Chapter Text
The first few days were the hardest- Fontaine dropped 18 degrees with how many people died, and it felt just like the freezing winters of Snezhnaya. Ironic for a place that was known for comfortable temperatures and nothing less or more. The plants seemed to all die, leaves drooping and animals becoming rare to see, all of them killed by stray Ethereals.
Lyney hated it. Even his energy had dropped a bit. It was terrifying, everyone with common sense hated it.
The worst was the thing in the sky. It had eyes, lots of them. And it always seemed to be staring. The archons, all of them, had refused to explain or comment, but they all looked scared and upset when asked. And the officials of New Eridu knew nothing, so Lyney knew it was a bad thing.
And then the Visions changed- all of them. Fathers’, Lynettes’, Freminets’, and even his own. There wasn’t a symbol of the elements anymore, it was a three pronged…something? It looked similar to the symbol on the Traveler’s companion, Paimon. They were all blood red, with an eye in the middle, and using them felt all sticky and painful. A sign they were alone in this world.
“Lyney~ You keep staring off into space, bro! You alright?” The blonde looks up, seeing none other than the infamous Oni, Arataki Itto. He was Inazuman, but it seemed like every kind of person (or Oni) was in the safe-containment spaces.
“Oh, Itto.” Lyney clears his throat, more so just to hide his sudden embarrassment. “Sorry about that!~ I was just…thinking, haha! Nothing you need to worry your pretty head about.” Itto laughs, albeit a bit awkwardly and still full of a concern that was so uniquely him.
“Alright then! I was just gonna ask if you wanted to do a beetle battle with me and Kinich! My ‘Super-Destroyer-Onikabuto-Extraordinaire-2000’ against Ajaw! It’ll be a fight to remember for centuries!” The Oni was excited like a little kid, ironic since he was likely one of the tallest, if not the tallest person in the containment center. Lyney crosses his arms and laughs.
“If you say so. From what I remember, I believe Ajaw is a little bit smarter than a bug, but tables can turn easily~” Itto grins, eyes shining.
“That’s what I said! Come on, come on, let's go!” They run through the halls, almost bumping into passersby and apologizing quickly.
It’s a shiny building, and it’s all Lyney has seen over the past few months. The house of the hearth was no longer any Vision-bearer’s home; people were starting to say they were cursed. After all, the “eye in the sky” and the pattern that had tainted every existing Vision matched too similarly. So they were rounded up by mobs containing thousands, tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of angry and scared people.
That was a few years ago. Now, they had this place. There were more outside, but the Gas made it difficult to go anywhere. Doing so was dangerous, as inhaling it melted your lungs with acid that seemed to only react to life itself.
Monsters roamed the outside world that Lyney remembered from his childhood, once beautiful and now angry with the gods of this world. Death surrounded you with every step, and people, Vision-bearers or not, were calling this the apocalypse.
“Kinich~~” The raven-haired boy looks up from his phone at the approaching blonde and Oni.
“Lyney. Itto. Hi.” A man of few words. He and Freminet got along well in the sense neither of them talked and they just played video games together. But underhanded business was the real way money was made in these places, society and civil interactions long gone away with the old way of life. Kinich would deliver drugs that were purchased from Granny Itzli, a mysterious figure that in truth Lyney knew nothing about, and Itto fought in underground boxing rings. The three siblings worked together to conduct business in Father’s place. It was a dark world, and you had to make your own light.
“We’re here for the Onikabuto battle! Prepare to be defeated!” Ajaw jumps out from behind Kinich, his small arms waving around angrily.
“What are you talking about, you idiot Oni!? The ALMIGHTY DRAGONLORD KU’HUL AJAW has defeated any idiot challenger you’ve brought upon us with ease, and we have not been defeated even once!” The Oni glares, anger flooding his features, and Lyney runs in between the two.
“L-lets not fight, you two! I think arguments should be saved for the battlefield, and not outside it!~” Kinich nods.
“I agree. Ajaw, control yourself.” The Oni and Dragon glare at each other before Itto goes behind a brick and pulls out an Inazuman Onikabuto. Animals like these were anything but allowed, especially since they attracted the attention of Ethereals. Or really, anything living.
“Well then! Let the battle begin!” Lyney sits down in between Kinich and Itto, the beetle rearing up its horn and Ajaw turning into a similar shape, gaining depth rather than just being a 2-D image.
And then, an alarm starts to blare, and they all freeze.
“Shit.” Itto glares at the floor, scooping up his Onikabuto and Kinich signaling Ajaw to return to his side.
Most the time when the alarm went off, it was because of a prank. But the last time an alarm went off and it was serious, it was because “Thanatos”, a large and dangerously infamous Ethereal, had broken into the old Fontaine dome 2 years ago. Over 5000 people were killed, and 10,000 were infected with Ether energy and turned. Another 20,000 were killed by the Gas, suffocated and lungs melted. Very few of the people in the new Fontaine dome were from the old one.
“Come on! We have to get to the bunkers! Lynette and Frem will meet us there!” The three (and Ajaw) make their way down stairwells and through long hallways and streets, empty merchant stands already abandoned out of fear. The alarm was loud, and it made the blonde’s head hurt.
