The Second Archon War: Animula Choragi 6

Animula Choragi 6: Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!

“And I’m telling you that if you don’t release my sister right now, I’m going to call Judge Dupont and have you and your entire department up on charges! I already showed you her cape license, and I’ve proven I’m a Captain in the Knights of Favonius!” 

Yennifer glared at the police sergeant, who took a drag on his cigarette, then made to blow smoke in her face. He paused as Yennifer’s antlers crackled ominously, then turned his head to the side. “Yes, Monsieur?” 

Starting, Yennifer turned to see Iron Mask beside her. She hadn’t even heard him approach, even with those odd shoes of his. 

“Let the girl go. She was defending the collection, and without her it would have been stolen. Plus, she’s best friends with the Mayor’s daughter. You don’t want that sort of heat on you, eh?” 

“Merde,” the sergeant muttered, and shook his head. “Fine! We’ll release the girl.” He got up to do just that, and Yennifer turned to the Iron Mask.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. 

He grunted, his mask a twisted visage of stoicism. “Consider it a favor. I don’t need to owe you damned Knights anything. If I weren’t absolutely certain you weren’t responsible for that fracas, I’d lock you, your sister, and that friend of yours up. As it is…stay the fuck out of my business, and I’ll stay out of yours.”

And with that, the arschloch turned around and strode away. Yennifer thought of half a dozen pithy remarks, but bit them all and hurried to go check on her sister and Furina. 

Thankfully, despite having been arrested, again, Charlotte was in high spirits. “So, Officer, do you have any statement regarding the Republic of France’s seizure of the museum's older weapons?”

The officer in question just kept motionless, black visor pointing over Charlotte’s head as she stood, handcuffed to him. Her Vision was being held by another officer, Charlotte having voluntarily surrendered it, though Otto was standing nearby, keeping an eye on things. 

“How about you, Captain von Dresch? Can you comment on the museum heist, or the presence of TWO captains of the Knights of Favonius on the scene?” Charlotte demanded. 

Otto glanced at Yennifer as she hurried up, then shrugged. “I was in the city to negotiate a compact between the Musketeers and the Knights, especially in regards to Fatui aggression. When Iron Mask was called up, I merely offered to join him in an attempt to promote cooperation between our two organizations.” 

“I see, I see. And you, Miss Lustria, what do you have to say?” Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow at Yennifer. 

“I’m turning the chatterbox over to you, ma’am,” the officer said, undoing the handcuffs and letting Charlotte go. 

Immediately, Charlotte flung herself on Yennifer, eyes squeezed shut, tears wet on her cheeks. So, perhaps she hadn’t been as nonplussed as she’d seemed. Yennifer gave her a quick squeeze back and kissed the top of her head. “It’s alright, Lotte.”

“I was scared. Is it always like that?” Charlotte said, her voice muffled as her face was pressed against Yennifer’s chest. 

“No. Sometimes, it’s much, much worse,” Yennifer said, feeling sick. She was back in Riga again. The bodies, everywhere. Torn about and tossed aside like broken dolls in the wake of Eidolon's destruction, or with their guts torn out, coughing up blood after the Thief was done with them. What could someone like her do in the face of such power? 

That made her think of something else, and she turned to Otto. “Where is Furina?” 

He nodded to the side, where Yennifer now spied an anxious-looking Furina peering at her, biting her lip and looking horribly worried. A part of Yennifer was angry. Why hadn’t Furina done anything? Wasn’t she actually the Hydro Archon?

Only…only Furina had done what she could. She seemed to have absolutely no powers, as she’d said. She’d clearly been terrified, but she’d worked to evacuate civilians and provide first aid, though it had been clear she had zero training to do either. 

But when she cries…it rains. It couldn’t just be a coincidence. Could it? 

Seeing Yennifer looking at her, Furina waved frantically, until an officer shoved her back. And not gently, Furina was knocked off her feet, and looked up, horrified as the officer loomed over her. 

“Go get her, sis,” Charlotte said quietly. “I’ll get my Vision back and come find you.”

Nodding, Yennifer stalked over, and was sorely tempted to shove the spatsi officer over herself, but didn’t. “Just what do you think you’re doing to my client?!”

The officer rounded on Yennifer, raising his baton, then paused. “You? You’re the joke cape, aren’t you? The fuck do you care what I do?”

