Chapter Text
PRIVATE DM: AMBER, NOELLE
Amber
Noelle I’m having a crisis
I’d always assumed I’d just immediately start working for the Knights after I finished high school
But Bennett and Fischl are doing college research right now
And all his dads keep sharing their college stories
Noelle
I don’t really know :(
I think everybody has to follow their own paths
All I want to do is train hard enough to join the Knights so I can help people!
Amber
I don’t know what I want
I want to protect Mondstadt
Noelle
Me too!
It’s kind of intimidating, though, trying to get to where the other heroes are
Amber
I think you’re doing great!
There’s nobody who works harder than you, Noelle
Noelle
Aw thanks
You’re really close with Sir Jean, right?
I’m sure she’d have good advice!
Amber
Noelle you’re so right
You’re such a good friend
Noelle
Oh! Thank you hehe
You’re a good friend too
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
??
Where are you?
We’re going to miss our opening.
Kaeya
I’m coming, I’m coming
??
What are you wearing?
Are those feathers?
Kaeya
Well I could hardly wear my Frostgnaw costume
Can’t have Darknight be seen working with the Knights, of course
How scandalous
So meet the Dagger Bandit ;)
Dashing, don’t you think?
??
You look fine.
Kaeya
Aw, you’ll make me blush
??
Just knock out that guard before he notices you
Kaeya
Just for you ;)
WORK GROUP CHAT (KAEYA STOP CHANGING THE NAME)
Amber
Can I ask a question?
Jean
Of course
Amber
Not related to work
Well kind of
Did you go to college, or did you just go straight into the hero circuit?
Jean
I didn’t really do normal school at all, but I’m not the best example
I’ve basically been in the hero circuit since I manifested powers
Lisa
Which is much more boring, I promise
You should go to university in Sumeru
You’ll learn all sorts of things there
Amber
Like torture?
Lisa
Hm I see we remembered that conversation
Jean
Are you asking because you’re deciding what to do?
You don’t have to worry about your position in the Knights if you decide to do something else for a time
There will always be a place for you here
Amber
Oh um
Thank you
That’s actually really reassuring
Lisa
We can’t afford to lose someone as hardworking as you
Imagine how many more hours Jean would spend at work
Amber
Aw I’d miss you guys if I left too
I’m just trying to fill the shoes my grandpa left behind!
Jean
You’re a hero in your own right, Amber
I’m sure he’d be very proud
Amber
Oh... thank you...
Lisa
Aw, Jean, I think you’re going to make our little Crimson Knight cry
Amber
AHH NO
I’m fine!!!!!!
I’m going to go to work now goodbye!!!!!!!!
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
??
Are you alright?
Kaeya
Why wouldn’t I be
We successfully destroyed the lab, didn’t we?
And we didn’t even find the corpses of any children
??
We’ll find the children.
Kaeya
But in what state is the question
??
You don’t have to come to the next raid.
I can handle it.
Kaeya
I’m not some damsel who’s going to faint at the sight of some needles or a rack
??
I know.
Kaeya
You don’t
Ah well
Does this mean you enjoy my flirting, my dear Darknight?
??
Nobody deserves to be experimented on without their consent.
Kaeya
Well
Great talk
PRIVATE DM: DILUC, JEAN
Diluc
Hello, Jean.
Jean
Hi
How’s it going?
Diluc
Forgive me for the presumption.
But.
Could you check in on Kaeya.
Jean
Um
Sure
I mean, he’s my friend
Did something happen?
Diluc
He shouldn’t be alone right now.
And he would not want my company.
Jean
Did you say something to him?
Sorry
I shouldn’t have said that
That was rude
Diluc
No.
It’s fair.
I’m sorry.
Jean
I don’t think I’m the one you should be apologizing too
Diluc
I know.
Don’t tell him I told you.
Jean
Great
Thanks for the tip, I guess
I love him too, you know
Diluc
I’m glad.
Thank you.
PRIVATE DM: JEAN, LISA
Jean
This is an incredibly unkind thought
But sometimes I want to punt Diluc
Lisa
In my humble opinion
That sounds like an incredibly reasonable thought
PRIVATE DM: JEAN, KAEYA
Jean
Kaeya, can I come over?
