"Hello there, Miss Lisa!"

"Oh my!"

Lisa jumped when Venti came out from behind her and Qiqi. They hadn't been walking for too long, in fact, Venti could still see the bridge to Mondstadt just a ways away. Venti offered Lisa a wide smile, but not too wide, he didn't want to ruin this.

The thing was, Venti wasn't going to join them originally. He actually had plans on just going on before Lisa and Qiqi took off that morning. Yet, his conscience couldn't let him do it. What if those treasure hoarders recognized Qiqi and attacked? Yes, Qiqi was cryo and Lisa electro, honestly a perfect team, but these people managed to hurt Lumine. Venti couldn't risk it.

"Good morning, Qiqi." Venti offered a greeting to Qiqi after a few seconds. Qiqi tilted her head in confusion as she looked at Venti.

Lisa studied Venti with scrutinizing eyes before letting out a hum. "Have you been following us, Mr. Bard?"

"What? No, of course not. I was just making my way out of Mondstadt!" Venti mocked indignation as he walked beside Lisa and Qiqi.

"I see…" Lisa suddenly chuckled. "It's rather rare to see you outside of the tavern, let alone Mondstadt…"

"I know, but unfortunately the Tavern goers have become sick of my ballads and serenades! They claim them all to be boring and redundant!" Venti put on a dramatic show and even put his arm over his eyes hoping to fool Lisa.

It did not fool Lisa.

"Rather convenient that you're choosing to go to Liyue today." Lisa put it bluntly as the three of them continued down the road to Liyue. "This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Cutie would it." Lisa's voice had a bite to it, a bite telling Venti to maybe think before speaking next.

Venti looked at Qiqi then back at Lisa, and just spoke in the most playful tone he could possibly muster. "Of course it had to do with a cutie, Lisa- This cutie right here." It wasn't a lie, and it wasn't the whole truth. Venti felt bad having to use Qiqi like this. Still, to sell himself, he lightly pinched Qiqi's face.

"Bah!" Venti actually jumped back a little in shock when a sword was flashed in front of his eyes. It seemed little Qiqi wasn't playing around. Venti had his hands up. "Ehe...sorry…" Venti made sure to back up.

"Serves you right." Lisa snorted at Venti. "Ignore him, sweetheart. He's not the smartest out there." Lisa told Qiqi as she squatted down to the child's level. Lisa reached out for Qiqi's sword. "My! That's an impressive sword! Where did someone as small as you get a sword like this?" Lisa took Qiqi's attention away from Venti. The moment the sword was lowered Venti exhaled a sigh of relief. He didn't expect Qiqi to start slashing.

"Uh… Qiqi thinks Lumine gifted her this sword. Lumine said this sword was...uh…" Qiqi frowned and her brow furrowed as she tried to think on what Lumine said. "Qiqi forgot." She concluded.

"I see… you're really close to Lumine, aren't you?" Lisa inquired as Qiqi put the sword away.

Qiqi nodded. "Lumine is nice. As is Paimon. Lumine gifts Qiqi lots of things. Hats, feathers, cups...uh… sometimes Lumine gifts Qiqi food, even though Qiqi doesn't need food… or can taste food…"

"How nice of her."

"Though… Qiqi wonders if maybe Qiqi did something wrong?" Qiqi suddenly frowned now.

This got Venti's attention. "Why would you say that?" Venti asked before Lisa could.

"Well… Lumine hasn't been around and she hasn't been visiting Qiqi as often… did Qiqi do something wrong? Did Qiqi upset her?"

Venti was sure it wasn't just his heart that broke as he looked at Lisa. "I'm sure it's not that, Qiqi. Lumine is a very busy woman after all, she's not mad at you." Venti, once again, spoke up before Lisa could open her mouth.

"Is she busy? Qiqi… can't remember…" Qiqi scratched at her head before giving it a big shake. "Qiqi doesn't want to forget…"

That sombered the mood. The good thing was that put Venti in the back of Lisa's mind as she instantly got to work on making Qiqi feel better by telling her stories, stories Venti was sure came from one of Lisa's many books. The three of them walked on, Lisa and Qiqi doing most of the talking. Venti casted a few looks Qiqi's way, Qiqi noticed once or twice but only offered a small smile in return each time.