“I’m an attorney,” Yennifer hissed, her blood boiling at the insult. Always she was derided. When had this asshole ever faced down a Harbinger? When had he stood his ground against the Fatui, instead of just bullying civilians? He called himself an officer, but he was just a thug. “And that is excessive force.”

“Oh? What are you going to do, sue me?” the officer asked, lowering his batton, amusement in his voice. “This isn’t Germany, so ta gueule and -”

“She is NOT an animal, you swine!” 

Yennifer winced as a furious-looking Furina hauled herself up. And then Yennifer saw the tears in Furina’s eyes. Huh, it wasn’t even-

It started raining. And the harder Furina cried, hiccups wracking her body, the more it poured. 

“Merde! I’m not paid enough for this, get out of here, both of you! Damned insane weather!  Curse all Archons and their damned war!” 

The officer scrambled away, looking for cover, and Yennifer just stood there, getting soaked, and wondering. Then Furina threw herself at her, clutching tightly at Yennifer, still wracked with sobs. 

“I was s-so worried! I-I thought I was going to die, again, o-or worse, y-you and Charlotte! And these so-called Gardes! They’re nothing but thugs! They don’t seem to give a single thought to Justice, only brutality!”

“Welcome to Earth Bet,” Yennifer said quietly, closing her eyes and squeezing Furina tightly. She didn’t understand all of this. She wasn’t some super-powered cape. Her powers were so damn useless, she would have been better off without them. She knew what it was like to live in fear of titans, but fight on regardless. “I’m afraid life here is quite dark, if you don’t live in a land blessed by an Archon. And I’m afraid France’s is missing at the moment. I don’t suppose you’ve seen her, have you?”

“Not in 500 years,” Furina whispered. “She left me to die, too.” 

Yennifer stiffened. Five hundred-!? Surely that just had to be some sort of expression. There was simply no way. 

“Well, let’s find Charlotte and get out of the rain at least,” Yennifer said, separating from Furina, who was still crying, though not as hard. Which meant the rain was slackening as well. How…? She didn’t understand. She had thought she was smart. She was a damned good lawyer, and more perceptive than most. But she just didn’t understand this, at all. 

Lord Barbatos, why didn’t you send someone more capable to handle all this?

To be honest, Yen, I don’t think I could have found anyone who was. 

Yennifer stiffened as the warm breeze wrapped about her, then yelped and used her hands to keep her skirt down. That had sounded…but no. Lord Barbados wouldn’t give her a Marylin Monroe moment, would he?

“You know, they say when a woman’s skirt is flipped, it’s Barbatos’ fault,” Furina muttered, blushing and pushing her own skirt down, her cheeks aflame. Her eyes got that distant expression, the one that told Yennifer that Furina was experiencing the same sort of painful memories she did. Memories of Riga. Of finding Cookie in bed with Blake. She shuddered. That wasn’t how an Archon would behave, was it? 

She didn’t really know. Naomi and Capri had mentioned that Venti got a sad, faraway look sometimes. When the chipper mask slipped, there was unfathomable sadness beneath it. 

They found Charlotte standing under an umbrella of ice with Otto and Barbara, and with a woman whom Yennifer recognized. She’d only ever seen Jeanne d’Orleans on television, but she had spoken to the other woman over the phone a few times. She looked older in person, with more bags under her eyes and crow's feet to boot, but that was probably just the fact that she seemed to have on little makeup. She was still immaculately dressed in a black pantsuit, her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. 

“-thank you again, Charlotte. For keeping Barbara safe,” Jeanne was saying.

“Honestly, ma’am, I was trying to keep both of us from being killed! Those scoundrels came out of nowhere, but I knew they had to be after the weapons!” Charlotte said, her grin firmly back in place. “First time I’ve used my Vision for more than keeping my drink cool, really.”

“We’ll have to see about getting you some proper training then,” Jeanne said, giving Charlotte a tired smile. 

“I’m afraid any such discussions would have to go through me,” Yennifer said firmly, and inserted herself between Jeanne and her sister. She stuck out a wet hand. “Yennifer Lustria. I’m Charlotte’s older sister and guardian. We’ve spoken over the phone.”

“Yen!” Charlotte squawked, peering over Yennifer’s shoulder. 

