In The City Of Freedom

A Simple Escape

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3rd POV

"WHAT!"

"You can't be serious..."

"It was an awful sight, really." Says Lisa, the worry in her voice evident as she cups her own cheek. "The poor girl just suddenly started coughing up blood."

Amber grabs onto Lisa's arm, shaking it in a panic and concerned for the safety of her best friend. "Well, is she okay???"

The librarian shakes her head. "I'm unsure, Diluc carried her to the manor and there she had medical attention. I left to report what happened."

Thinking back to it, the amount of worry and fear in Diluc's eyes was something she'd never thought she'd see from him. Perhaps it didn't help that they were on the topic of his dead father.

Jean frowns, sighing as she looks over too Lisa sympathetically. "That's horrible... Do you have any idea what caused it?" She asks.

Once again, Lisa shook her head. "Not exactly, but I have a few ideas..."

Watching this unfold, Collei couldn't help but feel a bit worried for Akemi. Even if she did plan on avoiding her as much as she could, it still made her worry that she wasn't at best health.

Surely, they wouldn't be suspicious of some kind of hint?

"Actually..." Collei spoke up, drawing in the attention everyone.

"Oh, what is it Collei?" Asks Amber. Her initial thought was that Collei may be worried for Akemi and would want to visit her.

A nervous sigh escaped Collei's mouth. She had to come up with a lie they'd easily believe and quick to help them figure it out the true reason why Akemi ended up this way.

She clears her throat a little before talking. "Earlier in the library, Akemi was complaining about when the snake attacks her...and she responded with eating it?"
Collei had no idea what she was saying. When Akemi was on a rant about herself, she thought she was delusional when she heard Akemi say that 'Fire straight from dry wood has the best flavors.' 

She nervously scratches her head when she explains this. "Sorry, I'm not sure if that makes sense."

A long silence echoed throughout the area, and Collei could tell it wasn't a good one.

'Damn it, that was too farfetched...' She held in the urge to groan and waits for a response from any of them. What she received was not what she was expecting.

"She did what!?!?" Screams Amber. "AGAIN!?"

"A-again...!?" Stuttered the child. What did Amber mean by again? There's was no way Akemi would actually do something like that, right...?

Kaeya frowned, a look of disappointment as he messaged his temples. "That explains everything..."

Even Jean and Lisa were disappointed, maybe even a little embarrassed after hearing that. "Tell me about it." mumbled Jean.

Collei watched the collective sighs and groans of displeasure in misperception. 'I must be missing out on something here...' She thought to herself.

Noticing the girl's befuddlement, Lisa glances over to Collei and sighs. "You see Collei, Akemi has the ability to eat flames to fuel her strength. So if she... were to eat the candle flame in the library, it would give her a boost of energy."

The Outrider gasps as she finally drew the dots to the flame incident all those days ago. "Wait, so when that snake completely disappeared, it was because she ate it all right!?"