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She is the fair lady of Fontaine, codename Focalors, an elite superhero who has complete dominion over hydro, the Regina of All Waters. Beautiful and remarkably brilliant in the short span of time becoming a hero.
One of the Archons—the seven strongest superheroes in all of Teyvat, is losing her patience. And for the record, she had a lot.
Really, Furina can list all of the accomplishments, praises, and rewards she gained as a hero, as Focalors, to not lose her wits and let the man currently being held captive by some treasure hoarder to become part of the collateral damage. But oh, in her name the Lady Focalors, her patience with him was running thin.
Still, she was a hero.
The shine of white hair from below made her scratch her head. Neuvillette, known for being a fighter of his chosen combat sport, la canne, was captured. By a measly treasure hoarder. He got captured again for the fourth time this week. And it was only Tuesday!
Furina looked down from the taller building she was surveying the scene from. A treasure hoarder was shouting something about wanting to fight her, machete in one hand, pointed to the white-haired captive’s neck, the other hand holding his collar. The thief shouted again, “I swear I will beat you Focalors! Come out before I cut this man’s neck!” he added more about how he’ll get revenge after she put his friends behind bars. Whoever they were, Focalors didn’t know. All she knew at the moment was how in the world was Neuvillette, the Neuvillette himself got captured by this treasure hoarder—who looked like he had seen better days. Bags under the eyes and thin, scrawny arms (she almost feels bad that she will be sending the poor man to prison but justice is justice, he can’t go around terrorizing the civilians of Fontaine) contrasting to the white-haired man’s fit and athletic build.
It was really impossible for him to get caught, she thought as she rubbed her temple, contemplating once again whether or not to help him. Before she entered the scene, she could sense that Neuvillette was trying to stop the treasure hoarder from robbing the jewelry shop blind. She was sure he was so close to knocking the man out but once she was near, he stopped and that’s how the thief subjugated him.
Her heterochromiac eyes stared for a few more seconds but still, Neuvillette showed no sign of putting up a fight. With a long and weary sigh, Focalors put her golden mask over her face and drew her sword.
In a flash she jumped off the building and in one swift motion of her sword, sent a whipping slash of hydro to the treasure hoarder whilst midair.
Loud ‘oh’s and wonder were heard from the crowd as her attack cut the machete’s blade in half cleanly. Less force and the attack would have backfired to the civilians, more force and she could’ve killed the man.
“Such sophisticated flamboyance!” a voice from the crowd shouted as they stopped to look at their nation’s hero.
The treasure hoarder shuddered as he finally processed the swiftness of Focalors’ attack, his knees giving out and let go of his captive, the sound of Neuvillette’s body being thrown to the side reverberated loudly. Furina cringed at the sound and thought of how Neuvillette’s ass must’ve hurt from the impact, however, her superhero persona, Focalors just glared through her mask at the villain.
“In the name of justice, stop this instant!” she announced in her loudest voice as the treasure hoarder scrambled to get up. “I, Focalors, order you to surrender!”
As the treasure hoarder tried to run away, Focalors’ mimics instantly blocked his path, making him cower back and stop face to face with the hero. Whatever bravado he once had during his speech about beating her up was sent down the drain thus Focalors wrapped him in a bubble.
“My citizens! Worry not anymore for this villain cannot escape and would not dare to hurt you no more!” she bowed and turned to the former captive. The same man she has been constantly saving for two weeks now.
“Here,” offering her hand and smiling the golden mask she wore. Neuvillette gladly accepted her hand, his eyes never leaving the stare of his hero. Forever enamored unbeknownst to Focalors. “You should be more careful; I’ve been saving you a lot lately.”
“Thank you, Lady Focalors, I am forever indebted to you.” He bowed with a deep crimson blush on his cheeks. “Your strength and beauty are worth this hassle.”
She couldn’t help but giggle. She didn’t know the ever so serious Neuvillette had this side in him. “Why thank you my dear citizen! I am most thankful to your praises.” Still, she thought, how in the world did this man get caught. She’s starting to think it is on purpose.
This assumption brought her back to the bustle of the environment and so does the owner of the jewelry shop that respectfully inserted herself between the two of them with a ‘thank you’ she barely heard through the sobs and gave her a warm hug that the hero gladly reciprocated.
The woman pulled back and graciously handed her a beautiful sapphire brooch in the shape of a teardrop. “May your reign as the nation’s hero forever be as beautiful as you.”
“I thought my livelihood would be gone, but thanks to you and this young man who stalled the hoarder it still stands.” The shop owner said turning to thank the white-haired man.
Touched by the owner’s words and gift, Focalors turned once again to the spectators and journalists with a bow. The flashes of kameras here and there was bright as they captured her in action while in the background the Maison Gardiennage pops the bubble prison she made for the robber, sweeping away the minor villain of the day—as she liked calling them. And with the loud clicks of kameras and the jewelry shop owner’s ‘thank you’s to her and Neuvillette, the hero of Fontaine disappeared through an array of bubbles.
Unbeknownst to her, leaving a deep longing behind.
