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Thoma steps out of the carriage and looks around.
Walls of cobblestone were still the same as ever and Dandelions flew in the air as if to greet him. The sight made a warm feeling spread in his chest.
“So this is Mondtsadt huh?”
Thoma turned to see Ayaka step out of the carriage, looking around appreciatively.
Yoimiya peeked her head out, her face brightening. “It’s so pretty here! I love the atmosphere!”
She hopped out of the carriage, almost running over Ayaka “Why haven’t you made us visit here ever, Thoma?”
Thoma blushed “I-I…I was busy okay?”
A chuckle came from the carriage. “Ah yes…” busy” “.
“Waka….” Thoma frowned at him as he helped the white-robed man step down the carriage steps.
Ayato laughed “Sorry, sorry. You’re just too adorable when you blush like that~”
“I-I’m not”
“Well you are now~” he teases “So…this is where you grew up in?”
“Well….”
“Good morning, Inazuman officials.” a voice floated up the crowd. To Thoma’s surprise, it was the Gunnhildr girl he used to see train as a soldier. “I am Jean Gunnhildr, the acting grandmaster of the knights of Favonius” she greeted formally “I am pleased to welcome you to….wait…. Thomas ?” she had a look of shock as she stared at the blond “Thomas, is that you?”
Thoma sweatdropped. He didn’t expect to be recognized this soon. “Yeah…it’s me..”
Jean’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him worriedly “Where did you go? Do you know how much we searched Liyue? We thought you died and we made your Missing appearance file a cold case”
“A missing…appearance file?” Ayaka hesitantly asked.
Jean scratched her face “Well…it is to be expected. But let’s not talk about it here, right now.” Jean shook her head and smiled “You came here not only to have a vacation but to also act as Inazuma’s first diplomats here in a year. For that, I welcome you to Mondtsadt.”
Ayaka looked as if she was about to protest but Yoimiya already whisked her away to shouvenir shop.
Thoma breathes out a sigh of relief, looking at his ladyship laugh as Yoimiya tried to get her to buy a lyre,
Missing appearance file huh?..... In the end, that does not matter. That reveal doesn’t ruin the plan.
As Ayaka and Yoimiya entered the inn they were staying in, Thoma lagged behind and after seeing their door close, he ran.
He ran back to Mondtsadt’s gate, taking out the map he stole from the Knights of Favonius Headquarters (There were so many, it’s not like they would realize something was gone). He fiddled with the map, his eyes trailing over the strange paths listed on its surface. He hasn’t been here for so long that he can’t even remember which path to take….Which was the fastest route to get there again….
“Boo! Who is it?” Familiar gloved hands covered his eyes, making him jump.
Thoma flushed as he turned to his lord, smiling at him mischievously. “W-waka, what are you doing here?” he pushed the map away from his master’s line of sight “Sh-shouldn’t you be in the inn with L-lady A-ayaka?”
“Yeah but planning about vacations is boring” he yawned “I would rather plot murder.”
“Waka…murder is illegal.”
“Not, if not caught” he tilted his head curiously “How about you? What are you planning with that map?”
“Uh” Thoma’s hands crush the map as he takes a step back “N-nothing…”
“Really?” Ayato steps closer, his face so close to Thoma’s “You’re not plotting anything?”
“I-” Thoma tries to calm his racing heart but the way Ayato smiled at him expectantly made him hesitate. He huffs “Fine. I’ll tell you.”
Thoma gives Ayato the map, the blue-haired man looking at him surprised.
“Oh you stole a map? I thought that’s illegal~”
“Shut up” Thoma chastised “I’m….trying to find the nearest path to…….Springvale…I may have forgotten where that is...”
“Hmm…why is that?”
“I….am looking for my mother.”
“Ah yes, to apologize for the missing file case?”
“You…never let anything go, huh?” Thoma shook his head with a sigh. “I…left Mondtsadt to find my father. I didn’t even leave her a note…” his knuckles were white as he bowed his head “I…want to apologize…for the decades of pain I cost her…..It’s the least I can do…..”
