yoimiya does not wish to find out. ]

Maybe... the aranara can aid us.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Concern washes over his features when she shivers in his arms. Both of them are completely soaked from their underwater swim, but Tartaglia can't help but scoop her up completely in his arms now, holding her close to give her some semblance of warmth. The warm, Sumeru sun helps, but the humidity really doesn't, meaning the two of them are going to be wet for a while unless they get somewhere to dry off.

He loathes the idea of returning to the hotel, but that's the best and quickest place for the moment, so he begins to head back to the city, but he's going in the back way- so that they aren't detected.]

You think so? Yoimiya, I'll admit I know nothing about them other than what you've told me...what kind of creatures are they?

[The Aranara remains a complete mystery to him, and probably Dottore too...which is why the man wants to get his hands on one so badly.]

And do you really think they can help?

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya huddles close to Ajax, burying her face into his chest to block out the memory of people coldly ignoring her. She doesn't realize that he's taking her in a direction far that isn't littered with people, too scared to even look up and study their surroundings. She doesn't want to be reminded that no one in this world cares about her. ]

They are the nicest little forest spirits that allow people to see sweet dreams. Truthfully, I don't know if they have the power to help.

[ They are sweet forest spirits and here she is, selling them out to a mad scientist who wishes to conduct experiments on them. Maybe everything she's experiencing is divine retribution for being so selfish and valuing her life over theirs. ]

But, searching for them is better than staying here. Anything is better than staying in place filled with people who don't care whether I live or die.

[monoceroscaeli]

[The dejected tone of her voice really takes him aback, looking down at her as he weaves his way into the back of Sumeru City towards the hotel. She won't even look up at him, or at anything else, her face buried in his chest. Seeing her like this tears his heart apart, and what's more shocking isn't that she isn't sure if the Aranara can help, but rather what she says after that.]

Hey-

[He begins, surprised at how depressing that statement is. He didn't see exactly what happened before she was drug to the water's edge, but whatever it was, it really must of hit her hard. What did Seraphina do to break her spirit like this?]

That's not true. No one here would want you to die. I don't know what she did to you back there, but whatever it was, don't let her make you think no one cares about you.

[niwabi]

[ See? No one cares about you. You're worthless. Just dross to be rid of as soon as possible.

Seraphina's words rear its ugly head to take a swing at her psyche full force. Deep down inside, Yoimiya knows Ajax is speaking the truth, nobody actually wants to see her die, and plenty of people would be devastated if she suddenly disappeared without a trace. She's well aware of all this and yet... she can't banish the images of crowds of people coldly staring at her and even stepping to the side as she was blatantly getting kidnapped out of her head. She also knows that it's not the fault of any passerby, Seraphina was in control over them too. If any of them was of sound mind, surely someone would have jumped in to her resuce.

But unfortunately, the sight of those uncaring faces is hard to forget and will probably stick with her for the foreseeable future. ]

I'll try not to think like that but it's so difficult. When I was being taken away, not a single person spared a glance my way or even tried to step in. I felt so invisible and so utterly worthless as a person.

[ She takes a deep breath, trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes, she doesn't want Ajax to see her in such a fragile state. ]

... I'm sorry I've been so down in the dumps Ajax. I don't think we'll ever know the full extent of what Seraphina is capable of because her powers are truly out of this realm.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Childe is quick on his feet, so it's not long before they reenter the city. They both get strange looks from passersby, given that neither of them look like they're from Sumeru, and they're soaking wet. But Ajax doesn't pay them any mind, moving fast towards the hotel, which he can already start to see. He won't go in the front- instead, he's already maneuvering to head in through the back.

He'd much rather give all that attention to Yoimiya instead, who's really going through it. But at the back of his mind, dark words replay in his head again:

That wench has always been so selfish, always so focused on her feelings. It's not fair that you're always forced to comfort her.

Isn't it selfish to think that way, though? His own mind combats the negative thoughts telling him something terrible about Yoimiya. Where did that even come from?]

I know, [he says softly,] all we can do is be on guard as much as we can. I know it's hard, but try to keep your spirits up. Let's see what the Aranara can do for us before we lend ourselves to despair.

[He smiles softly down at her, slowing his pace only to lean down and press a kiss to her forehead before picking it up again. The hotel is right here now, and he looks up- the leap to the balcony of their room isn't that far. Something he can easily make, and with one strong jump, he's up in the air and landing onto their private balcony with ease.]

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya doesn't say anything, only giving him a simple nod of her head as she snuggles closer to shield herself from passersby staring at them in contempt. He's right on so many fronts. The whole situation is difficult, but she should at least try to be chipper and not so dreary. She's fairly certain that part of the reason why Ajax fell for her is because of her bright, go-getter attitude, and it feels like she's doing him a huge disservice by being so gloomy. She takes another deep breath to swallow the nervous lump lodged in her throat, swearing to keep her spirits up for his sake. A tough road awaits her but it's the least she can do for both of their sakes.

But at the very least, they're back at the hotel and far away from the prying, cold eyes of the rest of the world. Yoimiya finally pulls her face away from Ajax's chest, already feeling a bit relieved that it's just them with not a single soul around. ]

... You're right. I know it's going to be hard but I promise, I'll try my hardest to stay strong.

