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nomorefstogive · 2 years

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A Day of Miracles

Miracle Worker AU

Good evening everyone, we are here today with a more fluffy idea that, while not quite a normal AU, this is still something I am considering an au or rather a take on an au like our ‘Mother Knows Best’ one with the exception that the Shaper is summoned back to Teyvat and an overly happy mother forgets to inform the acolytes because she is riding a high of bliss at having her child back with her again.

That being said we are dedicating this fluffy little oneshot to @chocoenvy and @universal-rose. We hope you two enjoy this.

We also feel that we should say that you can consider this the soft and fluffy story to go back to for comfort once we post a much darker idea we have involving the Creator. or Shaper as we call them, waking up in the stygian abyss that is the Arknights Universe…to be exact they are caught up in the events taking place within a mobile city in Ursus during one of the most horrific events that we have ever witnessed in the game.

Those of you who know what I am talking about know fully well how dark it is going to get, especially with our little twist on it.

But enough of those dark thoughts, for now let the curtains rise and the orchestra begin to perform as our play begins. Ah we also feel that we should state that in order to avoid making this a wall of words greater than our last idea, we will be dividing this idea up into four or five parts.

Let’s see, what should we call it?

Hmmm…Ah!

Let’s go with-

Day of Miracles( Part 1, Mondstadt)

Link to part 2: A Day of Miracles Part 2: Liyue

Trigger warnings: Aside from Cult Behavior and mentions of past traumatic events, Hili bros deserved better, and a mention of character death, don't worry they get better, we can't really think of anything.

Word count, only the story text and not the note and tw: 5K+...This is actually one of our shortest works.

What does one think of when they consider the day that the one who shaped the world they call home would return?

Do their minds call to mind an image of the skies yielding afore the void and of the heavens themselves bowing such that the clouds touch the ground as the cosmos form the stair they shall descend upon as the world roars in joy to mark their descent unto the world anew?

Does one's mind call to mind the seas parting way for them so that all of the beasts and creatures within may bear witness to their majesty as the oceans offer up the treasures that they have kept as tribute for them for oh so long?

Mayhaps one’s mind conjures forth the image of the world seeming to become more real, the colors more vivid and radiant as the tastes and smells of the world grow more intense and all senses of touch and of joy and pleasure become so heightened that near euphoria grips one at the slightest touch?

Or perhaps one’s mind imagines that it would be as though a part of them that had been missing for oh so long returned and clicks back into place as they at last feel fully complete as the divine returns to walk beside them upon the base earth?

Or maybe they imagine the day that the 3 True Divines, The Mother, The Guide and The Shaper, would dane to walk upon the base world anew would be heralded with the rising of all, be they dead or alive to kneel before them as Celestia itself did descend upon the world so that they may walk alongside them anew.?

Perhaps it is all of these and more that surge through one's mind as they try and consider what would happen the day the divine returned?

Or perhaps one accepts that they simply can not know what will happen when the divine returns? That all they can do is wait and listen for the signs of their return and make themselves ready for their imminent arrival, for certainly there must be signs that they have come and that the world is soon to change anew as they draw nearer to the day they return to walk upon the base earth alongside of their children.

And yet, how can mere mortals and lesser divines dare aspire to know the truth of the inner workings of true and absolute divinity?

How can it be that they aspire to think that they know what will occur when the divine returns? How could they think that they knew how the divine would choose to announce their return to them after oh so long away.

For on the day that the divine did return to the world of Teyvat did they come not with thunder and lightning, nor of rending sky to void and of stars kneeling before rhm or of the seas parting ways for them.

No, rather it was that on the day the divine returned to Teyvat they did so not with a show of power, but a show of their boundless love for the world they had shaped oh so long ago.

The first sign that something had changed in the world was a small one, so small and insignificant that many would have dismissed it had they seen it were they to turn their gaze to that exact portion of the night sky at that exact moment in time.

For it came with but the slightest of shifting in the order of the world as from Celestia a radiant light, as that of a once faint star shining anew, did glow for but a single moment before it faded away leaving but the gleaming of stars and the light of the moons to illuminate the world.