“Ah, Captain Lustria,” Jeanne said, nodding and taking Yennifer’s hand. “I have you to thank as well for keeping those criminals pinned down until Iron Mask could arrive and handle the situation. We owe the Knights of Favonius a great debt today, but I a far more personal one. Of course, any discussion of training for your sister would involve you.”

“Glad to hear it,” Yennifer said, forcing a smile. It was hard for her to know just how much to smile in Paris. In Germany, the correct amount of smiling was “as little as possible in any business situation,” but she was never quite sure in France. 

“Yen! I totally want training to use my super awesome powers!” Charlotte hissed, thankfully in German. It was a near certainty that Jeanne spoke German, but at least Charlotte was making even an attempt at discretion. Especially since Charlotte’s German was quite bad. 

“Be polite, say what you mean in French,” Yennifer said evenly. She smiled at Barbara as well, who was standing quietly and looking embarrassed. “I’m glad both you girls are safe. Hopefully, most of your reporting isn’t this exciting.”

At that, Barbara grinned back, perking up immediately. “Oh no! It was quite exciting! I got it all on film, too!”

“Which will be turned in as evidence,” Jeanne said firmly. 

“But mother, we-”

“Will submit the footage as evidence, as is proper, Barbara. We have a duty to the city, and it isn’t for that silly website,” Jeanne said firmly. 

Barbara stiffened but jerked a nod. “...yes, mère.” 

“Perhaps they could make a copy?” Furina said, speaking for the first time. “It would be a shame for our intrepid reporters to have nothing to show for their heroism. Besides, I get the impression that these gardes are not as careful with evidence as one might hope for.” 

“Ah. That…might be for the best,” Jeanne said, making a face. 

Barbara and Charlotte both nodded eagerly at that, and Yennifer inclined her head. “That seems to be wise. That would also be evidence, should your innocence be called into question again.”

“The very nerve!” Furina huffed, puffing out her chest in obvious outrage. “These young heroines did all they could to protect the museum, even going so far as to confront the villains themselves, and these poor excuses for officers arrested them and confiscated Charlotte’s Vision! That is a gross miscarriage of Justice!” 

A shiver ran down Yennifer’s spine when she heard Furina say “Justice.” She could feel the emphasis Furina put on the word. Was it supernatural, such as when Venti spoke of freedom, or was it simply their shared passion for the Law and its proper conduct? It was hard to know. 

“Yes, I am afraid I agree,” Jeanne said with a heavy sigh. “But these are USIP, not PM.” 

Furina’s eyes shot to Yennifer, and she clarified, “They’re the Unité Spéciale d'Intervention Parahumaine, a national Parahuman Response Task Force. Not the Préfet de police de Paris, the city police force, which is also their own department. She just has the Police Municipale, which are the unarmed offices you see.  All that to say these thugs are not under Jeanne’s authority, as she’s the mayor.”

“Oh. Oh!” Furina hastily dipped a flawless curtsy. “I apologize, Madame Mayor, I did not realize you were such an important official.” 

“Right now, I am merely Barbara’s mother,” Jeanne said, giving Furina a tired smile. “Though I confess, this sort of thing seems to happen all too regularly. Both the attack and the brutality of those who are supposed to be protecting us.” 

“It’s alright, mother. I know it’s not your fault,” Barbara said quietly. 

Jeanne shook her head. “It is my duty to safeguard all the people of this city and ensure their freedom. You might be the one most precious to me, but the fact that even my own daughter can be swept up and arrested by overzealous police is a problem I must address. What if it had been someone without your and Charlotte’s connections? Would you be hauled away to languish in a cell, as so many others have?”

“Without even a trial!?” Furina gasped, true horror coming over her face. The rain suddenly intensified, and Yennifer could see fresh tears of anger and frustration on Furina’s cheeks. 

“So the laws of the Republic of France say. Much has changed since the fall of the Fifth Republic. The new government is…harsh…in its dealing with those perceived as criminals,” Yennifer said bitterly. “But what is written in the law is not always just in this world.”

“Then we must work to change it. Come, Barbara. I’m afraid there will be much work for me to do today, and I want to see you home safe,” Jeanne said. She nodded to Charlotte and Yennifer, adding, “I’ll contact you later about training for young Miss Charlotte. Not through the Mousquetaires, I think. There are a few independent Vision Holders who might help. Good evening.”

