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"Do you think we'll see a shooting star tonight?"
"What is… a shooting star?"
"Oh, well its kind of like this super fast star that goes really really fast, Master Jean told me that if you make a wish on it, it'll come true one day"
"I see…."
"So, do you have a wish"
"....Maybe"
"Oh… what is it?"
"I….can't remember…"
"Oh…well that's okay I'm sure you'll remember it eventually"
"Mmm…"
"Yeah…"
"..."
"....."
ⁿ
Silence….that's how it always goes. She would bring up a topic, they would talk for a little and she would end up not learning anything about her.
They've been traveling together for two months now but she still doesn't know anything about her other than her name.
She would often stay up late until the night or cook some herbs whenever they rested. She introduced herself as a zombie but she's nothing like the flesh eating ones. In fact, she's rather soft spoken and docile at times.
She does have some unique quirks though. One time her body was completely stiff when waking up and she needed help to stretch to get her body moving again or when talked about some strange milk.
Still, it didn't mean that they were getting any closer. But these unique quirks did make the explosive knight more curious about her, in fact learning about these unique quirks made her even more interested in learning more about her.
"Oh, by the way I never got a chance to thank you for saving my life back then"
"It's okay, I know what it's like to be on the edge of death so I wouldn't want that for anyone else"
"What? You never told me about this"
"I….prefer not to talk about it"
"Oh…I see"
Realizing she must've hit a sensitive topic, the knight quickly tried to steer the conversation in another direction.
"So uhmm… I've been asking you a lot of questions so why don't you ask me some. I think that's only fair"
"...."
The embers of the campfire flicker and the wood beneath crackles and snaps from the heat. The only source of sound that fills the empty space between the two.
"Or well I guess not. Anyway, I think I'll go to sleep now, we've stayed up quite late today and we proba-"
"Why did you run away from home?"
The knight turns slowly to look at the zombie, surprised that she even opened her mouth at all.
"What?"
"I recognize that uniform in a picture book. You're from Mondstadt right?"
The knight was taken aback "Yes, that's right"
"Where's your mother and father?"
"I…don't remember my father and my mother is a great adventurer, she wrote the Teyvat handbook"
"What's a Teyvat handbook?"
"It's like this journal thing that people use to remember different kinds of enemies, look I even brought one with me"
She pulls out a thick book from her bag, proudly showing a book with several bookmarks in them
"I don't understand all of it but it's really cool to see all the photos of them"
"I see…."
The knight was hoping that this was enough to get the zombie to forget about the original question but she's suspiciously sharp tonight
"So…my original question…. Why did you run away from home? Don't you have anybody that takes care of you?"
This time it was the knights turn to stay quiet
"I….."
The zombie moved in a little, curiosity has certainly taken a hold of her now
"I….miss my mom…"
"Your….mom?"
"Yeah…I mean, don't get me wrong everyone at home is nice and everyone takes care of me even when I mess up but… I still miss my mom. I…was hoping that if I followed this guide book…. Maybe…just maybe… I'll find her at the end of it…"
The knight hugs the book tightly as if it were a teddy bear, her eyes downcast and watery.
"Are you….okay?"
"Yup mhmm… Master Jean said that big girls don't cry and Klee is a big girl now so I…mustn't….."
Her tears betray her words, water runs down her cheeks and wet the pages underneath. Her hands were trembling and her fingers were shaking.
Her whole body felt weak and she felt like she could drop at any moment.
Then, a cold hand rested on her shoulder. The knight slowly turned to look to her side to find the zombie now right in front of her, pulling her into a hug.
"I'm sorry Qiqi can't give you warmth, but Qiqi promises that she will stay by your side and help you find your mom"
Whatever reserve the little knight had left was broken as she hugs the cold zombie back, breaking down into tears as she presses her face against her shoulder.
That was the first time the sound of crackling wood was drowned out….
…..
…….
………
"Do you feel better now?"
"Y-yeah….sorry I just uhmm you know…"
"It's okay…"
Soon, silence fills the air again but this time, it was a comforting kind of silence.
"Do you…want me to read you something?"
The knight's ears perk up a little. "Huh?"
"I think I remember someone used to read me a bedtime story before I went to bed when I was alive… You…said you were going to bed right?"
"Oh…yeah that's right. I actually have a book I want you to read"
The knight turns to grab her book and pulls out a crimson red book with a red flower on it
""Do…do..co…tales…"
"It's a really popular story in Mondstadt, but I haven't read it in awhile"
"Qiqi…wil try to read it but…Qiqi may get some words wrong"
"That's okay, I just want to hear someone read it"
The knight lays her head on the zombie's lap, the cold skin should have made her shudder but it was strangely comfortable
"Are you…comfortable?..."
"Yep"
"Alright then…."
The knight closes her eyes and the zombie begins
'Once upon a time….there was a red Dodoco…..and a blue Dodoco…."