It's Always Sunny in Mondstadt

Chapter 1 - Reading

"It's always sunny in Mondstadt" they say. The dandelions wisp away in the gentle breeze and gentle chirps can be heard from the birds. Ducks calmly strolled along the shallow pond surface leaving gentle ripples along the water. I glanced along the riverbank looking for the perfect place to read my book. I had borrowed it from the library a few weeks ago and it was nearly overdue, but due to the rowdiness of daily life, I was yet gifted with the opportunity to read it. Alone. The sun was at it's highest point, signaling noon, which gave you approximately six hours or so to be carried off to a different land and abandon the difficulties of daily life.

I spotted a tree swaying delicately in the distance. It stood nearly alone, and the base seemed neat enough to sit comfortably to read my book and perhaps watch the ducks. If I was lucky, perhaps I could watch some hunters carefully aim their bows at the flock. As I lowered myself onto the grass below the peaceful tree, I picked up my book and flipped to the first page, which began with a quick blurb of the relatively well-known author. The way that he described the hardships and difficulties of people charmed and allured me and many others in way that I couldn't describe, and every time I shut the book after reading the final page left me utterly speechless, and I began to feel myself slip to another world with each page I read.

***

"To wait. In our lives we know joy, anger, sorrow, and a hundred other emotions, but these emotions all together occupy a bare one percent of our time. The remaining ninety-nine percent is just living in waiting. I wait in momentary expectation, feeling as though my breasts are being crushed, for the sound in the corridor of the footsteps of happiness. Empty. Oh, life is too painful, the reality that confirms the universal belief that it is best not to be born."

Something about this, this... book, if I may, carefully pulled at one's heartstrings and sense of empathy and pity for her just enough that one can't help but feel blue after carefully reading each thought. The more I read the more I felt for her (the main character) that I nearly drowned everything else out.

Almost.

Something else caught my attention. A small hunting group of hillichurls slumped around the tree-line. I was paralyzed for a split second- just enough to be noticed by the group of barbaric monsters. In a panic, I fled up the tree in terror, hastily clinging on to each branch praying to Barbatos that I didn't slip. Successfully making it to one of the highest points of the tree, I noticed there was nothing left to scale. The hillichurls were at the base now, brutally striking the trunk. "Damn." I thought, "They must be bored considering that there isn't much wildlife in this specific part of the woods. And I just so happened to be here, the perfect thing to mess with for the time being." Then it had struck me. The danger of being in this situation, three hillichurls with clubs beating at a tree that I was hopelessly clinged to in hope to get something- lest that something be unknown to me- left me in a shock that had be paralyzed. What do I do? Scream for help? The area I chose was picked for it's serenity. I was basically in the middle of nowhere. I wasn't the fastest runner, and even if I tried I would most likely break my leg or at least roll my ankle from this height, and although I could wait here on this lonely tree isolated by the others, the tree looked so fragile that it might collapse any moment. Better examining my options, I decided to hold on to any possibly hope that I have and yell for help.

My shriek pierced the woodland air, and I desperately hoped that someone- anyone, would hear my desperate cry for help, and I waited for what felt like an eternity.

Loud, quick footsteps came thundering in my direction. Leaves crackled in whatever it was's wake, and left me more unnerved. Barbatos I fucking swear if it's a Mitachurl-. The footsteps grew louder and louder, and the hillichurls looked dazed in terror towards the sound. I saw their reaction and panicked, and a dancing flurry of flames elegantly spiraled around the earth. Shrieks of agony came from the hillichurls whom I had feared a few moments ago, and as the flames faded all that was left were the scorched bodies of the monsters and a wake of ash and charcoal. And there he stood.

"Please, permit me to assist you in your descension." The voice spoke. I opened my eyes and was greeted by the kind face of the owner of the local winery. He extended his gloved hand towards mine, as he perched on one of the lower branches. "Don't be shy, I'm here to help". I was paralyzed, completely uncertain how to react. I should take his hand and get down, I thought, but something left me speechless as Dazai had earlier. Something about his slightly rounded features and calm face put me on edge in a way that I had never experienced. Not necessarily in a bad way, but not one that felt- how should I say this? Strong? Uncomfortable? No, that's not it. It was impossible to put into words.

"Are you okay, sir?" His puzzled expression seemed to impale me in the heart. Damn, he'll think I'm stupid for sitting here dazed, I look like a pigeon!

"Er- how do I get down exactly?"

"Just jump, and I'll catch you. However, I can also ascend and pull you down if you'd prefer"

"I suppose I'll jump" I hesitate. Have him catch me? Could I even trust this almost stranger? Sure, he had great status in Mondstadt, but that didn't necessarily mean that he could be trusted. Plus the thought of his arms wrapping around what I could assume my chest or waist left me in shambles. Carefully raising myself, I looked down and hesitated one last time, and jumped, almost fell, into his waiting arms.

My leg caught on a branch, and a sharp snap could be heard, leaving me in great pain. I fell clumsily into his well coordinated arms, as he lowered me carefully onto the ground. "Are you alright? Those monsters have been terrorizing this area for awhile and I have no idea how long you were up there, and your leg..." his eyes wandered towards my left leg, which had taken a toll in the descension, my pants had tore slightly at my lower leg and had began to bruise and bleed slightly, "...are you capable of walking?" My leg still burned, but I wished to appear strong for the uncrowned king of Mondstadt, so I attempted to walk a few paces. It absolutely burned with each step, causing me to wince with the few paces I took, but my desire to appear strong outweighed the pain, and I assured that my leg was fine. The humiliation that I would feel having to be walked to some sort of shelter by him, helpless and unable to even move like a baby bird would have stung so strongly that I may not have been able to live with the shame.

He glanced at me unsure, and let the expression dissolve almost instantly. He knew I was lying. "I'm glad, I was concerned that you would have been incapable of walking after that fall." His eyes darted away, as he scanned the perimeter to make sure that he had slaughtered all of the hillichurls. I wish I could know what he was thinking, but I banished the thought nearly instantly. Why do I care?

"Oh, I had nearly forgotten. You had dropped this." He said, picking up my book while dusting it off and handing it to me, "You may want to check for any additional damages." I carefully took the book back from his hands. The front cover looked fine apart from the dust and single crease from dropping it, hopefully Lisa wouldn't notice or I could hightail it out of there before she realized. "Thank you." I said, "For saving me and everything." He smiled slightly, "No problem, I'm glad I got here when I did. And please, try not to disappear into this side of the woods alone. You probably won't get as lucky next time." I chuckled slightly, "Thank you." I held my book closer to me and looked upwards to the sky. Holy- It's nearly sunset! I need to head off! I told my savior, the nobleman, thank you one last time and ran off, wincing at the first impact of my foot hitting the ground. He stood there and watched me leave, then turned around for himself and walked off.

Who would have thought that I would have been saved by the most handsome man in Mondstadt? I banished the final term and silently cursed myself for the thought. Thinking that way about another man, how sinful! Barbatos forgive me! I continued running towards the city gates and disappeared into the slums, carefully setting the book down next to me in a pile of boxes behind the Cat's Tail, and silently drifted off, shivering in the cold air of the city of Freedom.