The hope for the cure was long gone by the fifth year mark that [M/N] had planned out, the mutations were growing at a rapid pace that possibly caused the alienation of regular and semi-human-looking infected. The last one he saw was on Periwinkle's fifth birthday when it had snuck into the camp they were crashing at and [M/N] had bashed its head in with the toy horse he found and cleaned. Sadly it broke the chair and Periwinkle was upset that her toy had been reduced to bloody firewood.

There was always gossip about the cure and how different places over the world had found it but news brought people and people brought problems. Overpopulation, already-bitten groups, greed, and such fester along the trip to the shelters or cults.

[M/N] had been the receiving end of those, accidentally joining two with Periwinkle for shelter and food. Not to mention the time Periwinkle had chicken-pox for one of those and needed medicine for her along with a warm bed and soup.

Now she's seven and he had successfully left one without being harmed as the other nearly killed him.

They were heading west where [M/N] and Periwinkle had a chance since it was almost all ocean side. That was Fontaine for you, open with seas and boats to go on along with nice people as he heard through passing groups and people. Infected had traveled more, going as far as eating animals or weaker infected to survive since humans adapted and found out how to stun them. [M/N] had found out when he knocked a electrical cable in a large puddle that a long arm infected stepped in, causing it to stun it for at least twenty minutes as he stumbled around aimlessly for a weapon.

That was months ago, when he was with the Qixing but most importantly worked under Dr.Baizhu when Periwinkle was sick. He had been with them for three years of her life and they fled after he committed the only "sin" they had. The only rule to follow and he broke it to protect his own.

"There, a hundred bullets." Periwinkle announced as she shook the box of ammo in her hand. [M/N] hummed in acknowledgment as he kept driving the RV as she slides into her seat and buckled up, opening the passenger compartment then sliding the box inside. She grins as she slammed it shut before looking through the dirty window before rolling it down to feel the cool air. " Where are we going again?"

" Local police station, we're going to pick up a new map. You and your drawings covered up the roads and intersections." [M/N] said as he glanced at her with an eye roll then to the road. " Maybe some gas too, whatever's left."

"You like my art," The seven-year old said with a smile before looking at the dull blue signs they passed, "I need to pee too and maybe a bath too, I have some wipes."

"You can bathe here in the RV if you tried." [M/N] said as Periwinkle groans loudly at the idea of bathing in the cramped bathroom, "Okay, okay, but only for five minutes. I don't want that stupid wolf-infected getting the jump on us." The wolf-infected was morphed from at least six infected bodies into one due to Knights trying to supply some infected weapons to "guard" around their cult home. One had gotten particularly unhappy with [M/N] and followed him with Periwinkle. It's been years now but this thing was attached.

"Not my fault you burn down his family or something," She groans as [M/N] shakes his head as he drives, turning down the right lane towards the rest stop a few miles down. He heard it was an old Fatui camp too, the possibilities of left over supplies or ammo was also a good idea to pick up if there was any left along with a hope for a new map. So far they were still heading in the right direction towards a safe-heaven that hasn't been burned down, exposed or worse

He saw the rest stop with fallen Fatui insignias too, trash littering the area with some bodies of soldiers due to their clothes along with the masks on their faces. This camp was hit a few weeks ago from the gossip at local survivor stops that the camp was mysteriously taken by infected over night along with some quality supplies. Now that it's been weeks, [M/N] wanted to scavenge quickly and get back on the road towards the supposed safe-haven.

Periwinkle watched them come closer to the rest stop excitedly and saw all the abandoned vehicles with slightly loaded trunks or guns laying about. Maybe she would find more ammo for her tiny gun or even a super cool knife or even a bomb! It would be so cool if she found a bomb. She had her backpack and her tiny gun in the waistband of her jeans. She was anty and rolling the balls of her feet with hums escaping her lips as [M/N] got his gun into his waistband along with a knife into his pocket and dragged out his crossbow over his shoulder. He tightened the strap of the crossbow as he stood by the RV door.

