Chapter 1: Chapter I Act I: Attacked by Hounds, saved by ??????
Notes:
Please read “The Raven Statue on the windowsill” before this so you know what happens!
Edit: You don’t have to anymore, I added that to the first chapter already 💏
Chapter Text
The first years were once again in for a scolding in Headmage Crowley’s office. It’s the same junk he spews out of his mouth every time they come in. In all honesty, Crowley’s voice sounded tired.
Yuu is just as tired of going to his office as well. They can’t count how many times they do it in a day, they might as well say they get dragged in there every five minutes for some stupid stunt Ace pulled or something hilariously dumb that fooled Grim.
Jack was nowhere to be seen, and Sebek’s naturally loud voice has died down into a regular volume in their ears. Epel’s head is hung low, obviously ashamed. Ace and Deuce were just sitting there, and Grim was just on Yuu’s lap, pretending to be innocent when he was 90% at fault for this.
It was just a normal day, a normal scolding.
That was until a loud thunk returned Yuu’s unfocused and bleary vision to a clear one with their headmage in the picture, but their focus snapped to the source of the sound:
A raven statue clutching onto Crowley’s windowsill.
…
Yuu’s head whipped back at Crowley, but he wasn’t looking at them. He was just as shocked as everyone in the room. They could feel Grim shifting on their lap, which caused their gaze to flick downward at the tiny creature. He stared at the raven statue, which was staring forward. Yuu pressed their lips into a thin line and turned their head back towards the strange statue that had appeared out of nowhere, the silence drawing on.
The statue looked as if it were ominously glowing violet, and it didn’t look like an ordinary raven. It was wearing a purple scarf around its neck.
Everyone was just about to recover from the shock, and Crowley was about to stand up to get rid of it, then, the raven’s head moved around with a few creaks, glancing around the room, which led to Grim screaming and jumping onto the closest thing, which happened to be Ace’s face. Said teen was also screaming, along with his classmate and dorm mate Deuce. Sebek nearly fell backwards, and Epel merely jumped in his seat. Crowley and Yuu however, just continued to stare at the raven inquisitively.
The raven tilted its head and then a voice came ringing from it.
”I extend my greatest greetings to thy.”
The Heartslabyul duo and Grim continued screaming as Epel and Sebek let out shocked gasps. But now, Yuu and Crowley were more interested, and both had curious smiles on their faces. Guess that’s what happens when you let Dire Crowley influence a child—they act more like him.
“Our Great Ruler, the Prinzessin of the Immenachtreich, has been invited to this foreign land.”
None of them could understand what it meant, it was talking like Rook Hunt does. Immenachtreich? Great Ruler? Invited to “this foreign land”? But as Yuu was about to ask about this enigmatic “Prinzessin,” the raven replied first, seeming to know what they were going to say.
”I am a mere messenger of Her Majesty, and this is what I was tasked to deliver. Should thou become curious of the Lady of Uttermost Darkness, then inquire to Sekretär Ozvaldo von Hrafnavins.”
And with that, the raven did a creaky bow, and disappeared in a flash of violet light and a flurry of shadowy feathers. It left Crowley’s office a mess of floating tiny, lavender stars in the air, a flash sometimes passing in between two of them, like a thin thread getting revealed by light. Feathers as dark as night but glowing like small lavender suns littered the office.
Yuu felt a soft tingle atop their head, and they reached up and felt a slight shock delivered to their hand, which made them flinch, but they didn’t let go of the object. They pulled it down to their face. It was one of the dark feathers, leaving lavender traces of lightning as it was pulled down. They curiously twirled it in between their fingers, feeling a slight spark. Yuu’s head tilted to the side in curiosity, smiling the same way they and Crowley did earlier.
Everyone sat there, in too much shock and thus frozen save for Yuu, the only one who didn’t act like the raven’s disappearance didn’t turn them into a frozen statue.
Once again, they were recovering from the shock, when the door to Crowley’s office burst open with a panicked student on the other side. Once again alarmed, the Headmage whipped to the student, but he interrupted before the crow man could say a thing.
”Headmage, the school is getting attacked by monsters!”
Yuu and the rest of the first years figured Crowley wouldn’t lift a finger, so they shot up from their seats and quickly sped out of the office and back out the hallway…
Watching from the windows as students screamed as unrecorded creatures fought them a battle the students were losing.
(This part above was actually in the prequel fic called “Raven statue on the windowsill” but I added here just so no one has to go there to see this part :D)
Point of View: First Year Students (Location - Hallway from Headmage Crowley’s Office)
The first years sped out the Crowley’s office and pressed their faces against the closest glass window. Students were screaming for their lives, some were heavily injured from the fight against strange beasts. They appeared to be wolves, but merely left as bones with energy pulsing through them, and accented by either yellow or purple. Ace, Deuce, and Epel whipped out their magic pens and ran off to go downstairs, Sebek following but quickly parting ways with the other three, probably to go look for Malleus. They were soon followed by Yuu and Grim.
Yuu’s heels skidded across the floor as they made a sharp turn, following the other three. A loud crash sounded, followed by loud screams and yells, and Grim noticed a large shadow cast over him, and looked back, slowing down in fear even if it would kill him.
He whimpered a bit, enough for Yuu to hear, and they turned around almost immediately to be met by the wolf towering over their friend. The wolf’s gaze flicked towards them. A chilling snarl was heard from behind the hound’s sharp gray fangs. It howled and chased after them instead, its claws nearly striking the frozen Grim, missing by a hair. Yuu screamed, alerting Epel, Ace, and Deuce, whose eyes widened the moment they saw Yuu shrieking and fleeing from a giant bony hound.
Point of View: Riddle Rosehearts (Location - Courtyard)
Riddle took a faltering step back. He was a part of the students who tried to fight against the monsters, only to be pushed into the losing ground.
Riddle had tried all manners of spells, and only the elemental spells worked well enough. Even so, that barely made a dent on the wolves. And he had tried using them against these weird four floating things that appeared to be mages. But he couldn’t land a hit on them, they had shields. He couldn’t even use his unique magic on them.
Trey and Cater were with him, but Trey was injured at the moment and Cater was tiring out. Riddle was pushed back by the sudden spray of water from the middle left mage in blue. He dodged the oncoming hit from a sharp icicle courtesy of the pale blue mage in the rightmost area. The purple and red mages were taunting him, laying on their sides as the other two took turns shooting at him. Riddle didn’t have enough energy to last that long anymore. He tried to catch his breath, and from the corner of his eye, he could see Cater trying to avoid getting clawed by a wolf while blocking it from hitting Trey.
He was about to help him, at least in the tiniest bit when he felt something cold come in hard contact with his head. The next thing he felt was the cobblestone road of the courtyard and something wet dripping from his mouth. He could hear his shaky breathing and thumping heartbeat eerily loudly while everything else blurred away. He could hear someone, someone vaguely familiar, someone that was neither Cater nor Trey.
His heartbeat and breathing were slowly getting softer and everything around him was getting louder.
“…ddle!”
“HOUSEWARDEN RIDDLE!”
Riddle’s eyes snapped open and he turned to look at a worried Ace Trappola. He could hear Deuce yelling from Cater and Trey’s direction. And he could also hear Epel in the front direction. Where the mages were. Ace was muttering something. Riddle could feel the wind suddenly picking up pace.
He groaned as he sat up, looked around, and saw that the wolves and mages had noticed it too. Then lightning struck and set the ground aflame. Dark, purple clouds swirled and descended to the earth as a tornado. Lightning crashed. The mages, except for the one in purple, looked frightened. The wolves with purple accents growled, while the ones with yellow ones floated back a bit.
