The Wolves of Liyue
Chapter 1: Launch
A/N: This would be a sequel to sparks and stones, but will not build off the previous story. Rather it should just be taken as a side story. Leave a review!
Clutching her stomach wildly, as another pang of hunger resonated within her abdomen. A pair of pale green eyes, etched with unusual desperation darted about the energetic hustle surrounding the dense crowd of Liyue's marketplace. The air felt heavy, overloaded with the perpetual wafts of spices and aromas, forcing her lips to salivate uncontrollably. Everything around her played out in slow motion, as the nonchalant screams of stall owners continuously rang defiantly within her eardrums.
Another clash of oily, metallic swirls amidst heated woks followed. The manner in which the chef navigated his arms resembled an artform in its own right. Armed with a pair of spatulas, his hands moved together in perfect harmony. Despite the fatigue, Mona managed a sigh at the chef's graceful motions. The dramatic flourish of ingredients as they flew into the mixture, followed by a calculated toss, sending the contents dancing precariously above blazing charcoal fires. Finally, with a slight tilt and push, lunch was served. The chef masterfully guided the food onto the ceramic plates, lined up along the table of Wanmin restaurant.
"If only I had some Mora with me right now…"
…
Sadly, lunch would have to wait since the distinct, sharp voice that called out from amongst the crowd had other plans in store for the young astrologer. A figure wearing a strange hat, dressed in some form of swimsuit would not go unnoticed for long in this part of Liyue.
...
"You seem a little out of place here. State your business."
Turning around, Mona expected to be met with a rather imposing figure. However, what only followed was pure confusion. Rather than some predacious, ruthless government official standing behind her, it was a young woman not much older than Mona was. Yet, her sudden appearance was strangely enough to trigger waves of murmurs and whispers amongst the surrounding crowd.
The blackened, diamond pupils embedded deep within her amethyst eyes remained cold and unsettling. Her arms were firmly crossed around her chest, supported by an unusually daunting stance that gave off an unquestionable, commanding presence over the situation.
…
"State your business, or you will be arrested by the order of the Qixing."
With her gloved hand making its way onto the grip of her blade, numerous armed guards began to flood into the vicinity.
…
…
...
The audacity. No one speaks to me like that!
Despite the frustration welling within Mona, the sight of this individual was rather peculiar, humorous even. The appearance of cat ears combined with trailing twintails were just pure gold. Given any other day, Mona would have surely laughed to her heart's content, freely spouting off arrogant insults, one after another in quick succession.
If only Mona's hunger had not rendered her into such a pathetic state.
…
One of them, probably a guard captain, promptly appeared at the side of the periwinkle haired girl.
"Ms Keqing, what should we do?"
…
Oh I see, it is the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing.
Mona's eyes widened briefly at the revelation. However another series of throbs followed, this time pulsating more intensely. Without even a moment's hesitation, Mona opened her lips, speaking out her own name and identity in an attempt to quell the tension.
Even more confusion followed, as though the situation had somehow spiraled out of control. Strangely enough, this was made worse by the blur creeping up on her vision. The manner in which Keqing's brow widened with what seemed like worry, taking steps forward in haste. The muddied trudges of heavy footsteps that accompanied her, as the Milileth promptly cordoned off the area, created only deafening echoes that rang out within the confines of Mona's head.
The hunger pangs were becoming increasingly unbearable. Words that escaped her lips prior resembled nothing more than utter gibberish. With half opened eyelids, Mona's head dipped onto the heated granite, answering its comfortable embrace like the call of a siren.
A slump of her back, followed by a thud. Keqing's eyes could only widen in horror as the suspicious individual collapsed forward.
An adequate response would have to wait.
…
…
…
An occasional, transient touch bouncing like a cloud across her forehead. Leaving behind trails that were unusually wet and cold. With the blackened fog surrounding her vision subsiding, the colour and warmth of her surroundings began to envelope her entirety. Yet, the sensations wrapped around her body felt surprisingly warm and fluffy. It felt like mere moments ago, that she was struggling to stand in the streets of Liyue.
However, Mona now found herself tucked between the sheets of one of the most comfortable beds she had ever laid in.