"Do you have your gun, wipes and bullets?" [M/N] asked as he unlocked the door, his hand sliding down to the handle to grasp. Periwinkle smiles to herself before nodding her head, her pigtails flapping in the air a few times which reminded him that she needed a haircut soon. Her dark hair always grew out in the worst possible times too and always as long as ever, but also the fight she puts up when he cuts it.

"Yup! Yup!" She hummed with a smile as [M/N] tugged at the handle and the fresh air hit them along with Sumeru heat. [M/N] sighs as he opens the door more and Periwinkle shoots out like a stray bullet, he watches her move around open suitcases and dead Fatui corpses. [M/N] takes a deep breath before closing the door behind him. He bent down to open any remaining bags or looked over the fallen bodies of the Fatui for maps, loose bullets or whatever was good. Usually it was something good or at least a few pieces of gum at least.

In total he found at least a dozen half-filled boxes of bullets, a few loose change that he could use to teach Periwinkle in science or in math or something, at least ten pieces of mint and strawberry gum, some pictures of family members and some tissues.

[M/N] looked at the things found before standing up, glancing around the area a fifth time to make sure no infected or human had been watching them. He rubbed the sweat off his forehead as he adjusted the crossbow strap. He could be in the safest sanctuary and still feel paranoid that someone or something was watching them while licking their lips in either a sexual or hungry manner. [M/N] would like to thank the Knights especially for that new habit from years ago.

The baby would not stop crying, the girl, Periwinkle, was five months old and she was crying for no reason. That was his logic; she was fed, changed, bathed, and [M/N] even let her play with a few bullets or his keys. Nothing soothed her and when he heard of the Knights shelter in Mondstadt, he had considered abandoning her there for a safe life. Places like those would love to take in healthy children and give them to families but he quickly squashed that thought out quickly as it came. He was just frustrated that the baby kept crying and always made the infected aware of their location.

He was in the fifth group out of a lot of people to be accepted in with a child, the new generation. It was set up like an interview process with some of the Knights and their captains. They asked him questions like; How old are you? How old is the baby? Are you healthy? Any physical contact with the infected that left wounds on you? Have you killed an infected or human?

[M/N] answered the questions as best as he could without seeming annoyed by them, trying not to show too much aggression or even hostility as they left. He held periwinkle that began chewing at his sweater hoodie ties, giving a good tug a few times as a woman came in with a bag. She looked nice, sweet looking with that smile on her pale lips. Her eyes shone as she looked at Periwinkle and sat across from him.

"Welcome to the Knights, I had found a few baby things we had lying around and some supplies for yourself like body wash, toothpaste and a few shampoo bottles." She said as she shook the bag before placing it in front of him, "I'm Jean and welcome to the Knights of Favonius."

Biggest red flag for not including toilet paper or a warning that the baby items were pre-used and stolen.

He moved onto another dead body, his gaze keeping onto bodies as he checked the many jacket pockets. His eyes glanced down before feeling over the left breast pocket, his fingers pulled out a card and glanced over it. [M/N] saw the dead person's card, their name was Ekaterina and some sort of level A agent on the card but the card also looked like some sort of security card for some scientist place in old sci-fi movies. That was one of the many things he missed about the world was movies, movies were always a comfort for him when he was growing up.

[M/N] hoped to find one of those tiny movie-DVD players for cars along with a few classic choices. He pocketed the cards before feeling over the rest of her pockets before picking up a few pieces of gum and a tiny vial of black liquid. He shakes it a bit, holding the vial that had black or dark red water in it, but to him it looked like blood.

He was distracted with the vial when he felt the nose of a gun against his neck, his eyes narrow ahead as he felt the metal along with the safety turning off. He held the vial as he raised his hands above his head, "I mean no harm."

"Uh-huh, picking on dead bodies of Fatui Soldiers is just common sense huh?" The man's voice said with a scoff, "Vultures like you make me sick."

