"Mother, no... Don't leave me alone *hiks* *hiks*. I don't i want to living alone, i don't want to live without you *sobbing*, i am scared..." Chang yu buried her face on her mother stomach, the woman who currently to be lifeless. Lying down on the bed and her face covered by white cloth.
When hibiki enter the room with keqing and baizhu. He can look chang yu currently crying and hugging her deceased mother. Keqing feel simpathy toward chang yu, it's also the same with hibiki. Meanwhile with baizhu, hibiki can't read baizhu face, but it might be something related with disappointment?
*Sighing* hibiki not sure what he should do right now, what word he should say toward chang yu. His time with chang yu is truly short. But, hibiki know chang yu is a good kid and he still feel grateful to her for helping him even seems not much.
Chang yu always said to him about how she is so lacking with many things as person in term of capability. Hibiki not think too much about that, after all she is still just 10 years old kid. But, seems like this world have different perspective about how person should facing the world, if we put aside basic similarities with his home world common sense.
Just look at chang yu, so far hibiki know this little girl have experience living with bad environment. When he still at her age, he remember still living more better than her, hibiki may not have positive though about his own childhood life experience, because how much his both parent trying take too much control about his life. But definitely he still think himself as lucky compare than any person outside there. For chang yu case, kid around her ages should playing and eating a lot.
But, then again... Seems like this is how it's work in this world
"I will explain what happen to her..." Said baizhu try to explain, while hibiki try to calm chang yu by giving light pat and caressing on her back
"From the beginning this woman was already in weak state. If you see her from the outside she might look normal but you can see how pale her face is. When I checking her, I thought it was some kind of common illness with symptoms cough and fever. But it was worse than that, her internal organs were actually damaged... even at a very chronic level"
"How you know that?" Hibiki asking him, curious how he know his patient organs condition while this world seems not having MRI scanner
"It just guess and experience, you can check her saliva. I was already doing it when i try to put my finger into her mouth to take a sample. The woman had some black liquid inside her mouth, i am guessing thats blood mixing with her saliva which is came out when she coughed... If she got my treatment when it's still early or mid stage, there is possibility to save her" Said baizhu
"You talk like you can healing any disease..." Said hibiki
"I do have a way to help my patient when they are in critical condition..." Said baizhu
"Then why you can't heal her?" Said keqing this time while folded her hands
"Because her condition is beyond help, i am truly sorry for saying this. But, for her case it's simply unfortunate situation" Said baizhu, while snake on his neck look at keqing and hibiki. "Still, there is one things i should tell"
"...?" Hibiki and keqing
"It's like what i said previously, if she got right treatment and not too late, perhaps there is a hope. Yet somehow she is... Simply delaying her self care or treatment"
"What do you mean?" Keqing raising one of her eyebrows
"I found traces of excessive consumption of sleeping drugs in her bodies... I don't really know what her motives are, maybe to escape from her illness, or maybe she underestimates her own condition? But, my point is... Consuming excessive sleeping drugs is not a good thing. Not only will the disease get worse because it doesn't receive immediate treatment, but the effects of consuming excessive sleeping drugs over a long period of time will only have dangerous side effects on a person"
"Sleeping... Drug?" Chang yu glance at baizhu with depressed eyes, there is suprise in her weak tone when baizhu stoic eyes seems pierce her to he core, "No... I- i" Chang yu ended up silence, the word she want to say seems stuck on her throat, she look down at her mother bodies.
Suddenly chang yu get up and start running leaving the room.
"Wait- Chang yu! ..." Said hibiki, hibiki look at baizhu and keqing
"Sorry, seems like she have shock, i will try to go after her" hibiki start leaving the room too
"Hibiki-" Keqing start follow him suddenly got stopped by baizhu, he hold her hand
"Please wait Ms. Keqing... There is something i need to say to you..."
***
Chang yu running through the liyue street under the night sky while panting.
"I found traces of excessive consumption of sleeping drugs in her bodies"
Something must be wrong here... Chang yu never giving her mother sleeping drugs, it's medicine, it's potion... It should be, but then why it become like this?
The tears slowly come from the edge of little girl eyes, but the girl still running. She always enduring the hardship she faced, thinking if she can hold it and keep struggle, everything will be fine. And yet, it should not end to be like this...
She though since she found hibiki, since she finally eating delicious food, something good finally happening. After finally feels small luck on her side, feel hope... She think slowly everything finally will be gonna be okay, she though her small world finally will got repaired
But, what is this? She can't accept this, it hurt her hearts... From other person perspective her problem might be small, something mundane and not important. But, for her it's worth for everything she have currently... She losing too much
She hate this...
