A/N: I'M FINALLY BACKKKKK :D sorry for the veryy long wait and thank you for being patient.
Agent Ningguang felt like they had been walking in a dark hallway for hours. She wondered what time it was. Surely, it felt like it was midnight because she started to feel drowsy. There were no windows or the slightest hint of natural light; only the lit torches in the hall. The agent glanced over at Zhongli at her side and she could tell he was beginning to feel exhausted as well. Everyone was awfully quiet and the sounds of their footsteps were only heard. Agent Ningguang wondered how the other fatui managed to keep themselves awake. The queen herself didn't appear tired at all and neither did the fatuus in white walking ahead of her, leading the way.
The agent wished for two things at the moment: the first one being unrestrained and finally getting that cloth out of her mouth and finally returning back to the Jade Chamber... where—well—she hopes she runs into her duplicate and kills her.
"We are almost there," the male fatuus in white said.
It was only a few more steps until they reached the destination. They entered a small natatorium in which the pool's water was bright and its reflections on the ceiling can be seen clearly. When there was nothing else but the pool, the Tsaritsa turned her head menacingly to the fatuus in white. "What are we supposed to see? There's nothing else but a pool. I expected to see some teleporter or machine or something."
The fatuus gulped. "Y-Your Majesty, this is the exact room and the spot you're standing right now is where we found her."
"So you just found her standing right here?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, it was around after the sun had set."
"You're telling me that the twin just appeared right here out of nowhere?" She smoldered her eyes.
The fatuus took a step back when the queen shot her eyes at him. "U-Uh w-well—she was found wet."
"Wet?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. She appeared to be very soaking wet—as if she just came out of the water with full clothes." He looked at her with terrified eyes.
The queen blinked and glanced at the pool. There was a brief moment of silence and everyone looked over at the pool. There was nothing that seemed unordinary. Agent Ningguang examined the water, but there was nothing. "Are you lying to me?" She hissed and darted her eyes back again at the male fatuus. The Tsaritsa pointed over to the pool. "There is nothing but water. How can she just possibly come from the water?"
"That is what we are trying to figure out, Your Majesty."
Agent Ningguang just wanted to rip the queen's head off because now no one had answers since she was the reason that Kristina died. Well, not that she really cares about all the commotion going on, she just wanted to speed up the process and get out of the hellhole she was in quickly.
"Well, figure it out soon or some other weird phenomenon or whatever you call it—I don't care, come out of the water." She glared into his soul as she took a step toward him. "We can't let this trouble us in our process of building an army, you hear me?"
He quivered as he nodded his head. "Y-Yes, Your Majesty."
The queen began walking toward the exit. "Have this place monitored. Report anything you see, got it?" She shook her head. "Ugh, you are all the same." She exited through the door, with the rest of the crew leaving one by one. Another fatuus appeared and said, "what are we going to do about the two?" he held a picture the agent couldn't see well, but she made out two figures that seemed masculine.
"Forget them. They are nothing but little pests wasting my time. Years went on and it looks like they forgot about their mission. Kill them when you see them," the queen gestured the fatuus to scram and went on.
Before leaving the natatorium, Agent Ningguang took a quick glance behind her to see the lone male fatuus in white looking straight down with his fists clenched.
She read his lips,
I'm a failure.
And the door shut behind them.
Agent Ningguang grunted as she continued to punch the dummies surrounding her in a circle, although the pain through her knuckles were stinging. Blood was seeping through her bandages and her skin reddened under the hot setting sun. No one dared to bother the agent in the still weather. Agent Ningguang was far into the fields of the Jade Chamber, training alone. The other agents knew something was up, because she was alone and punching dummies like a madman.
Although the agent was sweating so much, she didn't allow her fatigue to get a hold of her and ignored every emotion and pain she dealt with. With every hard punch on the dummies, the wood became indented along with blood smears. The agent grunted once again as she kicked the dummy on the head, knocking it down.
At last, she was exhausted from being out in the field for too long and she fell on her knees and lay on the grass, with her arm over her head. She breathed heavily and a tear came crawling down her cheek.
"Ningguang," the general walked up to her and extended her arm. "Get up."
The agent reached for Beidou's hand using her other hand. "Do not let this one time be a burden to you." She rested both of her hands on Agent Ningguang's shoulders.
