Arknights: Reunion's Conqueror Of The North

Mutual Feelings

Chapter 68:

---

{As Blitz recreates precious childhood memories with Exusiai while they frolic in the farmlands and orchards of Kalinatrov, and engaging himself with the locals, not as their leader, but as a regular, eccentric person, he wonders about just how far his gifts would venture into the barren wastes}

The possibility of them being taken or not remains to be seen. As he hides inside a pile of hay, away from Exusiai's sight, his mind wanders about what other things he should be pursuing while he's still alive. It's rare for him to have a moment to himself, and he could scarcely believe it since it felt like the conquest of Tsaringrad happened only last week. And ever since it felt like the fire inside him was reignited, finally feeling something, at last, he couldn't help but feel excited about the reactions he would get from his old comrades down south about his experiences. He can't wait for them to view the postcards and photos he provided them with; hopefully, it would give them solace and hope, knowing that their movement still thrives in the radiant glow of this Sankta's determination for change. Besides, he spent a lot of money when he raided those postcard stands and souvenir shops. 'They better appreciate it,' he bitterly thought.

He also added that he misses some of them, besides Yelena. It takes more courage than he'd care to admit, but since he's on the other side of Ursus, he needn't care if they got startled by it. After all, it's only in friendship, and nothing else.

He specifically ordered his delivery men to stay there until Dr. Phyllis completed treating everyone she could help, which would take a considerable amount of time. He hopes that would be enough time for one of them to write back, but he also accepts the chance that they may not even bother writing for him in return. As disappointing as it is, perhaps sending a reply or response letter from one of them is the least of their worries.

His train of thought got derailed, however, when Exusiai popped her head into the stack of hay he's been hiding in, startling him and ending their game of hide and seek. She's been having a lot of fun finally hanging out with her childhood friend proper, with no more restraints, and no more concerns about their jobs holding them back. Their joy radiating from the brightness of their halos, even Blitz's lights stopped flickering for several seconds.

When they grew tired, they look up into the starry night sky instead in silence, admiring the constellations, and themselves, thinking of no one else but them, and somehow a sea lion spinning in a pool, until eventually, an irate farmer had to drive them off from his land, oblivious to the fact he was threatening his ruler. They run away laughing, and yelling for the farmer to give chase.

~~~

They raced each other back to Blitz's mansion, their hearts pounding out of their chest from exhaustion when they shut the front door behind them, giggling all the while and jittery from the experience.

Two of their colleagues, Croissant and Texas, wordlessly watch them burst through the doorway, sweating profusely and catching their breath. They sat around the dining table, already finished eating their dinner and just indulging themselves in some late-night conversations about recent politics that they don't care much about.