Taking over the Abyss

[500k Special] In Which The Fatui Capture A Certain Abyss Mage

a/n: takes place during chapter 9, as an AU where Aether and Ganyu had not arrived in time

-

In the end, nobody came to rescue you.

Stuck inside of a small cage, all you could do was sit and wait. Sit and wait for what was likely to be your inevitable doom. The Treasure Hoarders continued to torment you, attempting to goad you into speaking. In the end, they came to the conclusion that as long as they passed along some sort of Abyss Mage, they'd get paid regardless whether it could speak or not.

You sat and waited in a small cage until the Fatui came for you. After the sun had set, a small detachment of Fatui skirmishers led by a Pyro Agent arrived. The Geochanter held his staff tightly at the ready, while the Anemoboxer waited patiently for his commanding officer to speak.

What you assumed was the leader of the Treasure Hoarder gang strode forward with a lazy grin on his face, stopping in front of the Pyro Agent. "So, you actually came! You sure made us wait quite a while for this."

"We had to ensure that we would not be followed," the Agent replied, voice wavering with the strange properties of his mask. "I assume you've held up your part of the deal?"

"Sure as hell have," the Treasure Hoarder said, gesturing to the cramped cage you were stuck inside, "That weird little fella you wanted is right there."

The Pyro Agent hummed in response, walking towards you. When he was right in front of the cage, he leaned in to get a better look. After catching sight of the pin Aether had given you, clipped safely onto your ear, he pulled away. Satisfied, the Agent snapped his fingers and pointed at the cage. The Anemoboxer snapped into action, moving over to pick you up. You yelped and scrambled to the other side of the cage, as far away from the Skirmisher as you could manage.

"Now, about out payment..." The Treasure Hoarder trailed off and rubbed his hands together greedily. The Anemoboxer carrying you noticed that you were staring at one Treasure Hoarder specifically. Spotting the silver staff used by Abyss Mages, the Anemoboxer's eyebrows furrowed behind his mask.

Before the Agent could deliver the agreed payment, he was stopped by his subordinate, "S- sir, wait... look at that one, over there."

The Pyro Agent stopped for a moment, looking where he was asked to. Upon seeing your beloved stick shoved haphazardly into another Treasure Hoarder's pocket, he put the bag of mora back into his jacket. The leader's eye twitched in frustration, "Is there a problem?"

"There is," the Pyro Agent pointed to the Treasure Hoarder who'd stolen your staff, "It seems you've broken our deal. Give the staff back."

"We promised you the Abyss Mage, and we got you the Abyss Mage," the leader argued back, gesturing wildly with his hands, "What does it matter if the damn thing doesn't have its little toy?"

"Our contract assumed that this Abyss Mage would come with everything. Staff included," the Agent replied evenly. He clapped his hands together, "Now, if you're unwilling to give us the staff back, then our contract is null and void."

After a moment of internal struggle, the lead Treasure Hoarder looked to the one who'd stolen from you and jerked his head towards the group of Fatui, "Give it back. Not losing payment over you bein' an ass."

The Treasure Hoarder who'd tormented you stepped forward, pulling your staff out of his pocket and throwing it onto the ground. The Agent moved to carefully pick it up, then carried it over to you. You scampered to the other side of the cage away from him, only for the Agent to gently place the staff inside the cage, indifferent to your panic.

"Make sure to hold it tightly, and take good care of it," he told you before turning back to the Treasure Hoarders. "As I said, our contract is null and void. You will not be receiving payment for such a shoddy job. Have a good day."