Kaeya
Hi Jean :)
I am a little bit busy right now sorry
Jean
Please?
Kaeya
What’s wrong?
I mean
Yes, of course
Just
I’m not good company right now
Jean
That’s alright
We can just watch a movie
Kaeya
Yeah, of course
Just uh
Ignore the alcohol and also that I look like I got beaten up
PRIVATE DM: KAEYA, LISA
Kaeya
I’m too drunk for this
What’s wrong with Jean?
PRIVATE DM: JEAN, LISA
Lisa
Hello cutie
Kaeya’s asking what’s wrong with you
Jean
Oh Barbatos
He wasn’t going to let me come over unless he thought it was for me
Um
Just tell him it’s my mother
He’ll believe that
PRIVATE DM: KAEYA, LISA
Lisa
I don’t know for sure, but I know her mother called earlier today
Kaeya
Ah
Thanks Lisa
I need somewhere to put all these empty bottles
Lisa
Under the bed?
Kaeya
Great plan
PRIVATE DM: AMBER, DILUC
Amber
Sorry again for staying in the bar after hours Mr Diluc
I swear I normally do my homework in a more timely manner
Diluc
It’s fine.
As long as you get some rest.
Amber
Don’t worry about me! I get plenty of rest ^_^
Are you okay?
AH
I don’t mean to be rude!
I just noticed you were limping a little when you came in
But if that’s inappropriate to ask then you can ignore it!!!
Diluc
I’m fine.
I just had a mild fall on the way home.
Amber
Oh okay!
Well I hope you feel better soon aha
...
Could I ask you a question Mr Diluc?
You don’t have to answer it!
Diluc
Of course.
Amber
OH
Okay!
Um
I was just researching superheroes the other day for
Random reasons ahaha
And um
Is it true you were Dawnlight?
Diluc
Yes.
Amber
Oh wow
That’s really cool Mr Diluc!!
I used to read about him and think like wow
You were such an impressive hero and you were so good and heroic and you were even younger than me!
Not that I have anything to do with this ahaha
Sorry, I’m kind of rambling now
You probably don’t want to talk about this
I think that’s really cool, that’s all
Diluc
It was a long time ago.
Amber
That doesn’t change the fact that you were really inspirational and helped a lot of people though!
I wish I could do half of what you did
Diluc
You shouldn’t.
I’m not an inspiration.
Amber
I don’t mean it like that
I just mean um
Like hypothetically
Sometimes there are people out there who spent their whole childhoods hoping and dreaming to make a difference and help people
And that’s what superheroes are for! To show people that everybody can make a difference
Diluc
I see.
The Knights would be glad to have somebody with such optimism in their ranks.
Too many of them have forgotten that their objective is to protect Mondstadt and its people.
Amber
What do you mean?
Diluc
I don’t want to be rude. I should let you go, Amber.
Amber
No I want to know!!
If that’s alright
Diluc
Too many people suffered because their suffering was ugly and the Knights cared only about protecting their own self-image.
It was a cause that I aided in, and I cannot take pride in that.
Amber
Oh
Maybe when you were a Knight it was like that
But it’s different now!
The people who lead the Knights are good and they try really, really hard to help people
Diluc
I’m glad.
Amber
I mean, from what I’ve heard
Through the grapevine
From other people
Diluc
Take care of yourself, Amber.
Amber
You too Mr Diluc!
PRIVATE DM: AMBER, NOELLE
Amber
I shouldn’t be allowed to text actually
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
Good morning, o mysterious benefactor of Mondstadt
Well
Close enough, anyway
Technically it’s not noon yet
??
Good morning.
I am glad to see you are well.
Kaeya
Never better ;)
How many warehouses are we raiding today?
??
One of my contacts has forwarded me a list of potential locations.
To maximise the element of surprise, I’ve sorted them by location so that we can hit as many as possible in one night
Kaeya
Don’t want to give the rats time to regroup
??
Or to move the children.
