#shadows amidst snowstorms

[why-am-i-here-someone-save-me]

Imperfections

aka Luci is a Rubedo enthusiast and is making it your problem. You’re welcome. :)

Mistake. Failure. Accident.

He knew these words well. They had come to define him in her eyes. Her eyes that watched intently as he followed instruction, catching every slip up, every misstep. He longed for her eyes to look at him with anything, anything, other than dissatisfaction, but no matter how hard he strove, they never did.

Discardable. Replaceable. Disposable.

Three words that she had thought of him. He was not valuable to her, he was merely a project. One which she began to see less and less reason to keep around. A project that she grew closer and closer to casting aside with every mistake he made.

Abandoned. Forsaken. Alone.

Her betrayal had branded the words upon his nonexistent heart like a hot iron. What did he do to be deserted like this? He tried his best, he gave his all in everything she had him do. So why did she leave him by himself in this dark place? It wasn’t fair, he didn’t want to be alone!

Dark. Cold. Isolated.

He hadn’t noticed in the beginning. He wasn’t aware of the corrosive energies that surrounded him, that ate away at his defenses. He paid no mind when the darkness that surrounded him sunk its teeth into him. He took no notice of how the corrupting fangs tainting his essence, causing the same darkness that surrounded him to grow and fester within him. It didn’t occur to him that his own mind had been stained black with hatred and resentment, nor that his very thoughts had shifted from despairing to spiteful.

Ice. Fury. Jealousy.

No words could properly convey his disbelief when he learned the truth. His face, his voice, his eyes, but not him. Not him. Why did this replacement receive such blessings? Was he not the first?! Even if she did not favor him, he was the first: he was the original! It should be him! He should be the one standing there! Not some copy!

Albedo.

Albedo.

Albedo.

His name. That was his name. How dare this substitute use his name! How dare this replacement use his name, his face, his identity as though it was theirs!

Observing. Learning. Plotting.

He won’t stand for this. He won’t stand and watch this copy have what should be his. He will not be forgotten. He was the first! He was the original! He won’t let himself be replaced!

Discovery. Battle. Defeat.

The fellflower failed him. His plans to take back his name had failed. He had failed. But he refused to give up. The darkness that dwelt in him blossomed further as it greedily prospered off of his rage. The name that was stolen from him only served to fuel his unquenchable thirst for vengeance. He was not Albedo; no that name had been stolen from him. He will reclaim it. But who is he now? Who is he now while he bides his time?

Wandering. Running. Encounter.

He had spent several months on the ever-frozen mountain, observing his counterpart, learning for his next scheme. But then he’d found you. You had been collapsed under the canopy of trees, unable to go on. If you had been awake, he wouldn’t have approached you, he couldn’t risk it, but seeing that you were unconscious he neared your fallen form. It didn’t take him but a second to take in your condition. Frail and bruised, you were visibly malnourished, not to mention the air of exhaustion that surrounded you like a fog. It surprised him when the sight caused a faint ache in his chest. He’d never experienced that before, and he was intrigued to say the least. He’d carefully picked your collapsed body, shedding his coat and wrapping it around you instead. The shivering of your form as he had carried you back to his hidden away camp had sparked something inside of him. If he recalled correctly, she had described a feeling similar to this one, calling it ‘concern’.

Awake. Warmth. Recover.

He’d been confused when the first thing you did upon waking and seeing him was start to tremble in fear with a panicked expression. But why? You had never seen him before, so were you afraid of his replacement? Did you know that he wasn’t the same person? His internal question was answered when your eyes focused on his neck. Your eyes expression relaxes, much to his confusion. “Y-You’re not him… Are you going to kill me..?” The words you spoke left him even more puzzled. “Kill you? Why would I kill you? If I wanted you dead I would have simply left you where I found you to freeze.” Had it been under normal circumstances, his lack of emotion while discussing your demise would have left you shaken, but these were far from normal circumstances.