They were about halfway to the Dawn Winery when they hit their first little snag in the road.

Hilichurls. Nothing too serious as they were just small fries with no giant Mitachurl's to hide behind. Easy. Just two pyro berserkers and a fighter.

Still, that didn't stop Venti from putting himself in front of Qiqi right next to Lisa. Venti was thinking about letting Lisa shock them first, then he'd use his anemo power to extend that shock and deal extra damage. He had his bow out, aimed, and- He nearly shot Qiqi.

Instantly Venti looked down to where Qiqi should have been, behind him, and obviously she wasn't there. Lisa had looked down just as well and the two of them shared a rather shocked look with one another before looking at Qiqi.

"Go." Qiqi jumped and a ball of ice appeared and struck one of the berserkers. Then Qiqi struck the Hilichurl with her sword, her movement fast and precise.

"What-" Venti suddenly felt better, he didn't even know he was feeling down. Then he realized what was happening. Qiqi was a healer. A strong healer at that. Any missing health was replenished within seconds.

"Impressive, Lumine must have given her some good artifacts, I'm almost jealous." Lisa chuckled and then she sprung into action just before the other Berserker could attack. With an angry snap of her fingers there was a crackle of electro and the Hilichurl in question was shot back, doubly so as Qiqi's cryo powers hit it just as well; making the attack even stronger.

Venti saw this moment, aimed his bow, and shot the fighter hilichurl, sending it flying back away from Qiqi, who had just finished off the Berserker with a final zig-zag slice of the sword.

Lisa suddenly vanished from beside Venti and before he knew it she reappeared next to Qiqi and blasted the second Berserker away, but the attack didn't finish it off. Venti knew what would do the trick and hit the Berserker with a blast of anemo sending it flying up into the air only to watch the Hilichurl crash back down before vanishing.

"Rah!" An enraged war cry reminded Venti that there were three Hilichurls, not two, and before he could react the fighter Hilicurl that he had shot back earlier attacked him, smacking him hard across the shoulders with it's stupid club. It made Venti see stars dance across his vision as he suddenly crumpled to his knees.

"Oh-no." Qiqi spoke in monotone as she charged at the Hilichurl.

The Hilichurl threateningly jumped towards Qiqi with its club raised, but it didn't attack, just snarled and growled. Qiqi suddenly stopped and tilted her head in question. She watched the Hilichurl with a strange fascination as it was just threatening but not attacking.

Venti growled once he got his barings and stood to his feet, twirled his bow, and aimed at the Hilichurl. His power surged and connected with the arrow and when he felt the familiar pulse he let go, smacking the Hilichurl right in the chest. He didn't know if it was his arrow or his anemo power that did the Hilichurl in but in the end it didn't matter as the Hilichurl vanished alll the same.

"Qiqi? Why didn't you attack it?" Lisa kindly asked as she approached the child first. Lisa offered her hand for Qiqi to take. Qiqi blinked and looked back up at Lisa.

"You are?"

Lisa's mouth turned into a small smile before it vanished. "Lisa, Dear." she kindly tucked a piece of hair behind Qiqi's ear as she said this. Lisa's question was then promptly dropped at that moment.

"Lisa…" Qiqi frowned as she tested the name out to see if it sparked anything. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't, Venti wouldn't know, still Qiqi took Lisa's hand into her own.

"C'mon dear, let's not delay." Lisa started to walk back on the path and Venti wasn't too far behind the two of them.

Venti watched Qiqi. Secretly he wished he could fix her awful memory, but with no gnosis… and speaking from experience, he couldn't do it. Knowing everything from thousands of years isn't exactly fun. Let alone if he were a child. No, maybe it's oddly best to let Qiqi stay blissfully unaware. Especially if I think about what may have happened… actually happened.' He grimly thought.

Qiqi must have felt Venti's eyes on her as she casted him a look over her shoulder. Her mouth twitched as she watched Venti, allowing Lisa to lead the way while she wasn't watching. "You're… not going to try and bury me… are you?"

