This morning seems off. I sat down on a log across from Cifera, who seemed to try not to look at me, then Mom to my left, who had just finished cooking and was herself eating silently, from time to time glancing at me in anger...? Maybe helplessness, probably mad about something I don't remember.
Then again, I can't be too sure. Her eyes seem to narrow at me, and her breathing is offbeat. Physically, she has already bent 4 metal spoons... even her teeth seem to be scraping. I don't ever remember seeing something so complicated on her face, an example of emotion that seems trapped by its own interpretation.
Then Cifera, she averts her eyes. Her tail is down, her ears are soft and fuzzy, pressed tight against her head. For some reason, she seems to be shivering... maybe she is cold? Doesn't seem like it. Her face says it all yet describes nothing.
I can see her eyebrows trembling, the accumulation of matter under her eyes, the shaking of her lips, and the constant opening and closing of her mouth, unable or unwilling to speak.
A cold wind comes by, and I notice Cifera hugging herself. Looks like she is cold. Standing up, I take a fluffy coat from within my inventory and wrap it around her shoulders.
Odd, just before she seemed so comfortable, but now when I had approached her, she shifted away. It seemed that as soon as I tried to touch her, she would run.
As I walk back, an odd feeling of regret pulls me down, each step heavier than the last. On the last step, I prepare to sit down, feeling for a comfortable spot with my hands. I face the fire once more... only to notice my phone seemingly dropped by Cifera.
Surprised at my own carelessness, I lightly return to pick it up.
thump
Surprised, I almost jump as Cifera grips my arms in a vice grip suddenly...
"Is something the matter?"
1 second.
2 seconds.
5 seconds.
A minute.
Turning her head away, she spreads her arms and pulls me into her embrace. Soon, my sense of smell picks up a soft rose-like scent. My body feels soft warmth enveloping it as she brings me close.
Sitting down on her lap, I melt. My muscles relax, and—
Sunlight hits my face. Through my glued eyelids, I barely make out the dark yellow sky as the sun slowly starts descending.
Confused, I try to move... stuck. I am stuck. Also, so warm, so soft, so comfortable..... I don't want to move.
Something gently brushes through my hair as my hazed mind tries to recognize the sensation and warmth.
.
.
.
This feels like what happens when I fall asleep on Mom's lap, just comfort and safety.
Shifting my bleary gaze from the setting sun, I notice Mom sitting across from me, seemingly busy carving something out of wood.
Wait, if she is there, then who—
I look up, only to see blue hair, no grey hair, and sapphire eyes with gold accents watching.
Cifera's expression, though peaceful, seemed still slightly off, as if fighting itself.
There was no breeze, yet the temperature beside the lake was fairly comfortable... how odd.
Soon, despite the comfort, I try to get up, only to fall on the grass beneath me, my head hitting a rock... The rock didn't survive. My skull is seemingly denser than stone now.... or was it always?
"Pfft-"
I hear a chuckle, only to look back at Cifera while still lying motionless in the frozen grass. A breeze comes by, making the grass tickle my neck and have me scratching the back of my neck on reflex.
Cifera has what I would only describe as an endearing smile.
"Heh."
I chuckle in slight embarrassment as I push myself up from the ground, my muscles slightly atrophied from long inactivity.
"Sane."
"Hmm~" I hum as I look to my left, only to see Mom having paused her carving and choosing to look at me.
"We should start moving... or do you want to continue lazing around?" Arye speaks softly yet sternly, reminding me that after getting here, we were still planning to head over to Liyue.
"Right, well, I do hope to stay a few more days, have a few more runs for the artifacts. Otherwise, I fear I will lack the ability to do much..."
"Let us say we stay here for roughly five more days?"
Looking at me, Arye can only sigh. She understands why I want to be stronger, yet this does not mean she must be happier about it.
Cifera buts in with, "I don't have anywhere else to be anyway... so why not?"
I glance at her, slightly guilty, and turn back to my mom.
"It is up to you," is the only response she gives, as she then returns to carving the piece of lumber in her hands.
I choose to do a quick solo run of the domain. The two Ruin Guards I had previously fought were now back up again... interesting. I still see the scars I previously inflicted, yet it seems as if they had no effect on them.
This time, both shoot the missiles at me, yet I decide that isn't how I wanna play this.
Taking a grappling hook from my storage, I jump off the bridge, the hook preventing my complete descent and letting me swing back around the bridge.
It burns my hand, my heart drums loudly, and I find myself grinning maniacally as I swing up once again. The Ruin Guards, which were turning around, lock onto me and charge.
Grabbing Lost Companion, I run to the one coming from the right. It swings its arms at me in a sweep, only to find I am already inside its guard and disabling its functionality by stabbing its core within the eye.
The second Field Tiller jumps at me and onto its companion. I escape by a wit's breath, sweating, eyes dilated, grinning and shaking, but shaking out of exhilaration.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit! CALL AN AMBULANCE... BUT NOT FOR ME!!!"
With that shout, the Ruin Guard finds itself swinging its massive heavy body as much as possible as I run up its arms while it steadies itself from landing on its companion.
1 second, I am on its arm.
2 seconds, I jump as it thrashes.
