[ FUEL ] - The frost has grown harsher, and the fires now demand more fuel to stay alive. Whether it’s furniture from abandoned buildings or scraps dug from… frozen trash bins, it falls to you to find a way to keep the embers glowing.
FUEL HAS EXISTED SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, and he has seen the lengths worlds will go to in an attempt to ensure the primordial flame continues to burn without end, and yet it seems that Belobog's flame has long since begun to burn itself out. Yet the hour of extrapolation has not yet come, as the Mechanical Aristocrat strolls through the streets filled with snow, watching as a great many peoples dart back and forth in hopes of keeping the flame alight long into the night.
Screwllum veers off, letting the umbrella drag in the snow as he searches for a secluded alley in which to deploy the beacon. His interference cannot be so open, not when the knowledge goes against the core tenets of the society and yet calling upon the Screwllumites in secret to assist is what it means to be the ruler.
Yet he cannot deploy the beacon, watching as another gentlemanly figure calmly walks into the Alleyway. Do they share the same goal? A million questions, teal gaze falling upon the man as the Erudition warns not to underestimate him. In a way he is reminded of the Vidyadhara, yet the figure before him is unfamiliar even to one that has watched them from afar. "Ah, it would seem we had a similar thought of searching here, the snow is rather undisturbed, perhaps fuel may be found here after all."
A bow, keeping the hand and the butterfly behind his back, one can never be too cautious when it comes to interstellar travellers after all.
Humanity likes to consider fire one of their greatest inventions, a statement that Neuvillette tends to sneer at, even if only quietly and to himself. Fire was a product of pure elements, brought originally to the world of Teyvat, at the very least, by the primordial dragons. The most humans do is borrow their rights to use its power, and even that is enough for them to boast about mastering or conquering it - a statement proven wrong again and again, with every tree, house and person scorched to ashes by its might.
Humans will never master the raw, primordial elements. But then, he has to ask himself, they keep trying - is it foolish, or admirable?
There is no denying, of course, that the power of the elements is magnificent and useful, opening a myriad opportunities and possibilities. Water, of course, he doubts he needs to convince anyone that it is the power of life, plain and simple, without which living organisms are unable to exist. And then, of course there is fire, which the people of Belobog are now searching for in life-seeking desperation, fear of cold conquering any exhaustion they may feel in this moment.
Even if his interest in this plight is somewhat limited, Neuvillette does not wish to simply sit idly by and watch this scene - and besides, the constant sensation of desperation and panic that resonates with his emotions in a constant, deafening beat at the back of his mind is tiresome to say the least. It is with that in mind that he joins the effort to find some fuel to prolong the life of whatever flames they have on hand.
He eventually wanders off to an alley that humans seemingly dare not investigate (he had heard that this so-called Fragmentum has infected even some parts of the city itself, which are now closed off), and it is there that he finds himself running into a most curious individual.
The... man before him no doubt possesses logic and consciousness, especially when he addresses Neuvillette, prompting him to turn and offer him his full attention - and yet, he senses no life within that person in the sense he is most familiar with. Inorganic life, is it? He had heard of the concept here and there, but had yet to encounter it in person, until now.
It is fascinating, really. In Fontaine, the idea of a Gardemek with full consciousness and awareness equal to that of a human would be an incomprehensible prospect, and likely one many would be horrified of (even if they were closer to achieving it than many truly knew - privy to all sorts of restricted knowledge, Neuvillette knew the story of the Gardemek Curve, including the circumstances of its - his? - unfortunate end), and yet here, it seems to be... perfectly normal.
"The area seems like it has not been visited for a long time," is what Neuvillette responds out loud to the observation, in the place of all those trains of thoughts. "If any resources were abandoned here in the past, it's likely they are still here. And if regular humans are better off not entering this area. I figured I would try in their place."
Indeed, it seems like their logic was similar in that regard.
To a bow offered to him, Neuvillette responds in kind. He notes the concealed gesture behind the other's back, perceptive as he is, but thinks little of it - it is not as though he is not keeping up a degree of caution of his own. "Introductions may be in order." Inorganic lifeforms likely had names as well, after all, and he would be the last person to discriminate. "Neuvillette, visitor from the world of Teyvat. Pleasure to meet you."