Finally, they arrive at the assigned bunker, Itto and Kinich sharing it with Lyney, Frem, and Lynette due to their close living quarters. Mona, Qiqi and Diona were already in there, the older girl protecting the shivering girl and the other one sitting quietly next to her. Citlali, or the infamous Granny Itzli, stood in the corner with an intimidating look on her face, not out of character for her. But Lyney knew she was just worried about her “grandson”, Ororon, who was currently living in the Natlan dome. They would be able to see each other in a few weeks on the next Connection Day.
“You’re late, boys. I don’t know what’s up, but you’re all in for a hell of a lot! Lynette and Freminet too! Your Father better come back to the Fontaine dome soon so she can TEACH YOU RIGHT!” She grabs Lyney by the ear, glaring at him with a more motherly love than it seemed at first glance. Then again, she was rough with everybody. She and Arlecchino seemed to co-parent in some ways, since Arlecchino had many diplomatic missions that she had to attend to as the 4th Fatui Harbinger.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Lyney rushes to hide behind Mona, who shoos him away annoyedly. Itto huffs, picking up Qiqi and giving her a bit of comfort as well. Kinich leans against the wall, him and Citlali not bothering to look at each other.
The door opens and shuts again, Lynette and Freminet rushing in.
“It’s chaos out there. Someone must’ve pulled the alarm, because I think a little shit threw a stink bomb in the vents down by the Mondstadt gate.” Lynette’s eyes narrow, and she looks like she’s about to snap in Fontainian at the next person who talks to her. Qiqi reaches over at Freminet, who takes her in his arms. Their energies always matched, and the older seemed to really care for her.
“Well, that’s just unfortunate, isn’t it…Well, I’m glad that at least you two are alright!~” Lyney lets out a forced smile, and Kinich nods.
“Yea. It could’ve been dangerous.” Kinich looks at the two,
“Kiniiiiiich! Say something more than just that, you boring prick! Don’t shame yourself as the ALMIGHTY- HEY LET ME GO-YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LAST OF ME!” The raven-haired boy locks the dragon in timeout, saving the rest of the people in the bunker from his annoying voice.
Just then, an alert, more calm and reassuring than the last one, comes into the intercom.
“This is Monsieur Neuvillette, Chief Justice of Fontaine. This was a mistake in the system, and the Marechaussee Hunters have fully checked all the dome entrances. There has been no breach, so everyone is safe. There is also investigation into who has committed the crime of…throwing a ‘stink bomb’ into the ventilation system by the Mondstadt gate. Citizens are now free to leave their bunkers and return to their normal day-to-day activities.” Lyney lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“If bread in Fontinian is pain, then I own a FUCKING BAKERY.” Lynette's tail swishes annoyedly. “Because EVERYONE IN THIS MOTHER-” Lyney gives his sister a look that makes her stop and just turn to glaring at the floor.
“Well then. Diona, Diluc’s probably worried about you since you’re so far away from the Angel’s share, so shall we head out?” Mona gives the cat kid a small smile, obviously trying to lighten the mood to a point where it was breathable through the adrenaline.
“Uh, y-yea…I just hope Daddy’s alright.” Mona seems to frown a bit at Diona’s longing for Draff, their real father being a devout alcoholic and highly abusive. She still remembers when Kaeya found that out, and it was probably the first time Diluc and him had made physical contact in years because of how the bartender held him back from committing a murder. It wasn't necessarily a good day.
“I’m sure he’s fine. We’ll see you all later, then.” Diona and Mona head out, going off to continue their lives as normally as possible in this torn, beat, and battered world.
“Well then, I guess we should all just head back. It’s getting pretty late anyways, so see y’all later!” Itto grins, grabbing onto Kinich who follows wordlessly as they run off too, leaving Qiqi and Citlali with the three siblings.
“You three should be careful, y'know. Doing your father’s dirty work is dangerous. And the world is about to erupt into chaos, even though the archons and New Eridu officials try to deny it.” Her face darkens a bit. “We may be in a war against the stars themselves. And no proxy, no star-traveler, no Vision-bearer can fight it.”
The three look at each other, unsaid words so heavy and foul you can taste it in the air. Qiqi, not understanding the weight of the situation yet feeling the emotions nonetheless, hugs onto Freminet tighter.
“We’ll be careful, Granny Itzli.” Citlali’s eyes narrow.
“Good. I already lost Mualani, and you three are as important to me as Ororon and Kinich are.” With that, she takes Qiqi and strides out the door, confidence masking her thoughts.
“Sh-should we head back home too? We’re not really supposed to be in the bunkers if there’s no emergency state in place…” Freminet’s voice is quiet, and he sounds more nervous than usual. Lyney wants to protect his siblings no matter what, and he promised himself they’d live through whatever crack-headed predictions Citlali just threw at them.
“Yea. I’ll make some rice when we get back. Father is coming home tomorrow, so we should try and get some rest for whatever orders she gives us.” The three exchange glances before running into the back alleys, on their way home.
The last bit of sun shines through the shield of water and sea creatures built around the Fontaine dome, illuminating the steampunk world in golden dressings. Clothes on clothes lines float in the gentle breeze, and this really felt like the calm before the storm.
-0-0-0-
Elsewhere
-0-0-0-
“It’s almost time to put our little plan into action, my little Jackal~ Are you ready to bring the world down in flames?”
“Yes, Madam. They’ll know your name by the second night, and Celestia shall cower in fear.”
“Good. Let them choke on their own cocks for all I care. And remember- I need those four alive.”