You were exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The novelty of Teyvat had quickly waned when the characters you thought you knew so well called you an ‘imposter of the divine creator’. You had tried using your knowledge of them and their world to prove that you really weren’t from Teyvat, but they’d called it some sort of arcane spell and that you were merely a fake that was bluffing about the origin of the information you knew. That logic was absurd, and even a few of the characters themselves silently agreed that the argument made little sense. It had been those characters that had been the only way you escaped Mondstandt with your life. You’d briefly considered running to Liyue, but that would be a death sentence considering that the adepti would be after you. So you had fled to Dragonspine. At least if you perish, it will have been on your own terms, you’d thought. When you had collapsed, you were certain that it was the end for you, and that you’d never wake up from the unconscious realm. Yet you’d awoken, not only warm, but with your more severe injuries treated. And then you’d seen Albedo and your blood ran cold. You vividly remember the uncanny sight of anger on the composed researchers face as you’d seen him in Monstandt. You were sure he’d treated you just to ensure that your death could be dragged out. That is, until you noticed something on his neck. Or rather, the lack of something on his neck. This was not Albedo, you’d realized.

Confusion. Companion. Identity.

You told him of your experience so far, uncaring that you were confiding in a stranger. After you finally finish your story, he looks to you with what you could almost swear was amusement. “So then, you are also branded an imposter, no? Well then, I propose we work together. Seeing as how you have my replacement,” you note how he spits the word out with venom in his voice, “-rather perturbed is quite enjoyable.” You looked to him in surprise before nodding a small bit. A chance at survival is a chance, even if it did come from one of the ‘antagonists’. Though you already know the answer to the question, you ask it regardless. “Um, what is your name?” A bitter chuckle comes from him as he stares at the fire. “…I do not have one. Not at the moment. But I will take back my name.” Taking a deep breath, you steeled yourself for your next words. “So then can I call you Rubedo?” His eyes immediately snapped over to you, a mix or surprise and oddly enough, happiness, flashing through his real optics. “Rubedo..? Hm… Well, you have to call me something I suppose. That said,” you were certain this time that you saw the happiness in his face, “-I quite like it.”

Rubedo.

Rubedo.

Rubedo.

His new name.

Taglist: @nicebonescomrade @bamboowritess @numwoon44 @nookiesposts @rizakari @emperatris-rinaka @eccedentesiast-sapphic

(Also tagging my fellow Rubedo simp @rea-can-yeet)

I many consider making a follow up to this if enough people are interested. Or if I go full Rubedo simp mode again, which, given, is a valid possibility

[dkniade]

(It’s funnier when I initially had the first two ramble about Dragonspine and the third just goes “It’s my home” haha..)

(Eula leads the Guerrilla Company in the Chinese version.)

(The joke is that in Mandarin, 魈 and 小 are pronounced almost the same but their phonetic tones are different… The first hanzi uses the flat tone and the second hanzi uses the fall-rise tone.)

[mokatora]

Beware of the Second who lives in the mountains

[javomelancholie]

Someone: Omg that prank from Albedo in the event "Shadows Amidst Snowstorms" was SO unexpected! Wtf?! What's gotten into him all of a sudden?? Was it even really him??? Albedo is, after all, a cold no fun type man who only cares about science! Does he even know how to joke? He doesn't understand human emotions! Traveler is definitely don't trust him now at all because so am I!

Traveler in game: actually was smirking back and found Albedo's behavior amusing.

(because Albedo who finds talking to people tiring but who is actively being cheeky to Lumine IS amusing)

Some totally insignificant moments from earlier:

Albedo is actually showing to Lumine his mischievous side since his first story quest, so she is aware that Albedo likes to tease her and to fool around with her.

Lumine's description of a drink "Snow-Covered Kiss" in Of Drink A-Dreaming event from version 2.5:

"The milky foam doesn't have much taste to it...

It's kind of like snow on the mountains...

The moment you taste the sweetness of the juice...

Like a sprout pushing through the ice to give you a kiss..."