The tornado spun and spun and spun, as lights from above the tornado started glowing brighter and brighter until lavender light was all everyone could see.
Then the light died out, and then Riddle felt something sting his nose a bit. A dark violet feather. It slid off when he decided to get up. His vision was a bit bleary, but he could make out a figure clad in violet.
Chapter 2: Chapter I, Act II: Attacked by Hounds, saved by Fischl
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Point of View: Violet Figure (Location - The Courtyard)
A curved item manifested in their hand. It was black with little purple dotted all over.
They pulled something back, and a lavender light was seen at the end of a stick that suddenly appeared.
From their stance, it looked like the curved item was a bow.
A growl.
It was one of the wolves.
It had yellow accents.
The figure let go of the string.
A headshot. Purple lightning courses through the wolf.
Foggy visions started to clear.
The wolf howled and charged at the figure. They dodged at the last second, the hound colliding with another one.
Yuu blinked, their vision had returned to normal.
The figure was a blonde girl with a green eye, while her other one was covered by an eyepatch. She was wearing a sleeveless black lace dress-like leotard with a black lace collar and purple bow tie, crosses stitched in, and black and violet tailcoats (courtesy of the Genshin Wiki). She was wielding a bow, and was quite skilled in doing so.
The wolves abandoned the students for the girl, but the mages were fleeing.
“Not so fast! Mine enemy does not escape mine sight!” The girl disappeared in a flash of purple lightning, an ominously glowing raven in her place. It ducked underneath the hounds, electrocuting those who got too close. The hounds crashed against each other. The raven flew over to the mages, who were scurrying away, dragging the unwilling purple mage with them. However, when the girl landed, she and the bird had separated ways, the bird attacking the wolves. The mages heard crackling and an “ahem,” so they turned around slowly.
“Abyss Mages! So you truly were the culprits of the incident near Wolvendom!” She glared pointedly at the Abyss Mages. If looks could kill, the mages would not be floating around right now and trying to escape her gaze. “I, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort, shan’t allow you to control these Rifthounds and terrorize this grand palace!” Fischl said, motioning to Night Raven College. Then, she started fighting the four mages.
The mages broke apart and attacked her all at once. But she dodged them with ease. The blue Abyss Mage shot at her from the front while the red one came up from behind, but she twirled gracefully and the blue mage’s attack hit the red one instead. This cracked at the red Abyss Mage’s shield.
The blue, light blue, and red mages blinked out of existence and came back behind Fischl, who was in front of the purple Abyss Mage. She ducked and slid out of the way as the purple Abyss Mage released a ring of lightning, which electrocuted the three others.
”Oz!” Fischl called out, and a raven burst in next to her.
“Yes, mein Fräulein,” he bowed a tiny bit, and then charged at the three mages. Fischl took out her bow which mysteriously materialized from golden sparks. The mages’ shields broke and they fell to the ground. Fischl then shot arrows at them as Oz rained lightning over them.
Fischl looked up. “All of thee! useth elemental spells 'gainst the purple abyss mage!” She exclaimed at the students watching.
“What mean Fräulein means to say is: use elemental spells and aim it at the purple abyss mage!” Oz translated.
The students, who just so happened to be Ace and Grim, pulled out their pens… well, only on Ace’s part. Ace cast wind spells to enhance Grim’s fire ones. Oz disappeared just in time to not get caught in the line of fire and wind. Oz flew past them then turned back into Fischl behind them, confusing many who heard the conversation. To further confuse them, Oz was right next to Fischl, who had decided to fight off the remaining wolves that hadn’t retreated back into the rift.
Many other students had fled the scene. Deuce, Cater, and Riddle were helping them leave the courtyard after Trey had disappeared inside of the school, accompanied by Epel and Jack, who was a part of the students fighting.
The last Rifthound howled, and returned to the rift. Fischl snapped her head back to the direction of the Abyss Mages. The Cryo and Hydro ones were incinerated and the Electro one had lost its shield and joined them, but Ace and Grim were screaming as the Pyro Abyss Mage was still alive and kicking. Fischl and Oz exchanged a glance. They ran over to the area as fast as they could—well, more like fly on Oz’s part.
Oz started shooting out starry lightning as Fischl charged up her arrow and released it. The mage’s shield started cracking with each hit of Electro until it finally came apart. The mage, who didn’t expect it, fell onto the cold, hard ground. Ace and Grim watched.
Once the mage fell, Fischl grabbed it by the hem of its robes and threw it, and Oz shot at it, knocking it to another side, where Fischl slid over to and then slammed her bow into its shoulder. As it fell, she kicked it and while the mage was in midair, she pulled back her bowstring, and the tip of her arrow started glowing. She released it and rolled over to the side as the Abyss Mage’s body collided with the ground, arrow deepening until it pushes through its skin and appears on the other side.
Fischl gets up, then Oz flashes next to her. Those who stayed behind and watched—Yuu, Ace, Grim, Cater, Riddle, Deuce, and a few others—were left in shock and awe. Fischl turned around to face them, Oz following suit.
“Now, tell me—where am I?”
Notes:
This was my first time writing a fight. I hope I did good 😅
Chapter 3: Chapter I, Act III: Memories of Old and Permits in the New
Summary:
Fischl is taken to Headmage Crowley. When she realizes that she can’t go anywhere, Crowley decides to be “gracious” and lets her stay in NRC as a student, and sorts her into a house. The results are shocking.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Point of View: Yuu and Crowley (Location: To Crowley’s Office)
After the whole fiasco downstairs with a bunch of bony wolves and a strange girl and her raven, the students—Ace, Cater, Riddle, Grim, and Yuu—dragged “Fischl” up to Crowley’s office. Because they were unsure if she was truly on their side at all, they’d asked Riddle to lock up her magic for a while. Riddle did not hesitate to cast his unique magic on her. “Fischl” wasn’t too amused by it. In fact, she wore a scowl the entire way there. Oddly enough, Oz, who seemed to be affected by Fischl’s magic, didn’t disappear.
Yuu pushed open the doors and let everyone else enter, dragging Fischl and her twilight familiar along. Crowley looked up from his desk, and then at the girl staring—well more like glaring—at him. She had Riddle’s collar on her neck, and there was a ominously glowing raven hovering above the ground next to her.
“Who is this?” He asks. The girl—fashionably dressed in gothic wear, it fit her so well she could make Vil Schoenheit jealous—stepped forward, dark heels clicking against the floor. She held an air of regality.
“Mine own name is the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort. And thine is…?” Fischl raised a brow, expectant. Why she spoke in old English, Crowley didn’t know. And why she had ‘Prinzessin’ in her name, he didn’t know either.
“Headmage Dire Crowley,” he replies with a smile.
“So, ‘Headmage Dire Crowley’,” she starts, brow lowered and walking towards the table once more, “where am I? What purpose does this fine establishment serve?”
Crowley hums, “this is Night Raven College, a school for aspiring mages.”
“A school for aspiring mages?” Fischl echoes.
“Indeed! The best in Twisted Wonderland!”
“…Twisted Wonderland?” Hopelessness shook her previously imposing voice. Yuu threw her a glance. There was horror present in her face, but she easily shook it off. What a legend, Yuu thought.
