ChiLi | Beauty and the Beast.

Chapter 3 | Captivity.

He saw lots of furnitures around the hall.
And as he wandered around, he could detail each ruins that are inside.
But the temperature is getting much more frigid.
He needs someplace warm.
Fortunately, he found a living room with a .. lit fireplace?
This signals Zhongli that there is indeed someone living here.
Before he could find the master, he just settled in to keep himself warm so he has the fractive to move.
He sat on the chair infront of the fireplace, he then heard laughter underneath the chair.

He got up to check and what he saw were a talking .. Wine glass and a wine bottle.

"How in ..?"
Zhongli said, shocked.

"Ah, we had it coming. Can you just shoosh it? I'm-"
Said a wine glass.

"That's very impolite of you, like you always are."
Said a wine bottle.

(Fascinating.)
He said in his mind, as he saw some likely "creatures" or, hence, a bunch of glasses he'd never seen before.
"Gentlemen, may I ask if you know this place? Is there a master here?"
He asked.

"Yes, there's someone in here- Ah.
In fact, TONS are living here."

"Not that we live here."
They replied.

Zhongli wondered.

"What do you mean by that?
What were you?"

"Jeez. You sure are talkative."
As the wine glass said, annoyed.

"Excuse his words, he is very vulgar to his standards."
The wine bottle interrupted.

"Wh- Okay, that's it. Why won't you do the talking then?"
The wine glass replied back.

Zhongli insisted the two to not fight as he is only asking questions.

"I apologize if I seem very tiring to your presence.
I'm just not in the same place as I am."

"Oh, it is quite alright, sir. But what are you doing here?"
The wine bottle said.

"I didn't mean to enter, I was in regard of a flower, a Glazelilly, to soothen my clients that are to comfort them."

"B-But why enter here?"
Said the wine glass with a sophisticated tone that is seem to worry.

"I needed a shelter for the time-being.
Don't you see the weather out there?"
Zhongli then pointed out the window.

"Ah! Shelter! Yes, yes. Come follow me, sir."
As the wine glass said that, he dragged Zhongli's finger to the living room with much more furnitures.

"Hey! Come back here!"
Said the wine bottle.

"I'm helping the guy out, why don't you do the same, eh?"
The wine glass showerly said.

It seems that both of these "creatures" has a loathe relationship that seems to go along just fine.
Zhongli is filled with curiosity.
What a great time he's having.

"May I ask your names?"
Said Zhongli.

"It's nice to know that we're not just "furnitures" to you."
Said the wine glass.

"I'm "Kaeya"! A handsome fella. While this .. Er, uptight guy is "Diluc"."
Said the wine glass, Kaeya, teasingly.

"Hsh, those aren't true."
The wine bottle, Diluc, said out of annoyance.

Zhongli chuckled.

"Say, why are you two here? And were you both like this?"

"Seems like this time, Kaeya has point that you really are talkative."
The wine bottle predjusted.

"Let's just say me and Diluc went to a ball that was rumoured to give out gold. We made it but until the storm hits, then .. We're like this."
Kaeya answered.

What does that mean?
Were they cursed?
Not that curses and stuff like that are real but ..
Why are they so clueless about it?

"Luckily, it's not only us."
Both of them said.

"What do you mean by that? There are many of you?
Then these furnitures are .."
He looked and gazed around the room.

"Yes."
Said the wine bottle.

"Hmm. A ball you said?"
Zhongli said.

"Mhm, yeah. A ball.
Sucks that we didn't got any gold."
Kaeya said with disappointment.

"You mean the ball of Snezhnaya was held here?"
Zhongli quickly replied.

"Wow, you do know a lot."
Said Diluc, unamused but sort of .. impressed.

Zhongli snickered slightly.
"It's kind of obvious. This is Snezhnaya after all, yes?"

"You got a point."
Said Kaeya.

The ball was held years ago.
That's weird.
Does that mean they've been living here for a long time?

"Hey, look. The weather is kinda slowing down. Are you gonna leav-"
Kaeya was then interrupted.

"The flowers .. Oh, no. Where did I placed them?"
Zhongli said, looking around.

"Ay! This lad needs help. C'mon!'

"Right. Also, be careful. Not some places are what you seem."
Diluc cautiously whispered.

Just then, the furnitures started searching too, as to help.
Meanwhile, Zhongli decided to search upstairs, by the east.
And yes, there they were all along.
But how?
He didn't went up there at all.
Therefore, when he picked up the flowers, he saw a light glowing on the door beside him.
He wanna see what's inside.
Curiosity grew bigger and so, he stepped in.

He saw a beautiful flower, inside the jar, shining beautifully.
He got closer to the flower.
And closer-

*THUD*

Zhongli turns his head up slowly and saw a ..
He flinched and couldn't move as he is face to face with a huge creature.
The creature spoke.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE UNWELCOMED?"

There it is, the familiar roar belonged to him all along.

"I .. I didn't mean no harm nor to trespass. I was only in need for these Glazelillies-"
Zhongli said, backing up a bit.

"NO, UNACCEPTABLE."

The monster leaped beside Zhongli and dragged him to a place where he might not be seen again.
As he was brought, he left the flowers .. On the ground, as the creatures looked in such a surpised-worried look.