Although tears of frustration continued to fall on her cheek, Agent Ningguang didn't let her emotions get a hold of her. "I'm a failure, general." She shook her head. "Because of me, I got the others hurt during the mission. I failed to protect them, I–"
"Ningguang, listen." Beidou lifted her chin so that the agent could avert her gaze to her. "You did everything you could. The others would've wanted you to carry on the mission, even if it meant leaving them out there and getting hurt. Someone needed to end it. You did the right thing." Her calm voice soothed the agent. Ningguang now steadied her breathing. "Choosing what's best for your team is what makes you a good leader, Ningguang." She placed her hand back on her shoulder.
"But I didn't want them to get hurt." She opposed it.
"Nobody wishes to get hurt. But sometimes things in life just don't go the way we want." The general's eyes averted elsewhere with a sad expression, as if her words had a double meaning. She once again made eye contact with the agent. "You are not a failure, Ningguang. No one here is."
With their bodies close to each other, Agent Ningguang took an inch forward and hugged the general. Her warmth was all she needed. Perhaps this is all that Beidou needed as well...
By the time Agent Ningguang finished reminiscing about her past, she snapped back into reality and realized she was locked up in a room with Zhongli. There were no windows on the door and neither were there any windows in the room. The cloth was removed from her mouth, but she was still tied up. The two were sitting down against the brick wall, looking defeated, then the agent realized something.
"What are you doing here?" She shifted her head to her left to face Zhongli. "I thought you joined The Fatui."
Zhongli closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. "I did. I just probably haven't fully gained her trust yet."
The agent scoffed, "yeah, why would anyone trust the likes of a lord like you?"
"You're so cold. I would fight back, but it's a waste of time fighting a fellow future comrade." He adjusted his back against the wall.
"What the hell do you mean?"
"Well of course, the Tsartisa is gonna take you back in that room and hypnotize you." Zhongli said it in a well-mannered tone that the agent just wanted to shut him up.
The agent instead laughed hysterically that made a tear come out. "My, you're funny. Your name should've been Zhongli, Lord of the Clowns." Her laughter began to die down. "You don't know what you're talking about, because I'm getting the hell out of here." She kicked Zhongli, making him bulge his eyes open and turn to her.
"Look at me dead in the eye Mr. Zhongli." The agent's expression darkened with intensity. "I always mark my words. I am getting out of here alive."
"Quite stupid of you to tell me your plans." He scoffed.
"I am telling you this so you'll know you're going to get punished and lose their trust for not stopping me from escaping." Agent Ningguang had a smug look on her face.
Zhongli chuckled. "Don't be so confident, Ningguang. Look at you. You're still tied up, so how the fuck will you ever escape now?"
"Oh really?" All of a sudden, a hard rock formed and it smashed against the agent's handcuffs in half. Although the cuffs were still around her wrists, she could at least move them freely.
"What the?!" Zhongli widened his eyes. "Since when–?!"
"Thanks to Signora, I was able to have my vision back." Agent Ningguang cocked a devilish smile, as she took out her vision from her pocket and showed him.
Zhongli gritted his teeth. "That bitch–! She deserved to die." He shifted on the ground. "Now free me!"
The agent shook her head. "Oh, Mr. Zhongli, everything has a cost."
"What do you want?!"
"Tell me again about that day you happen to see me at the Jade Chamber."
Zhongli was getting frustrated. "I already told you! I saw you there! Now if you don't believe me, so be it!" The agent took a step closer, making him back up. "No no, I believe you now," she said. "She looks exactly like me, right?"
"Yes!"
"Alright," Agent Ningguang shrugged, having an idea of something. "One last question. Where are we?"
"Miles from Liyue City!"
She walked toward the wall Zhongli was leaning against. I can manage, the agent thought. "Very well. I will be leaving now."
"Wait! Free me now!"
Agent Ningguang smoldered her eyes. "If you try to tackle me, you know it's pointless." She then cocked her head to the side.
Zhongli nodded hastily. "Yes, I know! Free me now!" The agent furrowed her brows, not wanting to give him what he wanted. However, her plan against Zhongli might work, so she went on and helped the man be freed from his handcuffs.
Suddenly, he tackled her down. "You're a fucking stupid bitch." He tried to choke her, but he was just no match for her. Agent Ningguang kicked him which sent him flying and slammed against the brick wall. She saw it coming.
"You're the one who's stupid. Now I can frame you." The agent stood and dusted off her clothing. "See you around, Lord Zhongli of Clowns." With the help of her vision, she created a hole in the wall and she jumped off the building, leaving Zhongli stunned on the ground.
To agent Ningguang's surprise, the floor they were on was only on the second floor and was fairly close to the surface. As she landed, she scratched her knees and palm, but none of that mattered. She was free now.
And now she was after her duplicate.