“My apologies, but I the only school I hath heard of was the Akademiya in Sumeru, Teyvat,” Fischl’s head dipped a bit. An audibly dramatic gasp left Crowley. Honestly, it was a blessing he could understand her complicated speech. It gave Oz a break from translating all the time, but no one else in the room except him and Fischl knew that. But the bird was thankful all the same, he just didn’t voice it out.
“I have never heard of such locations. Is that where you are from?” Crowley cocked his head to the side as a disappointed sigh left Fischl’s lips.
“It seems I am no longer in the world I was temporary resident of,” was her answer.
“Heh?! Another student from some other world?!” Ace finally broke the silence of the students, who all wore confused looks or had their jaws slack on the floor.
”Indeed,” Fischl turns, blonde locks swaying. Her iridescent green eye sparkled and glimmered, seemingly showing of her excitement. “I am the monarch of the Immenachtreich, the kingdom of eternal darkness, though I did descend to a land called Mondsdadt. An exciting land with the motif of freedom flowing in the wind alongside poetry and song.”
The students were left trying to piece together the meaning of Fischl’s words. Oz butted in on their thought processes and said, “what mein Fräulein means is that, she is Immenachtreich’s princess, but she landed in Mondsdadt, the city of Freedom, known for its poetry, songs, and famous wine.”
All the students in the room mouthed an ‘oh’, except Riddle, who translated it before Oz could say its meaning to them.
“Ahem,” Crowley grabbed everyone’s attention. “Princess Fischl, huh? Then that is confirmation. A raven spoke of your coming. If I may ask, how did you arrive here?”
Fischl looked a bit shocked. But she schooled it back into neutrality and began how telling how she had arrived.
Some time before Fischl’s arrival at NRC.
Point of View: Fischl (Location: Wolvendom)
People who befriended Fischl would say she is a good friend.
That is indeed true. And that is why Fischl is in Wolvendom right now.
Not because the Adventurer’s Guild gave her yet another commission, but because Bennett, a fellow but lower member of the Adventurer’s Guild, had asked her to help his friend named Razor, who was dealing with a Rifthound infestation in Wolvendom.
Of course, Fischl accepted, any friend of a friend is another friend, after all. After this, however, she would need to go run all the way to Liyue Harbor to help out Kazuha, who had become a friend of hers after the whole Golden Apple Archipelago thing. He was like her much needed older brother.
Fischl encountered a few Rifthounds along the way towards the heart of Wolvendom, which is where Bennett directed her to.
But nothing could prepare her for…
A battle against a Rifthound and an Abyss Lector.
“Do not interfere with the plans of His Highness, little girl…” the Lector says.
“His Highness—?!” Fischl yelped out as the Lector snapped his clawed fingers, which ripped open a hole in reality.
“Goodbye, little girl.”
Fischl’s footing was lost as she tried to run away, and that was all it took for her to be pulled apart by the vortex, then put back together once she arrived at NRC.
Present (btw POV hasn’t changed)
Once the story was over, her audience was left gaping in shock. The first to speak up was Crowley, who expressed pity and concern.
“Oh, you poor girl! Torn from your world and left in a new one, much like Yuu over here,” he pointed at the teen with black hair and eyes and tan skin. They were androgynous, and the “hi” they gave didn’t give a confirmation of which gender they were, so Fischl settled with neither.
What happened next was a quick blur.
Crowley offered, well, more like he offered and acted like Fischl had accepted, something:
“Well, I can’t just leave you out there, can’t I? So, due to my unbounded graciousness, I will allow you to stay in NRC as long as you cannot return home yet! You must study here, though. Is that alright with you?”
Fischl then started contemplating her position in this world. Which is being a hobo. Which means she’s homeless. And penniless. I mean, yeah, she has mora, but she doubts that’s the currency in this world. Which means she can’t buy a home or food. Which leads back to her being homeless. And thus a hobo.
Considering that a school could temporarily serve those, Fischl accepted his offer, which led to her being dragged into a room she was sure would’ve been a cult room due to the eerie amount of people in robes surrounding her and this mirror as Crowley stood on the sidelines. Then all of a sudden a freakish mask appeared in the mirror, green mist behind it.
“State thy name.”
“Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort, monarch of Immenachtreich, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“The shape of thy soul is… conflicting, to say the least. Thine soul sends thy to two dorms…”
Chatter bubbles up from the students. Crowley has no idea why the mirror was split between two dorms. But still they listened just as intently as the one getting sorted did. And then they heard:
“Diasomnia and Ignihyde!”
Notes:
So uhh yeah Fischl got mixed between Ignihyde and Diasomnia. Why?
Because:
Ignihyde requires creativity to make inventions. The fact that Fischl imagined up all of Immenachtreich proves she can do this. Fischl is also technically the Adventurer’s Guild’s equivalent of a secret agent. This means Fischl is really intelligent, and she canonically can instantly deduct things. So she’s like a Heizou. Intelligence is also required in Ignihyde. Perseverance is the main thing in Ignihyde, and she has plenty of that. She might not be an inventor, and this is where the Diasomnia parts come in.Fischl is very tethered to fantasies and stories. And she is also very well-versed in magical things. Oz is a talking raven bro. Fischl fits in Diasomnia because Diasomnia has a very gothic and fantastical theme, which is basically “describe Fischl without saying her name”. Powerful magic is required here too. Something Fischl has.
Also, Fischl’s reason for arrival is slightly inspired by another crossover fic starring Fischl as the main character.
Anyways that’s all. :)
Chapter 4: Chapter I, Act IV: What an indecisive Mirror!
Summary:
Fischl was assigned to two dorms.
She finds herself absolutely confused with whatever Crowley is spouting about Ramshackle, two dorms, two guys named Malleus Draconia and Idia Shroud—whoever they were—and whatever was the other nonsense.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Point of View: Fischl (Location: Mirror Chamber)
Nobody had bothered to tell Fischl what it meant to be sorted in to two dorms, just that they were all gawking at her and the mirror. She was so preoccupied with trying to figure out why they were gawking at her that she almost missed the face in the mirror settling back into the eerie green mist.
Was it because I was sorted in to two dorms, is that not normal here?
Maybe.
Then they’re all probably sorted into one dorm each, right?
Oh and, don’t they all look like boys?-
Oh.
Oh, Archons.
Barbatos save me.
Fischl nodded at her own answer. Once she was out of her thoughts, her ears started to get spammed by Crowley shouting in her ear.
“—TWO DORMS?! FOR ANOTHERWORLDLY STUDENT?! Oh, ohhhh, is the Dark Mirror broken?! I’d expected her to go to Ramshackle, but…”
Crowley was absolutely going to faint-cry, with all these tears on his face and from all the yelling. He clutched his stomach as he dramatically fell to the floor. Fischl rolled her eyes and sauntered over to the overdramatic grown man.
“Where are the dorms?” She asked annoyedly, emerald green boring into gold. Fischl had broken character a bit, like when she was angry at Mona for making her think she had no mora. At that Crowley stopped being an overdramatic old man and called on a golden-eyed floating child with blue flames for hair and a ruby-eyed boy with short black hair lined with magenta.
“Fischl, this is Ortho Shroud,” Crowley gestures to the floating child, who waves enthusiastically at her, “and this is Lilia Vanrouge,” then he gestures to the ruby-eyed boy. He smiles, waving and baring his canines.
“Their housewardens, or the leader of the dorms, are not present today, since Idia Shroud caught a cold and Malleus wasn’t invited, yet again.” He shrugged. That’s rude, Fischl thought when she heard this Malleus hadn’t been invited, and probably hasn’t been for quite a long time now.