It was impossible to shift or budge, with her body strongly protesting against her whims.
...
"You should not be moving around like that. Give your body some time to rest."
On her left, Mona could hear a cling of ceramics, as a spoon of hot soup effortlessly made its way between her lips. It tasted strange; Its constituents and aromas were foreign to her, yet the concoction tasted refreshing, as she hesitantly allowed the nectary liquid to slide past her throat.
Mona's uncompromising obedience restored her strength, so did her ability to speak after another few mouthfuls.
...
"Where am I?"
"Oh? You are finally awake. You were hungry right? Saw you eyeing some food at the marketplace. Sorry for mistaking you as a petty thief, and looking at you with such hostile intent. You can never be too careful about areas with these many foreigners."
Keqing sat down, remaining silent as she meticulously placed the bowl back onto the bedside table. With a turn to her right, Keqing bent downwards and retrieved a cloth that had been sitting in a bucket of ice water. With Mona's eyelids beginning to flutter, Keqing snickered for a brief moment before landing the freezing cloth against her forehead.
"Aah!"
Mona's head jolted up, but could only manage a weakened smile before plummeting back down again.
"That was sudden but, thank you I guess … Ms Keqing."
Amethyst's eyes widened for a moment, not long before shaking her head abruptly. Replaced by Keqing's natural pokerface.
...
"Let's not get carried away, I have a few questions for you. Your hydro Vision, where are you from?"
"Fontaine by birth, Mondstadt by citizenship."
...
"Well, that explains the weird dress. What are you doing here in Liyue?"
"I was just sending someone off at the harbour."
…
"Who is this person?"
"Umm, my friend from Snezhnaya."
…
"Oh, interesting ... Third, why are you wandering around this part of town without any Mora?"
...
Mona could hear the piercing snap of a vein, followed by another raging urge to lash out at her, but her current state did not allow it. Feeling rather defeated, Mona just resigned herself to fate, with her head sinking even deeper into the pillow.
A series of muffled noises followed.
"You looked into my purse as well? Good grief, you do know that Mora is a sensitive topic."
"Yes, we have to check everything. There cannot be any security lapses."
...
…
...
Keqing's eyes lit up as she swept her gloved hand across her periwinkle fringe.
The information suddenly was coming together.
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"You must be the astrologer from Mondstadt that people talked about."
...
"Well yes, there is only one astrologer around here. That is me, Mona."
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"Well, if you could predict the future, surely you must have known that you would have met me."
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"I guess I will meet a great many people, I would not have the time to individually go through the names. "
Keqing could not resist rolling her eyes.
This person and her ego…
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"Surely you must have known about your eventual hunger? Would you have done something to prevent it?"
"I am an astrologer, as much as I want to, I simply cannot use my talents for worldly desires."
…
It was a frustrating topic, similar to the constant struggle between men and gods. The young Yuheng had zero tolerance for those responsible for placing an impossible plug over limitless potential. The ways in which Mona explained her origins, did little to override the build up of Keqing's disbelief and distaste. While she sat quietly and listened beside the blabbering astrologer, her disappointment was becoming increasingly insurmountable by the sentence.
"That sounds like a waste of talent."
The comment was sharp, much like a sharpened spike that had found its mark within Mona's rib. With annoyance teetering at the edge, Mona instinctively rotated her head around to face Keqing's disdainful appearance, which only added salt to injury.
"Excuse me?"
Mona gathered all the strength she could muster, pulling her elbows backward and frantically pushing her limp figure into an upright position.
…
Keqing's damages towards Mona's pride would have to wait. With a soft tap onto Mona's shoulder, Keqing silently watched with a hint of smugness, as Mona arms instantly buckled. Prompting her figure to collapse back onto the sheets in such spectacular fashion.
Keqing nonchalantly cleared her throat, while keeping little regard for Mona's wincing.
"It's unique. Who would not want their futures to be read? If you knew that a certain individual was going to encounter the same ordeal you did, would you prevent it? Or sit idly as disaster strikes? If you are going to waste this ability, I am not going to stop you. When you are feeling better, you can take your leave from my house."