"What an odd question to ask. Why would I want to bury you?"

Qiqi's face stayed emotionless, yet, there was a curious sadness behind her eyes. "I… remember someone. Someone behind me. Chasing me. Trying to bury me…. But… I can't remember their name or face…I want them dead." Qiqi looked away from Venti and focused forward.

Venti let out a shocked laugh. He wasn't expecting that to come out of Qiqi's mouth. Lisa made a sound like she had just swallowed a crystalfly, clearly she wasn't expecting it either. Venti was starting to see why Lumine was favoring Qiqi at this point.

So, onwards they walked. On the occasion a brave Hilichurl or two would attack, which they would easily knock out before moving on. If Venti faced any health damage, Qiqi would resolve it just as soon as it happened. Between her cryo powers and Lisa's electro powers they'd super charge anything coming their way. Venti's burst always helped keep the beasts at bay, if not downright take them out. It was pretty easy all and all.

Before too long as they traversed they made it to the border between Liyue and Mondstadt and Venti paused. This didn't go unnoticed by Lisa, and she stopped her walking, thus making Qiqi stop as well. "Is something wrong?" Lisa inquired.

"Er…" Venti looked at the invisible line between his and Morax's land. Venti truly feared the moment he laid a toe on Morax's land that he'd be struck down by a pillar (wouldn't be the first time.) "No." He tried to shrug it off, but knew he was rather unconvincing. 'Get it over with before she puts two and two together.' Venti thought as he felt his lips turn into a scowl. It would be an insane leap in logic to think of Venti as Barbatos just because he was hesitating on crossing the border, but Lisa was smart. Insanely so.

"Then what's the hold up?"

"-I think I picked herbs over there-" Qiqi pointed in a direction and tried to go off on her own, but Lisa pulled her back.

"No, Sweetie, stay with me-" Lisa now turned to Qiqi, taking her focus off of Venti for a brief moment.

'I have to get over it and I have to do it now. If Morax strikes me down, he strikes me down.' With a deep breath in and before Lisa could take her eyes off of Qiqi, Venti took one big step into Liyue.

He soon put his second foot in so he was entirely in Liyue and he paused. His ears strained and he suddenly became more aware of his surroundings, waiting for something to happen, to strike him where he stood. His muscles tensed and his heart started to race. Aside from a bird twittering somewhere in the distance nothing happened and Venti felt his muscles start to relax as the seconds ticked by.

"Are you ready, Mr. Venti? If we stall any longer, it'll be nightfall before we get to Liyue."

"Right! Of course, I apologize!" Venti put his mask on and cheerily (but warily) marched on ahead. "Shall we be off?"

"Hm." Lisa grunted but followed behind him.

They went on, crossing bridges, fighting Hilichurls, and other things alike. The only thing they all agreed not to mess with was cicins, they were too quick and often dodged their attacks, even managing to slip out of Venti's burst more often than not. If a group of cicin's attacked they ran on. The cicin's would lose interest over time.

When they crest a small hill, Qiqi halted suddenly making Venti and Lisa stop with her. Qiqi then pointed upwards. They followed her finger and off in the distance, up a hill of its own, there stood a village if Venti was seeing correctly. "That's Wuwang Hill." Qiqi then spoke. "I go there to collect Qingxin and violetgrass… I think."

"Wuwang hill…" Venti mumbled to himself. Something about that name struck a chord with him, but he just couldn't figure out why.

"It has a desolate feel to it, even just from a distance." Lisa rubbed her forearms as she said this. Venti couldn't help but feel the same way. It was unnerving to look at for too long and before he knew it he turned and waved it off.

He gave a very noticeable shudder and looked back over at Lisa and Qiqi. "We should get going. It's like you said earlier Miss Lisa, we'll be lucky if we make it to Liyue before nightfall!"

Off they went.

They were about half-way to Liyue, passed the Wangshu inn where they debated staying the night but thought against it and would rest in Liyue once Qiqi was returned.

Then Qiqi spoken up. "I think...I know him."

"Know who?" Venti had asked without looking at Qiqi. Qiqi had stopped, causing the party to stop, and pointed back behind her.

