ᴄʜᴇᴍɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ - ᴀʟʙᴇᴅᴏ x ᴏᴄ

AU - Answer Pt 2.

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Left Behind (Sister Location Song) - Dagames

0:01 ❍─────── 4:50

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Melanie looked between Jean and Albedo desperately. Sweat visibly dripped from above her brow, and tears swam in her eyes. The insignia was now warm inside of her palm from how tight she was clutching it. She couldn't be selfish and leave Albedo to live in constant fear of the unknown.

She pulled her hand containing the insignia to her chest, shaking her head with closed eyes. "They'll kill him if I go with you. So my answer is to choose the Treasure Hoarders."

It became deathly silent. Nobody dared to breathe, and shock rippled through the air. She felt everyone's muscles tightening and minds racing with their uncertainty. Melanie kept her eyes closed, for she knew Albedo's expression would be pitiful if she dared to look.

Albedo inhaled sharply. "W-What do you mean? We can deal with this, you don't have to do this..."

Melanie's eyes shot open, and she stood up. "I'll be leaving then. I... I have to get to Wolvendom."

She reattached the insignia to her boot before walking outside to where the white horse waited. Just by taking one look at it, she decided it would be faster if she stole it from the Knights despite them standing there harmlessly. What would they do? She was a criminal, but she was also someone they had formed a relationship with.

The reins were taken from the front of the horse and tossed over its large head. At that moment, Kaeya jumped out of his seat, a firm expression on his face. "Hey! Hands in the air, don't move!"

Melanie froze with her leg just outside of the stirrup on the saddle. It being mid-air; she decided not to move any further, and just let the Captain work things out. If he came too close, all she'd have to do was haul herself over the horse's back and give a firm kick in front of the flank. She'd be gone before anybody knew the wiser.

Kaeya took a step forward with his sword drawn. Her head snapped in his direction, a tear rolling down her cheek as she did so. "You won't hear from me again, that's for sure. I'm sorry it has to be this way."

He clicked his tongue, taking another step in her direction. "You won't get that opportunity. I may not know where your friends are, but I can guarantee you will never figure it out." His voice was oddly cold. Jean approached him with her own sword out. A pair of handcuffs hung at her side, her fingers fiddling with the metal chain.

In the back, Albedo had sunken down to his knees. His pupils were nothing more than pinpoints as he stared dead ahead. The shock was evident, but it would only grow worse the longer he sat there.

"Step away from the horse and come with us peacefully!" Jean ordered.

Melanie felt another tear fall. She grimaced, then lowered her foot. Brown hair flowing in front of her face to cover her eyes, she dipped her head. It looked like a sign of submission, but what the Knights didn't see was the deathly side-eye she shot them through the strands. One more step and she'd attack.

Just as expected, Kaeya made the step. Melanie's bow instantly appeared in her hands and an arrow was notched with skilled fingers. She raised the bow to aim right at Kaeya. The wind blew her hair out of her face to reveal her glimmering eyes filled with both heartbreak and malice.

"Melanie, don't-!" Albedo called, but it was too late.

The arrow shot at Jean. It was deflected swiftly with the thin metal of her sword, but there was no ignoring the ding left on the surface. Every arrow fired withheld great, underrated power that nobody acknowledged. The farther Melanie stepped backward away from them, the more Cryo and strength fired with each shot.