The man she met:

The man she made:

Traveler is an intelligent and observing person and Lumine and Albedo share the same brain cell:

Anyway, those statements above demonstrate next things about ppl who are saying them:

lack of reading comprehension;

inattention to details;

misunderstanding of Albedo and unwillingness to understand him, his growing relationship with Traveler and his character development

[correct-genshin]

Joel: I made a snowman of auntie Eula. See? She has her arms crossed because she's mad at her other snowman friends for annoying her. You like it?

Eula, choked up: It's fine

[valentine-rabbit]

Some Albetrio sillies I made for a TikTok, which you can find right here! Fellflower/Whoppy was my fave <3 I'm still so sad I missed that event, it was so lore heavy and interesting!

[dandelion-wings]

I am never going to write this fic but the concept has entertained me at the barn for the last two days straight, so:

After Shadows Amidst Snowstorms, Albedo decides to 'share' his life with Subject Two, and they trade off on life in Mondstadt (giving Albedo extra time to work on Dragonspine) as Subject Two learns to socialize with human beings and exist as a person.

Just as Subject Two is starting to become comfortable interacting with people, Sucrose decides to finally act on her crush on Albedo and make some romantic overtures.

Subject Two finds himself unexpectedly, absurdly charmed to be given a custom-alchemied flower. (With a bunch of notes on its creation, care, and potential functions, because Sucrose was aware of her target audience, even if she's unaware that she hasn't reached it.) He's been avoiding Sucrose a bit up until now because he was afraid someone who worked so closely with Albedo would suss him out, but clearly he is Succeeding At Albedoing if she gave him a flower! He starts hanging out with her more often while he's in Mondstadt, and tends the flower very carefully, because it's his first ever gift from a Real Person (that didn't, uh, explode in his face, because Klee).

Sucrose is thrilled with the success of her attempt. He likes it! He likes it a lot! Time to move on to Phase 2: making scientific observations together!

Albedo, returning to his turn at Being Albedo, is not sure why Sucrose is inviting him to observe whopperflowers with her? He's sure she's competent to handle one on her own if they become hostile. But he doesn't turn her down. He just also... doesn't understand why she's leaning up against him, or putting her hand on his arm so much.

Sucrose is disappointed in this sudden coolness. Maybe she's moving too fast? He's not bringing the flower to the laboratory anymore, so clearly she was jumping the gun. :(

Except that a few days later he starts again! And when he does, he brings her a flower, too. (A knight had commented on it while he was carrying the pot around, and when he said it was from Sucrose, he'd been told he ought to give one back. Important Humaning Advice that Subject Two took immediately to heart!) It's made of stone and he explains how he alchemically crafted it and she's so glad that he seems to be coming around.

Until he isn't, again, because her next few gestures get gently turned down. :( And then he is, again, suddenly, because the week later he brings her a dessert to split and goes to dinner when she invites him, but then the week after that he asks why she's trying to hold his hand, which they had been doing the past few days, and then- it's hot-and-cold to an irrational extent, here.

Sucrose, being a scientist, starts making exhaustive notes. At first she's trying to figure out if there's some external factor--her timing, Albedo's physical condition, Klee's proximity, other knights' attention, etc. But very quickly she determines that the only relevant data is... oh. hmm. small physical irregularities. She'd been willing to put down the slightly different shade of blue to the eyes as a trick of the light, but the mark at his throat goes perceptively off-model now and then, and that's always when he's interested....

Anyway, that's why she rigs an elaborate series of traps in order to confine both of them at once and determine the exact nature of what's going on here. Wait, they're both homunculi? This is fascinating, she needs to take so many notes, have they run any tests, can she run more tests--yes, she'll let them out of the traps, she just needs to make exhaustive notes on their perceptible differences first.

Subject Two cannot understand why Albedo wouldn't want to hold this woman's hand. Fortunately, while she was initially crushing on Albedo, at this point she'd rather have the one who's been actively and enthusiastically building a romantic relationship with her. Albedo, being very aroace, is frankly relieved to cede this particular ground. (Although he does get to practice his Big Brothering and note to Sucrose that she should probably go light on the testing, as that is a bit of a sore spot.) Happy endings all around!

