Story#3: To be worthy
Aftermath: Distance.
Prologue: Sharing feeling to each other sometimes doesn't need to be closed…
Enjoy the extra part everyone :D
4 months later…
And the day of waiting was over.
The Crux fleet had finally arrived to Liyue and Aether and Paimon were now able to go to Inazuma for their next quest. After the good bye from everyone in Liyue, Aether was now on boarding and they would have to wait for 3 months to reach there.
1 months after they left Liyue.
Crux's fleet…Evening time
The night sky was like a vast black carpet adorned with stars. The center of the picture is the full moon like a silver disk. The golden moonlight is as soft as honey flowing, spreading throughout the sea, making the night scene shimmering and fanciful. Sometimes, there were a few breezes that make the air become fresh and cool. A perfect day for stargazing.
A certain golden hair boy traveler was currently in the deck gazing quietly in the sky. He got this new hobby after he invited Keqing to his newly Serenitea Pot and she often called him for a stargazing in there after her work…And today was another day like it but without her this time…
"Hey Aether, missed your friends already?" Beidu approached close to him.
"Yes…we have been together for a long time and now moving like this is a bit sudden to me." He spoke.
"That's what adventure is all about…we say welcome and good bye to the other when the time comes…as a sailor and captain of this fleet we have been through this a lot…".
"So how do you feel about it?"
"Of course, leaving someone you care about is sad…but you will have to accept it if you want to move on." Beido patted his head then continued to cheer him up "And come on it's not like we are going to leave them forever, right? You will see them again."
"Thanks for cheering me up. I know it has been only 1 month since we departed but it's feels like 2 years or something…"
"Then there's someone important you really missed then…could be your girlfriend?" Beido teased him.
Somehow Beido guess was correct…Aether's face began to redden after her question…
"You can call something like that…" Aether looked away, trying to hide his face from Beido.
"And is the Yuheng isn't it?" She continued to teased him again…
"You're like having an eye on my back you know…" Aether chuckled. "Yes, I missed her…"
"It's not too hard to guess since it was written in your face right now" Beido looked at his face, and it was flushing deep now…
1 months is normal if you can see your friends or your loved one often, but when it's not, it feels like a long time and also making you feel home sick pretty bad if you haven't used to it yet. He already had this feeling when he left Mondstadt. At least he could use teleport to get back there if he wanted but now it was impossible when you were on board liked this also the teleport waypoints in Inazuma haven't unlocked yet…And he had to wait for another 2 months…
"I guess I'm predictable then" Aether said.
"How about writing a letter to her then? It will help you get better" Beido suggested.
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea, Aether" Paimon appeared out of nowhere.
"I guess I will try it" Aether nodded.
"If you need help about sending a letter, just tell me…but I think you two have a special way about delivering their own message" Beido chuckled…
"How many stuff you have known about me already…" Aether laughed
"A lot of people have talking between you and the Yuheng already right after the Rex Lapis Memorial Day so is easy to see about that…But anyway you should write a letter to her…she may be worries about you now"
"Thanks…I'm going to write one now" Aether said as he went back to his room.
"No problem…you are part of my crew and it's my duty to take care of them…"
Aether's room.
"What should we say to her now?" Aether is in his room, thinking a lot about what should he say to her…this is the first time he has been truly away from other this long, of course he has been talking with her all the of the time but talking while being far like this…he hasn't done it before…
"Just saying normal, you've done a lot of time already…" Paimon urged him.
"I know, I just feel so nervous when talking from a far like this…" Aether facepalmed, he's so clueless sometimes…
"Alright I will help you this once then…" Paimon sighed.
2 hours later…Yuehai Pavilion…
Keqing's office
It's quite late now but Keqing was still trying to finish these paperworks for today, she was always the person who like to work overtime. When Aether was still with her…she had a better arrangement by spending time with him but now, he was away. Her bad habit started to go back…Keqing spent most of her time burying herself in her office and didn't want to see anyone. She had promised Aether when he come back, he would see a new and different Liyue and she wanted to full fill it to its best.
After Keqing has done the last piece of paperwork, she looked at the clock and saw it was almost mid night.
"It's late now you can go home and take a rest…" Keqing told Huixin.
"Thanks, miss Keqing, you should go home and get some sleep too" Huixin said.
"I will. After I complete these few more paperwork…"
"You've worked too much since he left…He won't like to see you like this…" Huixin reminded her.
"But I just don't know what to do when he's not around beside this…I feel so…empty without him. And I want him to see how much Liyue has changed when he's back"
"How about writing a letter to him then?" Huixin suggested.
"You are right, maybe I should make one…thanks Huixin" Keqing nodded.
