***
Barbara could tell...
The manner in which Jean looked at her...
Something was wrong.
Something was terribly amiss...
After Yomite left the room, Jean narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Barbara, we need to talk." She said sternly, her arms crossed across her chest.
"About what?" Barbara's voice came out as barely more than a whisper, and she averted Jean's sight altogether.
"Sit down."
The interaction between them had always been strained.
When they were young, two sisters were separated by their parents against their will.
Forced to grow up so far apart that there was no way to keep in touch, they were now both forced to lead a conversation that lasted more than a few words, which was the norm before one of them usually awkwardly left.
As such, the issue at hand wasn't the usual.
"What is it, Acting Grand Master Jean? Do you wish something from me?" The last part sounded forced. "I can attest Yum-Yum is innocent. I was with him the whole time."
Barbara obviously wished to leave and join him outside as soon as possible and not waste time inside the office.
"Listen..."
Jean exhaled inwardly.
She knew this wasn't going to go well for either of them, but she couldn't simply ignore it any longer.
"I'm sorry. Deaconess, Barbara Pegg, you're under arrest for breaking and trespassing into the home of a man who has made himself well known by his heroic deeds. If you cooperate with us, your sentence can be reduced greatly, otherwise..." Jean trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
Her tone had become threatening at some point while her mind ran through all of the various ways this situation could end.
There was a long moment of silence between them.
Barbara flinched noticeably before taking a deep breath.
She lowered her head and spoke softly.
"I don't understand...what are you talking about...?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about." The anger in Jean's eyes was palpable.
Barbara felt herself shrink back slightly. It had never happened before, but she knew it was coming.
Due to her gentle disposition, people tended to forget that Jean was one of the strongest people in all of Mondstadt.
She was also one of the reasons why the Fatui did not wage an open war against them, as she was simply too powerful.
Jean was certainly not the only powerful character, but she was one of the most well-known.
No one would ever be safe if Jean, one of the most peaceful and kind individuals, became furious.
"I-I am confused... What is going on here, sister? Please just explain yourself!"
Jean stared straight ahead, her face unreadable.
Her gaze seemed so far away, like she didn't even notice Barbara anymore.
It was unsettling, to say the least.
Barbara did her best to decipher what was going on behind Jean's piercing gaze, but Jean was like an impenetrable wall that she was never meant to breach.
"Please..." Barbara begged. "I really don't get it. What did I do!?"
"Barbara..." Jean began, her expression darkening as she spoke. She grabbed for a stack of papers next to her desk, and handed it to the blonde.
Barbara took it hesitantly, turning it over.
Her expression immediately dropped.
A collection of pictures was shown.
Pictures she was well familiar with...
"...You were...in my house?" She asked quietly, her voice shaking.
Barbara knew it instinctively, that what Mona Megistus predicted yesterday, was actually happening right before her eyes...
'Your relationship with your sister will go down the drain the moment you return to Mondstadt!'
Those words of hers, echoed in her mind...
It was fated, wasn't it?
"I was forced to go inside when I couldn't find you! You left Mondstadt without my permission! Do you know how worried I was!? You only told Rosaria about it and no one else! What else was I supposed to do! Barbara. You need help. What you're doing is not a normal behavior. This is just a stack of pictures, a small portion of what was found inside of your room. Tens...hundreds of pictures...of Yomite Hissha pinned on the walls. Some of them were taken while he was sleeping which means you entered his mansion during the night without his permission and violated his privacy!"
Barbara shook her head, tears began to well up in her eyes. "N-No... No you have it all wrong! Why would I do something so horrible? You're mistaken!"
"To think my own sister would lie to my eyes like this!" Jean frowned, "Never thought the day would come when I'll have to discipline my own little sister!"
Barbara stood up from the chair in a hurry and backed against the wall as if she was trying to find a place to hide in the small office.
"Don't run away! This is for your own good!"
The fact that she was ready to fight made Barbara cower in fear.
"You even took some of his personal items like shirt and... underwear...which was also found in your room... it's completely inappropriate for someone of your position as the Deaconess of the church to have such thoughts and to act like this! It's disgusting!"
Barbara covered her ears with her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Stop it! Stop talking!" The blonde's voice trembled as she implored.
Jean walked up to her sister and grabbed the top of her hands forcing her to look at her again.
"Do you still not understand the situation you're in? What you've done? You're like a criminal... I am...so ashamed..."
Jean sounded beyond disappointed.
For her little sister to do something like this, and in such a secretive manner too...
Going so far to the point of lying to cover it up...
It hurt her...
Jean had known for some time now that Barbara was not quite as normal as she used to be ever since she was saved by him, but she never imagined that she would do something like this...and...with the Kamera Jean gave her as a gift nonetheless.
"...S-So what!? Th-That's my kind of love! You wouldn't ever be able to understand it since you've never loved me or anyone else in the first place!"
Barbara responded harshly and withdrew her hands from her older sister's grasp.
"...That's not true...I care about you a lot."
Jean looked down for a moment before looking back into her younger sister's eyes.
"While it's true we couldn't spend much time together, it was because we've both been busy with our duties. You know that very well."
"Don't try to sugar coat it! We could have met at any time! If only you wanted to! Just a little bit of time was fine! I need to know, right now!" Barbara yelled and then stepped forward. "Me, or Mondstadt!? Which will you pick!?"
"..."
Jean's jaw clenched tightly, and the color drained from her face.
It felt as if chilly fingers were wrapping around her heart, squeezing it tighter and harder with each passing second.
It was so painful that she was unable to speak or even move.
Nevertheless, she was still standing in front of Barbara, attempting to convince herself...
Trying to convince herself...?
Her little sister Barbara was more precious that the city of Mondstadt, surely? She had no doubt at all about that, not for a second.
'For Mondstadt, as always.'
Yet why was it, that her mother's words kept repeating themselves over and over again in her head?
Why...?
Why...
"I need to hear it! What is more important to you, your little sister, or Mondstadt!?"
The truth was so simple...
And yet...
"...Mondstadt." She whispered weakly, "But that doesn't mean..."
Jean ceased speaking when she noticed Barbara's expression.
"..."
....
..
.
Barbara backed away slowly, and lowered her head. "...Haha...Jeez..." She let out a bitter laugh, "...you know, I really thought you might care about me...at least a little bit...but I guess I was wrong." She turned and walked towards the door.
"Yomite is a wonderful person, who I fell in love with at first sight. You wouldn't understand it, but we're almost lovers. I don't care what you do with him, but leave us alone. Leave me alone."
Jean opened her mouth slightly, as if to shout after the blonde, but she closed it and watched helplessly as Barbara fled out the door.
The relationship between the two sisters was severed, at last...