With that, Jeanne and Barbara headed for a black car with an obvious bodyguard standing beside it, made even more obvious by the glowing Dendro Vision on his lapel. 

That left Furina, Charlotte, and Yennifer standing in the unseasonal rain. They walked quietly for a few moments, until Charlotte suddenly hugged Furina. “Thanks for the rain! Without it, I don’t think I ever could have raised the barrier. It’s much harder to form solid ice without liquid water around.”

“Oh!” Furina was so startled, the rain came to a sudden stop, and Charlotte grinned even wider. “Um, I don’t know why you’d thank me for the rain.”

“Well, didn’t, you know,” Charlotte whirled her finger in the air. 

“Ah, no. I did tell you I don’t have any powers, didn’t I? Unless you count my sudden facility with languages. Which, might I point out, are distinctly unhelpful in a fight,” Furina sighed. 

“But-” Charlotte shot a confused look at Yennifer, who could only shrug. 

“I don’t think she had anything to do with it, Lotte. I did hear from Lord Barbatos, and he is the Angel of Winds. Perhaps he sent us the rain,” Yennifer suggested. She was nearly certain Furina didn’t have anything to do with it. Nearly. 

“I heard from him too, actually,” Furina said quietly. “He thought I was Focalors. I yelled at him, actually. I was very upset. He apologized and said he couldn’t or wouldn’t interfere, which made me rather cross with him. What’s the point in actually being an Archon with powers if you don’t use them to help people?”

“But, you…” Charlotte trailed off, eyes narrowing. “Fancy that. The rain stopped.”

“Oh, I guess it did,” Furina said, looking up at the sky. “Well, I’m too soaked for it to matter much now. You know, in Fontaine, we used to sing a children’s song when it rained. 

Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon

Don’t you Cry

Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon

Smile in the Sky

Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon

Let rain pass me by

Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon

Spread your wings and fly

It was a silly, rhyming ditty that Furina sang. Her voice was clear and sweet, but not supernaturally so. Just a woman with plenty of vocal training singing an old tune. 

“Huh. Well, maybe Keiga was crying,” Charlotte said, though she sounded skeptical.

“Oh, are they the Hydro Dragon here?” Furina asked curiously. “It was Monsieur Neuvillette. I asked him, once, if his tears caused the rain. He never did answer me properly.” 

“Keiga is one of the two dragons of Japan,” Yennifer explained as they made their way to the Metro station. “She has been called the Hydro Dragon, and she does have incredible water powers. I heard she summoned a rain at Loy Yang that healed every hero on the field and nearly drowned the Behemoth.”

“I saw the footage! Yeah, she did, though I don’t think she was crying. More singing,” Charlotte mused. 

“There’s just so much I don’t know,” Furina whispered, shrinking in on herself. 

“It’s alright. You did good today,” Yennifer told her, giving Furina’s arm a squeeze. Furina gave her a questioning look, and Yennifer elucidated, “You helped evacuate those civilians, and administered first aid. You never trained as a first responder, did you?”

“No, I just…I couldn’t stand by and see another tragedy unfold while I did nothing,” Furina admitted. 

“Well, you did something. That’s what matters,” Yennifer said. 

They ended up heating up some leftovers Furina had brought home from work for dinner, then an exhausted Furina and Charlotte collapsed. Yennifer checked her messages, then stepped outside onto the balcony and put her phone to her ear. After two rings, there was a familiar, 

“Guten Tag, hier est von Dresch.”

“Guten tag, Kapitän von Dresch.” 

“No need to be so formal, or shall I call you Kapitän Lustria?” Vornehm’s amused voice said. 

“No, of course not. I saw your message. Furina is safe, sleeping. She’s worn out,” Yennifer said, leaning on the railing. 

“Hmm. I have to ask, Yennifer…is she? I had thought she was, well, the Hydro Archon. But after today…I am not so certain. There was that rain…” Von Dresch said.

“No, Otto. No, I don’t think so. I heard the voice of Lord Barbados during the battle. If anyone sent the rain, it was him. Not Furina,” Yennifer said, feeling exhausted. 