And it was that none did behold that instant of wondrous glory, save for a young woman who had been pondering the mysteries wrote within the stars above her by the Mother oh so long ago, and even she had only caught it out of the corner of her eye as it dimmed once more. And so her mind dismissed it as not but a trick of the light or a passing of a shooting star, although some part of her deep within said that it was something far more.

And it was so that none heard the cries of joy and rapture that came from within the floating island as Mother and Child were reunited, and none heard an ancient silence be broken as siblings embraced anew in the arms of a joyfully weeping mother.

None saw the ancient and mighty Goddess of Destiny sweep the newly returned one into their arms with tears flowing from her eyes as rivers as she held them fast to her such that they may never be taken away again as she was likewise swept into a familial embrace.

And it was that none would even know of such a wondrous reunion until they awoke and beheld a world much changed, for the Shaper was kind and they knew well the pains their children had endured while away they had been, and so as their power returned to them did they seek to alleviate those pains as best they could.

It came to pass that the night yielded unto the dawn, and those who dwelled upon the world did open their eyes only to wonder if they had not awoken at all, for what they beheld must surely be a dream world of some kind.

For it was that in Mondstadt, where the winds of Freedom blow and the songs of minstrels and bards are carried far to the thrones of the divine by such ever free winds, that the people of the world would first learn of the change that had occurred.

For there came from the plains and hills and mountains, not just there but indeed all across the world as the people would later learn, great cheers and chanting and revelry as the Hilichurls beat upon their drums and danced with glee as they seemed fit to burst with rapturous glee.

And it came as shock and wonder to a young scholar who had gone to speak with a tribe of these mighty beasts in regards to why they were sounding their drums with such fervor and fury that it seemed as though the Raiden Shogun herself was letting her rage seep into the heavens as thunder, that when she did arrive she beheld a scene that would forever be etched into her mind as she saw something beyond even her most wondrous dreams.

For there afore her lay not just a camp of Hilichurl’s, clad in their furs and masks, but also people, people who did change and shift from human to hilichurl with the ease of a breath as tears of joy flowed from their eyes as they bellowed out prayers and cries of joy unto the sky and wept with relief from the terrible pain that had been upon them for oh so long at last vanishing into the ether from whence it came.

And when their eyes alighted on her did they bid her welcome to walk among them and revel with them as they celebrated their liberation from an age old curse.

And with shock and awe did she take their hands and let herself be led into the celebratory throng as her mind raced with the potential of just how much she could learn as she saw man and woman shifting between their new and old forms as they danced and drank and feasted.

Indeed she did lose herself to the stories that she was told by Shamans and warriors of old who at last could give proper voice to their tales and who did so with joy in their hearts as the young scholars hands became not but a blur as she commemorated every detail they spoke unto the notebook she held in her hand.

And yet it was not just the young scholar of the Hilichurl’s who was affected, for there did come from under the branches of a great and mighty tree, a cry of such euphoric joy and heartfelt relief that all who would have heard it would have been moved to tears as they beheld a most curious of sights.

For there, under the shade of those great branches, did 2 who appeared oh so similar race towards one another and fall onto the ground in a tearful embrace as they held one another, the winds around them swirling and racing as they cried out their own joy at the sight of their lord’s dearest of friends returned to his side as they embraced the joyfully weeping pair.

There would come a time when their lyres would both sing a new, and all of the Lands of Freedom and indeed all that the winds did touch would hear a song of heartfelt joy and of great and terrible grief burned away as pain that lingered amidst a scarred heart did fade as well amidst the ever rising flames of their joyful reunion.

But for now they were content to hold one another and to speak of all that had occurred during their long parting as they basked in one another’s shared presence under the branches of the tree and under the happy gaze of a falcon who cawed out her own joy as she took flight towards the City of the Wind from whence a commotion had begun to rise.

For there did come from a woman who had her sight taken from her at so young an age that she had never been able to truly marvel at all of the colors that lay upon the Shaper’s masterpiece a cry of rapture as the bandages that had hid her eyes fell to the ground and her now vivid blue orbs took in all that lay before her as tears of joy spilled from her now seeing eyes.

