The Puppet

The Aftermath

"Paimon! Paimon! Oh, please wake up!" Lumine cried, holding the limp fairy in her arms, despite being tied up. She managed to worm herself over to the bag Paimon was left in, get her arms in front of her, awkwardly got her out, and pulled the gag down. The one thing guarding her was a Ruin Guard, but it didn't really do anything while she was doing this. "I promise to make you any kind of food you want once we get out of here! Y-you just... have to wake up..."

Whether it was the mention of food or just good timing, Lumine didn't know or care, but Paimon groaned and slowly started opening her eyes. "Uuuuuuh... Paimon hurts all over..."

Lumine let out a sob. "Oh... oh, thank the heavens that you are alive..."

"Paimon remembers screaming out a name... then something continued to hit Paimon over and over... How long was Paimon out?"

Lumine was about to answer when a portal opened... along with the screaming voice of Diluc. Aether stormed out of the portal, angry as can be, followed by the Abyss Herald, who was carrying Diluc. "I WAS GOING TO MAKE HIM PAY! WHY DID YOU STOP ME!?"

"BECAUSE, Diluc!" Aether snapped as the Herald dropped Diluc on the ground and closed the portal. "If you would have destroyed the statue first, then I would let you go nuts with Kaeya and the rest of them. But noooooo! You had to focus all your rage on a blue-haired IDIOT! Ugh, whatever! The tree in Windrise is the last thing we need to burn to the ground. Do that, and you can go and get yourself killed for all I care! UNDERSTAND!"

"But Kaeya-"

Aether went and kicked Diluc in the face as hard as he could. "UNDERSTAND?!" Diluc held his nose and just nodded.

Paimon couldn't take her eyes off the Abyss Herald. "Th-that thing is scary... it looks like it can eat-"

"Aether?" Lumine breathed out, staring at him. Aether turned to her and realized that he never coded his voice after coming back. No worries, he can play off this.

"Oh? Is this the voice of someone you know?" He asked, accidentally hitting Diluc with his wings.

Wait...

"AETHER, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ARE YOU DING?!" She screamed. "Y-YOU ARE THE PRINCE OF THE ABYSS?!"

"This is your brother?"

Aether groaned and yanked off the mask, revealing his face. "Yeah, yeah, Lumine. It's me." He banished his wings and gives a quick order to the Abyss Herald to take Diluc somewhere to rest. "Didn't want this family reunion to go this way..."

"Didn't want-? Aether, what has that god done to you!?" Lumine demanded. He walked over and knelt in front of her.

"That doesn't matter. What matters now that we are back together again." He said.

"Yeah! I'm back together with my brother who is dressed up as a monster from what I understand is basically the underworld in this world as well as leading an organization that wants to kill all human people!" She yelled, hot angry tears running down her face. "Diluc is my friend and you turned him into... THAT! Paimon is my friend and you nearly turned her into roadkill! I want – no, DEMAND an explanation!"

He puts a hand on his chest. "Prince of the Abyss." Then he put a hand on her head. "Princess of the Abyss."

"Well, that doesn't answer her question at all," Paimon commented.

"Scream the Adeptus's name, pipsqueak, and I'll slice your throat." He threatened.

"Eep!"

"AETHER!"

"What? I don't need Mr. Wind-Demon-Guy-Who-Is-Emo-To-Death-And-Loves-Stupidly-Sugary-Plant-Matter-And-Nuts shoving his spear up my ass."

"Do NOT call Xiao that!" Lumine snapped. "You have no idea what he is going through!"