Including for at least one future baby Fellflower, because Subject Two knows where some dormant seeds are buried and (correctly) decides that Sucrose would love to help him raise them, and Klee, because obviously what every happy couple wants on their romantic fellflower-seed-unearthing dates is explosions in the background. :>

[welcometoteyvat]

hrm ok albedo thoughts fuck

subject two -> created whopperflowerbedo, with the intention of discarding it/having it be defeated, ie it was meant to die or fail from the onset, vs rhinedottir -> created subject two, who was deemed imperfect and a failed experiment, ultimately also leaving him to die inside durin...... hm..... my guy....

[the-books-doctor]

A bit of a different post than usual, but I thought I’d promote one of my fanworks for a rarepair in the Genshin Impact community! Presenting “And The Other Half’s Luck”, a story about best friends finding love and loss, and their enduring story through time itself. Set within the canon of the game, this story aims to show what may have been going on with our favorite characters and how they navigate relationships with one another. Check the links (either the Link in my bio, in my story, or in this post) to read it! https://archiveofourown.org/works/42366228/

[atimefordragons]

lowkey obsessed with this penguin classics cover generator/creator. ended up making 10 for different wips, could add explainary crap about them, but don’t wanna. feeling some feels, and keep my stuff with the bros rn. 

[haveyouprayedtonight-desdemona]

genshin impact is so so weird for creating an albedo-centric storyline about his origins as a synthetic human, providing a rare glimpse into his relationship with his creator and what she was probably like, had a whole boss fight with great cutscenes, music, beautiful writing that summed up albedo’s character in a way that his story quest didn’t and ultimately ended on an open solution that leaves u wondering w multiple possible conclusions ranging from relatively normal to batshit insane. all only to make it a limited event that only a handful of players will ever experience. like hey guys what was that

[kae-karo]

shadows amidst snowstorms - albedo/susbedo

what if shadows amidst snowstorms confrontation but instead of talking it out, they fuck about it?

shadows amidst snowstorms - E - 5.5k

tags: blood and violence, hate sex, enemies, internal conflict, angst, discussions of death/murder, choking, canon divergence, shadows amidst snowstorms event

--

Though Albedo had prepared for the worst, had prepared to end this danger once and for all, his confrontation with Subject Two does not go at all as anticipated.

[read on ao3]

[dkniade]

Contrast and Unity in the White/Black Imagery of Genshin Impact Quest Titles

Dragonspine 1.2 & 2.3 Events, Fontaine Act I

Game: Genshin Impact

Developer: HoYoverse

Fan Localization: Dusk

An aside from when I tried to explain the meaning of Kreideprinz’s Chinese term—

In Chinese, 白垩 is used to refer to Albedo with varying meanings but in the English version the term is even less consistent: 

Concealed Talon item description 白垩层 (baie ceng) = “Cretaceous Layer” (of soil) localized as “Cretaceous”

Albedo’s Story Quest Chapter title 白垩之章 (baie zhi zhang) = “Cretaceous Chapter” localized as “Princeps Cretaceous Chapter”

Albedo’s second Ascension voiceline, 白垩 (baie) = “chalk”/“Cretaceous”, localized as “albedo”, the second stage of the alchemical magnum opus

(even though in the context of alchemy, the albedo (Latin: “whitening”) stage should be 白化 (baihua, whitening) in Chinese because the albedo stage does not refer to chalk/limestone)

Albedo’s title 白垩之子 (baie zhi zi) = possibly varies slightly depending on context that it appears in, localized as “Kreideprinz”

Xingqiu’s “About Albedo” voiceline, 白垩老师 (baie laoshi) = (teacher) “Mr. Cretaceous” (Latin) or “Mr. Chalk” (English) or “Mr. Kreide” (German) localized as “Mr. Kreideprinz”