And likewise was there commotion from the square, where a young woman who had long battled fiercely with an illness that had upon her body wreaked pain and misery threw back her arms and joyously cried out that the aches and pains were gone and faded, and that never before had her breathing been so painless and easy as her brother held her as both cried in joy.

And from a tavern there came the sound of shattering glass as two bottles struck the floor and shattered as two men, once brothers till they did part ways, were reunited as siblings again as one leapt across his bar and another flung himself from the second floor as, with tears in their eyes, they embraced a man with hair of flame red whoi smiled and laughed as he held his sons with a proud smile on his face as he saw how much they had grown.

And there did likewise come from the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius a great ruckus as a woman who had long ascended unto the heavens did she her guise of a falcon and cast open her arms as she embraced the woman who was her successor in all but name and, with a smile of such pride it did bring tears to the Dandelion Knights eyes, did she guide her out of her office to see a great revelry that had gripped the city swell yet further still.

As there did come forth from portals and tears to realms hitherto unknown a great host of knights whose armors and weapons, though worn and battered, bore proudly the symbol of Mondstadt, and at whose head rose two men who could only gaze upon the scene before them with awe and shock in their eyes.

For not only did a goddess of Celestia now stand before them with her arms wrapped around the shoulder of both a violet mage and a knight of the wind, but there amidst the streets were people and beasts who they knew to have passed long ago emerging from similar portals to the ones that a feeling had bade them pass on through.

And it was amidst this beginning to great revelry that there did come the hurried footsteps of two women who did bear the robes of nuns of the cathedral that rested above the city, and from their lips did spill the words that did ignite the revelry into a bonfire that surged and swelled as it enveloped the city in the flames of ecstasy.

For within the cathedral the statue of the Shape had come alight, stars and galaxies woven across it as a heavenly radiance enveloped it just as it had enveloped the statues of The Mother and The Guide, and there did likewise come from the statue an aura of soothing warmth that did heal and mend all wounds and ailments of those who drew near to it.

And as great joy and revelry did sweep through the city did a child clad in red cry out in joy as she leapt into the arms of her mother as she happily guided her to see the wonderful books that she had wrapped as presents when she had awoken. And oh how wonderful these books were, for they taught her how to make new and better versions of her beloved toys, and oh how she smiled at the thought of playing with her new toys with her friend who had given her such wondrous gifts.

The fish of Teyvat, though joyful at the return of their beloved Shaper did indeed curse them as they swam, vowing to avoid the red clad demon's domain for as long as they could even if it meant avoiding their beloved Shaper.

And amidst this joyous throng there did come forth another cry of joy from a ruin where a young adventurer had set up his camp as he pursued a story of treasures that lay hidden within said ruins.

And it did come to be that as he walked those desolate halls, not one trap was triggered and not once did the ceiling or floor come down upon or out from under him as he searched through the halls, and indeed did no statue reveal themselves as golems nor did any plant reveal themselves as Whopperflowers or Dendro Slimes or Regisvines as he walked through the halls.

And when the time did come that he reached the central chamber did he witness a sight which did leave his lungs breathless, for it was as he stepped into the large chamber that he leaned against a wall to catch his breath only to feel the portion of the wall he leaned upon slide in and give way, but it was not to a pit or a trpa which conjured forth ruin Guards, but something that instead left him gaping in shock.

For spread before him were heaps of ancient coins of gold and small jewels that laid beside a chest that was open enough to reveal a gleaming sword which bore a note attached to its pommel.

After he stood up did he move into the room with uneasy footsteps as he strode towards the chest and gingerly lifted up the note, his mouth falling open as he fell to his knees with a tearful smile forming on his face as he read and re-read what lay inscribed on the paper.

And oh did he weep as he read the writing of the divine, for there was, inscribed upon that piece of paper, a letter of apology for the misfortune he had been burdened with and a promise that it would trouble him no more.

