Wallowing | Albedo's Descent Book 2

Chapter 7: Lisa's Little Helper

Klee sat up, her hair a mess. She yawned as she let Dodoco fall from her hands.
Kaeya sighed from where he lay next to her, "go back to bed... it's too early..."
Kaeya's voice had finally recovered. It had been a whole week and every night Klee came to Kaeya's room for a sleepover. She discovered that he hated mornings.
Klee yawned again, "but Klee wants to go find Albedo today."
Kaeya opened one of his eyes, "why today specifically?"
She shrugged, "Klee just has a feeling. And Dodoco agrees." Klee got onto her knees, "oh! And Dodoco doesn't want to go back down there so he wants to stay with Kaeya!" She shoved Dodoco into Kaeya's hands.
"What? Klee, you can't go down there," Kaeya grabbed her arm.
Klee frowned, "why not?" [Autocorrect said "why bro?" XDDDDD]
"Because..." Kaeya's eyes wandered, "then Dodoco and I will worry about you..."
Klee pulled her arm away, "then don't worry about Klee! She will burn all the bad guys into ashes!"
Kaeya pursed his lips, "Klee... if you go down there... and that thing moves-"
"It won't."
He gave her a stern look, "Klee. You come right back in here, okay? No hesitating."
Klee nodded, "Klee can do that."
Kaeya patted her head, "be careful, okay?"
Klee nodded again as she ran out.
Kaeya heaved a heavy sigh. He didn't think he could live through losing anyone else... He wished he could stop getting so attached to people... that would make things so much easier...
Klee carefully walked down the spooky staircase again. She was incredibly nervous, but she knew there had to be clues down there somewhere!
"I just don't know..."
"Miss Lisa?" Klee asked as she turned the corner. She blinked as she saw Lisa sitting in the cell as well.
Lisa smiled, "good morning. What are you doing down here?"
"Klee is here to look for clues... Are you in timeout?"
Lisa chuckled, "no. I'm looking for clues, too."
"Did you find anything?" Klee asked. She stood in front of the cell, but didn't step in. She didn't want to be near the husk... When she looked at it she remembered what happened...
Lisa sighed, "Klee, I think I need your help..."
"What do you need Klee for?! Klee is always ready to help!"
Lisa chuckled, "I though you'd say that." She took a deep breath, "Klee, you are really good at noticing things other people don't. Can you really feel Albedo's presence?..."
Klee nodded, "yup! He's just waiting for us to find him, I'm sure!!!"
Lisa smiled, "then you'll be glad to hear that I have an idea of how to help him."
Klee grew excited, "really?!?!"
Lisa nodded, "but don't get your hopes up too much. I don't know if it will work..."
"Lisa's ideas have always worked before!" Klee was jumping with excitement.
Lisa bit her lip. That wasn't true... there were so many times she had failed...
"What do you need Klee for?!"
"Just to gather ingredients and to help me when the time is right," Lisa walked over to the edge of the cell and handed her a slip of paper, "here's the list. Just don't tell Jean or Keaya, okay? I want it to be a surprise."
Klee nodded vigorously, "Klee promises!"
Lisa giggled, "now run along, you've got harvesting to do."
Klee promptly ran off.
Lisa returned to sitting next to Albedo's body. She hated using Klee like this... especially if it didn't work... But this was her only option at this point. A whole week and a half's research had gotten her almost nowhere...
And, of course, it was a trivial and easy spell that Lisa would have never thought of. She couldn't remember even using it once. It shouldn't be that hard to pull off... but there was a small chance that it would help at all.
Essentially, the spell was supposed to transfer her consciousness into Albedo. That way, she could get rid of whatever was controlling the black smoke and undo her own spell in the process.
It was just... She needed someone on the outside to make sure the ritual was not disturbed at all costs. If it was. . .
A few things could happen. Lisa's mind could get lost, never to find her body again. She could make it into Albedo's mind, but be unable to get back out. She might not be able to enter Albedo's mind at all, he was a homunculus... She wasn't sure how his consciousness functioned...
Lisa kneaded her forehead, Jean would never allow something like this to take place, considering the stakes.
But it was their only chance at getting Albedo back. She couldn't just sit here and watch his life force fizzle out little by little.
Albedo had been able to contact her daily. He said that once every twenty-four hours the other being would go dormant to regain its strength. Albedo would use that time to speak with Lisa for just a moment and then get his own rest. Recently, he had been able to say less and less... Normally he could ask a few questions and answers a few of Lisa's. Lately, he had only been able to ask and answer within five words.
Lisa had tried lending him power before, but to no avail. Her dispelling magic blocked anything from getting in. Though, apparently it didn't stop things from coming out because of the smoke that would occasionally leak from Albedo's mouth. But... was that thing even magic to begin with?... It had to be right? Otherwise how would Lisa's spell have stopped it in the first place?
From how Albedo described it, it seemed to be alive... Then again, Lisa was able to create little companions and minions to do work for her. But she had never made a sentient one. Albedo had said that it didn't seemed to be following any orders.
Lisa sighed heavily, this was a very tricky situation.