With that, Keqing frustratedly shot up from her seat, standing for a brief moment to allow the nauseous feeling to subside.
Masters, gods with their nonsensical ideals. The ways in which they were forced down the throats of humanity, that along Mona's ego was more than enough to bear.
…
…
…
Just as Keqing was about to storm off, she could feel a soft hand tightly enclosed itself around her wrist.
"Alright, I admit! It's terrible to live like this! My master taught me the way of the astrologist, but she is no more than a fragment of my past now. The relapses of the agony, the countless nights I have to go hungry and sleep on the streets. I can't take it anymore. Even worse still, sometimes the manner in which passerby males would stare at me from head to toe. The audacity! The lack of respect!"
…
…
…
Sighing, Keqing relaxed her expression as she returned to the chair. Her gloved hands made their way around Mona's own, tightening them in a way that presented only comfort and reassurance.
"Who cares what your master says, this craft is your own. You have the power to choose and decide your fate."
…
…
...
Fontaine was known by many to be the nation of the water archon, but to her, it was a nation that could never stop weeping.
At the mere mention of her master again, Mona could only remain silent as flashes of her memory began to play. Much like a broken tape recorder, the picture of her master reminding her of the sworn duty of an astrologer. The times in which she studied her scryglass, day in and day out, repeating that same cycle repeatedly to no end. Mona could not resist biting her lip. Even with her wrinkly facial features, obscuring that constant nasty expression of disappointment.
The dilapidated hut she lived in, as far as she could have remembered. Following that were the tiresome memories of training from daybreak, into deep hours of the night. Mona could still recall the tiny confines of her room; A glorified mess of space lined with towering columns of books and manuscripts.
Everytime, the door would swing violently and a forceful hand would descend and wrap around her wrist, dragging her out into the open field amidst the relentless downpour.
...
"You are doing it wrong, do it again!"
"But Master… I..."
A sharp slap, followed by a thunderous crash as her petite figure slammed against the mud.
"Don't you dare! Speak to me in that tone, young woman... Remember who brought you from the garbage from where you were born."
Mona could only remember silence as she climbed back upright. While her feet trembled, arms wobbled uncontrollably as the tears trailed against her swollen cheek. Mona helplessly bowed, continuing to produce the scryglass according to her instructions.
The smile of her master out of the corner of her eyes, was one to remember. Accompanied by sinister words that occasionally resounded amidst her mind till this very day.
...
…
…
"You will carry on my will, and my legacy… "
That was what she always said.
...
"Hey, you are with me now. Everything is alright okay?"
The clouds of tears that obscured her vision were downright embarrassing. Mona could not bear to look at her, instead uncomfortably peeling her gaze away from Keqing's worried gaze.
"I don't intend to return to that place ever again, knowing how much better everything around here is."
The prominent vibrations from the drinking glass in her other hand prompted Keqing to gently remove it from between her fingers.
Hesitantly, Mona blinked twice and placed her freed hands onto her chest. With the cold tremors having been replaced by the familiar sensation of her heartbeat. The stablised rhythm eventually brought Mona enough comfort to release a much needed breath.
Her arms started to relax once more, then crashed back onto the sheets, followed by her lethargic figure not long after.
"Is everything alright? You nearly passed out again."
"Yeah, it's nothing much really. Sorry about what had happened, I got a little carried away with the astrologers stuff."
Mona winced, placing her elbow directly above her eyes.
"Don't worry about it."
…
…
…
"I think it's best if we start thinking about solutions."
Sighing, Keqing tugged at the handle of the bedside drawer. As ordained by fate, a notebook and quill pen made their way onto her lap.
"I know nothing about finances aside from spending and saving. I don't even know where to begin."
"Well for starters, I think a fortune telling service would bring you a great deal of comfort. You obviously have a knack for reading the stars. It's unique and has demand. Who would not want their futures to be read?"
...
"I … was taught … that astrologers are not tied to worldly desires."
Amidst the hesitation, there was an audible sigh that followed. Welling in a sort of petty angst, Keqing pressed her back against the chair, causing it to tilt precariously as she balanced her own weight on two wooden legs.
"This duty that I was bound to would eventually destroy me, but since I am now free from my master, I suppose I could give this a shot."
