Inside a dimly lit office, a blonde-haired man sat in a grand chair, his posture composed but his eyes heavy with thought. The room was silent, save for the faint ticking of a clock.
Beside him stood a white-haired woman, her face partially obscured by an orange-tinted glass mask that covered the upper half of her face, leaving only her mouth and cheeks visible.
"Lord Otto," the woman began, her tone calm yet laced with subtle tension. "Durandal has already arrived at Kiana location."
Otto Apocalypse, the man in the chair, closed his eyes briefly, as if weighing the weight of the information. He exhaled quietly, his gaze drifting toward the picture frame sitting on his desk.
It was a photograph of himself and Kallen, her radiant smile forever preserved in the frozen memory. Otto's lips curled into a faint, melancholic smile as he tapped the edge of the frame with his finger.
"Good," he said finally, his voice soft but resolute. "Let them meet."
Amber, watched him closely, sensing the undertone of finality in his words.
Otto shifted his attention to her, his emerald eyes steady. "Amber," he continued, "from now on, I will leave the rest of the work to you and Theresa."
Amber, who rarely displayed emotion, felt an unspoken weight pressing against her. She understood what Otto truly meant—this was farewell.
For a fleeting moment, Amber's lips parted, as if she wanted to protest, to plead, but she stopped herself. Her role had always been to obey, to execute his will without question. But now, standing there, she struggled to contain the conflict bubbling inside her.
Otto watched her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "You've done well, Amber," he said quietly. "The path ahead will be challenging, but I trust you and Theresa."
Amber lowered her head slightly, her voice steady but tinged with a faint tremor. "Understood, Bishop Otto."
She wanted to say more—to ask him to reconsider, to tell him his presence was irreplaceable. But she knew his mind was made up since 500 year ago...
Otto began walking toward the door, his footsteps slow but deliberate, each step carrying a weight that seemed to echo through the silent room. He reached out and grasped the handle, pausing for a moment as though reluctant to leave.
Without turning back, he spoke, his voice calm yet heavy with unspoken emotion. "Please send my congratulations to Theresa... no, to Overseer Theresa."
Amber, standing rigid behind him, nodded solemnly. "Understood, Bishop Otto."
With that, Otto opened the door and stepped out, the faint creak of the hinges marking his departure.
As he walked down the corridor, his footsteps steady and unhurried, he whispered to himself, a quiet promise carried only by the empty halls.
"Wait for me... Kallen."
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Kallen looked at Yae with newfound determination in her eyes. "I have decided, Yae..."
Yae raised an eyebrow, her smile soft but curious.
Kallen continued, her voice steady and resolute. "I will try my best to help someone who needs help, even if it's just a small gesture."
Yae's expression softened further, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare, genuine smile. "That's the Kallen I was waiting to see."
She then gestured toward the dango in Kallen's hand. "Now, Kallen, why don't you try the dango? It might help sweeten your mood even more."
Kallen glanced at the treat in her hand and nodded. She brought it closer, sniffing it slightly before taking a bite. The sweetness filled her mouth, and the chewy texture made it all the more satisfying.
Before she realized it, the dango was gone, finished in just a few eager bites. Kallen blinked at her empty hand and glanced at Yae, who chuckled softly.
"You must have really liked it," Yae teased, her tone light.
Kallen wiped her mouth and gave a small smile. "I guess I did."
Yae "If you like it so much, we can get more later. But for now..." She stood up, brushing off her attire. "Let's continue exploring Inazuma. I still have so much to show you."
Kallen nodded, standing as well. The warmth of the sweet dango lingered on her tongue, but even more so, the resolve in her heart felt stronger.
As they walked side by side, Kallen glanced at Yae and thought to herself, "Maybe Yae not always trying to prank someone...."
A few minutes later, Kallen heard a loud voice booming through the crowd.
??? "Come join my Arataki Gang! The best gang in all of Inazuma!"
Kallen turned her head and saw a tall, bulky man standing at 6'4", enthusiastically shouting at passersby, trying to recruit them.
Curious, Kallen leaned toward Yae and whispered, "Is this... normal?"
Yae glanced at the man and gave a small chuckle. "Hmm? Yes, he always does this."
Kallen looked at the man again and thought to herself, "Now that I look closely, isn't that Itto? Feels like one of those scammer types trying to lure people into pyramid schemes... but no, Itto's just a musclehead who's obsessed with competing after all." She shook her head, trying to ignore him.
