Callista of the Abyss

Chapter 11

msodjsjjss ok another here we go

——

I died years ago
actually
nobody noticed
because the blood
was not mine

——

Stealing a glance at Lumine, the esteemed traveler, and the sickeningly loud floating companion, Paimon, the harbinger grumbles slightly.

Smiling innocently, he holds up a finger and then turns to launch himself at the smart-mouthed person in the alleyway.

Stopping himself before jumping into a fight, he realizes that the smart-mouth, with the black and neon green chains, was not longer around.

Even worse, they had taken that stupid in-debt treasure hoarder camp leader with them.

Now annoyed, he turns back to Lumine and Paimon.

"What do you want?" he questions, not bothering with a kind facade anymore.

"We followed the screaming of civilians and, lo and behold, found you with blood on your clothes about to spring into another fight with the shadows of an alleyway. What is going on with you, Childe?"

The words piqued Childe's curiosity.

"Wait what do you mean 'shadows of an alleyway'? You didn't see the person at the other end?" He asks confused.

Looking down the alley and back to him with an annoyed-confused look.

"There's nobody there. Are you hallucinating? Did you hit your head stupid harbinger?" Paimon asks.

"I didn't hit my head. They spoke to me! There was someone there! They had these chains and clothes that looked like they were from every region!" He tries to explain, more confused than anything.

"Now you're hearing things?!" Paimon yells slightly concerned.

Lumine looks back down the alley confused. Trying to think of who that description vaguely reminds her of, she stares down the alley for a few seconds.

"Whatever! We're leaving! Let's go, Lumine we have somewhere to be." She huffs and drags along Lumine a short ways by her sleeve.

——

Vasuki helps the injured man onto a bench. She hands him a roll of bandages and a bottle of water. No words are spoken.

The man nods silently, he seems disoriented but he is in public now. Vasuki nods back and leaves.

Heading back down to the docks, her stomach rumbled. Annoyed, she remembers she never did get her meal.

She arrives back at the docks and steps onto the Alcor where Beidou and the crew reside drinking away and laughing boisterously.

Vasuki smiles a bit and makes her way over to them. Letting a slightly tipsy Beidou know she was going to wash up, she goes to the restroom below deck.

Cleaning off her cloak, she hangs it up in her dusty quarters near the cot that she stays in. She takes a breath recalling the times she spent on this ship, awaiting for the time to come when she will return to the ocean.

She exits her quarters and joins the crew. Eating a nice meal alongside her crew mates brightens her mood. Beidou convincing her to drink a little. Mostly wine.

They laugh the night away.

Another figure, not far off catches a glimpse of the hearty crew. Not really being able to place their finger on what is so familiar of the person in clothes from all different regions.

——

Morning finally rolls around and Vasuki lifts her head off the cot groggily. Slouching over for a moment, she brings her hand to her face.

Maybe she had one two many last night.

I'm sure Beidou had a handful to tell her. Vasuki was no lightweight, how much had she actually drank?

Sighing, she rose from her cot, holding her throbbing headache. She took a short peak out the window. The sun had barely risen.

7:30 maybe? The crew would be setting out soon. Time to get her stuff together.

Grabbing what little she had, she made a mental note to repay Beidou with a nice bottle of fine alcohol.

Her mind flashes to the figure back in the alleyway.

Pushing the memory away, she goes to bid farewell to Beidou. Sharing a short but very strong hug from the pirate, they smile and Vasuki leaves.

Vasuki recalls the deal with Zhongli. She makes her way up some stairs and pulls out a paper and simple writing utensils. She gets down to creating plans.

Mentally imagining the required materials, writing down jumbled notes in a language from beyond Liyue's borders. She writes down names of people she knows will be attending.

Thinking back to not long ago, the destruction of the Jade Chamber, the Qixing and the adeptus working together. Taping the utensil on the table repeatedly.

She writes down some final notes and orders a simple beverage and a snack to have before doing field research on the materials and people.

She sits back down, pulling her hood off and running a gloved hand through her hair. Hearing footsteps is not uncommon but the pair she heard were heading her way.

A chair across from her is pulled out and down sits a young blond traveler with light colored clothes.

They have been here before. In this situation.

It is not unfamiliar.

"Callista, hello."

"Vasuki, Lumine." A kind yet firm correction.

"It's been a minute." Lumine points out.

"I suppose it has. Where is your companion?" Vasuki questions lightly.

"Not here. Cut the crap why were you about to fight a harbinger last night, Callista?!" Lumine whisper shouts grabbing the edge of the table.

"Vasuki."

"Answer the question!" She whisper-shouts demandingly.

"Lumine, i'm not even sure what you're talking about. Why would I try to fight a Harbinger?" Vasuki questions calmly.

The beverage and snack is delivered. Vasuki passes the second beverage her way.

Lumine looks at the beverage that was slid to her. She looks at Callista's plate, there's two servings of Lumine's favorite Liyuean snack.

"Vasuki," it's forced," the person who you spoke to in the alleyway last night, that was Tartaglia, 12th of the Fatui Harbingers."

Vasuki takes a slow breath.

"Goodbye, Lumine."

Vasuki grabs her things. They're already packed. She leaves.

"Callista." Lumine whispers to herself.

She's already gone.

——

lmao they're gay