Purrsonal Catastrophe

18

"Dain, I know you're angry," Kaeya walked on his ice bridges up to Dainsleif hovering in the air. He shifted back into his humanoid appearance and started to fall, knowing Dainsleif would catch him. Dainsleif held him in his arms, staring down at his face. "You can't enact judgment on Dottore. That's the Queen's decision to make." 

"Will you stop me?" 

"Dain, please don't put your life in jeopardy." 

Dainsleif said nothing but he did sink to the ground, Kaeya still clung to him. 

"Dain!" Aether and Lumine jumped off of Dvalin and landed on Dainsleif, hugging him and Kaeya together. 

"You're okay!" Lumine grinned, half wanting to cry. 

"You two..." Dainsleif stared, "look different." 

"Our memories have returned and so..." Lumine began. 

"Our bodies changed to match," Aether finished. 

"After what had happened, with Khaenri'ah, and we were sent into the Abyss...time changed there." Lumine began her explanation for Kaeya. "We became younger as the Abyss messed with our minds, putting a spell on us to forget. Dainsleif..." 

"Isn't our brother by blood," Aether finished. "He was our bodyguard in Khaenri'ah." 

"I don't understand..." Dainsleif held his head. His memories had returned, somewhat, but his memories of growing up with the twins were interfering. He didn't know what was correct anymore. The Abyss had not done the same type of damage to him as with the twins. There was no reversing this confusion. He would never 'go back' to being the same Dainsleif that he was. He physically did grow younger...but...

"No," Dainsleif shook his head. "I did that. Not the Abyss. You two went into a coma... in the Abyss...I protected you..." for a long time. For a time he couldn't place. He remembered spending years there. Decades maybe. Or longer. "When we got out I was much younger so I cast a small spell hoping someone would take us in as siblings." 

"This is all very complicated," Kaeya rested his head on Dainsleif's chest. 

"Aether and I," Lumine grabbed Aether's hand and took a step back from Kaeya and Dainsleif. "We've decided that we're going to travel." 

"What do you mean?" 

"There were lots of things that we never got to do while we were stuck preparing for the future of Khaenri'ah," Aether said, smiling at Lumine and nodding to Dainsleif. "You've protected us for a long time but it's time for us to learn how to handle ourselves and see the world we never got to." 

"There are people we want to meet," Lumine grinned. "And foods to try and things to do. Besides, we also have to destroy any of the other mechanisms going haywire." 

"But..." Dainsleif wanted to reach out and grab the two of them, to keep them here, but he didn't. He clutched his hands into a fist and frowned slightly. 

"We'll be together so it will be okay." 

"Dvalin," Aether raised his hand to wave at the dragon still hovering in silence. "Would you be willing to give us a ride?" 

"Hah!" Dvalin scoffed. "I have not been willing to do anything of the sort for you creatures." 

"This will be the last time, we promise!" Lumine insisted. 

"Where would you have me take you?" Dvalin withheld the urge to groan and lowered his back wing for them to climb. 

"Take us anywhere!" The two climbed on and Dvalin flew away. 

"Do you think they'll at least come back?" Dainsleif asked. "Maybe write? This is all very sudden." 

"Are you sad?" 

"I am but at the same time, I am not. Does that make any sense?" 

"You're feeling a lot of feelngs. I think that's fine." 

"Kaeya..." 

"Yes, Dain?" 

"You're still naked, you realize that, don't you?" Dainsleif glanced away. 

"I might've realized that a couple of times," Kaeya snickered. "We should return before the Queen summons us again." 

"I'm going to get thrown into prison, aren't I?" 

"Oh, I won't let that happen to you," Kaeya chuckled, tapping Dainsleif's cheek lightly with his fingers. "I still am the prince, technically." 

"Yes," the Queen appeared in the not-so-distant distance and walked toward them. Kaeya hid behind Dainsleif, partially, since he was still naked. "You are the prince. The prince that had been scheming with a human to put our lives in danger. Take him." She pointed at Dainsleif as the guards grabbed him, dragging him off. 

"What is going on?!" 

"Your pet is getting taken to the dungeon as we cannot trust you to keep him under control," the Queen stated. "In the meantime, you will be taken to council for a trial." 

"A trial of what?" Kaeya's ears prickled. "I have done nothing!" 

"Dottore has provided evidence," she gestured, "of you instructing Dainsleif." 

"So much for not going to jail," Dainsleif sighed.