“We wanted to invite him,” a young man somewhere declared, and Fischl found a short boy guarded by two taller ones, “but I’m afraid no one tried to approach him. I apologize for that.” Fischl could easily tell the boy was a teacher’s pet. It was obvious, you know.
Fischl turned around to face Crowley “Wherefore don’t thee sendeth the invitations?” (Why don’t you send the invitations?)
Crowley did not say anything.
Fischl sighed.
“Anyway! Ms. Fischl, please choose which dorm you will stay in for the week. I figured if you were sorted in to two dorms, you should alternate between weeks…” Crowley kept staying stuff the teenager didn’t quite catch.
“…”
Ortho or Lilia? That would’ve been a simple question if they weren’t both using kicked-puppy eyes. Ortho was doing it unconsciously, though.
“…I choose Diasomnia.”
Ortho looked disappointed, which hurt Fischl to the core. Lilia looked excited and instantly pulled her hand from her side. But before he could drag her to her new dorm (well… one of them anyway) Crowley suggested that Fischl be shown both dorms—since she just picked one randomly after all—while dismissing the crowd of students.
So she was pulled into the Hall of Mirrors where she was taken into Ignihyde first, which was futuristic and grandly…empty. Ortho said the dorm was filled with introverted geniuses, which is why no one came out from their rooms. They’re probably all working on something. Ortho gushed about his older brother, Ignihyde’s housewarden, Idia Shroud.
Then she was pushed into Diasomnia, and Fischl fell in love with its gothic design. Almost as if it came straight out of a dark Mondsdadt fairy tale. Lilia guided her to her room and told her to wait there before dinner, meeting several Diasomnia students along the way.
Fischl plopped down on the silky black sheets of her lonely room. If that boy Riddle’s collar was still on her neck, she wouldn’t be lying down. She touched her neck at that thought. Why did he even put that there? Not like it did anything anyway. Fischl absentmindedly flicked her wrist and elegantly snapped her fingers, an electric spark bursting in between them.
Suddenly, her gloomy room flared to life with light, then it died down to an extent because Fischl isn’t alone anymore. Oz was in the room now, too.
“Mein Fräulein,” the nightraven perched on her nightstand and nodded his head.
“Oz…”
“Hmm?”
“Do you want to come with me at dinner?”
“Of course. May I ask why?”
“Umm…”
Fischl tapped her fingers together.
“I don’t have any friends yet… it’s a bit awkward…”
“Oh. Of course, mein Fräulein.”
“Thanks, brother.”
Silence.
“WAIT I MEAN—”
Skip to dinner time. POV does not change.
“Fischl! It’s dinner!” Lilia shouted from behind the door.
Said girl stirred, awakening after a nap. She slipped out of her bed, poking Oz, who was still asleep on the nightstand. When he awoke, she pulled on her boots and ran after him as he flew to the door. They left the room and were led by Lilia to the dining table.
There, there were three empty seats, one next to a tall horned man with emerald green eyes, a silver-haired man on the side opposite to the empty chair, and a mint-haired boy next to him. The other two seats were next to the empty one. Well, one was a chair and the other was a perch.
Fischl took the seat next to the perch as Lilia took the seat next to horn boy. Horn boy seemed intrigued with Fischl, who was this human girl who carried a lightning-manifested raven? Two green eyes stared at one, a bit too long for comfort. The teen cleared her throat, which made horn boy flinch and welcome her.
“Ah… thee welcometh us…? And thou art did seat at a unique chair… I surmise then yond thou art the dorm leader,” Fischl spoke. Horn boy couldn’t tell what she was saying, so Oz opened his beak and translated.
“What mein Fräulein means is since you welcomed us first—very warmly so, if I might say—and you are seated at the most extravagant chair in the room, she theorized that you are the housewarden.”
“Ah, that is correct, Ms…?” Horn boy claps at her deduction, then tilts his head a bit, waiting for an answer.
“Prinzessin der Verurteilung, Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort.” She smiles a tiny bit, then it falls back into neutrality. “You may call me Fischl.” She says while her green eyes scan the dish after pulling up the lid. Horn boy watches as her eyes glimmer and sparkle with curiosity at the dish served, but when she blinks, the stars are gone. “And you are?” She raises a brow.
“Ah, how rude of me. My name is Malleus Draconia, Prince of the Valley of Thorns. I am intrigued by your title, ‘Prinzessin der Verurteilung. Tell me more.” Malleus’ sharp fangs are bared in his smile, lime green eyes shining. Fischl could say she hid the anxious flicker in her eyes well.
“W-well…” curse that stutter, “if you insist. I am the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, the royal highness of the Immenachtreich, the kingdom of eternal darkness.”
Many eyes were set on the girl. Overwhelming attention. Luckily, Lilia seemed to notice her anxiety and swayed the room’s attention away from her. Fischl let out a sigh of relief, and muttered a small ‘thanks’, while Lilia replied with a ‘no problem’ and a wink. She smiled, and began eating her food.
Dinner was over (thank goodness, Fischl thought, she was worried it would be a total disaster. Thank the Archons for Lilia), and she was in her bedroom, curled up in her bedsheets. Everything was locked, she had a creeping paranoia that something could jump her at night, so there was absolutely nothing openable without a key or needing to be inside to open it. The window, the door—they were all locked.
Fischl sighed as she pulled the covers tighter. Oz was already asleep, perched on the nightstand. He’s definitely gonna like that spot now. The young lady screwed her eyes shut, and tried to relax. Maybe, in her dreams, where imagination rules all—she could pretend for now that she was back home, sleeping in her old bed, or chatting with someone, anyone: Mona, Bennett, the Traveler, Kazuha, Xinyan, anyone—
And before she knew it, she was screaming their names out into the abyss.
Notes:
I made this on August 24 but Genshin Sumeru update said no ❤️ Then parents said no ❤️ Then procrastination said no ❤️ Then school said no ❤️ The following days. Then Genshin said no ❤️ But now I’m here and I am writing 🤗
Chapter 5: Chapter I, Act V: Screams of a star in the night sky
Summary:
…
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“TRAVELER!”
“PAIMON!”
“MONA!”
“BENNETT!”
“KAZUHA!”
“XINYAN!”
“OZ!”
“ANYONE?!”
Words died on the Prinzessin’s tongue.
Fischl kept screaming out her friend’s names into the darkness, please, I need you. Anybody. Please, talk to me. I don’t wanna be alone… I don’t want to be alone, I don’t want to be alone, I don’t want to be alone, please, PLEASE—
The Prinzessin collapses onto the ground and hugs her knees as she shook. I don’t want to be alone I don’t want to be alone I don’t want to be alone—this isn’t fair, why is no one else here? Why is there no one else, whywhywhywhywhywhy—
Fischl was weak, vulnerable, and most of all, alone. Three things she did not want to be in a new world. It was like being locked in a room that was soundproof from the inside and the outside—so you couldn’t hear anyone and no one could hear you either. At first a new world sounded exciting—but then she remembered there was no one here she knew. Everyone became hospitable strangers that could ensnare her into a trap.
Fischl curled herself into a ball in a foolish attempt to keep herself warm in the ever-cooling abyss. Maybe it could also keep herself protected from whatever might be lurking in the shadows. Without her friends, was Fischl really anything? She clawed at her arms and compressed herself harder.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Can’t you help yourself?
Wait.
Help yourself.
Fischl immediately stood up and looked around. It was dark and nothing could be seen. She walked around, still not seeing that there is no one with her. "Is anyone in here?” She said, looking around her, yet the darkness still shrouds her vision.