PRIVATE DM: JEAN, KAEYA
Jean
Kaeya
Kaeya
No I haven’t been drinking again
Jean
I mean, I’m glad
Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?
Kaeya
Very
We have more important things to worry about
Jean
Did he apologize?
Kaeya
He hasn’t done anything wrong
Jean
I mean, he clearly did something
But fine
Have you seen the news?
Kaeya
I just woke up
Jean
Work started an hour ago?
Kaeya
I was up late
Let me look
Oh
Hm
Jean
Darknight and some other vigilante have been spotting going through abandoned warehouses in the industrial district
There’s been fighting
Kaeya
How mysterious
Jean
Did you ever figure out anything about Darknight? Or his connection to the Knights?
Kaeya
I’m working on it
Jean
Kaeya, please
Kaeya
He’s working on that child kidnapping case
The Knights don’t have the manpower or the subtlety for it, so I thought I’d let him get as far as he can
Jean
Or the brutality
Darknight can be merciless sometimes, Kaeya
Kaeya
I won’t let him get that far
Jean
Okay
Okay I trust you Kaeya
Please be careful
Let me know if there’s anything I or the Knights can do
Kaeya
Aw, are you worried about me?
Jean
Always
Kaeya
I’m alright
I promise
Sorry for worrying you
Diluc’s just
It’s my fault
I’m the one who hurt him
It’s not his fault he got angry
Jean
That’s stupid
Even if you did start whatever this is
Which I don’t believe
That doesn’t mean that he’s allowed to be cruel back
Kaeya
It’s complicated
Please don’t be mad at him
Jean
Would you want a relationship with him again?
Kaeya
Ah, well
There’s no point wasting time on meaningless hypotheticals
He doesn’t want to talk to me
It’s fine
We don’t have to talk about it
Jean
Look, I really shouldn’t say this
But that’s not true
He misses you
It’s kind of infuriating, really
I think you two should talk
Kaeya
What?
Did he say something about me?
Jean
He’s the one who told me to find you the other night
But also
If he’s mean to you
I’ll punt him into the sun
Kaeya
I knew your mother hadn’t called
You go out to Windrise when she does
Wait
How did Diluc know I was upset?
Jean
I’d assumed you’d talked earlier in the day?
Kaeya
I haven’t seen him since I picked a fight in his bar
Jean
That’s very weird
I take it back, maybe you shouldn’t talk to him
Kaeya
Hm
Well
Don’t you worry about the vigilante warehouse raids
Jean
I will be worrying about them :/
Kaeya
Ahaha well try not to
It’ll work out, I promise
PRIVATE DM: DILUC, JEAN
Jean
Hello, Diluc
Diluc
Hello, Jean.
Jean
So just to be clear
Kaeya thinks you hate him
Diluc
What?
That’s absurd.
Jean
Yeah
Just checking
BIO STUDY GROUP
Vi
Did u guys see that post I sent
Xinyue
Yeah Dagger Bandit??????
Vi
How hot is he 1-10
Lilli
Ugh
Xinyue
Ummmmmmm 7
I like the peacock feathers but like it is kind of gaudy
Like it’s a choice
I like strong choices and it sure is a strong choice
Vi
LMAO
Xinyue ily
Lilli
It’s kind of crazy that the Knights are just letting vigilantes do whatever they want
Xinyue
I’m telling you, Mondstadt needs more Heroes’ Leagues
Liyue’s got the youth league and the league under the Qixing and the uh
How would I translate that
Lilli
I mean, Mondstadt’s league used to be bigger
Like, the Knights had lots of different divisions and stuff
But we don’t normally get dangerous supervillains so it’s not normally a problem
Xinyue
Is there a reason the vigilantes don’t join the Knights?
Like, do the Knights suck or something?
Vi
Prolly just paperwork
And like
Laws against murder and stuff
Ya know
Xinyue
Oh
Vi
@lilli u never answered the question
Lilli
I am blocking you!!!!!!
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
??
The west rooms are clear. Just more smuggled raw elemental ingredients.