"You are welcomed"
Keqing left her office and rushed to her house after finishing her work. She went into her room then took out a small device he gave to her before his depart to Inazuma and saw it was blinking a warm light…She opened the window in her room and staring at the sky…there is a lot of bright stars today… She spends most of the time with him doing stargazing…
"He must be sent a message to me then…" Keqing held the device on her palm tight and channeling her energy to it. A few moments later she heard the voice she missed for a long time from it:
"Keqing! How are you recently? It seems like we have been parted for 1 month, haven't we? And I missed you so much…I missed your cute face, your soft voice and many more… And I hope everyone in Liyue are still doing fine, I missed them too…It's so hard to say good bye to the people you care about, isn't it? Especially you…I have already shared part of my power and told you when I arrive to Inazuma, you can go with me if you like because I feel so lonely without you. I know you are really busy with your work right now so this seem kind a bit selfish request from me…but you are the only person I can rely on the most. The flowers you have bought to me since that event are still growing well in the Serenitea pot and I brought some of them on with me as well so I can watch them too…it's really reminding me about you…and they are really looking great…And I can't wait to arrive to Inazuma so you can come and take a look in there…and I want to see you again…
Seem like I've talked long enough, take care of yourself, ok? Don't overwork too much…it's bad for your health…I love you…."
Before the message end Keqing heard another voice and it's Paimon: "Come to us as soon as we arrive, ok? Me and Aether missed you a lot…!"
She cried a lot in her room…but lucky there's no one around so she just let it out. She just missed him so much…his bright smile, his warmth, his embrace…all the feeling from him to her was just all came back like he is still here and close to her right now…
Before Aether left…he shared his power and promised to Keqing when he gets into Inazuma he will tell her so she can join his adventure too. She really wants to see him but she knows she has to wait …
After she calmed herself down. Keqing cleared her throat and began her message to him…
1 hours later… Crux's fleet…
Aether was waiting for her reply…He was worrying if his message is good enough
"Did I do well enough?" Aether asked Paimon.
"It's better than I expected…she will love it" Paimon said
After 10 minutes…his device began to shine…He quickly pressed it and then he heard Keqing's softy voice:
"Hey, Aether…How's are you doing right now? I know it's quite late but this is a good time for me to say something to you… although it has been 1 month since you left Liyue but this is the first time I've used this device…After you left, everyone in the city asked a lot about you and hope you are still ok. Although we have made a farewell party to you but we're still missed you so much, I guess it will take a while for the people to get used to it. What you had done to Liyue was too much to us compare to your request…That why I really admired about you about it…
Uhhh… As for me…after you left, I know I have to wait for your Inazuma's trip so I can meet you again and these waiting times are killing me. But I know I still have to take it…I spent most of my time drowning in works the whole day because I want to let you know when you return you will see a completely strong and different Liyue…And it will also help me shorten the waiting time of your arrival to Inazuma…Don't worry I will arrange the time between work and you too so I can still able to manage the city while I still can spend time for your adventure…I want to help you with all I got… and importantly, I want to be by your side… Again, Aether…thanks for trusting me…
Have a good journey…I can't wait see you soon…love you…"
The room fell silent after it…Aether and Paimon are just sitting there, surprised.
"…Wow that's a long message…" Paimon said.
"Although it's only 1 month after we left but I really missed them so much, especially her…they've done so much to us too…" Aether said, looked up stared at the night sky through the window.
"We will be there soon…Don't worry" Paimon cheered him up.
"Thanks, Paimon…we should take a rest now…" Aether called Paimon as both of them went to bed "Please wait for us…"
After that they shared their message once or twice per week…and they talked a lot…They didn't realize another 2 months has passed…
And they've arrived…Inazuma
After Aether reached into a village and had a talk with the local in here he decided to go to an Inn to take a rest after a long journey at the sea.
He put on the portable teleport nearby and sent a message to Keqing before he went to sleep. Aether hopes she will come in the next day…
"Why did you put this one in here…have you unlocked one of them in this village already?" One of the people asked him.
"There is a person I want to meet as soon as possible tomorrow" Aether said
"I see, that person must be very important to you then" He chuckled.
"Yes, indeed" Aether nodded then went to his room
He had a good sleep and a sweet dream for the whole night.
The next morning has come… it was quiet, peaceful and sunlight is filling his room slowly.
Aether opened his eyes and saw a familiar pair of amethyst eyes were looking at him happily. Before he could check himself to see it is a dream or not. Keqing jumped at him for an embrace.
"You've made it! I've missed you so much!" She shouted as she hugged him tight, the tears of joy when she had finally met him.
He didn't need to check anymore.
"Thanks for coming, Keqing…I missed you too…" Aether put his arms around Keqing's waist and held her close to him.
It felt soft and warm…
The feeling was real.
This is the story of their next adventure.
End.
I planned to write this before 2.0 come out because I want to write this as their good bye to us but it took too long to write (Also too bad there was no proper good bye to each other in Liyue in the game…). It was a long journey in Liyue and Mondstadt.