He looked up, expecting Ayato to scold him. Ayato was always one who was sensitive to familial obligation. Instead, Ayato looked at him thoughtfully. “So…that’s why you stole a map and want to leave?..Honestly Thoma, you should have told us.” he exhaled “We would have stopped the carriage if you wanted to.”
“But you’re….your jobs- You’re on vacation-”
“Who cares about our jobs?” Ayato frowned. “To me, this is more important.”
Grabbing his arm, they trudge out of the city.
Thoma looks at him in surprise “We’re going now??”
Ayato looked back at him, his expression resolute “Well, you said we are on vacation. So let’s spend your vacation on something that is fruitful.”
With nothing else to say, Thoma merely nodded.
The two of them head towards Springvale, the map leading them (“Ayato….you’re reading it upside down…”) to the small hunting village.
Ayato looked around, a small smile on his face. “You grew up here?” he asked as they climbed up the village steps.
Thoma blushed “Yes…sorry it’s not as fanciful as your estate though”
“What of it? I think it’s rather adorable like you.”
“You….will never stop teasing me huh?”
“Obviously~”
Ayato sticks out his tongue at him before approaching a man with cat ears.
“Excuse me, do you know where…..uh… what’s your mother’s name again ?”
“....Isana Senfrens”
“Thank you, anyway, do you know where Isana Senfrens is?”
“Isana Senfrens?” The man stroked his beard, his little cat ears twitching at the top of his head. “Hmmm, what does she look like?”
“Like him” Ayato pushed Thoma forward.
“Like him…..wait…. You’re ‘Ana’s little Tommy aren’t you?”
Thoma recoiled from the nickname while Ayato looked as if he were going to burst out laughing.
“T-tommy??”
“Not. A. Word.”
“Yeah, you are little Tommy” his wrinkled face lifted up into a grin “Oh Barbatos, the last time I saw you, you were so small”
“Sir please-”
“You couldn’t even lift a jug of beer and you still had that little obsession over snakes having no arms-”
“Sir, please stop-”
“And you were so-”
“Okay!” Thoma interrupted, his face a bright red “Can you just tell me where my mom is?”
“Oh…she moved away.”
“....excuse me…can you repeat that again?”
“Well” he shrugged. “After you went missing, Isana couldn’t bear looking at her empty home so she left….where exactly…I have no clue.”
“S-she left?” he echoed, his voice too fragile for his liking.
“Yes….but for all I know, she might be here in Mondtsadt still….wait let me check.” The man turns “Hey Old finch, Brooke” he called to the old man and auburn-haired woman sitting by a table “Do you know where Isana Senfrens is?”
“Isana Senfrens?” the old man echoed “Well…I have not. I haven’t heard any news about her in like….9 years…”
Brooke looks up from her mixing bowl “Same but from what I last heard…someone moved into the settlement near Dawn Winery 9 years ago? Or was it Sumeru? To be honest, I’m not sure.”
“So…my mom…is in the Dawn Winery Village?”
“Perhaps?” she shook her head “As I said, I’m not sure. That’s all my memory could piece together. Sorry.”
“It’s….fine”
The cat-eared man looked at him in sympathy “Sorry little Tommy but we don’t have much information.”
“It’s fine, really,” he said “Thank you for those little tidbits. I’ll….try to find her in the dawn winery village.”
The cat-eared man smiled at that, “But before you do that, could you perhaps want to eat lunch here?” he asked “It’s been so long since you disappeared and I know some of your childhood friends would want to see you.”
“They’re still here?” Thoma looked at him in surprise and the man nodded his head.
Thoma looked back at his master, hesitating “Maybe…some other day?” he said sheepishly “I…really need to find my mother…”
The man shrugs “Suit yourself. Just remember to visit them sometime.”
Thanking the man, Thoma starts to leave Springvale. “Waka” he called to the white-robed man bowing down to the hunter in gratitude “You coming?”
Ayato snapped from his thoughts, nodding and sprinting down to his side.
The two of them return back to the city, finding a carriage to take them to the Dawn Winery.