"I would be stupid not to pick up pickings from dead bodies, besides you should be worried about the thing that killed these Fatui leftovers." [M/N] said as the man grumbled as he still felt the gun against his neck as the corner of his eye he saw Periwinkle notice the situation at hand and was keeping low as she crept down.

"Big talk for a vulture, it's almost a shame I can't recruit you in the ways of our Lady, her majesty." The man chuckled before sighing as he cocked the gun, "I'll take great care of you car-AGH!" The man cried out as Periwinkle dug her knife into his calf harder before pulling it out, the man crumbled as [M/N] turned on his heel kicking the man in the face, kicking the gun away from the man. It skids under a car as Periwinkle wiped her knife on her shirt sleeve with a grimace.

The man takes deep breaths while holding his bleeding calf as Periwinkle moved to [M/N]'s side as she pockets the knife with a hum, [M/N] looked to the injured man as Periwinkle wrinkled her nose in disgust, " The infected are already killing people you're an idiot for helping them."

"A Lot of talk from a little girl, " The man wheezed in pain as he felt his blood spill from his fingers cracks. He grits his teeth as he keeps applying pressure against the wound as he glares at the floor, then to the man, "You'll pay for this, the blood will draw out infection and kill us all."

"Well you shouldn't have pointed a gun at me." [M/N] said as he stuffed the vial in his pocket, he pulled out his keys as he glanced at the RV. "We should go then." He said before nudging the girl as he walked towards the RV as Periwinkle nodded but watched her papa go.

"I know we got on a bad foot but don't leave please...my blood will attract the infected." The man says, "I have family up west at the first Fatui camp up there, please I'm desperate."

Periwinkle makes a face as she listens before mulling it over, they were heading up there and the guy was already bleeding out. Without much to think about, she tugged at the man's shirt as he wobbled with her despite the pain of needing to rest. [M/N] placed the crossbow on the seat as he turned his head only to see movement behind the two. His eyes narrowed before seeing a large body shifted around the metal cars. He cursed before he shoved the two, the man groaning softly as [M/N] eased them under the vacant trucks.

[M/N] pulled the crossbow over his shoulder, holding it as he watched the movement until a large infected appeared with hisses escaping from it. The infected as another animal but the ugliest he ever seen, a snack, a cobra to be exact. It had to be at least 20 feet long with flesh hanging off between scales along with limbs that [M/N] could see. It was dark colored and white then different types of flesh meshed together to create an even creepier view of the infected. Its eyes are red and snake-like with its two front fangs peeking out from its lips. It could see [M/N] and its black tongue slithers out in his direction as it slithers closer.

[M/N] held his weapon as it stood up, its full body pulling close as it stared down at him. His eyes stared as its tongue slips out to hiss as the flaps behind its neck and head opened up, and to add to the disturbing sight of the flaps holding rib bones along with some organs hanging within them that connected along with parts of human skin. It hisses loudly and its eyes locked onto [M/N]'s body as it opened its mouth with dark color drool spilled out. To [M/N] there were no visible weak spots nor soft skin around the snake so it might take a while to figure out how to take out this mutated infected.

Too bad they didn't have time and [M/N] didn't have patience.

The snake and [M/N] held long eye-contact until the snack snapped its lower body towards [M/N] with the flying human limbs like hands trying to grab him. [M/N] jumped back away from the lower body and the snake snapped its jaw downwards to him and [M/N] barely dodged the name of the jaw of the snake that hit the ground, breaking concrete. [M/N] loaded the bolt of the arrow, as the snake slowly pulled its head out from the ground and shaked off the debris. Once it crane's its head towards him, he shoots it with the arrow that sticks into the jaw making it hiss as it thrusted towards [M/N] who dodged down and flipped back as he reloaded the crossbow while hounding the infected's attention on him.