The letter did also state that all that lay before him and within these ruins was his as recompense for what he endured as a result of his luck, and that he should do with it what he will.

And yet it was not the wealth and weapon that were offered to him that made him smile with tears of joy streaming from his eyes, for there was also something else included in that letter that left him feeling as though he were atop the spires of Celestia.

A simple and earnest question for the young adventurer that asked if he and his team would be willing to accompany the divine on their travels when they were let descend upon Teyvat anew by the grace of their Mother and sibling.

And it was with tears of joy leaving his lips that he wept out a joy filled ‘Yes’ as he slumped down against the chest with tearful laughter leaving his lips as he decided to rest there until his heart had calmed enough for him to make the journey to seek out some help carrying his new treasures back home.

And as with the young man who was burdened by misfortune, did there come another tearful cry of joy as a woman who had long aspired to rise unto knighthood had fallen upon her knees with tears of joy leaving her eyes as she had awoken to find a beautiful mantle with a small slip of paper laid beside it.

And upon that paper was written but a few short sentences that did make the young made wep with joy, for they were praises of her unyielding dutiful nature and her courage and of her determination and yet it was not these praises wrti by hand of the divine that did so move her to tears.

For there was inscribed upon that paper an honor that made the young maid-knight fall to her knees as there was an appointment that though she may not be a Knight of Favonius, she was now one of two from the City of Freedom who would bear the title of Knight of The Divine, and that the mantle would serve as her proof of her new office.

And with tears yet flowing from her eyes did the young Knightess don the mantle, and then did she cry out in ecstasy for she did feel as though the arms of the divine themselves were wrapped around her shoulders and holding her fast in an embrace.

So great was her joy that she cared not if she missed the revelry outside, for she wished merely to bask in this wondrous feeling.

Yet as the letter had said, was she not the only one to be bestowed with such an honor, for there was a mirror to the scene that had played out in her bedroom in the bedroom of a noble woman who had been blessed with the grace of cryo.

And the young noble of a disgraced house knelt upon her floor with tears of joy leaving her eyes as she laughed in euphoric gless as she felt the embrace of the divine wrap around her as she felt that this was perhaps the sweetest of vengeances that she could ever hope to achieve upon those who had shunned and mocked her for her blood.

And like the ever dutiful maid-knight did she care not for the revelry, for she wished to lay upon her bed and revel in the embrace of the divine that did hold her fast.

And there did come from the woods of Wolvendom a great howl that did echo unto the heavens as the Lupus Boreas did breath anew as his body was restored unto him, and greater still was another howl that echoed from atop a mountain that did shake the trees and hills as a great wolf of size equal to that of the Wolfen Dominator leapt into the air and in a crackle of lightning vanished as a young boy with eyes of crimson and hair of silver landed where the wolf would have with tears of joy leaking from his eyes at the gift bestowed upon him.

And there was likewise a howling yip from the home of an alchemist who sought to craft her own wonderland, for there before her were tomes and books on studies long forgotten and that she had never before heard of. And they were not the only thing that did move the young woman to her howls of joy, for there lay in her room a new door which did lead unto a room that was full of skeletons of beasts and creatures the likes of which she had never seen nor could she have imagined in not but her wildest of dreams and fantasies.

Oh how she longed to throw herself into the new books she had been given, but a much simpler part of her wished to see if the letter she had read upon the door to the room was true as she walked over to one of the smaller skeletons and pulled free a bone, and then felt her jaw drop as her mouth began to water as a new bone took its place in an instant.

She let that simpler part of her mind take over as she leapt forward to explore the room with delight in her eyes as she held the bone close to her, her mind alight with all of the possibilities that now lay before her.

And it was that she was not the only one whose mind had come alight with wondrous new possibilities, for within the frozen reaches of Dragonspire did the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius wake to find a new door in his small home, a door which bore a letter upon it.

And upon reading the letter did he drop it in shock as he opened the door before him with a trembling hand, his eyes snapping open as wide as the moons that surrounded the planet as he took in the expanse of an immense library that did lay spread out before him.

