Je T'aime

Chapter 7: Bloom (Part 2)

The lush vastness of green. The tall trees and the fungi everywhere were foreign sights to Furina. She was more used to viewing Sumeru from Fontaine. To be more specific, viewing the part of Sumeru where her predecessor perished. 

If anything, Furina should hate this land. From beneath it is a land strife with sin. And if there's anything that Justice itself hates..., it's sin. But jumping on mushrooms, using vines to instantly be sent to the skies and going around in a place that barely knows who she was felt... liberating. 

She really did need this vacation. 

The only downside or upside depending if you see through her or not...

Is that there were no commissions pertaining to... Fighting. 

She gets that it's not her strong suit, but... 

She only wishes that she could be as strong as he was. She's an Archon and yet... this... human... maybe? She's starting to have doubts given on how unnaturally strong and foreign he seemed the longer she stayed with him. It's not like she's going to tell him this... It's not like...

She should share her weaknesses with him. If an Archon falters, then... wouldn't it hurt the morale? She can't be vulnerable. Not with him. He wouldn't understand. The other times it would be... because she... knew that lying wouldn't work. 

But if she did talk to him about it... What would he do? Teach her how to fight? Would he even dr-Yes. He would. 

The idea alone horrified her. 

She's heard the rumors of the genocide of the Tanit, the countless Fatui that have fallen beneath his feet, his skirmish against Osial and Beisht... Not to mention, the fake mechanical god of Sumeru and the Raiden Shogun herself. Even her informants that she sent to watch his movements in Fontaine should he be a threat spoke of... him felling the Local Legends. 

Viviane of the Lake lived her final 20 minutes once he brought out his Dull Blade.

And she's weaker than her. A mere Tainted Hydro Eidolon is stronger than the damn Hydro Archon. And he was stronger than that. 

She considers herself lucky that he's on her side. If he sided with the Fatui, or god forbid, the Abyss...

Celestia's Sustainer would have to be awakened. And that was the worst case scenario for the whole world.

However... would she like to stay weak? Would she like to always leave matters pertaining to fighting to Clorinde. Her act may fool her most... "devoted" followers, but anyone with a working brain can tell that she'd rather avoid fights...

In a world full of monsters and warriors, being helpless isn't a virtue. It's a weakness. And she knows it. 

But power alone wouldn't be able to solve her problems. What she needs is... advice. Information. Anything to find to stop the flooding of Fontaine completely. These past 500 years were fruitless, but with the Traveler and his connections... Maybe she can find something that her informants were never able to find. 

She just has to reach out and ask. After all, when a god has no one to reach out to... 

Where else do their hands go but to the stars? 

"So the commissions are done now and...," He looked at Furina. She removed her hat and was keeping it close to her stomach. He had a look of worry across his face, "What's wrong? A wound? Let me see. If it's too drastic, the healthcare in Sumeru is free or I could send you over to Liyue whe-" 

"Relax! How fragile do you think I am?" She scoffed. She looked at the ground. God. This was... hard. And awful. "I just... um... n-need directions to the Sanctuary of Surasthana."