"Him. The boy with the long silver hair and giant sword."

Venti only knew one boy with long silver hair who wields a 'giant sword' as Qiqi puts it. As did Lisa, they both looked at each other with the same wide-eyed disbelieving stare. There was no way-

"Hey guys!" And then came Klee.

Sure enough when Lisa and Venti turned there was Razor and Klee just a couple hundred yards away. Klee excitedly jumped up and down waving her arms wildly at them. Razor was on all fours, his face only an inch or two away from the dirt as he intensely stared- no- sniffed at the ground.

"What is he doing out of Wolvendom-" Venti whispered to Lisa but was cut off.

"Nevermind, Razor. What is Klee doing out of Mondstadt! Jean will maul us, Venti." Lisa hissed between her teeth and she reached out suddenly catching Venti's shoulder with her hand, digging her nails in as if to prove a point.

To put it bluntly: Both Lisa and Venti were fools, complete and absolute utter fools. Of course Klee was going to want to come along to see Qiqi off!

"Young lady-" Venti put on his 'stern' voice for this and tried to be as serious as possible as Klee looked at him. This also caught Razor's attention. "-And Razor! Just what do you two think you're doing?!"

"More specifically: you, Klee. You know better than to pull a stunt like this!" Lisa added her two cents in. "Does Jean know you've run off!?- of course she wouldn't- Oh Archons- Klee… please tell me that at least Albedo knows!"

The awkward face Klee pulled and the silence that soon followed told them all they needed to know. Venti had half a mind to send them flying back to Mondastadt with a strong gust of wind.

"Oh Archons…" Lisa breathed out again. "Nope- nope! I'm sorry, but you have to go back-"

"Can't go back!" Razor suddenly jumped up. "Followed scent. Bad scent."

'Bad scent?' Those words made Venti freeze almost instantly and his blood turned to ice. 'Could that mean-'

"Bad scent? What do you mean by that?" Lisa had been the one to ask.

"Scent found with Lumine. Been hunting it ever since. No one from Mondstadt. Klee wanted to join."

That was when Qiqi suddenly walked right up to Razor and paused while tilting her head and putting her finger to lips. "Does Qiqi know you? You look familiar?"

"This is big brother Razor!" Klee happily jumped on Razor's back as she said this. Razor, clearly an expert with Klee, didn't even flinch. "He's so strong!"

Qiqi's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to dig into her limited memories. She frowned a little when it seemed no answer came. That was when Razor leaned down so they were face to face. He then sniffed the air around Qiqi and his face lit up in recognition. "Qiqi! Razor knows you!"

Venti's jaw just dropped. This was knowledge he never would have put together. Never in a million years. "Uh...how?-" Venti pointed to Qiqi and then to Razor. The question was there without him saying it out loud.

"No way!? You know big brother Razor, Qiqi?" Klee clung on to Razor's shoulders as she hoisted herself slightly higher.

"Do...I?" Qiqi went back to an emotionless face as she stared at the pompom on her shoes. "Razor looks...familiar."

Razor crossed his arms over his chest. "Lumine."

'Ah. our mutual friend. Makes sense.' The more Venti thought about it the more it actually made sense. With their powers and attacks, Qiqi and Razor would make a good team. It almost made Venti a smidge jealous.

"Okay… Okay!" Lisa clapped her hands, gaining everyone's attention. "This is getting off track and out of hand. Razor you need to turn around and take Klee back to Mondstadt. She can't be here, she didn't get permission to leave Mondstadt! Jean must be absolutely beside herself-"

While Lisa started to rant and berate, Venti's mind trailed off. As he looked at Razor. 'He was following a bad scent… it led him here… meaning that I was right. It obviously took place in Liyue. How far would they have gotten if they didn't catch up with us? Would have stopped at Liyue or gone off the path?' Venti looked over his shoulder at the sun. It was starting to set. Meaning: If Klee and Razor walked back now they'd be stuck in the dark.

Razor is strong. Really strong, Venti saw him in action many times. Lumine helped him become that strong. 'Lumine is stronger than Razor and look at what happened to her.' Venti's heart thumped angrily and he could feel his hands start to shake all while turning cold.