Ayato hums mindlessly, the wind blowing away his blue hair as the green hills of Mondtsadt roll past them. “You’re worried,” Ayato says.
“Huh?”
“You’re worried. You haven’t said a word to me and you’re clutching the map again.”
“Oh-” Thoma looked down, smoothening the map “Sorry…”
“Why is everyone saying sorry so much today?” he grumbles “Is it an apology day?”
Thoma laughs weakly “Maybe it's you just being untrained in etiquette” he teased.
“Oh? So the tables have turned now?” he raised his eyebrows “Oh I never thought I would see this day little Tommy”
“Now you’re just stooping low…”
Ayato laughs before his look turns serious “Seriously Thoma. You just received bad news. Are you okay?”
“...To be honest…I’m not sure…” Thoma admitted “I left my mom alone and now she ran away from her home to escape trauma….isn’t that a bad rap sheet for a son?” he asked bitterly.
Ayato stayed silent, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the carriage’s seat.
Soon the carriage came to a stop.
The duo thanks the carriage driver and heads down into the small array of stone cottages.
Thoma walked around, asking for his mother while Ayato stayed by an apple tree, suspiciously silent. Why? Thoma has no idea. He’ll try to coax it out of him later.
At the last house in the street, he knocks at the door.
“Mom?” he asks as the door opens.
This had to be the one. He knew it had to be the one……
“Uh…did you just say mom?” an old man greeted him, making Thoma back away in surprise.
“Oh…I’m sorry….” Thoma bowed to him “Do you…know someone named Isana Senfrens is?”
Please say yes….
The man tilted his head “Who?”
She’s not here….
She’s not here.
Thoma felt a pain pierce through his chest “Oh….I’m sorry for bothering you then.:”
The man nodded before he closed the door.
“....Thoma?” a voice asked but he couldn’t hear it.
He just….started running.
He ran across the fields of grass, his breath coming into his lungs like tiny knives.
His mom wasn’t here. His mom wasn’t here. His mom wasn’t here.
Something hot spilled over his cheeks, something red dripping from the bitten lips. He couldn’t make sense of it anymore. He just screamed her name, the way he did when he fell down into the sea
Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom.
MOM.
“ Thoma!” a foreign yet familiar hand clung to his own, another arm circling his stomach.
Someone shakily pulled him down, his long fingers running through his hair “Thoma, listen to me. Thoma. Thoma. Listen to me okay?”
He couldn’t see them. He couldn’t see anything. He could only feel something cold creep up to him. Something wet…
Oh no..oh no no no.
He’s back in the ocean.
He felt like he was back in the ocean. He can almost feel how the rain trashed against him and how the thunder roared.
Was he back in the ocean?
Where was his mom?
Mom?
MOM!?
“THOMA, CALM DOWN:” That voice screamed again, clinging to him tighter. Thoma could barely register the way the figure embraced him, Thoma’s face pressed against their shoulder.
Thoma choked back a sob, taking in a sharp breath. His nails dug against the person’s back as he tried to force the air into his system.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
Thoma lets out a shaky exhale before looking up weakly.
Ayato’s concerned face hovered over him, his lithe hands pulling him closer.” You silly little retainer…” the man breathed out before letting out a small groan of pain.
Thoma snaps up to attention and examines his lord. To his horror, his own hands were bloodied as scratch marks dripped a red liquid on his master’s arm.
“Oh, gods…Ayato I’m so sorry-”
“Don’t be,” Ayato assured him with a slight hiss, pulling down his sleeve to cover up the wound.
“But I wounded you-”
“If there should be anyone’s wounds we should worry about..it’s yours. Have you looked at yourself, Thoma?”
Now that Ayato pointed it out, Thoma looked down to see his pants and boots were ripped, scratches from thorns peering through the fabric. Thoma shook his head, leaves falling out of his now dirty blond hair, and to his surprise, he found himself looking at the waterfall, their pants wet from the running water that turned red under the sunset…wait when was it sunset…
Thoma paled, “How…are we under a waterfall?”
“You ran here” Ayato sighed “I do not know why but you did.” he then cleared his throat and lent out a hand “Do you mind?”