Keqing impatiently quipped in with a remark of her own.
"Predict futures? Why not change them? If you knew that a certain individual was going to encounter the same life you did? Would you prevent it or sit idly as disaster strikes?"
…
"Hold on, I am rather new to this 'business' thing. Why not give future predictions a shot first?"
"Well, at least it is a place to start."
Mona could only watch, albeit in pure shock and awe. Keqing had been fully encapsulated by the thought process, allowing her blazing passion to guide her aggressive penmanship. Mona did not understand where the figures produced on the paper came from, yet the numbers were rather significant.
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"Alright fine, we will get started first thing tomorrow morning. Then you should be back up on your feet in no time."
"Curious, may I ask why you want to help me."
Ever since Keqing's introduction, Mona never knew that this person would smile.
"Well, just take it from a person that really wants to see you succeed."
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…
…
The night passed without any warning, but Mona was up and about even before the first rooster crow. With Liyue's central marketplace now uninhabited. The table, chair and umbrella was placed neatly where the business license had designated. While Keqing had been generous; offering several logistics to Mona's use for her first day. Mona was left with most of the heavy lifting. Now, with the pieces finally in place, Mona could only let off an exhausted sigh as she shifted the last of her astrolabes and books into place. Situated in front of Third Round Knockout, surrounded by stores of entertainment. Surely it was at the center of activity for the crowd looking for amusement and leisure. It was exactly the kind of crowd that Mona needed; Those that had too much Mora to spend.
…
Daybreak arrived, as the citizens of Liyue began sauntering into the square. The sight of a beautiful young lady in a cute, provocative wizard getup was like a breath of fresh air in this static part of town. People began to flood the area in droves, with curiosity spiking as they came face to face with her little booth.
Mona was rendered speechless, how these people assembled in front of her at such short notice.
The lines did not take long to form either, as eager sponsors and supporters of Keqing were first to arrive on the scene. Mona tuned into the conversations emanating from amidst the crowd: Just as Keqing had explained: Gambling at Shitou's store, listening to dramatic stories at Third Round Knockout and Heyu teahouse had become boring ages ago.
The atmosphere was unrealistically electric, similar to that of a miniaturised version of the Windbloom Festival.
...
The first waiting in line was an old frail woman, yet the radiant smile that shone through her broken teeth was surely a sight to behold.
"Hello, my name is Mona. I will now tell you about your future."
With a sharp movement, the conjuration of her scryglass brought about a wave of exasperated gasps from the queue. Followed up by the silence in anticipation as everyone watched on in awe, as Mona detailedly broke down the events the lady would encounter for the rest of the day.
"Thank you sweetheart, this information would be helpful."
...
"Just out of curiosity, why do you support Ms Keqing?"
"Oh, that young Yuheng has done marvelous work for the villagers in the countryside. Such deeds will not go forgotten. Thus we are just simply replacing a priceless favour with this request."
Mona could only smile at her as she laid the coins into the cloth sack beneath the table.
"I hope I can be of the same kind of help to you and your families as well. If everything is good, it would be great if they could drop by as well."
This was a good time to practice some basics, generously provided by the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing. Mona, albeit reluctantly tried her hardest to put on her brightest smile.
Since the longevity of small businesses are governed by their ability to keep and maintain customer relationships. The logic was simple enough: Customers give money, so keeping them happy and satisfied with their requested product or service would encourage them to return and spend again.
However, with that comes a certain compromise: The freedom of acting out as and when she pleased, was now forfeit when serving customers.
Monstadt people are always about freedom, but if you really want to succeed, executing standard discipline is always the way to go.
…
Thankfully for Mona, the old woman's reply was hearty and promising.
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…
…
Tell fortunes and charge people that are interested a flat fee, say 100 Mora. Assuming you get three customers an hour, and multiply that with the total amount of time of work, say 8 hours, you get about 2400 Mora a day which is enough for a day's food and other things to spare!
Mona did not need a scryglass to know how far she exceeded her expectations.
...