And as he took a tentative step into the room did he pause to reach down and seize the note as he re-read it again and again as his mind began to swim and race as tears began to stream from orbs of molten gold as he truly took in the words written upon it.

A drunken laugh leaving his lips as he saw the new title he had been bestowed with as he entered into the room to begin immersing himself in the knowledge that now lay before him, heedless to the revelry sweeping through the city near his mountain home.

He did quite like the title of Alchemist of the Divine.

And in speaking of the City of Freedom, there was amidst the city that had been engulfed in near euphoric throng another cry of joy as a young woman with a bow styled to look as the ears of a rabbit tore through the crowd before her as she all but leapt into the arms of an aged man who smiled as he spun his granddaughter around in a tearful embrace. Several small stuffed dolls that resembled the young woman walking alongside of her as they likewise latched onto the older man's feet with their own tiny arms in an embrace.

There would yet come a time for conversations and explanations between him and his granddaughter over what had driven him to leave her all of those years ago, but that could wait for later. For now, it was time to make merry and revel.

And it was amidst that revelry that there was another young woman with tears of joy streaming from her eyes as she looked at the letter that she had found on her nightstand atop a book of recipes for drinks whose likeness she had never seen before, and yet it was not the new recipes that made her cry tears of joy.

For there lay in the note a promise that any drink she made would not make those who did imbibe it intoxicated, and would instead cleanse them of such an effect were they to have already become intoxicated through other means.

A promise she witnessed to be true as she saw her father drink a liquor which should have for all intents and purposes left him a drunken and giggling loon, and yet drunken was he not and likewise nor was he laughing as a loon as he savored the drink his daughter had given him.

And yet stronger still did the young woman’s tears flow as she recalled well what her father had said to her that morning as he held her fast in an embrace, a promise he had told her as he stroked the feline ears that lay atop her head, a vow born of the dreams he had been shown as he slept.

For it was as he slept that he saw well how much his daughter loved him, and yet how much she grieved and loathed how he became when he overindulged in the liquor he was so fond of.

He saw her tears and heard her curses and snarled growls as she tried and tried and failed and failed to find a way to scare him away from the drink he had taken to so long ago to cope with the world around him.

And so he had begged for the Divine to make it so that he would not be as the ‘boar rolling in mud’ that his daughter claimed he was like when he had drunk far too much, and so had the divine granted his wish as he had heard a voice tell him that while he would be able to enjoy a faint haze brought about by the liquor, he would no longer be able to become intoxicated.

And as she held her father with a tearful smile on her face did the young bartender offer up not but thankful prayers to the Divine as she savored her father’s embrace, a vow that when the Divine did descend upon the world would she make them the greatest drinks that she could.

Still more cries of joy did abound as a young woman who laid immersed in fantasy found herself with a door similar to that of the Alchemist of the frozen mountain present within her room, a door that lead to a library of novels of fantasy and wonder and which bore within it a book that would let her enter into the fantasy worlds contained within those books should she wish for it.

And it was that the Prinzessen did weep with joy as her raven friend flew around the room in circles with caws of joy leaving his lips as he saw the ever replenishing treats left for him near a most comfortable perch so that he may watch over his friend and rest as well.

Likewise was there great tears of joy that flowed from the eyes of an idol as she knelt before the statue of the Divine ones within the cathedral, and from her lips did there spill forth and endless stream of gratitudes and praises as she held fast to her chest a songbook delivered unto her in the night by the divine.

And it was within that songbook that she read the words that made her weep with true joy as she gazed upon them with tear filled eyes as she vowed to sing the praises and hymns of the divine and all of the songs that lay within the ever expanding songbook for them when they did descend for what kind of Divine Songstress would she be if she did not.

And in a darker corner of the cathedral did another woman with a heart like that of ice hide herself away as she cried her own joy as she held tight a letter or praise and admiration written by divine hands.

A letter which had rested upon a book that, like the ever growing songbook of the deaconess, would ever expand with infinite pages that she could peruse through with ease, pages which would tell her of all the ways of fighting and surveillance that were devised by those that had passed and those that yet lived and those that would yet live.

