Outside, Hu Tao is giving the Clorinde a suspicion eye, while frowning at her. "Just tell me the truth, already! You only come here to arrest someone, anyone." The answer to that was a cold stare-down from the woman. But they attention was redirected toward the house as Furina nearly crashed to the frame of an open door. It was nearly cute how hurry that girl was to descend the few stairs. On contrast, the brown girl shout at the white one. "Oh commo~on, how can you fear you own reflection?"
As the chosen one was trying to hasty pass, it was not just the director who stand in her way, but champion and journalist, joined together to stop the actress from fleeing the scene. They demanded to know whats happened. "Whats happened?!" She shockingly barked back, making a second pause, until she realize herself. "Nothing happened at all!" She make an obvious desperate giggle to throw they suspicions away. "Now, if you excuse-me me, I must to go."
Then a twist to the situation arrived when a barefoot person shows itself in the door. Everyone in audience who gathered there was in awe or surprise, to glance at the person who look like an older sister of the Archon level celebrity. That person raised its hand after the other one. "Furina, wait!"
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Her answer was a maiden shriek, as she glanced back. "Aa~aa!!/Kia!! Why those ghosts thingy always happens to me?!"
While others were on shock or awe. Hu Tao went from disbelieving surprise onto curiosity with a frown. "A wha~~at? How she get inside. Wait!… Is she… Interesting... But how?"
Focalor was slightly derailed from the audience and constant flashing from a journalist cameras, to point that she risen her hand to cover her eyes. As made a step forward, Furina shriek again, break the hold, and began to flee. So the girl in a white sleeping nightgown was left with no other option, only to pursue the first girl. The trio of brown, blue and red, did nothing as she runs around them. Of course the former lady of Opera Epiclese was no athlete, but the girl behind the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale was unable to caught onto her. Her frustration gave in and she shout. "Why are you so fast?"
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Furina, noticing that she is pursued shriek, doubling her effort. And the wild chase began, while they occasionally stop staring at each other above an obstacle, and shouting demands. "Stop chasing me!"
"Then stop running! We need to talk!"
.
"I don't wanna. You are not real!"
"Who decided that?!"
As they were ruining around, in an occasion both running above water surface as if it was a solid floor, they manage to attract a quite large audience. But as duo ignored them the audience did nothing to stop them.
.
.
Until Neuvillette shows up. (He is a leader of the Marechaussee Phantom. While he upholds the rules of the court with utmost reverence, he is quite aloof when dealing with human emotions and often distances himself from the public eye. A calm and logical lord in custom made blue suit of a noble. [Hydro, Catalyst]) Making a power stance: Putting down its cane in a political power displaying move, he shout with demanding tone in his voice. "Whats going on here!"
He show a hint of anger when he noticed a crying baby Furina running toward him, like a small child arms open, wanting protection from her papa. She hung on his arm begging him to save her.
Then when he glanced at (Who the hell dare!?) to pursue her… He receive a shock... His eyes got wide open and his face become stoned like a solid rock. A Focalor, out of breath was hardly running anymore, while still on pursuit. Heavy berating and with unstable step, she was dragging herself forward. She eventually reached Neuvillette too, and use his other hand as a support for her to even stand on her legs. "I… *heavy breathing* I am not used to this. Just… give me a moment."
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Stunned Neuvillette dint dare to move, but he still asked again. "Whats going on here!"
Furina nearly cried while looking at him from his side. "She haunting me!"
Focalor on his other side finally catches her breath. "A hush! We need to talk. No more delays!"
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The shorter one complain. "I don't wanna. You will give me another task. I mentally cannot withstand another several centuries long quest. I simply cant. I had enough. Go away!"
And the taller one got annoyed. "Do you having a memory problems? Or do you are in a general level denial?"
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The first one bark back. "You don't know what was it for me. I not even a Hydro Archon."
The other one nearly cough and almost lose her breath not believing what she heard. "Do you… Not try?… Not even once?"
The man in middle had a hard time to process of what those two are discussing. But an interruption self invited in.
Like a ghost, a Hu Tao sneak onto this argument, frowning at the barefoot girl in white fabric. She bark. "Do you mind?!" She steal they attention. "You suck up all my ghost. I spend a days collecting and prepare them! Because of the stunt of yours: the Haunting House is completely out of service. The attraction is bottom dry, just so that you can manifest yourself. Just, who are you!?" All three give her a silent stare, but her patience runs out. "Never mind. I sending you away, right now."
.
She was going to grab Focalor's hand but Neuvillette stop her by his skillful move of his walking stick. He once again make a power stance. (The girls duo still holds onto his arms.) "Miss Hu Tao, I don't know all the details, but yours actions may unwillingly be a catalysis of something bigger, far beyond our current foresight. From my authority I order you to stop all activity related to the ghosts, spirits and parlor! Immediately! Until through investigation is complete! And that Haunting House is closed, until further decree." She look devastated and tried to make a counter argument, but before she even starts, he jump to her words. "Focalor holds a several important information's about several utmost important cases. I will not let her go, because she is from this point in my custody. If this is about yours compensation of loses, then the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor will be compensate for this one accordingly."
With the final words of Hu Tao. "He want them both!" The director, who shall be the guide of souls into afterlife, faint off falling back.
Both girls, was still holding onto his arms. As the younger look lost, she lament. "Oh dear lord Egeria, what I have done?" [Egeria, also known as the Mistress of Many Waters, was the original Hydro Archon and the predecessor of the latest Hydro Archon, Focalors. (Wiki)]
But it was the older who comment on that. "Leave ours mom out of this!"
A sudden realization hit Neuvillette with a heavy knowledge, equal to taboo. It nearly feel like he was hit with double gravity spell, but he used it strong body to stay still, without a movement.
.
Then a sound of camera tacking a picture reached they ears. Charlotte was there. "Who is the daddy? The Water Drama! Most important family tree in Fontaine, is about to be solved."
As the man sounded as if he got a hit by something, Furina looking confused tiled her head on side. But Focalor realized that the meaning of word daddy, change based on the point of view. Especially in a couple relationship. "Oh my." She tiled her head back and smiled nearly wickedly at the opportunity to join directly some drama. She even blushed in realization that her own heart jumped in joy. She lover her gaze and put her free hand to her chest, to check her heart beating fast and loudly; just like a humans one do. So she got confused about what she now: A ocenaid? A ghost? An illusion? Or a human?
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A sharp eye of an observer [Or Traveler] can tell, that the returned former Hydro Archon indeed reached a point of an Identity crisis.
But Neuvillette had been in a different type of crisis: when duo of ladies, refused to let go, holding onto his arms even if people starts to gather, stare and gossip.
And Furina?… Few days latter when Navia visit her and explain things to Furina from her point of view. Especially the Charlotte headlines references… our scared-cat freak out once more.
[End]