[ She glances up at him and is met with a smile so soft that it practically melts her heart. Ajax is trying so hard for her when he's suffering just as much, she can't keep focusing on her own negativity. The kiss on her forehead fills her with a warmth that she's desperately been craving. Wanting to return the sweet gesture, she cranes her head to place a soft kiss on his cheek. ]

For you.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Now within the "safety" of their hotel room, he quickly moves from the balcony to the bath, sitting Yoimiya down and helping her undress so she can quickly wash the gross river water from her body. The kiss is soft and sweet, and he feels his own heart beat a little harder in his chest when she administers it to his cheek. His good, sweet Yoimiya...how dare Seraphina do this to her.]

I love you, Yoimiya. Here, let's quickly get ready to leave, okay? Clean yourself up the best you can, I'll join you in a moment. I'm going to quickly get out of these clothes and check over the room.

[The food had been set on a nearby table when Ajax had entered, confused as to why the door had been open and there was the maid's cart there with what looks like the faint signs of a struggle from how the bed looked. Now, the door is closed and the cart gone, the bed made up to make it look as if nothing was amiss. Seeing the sight of it after he exits the bath to strip himself of his own wet clothes brings a searing anger back to him- the gall that they even came back here after they dumped Yoimiya in the water to clean it up is audacious all on its own.

He returns to her in a matter of minutes, stepping into the bath and hurriedly washing himself and helping her with whatever needs she has.]

Our food is still warm. Let's eat it and get your strength up for the journey. How far away is the home of these Aranara?

[niwabi]

[ Now that they're back, it finally dawns on her that poor Ajax must have been confused when he entered the room to find his girlfriend missing with signs of a struggle. She's truly thankful for his quick thinking, feeling blessed that he was able to locate her just in the nick of time. If he was even a second too late... then, she'd just be dead body drifiting in the endless ocean. But it's best she doesn't dwell on those thoughts, she should just be thankful that she's alive.

While Ajax showers, Yoimiya strips herself of her wet nightshirt. Thankfully, the cleaning cart isn't too far away from the couch so it doesn't take much effort to grab a nearby towel from it to dry herself. Once she's done, she wraps the towel around her weak, soaking body and sits down to grab a bite to eat. She doesn't have much of an appetite after that whole ordeal but she knows she needs to have substance if they want to keep moving. Yoimiya greets him with a soft smile upon his return, taking little bites of their food one at a time. ]

Admittedly, I'm not quite sure. All I know is that they live somewhere deep in the forest. It's thanks to the Traveler summoning one of them that I was able to see them in the first place.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Sitting down at their little table, he opens his own meal, saddened that the whole experience of having something local to Sumeru was ruined further by the fact that yet another attempt on Yoimiya's life was made. Stressful isn't a good enough word to cover this situation, and stressed out isn't a good enough description for how he feels at the moment. But eating is essential- they won't make it far if they don't eat.

So he forces the food down his throat, even if his appetite is completely lost. Instead of thinking about eating, he tries to automatically eat while listening and considering what Yoimiya has to say.]

It's too bad the Traveler isn't here right now. We sure could use their help. But I'm afraid any correspondence I send out will be intercepted...and the last thing we need is Seraphina getting her hands on the Traveler. We're going to be on our own for this one.

[A few more bites go down the hatch, and he sighs as his mind tries to organize everything. No help, having to stay away from society...none of this looks good. That and, what's stopping Seraphina from just attacking their minds again? Her actions don't make sense to him, unless all she really wants to do is make them suffer. Then, it does.]

So I guess we'll have to find them for ourselves. That's alright, we should be able to do that, [he says, as he furrows his brow in thought, trying to figure out how they could make it work.]

There's a few areas in Sumeru that could be considered the deep forest. We can start looking there. How does that sound?

[He tries his best to sound optimistic, but in reality, he doesn't know what to do. Every part of this is terrifying in one way or another.]

[niwabi]

[ Having the Traveler's aid would be a godsend but Ajax is right, they can't afford to let Seraphina get her grubby hands on them. Her powers have already proven to be out of this world, and if she were to somehow take control of the Traveler's body... then they'd all be doomed. They've already done so much for her and she can't possibly ask them to risk their life on her behalf when they have their sibling to find.

So as it stands, she and Ajax are all alone on this matter. She can't help but sigh at how bleak the situation looks, she has to force herself to take another bite of the food and swallow it down the hatch. The idea that Seraphina's presence could be lurking around the corner, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back makes it hard to even stomach food but she has to. She already promised Ajax she won't die, she can't afford to pass out from lack of substance. Her poor boyfriend already has a lot on his plate between Seraphina and her body being out of commission for the time being. ]

Yes, that sounds like a great start. They seemed to trust me the last time I was here, so there's a good chance we might just run into one of them on our own.

[ Besides, the deep forest sounds safer than staying in the city with Seraphina's influence running rampant. As Yoimiya prepares to take another bite, she suddenly stops, recalling the deal she made with the second Harbinger. That's right, she promised to help him acquire one in exchange for the delusion around her neck. Will she still be allowed to see them after making such a horrible deal? If they want nothing to do with her, she truly doesn't blame them. ]

I just hope they're still willing to trust me after I sold them out to Dottore.