Thoma just nodded listlessly, giving his hand.
Ayato takes his hand and softly chants. Hydro energy started to surround him and soon his wounds were healed.
Thoma looked at him in surprise. “You can heal now?”
“A…little bit.” the commissioner panted “It’s just a trick I learned just in case…I ran into trouble…”
Seeing his lord tired, he gently pulled him back into shore.
Ayato sat down by the soft soil, exhaling deeply. “So Thoma. Spill it out. What happened?”
Thoma stayed silent.
“Thoma…please? Just…tell me.”
"I…..don't know……I…just wanted to run…."
"And?"
"I…I don't know!" Thoma said in frustration "I just wanted to run away. Mom is probably gone and thanks to me, I can never see her again."
"Thoma, it's not like that-"
"TO ME IT FEELS LIKE THAT. I LEFT HER!"
Silence filled the world.
"I-...I'm sorry for screaming waka…"
"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't be."
"I…..I just feel like I failed as a son…..you know?" Then he laughs "But then again, what do you know about being a bad son?"
"Thoma…"
"Look at you! You're the Great Yashiro Commissioner, the one to have pulled the Kamisato clan from its greatest disgrace singlehandedly!"
"Thoma, stop that…"
"You're the perfect son, compared to me. So kind, so loyal while there is me who abandoned my mom. Was she scared? She must have been so scared-"
"Thoma stop…"
"Why can't I be a good son? I wanted to be a good son to my father and he left me and now I'm trying to be a good son and mom's gone. What am I doing wrong? Am I doing something wrong? Why am I doing everything so wr-"
"THOMA I SWEAR IF YOU DO NOT STOP, I WILL SHOVE THIS MINT PLANT UP YOUR THROAT UNTIL YOU LISTEN TO ME."
Thoma looked at him in shock.
Kamisato looked at him with glazed eyes, his cheeks red. Were those…unshed tears ….
"Thoma ….sometimes I don't get you" the commissioner shakily admitted, his voice barely masking uncontained rage "You claim you are a bad son over and over again….but here you are, trying to find her to apologize!" He placed his hands on his hips "Tell me Thoma, is that a bad son to you!?"
"...no.."
"And trying to get your father a semblance of home..is that a bad son?"
"...no.."
"So why are you claiming you are a bad son?" Ayato asked hotly "Why are you doing this to yourself?...Thoma. You're looking at this wrong." He looked at him sadly "You do not think you are a bad son. You're just scared that you lost her because of a dumb decision you made with no thought."
"I….."
"Thoma….just because you cannot find her here…doesn't mean she's not in Mondtsadt anymore…" Ayato sighed.
"But….what if she's in another nation? What if she's"
"What if Thoma. Just a what if."
"B-but…."
"Thoma…listen" Ayato said, massaging his temple. "You have a golden opportunity here. Your mother might be here in this nation, just waiting for you to find your way home. Just because you can't find her in this particular place doesn't mean she's gone." his face hardened “She is here Thoma. I know it…..I never got to say goodbye to my own mother. And I refuse to end your relationship with your own mother the same way.”
“But….they don’t even know where she went….for all we know…she already left to another nation” Horror dawned upon him “O-or-”
“Do not…say it. We do not know.”
“But-”
“”Thoma.”
“...okay” Thoma swallowed. “But…where else can we find her?”
At that, Ayato thinks for a while. “Well…if I were someone who lost both a husband and a son……I would go somewhere where I’m reminded of both of them the most.”
"But…what kind of place would that be?"
Ayato hums, closing his eyes. "...sun….somewhere you can see the sun. You are like the sun…serene like the waves….yet so full of life…and turmoil…." He mumbles softly. That's when his eyes brightened. "Thoma, are there any beaches here with a good view of the sun?"
"Huh, why that?"
"Thoma, answer the question."
"Well…yes?"
"Then let's go there!"
"But, there are no settlements there-"
"So? We never know until we look."
Grabbing Thoma's hand, they rush back into the waiting carriage.
The carriage rolls into the beaches, Ayato almost jumping out as he grabs the map from Thoma's grip.