-----------------------------
The lady slowly began to close her eyes when the tip of Beidou's nose touched against hers. Her heart was going crazy and something about it was just making her lose her sanity. She didn't want to move or it would've been impolite, since she didn't even have a clue if the general and the real Agent Ningguang even did things like this at all.
She could feel the general's heavy breathing blow against her lips. Ningguang closed her eyes.
However, she suddenly felt the woman back away from her lips and instead felt a pair of soft lips kiss her forehead so dearly.
The lady opened her eyes and the general was now standing, but was facing to her side, avoiding Ningguang's gaze. The lady was confused. "I... I think you should go now," Beidou said quietly.
Ningguang simply nodded in confusion without mumbling a single word, took the book on the table and started to walk away. There was not a single 'goodnight' from any of them. She wondered if the general was okay. As she reached the exit, she took one last peak at Beidou from afar, to see that she was sitting on the couch with her hand covering her mouth. Her eyes seemed plain, like she was reflecting her actions. Upon seeing the sight, the lady slowly shut the door and walked to the direction of her room.
Seeing Beidou like that made her worry. Did we cross the line? Did I make her somewhat upset? The lady didn't know. It was a close one, she would think. Yet she was thankful they didn't kiss or who knows what would happen.
•••
It was the next day and Ningguang was anxious. She had trouble sleeping all night because of two things: the intimate moment with the general and Keqing's punishment. However, she was more worried about Keqing. What more, she only realized now that she had no clue where her tassel and hairpin went. Well, whatever. That wasn't her priority right now. She assumed that Beidou took it as well for unknown reasons.
The lady shot up from her bed in the early morning and made her way to Keqing's room. Ningguang knocked on her door and an immediate answer from the girl was heard. She then opened the door to see Keqing standing in front of her window, zoning out on the view.
"Good morning, Keqing..." Ningguang said with a low tone. "Are you feeling all better?"
The girl let out a heavy sigh before responding, "yes."
With such wonderful weather and the sun shining brightly through the window, Keqing's expression didn't match. She was frowning and her eyes seemed dull, but who could blame her? "General Beidou had a quick chat with me the first thing I woke up... it was in regards to... my punishment." Keqing said as she continued to look outside.
Ningguang didn't say a word and stood rooted at her door as she listened to the girl. Keqing shook her head. "It's just... I just probably wished I hadn't healed this soon. That remedy just scares me. It's like a reminder that I'm only being healed just to get hurt all over again."
She was scared.
"I know this isn't a death sentence but this will for sure scar me. Even literally." Keqing rubbed the side of her arm. "I get hurt out in the field, but imagine getting hurt in your own home?"
Ningguang left the door open and walked toward the girl. "We learn from our mistakes, Keqing." She hugged the girl tightly for reassurance and comfort. "Just hold on. I know you can."
Keqing wrapped her arms around the lady's waist. She didn't respond for a while and quietly allowed Ningguang's embrace to warm her. "... Our mission is tomorrow and yet I'm holding the team back." She whispered.
"That doesn't matter. We will sort things out." The lady slowly stroked the girl's hair.
"General Beidou won't even tell me the time my punishment will start. I don't even think you're supposed to be here."
"Hush now," Ningguang said. "You can fight through the pain, Keqing. You're a strong agent. And who cares about the rules right now? I want to comfort you." She couldn't believe herself when she said 'who cares about the rules right now'. Without even realizing it, she was slowly turning into... Captain Beidou.
"Ahem,"
Keqing and Ningguang jumped and looked at who was at the door. "Agent Ningguang, it's time for you to join the others for breakfast." General Beidou was back to her strict and professional self. Ningguang wondered if it was because of last night. "Keqing, your breakfast will be served. I will have Baixiao stay here and make sure"—she shot a quick menacing glance at Ningguang then back at Keqing—"that no one comes in and pays a visit." Her tone was stern.
The lady blinked and looked at the ground in guilt. "Yes, General Beidou." Keqing answered, as she faced the ground.
Ningguang could feel the general's eyes being laid on her, so she bowed (which felt out of place), and said, "pardon me", before leaving.
She didn't bother turning around as she was on her way to join the others. She wondered how long Beidou was standing at the door. She reflected back at how the general was looking at her. It seemed like she was jealous that she and Keqing were hugging. But there wasn't really anything to be jealous of. Plus, what was wrong trying to comfort a friend? Beidou's actions bewildered the lady which only made her stressed and it was something she didn't like.
What's her deal... Ningguang wondered and sulked until she reached the breakfast table.