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In Teyvat, moments passed with the gentle tick of a clock. Society flowed in perfect synchronisation with its tune, and each beat was a chance for endless innovation. As the steam of ingenuity pumped through city streets, nations scrambled to prove that their way of living was superior. The people fought not with their fists, but with their machines. Having better technology equalled the better lifestyle, whether their archons agreed with it or not. Inadvertently, this caused a boom of inventions over all, impacting the entire world so much more than each individual nation impacted each-other.
Particularly, one nation had something the others lacked: freedom. The freedom to express themselves in any matter, projects being governed only by the few laws they had etched into their city’s towering cobbled walls. With limited restrictions they were able to fly just as the wind intended. It remained one of the glowing positives about living in the city of Mondstadt, surrounded by good cheer and the sound of merriment, accompanied by the clinking of glasses full of Dandelion Wine. Despite what this era had done to the world, this nation continued to stay true to its roots.
This was something Albedo cherished about his current living situation. There was no reason for him or his brother, Durin, to fear. Mondstadt remained open, welcome, and warm, despite the light pollution that coated the night sky in a misty orange. There was a lot about his past home, Khaenri'ah, he missed: how the rocky ceiling that rested above the nation shone with a thousand star-like crystals, how hues of navy and aquamarine trailed down the streets and illuminated every cavern. However, most importantly, it was where everything began.
No nation had been able to create on the scale that Khaenri'ah once did. No nation had been as resourceful and exceedingly clever as they were, even five hundred years later. He and Durin were living proof of the overwhelming success the people were able to hold proudly above their heads. His mother, Rhinedottir, found a way to create machinery that could blend into human society almost perfectly, up until the very last detail. He and Durin were even able to eat, but only as a way to maintain the illusion of humanity the brothers possessed. All they had to do was some background maintenance to keep themselves running. The only living being to come close to the level of Rhinedottir was the Electro Archon, but her puppets lacked the same spark for innovation that Albedo’s creator possessed.
Sometimes Albedo found himself wishing he was slightly less human, just so his mind wouldn’t run circles around him, becoming a maze of reminiscence that he sometimes struggled to escape from. He blinked, finding himself back in his reality - a quaint little clockmaker’s shop, which belonged to him and his brother, that also served as their place of residence. The two of them used the shop as a way to make money, as well as to cover up their goal of figuring out a way to make beings similar to them. They may be skilled, but they still had a long way to go to reach the level their mother achieved all those years ago.
Albedo put his thoughts on the shelf for another day as his eyes drifted between the many minor accomplishments on display in the shop. The wide variety of beautifully varnished clocks each stood gloriously as a collective trophy of hard work. Albedo remembered the way the wood ran against his fingertips as his artistic prowess hand carved every excruciating detail. How the scalpel felt within his palm, shaping that before him into new life. Every customer, however rare they may be, appreciated every second that went into these magnificent pieces of ingenuity. Every late night, every hurdle, every-
“Oh- Hey, welcome” Come on in!”
Albedo’s head snapped towards the door, eyes wide. He didn’t even realise he was yet again spiralling into his own thoughts, only for his trance to be broken by Durin’s resonant, yet casual customer service voice. He was so out of it that he even failed to hear the store’s bell chime softly, which he greatly preferred to his brother’s rude awakening.
The person who entered was a young woman, petite in stature, with short, minty green hair. Her outfit was composed of a white blouse, covered by a marine overcoat that flowed into a gorgeous layer of white frills, accented by flashes of gold. The lacey floral details flowered down the outfit in a meadow of innocent design. Around her waist was a small satchel, along with a few basic tools.
The customer let out a surprised squeak upon hearing Durin’s voice, instinctively flinching away from him. The realisation quickly came to her vision as she hurriedly gave him a flurry of apologies, waving her hands erratically in panic. This, in turn, caused Durin to mimic that - one arm behind his head, the other gesturing in a similar manner, awkward laughter filling the store. All Albedo could do was sigh at his brother from behind the counter.
“Welcome, miss” Albedo spoke clearly, yet with a calmness his brother rarely held in his possession, “there’s no need to panic… The same applies to you, Durin… Is there anything we can help you with?”
Durin regained his composure, turning away from the stranger and letting out a completely real, not at all exaggerated cough. After she took a tentative glance around the shop, the customer apprehensively approached the counter, fingers resting against the hardwood and tapping a nervous rhythm. Her eyes purposefully glued themselves to the walls, almost as if Albedo’s gaze was threatening to pierce her very soul.
“I- Uh, was wondering,” her voice quivered with anxiety, “if you had a large grandfather clock I could buy? It’s for, um, my parent’s living room…”
“Hm,” Albedo raised his eyebrow, “Well, alright, we can sort that out for you. Durin, could you help this young lady transport the item to where she needs it?”
