Night had fallen and the moon shone brightly in the sky, the sight of it no longer filling Nahida with dread. She even smiled at it, finding a solemn beauty in its gleaming, jagged surface that had previously eluded her.
A number of odd glances were sent her way, and Nahida concluded that her attempt at stealthily tip-toeing her way through Sumeru City was a failure.
Luckily, the consequences would be Katheryne's to deal with.
Spotting her target lazing on a bench, legs crossed and eyes fixed on the starry sky, she felt a bit mischievous. As she approached Aether slowly from behind, intent on giving him a scare, her gait suddenly faltered, each fine strand of hair on her neck standing on edge involuntarily.
A beautiful woman strode with impeccable poise towards the bench, in each of her hands carrying a plate filled to the brim with baklava. Taking a seat next to the person Nahida had been meaning to catch unawares, the woman handed him a plate.
"Mhm…" she heard him moan, biting into one of the treats. "Ei, this is delicious!"
"Of course it is. I asked for the sweetest thing they had in the shop."
Nahida was convinced that there was something familiar about the woman named Ei, though she couldn't quite place her finger on it. Everything about her exuded strength, and she could've sworn she'd seen that particular shade of violet hair somewhere, or sometime.
When Aether and Ei locked hands, a jolt went through her stolen body.
Sneaking ever closer to them, Nahida crouched down behind a tall, potted plant, its humungous leaves shielding her from view. She couldn't help but wonder if his hands felt as soft and gentle in the real world as they had during their shared dream.
"I never thanked you for… well, everything, I suppose. Your help certainly made my trip into dreamland a whole lot easier to manage."
'Remind me to thank a certain someone once we return to the land of the living, but for now…'
That answers that question, thought Nahida, amazed that this woman possessed enough power to impose her will on the Akasha. She wasn't given much time to process that thought, however, as the two decided to lean into each other, their lips meeting in a fleeting yet romantic kiss.
Nahida's cheeks burned hotter than the sun, feeling very embarrassed at having witnessed such a private and intimate exchange.
"I can think of a number of ways for you to thank me properly."
"E-Ei!" Aether exclaimed, looking beyond scandalized. "You can't-"
"Hm? What is it? I heard a young girl saying something similar while standing in line to purchase our sweets. I believed it to be fitting in this context as well."
"Sometimes I'm not sure whether you're being serious or just having me on."
There was a glint in Ei's eyes that Nahida wasn't sure she approved of; a sudden, overwhelming urge to protect propelling her forward and out of her hiding place, forcefully squeezing herself down onto the bench between them.
"Um… h-hello." she stammered, becoming aware of her close proximity to the couple. "I mean- good evening!"
Two pairs of eyes stared at her impassively.
"…Katheryne?"
Nahida shook her head, the beginnings of a coy smile playing on her lips.
Aether furrowed his brow, floundering briefly before he reeled back in shock, eyes alight with understanding.
"Wait, could it be… Nahida?!"
"That's me!" she replied, clapping her hands in delight. She was unsure whether he would recognize her in this form or not, but felt irrationally pleased at the fact that he did.
"B-But how?!"
"Oh, it's nothing. I was thinking of staying put and waiting for you to come and rescue me, but then I thought, why wait? So I decided to borrow the body of this bionic Snezhnayan puppet for a while."
"Bionic… Snezhnayan… puppet."
"Paimon knew it!" a shrill voice cried out. "Paimon always knew there was something fishy about all of those Katherynes!"
Nahida gaped in disbelief at the floating fairy that appeared out of thin air, waving her arms dramatically for nearly two full minutes.
"Big sister?!" exclaimed both Nahida and Ei in unison.
"I agree with Paimon," said Aether. "You're both archons, but Ei's been around for longer. In a way, she is like a big sister to you - especially now that she can show you the ropes in person."
Nahida still had trouble accepting that the Electro Archon was sitting next to her, their arms and legs pressed up against each other due to lack of space.
"I will do no such thing!"
"I concur! Every archon needs to figure out their own way to lead their people, based on their own experiences and values and-"
Nahida froze mid-sentence, a very enticing thought coming to mind. She snatched a baklava off Ei's plate and began munching on it merrily, ignoring her indignant expression. Yes, she thought, perhaps a compromise could be reached in this particular case.
"If she's going to be my big sister, Aether… that would make you my big brother."
"Absolutely not!" Ei all but yelled, spittle flying from her mouth. "That is not how it works!"
It wasn't the type of behavior she'd expected from her fellow god, an ancient being rumored to be ruthless and unfeeling, but then she hadn't expected a conversation like this to be taking place in a million years.
"I don't mind." said Aether, shrugging as he weathered Ei's glare with little to no fear. "She's an adorable little cabbage, Ei - not even you'd be able to resist those big, teary eyes. It really is your own fault for not joining us in the samsara."
"C-Cabbage?!"
Nahida was on the verge of fainting, the idea of spending her life imprisoned within the Sanctuary of Surasthana more appealing than ever. When Aether reached over and pinched her cheek, she feared that Katheryne may have short-circuited.
"What else am I supposed to call you? A radish? A tiny bundle of cuteness and wisdom? Remember, you asked for this, my little moonchild. Teasing is what big brothers do best."
She could practically feel the smoke rising off her face, realizing that she'd been played and worse still that there was no escape in sight.
"Let this be your first lesson, Buer," said Ei, smiling far too innocently for it to be anything but evil. "Be careful what you wish for."