"I really am alone," She muttered, feeling colder and more alone than ever.
"Why?" She asked, despite knowing no one would answer her.
"Did I do something wrong? Did I become a nuisance to people they wished I was gone?" Fischl thought helplessly, standing alone in the darkness with no comfort nor warmth, but then she realized that there are people in Teyvat that cared for her, no way they could’ve wished her away. Besides, it was that Lector who brought her there!
"No! I refuse to stay here! No one can stop the Prinzessin der Verurteilung!" She yelled, continuing to move. She then saw light crack through the dark and ran towards it, hoping it will lead her out of the darkness. The crack grew ever wider, but she realized shattering sounds came from behind her as well.
The darkness was collapsing in on itself, as if it had gave up trying to keep itself together. Like her mere moments ago. And without her realizing, she slipped and started falling through the broken floor. “No, this isn’t how it’s going to end!” She cried out, screwing her eyes shut.
And with that she could hear a flurry of familiar voices and hands softening her fall and leading her back up. The voices were reduced to kind whispers of people she knew. They were still there. They never left. Even if they couldn’t see each other right know—Fischl knew they were there, they never hated her, never wished her away, only wished her the best, and right now, probably wishing to come back.
That’s right… I’ll come back. In due time. I’ll come back when I’m done here. I promise to all of you.
Fischl opened her eyes and walked towards the crack, familiar hands ghosting her hand as she lets go, and awakens in the new world.
Notes:
Sorry for not updating for so long. I was having writer’s block for this chapter and school came up. Luckily my friend helped me get my ideas spurring again! I’d like to thank her for giving me the idea for a part of the chapter.
Chapter 6: Chapter I, Act VI: To the morning that follows me
Summary:
Fischl awakens.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Point of View: Fischl (Location: Fischl’s room, Diasomnia)
It’s early when Fischl wakes up, the sun hasn’t risen yet, the air is still cold. Yet for some reason, something… electric hangs in the air. Purple sparks drift lazily in random motion, and disappear from sight easily. Fischl’s emerald eyes have a thin filter of water over it, perhaps from the dream. She blinks her tears away and slips out of the covers and sits on the bed.
Fischl summons an arrow and lights the tip with Electro, illuminating her dark room.
To the side of her bed was a large, triangular, green window with a near-black storage bench next to it. Her bed was white, but the sheets were silky black and neon green inside.
It was a large canopy bed, with black poles that become spirals at the upper end. The canopy was a pale green and glittered softly when touched by light. The walls and floor were a simple black, and there really wasn’t anything else in her room, other than the nightstand where Oz stood upright, however still asleep.
The light disappears as Fischl sighs and the Electro energy dissipates. Would it be a good time for a walk right now? She wonders. She shrugs and with a flick of her wrist, the arrow disappears. Before she fell asleep earlier, she took off most of her accessories, and she thought carrying them around would make her too loud, and Archons know what time it is.
So, she quickly walks out of the room while adjusting her eyepatch. She hadn’t bothered to fix or tie her hair. There were no lights in the dorm hall, so she once again summoned an arrow, and hesitated a bit before summoning her bow. Just for good measure. She can’t be too trusting of this place just yet.
So she walked down the hall until she was met with a mirror that would take her out of the dorm. Fischl dissolved the arrow and touched its reflective surface.
It made a ripple, and for a second, her reflection was replaced by a view of the mirror hall. She then wondered if she could exit the dorm at this hour. Could mirrors be locked? Then, she saw something that cut off her train of thought.
Hm? Someone was outside. She couldn’t make out who it was, the ripple had gone by far too quickly. Then suddenly, it rippled again, this time the doing of someone on the other side.
Fischl jumped away reflexively and ran back into the hall she came from, peeking out a bit. She could see the shadow of someone tapping at the mirror multiple times, at one point even clawing at it with one finger. She gulped. They stopped and turned around, and presumably left, since it had rippled back into the reflection of the Diasomnia dorm’s interior before she could see their next action.
Who was that? What did they want with the dorm? Why did it seem like they wanted to go in so badly? Behind her green eyes were millions of questions swimming in the dark pool of fear.
Damn, she distrusts this school more and more.
Fischl exhaled, a little shakily, and got up and retreated to her dorm. The moment she was through the door, she locked it and set her bow down near her bed, where she fell down with another exhale.
“Mein Fräulein, what are you doing up?” Fischl flinches, but she gets relieved when it’s just Oz.
She waves her hand in the air. “Nothing. Just exploring the building.”
Oz shifts. “Well, it is indeed important to know where you are staying, but… at this time?”
“…”
“It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, Fischl. But know that I’m here for you.”
At that Fischl smiles.
”Thank you, Oz.”
The nightraven could’ve smiled as well, if he had a mouth. Instead he nods, and once again sits quietly. He’s enveloped in his own thoughts, focused on things like getting back, perhaps he could have a talk with some of the teachers in this institution? Definitely, yes.
When he looks back at Fischl, she is asleep again. Again Oz could’ve smiled, and then he followed her soon after.
.
.
.
.
.
Point of View: Lilia (Location: Diasomnia dorm hall, to Fischl’s room)
Lilia made his way to Fischl’s room. She was the new student, and already there were so many interesting things about her. One: she is a girl who got into an all-boys school! Two: she is apparently royalty! Three: she’s another otherworldly student! Four: she is in two dorms instead of one! Five: she has lightning magic! Six: she had saved the school just yesterday from a bunch of wolves and mages! How exciting!
All of the above are the reasons why Lilia volunteered to wake her up, it was too much of a good opportunity to pass up! He had to get to know her. She was much too interesting to ignore. Lilia leapt from the ceiling and back down onto the ground and knocked on the door.
“Fischl! Are you up?” He asks with cheer.
He hears shuffling and… twinkling sounds? Wonder what that could be. Even the littlest things can’t be ignored, you never know, they might be important!
Point of View: Fischl (Location: Fischl’s room, Diasomnia)
Fischl had once again woken up, and decided to chat with Oz for a while. In the middle of their conversation, a knock on the door resounded through the room, and Lilia’s voice followed, “Fischl! Are you up?”
Fischl hopped off the bed and padded away, silently commanding Oz to leave. He obliges, and disappears in feathers and sparkles. She stopped at the door and gripped the golden handle, and after a second twisted it and was met with Lilia’s bright red eyes.
“Ah, Fischl! Breakfast is ready. Come to the dining table with me.”
A nod. “Just one second Mr. Vanrouge, I needeth to receiveth did dress.” Fischl replies.
Lilia smiles in reply as she goes back into the dorm to get dressed. She comes back out and walks down the hall with Lilia. They chat about some things, with Lilia asking if Fischl was comfortable last night, and they get to the table where breakfast goes quietly.
After that, it’s time for classes, but first: Yuu needs to show Fischl around the school. As they start, Fischl thinks that the morning passes quietly and mundanely, without anything exciting. The night is dripping with questions lying in the shadows of the halls, and that mystery person Fischl saw was attempting to get into Diasomnia was very alerting. But she files away thoughts for later, lest she’ll be unable to focus on whatever is happening around her, and like Oz said, it is really good to find out more about this new school she’s in…
Notes:
Sorry for not posting for such a long time! School bit me in the ass and my exams were just yesterday and the day before 😓
I also might add some things to the “screams of a star in the night” chapter because I feel the need for more angst 😉
Chapter 7: Chapter I, Act VII: There are so many things to do today…
Summary:
Yuu gives Fischl a tour of the campus, gets her measurements done, and settles into her dorm(s). Oh, and first class comes out the next morning!