Yae, however, noticed Kallen's subtle reaction and smiled knowingly.
Kallen caught sight of Yae's mischievous grin and immediately felt a sense of unease.
Without missing a beat, Yae started walking toward Itto, her sly smile growing wider.
Kallen's eyes widened. "Wait, what are you doing?" she asked, trailing behind Yae reluctantly.
Yae approached Itto with her signature sly smile, her presence immediately drawing attention from the crowd and Itto himself.
Itto "Hey! If it isn't Lady Guuji herself! You here to join the Arataki Gang? I knew our reputation was spreading!"
Yae chuckled softly. "Oh, Itto, I wouldn't dream of taking away your leadership. But I couldn't help but notice how... passionate you are about recruiting."
Itto puffed out his chest proudly. "Of course! The Arataki Gang is all about loyalty, strength, and... uh... having fun!"
Kallen, observing from the side, muttered to herself, "He's just as over-the-top as I imagined."
Yae glanced back at Kallen, her smile widening as if she could read her thoughts. "Kallen, why don't you come and introduce yourself? Perhaps Itto might consider you for his esteemed gang."
Kallen blinked in surprise, shaking her head. "Wait, I didn't say anything about joining—"
Itto interrupted, his enthusiasm on full display. "New recruit? Oh-ho, I like the look of you! You've got the spark of someone who's ready for action!"
Kallen waved her hands defensively. "No, no, I'm not—"
Itto leaned in, towering over her with an excited grin. "Don't be shy! The Arataki Gang is like family! We've got Oni spirit, snacks, and... more snacks!"
Yae watched the scene unfold with quiet amusement, her fox-like smile never faltering. "Well, Kallen, it seems like Itto has taken a liking to you. Maybe you'll become the gang's member."
Kallen sighed.
Itto's eyes gleamed with excitement as he slapped his hands together. "Well, well, well! If you want to join the Arataki Gang, there's a little initiation you need to go through first!"
Kallen raised an eyebrow. "A test? What kind of test?"
Itto puffed out his chest and grinned. "Oh, it's simple! You just have to prove you're strong, fearless, and cool enough to hang with the Arataki Gang!"
Yae smirked, folding her arms. "And what exactly does this test' involve, Itto? Surely it's something... impressive?"
Itto nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! First, you gotta arm wrestle me. Then, you need to eat three bowls of spicy ramen in one sitting. And finally..." He struck a dramatic pose. "You have to survive the Great Oni Obstacle Course!"
Kallen blinked, clearly unimpressed. "That sounds more like a personal challenge list than an actual test for a gang."
Itto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, yeah, but it's fun! And that's what the Arataki Gang is all about—fun and awesomeness!"
Kallen sighed and looked at Yae. "This is ridiculous. You should take the test, Yae. You'd probably pass with flying colors."
Yae chuckled softly. "Oh, Kallen, I wouldn't want to steal your chance to become a legend in the gang. Besides..." Her gaze flicked to Itto, her smile playful. "I'm sure our fearless leader would love to see you give it a try."
Itto nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Come on, Kallen, show us what you've got!"
Kallen pinched the bridge of her nose, realizing there was no easy way out of this. "Fine... I'll do the test. But only because I don't want to hear you talking about it all day."
Itto cheered. "That's the spirit! Let's get started!"
Itto then took out a table out of nowhere, setting it down in front of Kallen with a thud.
Kallen blinked, staring at the table in confusion. "Uh, where did this table come from?"
Itto looked at her, seemingly unfazed. "What do you mean? It's always here! It's called a folding table, right?" He turned to his Arataki gang members for confirmation.
They all shook their heads, not understanding what he meant.
"It came from a Liyue merchant!" Itto proudly declared, rubbing his nose.
Kallen raised an eyebrow. "A Liyue merchant, huh?" She didn't know if she should be impressed or just bewildered by this strange and spontaneous moment.
Itto didn't seem to care for her confusion "Alright, let's arm wrestle!"
Kallen, already slightly exasperated, pulled up her sleeve without hesitation.
Itto, rubbing his hands together dramatically, looked at her with a proud smirk. "I'll let the ladies go first because I'm a good boss!"
