Come the next morning, Furina and I were ready to head off towards our next venture. Furina had packed what few clothes that wouldn't immediately clue others in on who she was, and I already had my own supplies stored in my Inventory.
Of course, those from the House of the Hearth were there to see us off. The children were all bidding Furina farewell, with Furina promising that she'd return with gifts whenever she felt ready to return. Meanwhile, I was engaged in a conversation with Arlecchino regarding the events of the previous night.
"It was you, isn't it?" Arlecchino easily asked once we were out of earshot of the others.
I smiled calmly. "Mayhaps." I said simply.
She nodded, already having suspected it. She'd been shocked still when she saw the island of Celestia explode with such brilliance, but it didn't take her long to realize that I'd used the fireworks to both cheer Furina up and hide the destruction of that island from most of Fontaine.
"A daring act. Many would be cautious of you once they learn of this." She warned, having learnt the extent of Celestia's might.
"That's assuming they will." I returned, though I knew full well it'd be known at some point. Whether here or back in my Teyvat—my existence will always put me against Celestia. As long as they remained who they were, I will continue to fight for Teyvat's freEdom from their shackles.
She hummed, and then smiled. "It has been a pleasure to have you as a guest, Ms. Vivianne."
I winked and returned a bow. "It's been lovely, Sir Arlecchino."
And with our goodbyes said, I came up to Furina and gave her a tap on the shoulder. "Have you said your farewells?" I asked.
She nodded slowly, a small smile on her lips. "I have."
I hummed, before I turned to the children and smiled. "I am unsure when we will next meet again, but I'm sure we will." I hesitated for a moment, before I stepped forward and gave the three children a pat on the head. "Stay healthy, grow strong, and when we meet again, let us have another picnic, okay?"
"Haha, we'll certainly do so!" Lyney said enthusiastically.
"Un." Lynette hummed, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the warmth of my hand.
"Stay safe too, Ms. Vivianne." Freminet whispered, his cheeks warm.
I nodded as I turned back to Furina. "Then let's be off, milady." I said, extending a hand towards her. Furina blushed as she saw my hand, before she gently placed her hand into mine. And together we boarded the private Aquabus the Ludex had secretly rented for us, which would ferry us away from Fontaine without anyone else knowing.
Once we were inside, we found seats for ourselves and got comfortable. It'd be an hour before we reached the station that sat on Fontaine's border, and from there would be quite a lot of walking until we reached the city of Sumeru. Suffice to say, it would be a long journey ahead of us.
After a few seconds, the Aquabus activated, and just like that, both of us were now cruising along the waterlines towards Fontaine's borders.
Furina fidgeted quietly as she gazed at the city. This would be the first time she ever stepped out of her nation in 500 years, and she couldn't deny the growing anxiety she felt. After all, by this point she was no different than a regular human, and with her prophecy shattered, her connection with water had dwindled to nearly nothing. The showmanship she once commandeered using waters alone wasn't a thing she could return to.
But she didn't really mind. That emptiness also offered a feeling of freedom she'd never felt before, and now that she'd felt it, she doubted she could ever go back.
Her eyes fluttered slightly.
"Tired?" I asked, smiling slightly as I saw the way her head began to tilt slightly.
She hummed. "Not-, really."
I raised an eyebrow. "Truly? If you say so." I said, as if I didn't know that she spent the previous night awake due to her anxiety. I'd tried convincing her to lay down and rest, but she remained awake even in her bed. Then again, I don't blame her. "But if you are tired, then this would be the perfect moment for a rest."
"Mm." Furina mumbled, her eyelids growing heavier.
I sighed, before I gently pulled her and placed her head on my lap. "Rest, Furina." I whispered as I gently ran a hand through her hair. "I'll wake you when we are near the first leg of our journey."
Furina smiled, before her eyes fully closed. And when she did, she fell into a gentle dream about calm winds and soaring through the skies as a bird.
I smiled as well once I noticed she finally fell asleep, and I silently thanked Arlecchino in my heart. Last night, since she herself had raised the three children of the House, I'd asked her what I should do if Furina wouldn't sleep. And she taught me the method I'd performed just moments ago.
…Though I'm not surprised it took me this long to learn something as simple as gently lulling another to sleep. Hardly any of my friends struggled with sleeping—Lumine was a prime example. If anything, it was me that often struggled to sleep.
Well, at least now I knew.
I glanced around. I had to admit that being inside a completely empty Aquabus was…strange. My memory of Aquabuses were always accompanied by a swath of people, so to see this usually crowded place be completely empty was odd. Liminal, in a way.
Then again, it was necessary. I hadn't kept up with the local news and how Fontaine saw its previous Archon, but honestly that didn't matter much. Regardless of her fame, Furina leaving would surely be something that triggered a massive avalanche across all of Fontaine. It was best to let us leave quietly.