Lisa was finishing up her scolding. "-So please, just go-"

'What if they're ambushed on the darkened road- Razor is only so strong- if they take Klee-'

"No!" Venti's sudden roar scared everyone while the winds went still leaving them in an eerie silence. Klee dropped from Razor's back, Razor visibly tensed, Lisa gasped and spun to look at him. Qiqi must have felt threatened because in a heartbeat her sword was in her hand. Not raised, but there as a precaution. All eyes were on him.

'Calm down.'

Venti let out an awkward (almost cringy sounding) laugh. "S-sorry- That came out louder than intended." He tried to steady his beating heart and twitching nerves to the best of his abilities. "I mean… no. They shouldn't leave, at least not now." He swallowed a lump down and scratched at his face.

"A word." Lisa hissed and grabbed Venti by his arm. "You two watch Qiqi!" They stormed out of earshot of the party where they continued this conversation in private.

"And why not?" Lisa huffed and crossed her arms. "Klee doesn't have permission. End of discussion."

"Lisa, the sun is setting. Think about this logically." Venti started. "If we get them to go home now they'd be stuck in the dark on the way to Mondstadt."

Lisa did as Venti requested and thought about it for a second. The frustration was clear as day on her face. "I see your point. But Razor is strong-"

"And so was Lumine." Venti hissed between clenched teeth. "If the same people that hurt Lumine got a hold of Razor and Klee… I won't be able to sleep at night knowing I sent them that way!"

Lisa's face crumpled in a matter of seconds. "I… I didn't think about it like that. I guess I can see your point… but… couldn't we let them go to that inn and have them return home tomorrow during the morning?"

Now it was Venti's turn to think about Lisa's compromise. It was a valid one. "That's… not a bad idea… but…"

'Those people called Qiqi a 'meal ticket' why?' Venti suppressed a shudder. 'It was bad enough if they really-' Another suppressed shudder. He didn't want to think about it, but he knew he had to because- 'What if they want girls? Lumine is underage, Qiqi… Klee might just fit that criteria.'

"No. I have my reasons and I can't discuss everything with you but I can say this much… I personally believe Klee might be a target to these people. It's best if she and Razor stay with us until we get back to Mondstadt. We'll go to Liyue, return Qiqi, rent a room for the night and we'll just have to write a letter to Jean explaining the situation."

Lisa didn't look happy and she crossed her arms over her chest. Venti could see the wheels turning in her head. "I don't like this. Not one bit. Why are you so sure about this theory of yours?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that…" Venti muttered and scratched his neck. "But I can say. Would they even stay in the Inn? Would they just run off again?"

She huffed. "Fine, but you're paying for that hotel room and I'm confiscating Klee's bombs when we get there. The last thing we need is her blowing up fish in Liyue."

"Deal."

'Anything to ensure their safety.' Venti wasn't lying about what he said earlier. If something happened to Klee and Razor on the road he'd never sleep well again. They were his people, his citizens, and he had an obligation to protect them at any cost.

Taking Klee's bombs was rather easy. By the time they got to Liyue, Razor carried her on his back and she had fallen asleep, so Lisa simply slipped the backpack off of Klee. Razor simply nodded at this. "Good thought." was what he said about that. He knew how Klee was.

Venti couldn't believe how happy he was to see Liyue for himself. As was someone else.

Qiqi couldn't be contained or stopped this time around. Her long-term memory must have kicked in and she took off running before someone could grab her. "Ah! Darling!" Lisa gasped but Venti put a hand on Lisa's shoulder.

"Let her go. She knows what she's doing and where she's going. After all. She's home."

Lisa relaxed. "Alright. I just didn't expect our departure to be so brief…"

"She's a zombie." Venti shrugged like that made any sense. Lisa just let it go.

Venti yawned loudly and stretched his arms over his head. He was exhausted and ready for a hard drink and then a nice warm bed. He'd buy a room for Lisa, Klee, and Razor but…

He looked at the talisman on his hand.

He'd sleep somewhere else.