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Furina huffed as she entered their headquarters, hidden from human population, tucked deep inside the heart of Dragonspine. She wonders what made the original seven chose this place, it was way too cold on the way up and the ancient ruins that you need to pass through to reach it was damp and thick with snow. It was way too cold she couldn’t turn into bubbles and teleport or else she would be freezing. If her annoyance towards the man she just saved today dissipated and didn’t make her head ache, hiking up to their secret lair sure did achieve in giving it.
But seriously though, what’s wrong with that guy? Furina thought to herself.
“Furina!” Nahida cried happily as soon as she entered their headquarters, hugging her tightly with no chances of letting go. As the youngest of the Seven, it was natural for the two of them to cozy up (also of course, their shared trauma).
Zhongli looked up from the tea he was brewing, “How was your day Furina?”
Oh. And that triggered Furina’s growing headache.
“Would you believe it?! I have to save Neuvillette again?!” she puffed, slumping to a chair beside Venti. Venti who always seem way too amused at her rants.
“Didn’t you just save him thrice yesterday?” Nahida asked as she offered her a macaron.
“Yes!” she sighed, grabbing the macaron and stuffing it on her mouth. “How in the world would the Neuvillette, Fontaine’s national champion of la canne become a victim of some treasure hoarder?! Seriously?! It wasn’t even the leader! Just a nobody from an unknown team of treasure hoarders! He can literally beat the man up in a few minutes tops!”
Venti laughed and looked at Furina with a teasing glint on his eyes, “Maybe Neuvillette is the biggest Madame Focalors simp in all of Fontaine and he just wants to hold hands with her!” The anemo archon handed her the daily paper of Steambird, already opened in a particularly large photo of her helping Neuvillette up. “Which it seems our little dragon managed to have the pleasure of today!”
𖦹⋆｡˚⋆ฺ
In Neuvillette’s defense, the first two times he got caught was accidental. The first one was with a trio of abyss mages. A nightmare, he knows. His cane proved to be worthless against the cryo mage’s attack paired up with the electro mage’s electro circle and the hydro mage’s bubble prison. He even got a lot of scratches on this run in. Thankfully, Lady Focalors was there to save him.
Lady Focalors was beautiful. Neuvillette knows this despite her eyes being covered by her golden mask. Long white hair and petite yet strong figure clad in white and blue.
After she saved him that time, the hero offered to heal him with her mimic where they sat together side by side. He could smell her, she smelled of elegance, of flowers and fruits, of the warm summer nights. “Take care, don’t stray around too much in these areas.” And with that she faded away as a bubble, leaving behind the scent of melon and tuberose.
The second time the hero saved him was amidst his fight with a pack of hilichurls. He thought he could take them on as the beginning was a remarkably easy fight, however, two axe mitachurls cornered him along with a stonehide lawachurl. He swore he almost saw heaven until an angel saved him.
In a flash of blue, Focalors heavily injured the mitachurls with her sword, her other hand holding to his arm before he could fall. And the fight continued like that. His head cradled on Focalors’ shoulders while she fought. Neuvillette could not remember how the fight went on as his wounds took a toll on him but it felt like he was being led in a dance.
He woke up in his bed the next day, all he could remember was the fight, his savior and the soft smile she gave him as she left. Perhaps that’s how it started, his growing obsession with getting saved by the nation’s hero. For he craved the warmth of her arms and the fruity floral scent she smelled of.
Or maybe it was when she healed him the first time, maybe that was the catalyst of it. Because why did he thought he could take the pack of hilichurls on without surveying how many they are was beyond him. Still, he did it.
The next Wednesday Neuvillette was found “recklessly drunk driving” his new secondhand car he got for a few mora to the nearby bay. Reckless and drunk and Neuvillette didn’t get along but just in time as he was to fall to the deep sea of Fontaine, Focalors was there to save the day. Emerging from the waters, she motioned a wave to push back his car to a higher ground.
“Are you alright?” she asked hurriedly, her hands wandering to check his vitals.
“I am.”
“Be careful, I’m not always available you know.” And with that she disappeared.
When last week’s Thursday came, Neuvillette decided to hike to the steep and landslide-prone area of mountains after class. He enjoyed the scenery and hoped that by some miracle, an accident may happen. It was not a good mindset to have but Neuvillette wanted to see Focalors again. ‘Besides, I have the essentials in case something does happen.’ He rationalized himself.
Just in cue, an angry lake spirit emerged, puffing and huffing away at the ground and the trees, causing the earth to shake. Perhaps, Neuvillette thought maybe he was not really purposefully attracting trouble, maybe trouble itself get attracted to him.
Of course, in order for one to believe him in this situation, one must disregard the large warning sign in this mountain that said in bold letters: WARNING! THIS MOUNTAIN HAS 90% FATALITY, HIKE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
The ground continued to shake and crack violently that he plummeted down to the rocks. He grabbed ahold of a protruding tree and tried to climb up, his palms turned sweaty when he saw the lake spirit turn its attention to him. He could hear his heart pound wildly in his ears. Screaming in his head he could only think, ‘save me Lady Focalors, save me!’