His gang members cheered, shouting, "Wow, as expected of Boss!"
Kallen shot them a blank stare before responding to Itto, "No need for your theatrics. Let's just get this over with."
Kallen firmly placed her elbow on the table, locking eyes with Itto.
Itto grinned widely, flexing his muscles. "Alright, no holding back!" With a dramatic flourish, he slammed his hand down onto the table, setting the stage.
The crowd and the Arataki gang members gathered around, watching with anticipation as Kallen positioned herself. She placed her hand in Itto's, her grip strong but calm.
"Ready when you are," she said coolly.
Itto started flexing his arm, preparing for the contest. "You're going down, Kallen!" he boomed, his confidence overflowing.
The arm wrestle began, and Kallen immediately felt the full force of Itto's strength pushing against her. His muscles bulged as he tried to overpower her, but Kallen remained steady, her posture unwavering.
For a moment, it seemed like Itto was going to win, his arm moving slightly, but then Kallen's eyes narrowed, and she dug in. With a sudden surge of strength, she pushed back, inching Itto's arm closer to the table.
Itto grunted, sweat forming on his brow. "What the—?! How are you so strong?"
Kallen's grip tightened, and with a swift move, she slammed his hand onto the table.
The Arataki gang gasped in shock. "No way… The boss lost?!"
Itto stared at the table, blinking in disbelief. "What just happened?!"
Kallen calmly pulled her hand back, wiping it off. "I told you, no need for the showmanship."
She turned to Yae, who was watching the spectacle with amusement. "Your turn next then?" Kallen asked, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Itto, still in shock, raised his hand weakly. "Well, that was... unexpected. But alright! You're tougher than I thought! Time for round two... the ramen!"
Suddenly, a voice interrupted the scene.
"Please wait."
Everyone turned to see a green-haired woman walking towards them with a calm yet authoritative demeanor.
Shinobu crossed her arms, giving Itto a stern look. "Boss, you can't treat Lady Guuji guest like this. It's rude." She sighed heavily, clearly used to cleaning up after Itto's antics.
She turned towards Kallen and Yae, bowing slightly. "I apologize for any trouble my boss and the other gang members have caused."
Yae waved it off with a graceful smile. "Oh, it's fine. In fact, it was quite entertaining to watch."
Kallen, noticing Yae's amusement, rolled her eyes and added, "It's fine. I don't mind."
Itto, beaming with pride, clapped his hands together. "See? They don't mind! And Kallen here is gonna be our next member. Isn't that exciting?"
Shinobu raised an eyebrow at Itto, her expression questioning his logic.
Kallen, clearly exasperated, turned to Itto. "No, I never considered joining your gang. I only did the test you gave."
Itto's smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Aw, come on, Kallen! With your strength, you'd be a perfect addition to the Arataki Gang!"
Kallen sighed and shook her head. "Not happening."
Shinobu let out a long sigh, her hand moving to massage her temple. "Boss, you can't just force people to join the Arataki Gang because they passed your random tests."
Itto puffed out his chest, looking defiant. "Hey, it's not forcing! It's... strong persuasion! Kallen here is obviously gang material!"
Kallen crossed her arms, her expression unamused. "Thanks, but I prefer to stay independent. Your… persuasion isn't working."
Yae chuckled softly, her fox-like smile widening. "You must admit, Kallen, their enthusiasm is contagious. Perhaps you'd like to stay a little longer and enjoy their antics."
Kallen gave Yae a sharp glance before shaking her head. "I think I've had my fill of antics for today."
Shinobu gave Kallen a small bow. "Thank you for your patience. We'll take our leave now before our boss causes any more trouble." She turned to Itto, grabbing him by the ear.
"Ouch, ouch! Shinobu, not the ear!" Itto whined, flailing dramatically.
Shinobu ignored his protests, dragging him and the rest of the gang away. "Let's go, Boss. You've caused enough chaos for one day."
As the group disappeared into the distance, Yae turned to Kallen, her amused expression still firmly in place. "Well, that was certainly entertaining."
Kallen sighed, rubbing her temple. "I don't know if entertaining is the right word. Exhausting, maybe."
Yae tilted her head, her smile never faltering. "You do attract quite the characters, don't you?"
Kallen rolled her eyes. "Says the person with a knack for mischief."
(A/n: QWQ...偷偷地迷恋奥托)