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Point of View: Fischl, Hall of Mirrors
Fischl was led out to the Hall of Mirrors after the Diasomnia dorm had finished their breakfast and left for class. Lilia told her to go and meet Yuu for the campus tour and to lead her to Mr. Crewel for her measurements needed to make her uniform.
In the middle of the crowd of students filing out to their respective classes, was a person, standing around as if waiting for someone, while scratching the head of a sleeping cat that, oddly enough, had blue ear fire and a trident-shaped tail. The person, upon seeing her, waved her over. So come over she did.
“You must be Yuu,” Said teen nods.
“And you’re Fischl, correct?” A hum of agreement. “Great. Now that you’re here, we can start the tour.” They gently pat the cat awake, “Grim, wake up, Ms. Fischl’s here and I can’t keep carrying you while giving a whole tour!”
The cat’s eyes slowly opened and revealed eyes as blue as the fire in its ears. It took a glance at Fischl then hopped out of Yuu’s arms.
“That’s Grim, my little assistant.”
Fischl followed Yuu out of the Hall of Mirrors and into another hall leading to the classrooms.
“It’s kind of nice to know I’m not the only new one here from another universe,” Yuu says, and Fischl nods.
“I too am relieved to know such,” she states and softly smiles at Yuu.
Yuu smiles back and leads her away to some other hallway. As they do the tour, Yuu and Fischl chat away about their respective worlds.
“A question, Yuu.”
“Ask away.”
“What was the world you were in before? What was it like?” Fischl asks curiously.
“Hmm… well, the world I was in was very boring compared to Twisted Wonderland. Not one person there had magic, including myself.”
“Really?”
“Really!” Yuu exclaims with a laugh. “Most tasks I do there are mundane in both worlds, but more so here. So mundane sometimes they get completely forgotten sometimes, I guess. Like doing the laundry? I overheard from a student they forgot their laundry. Again.” They laugh, and Fischl joins them. Once they stop though, they ask: “Anyway, what was your world like?”
Fischl hums.
“Grand and vast, Teyvat was! Not everyone had magic, but there were gifted few like I. Visions were granted to those whose wishes were as great as the world itself, whose wishes had caught the eyes of the gods.”
“Oh? Which god’s eye did you catch, then?” Yuu asked, genuinely curious.
“The goddess of lightning and thunder, in pursuit of Eternity, Electro Archon Raiden Shogun!” Fischl did Jazz hands as she said the Shogun’s name.
“Ooh! Sounds like a strong woman!”
“She is indeed!”
They kept walking and traded stories about their own worlds. Yuu’s stories were simple things, like errands they ran, but they were always on bad days. Yuu’s luck was pretty bad, but not as bad as Bennett’s. Fischl’s tales were magical and wondrous, always so full of life and adventure.
Yuu’s presence was somewhat comforting to Fischl. Maybe it was the fact that they too, come from another world. Or perhaps, they were just a very comforting person.
When Yuu guided Fischl through the school, she was in awe with how beautiful and majestic it was. Her eye that sparkled with excitement never stopped shining. Once the tour ended, she was taken to a man named Divus Crewel’s office. She was supposed to get her measurements for her uniform.
When they entered the office, her eye sparkled even more with how beautiful the clothes Sir Crewel designed. While she could hear someone who is obviously Crewel, and Yuu talking, she meandered around the office. It wasn’t until Yuu called her name that she went back to meet them.
She was met with Yuu standing with a man with black and white hair split in the middle, the black half being shorter while the white one was longer, wearing a black-and-white fur coat over a similarly colored vest with red buttons, underneath that was a black dress shirt and a red tie staring at her with his intense gray eyes.
“So you’re the new student? Well then, pup, let’s get your measurements so you have something official to wear the following days.”
Crewel then took out a measuring tape and measured her.
The measuring is pretty quiet, but the whole time, Fischl stares at Crewel with awe. This was the man who made all the lovely clothes outside. Yuu told her Crewel designed and made them all. He was passionate about fashion, and he loved creating all these clothes.
Once they were done with measurements (it didn’t take very long, actually), Yuu bid the teacher goodbye and walked Fischl back to Diasomnia.
But then when they reach the Hall of Mirrors, Fischl walks to the Ignihyde mirror instead of the Diasomnia one.
”Huh? Aren’t you going to take a break in Diasomnia, Fischl?”
She shakes her head with a smile. “Nay. I shall see mine own room in Ignihyde. I shall best be off now, Yuu.” (No. I shall see my room in Ignihyde. I will be off now, Yuu.)
“Oh? Is that so? Hehe, well then, don’t let me keep you,” Yuu offers her a kind smile and walks away, out of the Hall.
Fischl smiles back and steps through the Ignihyde Mirror, and when she opens her eyes, she is met with a body of water and a nearby boat, which she gets on. The boat then automatically starts rowing towards the dorm itself.
The entrance and Ignihyde itself are separated by water, so there’s a boat to be used. Fischl takes advantage of the moment to admire just how grand the dorm looks, just from its entrance.
There’s something like a temple with little blue flames lighting the interior, held up by large skeletons, and a staircase leading up to the temple. Fischl gets stuck in her admiration that it takes the boat making a thump against the base of the staircase to snap her out of it.
She hops off and proceeded up the stairs and into the dorm. When she entered, she had seen once again the blue floating screens inside the dorm. They’re a bit strange and yet, so fascinating at the same time. While she admired the grand halls, she could hear someone else walking into the lounge. She turns to see who it was.
It’s a brown-eyed man with prominent eye bags and messy hair wearing the Ignihyde dorm uniform. He looks at her, blinks for a few seconds, eyes later widening and then he promptly walks down another hallway.
“Hey! Where art thee going? I need assistance finding mine own room, could thee please help me?” (Hey! Where are you going? I need help finding my room, could you please help me?) Fischl calls after him.
The man mutters something as he briskly walked multiple twisting hallways as Fischl follows him. Finally, he stops at a door and knocks. It takes a moment before a response is heard from a microphone. “Yeah? What do you want?”
“Housewarden Idia! The new girl is here!” The man replies. Clattering is heard on the other side of the door. Then, someone opens the door, and Fischl recognizes him as Ortho. Brilliant topaz shine in excitement when he sees her.
He flew over to her, which Fischl found interesting. “Hello! Welcome to Ignihyde, Ms. Fischl. I’m Ortho, as you know. And—” Ortho then turns around to face the room and shouts, “big brother! Come here! Let’s show her around!”
To which Fischl responds, “ah, wait! I’m purely here to see mine room.”
Ortho then nods in understanding, and says “we’ll just guide you there, then! Dorms are huge and easy to get lost in.”
Fischl then looked to the now-open door, showing a man on the floor with the same flaming blue hair as Ortho, albeit longer. He looks up, which shows he has the same topaz eyes. He’s probably the one called Idia. He grumbles a bit as he got up. “Let’s make this quick. I’m going to miss out on those shiny event rewards…” he mumbles.
They walk through the dorm (the brown-eyed man split ways with them to go out of the dorm for something) until they finally find Fischl’s room.
It’s got bare gray walls with blue triangles at the bottom, only having a floating chair in front of a desk and a blue bed in one corner. The ceiling has simple blue lights. Ortho and Idia left her to her own devices, much to Idia’s content. She didn’t bring anything with her to decorate it with, so it seems it was going to be barren for a while.