*Drak!* The noise of slamming door
Erick who currently enjoy his alcohol in bar or fatui base, glancing toward the door, he sitting alone and leaning his back on the seat in middle room of the bar. Under his mask he can see the little girl seems tired slowly walking approach him.
*Drinking bottle of alcohol* Erick smirking at her, "What is it? Finally need another potion?"
"Why?" Chang yu look down, look at floor while her fist clenched firmly
"... What is it?" Asking erick
"Why you lying to me!? You said it's potion...*Hiks*" Chang yu bite her lower lips, *drip* *drip* *drip*
Her tears drop onto the floors
Erick who see her like this then losing his smile, he start have a disgusted face toward her. He start laughing while facepalm put the alcohol bottle on the table
"*Laughing* I see... Just look at you seems that finally happen" Said erick to her
"Why?! Why my mother death... You said if my mother drink the potion she will be healed" Chang yu said while start pulling erick clothes with weak pull
Feel annoyed, erick start get up from the chair, standing facing her, their height showing obvious difference between them.
Suddenly... *Bwak!*
"Bgghk!" Chang yu rolling on the floor 3 meters from where she stand previously. She got kicked on her stomach by erick without holding back.
It makes her hugging her own stomach almost make herself like ball on the floor, the kick from adult to little child is giving big damage on her, she really feel hurt.
*Cough* *cough* *cough*
Chang yu saliva flowing leaving her mouth, and tears coming out from her eyes. She feels hard to start breathing and almost gonna vomit all things inside in her stomach
"What make you think to make you think can touching me trashy brat?! Ugh disgusting..." Said erick with bitter tone
"Ahh, what i should do... Killing you here will be trouble, i don't want make unnecessary trash for random crime... After all we fatui in liyue should not make trouble or hassle move" Erick smirking look down at her. "I am kidding... I simply already guessing this will happen, just not expect you will come at me. So you finally know all this time about me simply always giving ordinary water with sleeping drugs to you? *Laugh* this is funny as fuck... I though you will keep being clueless" covered his face with his palm while laughing
*Stomp her leg*
"Aarrrrggghhh! Stop- it hurt *hiks*" Chang yu begging
"Please keep your voice... If you want to know why i am doing all of this. Actually, it just simple, i just like doing it... Messing with you with your missery situation is truly amusing and hilarious. Ofcourse i also find you as interesting little yu because-..." Said erick
"Erick..." Suddenly other fatui agent coming inside the bar while carrying hibiki who currently unconscious
"Tch, what? Who is he?" Said erick pointed at guy who wear white jacket with hoodie like rabbit ear, currently got hold by fatui agent
"We found him when he trying to come here, forcing his way here, so we make him unconscious" said fatui agent
"What this man thinking, running straight toward fatui base like idiot while being clueless" Said other fatui agent
"H- i...bi- ki" Chang yu look at hibiki while still lying down on the floor
Erick who look at her reaction smirking "Ah i see, someone you know... This is looks fun"
"N- No... *Hiks* it's my fault, let him g... Go, please" said chang yu, crawling under erick feet
"So what we gonna do now?" Said fatui agent at erick while seem ignoring the little girl on the floor not feel disturbed at all by the sight
"What are you talking about... You guys already know me, lets find other place. Can't make dumb mistake to leaving any crime trace and ended up got scolded by tartaglia just simply enjoying our fun" Said erick with playfull tone, there was not a shred of respect when he mentioned the name of someone from one of the harbingers
*Sigh* other fatui agent simply play along with him, all of them after all see erick as their leader
***
"Ugh..." Hibiki slowly wake up, open his eyes and look surrounding him... He can see camp fire? Front him, while seems surrounded by a lot people wearing mask, "Who?"
"Oh? Finally wake up princess?" There is laugh of group people
"Forest?" Examine the situation, "who are you guys? Chang yu?! Where is she!" Stand up from the ground then look at them
*Drink bottle of alcohol* "Can you shut up?" Said the man while sit on the large stone
*Flinch* hibiki look at him, it's erick "You ..." Somehow hibiki instinct telling him this guys is dangerous
"We currently under mountain, forest located in jueyun karst" said the big guy in the group, he looks fat
"..." Hibiki thinking, try choosing the right word
"Hmm, i am simply curious and want to see what type of guy are you... Seems you just ordinary guy with slightly better head *chuckles*, disappointing" said erick
"Tch... What do you want!? Where is chang yu!" Said hibiki, definitely this guys is so obvious messing with him and currently seems kidnap him and chang yu
"Little yu? Well...*snapping his finger*" erick smirking
Suddenly the guy on the back of group, seems dragging little girl and throw her to the front of hibiki
"*Shiver* Chang yu..." Hibiki eyes widened, the feeling of scared crawling on his bodies. However his body automatically reached out to the little girl on the ground who appeared to have just been beaten.
