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Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya thought nothing could surprise her anymore.
She has realized the truth of this world, the atrocities the Heavenly Principles have done.
She had seen countless lives, so much happiness, so much pain, all of them meaningless with what the Heavenly Principles is.
She had thought after the destruction of Khaenriah, nothing could surprise her anymore. However, the scene that greeted her when she entered the meeting room was… something.
”WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?”
”What do you mean what am I doing here? The Tsaritsa called for the meeting of Fatui Harbingers has she not?”
”Sandrone?”
”Columbina? I thought you left the Fatui?”
”I’m sorry, who left the Fatui?”
”Will everyone just shut up?”
Anastasya, and most of the people in the room turned to the boy wearing a large blue hat. Despite his looks, the boy had a harbinger coat around his form.
Anastasya narrowed her eyes. Why was he so familiar yet not?
Beside her, Pierro was frowning, unsure of the situation. She couldn’t blame him though. How would one react when people long thought dead suddenly appeared before you?
Capitano with his usual helmet covering his face, difficult as ever to know his thoughts on the matter.
Dottore, who the Tsaritsa had suspected to not have really died considering his segments, staring curiously at Sandrone and the mysterious hat guy.
Columbina, who the Tsaritsa was pretty sure resigned her position, hugging a supposedly dead Sandrone, who was trying to get out of the said hug.
Even La Signora was here, which was peculiar because didn’t the Raiden Shogun execute her?
Speaking of the Shogun, Anastasya now focused on the other suspicious element of this meeting.
What in Teyvat where the other archons doing here?
”Yeah like my friend said over here,” Barbatos smiled, gesturing to the hat guy right beside him. Looking closely at the coat, Anastasya could make out another figure hidden in it.
“Maybe we can all settle down and talk like adults?”
”You’re the one to talk about being adults?” Rosalyne scoffed. Behind her, Beelzebul stared ahead unimpressed.
Huh, was this Baal or perhaps the Shogun? Either way Anastasya was not sure how to feel about the Electro Archon being here right now, especially accompanying Rosalyne.
“Look maybe we can actually talk about why we’re here?” The Hat Guy turned towards her. “The Tsaritsa did call for a meeting didn’t she?”
”Of the Fatui Harbingers yes,” Arlecchino interrupted. Beside her, Focalors- no, Furina de Fontaine stood, fidgeting with the Knave’s coat covering her person. “You, who seemed to know a lot about us back at Nod Krai, are here for some reason wearing a symbol of a Harbinger. Why?”
”Okay, are we all just ignoring the big elephant in the room?” Childe shouted, gesturing at Rosalyne and Capitano.
“This is supposed to be a meeting for the Fatui Harbingers,” Pulcinella began. “The presence of former members is not as surprising as the presence of the Archons.” He turned to stare at the man beside Childe. “One of whom you have brought here.”
”Former members? They’re dead!”
“So was Morax yet here he is,” Pantalone gestured. “Death seems to be not as permanent as we think it is or perhaps just a wrong assumption?”
”I’m just glad you are here Sandrone,” Columbina smiled, releasing Sandrone from her embrace.
“Pretty sure I died trying to stop that one, but hey I suppose it’s nice seeing you well I guess.”
”My death… was greatly exaggerated.”
”Can we actually make it a reality though?”
”For once, I agree with you.”
”Hey! Who do you think you are Akademiya Representative? You’re not supposed to be here.”
”Quiet puppet.”
”Did you just call me-“
”Kunikuzushi?” The Shogun asked, staring at Hat Guy, who was surprised at what the Electro Archon said.
”What?”
”Kunikuzushi,” Baal repeated. “That is your name is it not?”
”How do you-“
”I would know one of my creations.” Ah so that would be Ei then.
Wait, why was she so sure it was Ei? What was the connection? Is she supposed to know who that guy is?
”Strange,” out of the Hat Guy's coat stepped Buer, who was staring at Ei curiously. “Irminsul erased him from everyone’s mind. You are not affected?”
Baal tilted her head. “Why erase him?”
”That doesn’t matter,” Kunikuzushi retorted. “But since Buer mentioned it, yes, any memory of me was erased from most people.” He stared at Baal before turning towards Anastasya. “I was once known as the Balladeer, sixth of the Fatui Harbingers so I am supposed to be here.”
Anstasya frowned. A Harbinger erased from her mind? Surely not. But her memory of the sixth was fuzzy so perhaps…
”Then why come here?” Anastasya spoke, gaining the attention of the room as she did so. “If you were erased from our minds, why appear before us now?”
The Balladeer closed his eyes, crossing his arms. Once opened them once more, he answered. “You were one of the people who saw something in me, enough so you made me into one of your Harbingers. I am just curious enough that I answered your call. That’s all.”
”Now that’s out of the way,” Pierro finally spoke. Making eye contact with her, Anastasya nodded, then he turned to the others.
”As Pulcinella mentioned, this is supposed to be a meeting for the Harbingers.” He stared at each Harbinger before continuing. “Would everyone like to elaborate why some of you are accompanied by the Archons?”
“She’s not an archon,” Arlecchino began, her arm resting on Furina’s back.
”And why is she here?”
“I was not about to leave an important guess of the House of Hearth unattended in Snezhnaya now am I?”
“Pretty sure we, Archons, consider Furina one of us but oh well.”
“Can you not interrupt them? I’m trying to think of a reason to justify you being here.”
”Because I’m your special guy, right?” Barbatos smiled, hugging the Balladeer. “I’m moral support, remember?”
”I thought that was Nahida’s job?”