It was as Albedo had always said - leave jobs to those designed to do them.While Durin still managed to be smarter than most, he remained the brawn to Albedo’s brains. While Durin had mountains for arms, Albedo’s strength sat pathetically below sea level. Albedo witnessed Durin haul the wooden frame almost effortlessly from the corner of his eye, eyebrow raising slightly as he observed their supposedly satisfied customer analysing the rest of their merchandise. Once she realised Durin was almost fully out of the door, she was quick to follow right behind him. Albedo leant back in his chair with a hand to his head, suspicions slowly growing. However, it was likely those thoughts would never be satiated.
At least, that was what he thought. But that illusive girl came back. Again, and again, and again, until it became almost a weekly occurrence. She enters, she buys one of the biggest pieces on display, she leaves. Quickly and quietly, almost as if she would hate to be there any longer than necessary. Every week, she made up a different excuse - “this one is for a distant relative”, “it’s a birthday gift”, “the last one broke”. The more she bought, the more he saw her, and the more those eyes found a permanent place inside of his seemingly nonexistent heart.
To say his curiosity had the better of him would be an understatement - no, it was more akin to fascination. That element of mystery she held, despite seeming so open and so kindhearted. The smile she gave when her nerves started to get to her during those shifty purchases, with her adorable dimples exhibited upon her cheeks. The way she conducted herself, hands held so closely to her chest, mannerisms so polite and so utterly captivating that Albedo had to reassure himself that he was just keeping an eye on a suspicious customer, nothing more.
“Hey, ‘Bedo! I just learnt something about our new regular!”
And the final problem… The fact that Durin obviously knew. The smirk, the chuckle, the way he just kicked down their door upon the reveal of his newfound discoveries. Luckily, the poor thing remained clinging to its hinges as Albedo’s overconfident, loud brother proudly strode towards the front desk, his purple coat fluttering as he moved, hand running through his spiky hair.
“Please try not to damage the shop, ‘Rin… I don’t want to have to get Eula to fix the rafters again... You might as well be a rampaging dragon.”
“Hey! I take personal offence to that!” A pause. “…I guess you don’t want to hear about a certain green-”
“I never said that. Continue, if you would?”
“Well, if you insist” Durin let out a coy snicker before he cleared his throat, “her name is Sucrose. She’s a student of Mondstadt’s very own school for upcoming engineers. According to her peers, she is widely regarded as, and I quote, “passionate, but lacking any talent”. She seems to work very hard despite the scrutiny, and wants to prove herself to those around her as worthy to be one of them.”
“Fascinating, another piece of the puzzle… But how does that link her to us?”
“Heck if I know. You’d have to ask her yourself-”
“Um, excuse me,” a new voice halts the brothers’ conversation, “the door was open… Uh- Um- I would like another clock, please.”
“Well, speak of the heavenly principles-” Durin mutters under his breath subtly.
“Ah, welcome back,” Albedo greeted Sucrose with a warm smile, moving from behind the desk to approach her, “another clock, was it?”
“Uh, yes please.”
“Well, before that, would it be alright if I asked you a question?”
“Huh? Um, why?”
“Well, it’s simple really - you’ve piqued my curiosity. You are unlike most people who walk through these doors, buying odd quantities of clocks and maintaining a very polite and kindhearted attitude with us, despite your nerves.”
“Yeah, most of the people we get in here are old, rich geezers who want a fancy thingamajig for whatever hoity-toity place they call home,” Durin cuts in, rolling his eyes.
“Well! Uh,” Sucrose’s face sports a crimson hue, before dimming down into something more solemn, “to tell you the truth… The funding for my school projects has been cut, since I no longer fit the criteria due to my lackluster creations. Parts are expensive these days, so it worked out cheaper to… Dismantle the clocks I bought from here to use as spare parts for my machines…”
“You dismantled all those clocks-” Albedo began.
“I am so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused,” Sucrose refused to look at Albedo, “I didn’t know what else to do, and I’ve been working part time just to make ends meet… I can see myself out if need be…”
“There’s no need for that. If you require parts that desperately, we would be happy to part with some of our spares for a much lower cost.”
“Really?” Sucrose and Albedo’s eyes finally met, “Is that alright?”
“Of course, it’s not a problem,” Albedo gave her another smile, while Durin put his thumb up.
A very joyous Sucrose left the store that day, filled head to toe with newfound vigour. Her trips to the shop were significantly calmer afterwards: Sucrose formally introducing herself (without the knowledge that the brothers already knew her name), sharing stories of past projects or academic struggles. When Albedo studied her expression, so enamoured and so captivated… It was the catalyst for a stream of thoughts to enter his mind about an excuse for them to do this every day. Once Sucrose’s school life finishes, she will no longer have any reason to visit. For the very first time in his life, Albedo found himself longing for something; for someone. He desperately wanted to find a way to allow Sucrose to stay by his side…
Which is why, a few months later, when Sucrose entered again one overcast day, appearing as dim as the world outside of their clock-filled safe haven, Albedo was quick to notice things weren’t quite right. Her ears (which she had revealed were large and fox-like, camouflaged within her hair) had drooped down to a low he had never witnessed before. He dearly wished to erase that expression from her face before it could drill a hole into his metal shell of a body. With some internal hesitance, he decided to approach her like normal, Durin following his brother’s movements with his eyes as he did so.