And it was within the book that another gift had fallen to rest in her hand, a vision that was as a starless night, void of any and all light. A vision that did into shadows let her wander and emerge at will, and did likewise let her see through all of the dark places and corners that lay around her. And it was that the vision did seem to fuse with her vision of cryo so that it was a gleaming snowflake upon and endless night that rested upon her side.

And it was within this letter that raised her for all of her work to protect the city she called home, that she did behold an honor that made a woman whose faith had always been faint feel their heart swell and ache in joy as her faith steeled as she beheld her new position as Shadow of the Divine.

And oh how she did vow to honor that name for when they did descend would she be at their side as their loyal guardian, hidden within their shadow that she may be there to safeguard them forever more.

And last but most certainly not least of all of those to behold a gift bestowed upon them on this most miraculous of days by the Divine, was a young woman whose gaze was upon the stars and the heavens and all of the great and mighty and terrible celestial bodies that did swirl and dance within the cosmic expanse around their world.

And it was so that the young astrologer awoke to the noise outside of her home, and to 3 parcels that lay upon her desk, alongside of a note.

The first she lifted up was a book that would tell her of all things related to the heavenly bodies that lay within the cosmos above her. Such knowledge of stars and planets and of nebulae and galaxies and of all of their wonders and horrors, that it made her knees grow weak as her heart pounded within her chest at the thought of it all.

The second appeared almost as a larger version of a vision, although not one of any form she had ever before beheld, for it bore no sign of an element of the 7, but rather a gleaming and radiant field of stars amidst ever changing colored nebulae. And when she touched it did she see emerge before her a great and terrible sight, as all around her did bloom stars and galaxies and nebulae such that her eyes went wide and she at last slumped down onto her weak knees as she raised her hand and allowed for the vision of the stars to fade.

And it was that after several moment of catching her breath that she stood and took into her hand a pouch of deep sapphire silk that, much to her confusion, felt as though it were empty. Her mind raced as she tried to determine its purpose before her gaze traveled over and unto the words writ upon the latter she held fast in her hand.

Her heart stopped for several moments, and for several moment longer did she fear that soon she would feel the hand of the Guide slide into her own as she was bid to follow them to either a due reward or punishment for she was certain that she must has ascended unto the heavens as she dreamt.

And yet she followed well the instructions wrote upon the letter and thought to herself of a need for a hundred coins of mora, and then upended the pouch into a small bowl that lay upon the table, her eyes widening as the exact amount of mora she had wished for came spilling out and into the bowl.

And it was with the knowledge that never again would she need for money, and that never again would she go hungry and risk starvation as she slaved over her labor, that the appointed Divine Astrologer allowed for consciousness to leave her as she fell backwards and into the realm of blissful unconsciousness, a prayer of thanks the last thing to leave her lips before she resumed her journeys through the land of dreams she had woken from but moments prior.

And so does the tale of the Miracles bestowed upon Mondstadt on the day of the Divines return end with the descent of Dvalin of The Storm into the city as he was welcomed into the joyous throng of revelry, a roar of gratitude leaving his lips as he looked to the sky and the floating island therein that kay above him.

And the divine did smile upon the land of the winds and bid them revel as they turned their gaze to see what effect their blessings had upon the other lands of the world, that is to say they would turn their gaze and see said effects once stars shaped as twins allowed for them to get off of the floor as they held them tight in an embrace. A small fairy who had shed her tiny form to appear as the Goddess of Time once more was not assisting in the matter either as she joined in on the embrace with a joyful laugh.

Yet the divine was given at least some respite when Asmoday of Destiny lifted up her sister with a smile on her face as she spoke of how a being ‘designated as food for emergencies’ should not tackle someone to the ground, as she held her tight.

Laughter filled divine halls as all heard an indignant screech from the fairy turned Goddess.

And more laughter and more joy there would come for the Divine would soon fix their gaze upon a land of earth and contracts, and see well how they reacted to what they had been blessed with on this-

Day of Miracles

And here we are, we hope you all enjoyed this story, we are not that satisfied with the quality of it, and how rushed it seems to be in some parts.