"Waka, slow down!" He calls to the man, trying to keep up.
Ayato seemed to be imbued with a new purpose, his eyes shining as he sprinted across the sand.
Thoma shakes his head, ignoring the burning of his thighs as he races after him .
Soon Ayato stopped, Thoma almost crashing into him.
"There…" Ayato pointed at a shadow.
They were in the cliffs on the shore of the Dandelion sea now, a place usually never visited by many.
Thoma looked at him in confusion, following his gaze.
There he sees it, a small hut with a light inside it.
Thoma felt his body rush towards the door, his fist knocking on the door fervently.
"Coming, coming!" A voice inside said….a female…
Is this….is she?
The door opens and green eyes meet green.
A blonde woman stands by the door, her eyes filling up in tears as she stares at Thoma.
"My schazti? I-is that you?"
Thoma stares back, his heart beating quickly in his chest. "M-mom?" He sobs "MOM!"
Thoma runs into his mother's waiting arms, both of them sliding into the ground.
Isana Senfrens weeped, her bony and liver spotted hand trailing down his back so gently as if she was afraid it wasn't real. As if she touched him even further, he would disappear into a cloud of smoke.
"Mom, I missed you" Thoma cried, placing a watery kiss on her cheek.
His mom smiled at him "I miss you too Tommy" she cupped his face "Look at you, so handsome like your father. You've grown up so much since the last time I saw you" she showered his forehead with kisses "I was so worried but all of it doesn't matter, you're home my schazti." She broke down "You're finally home with me."
Thoma teared up again, sinking deeper into his mother's embrace.
Ayato looked at the two, in slight amusement…and even longing.
He can't help but wonder if his own mother would be this happy with his accomplishment…considering the things he has done to even achieve them…
He wonders if her embrace will be as warm too.
A hand squeezes his own, making Ayato jump from his thoughts.
He was so engrossed inside his own mind, that he didn't realize that Thoma was already next to him, his mother trailing behind him.
"Mama, this is Kamisato Ayato" he introduced them "He's-"
"My husband~" he taunted, making Thoma flush a deep color.
"W-waka please! Not in front of my mother!" He protested, making both Ayato and Isana laugh.
"You two are close, it seems?" Isana smiled crinkly at the two of them.
"Yes" both of them answered at the same time, making the two even more flustered.
Thoma coughs "I really missed you mom."
"I know, my schazti" she kissed him on the forehead again "My little rose is finally home…" Her eyes lit up "Come, come. Let's eat dinner at my place."
Thoma's face brightened at that suggestion but Ayato had another idea.
"We can…but before that" he looked at them mischievously "How about follow me first?"
Thoma and Isana looked at each other in confusion first before nodding.
Ayato leads them back into the carriage, bringing them into Monstadt city.
Thoma's confusion spiralled further "Waka, what are you planning?" He asked, ignoring how alone the place feels….wait where is everyone?
Ayato doesn't answer, disappearing behind a corner.
Curious, Thoma followed him…only to find confetti flying down him.
"WELCOME BACK THOMA!
A…surprise party?
Jean, Kaeya, Diluc…all his old friends from his past were there, celebrating his arrival as they pull him and his mother into the table.
Dishes upon dishes of Mondtsadtian delicacies were laid on the table, the sight of it making his mouth water.
"What? How-"
That's when he hears his master laughing "Did you think I'll let you come back to your home town without anything special?"
Ayaka nodded, resurfacing to stand beside her brother "We planned this with Jean since the Shogun announced that we'll be the ones making first contacts with Mondtsadt."
"Andddd" a flash came from the distance. Fireworks started to rain down upon them, setting the night sky on fire.
Thoma looked to see Yoimiya laughing, her pyro vision glinting in the darkness "We wanted to do something special for you so here we are~"
Thoma felt something warm flicker in his heart, like a newborn flame in the darkness.
He stared at his friends, at his family from Inazuma and at his family from Mondtsadt.
As they encouraged Thoma to cut the first slice off his own cake, he knew one thing deep in his heart.
He was finally home.