Periwinkle watched her Papa move around the infected, never had she ever seen an infected this long before. So many body parts connected to the infected too or even seem dead set on eating her papa. She watched him flip and jump over as the snake kept missing and nearly clipped him with its fang when he jumped over its long body. The crossbow could only do so much and a gun would probably draw attention and quick. Her eyes following her papa then the groan that was muffled beside her, she glanced to the man on her right to see him so pale and clutching his leg still or trying too. She shakes her head a bit as she turns on her head back to the action only to lock eyes with the snake, its thin slit staring back at her and without hesitation and a squeal of fear, she stabbed into its eye.

Black blood poured out its eye as it hissed, body quaking and scrambling, knocking into the car a few times as it let go of [M/N]. The time she looked away, he was being wrapped by the snake's body.

It hisses as the eye was stabbed as she felt for another weapon on her but then remembers the goodie she found in one of the Fatui pockets she pickpocketed in the bathroom. She slowly takes out the bomb she found as the man whistled a bit, grinning, "That is gonna make a large mess."

Periwinkle smiles, her purple eyes glimmering with excitement, "I was hoping for that!"

The excitement dies down instantly as the car is thrown off them and she scrambles into the dying man beside her as she screams as the man hisses loudly, the tail curling around them to corner them. Her knife was still glinting in its eye as dark blood dripped down from the animal's eye. The good eye staring at them as the flaps open briefly to show the ribs peeking out as her stomach clenched and squirmed. It hissed loudly as she grabbed the man's hand in hers as she held the bomb in her free hand.

"PAPA!" She screamed desperately as the man held her close, as the man reached for his gun. He shakingly held it before shooting as the snake moved from it a bit before opening its mouth wide over them and Periwinkle could see the throat of it as it rose up a bit to swallow them whole. She clenched her eyes as the snake moved down towards them but it didn't.

[M/N] back was in pain and glass in his skin, his own blood dripping down from the throw it gave him into the RV door. He climbed on the hood of a car close by as he jumped, grasping at the creature's neck holding it for dear life and crawled up. He grasped the neck by his thighs as he held onto it, one hand gripping the hilt of her knife. He thrusted harder into its eye as the infected hisses-screams into the air. It wasn't like a snake scream if it could but the noise that left its cold lips was human and each thrust of the knife into its eye made it go louder and even more disturbing.

Periwinkle watched as it tried flipping [M/N] off or dragging itself onto the ground but [M/N] didn't let go until she got an idea. She pulled herself from the Fatui man and held the bomb, "Papa! Here! Stuff it like a turkey!" She shouted.

[M/N] looked up, hissing as the snake tried to use a car hood to get him off, his back aching painfully. He saw in her hands and wanted to scold her but now isn't a good time but he held onto the snake as he was lifted back up in the air. His thighs gripped around the snake's neck as he held his hand out, "throw it!" He orders as Periwinkle moves back before throwing it high.

[M/N] fumbled to catch it a bit, pulling the pin from it as the snake finally shook violently and [M/N] fell backwards from the snake. It turned its head and mouth open wide showing the many sharp fangs along with human mouths opening inside the snake, as he bit the bullet and tossed the bomb into its mouth, disappearing down its throat as he landed harshly on the concrete. He groans as pain radiates there as the snake licks its lips from the sudden intrusion before locking its good eye onto [M/N]. Its flaps opened open again as it hissed loudly before rushing it's head towards [M/N] with its mouth opening wide again until head and at least 16 feet of it blew up. There was the bottom left of it as many organs and innards of the snake were splattered. The bottom half curled and squirmed before falling dead.

It was silent before the Fatui man coughs as [M/N] exhales as he leans on his forearms before sitting up despite the pain of him wanting to curl up and sleep. His eyes locked onto the infected animal then to Periwinkle who was rubbing the Fate's hand in hers as she wrapped up her longsleeve around his wound that she inflicted not too long ago. He glared at her Yuijin tank-top as she turned her head with guilty purple orbs.

"Periwinkle Margret [L/N], how many times do I have to say to stop sneaking bombs into the RV, you're way too young to handle them!" He began as he slowly stood and wobbled over to them as she grunted. "After we fix up mister...shotgun, you're in a lot of trouble."