“Sucrose, it’s good to see you again. Are you here for some more spare parts?”
Albedo was sure he carried himself the same way as he always did. Calm, casual, and calculating. So why did the utterance of those same words cause a dam to break right in front of him? Why was that sweet stranger from all those months ago now pressed against his chest, streams of raw emotion soaking his clothes as the pain echoed from her choked sobs? Her nails scratched helplessly against him, his mind screaming out irrational thoughts like “who did this?” “who hurt her?” as he slowly wrapped one of his arms around her frame, thankful when he noticed Durin flipping the store’s sign to closed to allow them some privacy.
“Sucrose? What happened?” Albedo softly uttered, wiping away some of her tears with his hand.
“I- I-” Sucrose merely cried harder.
“It’s alright, take your time.”
“Well…” Sucrose pulled away from Albedo and furiously swiped away her tears, “I was expelled from the academy…”
“You were what?! ” Durin cut in, completely flabbergasted.
“Mhm… They- They told me my latest creation was nothing more than- than a pile of scrap metal. A complete waste of ‘academic resources and innovation’... I didn’t- I couldn’t even use their resources-”
“Can I see it?”
“What?”
“Your creation,” Albedo clarified, “can I see it for myself?”
“Uh… Sure, if you’d like…”
Sucrose hesitantly reached into her satchel and pulled out a compact cube, outlined in gold-coloured metal, with a primarily light grey appearance, a red indent on one face. After she made enough space, Sucrose pushed her finger gently into the indent and placed the cube upon the floor, where its faces began to unfold. The top of the cube remained, but curved in on itself slightly, while the rest of the small structure became claw-like legs. The machine looked upon its creator with an unreadable expression, red eye blinking to life with a flash of light.
“It’s… A crab?” Durin curiously peered at the metal creature, who scuttled to face him.
“Yes,” Sucrose sighed, “it can do simple tasks, such as cleaning, carrying items, even basic combat. My idea was to create a small companion for those who might not be able to care for an animal, yet who still craved some affectionate company. A machine that can assist them in day to day life and help keep them safe, but make sure they’re not strong enough so that they can be used as a weapon or for anything too extreme. The academy didn’t think my idea had any overall benefit, and since this was my final chance, I…”
Sucrose’s eyes welled up once more, staring solemnly at the small crab beside her, who continued to interact with Durin. He crouched down and held out his hand, and the crab reached up with its pincer to shake it. Durin’s face immediately lit up with excitement. Albedo observed the joy that emanated from his brother. It was all the proof he needed of Sucrose’s genius potential.
“Sucrose, I for one think your invention is simply incredible for someone of your skill level.”
“You do???” Sucrose’s shocked gaze turned to Albedo.
“Of course. Just look at Durin.”
Sucrose turned back to the purple-clad man, who had managed to pick up the crab despite its weight. The creature nestled within Durin’s arms as the grown adult let out a childlike gasp of pure and utter glee. Sucrose’s heart warmed at the sight, but then she quickly shook her head.
“But they’re simply interacting… I don’t see how this proves my invention’s worth…”
“Did you not say yourself that this crab was meant to be ‘a small companion for those who might not be able to care for an animal, yet who still craved some affectionate company’? I would say it’s proving itself spectacularly.”
“But-”
“Also, I would say you have achieved something most could never dream of.”
“...What do you mean?”
“You’ve created life , Sucrose. This crab may be a machine, but it interacts with people as if it were living and breathing. It has a heart of its own, a yearning for affection that we crave just as much. This is the pinnacle of innovation, Sucrose, and I am truly captivated by your work.”
“Really?”
“Really…”
The two inventors locked eyes, Albedo watching the relief wash over Sucrose’s face, followed by that same joy he had come to adore from her. Instinctively, he gently cupped her face within his hand, and all the clocks in the room stopped. Her lips parted slightly, cheeks dusting a faint pink, ears perking up at the sudden contact. For the first time in his life, Albedo was acting on complete impulse, feeling the softness of her skin against the cold metal of his hand. His flesh was only artificial, after all…
If things went any further, how would he tell her?
Albedo let out a smitten sigh and pulled his hand away, Sucrose bringing her own up to rest against where his once was. She blinked, eyelashes fluttering, trying to process the interaction that had just occurred between herself and the clockmaker in front of her.
“Sucrose, I just had an idea, if you would indulge me?”
“Oh! Uh, wh-what is it?”
“Would you like to work in our shop? You would be a great help in assisting Durin and I with our creations, as well as another very important project we are working on. You can spend your free time in the back working on your own inventions, and you would no longer need to pay for any spare parts. On the contrary, you would actually be paid for your service.”
“R-Really?! Uh, is that okay? I don’t want to intrude-”
“Wow, I never thought you’d humour the idea of hiring someone, ‘Bedo!” Durin chuckled, crab still tucked gently within his arms.
“What? It’s a good idea.” Albedo stated simply, as if it were clear as day.
“Well,” Sucrose stood up straight and held her satchel tight, “if you would have me, I would be happy to join you, Mr Albedo!”
“Please,” Albedo laughed, “just call me Albedo.”