avalononline | [video un: dandelionwine] at our next merry meeting away in the sky.

[The video starts with a tall tree and collection of bright stars above as Venti is pointing the device upwards. The night sky is sparkling with bright nightly colours. The video pans down wildly to show feet dangling from one branch. One brown loafer shoe just barely hanging on by a toe. Then a weepy voice sings along with a soft sad melody...]

An arbor of flowers and a kettle of wine... Alas in the bowers no companion is mine.

[The shoe falls from his foot and hits the ground below. Only to be met with a huff and whine as the one in the tree starts to sip from a large wine bottle. The camera pans up again with the view of the whole bottle before there is a glimpse of Venti's face as he sips it.]

Then the moon sheds her rays on my goblet and me... And my shadow betrays we’re a party of three.

Party of three...! Your poem is the worst! Just terrible...!!

[Venti sighs...]

See the moon–how she dances in response to my song. See my shadow–it dances so lightly along... While sober I feel, you are both my good friends. ...While drunken I reel, our companionship ends...

[A soft sob as Venti takes another big sip of wine and lets the lonely ache overtake his singing. The camera pans down again as he's unable to finish the last few lines of a poem that Zhongli wrote him. Now that his old friend is gone.]

You and the curious starshine too... how boring...

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[A song lively and full of adventure? Sure, that'd be nice. But Bennett knows life isn't so simple.]

Not every adventure makes for a good song. A lot of them end completely unremarkably, or even in disappointment. Heh... I think I know that better than anyone...

[If there's anyone who knows what it's like to have a disappointing adventure, it's Bennett.]

It's during those times that I always feel the most alone, like nothing's going my way and things really suck. But it's during those times that I hate being alone more than anything else. I...

[A pause. Oh Venti... He considers you a dear friend now despite not knowing you that well prior to arriving in this world. His heart aches for you.]

...If you'd rather have some time to yourself, I won't force you. But please don't ever feel like you're all alone.

[A rather unremarkable adventure making way for disappointment... Yes, he would have to liken that to his own feelings. Zhongli vanishing from his world has left with that imprint. Gone before anything could occur and leaving Venti behind along with it. Boring old man...]

For such a young soul, Bennett, you've seen quite a wide range of the world, haven't you. Eheh...

[He smiles weakly.]

If that's so right... Would you mind coming to sit in a tree with me? ... Or maybe the ground would be better so your luck won't make you fall.

[Because this warm-hearted boy gets it just right. Venti feels disappointed. Alone. And he hates those feelings the most.]

Haha, maybe... I'm an Adventurer, after all. But there's still so much more to the world out there that I haven't seen yet, and the greatest adventure I'll ever have could be waiting for me in some far-off corner of the globe!

[He may have only half understood the symbolism of Venti's comment there.]

Sure, I'll come hang out with you! Just tell me where to go and I'll be there faster than a vishap!

So long as you don't trip.

[He says this affectionately even if his tone is soft.

Then he giggles slightly as his head tilts.]

Guiding you to where I am might be... fairly tricky! I'm not sure which tree I'm in. Somewhere north of the city. You might have to look for the clues my familiar left behind in order to find me.

[A bit of a game to find the bard? No- he really doesn't know where he is. Look for the blue seelie floating in the sky.]

Nothing an Adventurer can't handle?

So it's an adventure, then, huh? Haha, you know just how to get me excited! Alright, it's adventure time, and the treasure is finding my sad friend! See you when I see you, Venti!

[With that, he closes the chat and sets off to find Venti according to his clues!

...Bennett's search doesn't go well, ranging from going in the wrong direction initially to getting attacked by monsters, and it's about half an hour before he finally turns up, his voice heard echoing nearby.]

Are you sure this is the right way, Fors? We've already gotten lost a lot...

[The familiar seems to make some angry, frantic blorping sounds at Bennett, as if to say "We? You got yourself lost! Trust me!" but to anybody it would just sound like unintelligible noise.]

Haha... Yeah, you're right, it is my fault... Alright, keep leading the way!

[He's getting close to Venti's position.]

[As per Bennett's poor luck it takes him quite the timeframe to find Venti's tree! So much time that Venti is able to polish off the remaining of the wine he has and is able to feel the wobbly burn of it in his lungs...]

Oh sweet moon, shine of my love...

[The whiny singing nearby might be Bennett's last clue to where he is...]

Shower me in brightness all my sorrows from above... Eheheh! [Hic!] Ahh-!?

[And suddenly there is a crash as Venti tumbles right out of the tree and lands hard on the ground...]

Oh- How- Ow!

[Bennett was slowly trudging up the hill as he followed behind his familiar. But when Venti suddenly falls out of the tree, the red seelie suddenly zooms off in his direction at a speed that would make an Electro Seelie jealous.]

Ah-?! H-hey, wait up!

[Bennett starts running after the seelie now, and comes across Venti, lying on the ground, clearly from a fall. Bennett knows falls.]

Venti! Are you okay?!

Ahh... Oh- Ow ow ow ow owwww...

[Venti warbles from the ground with one hand coming up to wave off any sort of concern.]

Okay as the moon shines, my... friend...!

[He huffs as he slowly rubs his tailbone and then looks up at the friendly little seelie. His own finally makes an appearance and floats there with the red one and seems to squish about in concern as well.]

[Bennett frowns at the sight of Venti. Yeah, you're not okay, in more ways than one.]

Hold still, I'll take the pain away for you.

[He holds out a hand above Venti's backside, aiming to heal the soreness in his tailbone. He can't do anything about Venti's drunkenness or the impending hangover he'll have later ~~he only learned how to cure diarrhea~~, but he can at least deal with this.]

Ugh-

[Venti wobbles and has to steady himself with a hand on Bennett's arm but at least the world isn't spinning so hard. The pain dulls and he huffs.]

Healing magic, is it? It's always the hero types... Ehehe. Could you help me stand?

[Venti's comment actually causes Bennett to hesitate for a moment. A hero type? Him? As if... Someone as unlucky could never even dream of being a hero. He never even entertained the possibility for himself that he could ever be a hero, even if he wanted to.

The light of Bennett's magic fades. At least his luck rarely interfered when he used his healing magic...]

Yeah, of course. I help my dads up when their backs are acting up. You aren't even half as old as they are, haha!

[Bennett positions himself to help Venti to his feet]

[Venti wobbles and pats a hand on Bennett's shoulder appreciatively as he accepts the help up!

... And promptly makes a bit of a smile when Bennett says that.]

Oh, but I assure you I feel twice as old or if not older than that at times... Ehe.

[Pat pat pat.]

Thank you, Bennett... I'm not as light on my feet tonight.

Twice as old? I dunno, that'd make you pretty old then. My dads are retired adventurers, after all!

[Bennett helps walk Venti back over to the tree, attempting to help set him down gently at the base of the tree. None of this tree climbing again, mister, you're drunk.]

You should be more careful, Venti. It's pretty lucky you fell out of the tree before I got here, who knows what could have happened with my bad luck.

[He lets out a woozy giggle and tilts his head to the side, his braids swishing.]

Ehe... You'd be surprised at my actual age. Let's just say... I've always had a youthful look.

[Which isn't technically a lie. Venti. Might just end up spilling a few vague secrets because he's drunk??]

Are you saying that you finding me was a spout of bad luck? I don't think so! I find that excellent luck!

[video un: dandelionwine] at our next merry meeting away in the sky.

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