The day went by without a hiccup, but there were plenty of people around that kept her busy. Without an avenue to catch a meal break, the familiar pangs of hunger struck her momentarily throughout the shift; The need for food having been replaced by hope. As the size of the sack sitting below the table grew in size, the joy and relief that it brought were far stronger than any painkillers from Baizhu's pharmacy. Staring into the shiny, golden reflections of Mora, Mona could not resist a hearty smile as she shook the contents. If her observations did not fail her today, she would have managed to make around 24,000 Mora.
From the corner, Keqing, unable to let out a smile on her own as she placed her hand around Mona's shoulder.
"Should we go and celebrate your first day of financial freedom?"
…
The clinking of glasses, followed by a myriad of uneven hiccups. Keqing tilted her head up sharply to face the night sky, her amethyst orbs unable to resist staring out into the starry ether of the night sky.
"How can you even read the stars, they all just look … THE SAME … to me."
Shrimp balls entered her mouth at an unprecedented rate, amidst her drunken stupor.
...
"Believe me, it takes a lot of painful training and equipment."
It was so strange, yet fascinating that somehow, the girl seated opposite her could read the constellations like an open book. The way her pale green eyes darted about relentlessly as they captured key elements of the pitch black canopy. Combining them together to form a message book that even the greatest researchers and minds sought to uncover.
"Your innate gift of predicting the future. The laws of probability, the agency that associates business with basic concepts of 'risk' and 'reward' have become irrelevant. For what even *HIC* are they if you can predict and act on the future?"
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Mona tipped her hat back upright, revealing a slightly perplexed expression.
"What is business?"
…
Raising a gloved finger, Keqing gingerly pressed it against Mona's lips.
"Shush now, that isn't really my place to educate you … If you really need it … Ningguang's visitation hours are two to seven on Tuesdays only!"
...
With the jar finally empty, the heat had finally settled in for Mona as well.
"Anyways ...wait! Do you mean we can make even more Mora than we have done now?"
"Maybe… *hic* … We can go another step further in our CONQUEST!"
A weak arm shot up into the air, but Keqing just laughed it off. Dangling the jar dangerously above her cup, Keqing was visibly saddened, letting off a groan of disappointment with all traces of alcohol gone.
"UGH, duh of course. You have such a stupid and broken ability. I think you can even take over the empire of Wanfuyi."
...
"What? Wait a minute... Who even is this person?"
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"Huhhh? You never heard of it? It's no one really… Only like… THE GREATEST BUSINESSMAN TO WALK THE STREETS OF LIYUE."
...
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…
Keqing was red all over, her periwinkle hair had come undone as she waved her arms comically in the air. It was hilarious, how she described the scale of Wanfuyi's accomplishments by the extent of which she stretched her arms. From a distance, a rather tall and handsome man emerged from the shadows. His pair of glowing amber eyes appeared right next to a drunken lethargic Keqing. As if on cue, amethyst eyes radiated with emotion and awe as they met his concerned gaze.
The alcohol had taken full reign over her, as Keqing could not resist wrapping her arms around Zhongli's waist, much to his immediate confusion.
"Oh hi Rex Laaa … MMMMMHHHH."
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"Sorry for the trouble she had caused."
With a gloved hand lightly sealing her lips, Zhongli effortlessly scooped up her delicate figure into his arms. Sweet as they were, the both of them disappeared into the night. Leaving Mona all alone to wander the streets of Liyue…
… And deal with the bill.
Yet, as she handed off the Mora to the waiter, Mona did not feel the slightest sense of discomfort. Even with the bill amounting to a little over 10,000 Mora, the remaining 14,000 was sent straight into her bank account.
It seems that Mora does not create happiness, but a deep sense of security.
...
It was during the walk back to the Yuheng's residence, that wandering thoughts came by and went. Questions of this mysterious individual mentioned by Keqing were piling up by the second. With his curiosity eventually getting the better of her, Mona found herself at the bookstore digging across the various sections.
"There it is!"
It was like how a treasure hoarder's hands would shudder at the moment he discovered a priceless treasure. Mona's hands were likewise shaking in vivid excitement as a copy of "The undisputed second king of Mora: Wangfuyi." made it into her possession, just as the bookshelves were sealed up for the night.
After all, the first king of Mora, of course.
…