Kaeya
Well, at least we know they still haven’t managed to recreate the Gnosis Serum
From the lack of corpses and monsters haha
The east rooms are clear too
Meet you upstairs?
??
Agreed.
Do you remember our hypothetical scenario about your ex?
Kaeya
Your hypothetical ex, if my memory serves me
??
Right. My hypothetical ex.
Who hates me. You said calling him was a terrible idea, but how else are you to know that he really hates you?
Kaeya
You, my dear Darknight, have incredibly choice timing
It’s all hypothetical, anyway
We can say anything we want about this scenario
Like, hypothetically, let’s say you already know he hates you because he tried to kill you
??
That’s unforgivable.
Kaeya
Hardly
We can say it’s because he left a rude letter instead, if you like
Why are you asking?
??
I don’t know
I need to ask someone for forgiveness, I suppose
Kaeya
Oho, and I thought Darknight was a lone wolf with no allies!
You can always do what I do and ignore it until it goes away
Hey, there’s a guard in the middle of that platform
Shall we race to see who can get to him first ;)
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
I forgot you could summon chains
??
I didn’t realize you were a sore loser
Kaeya
Ah, you wound me!
I have nothing but respect for you and your willingness to manifest a chain of black fire to drag a man 10 feet off a ledge to meet his death on the concrete floor
??
That was a Fatui Pyro Mage
They’ve been imbued with a prototype serum. If you see another, kill them before they can draw on their powers.
Kaeya
Like the two just up ahead?
??
Yes
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
You didn’t say they could turn invisible.
??
Are you alright?
Kaeya
Cute of you to worry
This room is clear, too
I wonder why their powers smell so strongly of mist grass
It was all over the courtyard after our fight with that electro-powered villain
??
It’s clear here.
Or. It is now. There was a guard.
I’ll meet you in the central room, then
Kaeya
It’s oddly familiar
??
It’s probably from the cicins they use to create the serum
Considering that they seem to be collecting ingredients with elemental power to try to imbue artificial powers in people
Kaeya
Hm.
Well, I’m in the central room. Lots of empty crates
Watch out for that trap
Oh shit
Sorry, sorry, I swear I’m not laughing at you
I kind of am
It was a really obvious trap
Are you okay?
??
I’m fine
Kaeya
Well climb back up and we can move on to the third floor
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
No, it’s definitely a familiar smell
??
You’re still thinking about that?
Kaeya
Hey, I have to entertain myself while searching through these empty rooms somehow
It’s odd
Like they’ve been vacated, but lazily
Like, why leave all these papers behind?
These are signed the Doctor
You know Fatui secrets, don’t you? Does that connect any dots?
Wait, did you hear that?
??
The scream came from the end of the hall
Kaeya
Let’s go
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
Well, fuck
??
I’m sorry for leaving so abruptly.
Kaeya
It’s fine
You and the Doctor clearly had history
Are you safe?
??
Il Dottore.
That man ruined my life.
He’s been preying on the people of Mondstadt for years.
The fact that he could just.
I was nothing to him.
He laughed me off
Kaeya
Where are you?
??
He waved off all of Mondstadt so casually
As if he can do all this and just decide it’s done
And leave
I
Kaeya
Hey
Hey
Listen to me
That man is awful
But I’ve got an unconscious girl here and we have to get her out of here
??
You’re right.
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry for everything.
Kaeya
Let’s just get her to my place
PRIVATE DM: ??, D
D
It was a pleasure to see you again, little bird
Alas that our reunion occurred right as I am leaving Mond!
??
Where are the other children?
D
You needn’t worry about that
Failures the lot of them
They’ve already achieved their final forms
But you? You still have so much hatred to feed your delusion
Keep growing stronger, little bird
PRIVATE DM: DILUC, VENTI
Diluc
I need you.
The corruption
I
I think I’m dying
I’m sorry
We couldn’t save them all
Venti
close your eyes
PRIVATE DM: DILUC, VENTI
Diluc
I’m sorry.
Venti
gooood morning ☆～（ゝ。∂）
Diluc
I can’t do that right now.