Regardless, as we said we hope you enjoyed this part of our little fluff idea, we will be posting a part 2 of it once we get it written up, might wait until we finish the next chapter of our fic on ao3 or we might not, we will see where are muse takes us.

Either way, we hope to see you all in the next one, stay safe and have a great night.

#nomorefstogive #genshin sagau #genshin impact fluff #genshin cult au #genshin impact cult au #genshin impact cult au fluff #genshin impact sagau fluff #genshin impact sagau #@universal-rose you are summoned by the power of fluff

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whoneedsapublisher · 5 years

Text

Harassment

A few people from a discord and I got together to do a quick Kroos Jam this weekend, writing short fiction about Kroos from Arknights. Here’s my contribution! It’s Kroos x Siege again, because I will continue to provide content for this utterly unsupported by canon pairing.

Words: ~1300

Summary: Someone's been messing around in Kroos's locker, and Kroos is starting to be reminded of how she was treated back at the garrison. But whoever the perpetrator is, they seem to be going about their task in a very strange way. Also on Ao3

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Someone, it seemed, had it out for Kroos.

It had started off subtle. Things would go missing from her locker, and turn out to have been hidden in boxes or pockets, or behind something else. At first she’d just thought she was being forgetful- it wasn’t like she kept that careful an eye on where things were. Soon, though, it became obvious someone else was moving things around. Even things she was sure she’d put one place would end up in another.

But whoever was doing it never actually took anything. That was the strange part. Having something stolen from her locker… well, that was something that had happened back in the garrison, before they’d left. Childish, spiteful bullying, for the crime of giving up her own fucking health to help people. This, though, was different. It was still irritating, but it was more confusing than anything else.

The next stage was no less baffling. Even though Kroos just wore sneakers into battle, Rhodes Island had rules about combat attire, so she had to have a special pair in her locker for fighting. When she pulled them out to change, one of them slipped out of her hands and fell to the floor, and something rolled out of it. Kroos picked up it and inspected it. It looked like... candy. Unwrapping it, she found a lime green ball inside, with the crystalline look of a piece of hard candy. It looked normal enough, but… who had put it there? And why?

There was only one person other than her that had any reason to mess with her locker.The mysterious person rearranging things.

“Hibiscy~” Kroos called out across the room, not looking away from the candy.

“What is it?” Hibiscus called back.

“You can heal poison, riiiight?” Kroos said.

“Of course,” Hibiscus said. “Let me just find the-” She paused. “Wait, why? Have you been poisoned?”

“I might be now~” Kroos said cheerfully, and then popped the candy into her mouth and bit down with a crunch.

She grimaced.

“Wha- what was that?” Hibiscus asked urgently, rushing over to Kroos as she fumbled with a vial. “Was it poisonous?! Describe your symptoms, quick!”

“Noooo~ it’s just so soourrrr…” Kroos whined, scrunching up her face. “Blehhhhh…”

Hibiscus sighed in exasperation.

“Stop screwing around and get ready to go, Kroos,” Fang said, frowning.

“Okaay,” Kroos said, shaking the other shoe out and tossing the identical wrapped ball into her locker before slipping her shoes on.

So then. They’d put candy in her locker, but hidden them in her shoes, where she might have stepped on them and hurt her feet. It hadn’t been poisoned, but it had been awful, super sour candy. Whoever was picking on her certainly had a weird way of going about it. What was next? Were they going to send her an ugly postcard that smelled kind of bad? Bake her sugar free cookies and hide them in her sheets so she’d get crumbs in her bed?

*************************

It ended up being far, far worse than Kroos could have imagined. She’d been lured into a false sense of security by the strangely mild mischief that had preceded it, but now she was sure that someone truly had it out for her. This was no longer something she could ignore. They’d crossed a line that even the people at the garrison had never breached.

Rushing away from the scene of carnage in her room, Kroos headed to the control center, where the doctor was shifting through piles of recruitment reports.