And so, she did, appearing like a bubble and sweeping him away, back to safety, near an adventurer’s guild camp.
Focalors shook him off, laying him down. “Who are you?” he asked the hero.
The white-haired heroine laughed sweetly. “You know me!”
“I do?” His heart pounded. Is Focalors Furina? He always had this thought as both the women had white hair with blue tints. That would explain the same fragrance that wafts off of them. Focalors classier and Furina more sweet but fruity and floral, nonetheless.
His assumptions were quickly scratched off as the hero jovially said, “Of course, I am the Regina of All Waters, Focalors!”
That day, he swore he won’t go to that mountain again. He wasn’t supposed to anyway. Still, he did. Because he knew that Focalors would be there to save the day. Just as she always did. And on it on it went, him finding an inconvenience so he could be saved and Focalors arriving to save the day.
He wonders if he liked Focalors so much because she saved him, that she was the hero of Fontaine, classy and strong, or was it because Focalors reminded him of his university crush, Furina.
Furina de Fontaine, president of the Cultural Arts Company in Fontaine Sciences et Lettres. Her in her always fashionable attire, all the academics and the famous cliques know her, the professors and the staff know her. The city of Fontaine knew her because of her numerous talents. A top student in the College of Law and a rising drama star.
She was everything and he was just Neuvillette.
Neuvillette knew he wasn’t exactly unknown, he was also one of the top students in College of Law and known national champion of canne de combat but compared to Furina’s shine… she is the star, and him, her forever fan. Just how he is to the nation’s hero, Focalors.
And so, he did. Every time he can bother himself with inconvenience, he allowed himself to be captured by some villain. No matter how weak or strong they were, he would allow himself to be caught because he believes in Focalors, that she can defeat anything.
It was Friday today. And a splash of water woke Neuvillette from his daydreaming about his university crush as he walked.
His hand flexed to reach his cane and went to give a heavy blow to the flame lector that pounced him from behind. Stumbling, its claws grabbed onto his shoulders, blowing him away with fire.
He was not the type to curse but, “Fuck.”
His back cracked on to the ash tree he was blown away to. With a heavy breath, he held on to his cane tightly and lunged to the lector, whacking its long arms away from him.
Blow after blow, scratch after scratch, the battle started to heat up as the clouds darkened.
And rain began to pour. The fight was turning to Neuvillette’s favor.
“Stop giving us trouble!” Its haunting voice echoed as it stumbled.
The thrum of electro whirred behind his ear and as heavy rain continued to pour down and splashes of water dirtied his shirt, he could feel his heart short-circuiting. A flash of purple covered his body and despite the heavy rainfall, the lector did not slow down with their attack as another backed him up and Neuvillette was left to go on defensive.
The rain fell faster, or at least Neuvillette’s head thought so as he struggled to put up a fight. The abyss lectors whipped him back and forth until he was black and blue, he could feel his consciousness slip hands flailing and numb as he futilely grabbed on his cane. A drop of blood fell to the ground. And Lord knows it wasn’t the lectors’.
This time, this predicament was not something he let himself happen. He was supposed to meet with Furina today for their paired assignment. He took his sweet time yesterday to choose his outfit with the help of Wriothesley and Clorinde and even asked Emilie for a fragrance he could use for today. Of course, all that effort went down to the drain as now he was getting beaten up in the dark alley of Fontaine by two Abyss lectors. How they sneaked into the city he doesn’t know. Or their business with him too. He guesses it's something about his family. About the sovereigns.
“Save me Lady Focalors,” he managed to say in a mere whisper.
Suddenly all he could see was blue. Warm waters hugged his whole body, cradling its soreness and healing away the wounds he earned. Hair as white as snow burned its way into his eyes. Waves hissed and drowned the two abyss lector, consuming their very being, probing their insides, cleansing their souls. Until all that was left was the frightening howls of the subjugated monsters and the foul-smelling ash of their remains.
“You have a knack of getting into trouble.” Focalors stated as she helped his back lean to the nearby wall while her mimic helps him recover.
“And you have a knack of saving me.” He smiled gently. She was beautiful. Her lips pink as a rose… It almost reminds him of Furina. Don’t think about that! “I’m guessing I have a superhero stalker.”
The hero giggled and turned her back now to him. With the rain still pouring she waved her hand goodbye.
“Wait! Focalors!” Neuvillette quickly stood up from his seat and dashed to where the hero stood. “Can I say thank you this time?” He closed the gap between them, holding her hands as gently as he could.
“As you wish.”
He didn’t know where he got the courage, but he softly planted his lips on her. She tasted sweet, like peaches and honey. Sealing the kiss, he gripped on to her shoulders lightly, engulfing himself with her warmth. So warm and soft, and sweet.
And when he pulled away, she slowly dissolved into bubbles, leaving only her smile that could satiate him for days and years to come.
Oh, what a dream come true. Neuvillette felt energy rush back to him and fixed himself. He reminded himself to quickly change and freshen up, maybe today he will push his luck and also get a kiss from Furina.