In truth, my first plan had been to literally fly us both out of the nation. After all, I could fly, and I could travel at speeds far faster than any Aquabus. But since Neuvillette already offered to rent out a private Aquabus for the two of us, I decided to agree to his offer. This was the last time I'd be riding the Aquabus in a while, after all.
…
My smile fell slightly.
This whole Adventure has been…strange. I'd already brought down the All-Devouring Narwhal and a Celestial Outpost, and yet those two nation-ending threats were only Submissions. This Adventure wouldn't be over until Furina is 'saved', and if I understood it right, that would be the moment when Furina truly found herself happy.
And once that was achieved, would this Adventure end? Would this world end? The friendships I'd cultivated here, the soft moments we shared—would they all ultimately fade back to the Ether from which they came?
I took a small breath. I…didn't want that. I knew that they would remain as a memory, but that wasn't enough. I didn't want this Furina de Fontaine to merely be a fragment that would fade to the background.
I wanted this to be real.
"Aha! And who said it isn't?"
I nearly jolted out of my seat when I heard another person speak, and I nearly brought out my sword as I looked up. But I blinked when I saw who had spoken.
It was a…man? Woman? I wasn't sure. But whoever they were, their face was covered by a red mask, its expression forever carved with manic happiness. They sat on the seat just in front of mine, posture lazy as they let their arm dangle from the side of the chair.
"Who…are you?" I asked slowly, still tense.
"Aha! We've met before! Or maybe we haven't? You certainly know, little Storyteller." Their head lolled to the side, though they kept staring at me. "Come on, Venti. Try to remember." I jolted. They even knew my true name? "Try, try, try!"
I frowned for a moment, before I narrowed my eyes. We've met before, have we? I certainly didn't remember, which meant that they might be connected to who I was before my memories were gone.
But, at the same time, that didn't feel quite right. Something in me told me that I'd never met them before, at least directly. So I knew of them before? Were we some sort of acquaintance? Or-
I winced as I was struck with a painful headache, but I pushed through. I wasn't sure when it happened, but the 'curse' that'd been applied to my memories had been weakening as of late, and I rarely ever began physically bleeding out like I used to a while back whenever I attempted this.
After nearly a minute of wading through the growing pain, and aided by copious use of [Sunlight Healing] to dull the pain, a piece of information managed to slip through the haze-filled pain, and my eyes shot wide open. "You're…Aha?" I whispered, a chill creeping up my back.
Impossibly, the mask's smile grew wider. "Yes, yes, yes!" They stood up and danced. "So you remember, little Storyteller! Wonderful!" They leaned forward abruptly, stopping just inches from my face.
I gulped. It took me all I had to not immediately leap out of my chair. And I feel that was understandable, considering I had the undivided attention of the Aeon of Elation themself-
Wait a moment. The Aeon of Elation, inside a moving vehicle that travelled across a predetermined path, heading towards an Adventure that has never been done. Why did this whole setup feel so…familiar?
…Hold on.
"Are you pretending we're on the Astral Express?"
"Wow, wow, you remember even that?" They giggled, body bending to the side. "Hmm~, so it shouldn't take long before it happens!"
I frowned. "Before what happens?" I asked cautiously.
They just giggled again, and I sighed, knowing I wouldn't be receiving an answer any time soon.
I fell silent for a moment, before I found myself speaking. "Can I ask a question?"
"Do go ahead, oh little Fool."
I pursed my lips. "This world—this Adventure." I glanced out the window. At the sight of Fontaine's wide lakes, spanning farther than the human eye can normally see. "Is it real?"
Aha stared, and then giggled. "Oh, oh, oh." They leaned towards me. "Little Storyteller, when has it not been real?"
"...what?"
They clicked their tongue. "A convenient lie by your dear System." They giggled. "Ah, but do not blame them. You were still itty-bitty back then, and even now might be a little too fast for this sort of revelation." They sat right next to me, pressing their shoulder into mine. "But~, I think it's about time that you begin your Elation. We can't wait too long, can we?"
My heart suddenly thumped against my chest, and I gasped as I grit my teeth. All of a sudden, it felt like there was something trying to claw its way out of my chest. "What-, are you-?"
"Shh, shh, shh." Aha pressed their finger onto my lips. "Don't reject it, little Storyteller." They giggled. "Go to sleep with your little girlfriend. You'll be completely fine!"
I gasped as my vision became spotty, and suddenly, following the sound of a train's horn, I fell unconscious.
.
.
.
"Aha, how nostalgic." They gently spoke, completely at odds with the manic enthusiasm they showed just moments before. They leaned in close, and the lips of their mask gently kissed Venti's forehead. "Sleep tight, little sprite."
The Aeon of Elation was gone moments after.