Lady Ragnvindr

      If they could embody a tired expression right now, they would … last thing they want to be is small and blobby. Mostly the small part. “… no, no slime. I’m pretty okay not being carried, but the gesture is quite appreciated. On the other hand … I would happily take you up on seeing that place back in the harbour.”

      With their head tilting and a sigh rumbling out … “Give me like five minutes? Books lie about how quick creatures turn into different forms; it definitely isn’t a poof one and done!”

      Mostly cause it’s not pretty … and they’d be naked too for a short moment, so you know, human modesty. They definitely did take a sweet moment to find a nice little spot to hide, having to peep around to make sure they were alone … and soon enough, out popped the proper, human shaped not-deer.

      “Heyo—deer here. Err, I guess.”

Aw. She’d thought deer-creature would make such a cute slime. But, well, maybe they were afraid they’d get beaten up as a slime? The poor things were always being bullied and she felt bad. Still, the young woman nods her head and sits, waiting patiently for the large deer to wander off and return.

And return they do.

“Are you a fairy? You know, I saw in a book somewhere that there was this other plane of existence where fairies live and sometimes they come over and mama always said that if you meet a fairy you have to be real polite--”

“Or they’ll curse your bloodline with eternal failure and show you unspeakable horrors that are not meant for this world.”

   While he no doubt  should  have told her that it was no costume,  he’d simply allow her to believe such for now.  Remainder of the cookies were tucked away within his coat,  however,  head tilting curiously.

   “ I suppose …  Simply say what you require my assistance with and I will do what I can . ”

“Since it’s time for a holiday and Trick or Treating, my family and I are letting the youngsters and their parents on our land and spooking them while they wander around and if they handle it well and don’t run away, they get candy and treats!” Polly grabs him by the hand and begins attempting to tug him along.

They were friends now, after all.

   He certainly wasn’t expecting this,  but won’t complain really …  Instead the Captain began munching away on one of the cookies.

        “ … These are quite good . ”

she is gonna feel so bad if one of them cries fdslfds

　…Huh? Did she hear him correctly?

　Well, considering the name she just gave him, he supposed she did—yet her request (and attempts to marketing her friendship to him) confused him all the same. Shouldn’t she dread the concept of having a Fatui Harbinger as an acquaintance? What a curious girl.

　"Uh, sure.“ He responded mindlessly while his gaze observed the bean shaped stone on her hand. "Nice to meet you… Polly? You can just call me Childe.”

　He paused, and thought with a blink and an arched brow. “…You are aware of the Fatui Harbingers, right? Are you sure you want to share your snacks and your trinkets and your… your rock bean, with a bad guy?” It wasn’t truly meant to sound self-deprecating, but he figured he’d make sure she was well aware of who she was becoming acquainted with.

“Child? How cute!” A hand raises up and she tip toes, patting his head with practiced gentleness. She fuffles his hair as one would a younger sibling before setting back down on her heels and tucking the bean rock into his pocket. “Nice to meet you.”

She’s gonna dress him up like a mini Diluc🧍🏼‍♀️

　Ah. Did his offhand comment perhaps trouble her? She seemed suddenly a little awkward, even though he had shown no disdain to her mistake.

　“I’m the Eleventh Harbinger, one of the most powerful warriors around Teyvat.” A pause. It lingers for a moment. “…But you can use masculine pronouns.”

She can work with this. Okay, this fine. “O-okay,” Polly reaches out and grabs his hand with both of her own, shaking it awkwardly yet earnestly.

      Their head tilted a little to look towards her, glad that their feline / cervid face was not … expressive, otherwise it’d have the most blank look in trying to think who the hell would even fit the description of ‘nice dad who listens to stories’ in Liyue … that’s too many!

      ( … he doesn’t even look like a dad … )

      “Hoh? Well, I’m quite travelled—if you’d like an extra pair of legs to travel alongside you for a little while … just perhaps, not in this form, huhu. Although being this form is my nature, it is not the easiest for getting into buildings, as you’d guess.”

“You can change forms? Can you change into a slime? I think you’d be a cute dendro slime since you’re green and I can carry you. I’m really strong, you know, I have a wagon and everything.” Not that the wagon was with her, but she still had one.

polly what the hell are you talking about

waku waku

Signe has to do a bit of a double-take. It’s not often that people try to sneak books into the library… unless they’re overdue. These books look a bit unfamiliar to her, though.

“Miss Polly, I can help you process those if you’re trying to make a return. It might be for the better, Lisa tends to be a bit more strict with overdue books. Or perhaps… are you making a donation?”

“Huu--” So she’d been caught had she? She’d really thought she was being sneaky though! Still, Signe was right; the bunch of books in her arms were not from the library, rather she was simply out of room in the Manor and was dropping them off.