"Big place. Bright lights. Too many people." Razor snorted at this. "Don't like. Sleep in the forest-" Razor went to turn with Klee still on his back, but Venti grabbed him by his arm.

"Oh no, you don't," Venti grunted. "Stay with Lisa, please, my friendly Razor. Here." Venti dug into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small bit of Mora. Not his last bit but close to it. He handed the small bag to Lisa. "I think I see a place to sleep just over there." He pointed. Lisa suddenly looked impressed.

"I didn't know you could read Liyuen." She commented while taking the money. Venti poked his tongue out.

"A bard has to make money somehow." He winked. Lisa snorted.

"Alright. I'll go get us a room. Will you be joining us?"

"Nah. I think I'm going to get a drink. But I'll catch up later."

"Not surprising. Just don't get drunk. We're leaving first thing in the morning. I'm still going to send a letter to Jean. I'll have a courier send it… maybe pay him to double if he gets it there before midnight…" Lisa walked off muttering to herself. Razor followed obediently behind Lisa, making sure Klee was comfortable on his back. Venti watched them go for a few moments before walking the opposite way. Once alone, he sighed out a long sigh that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding in the whole time. Venti ran his fingers through his hair and grumbled to himself. 'What a day. Some cider would be great, but wine, any kind, would be divine.'

The first place he tried was the Yanshang Teahouse, sure it's tea, but maybe they might sell some hard drinks. Well, he was, rather rudely, turned away and yelled when he even so much as approached the place. "We don't want to serve you! Now scram!" The hostess had yelled while shooing him away.

"I hope none of the other shopkeepers are like you." Venti couldn't help but sneer as he walked away from the teahouse. That turned into a bust real quick. He walked through the crowd of Liyuen's in hope of finding a tavern or something similar. He received some odd looks in passing. Not surprising. His colors were bright and outright flamboyant compared to the more diluted colors of Liyue. He really stuck out like a sore thumb.

As Venti was making his way down, towards the delicious smell of food. Maybe he could stop by the local eatery, order something, and ask where he could-

Venti suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

'He knows.' It was a little prickle on the back of his neck that told him everything. He placed his hand on that spot of his neck and slowly turned around.

After all these years, Venti could still pick Morax out of a crowd. Even without the horns, robe, and glowing arms, Zhongli was easy to identify. Maybe it was the glowing hatred that radiated out of those bright yellow eyes of his, or maybe, it was because they're both Archons. Well, they were archons at one point.

"Zh-" Venti took a step forward wanting to rush to Zhongli, cling to him if necessary, but then came a bellow that tore Venti's attention away from the lord Geo.

"Where the hell did you get it!?"

Before Venti completely turned his head away from Zhongli; he knew exactly who was yelling. After all, he's been a patron of Diluc for ages now.

There, between the adventurer's guild and the local eatery, below where a blacksmith looked down in concern clutching at the railing, stood Master Diluc.

But Diluc wasn't alone. Oh no. Diluc was holding a man up in the air. One of Diluc's hands was wrapped around the man's shirt, while his other hand had his sword out, fire already ablaze around his blade. There was an angry fire behind Diluc's eyes that Venti could see from where he stood.

This man that Diluc had couldn't look any less like a threat. He was dressed in a blue-colored hanfu, had messy black hair, and if Venti was seeing the object on the ground right, the man had glasses. So. Why was Diluc treating him as such? The man gave pitiful kicks in the air as he frantically tried to look for help.

"Last warning!" Diluc all but screamed in this man's face as he shook the man. He was absolutely incensed and that was when Venti knew he had to step in. However, before Venti could even take a full step another familiar face suddenly jumped down the railing and landed next to Diluc.

"It seems he doesn't want to answer."

There weren't two knights in Liyue.

There were three: Now counting Kaeya.

Upon seeing Kaeya, Venti shook his head: "So much for avoiding suspicion."

So, I didn't realize this while writing but I have every character that speaks in the third person in this chapter. Don't worry, Qiqi isn't gone and Dahlia hasn't been forgotten about.

To provide some context to Razor and Qiqi knowing each other. Qiqi is my main healer whereas Razor is my main DPS. So this is a personal thing for me. ^.^"