”I’m here to answer any questions regarding the Balladeer,” Buer answered Pierro. “Additionally, I was curious about the inner workings of the Fatui so I accompanied him here.”
”I am here for my own reasons as well,” Morax spoke, making eye contact with Anastasya. “With regards to our contract of course.”
Pierro turned towards her. Anastasya can only sigh and nod, leaving him no choice but to accept Buer’s and Morax’s answers.
”La Signora is under Inazuma’s supervision.” Baal responded. “Harbinger she may be, she has committed actions that need my personal supervision.”
”Oh well all know you and Miko are doing more than-“
”Ooookay, too much information Venti,” Haborym chided the Anemo Archon.
“Oh come on Mavuika! Surely you remember what Ei said when we were all-“
”Wait, what did I say?“
”Shhh, you’re not supposed to say anything about that Venti!”
”Oh right! Um, you said Rosalyne here was a model prisoner of course.”
Baal blinked. Beside her, Rosalyne’s face was bright red, her eye staring daggers at the Anemo Archon.
Furina loudly sighed. Before Arlecchino can stop her, she turned to address Anastasya.
”While not exactly planned, I do apologize for appearing uninvited at your meeting, your Majesty. The Knave has been insistent that I do not leave her side during my stay in Snezhnaya.” Furina bowed, formally addressing her which was unexpected. Anastasya could not remember anyone else treating her with the same respect besides the Fatui. Celestia knows her people were not exactly fond of her.
“I also apologize to coming here without informing you, Tsaritsa.” Haborym said. Anastasya observed as the Pyro Archon and Capitano seemed to be having a silent conversation, before Haborym turned to address her again. “I’m here to accompany the Captain since he is still recovering from the effects of our battle with the Abyss and Rhodova’s curse.”
“Speaking of the Captain,” Anastasya stared at the 1st of her Harbingers. “How are you here?”
”In all honesty my Lady, quite similar to what the Balladeer has stated. It has been a few days since I woke from the Throne and regained my senses.” Capitano turned to gesture at Haborym. “When I heard your summons, I planned on attending. However, Mavuika wanted to accompany me.”
”Hey, you’re still recovering from what happened. I wasn’t about to let an ally of mine go without proper rest.”
”And as I’ve said, I am fine.”
“In any case,” Pierro interrupted. “This is a meeting for the Harbingers with regards to Snezhnayan matters. Having the archons here is highly inappropriate don’t you all agree?”
That is… true, Anastasya supposed. Having her fellow Archons here while they discuss the measures they’ll take in having the Traveler in Snezhnaya…
Although, she stared at Buer, who seemed unfazed under the Balladeer’s coat. “Having them here could be useful.”
Now that gained the attention of the whole room. While not really surprising as their leader, Anastasya usually lets Pierro take the lead in meetings while she silently observed, so for the attention to focus on her, she truly must have caught everyone’s eye.
”Forgive me my Lady, but how exactly is having them here beneficial?”
“Information,” she made sure to stare at each one of her fellow Archons before continuing. “The Traveler has been in your nations, no?”
Baal crossed her arms. “Are you not already aware of what they did in our lands?”
”Yes, I am aware of their numerous exploits. But I want to hear your insights, as beings that have personally encountered them.” She gestured to the Fatui. “Usually, there is a level of hostility and reservations whenever the Traveler encounters my Harbingers, but what of those from an Archon?”
”I am the Archon of Snezhnaya, after all. How was the Traveler when you all interacted with them?”
She could feel the gazes of the others on her. It has been years since she personally interacted with the other Archons. Due to her duties and personal reasons, she so no reason to converse with them before, even though the pile of letters she receives from them continues to grow as the Seven started meeting from time to time.
Having to ask information from them all of a sudden despite years of silence? Now this was a first. In all honesty, Anastasya was not expecting any of them to answer her. However, a scoff from Furina was what started it all.
”Ugh so nosy. Like they keep on interfering in things they shouldn’t be even interfering. My act could have failed if it wasn’t the time.”
”I will admit, having the Shogun send them to the Plane of Euthymia multiple times was… irksome.”
”Hey!” Mavuika interrupted. “The Traveler helped your nations didn’t they?”
”Indeed. However, my plan of having the people of Liyue take their destinies into their hands would have been fine without any outside interference.” Morax answered. “While the Traveler is a close friend, having them interfering every time Liyue is in crisis only allows for dependency on them.”
”Hey! I’m sure Ningguang and the Qixing will be able to handle any threat to Liyue,” Ajax smiled at Morax whose eyes seemed to soften as they made eye contact with Childe’s.
”Hopefully, yes.”
”Well, they seemed pretty nice overall,” Barbatos chimed in. “Although, they did scare Dvalin the first time so that was kinda eh.”
“I have nothing but praises for the Traveler,” Buer smiled. “They helped me regain Sumeru again.”
”I’m kinda miffed that I wasn’t able to help them that much in finding their sibling.” Haborym crossed her arms.
“Ah, that would be one of their main talking points with you then,” Barbatos grinned, turning towards Anastasya. “Any info about their sibling is kinda what they’re looking for.”
”They seemed to have found some of that in Nod Krai as well,” Columbina continued. “They’re really nice about it though so I have no doubts you will be able to handle her, my Lady.”
Anastasya closed her eyes as she digested the information given to her.
The Abyss Order…
Khaenriah…
Will the Traveler be able to handle that information?
“You all have my sincerest thanks for the information.” She smiled at them before fixing her face into a more cold and intimidating expression.
”Alrhough, Pierro is right. As much as your insights are useful, I cannot allow any of you to be in this meeting.”