Velvet Café [Childe x reader]

Afterstory [7] Incident Revealed

  
  
Normalcy. What is normal to someone is quite subjective. But everyone could agree the land beckoning them to succumb to this persecuting atmosphere was far from normal.

Again, subjective. This was the everyday sight for Ganyu working in the country the past loathsome while. Something a little safer would make her anxiety spike.

People came in to thoroughly inspect the business jet and everyone inside. They wore a uniformly stone-faced expression.

"I have a feeling the leader is a tyrant." (Y/n) shivers, remembering the way they patted her down with persistent glaring.

"It wasn't a democratic government to begin with. It's a military dictatorship." Ningguang replied.

"You should've told us that sooner! This is scary."

"It's okay Barbara, Noelle may not be here for you but we all got your back!" Xinyan says reassuringly. "This guy though, may not be so reliable." She motions to Childe.

"Haven't you all had enough of targeting me." He groans.

"Ahem."

Everyone follows with their eyes, another eloquent appearing lady with sky blue hair approaches them, stopping before Ningguang.

"Lady Ningguang, it's good to see you and your friends arrived safely."

"Some friends, some acquaintances."

"I had reserved the whole hotel as you asked. Shall we depart now?" Ganyu asks.

"Yes, I would like to get some rest." Upon saying that, everyone glances at Childe for a brief moment.

Following Ganyu, they enter a large air conditioned vehicle and faced an unparalleled silence. No music from the vehicle, and the level of uncomfortable the atmosphere of this place gave most of them rendered them unable to formulate a way to express their apprehensiveness.

"The warden will come to see you personally tomorrow, lady Ningguang." Ganyu mentions.

"Can we go see Zhongli and Baizhu?" Xiangling asks.

"You can all go straight there after Ganyu drops me off at the hotel." Ningguang replies.

"I'll stay at the hotel with you."

"But Beidouuu! Whose going to protect us if something happens?" Barbara frowns.

"You'll be fine. You're all tough women like me."

"Awww!"

The ride until they arrived to the hotel was long enough to make them feel sore from sitting. And the ride to the jail where Zhongli and Baizhu were kept was just as long, it was late enough for the stars to show up after a bloody colored dusk sky.

The compound was the size of a stadium from the outside, another thorough inspection before they could get inside.

Ganyu did all the talking while the rest anxiously followed with whatever they were instructed to do.

"Only one prisoner at a time. Fifteen minutes to speak with each."

Zhongli was the first to appear in the room separated from them with a clear frame.

His hair grew longer, shaggy and feral. "Oh my gosh." Barbara muttered.

"Zhongli, what happened to you?" Childe asks.

"Baizhu and Qiqi invited me on a trip to this place, at the end of our first week they suddenly disappeared and I didn't have money to keep myself alive."

"Why did they choose to take a trip to a place like this to begin with." The disappointed man shook his head. "And? What happened next?"

"I got reported for begging, and then I was thrown into jail."

"So if they suddenly disappeared then you don't know of Qiqi's whereabouts..." (Y/n) speculated.

"Yes."

"Since Baizhu is here, has he told you anything about that? Or what happened?" She asks.

"I think he should be the one to tell you his side. Also he's mad at me for getting thrown into jail too."

"I really should've turned that snake into snake soup ages ago. I bet it was that snake!" Xiangling comments.

Once Zhongli's time is up, he is brought out that room and Baizhu enters.

"Your story?" Childe questions.

"How rude. I don't even get a greeting?" Baizhu adjusts his glasses. "Good to see you all."

"Good to see you too Baizhu. What happened to your snake?" Barbara takes initiative to greet.

"ChangCheng got me into this mess. So she's not here right now, I'm doubtful she's even alive."

"Noo! What happened?!"

"I'm not sure myself, but she attacked someone important. I think it was the warden's girlfriend. Or so I was told by some guy in this jail who resents the warden after losing to her in some battle."

"I knew it!"

"I think we all suspected the snake Xiangling." Xinyan speaks. "And Qiqi? What did they do with her?"

"They took her away, I don't know where. I tried asking the warden but she refuses to speak to me."

"I feel like this is going to be a huge mess to fix." (Y/n) sighs. A quadruple tied knot, stubborn.