Version 1.2’s name 白垩与黑龙 (baie yu heilong) = “The White Chalk and the Black Dragon” or “Cretaceous and the Black Dragon”

or one can localize it in German like how they did the 4.0 Chapter IV Act I “Prelude of Blancheur and Noirceur” (French: “Prelude of Whiteness and Blackness” or ”Prelude of Innocence and Darkness”)

though, officially, Version 1.2’s name 白垩与黑龙 is localized as “The Chalk Prince and the Dragon”

Speaking of black and white in titles, another aside—

Don’t you know that HoYoverse loves juxtaposing white/black or light/shadow in its quest titles

1.2 Dragonspine event

Chinese: 白垩与黑龙 (Baie yu Heilong) = “The White Chalk and the Black Dragon” 

Official English: “The Chalk Prince and the Dragon”

2.3 Dragonspine event

Chinese: 皑尘与雪影 (Aichen yu Xueying) = “White Dust and Snowy Shadows” 

Official English: “Shadows Amidst Snowstorms”

皑 from 白雪皑皑 (baixue aiai) usually refers the whiteness of snow specifically, so 皑尘 as “(snowy) white dust” is just their over-the-top way to say “snow”.

“Snowy Dust and Snowy Shadows” sounds too humorous though.

I’VE BEEN WANTING TO SAY THIS FOR A LONG TIME NOW: of course symbolism-wise it’s likely that “white dust” refers to Albedo, “snow” refers to the Cryo Whooperflower Albedo, and “shadow” refers to Primordial Albedo, with Durin encompassing all three as the shadow dragon that lies dead—like dust—in the snowy mountain.

HoYoverse being HoYoverse has found a way to say white and black without even using the hanzi for white (白) and black (黑) back in 2.3.

4.0 Fontaine Act I

Chinese: 白露与黑潮的序诗 (Bailu yu Heichao de Xushi) = Prelude of White Dew and Black Tides

Official English: “Prelude of Blancheur and Noirceur” 

with French terms translated: “Prelude of Whiteness and Blackness” or “Prelude of Innocence and Darkness”

Given the information in 4.0, I would assume that “white dew” refers to Furina and “black tides” refers to Neuvillette seeing how Furina’s always at the front of key visuals and Neuvillette’s always looming ominously over the background, but you can also think of it as innocence vs guilt, I suppose.

POETIC ALLUSION UPDATE: 白露 alludes to the Chinese poem “蒹葭”(Jianjia) = “Reed”

from the ancient collection of poems, 诗经 (Shijing)

The poem is basically the narrator talking about not being able to reach their lover, who’s on the other side of the water (lake?)

The act’s Chinese title is already over-the-top—since most people would look at it and think “ah white and black and something about water, got it”—so localization’s aim is to match the fancy feel and not the accuracy ‘cause honestly if you localize all that into French it’d be too long. This makes sense…

Though, the implication that French holds such a high prestige that its mere presence is enough to balance out some loss of meaning from the Chinese title is… strange, now that I think of it.

白露与黑潮的序诗 (Prelude of White Dew and Black Tides) in French would be “Prélude de la rosée blanche et des marées noires”… I think. (Please correct me if I’m wrong.)

This time HoYoverse found another way to say white and black while using the hanzi characters AND STILL BE EXTRA BECAUSE THEY ALLUDED TO A CHINESE POEM OF COURSE THEY DID. ARCHONS, man…

New drinking game: take a shot whenever black/white or dark/light is juxtaposed in a Genshin title/name of any language, take another shot if they don’t actually use the word/character for black/white in the target language, take another if they alluded to a Chinese poem or literature in the original LOL

[abbiedreamer]

You could say his gaze is a little… ✨🍳Scrambled🍳✨

I made this funky lil snowman in Genshin Impact during the 2.3 event~ T’was back in November when I first started playing!

And so here’s a lil redraw to commemorate the best snowman I’ve ever made~ uwu✨

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭145:18‬ ‭

[javomelancholie]

By the way, for anyone who still don't understand that we met the REAL Albedo in Mondstadt at the end of event "Shadows Amidst Snowstorms" I wrote an analysis on reddit where I explained everything.

[evercelle]

year 2 of no albedo winter break... damn 😔