Venti
you know, when i said i could keep the corruption at bay, i didn’t mean you could jump off a cliff into it
Diluc
I had a lapse of judgement.
I wanted to kill someone.
Venti
yeahhhh that’ll do it
it feeds on you know
bad emotions
resentment and hatred and guilt
Diluc
I can control it.
I don’t have a choice.
Venti
the greatest gift i ever tried to give the people mondstadt was freedom
you always have a choice
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
The girl’s still unconscious
Or maybe sleeping
Did you manage to stagger off to somewhere with a first aid kit?
We hardly want Mondstadt’s mysterious benefactor to bleed out in one of her alleys somewhere
PRIVATE DM: DILUC, KAEYA
Diluc
Can we talk?
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
Oh fuck me
Sorry
Ignore that
That wasn’t for you
I mean
Nevermind
PRIVATE DM: DILUC, KAEYA
Diluc
If you don’t wish to, you can disregard this message and I won’t bother you again.
Kaeya
No
It’s fine
I’d like to talk
Diluc
Oh.
I wasn’t sure.
Kaeya
I mean, at least you’re not showing up drunk to my workplace ahaha
That was a joke
Sorry about that
About lots of things, I guess
Diluc
I don’t begrudge you that.
I
Ah
I am very sorry.
I should’ve trusted you, back then.
Kaeya
Oh
It’s fine
I mean, you don’t have to apologize for that
It was sort of a dramatic bomb to drop on you
Diluc
I’m sorry for what was done to you, too
Kaeya
Oh you definitely don’t have to apologize for that one
You know, we don’t have to talk about it at all, even
Diluc
It wasn’t your fault
Kaeya
You don’t know how many people died to give me these powers
You were right to try to kill me
It’s an abomination
Diluc
No.
You should hate me for that.
You deserved better than that.
Kaeya
I never could’ve hated you
Diluc
Oh.
Do you think we could start again?
Kaeya
Oh fuck me
I have a bit of an emergency
That doesn’t mean I’m blowing you off
I’ll be back, I promise
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
So we may have a small problem
I was distracted by uh
A personal matter I guess
And the girl is gone
??
Ah.
I’m sorry.
Kaeya
I mean, it’s not your fault
??
I’ll help you find her.
Kaeya
Hopefully she didn’t get far
WORK GROUP CHAT (KAEYA STOP CHANGING THE NAME)
Amber
GUYS SPINDRIFT WAS SPOTTED AND I WAS BUSY TAKING A PHYSICS TEST?????
Jean
You’ll fight her next time, I’m sure
How’d your trebuchet work?
Amber
Terribly
It exploded again :(
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
Admittedly
I am impressed at how quickly a malnourished, traumatized, injured girl disappeared
Hat’s off to her
??
Kaeya.
Kaeya
Oho you used my name!
My dear Darknight, I think that counts as second base
??
No.
...we should keep looking.
Kaeya
I do have a suggestion
You’re not going to like it
??
You want to gets the Knights in on this.
Kaeya
Not exactly
Just some trusted confidantes
Knight-affiliated, yes!
But they can be discreet
??
Fine.
Kaeya
And, more long term, they could help track down where the rest of the children were moved to
Um
That was easier than I thought
??
My dislike for the Knights is for the ineffectiveness of its institution.
But there are some individuals who are the only reason the Knights are still operating.
Kaeya
Oho
Now that is high praise from you, my dear Darknight
KNIGHTS OF FAVONIUS
Amber
Hi everybody, I’m out on patrol and I think there’s something going on by the Goth Grand Hotel
I see black fire. That’s not like a planned celebration event, is it?
Kaeya
No, no it is not
WORK GROUP CHAT (KAEYA STOP CHANGING THE NAME)
Kaeya
And if anybody sees a girl with green hair, I absolutely need her back
Preferably unofficially
Lisa
That’s not suspicious at all
Kaeya
I’ll explain later
Jean?
Jean
Already sending out the civilian alert.
PRIVATE DM: ??, KAEYA
Kaeya
Well, that cat’s out of the bag
??
Go do your work.
I’ll be ready when you are.