“Ah. I see. I had simply assumed…”

“So did I. So did the Grandmaster, methinks. But no, Otto. She’s just a woman, like us. Did you see how frightened she was? I don’t think anyone has ever seen Venti scared. Not even of Scion, or of the Tsaritsa.”

“Hmm. Fate has been cruel to her, then. Though there was one odd thing. She spoke Basque flawlessly. That couple, the one she helped, was from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Native speakers. They speak French, of course, I don’t speak Basque myself. But I can recognize it.”

“She has odd magic. She can make her hair grow out at the snap of a finger. She had a bob cut this morning,” Yennifer said with a tired smile. “The ability with languages seems to be another. I assume that is simply due to the transfer from her home.”

“I see. I did some checking, and well, there have been no Hydro Visions. I was surprised, but…well. She must not be the Archon then. A shame. She seems rather different from the Tsaritsa.”

“Oh that I can agree with, Furina being different from the Ice Bitch, at least. As for her not being an angel…well, I suppose that would be a heavy burden to bear, would it not?” 

“Indeed. Well, thank you for answering an old man’s questions, Yennifer. I won’t trouble you further. Do give my regards to your sister. She saved many lives today with her bold actions. A remarkable young woman. We could use her in the Knights.”

Fury rose up in Yennifer, and she had to fight back a snarl. Her baby sister would never experience the horrors that Yennifer had in the war, not if Yennifer could do anything about it. “I think she’s destined for another life, Otto. She’s too young to be fed into the grist mill.”

“True enough. You do all seem so young to me. Good night, Miss Lustria.”

“Good night, Mr. von Dresch.” 

Yennifer hung up, then went to go look at Furina, who was passed out in bed. She was tossing and turning, having thrown off the covers, and mewling softly, obviously having a nightmare. Gently, Yennifer reached out, and put a soothing hand on Furina’s arm. She jerked awake instantly, gasping for breath, her odd pupils dilated. 

“No, no, no! Charlotte, Yennifer, you can’t drown, I-I…it was just a nightmare…”

“It’s alright,” Yennifer said, sitting on the bed and taking Furina’s hands. “You’re not in Fontaine anymore. You’re not alone.”

“No…I…I suppose I’m not,” Furina said quietly. She shuddered. “You know…this is the first time in my life I think I’m not alone. I always had so many people around me, but I could never talk to them, really. Could never show any weakness. Archons don’t have any weakness. But I was always so afraid…so afraid they’d learn the truth. That I was no Archon. Just an actress. A frightened woman alone on stage.”

Yennifer’s heart melted all over again, and she decided. No. Furina was not the Hydro Archon. But she was Yennifer’s friend. And that was what mattered. 

“Well, I think I prefer you this way anyway,” Yennifer said. “Come on. Let’s get to bed. And if we have nightmares…we can hold one another.”

“I’ve heard you, whimpering in your sleep,” Furina said as Yennifer got up to change. She fiddled with the sheets, looking away as Yennifer pulled off her shirt and dress for an oversized shirt and shorts. The nights were getting warmer every day, with summer soon upon them. “Do you…do you relive the war?”

“Yes,” Yennifer said quietly. “I see…I see those I could not save. Charlotte. You. Those I care for, dead on the battlefield. Because of my failure. Because I’m weak.”

“I don’t think you’re weak,” Furina said. “You fought those villains, with their guns, and odd powers.”

“Them? They were nothing.  You should have seen the Thief. He’s a Fatui Harbinger. Him…he would send ice to your very bones,” Yennifer said, shuddering and crawling into bed. 

“I…I can imagine. The Knave…she made my skin crawl, just looking at her. The one time I thought she would kill me…I nearly fainted. I couldn’t even move, I was so afraid,” Furina whispered. 

They ended up holding on to one another after that, both of them lost in their own thoughts. But then they remembered  they were no longer alone. It was comforting, in ways Yennifer couldn’t describe. She would have liked to be able to say that after that, her dreams were untroubled. 

Instead, she dreamed of running down endless museum halls in the dark, crying out for Charlotte and Furina. But when she awoke, weeping and trembling, Furina was there. 

We’re both so broken, Yennifer thought to herself. Where is the Justice in that?

She couldn’t know that Furina dreamed herself. Dreamed of looking up at the stars…and finding Yennifer there.

Justice would be done. Even if she was as yet, unawares.