“Doctorrrrrr!” she cried, as he glanced up at her. “Someone left ten alarm clocks by my bed! Who would do something so awful?!”

“...Is that why you’re on time for once?” the doctor asked, sounding unperturbed.

“Docccctoooorrrrr,” Kroos whined. “This is terriblllle… I was trying to sleeeep… I’m being bullied, doctor! This isn’t even the first thing that’s happened to me!”

“Oh?” the doctor said.

“First, someone started messing with things in my locker,” Kroos said. “They keep moving everything arouunnnd… And thennn, someone hid candy in my shoes, but it was trick candy that was sour instead of sweet! And I could have stepped on it and hurt my feet! And now they’re putting alarm clocks in my roooom… doctor, help me!”

For some reason, the doctor snorted.

“Doctor!” Kroos said. “It’s not funny!”

“...My apologies.”

The sudden apology, however, did not come from the doctor, who was still grinning obnoxiously. Turning her head, Kroos saw Siege bowing her head apologetically over the pile of papers she was sorting.

“Eh?” Kroos said.

“...I was the one behind those things.”

Kroos froze in shock.

It was a chilling betrayal.

Kroos wasn’t naive. She knew that coming to Rhodes Island wouldn’t mean completely escaping discrimination. Even if the organization supported infected rights, they still worked with countries like Lungmen, and a big pharmaceuticals company wasn’t exactly a “cause”. Not every employee was there because they believed in Rhodes Island’s big ideas, so no matter how officially infected were equal members, there were always going to be minor hires who held their own opinions. Always going to be people who said they had no problem with infected people when management asked, but somehow coincidentally always seemed to give the raises to uninfected people, to give infected people the worst jobs, to turn away an infected person for a job in favour of a person who wasn’t.

But Kroos thought that she’d gotten to know Siege. Had started to understand her. Even though Siege was uninfected, she’d never been uncomfortable around Kroos. She’d spoken to her normally. She hadn’t avoided contact with her. She’d even let Kroos nap on her. Kroos had really, truly believed that regardless of anyone else, Siege didn’t care that she was infected. To find out that it was her who had been bullying Kroos hurt her much more than she had expected.

“Siege, she’s not going to understand if you just put it like that.”

For some reason, the doctor was barely suppressing a laugh. Was this funny to him? Someone who had never shown a hint of distaste for the infected? Someone who even seemed to sympathize a little with Reunion? All this time, he thought discrimination against the infected was funny?

“Right…” Siege said. “Um. I didn’t… intend to upset you.”

“What?” Kroos said, blinking in surprise. Her train of thought, which had been starting to hurtle towards very dark places, suddenly derailed.

“Well,” Siege said awkwardly. “Your locker is alway such a mess, I thought it might be nice to tidy it up. Put things in the proper drawers, and everything. And… the candy is my favourite kind of candy. I thought you might like some.”

“...And the alarm clocks?” Kroos asked, hesitantly.

“Well,” Siege said. “You always talk about how you’re late because you overslept, so I thought it might be helpful…”

“...Oh,” Kroos said.

“Sorry,” Siege said again.

“So… you were trying to…?” Kroos asked.

“Um,” Siege said. “Sora said that doing nice things for someone was a good way to lead up to asking them out, so…”

“Ohhh,” Kroos said. “I see.”

“Yes,” Siege said, shifting in her chair.

“Well,” the doctor said. “Now that that’s settled, and you’re finally awake on time for once, maybe we can get down to work.”

“Sorry, doctor,” Kroos said, taking Siege by the arm. “I think I need to show Siege my gratitude~ we’ll back back later, okaaaay?”

“Wha-” the doctor said, as Kroos dragged Siege off towards the dorms. “What gratitude? You thought you were being harassed! Kroos! Get back here! Kroos!”

In the end, it wasn’t until midday that Siege and Kroos returned to receive a harsh scolding from Dobermann about the importance of showing up for their shifts. But Kroos, smiling all the brighter than usual, couldn’t bring herself to care.

#arknights #kroos #siege #kroosiege

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