"Chang yu..." Hibiki hug the little girl, hibiki body trembles. It's obvious his instinct telling him in dangerous situation. But deep inside his hearts, he feel anger
Blue eyes look at the group of fatui... "You guys..."
"Hm, i don't like your eyes... Hey someone, dare to take that kid eyes for me?" Said erick
"How could you saying something like that... Why you doing all of this?" Hibiki try asking their common sense
"Why?" Erick at hibiki like looking at idiot, "Ofcourse because it's obviously amusing, right?..." Said erick while asking confirmation to his friend of agent fatui, their just laughing
"You sick!" Said hibiki clenched his fist tightly
"*Sighing* tch..." Erick stop smiling, his face become cold. "Seriously, i really don't like your eyes. It make me want to vomit"
Erick stretched his hand to the side, and the other fatui agent giving him the sword. Then erick throw the sword at hibiki, it lying on the ground
"Pick it up ..." Said erick start get up from his seat on the stone
*Flinch* hibiki look at him "huh?!"
"Lets play... If you can landing one hit on to me with that sword, i will let you leaving with that girl" said erick
"Wh- what are you talking about?! It's sword, you will die... Stop talking nonsense?!" Hibiki still not follow the common sense
Hearing him saying that word, other fatui just laughing
"Geez if he vision holder i might be take that seriously"
"He seems not carry anything... He just ordinary"
"Thats funny"
Hibiki who hearing that word feel annoyed, ("vision?") hibiki though
"Hurry up, or i will change my mind" said erick
Looking at chang yu who currently unconscious and have bruise on her bodies, hibiki start pick the sword
"Keep your word..." Said hibiki
"Sure" erick smirking
("I should finish this as fast as possible, and bring chang yu to baizhu") Hibiki though
Still, pulling the sword from its sheath, it still felt terrible for hibiki. As someone who living comfortable life in 21th century with peaceful era, this things ... Feels not right, he is not like it.
But, hibiki start put his feeling on the side. And start making a necessary choice. Holding sword like kendo stances, hibiki swing the sword at erick. Ofcourse it's obvious he will evade it easily
"Not bad... Seems like this is the first time you attack someone with real weapon. Too bad, it's sloppy and clumsy, there is no killing intend on that move" Said erick while punch hibiki liver
Hibiki shock, kneeling on the ground and hold himself where he got punched
"What? Don't tell me you think it will be one sided attack where i only accept and evading it? Ofcourse i will attack you, even without weapon... I am truly kind, aren't i?" Said erick chuckles
*Cough* *cough* hibiki slowly recovered and look at him, then start stand up again take sword with kendo stances
"Good, i like it..." Said erick
*Few times later*
Hibiki currently still forcing himself to keep standing. He struggle with few bruise on him, yet, his blue eyes still look at erick without wavering
"I am starting feel bored now" Said erick, then look at him. "You sure weird, mostly people will already giving up and start begging for mercy. Definitely i can feel you are scared, but you still not giving up"
"I- in... Your-, d- dream" said hibiki panting
"..." Erick look at hibiki
*Shiver* hibiki start feeling dangerous when he see erick pointed at him. Suddenly there is red light like laser shoot piercing him, it happen so fast
"Heh?" Hibiki shocked and suprise, he coughing blood from his mouth, he can feel the his bodies feels hot located on his chest. Then the sword fall to the ground... The white jacket, got painted by red color on his chest part
Erick then gone in the blink of eyes, "bnghh!" Hibiki neck got strangled by erick with one hand
"Yeah, i hate that optimist eyes of yours" Said erick try taking knife on his back
Then... *Drrrt!!!*
Erick releasing hibiki and start jumping back *boom!!!*
There is purple lightning strike from the sudden cloudy night sky, the noise of thunder is really loud almost like canon shot
Smoke of dust covered the area, and then slowly cleared. Erick finally can see the unknown sword stuck in the ground, the sword have purple lightning spark while leaving some crater mark on the ground
"Thats almost killing me, bitch..." Said erick toward woman who holding hibiki with hug, while hibiki not conscious right now
The woman then picked up the sword stuck in the ground, looking at erick with cold eyes and killing intent
"I guess, this will be our first time to meet, lady yuheng" Said erick smiling dangerously at keqing
"I don't know who you are coward. But, i will make sure to make you bear the consequence" Said keqing with cold tone while glaring at him
the curtain of the first stage finally opens