NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 38: In The Meantime
Shimmer's POV.
"So what do we do while we wait for the plan to go into motion?" I asked Gloom, "I was supposed to attent a Harbringer meeting, how about you come too?" She suggested, "Are... Are you sure?" I questioned, "It sounds important." I point out, considering it's an official meeting.
At that Gloom seemed completely unbothered, "I'll just say you're my escort." She reassured, "Well... I'm not a hundred percent sure, but if you say it's fine..." I reluctuntly agree, knowing it might be a bit awkward with the other Harbringers.
Zapolyarny Palace.
Now at the entranceo f the palace I was feeling overwhelmed with the idea that I would be meeting with such a high political power, "You know I'm okay dealing with Jacques just because he's a screw up, right?" I questioned, the slight panic in my voice clear.
Gloom waved that worry away, "I keep telling you it's no big deal, Childe brings Zhongli all the time." She informed, "Yeah... But might that be because he's the ex-Geo Archon?" I suggested, making Gloom stop a moment and makking her gain a surprised expression when she turned to me, "The fuck- Excuse me!?" She questioned in surprise.
"You didn't know!?" I questioned back, "Okay! Whatever! You're my lover! They'll either accept you're here or I'll remind them why I'm the strongest Harbringer." Gloom reassured, picking me up bridal style, "...This is slightly embarassing..." I comment, not noticing Gloom's slight smirk.
As Gloom carried me to the meeting room, I could notice the Fatui agents stopping to look at the scene of the 2nd Harbringer carrying a girl in her arms, "Now this is even more embarassing..." I lament, using the slit in Gloom's shirt to cover my face, "Oh calm down! As if you've been seen in your underwear." Gloom commented with an eyeroll.
After a while of walking we got to the meeting room, where the other 9 Harbringers and Pierro were waiting, "Took you long en-" Pierro was saying, before he noticed me, "...Who is that?" He questioned, "That would be my daughter's girlfriend." Arlecchino responded, "Hold on... Gloom is lesbian?" I heard the familiar voice of Childe say.
I looked in the direction of Childe, to notice that Arlecchino and Gloom too were staring at him, "I've been out of the closet for two years Ajax." Gloom said, clearly disappointed in the 10th.
"Well, it shouldn't really matter as long as she behaves, right?" I heard, turning to see the it was Columbina, "Honestly I accepted to come here cause Gloom insisted." I explained, prompting everyone to look at Gloom in surprise, "That's something I didn't think I'd hear honestly..." Signora commented, "The Hannya being so infatuated with someone that she wants her around all the time." She continued.
At that, Gloom just dropped me to the ground, "I kicked your ass once, I'll do it again." She warned with a tone that made it clear she was serious, "You literally climbed the ranks huh?" I mused before Pierro coughed to catch our attention, "If this catching up session is done, I have a special announcement to make." He started, "The Tsaritsa has decided to join this meeting and invited the other six Archons to discuss on what to do about the attacks coming from Remnant." He explained.
Gloom's POV.
Hearing those words, I looked at Shimmer who got up, and she looked as shocked as I was, "We should also join in that meeting." She told Pierro, "This is a meeting between Archons only." He explained instead of saying no, "No, no! She's right! We had information to share when the time was right, but this just makes it a little more urgent!" I agreed with Shimmer, taking Pierro off guard, "...It better be worth disobeying a direct order." He said, allowing it.
After A While.
The Harbringers, except me and Shimmer left, and then a few people started entering, Venti, Zhongli, Ei, Nahida, Focalors and Furina, Klee, and The Tsaritsa, and when these last two entered, Shimmer looked pretty shocked.
"Klee? You're the Pyro Archon?" She questioned, clearly still in shock, "Shimmer? I wasn't expecting to see you here..." Klee commented, "But yeah, I've been for five years now." She confirmed, "Okay, I can understand you being the Pyro Archon." Shimmer said, before turning to the Tsaritsa, otherwise known as Cirno, "But I'm gonna need some context with you." She said, clearly confused.
Cirno tilted her head when Shimmer called her out, "What kind of context?" She asked, "I mean that I know you as... You know... 'I'm the strongest!' And all that." Shimmer said, making a pretty terrible impression, "You know her before the ex-Tsaritsa trained her then." I deduced, "I never knew you were that cocky." Ei commented, finding glee in seeing the Fairy Archon blush.
"...How much do you know?" Cirno asked, "Nothing about how you became Archon." Shimmer replied, "I'll summarize it a moment." Gloom reassured, "You know how the old Tsaritsa had the 'Gnosis plan', that counted as abusing a godly position, meaning that she was to be deleted, but she requested some time to find and train a replacement for the Archon position, that's where Cirno comes in." I finished explaining to Shimmer, who nodded in understanding.
"It does makes sense that an Ice Fairy became Cryo Archon..." Shimmer rationalized, "Yeah, but honestly... I never was so sad as when I discovered my mentor had to be deleted, and that it happened right in front of me..." Cirno recounted when it happened, a sad look in her eyes.
A somber silence filled the room before she snapped out of it, "Okay! Enough depression lane! I've had enough of Suika's sake to last me a lifetime!" She proclaimed, "What did you want to talk about?" She asked, ready to hear why we were there.