She did her best to make it as comfortable for her as possible, such as pulling the desk and chair closer to the bed. Fischl fixed up the room as well, cleaning it with a broom she borrowed. And as night drew closer, Fischl flopped onto her bed, heart racing.
Earlier, Yuu told her that tomorrow would be her first day. She had to rest up after everything she crammed into today. So, pulling the covers over her body, Fischl closed her eyes and fell asleep. She really hoped what Yuu called “first day jitters” wouldn’t get to her tomorrow… and that she wouldn’t be too sleepy.
Barbatos save her if she were all those things.
Notes:
I headcanon the Crewel makes the NRC student’s outfit with a bit of help, if that isn’t canon already lmao
ALSO am looking for a beta reader :p if you want to be my beta reader, tell me in the comments and i’ll dm you my discord :)
Also also suuuper sorry for late update, I just moved to another country and I didn’t have internet for a long time.
Hope you had a merry Christmas and I hope you have a happy New Year 🎊
Chapter 8: Chapter I, Act VIII: The first day
Summary:
Fischl’s first (official) day at NRC.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Point of View: Fischl (Ignihyde Dorm Room)
Fischl’s eyes open. Her vision is bleary, but she adjusts soon enough. She checks the digital clock Idia had installed in her bedroom, muttering something about not wanting her to be late. The screen says 5:45 am.
Fischl’s eyes widen and she stumbles out of bed. She hurriedly runs to the study table to grab her eyepatch and wear it. She quickly pulls portions of her hair up and styles it, fastening it with her bat wing hair tie. She repeats the action with her black ribbon on the other side. She then goes to her clothes hanging by the door and changes out of the dusty nightgown a hoarder ghost found somewhere.
Finally, after straightening her dress out, Fischl grabbed the doorknob, twisted it, and speed-waltzed out of her room, closing the door behind her. Her heels clack loudly and rapidly as she fled the Ignihyde dorm, forgetting to eat anything. She can wait until lunch. There were days she had to go without food, with her being an adventurer and all. She greeted some Ignihyde students she passed by and walked down to exit Ignihyde.
Fischl’s emerald green eyes sparkled in the light as she observed everything and everyone. There were students with animal features like tails and ears. Some emanated an aura of intelligence and power. Others were keeping themselves beautiful, and some kept to themselves and went out of their way to avoid interacting with every living thing in the halls. Some others seemed to be scheming something, and there were some who seemed to be trying to trick someone. And a lot of them were tiredly walking and complaining about some guy named Riddle.
Fischl stopped walking when she was met with the sign Class 1A.
Your class is class 1A, by the way, Yuu said yesterday as they were conducting most of the tour offscreen.
Fischl inhales, and waltzes in. She’s early, as there’s not much people in the classroom. There were only about four, excluding herself. There was an orange-haired teen with red eyes and a red heart over one of them, seemingly arguing with a teen with dark blue hair and light blue eyes, and had a spade overlapping with one of his eyes. Then there’s Yuu, chuckling at the two’s banter as they stroke Grim’s head. Upon noticing her, Yuu waves her over.
“Good morning, Fischl. Sleep well?” Yuu smiles as the redhead and the blue haired guy stop their bickering, looking at her.
“I did, thank you, Yuu,” was Fischl’s reply.
There was a moment of silence before Yuu “playfully” nudged the redhead. The redhead introduced himself, and the blue haired guy followed.
“I’m Ace Trappola. Freshman. Nice to meetcha Fischl!” The redhead grins.
“My name is Deuce Spade. It’s great to finally meet you!” The blue haired man smiled.
Fischl smiled, and quartet began chatting. Slowly, the students filed in. They start chatting, mostly about their new student before moving onto another topic. Minutes after the class is filled, a very familiar man wearing mostly black and white with some red walked into the room. Divus Crewel. When he cleared his throat, the entire class’ attention was on him, and they fell silent. A heavy sense of fear pressed down on all of them. It made Fischl uneasy.
“Well, class 1A! I see that you have seen our new pup. Please welcome her with open arms, and if you dare try anything…” Crewel’s whip snapped against his battered desk. “You know what happens.” He glares at the class.
After that, an introduction was in order, and Fischl was invited to tell them about herself.
As she walked down the aisle, she could feel the stares burning into her skin, and they suddenly sounded as if they were all whispering through microphones. Fischl shook off her uneasiness and cleared her throat. And she yelled out,
“I am Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort, Prinzessin der Verurteilung, hailing from Immenachtreich, the realm of eternal darkness! It is a pleasure to meet you all!”
Yuu seemed proud of her, Ace smirked, but curiosity sparked in his eyes. Deuce was very interested. He was surprised there was a first year royal here. Much less one hailing from another world! The rest of the class stared either in awe or weren’t even paying attention in the slightest. Fischl then returned to her seat, and potionology class began.
Potionology class ended.
Potionology class is hard.
But not that hard when you’re an adventurer.
Crewel was teaching stuff about toxins and poisons, mushrooms and flora. All of which Fischl had to know in order to survive being an adventurer, so it was pretty much only the writing down notes part that was damn hard. But, all in all, it was an okay class.
She was moving onto Magical History, where most of her classmates fell asleep. The teacher’s cat stared somewhat judgmentally at her, but she shrugged it off and moved on with the day.
This world’s history was interesting, to say the least. She would have to pay attention to Prof. Trein a lot, even if it was so boring.
Then they had Phys Ed. Coach Vargas told them they were doing pass the baton today. Alright then.
“Alright! Make a group and choose who’s going in which stop. Then grab a baton and get ready!” The coach instructed them.
Yuu called Fischl over, forming a team with her, them, Deuce, and Ace. “Alright. Ace, you go out first. Deuce, you’re next. Then me, and Fischl will carry over the last leg. Got it?” Yuu devises the plan after he takes a baton. Ace whines, but agrees in the end. Deuce is okay with it, and Fischl agrees as well. She was a fast runner.
The students later get into position. Ace twirls the baton before stopping to stretch. Several feet away on the track, Deuce did a few jumping jacks. Yuu did a bit of deep breathing to calm themself. They start stretching afterwards, then continue the deep breathing. Fischl stretches her legs and pushes her hair back. She mimics Yuu’s deep breathing exercise, she’s gonna need some stamina to cross the finish line quickly.
A minute before the game starts, Coach Vargas tells them to ready their positions. Ace grins wildly, steadily gripping the baton in his hand. The others have their hands outstretched to their backs, ready to take the baton from the previous runner. After that, Coach Vargas blows his whistle, and the first runners start.
Ace sprints forward, a huge grin on his face, eyes trained on Deuce. Someone from another team stumbles and hits someone else. They both get up with a collective groan and start running. Someone catches up to Ace, but the redhead isn’t keen on losing. He takes a big step and launches himself forward, and reaches Deuce, slapping the baton in his hand. He seems startled for a moment before taking off to get to Yuu. Ace sighs and fixes his frizzled hair, watching Deuce take the lead.
Deuce took big steps and was getting ever closer to Yuu. But then someone purposefully bumps into Deuce, making him lose his balance and fall to the side of the track. Hearing him yell, Yuu’s head snapped to him worriedly, but Coach Vargas didn’t allow them to get near. Ace sucked in a breath as some others beside him giggle. But Deuce quickly pushed himself up and caught up to his competition. Unfortunately, he was a bit later than some other kid but he still managed to give the baton to Yuu in time. Yuu congratulated him loudly, and reached for Fischl.