3 seconds, I stab its core as its arms try to squash me mid-air like a fly.
5 seconds, its motionless form crashes down.
I smile softly, sweetly, poison to anything against me.
This time my luck wasn't so great... wait, no, was it?
Although this time I only got the gauntlet from the Bloodstained Knight set and the flower from the Noblesse set, the sub-stats seem ridiculously good this time. The goblet has a Physical DMG main stat and Crit Rate of 11.4%, Crit DMG of 23.6%, ATK of 23, and ATK% at 7.0%.
The flower, though, has Crit Rate at 3.1%, Crit DMG at 21.3%, Energy Recharge of 11%, and a flat DEF stat of 20.
Honestly, not bad at all.... wait, how do I even know this?? Is it because I am the one who picked them up?
Maybe I know it because I am physically holding them...
Then what are the stats of the original two sets?
I finally come out of the domain. To my surprise, the sun has set, and the moon is at its peak... time disassociation can honestly be quite the problem.
Once I walk up to the camp, I notice that Arye isn't there, so she is likely asleep in the tent, and Cifera is in her cat form watching the flames.
As I walk up, her eyes twitch toward my position, but she doesn't turn her head.
With a small smile on my face, I pick her up, sitting down on the foldable chair. Rarely was it used for some reason.
I settle her in my lap, and she curls up, getting comfortable.
The night passes peacefully like this, with me stroking her soft fur after moving the cloak on her cat form.
The next day arrives. Arye wakes up, does her morning routine, yet finds herself not needing to make breakfast, as I have already made fried eggs with cooked salmon, fried asparagus, and fresh-cut tomatoes.
I even set up a fruit bowl with Sunsettia, apples, peaches, grapes, and berries like strawberries, blueberries, and cherries.
Cifera had joined us for the food and seemed quite happy with the choice of salmon.
In the afternoon, Cifera and I go out for firewood, returning within an hour or two with enough logs to last a day and a half.
Next, I decide to do one of the summoning ritual things, setting up the first-stage circle. I find myself given something.... particularly weird.
What popped out in my field of vision was a vending machine... its "name" is "Aha's Stall". Cifera reads aloud.
I pause, my mind short-circuiting. Then I look at what is in the vending machine.
Row 1 — Personalized/Character Items
Furina's hat (slightly damp for no reason),
Yae Miko's fan (opens to reveal your contact info somehow),
Mavuika's bike,
Arlecchino's black panties (sealed in an evidence bag, labeled "DO NOT OPEN"),
Ei's sword (note attached: "she won't notice"),
Venti's empty wine bottle (still somehow smells full).
Row 2 — Cross-world Items
Rick's portal gun (one charge, destination unknown),
a Mega Stone (species: ???),
a ball of gold yarn that slowly unravels toward something,
a Pip-Boy,
a lightsaber that only works on Tuesdays,
Avalon - 999,999,999,999,999,999 Mora (Not recommended for indoors).
Row 3 — Plot Items
Plot Armor (physical item, looks like bubble wrap),
Plot Encounter (ticket, no date),
Random Character Encounter (scratch card),
Deus Ex Machina (sealed box, "break only when stupid"),
Foreshadowing (just a mirror),
Villain Monologue Skip (earplugs).
Row 4 — Sweets
Mondstadt dandelion wine gummies,
Liyue sticky rice candy,
Pocky from a convenience store that closed in 2019,
a churro that is simply perfect,
macarons labeled "Fontaine — do not eat",
Turkish delight with a note: "from a well-meaning lion."
Row 5 — Weird Stuff
Navia's bath water (notarized, certified, laminated certificate of authenticity),
slime familiar (small, enthusiastic, no off switch),
mimic gloves (has very sharp teeth, likely to bite, and a hand that tries to wear them),
a jar labeled "collected awkward silences,"
Fischl's drama (bottled),
one extremely normal rock with a sticky note: "you'll understand later."
Row 6 — Rotating Chips and Drinks
Ketchup chips from a Canadian gas station,
a Slurpee flavor that doesn't exist anymore,
"Electro flavor" energy drink (it tingles),
Liyue spice chips that are actually lethal,
a Pepsi from 2003 somehow still cold,
"Void flavor" — the bag is empty but filling.
"Right... of course... why not."
sigh
Cifera, wide-eyed, says, "Huh."
Arye, who was carving, walks over, only to stare at the coagulation of nonsensical items.
"I wanna try the simply perfect churro. It is only 200 Mora, after all."
I pay. It pops out. She eats it, hums, approves, and walks away.
sigh
I stand up, unwilling to bother with this now. I open the dimensional space underneath the machine to take it with me and—
"Huh?"
It floats, confusing me. I approach and try to push it, but it doesn't move. I close the space, punch the earth below it, and the ground cracks and slightly caves in....
THE DAMN THING DON'T MOVE!!!
Over the next 30 or so minutes, I try everything: full charge, dropping things onto it, digging a meter-deep hole underneath it, using pulleys to try and move it.
"NOTHING WORKS!!!"
sigh
"You know what? Sure, I don't care. Not my problem. Plus, not like anyone has quadrillions of Mora, so in theory Avalon should never be bought, and nothing else matters."