Yuu could Fischl looking at them, an encouraging smile on her face. Yuu smiles back and once again takes the lead, albeit with some difficulty. They weren’t all that bad at sports in their own world, but catching up to these kids is so tiring. Their muscles scream at them, but they say, screw it and push themselves to take and keep the lead, and pass the baton over to Fischl. Her smile widens and she takes off at breakneck speed. Yuu pants and wipes the sweat off their forehead, watching Fischl with a smile.
Fischl practically breezed past the track. Her shoes tap the floor loudly, and despite wearing high heels of all things, she still managed to get to the finish line terrifyingly quickly. She hands the baton to an impressed Coach Vargas, and the other students get to the finish line too. Her team woops, and Coach congratulates her. After that, they change, and leave for lunch break.
Yuu, Deuce, Ace, and Fischl chat as the cafeteria fills up. Fischl felt warm and in place. She smiles brightly as she chats with her new friends. Then, she hears something strange, close by but far away.
Did you think I didn’t see you, Prinzessin?
Notes:
The pass the baton thing was just something I made up, not canon to the game at all. Just wanted to make an interesting thing.
Chapter 9: Chapter I, Act IX: Eyes in the mirror
Summary:
Fischl has a run-in with the individual who clawed at the Diasomnia mirror. Theories and thoughts on their identity are formed.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Did you think I didn't see you, Prinzessin?"
Fischl turned around with wide eyes. The chatter of her friends became background noise. Her skin pricked with the feeling of Electro. She has to calm down, Oz is right there with her, and not to mention her new friends were there.
She saw a shadowy silhouette with clawed hands, the very same hands she saw scratch at the surface of the Diasomnia mirror. Weirdly enough, it looked a bit like... that Abyss Lector Fischl fought. Maybe the Abyss was near... she gulped.
"Who- who are you?" Fischl whispered. The shadowy Lector let out a low chuckle.
"Revealing that so early wouldn't be very fun, would it, Prinzessin?" It hummed, "maybe you should think for yourself, as yourself for once. I see right through you."
"W-what..?" Fischl muttered. She was sure that no one there knew! But considering this thing took the form of a Lector, maybe it wasn't from Twisted-Wonderland?
An eerie grin split the Lector's face, even though Lectors don't have faces that are visible. "Do be careful out there, Prinzessin. Because of your bold actions that night, you have now become a target."
"-ey, Fischl!" Ace's voice rang out in her ears. Fischl gasped, and the Lector disappeared. She turned around.
"Hey, welcome back to reality. Are you okay?" Deuce asked, some worry in his voice.
Fischl cleared her throat. "Ahem. Yes, I'm fine. What was thee all talking about?" Her emerald gaze swept across the table. The chat cheerily continued and Fischl let out an inaudible sigh of relief, but still felt wary of her surroundings. She shook her head. Whoever that was, it was gone for now. Her guard was still up, but the adventurer focused on the peace of the present.
Later, at the end of the day, Fischl headed to her dorm in Ignihyde. Thoughts and theories bubbled up in her head, but she pushed them aside, deeming all of them impossible. She was trying to find out the identity of the entity she’d dubbed the ‘mirror lector’. They looked like a Lector, talked like one, and knew everything like one. Know-it-alls.
The door shut automatically behind her, and she plopped down on her bed, rummaging through the stuff in her bag. She found a notebook she’d bought from the shop near the school. Its owner was rather eccentric, but he was fun to be around. Fischl grabbed a raven feather quill and an inkwell and started writing away on her desk.
WHO IS THE MIRROR LECTOR?
Where are they from? Why did they want to get into Diasomnia? What do they want? Do we have what they want? Can we give it to them? Do the others know about them?
Next course of action: ask anyone if they have seen/know about the Mirror Lector. Yuu has an extraordinary ability to attract unwanted attention, they could know them. Lilia may have seen the Lector since he goes around a lot. He is definitely older than he lets on, he may know something about weird entities trying to break into magic mirrors.
Second meeting on the first day of school: words of note
“maybe you should think for yourself, as yourself[…]” - they know that I am not ‘Fischl’. How could they have suddenly obtained that information? See below for more.
“[…]I see right through you.” - how? No one here knows what my real name is, and they are implying they know me as if personally. Since they took the form of an Abyss Lector, they could possibly be from Teyvat and not from here. Unless, there is someone who knows about who I am. Dire Crowley seems to be hiding something, but he is unlikely to have done anything.
“[…]because of your bold actions that night, you have now become a target.” - this is obviously about me going to check the mirror and seeing the Mirror Lector try to get in. But that’s not much of note to become an immediate target. There must be something else at play here. Maybe it’s because I’m from another world? All the more reason to ask Yuu if they’ve seen the Mirror Lector. It could also be one of those classic “kill the witness” moments. Also, a target of what? Of who?
Conclusion: I don’t know much about this Mirror Lector for now. But I’m not the Adventurer’s Guild’s lead investigator for nothing. I’ll dig up more on them, little by little. Patience is always key.
Oz appeared beside Fischl in a flash of purple light. “Mein Fräulein. It is time for dinner.”
Fischl perked up. “Oh, I see… um…” she tapped on the paper of the notebook. “Did… you happen to see a dining room or kitchen in the dorm?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“…back to Diasomnia it is, then.”
Fischl and Oz went out of Ignihyde and into Diasomnia. Lilia had missed the cooking session’s start (thankfully) and was feeling a bit bummed, though when he saw Fischl stroll into Diasomnia with her stormy raven, he brightened up. He greeted them with a smile.
Lilia and Fischl had a little chat, and the shorter student watched in fascination as the midnight-born raven joined their conversation on occasion. She could hear the cogs in his mind work to understand Oz from a mile away. In her own mind, she planned to talk to Lilia after dinner about the Mirror Lector.
Dinner came around and the Diasomnia students ate in silence, with only the clinking of cutlery filling the air. Even Sebek’s usually loud self wasn’t chiming in to break the silence. Fischl didn’t want to disturb whatever metaphorical sleeping dragon was in the room and continued dining on the delicious meal.
Once dinner was over, compliments to the chef were given, and goodbyes and good nights were exchanged. Lilia was about to leave, when Fischl tapped him on the shoulder. He faced her with a curious smile. “Lilia, I require an audience with thou.” (Lilia, I want to speak to you.)
Lilia stared at her for a moment, before nodding, “okay! Are we going somewhere more secret?”
Fischl nodded and wordlessly took him to a corner in the Diasomnia main hall that wasn’t full of people, since there were a few students still mingling around. After a quick scan of their surroundings and judging that no one would hear them, she then began, “Lilia, I must ask: has thee seen a shadowy entity with sharp claws like the maws of a beast, scratching against the surface of the dorm mirror?” (Lilia, have you seen a shadowy entity scratching at the dorm mirror?)
Lilia’s smile faltered, and his eyes widened. His voice grew concerned as he asked,
“You’ve become a target?”
Notes:
Hi! I know I haven't posted in a while, and I have no excuse other than procrastination and new school, and also getting distracted very easily. I did also lose interest in TWST for a while and also was unable to play Genshin for a while. Also, if you find that the quality in grammar drops, it's because I am on my phone. Thanks for reading this chapter!
Special thanks to my beta reader and my best friend on discord and irl!! Couldn’t have gotten motivation and tips w/o u 💜
RaeWillow on Chapter 2 Wed 17 Aug 2022 05:58PM UTC
Last Edited Wed 17 Aug 2022 05:59PM UTC
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crescentshores on Chapter 2 Mon 22 Aug 2022 04:37AM UTC
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the_lemon_frog on Chapter 2 Mon 19 Dec 2022 07:57AM UTC
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