"...Filthy Rats! All of YOUUUUUU!"
La Signora, the eighth of the Fatui Harbingers, charged at the Raiden Shogun in pure fury. While the Shogun charged the Musou no Hitotachi in anticipation to strike.
"Pardon the interruption!"
A person suddenly tackled Signora out of the strike zone of the Shogun's sword, landing several meters away.
"What?" The Raiden Shogun simply looked toward where the intruder and Signora had landed only to see a wall of ice had been formed around them.
On the other side, the interruptor rapidly stood up, helping Signora as he did so. He was quite tall, only a little shorter than Signora herself.
"Leo..." Signora whispered out, having been winded by the tackle.
"Get out of here, Signora." 'Leo', whose face was concealed, replied sternly. "Go!"
"But, you're..." Signora was stunned.
"I'll explain everything later. For now, just get to safety." 'Leo' correctly sensed that the Shogun was right behind his ice wall and so he shattered it to stun her.
This allowed Signora to stand and run, breaching out of the estate, and getting away.
'Leo' dodged or blocked enough of the attacks of the Raiden Shogun with his rapier so that he was close enough to the exit made by Signora. He faced the Shogun and Aether, the traveler, before uttering one simple phrase.
"See ya!"
With that, he backflipped out of the estate and revealed his wrist mounted grapple hook to shoot at a nearby roof and escape, breaking the hook in the process.
"Well, it lasted longer than expected..." He muttered.
Back inside, Aether, Paimon and the Shogun convened with each other.
[The Next Day]
Aether and Paimon slowly wandered down a commerce route trying to simultaneously process the events of the previous day by making small talk.
"Hey, Traveler!" Someone called out.
Aether and Paimon both looked around but couldn't see anyone.
"Up here!" The voice said.
The Travelers both looked up onto the tree they were under and, sure enough, there was a person up in one of the higher branches who quickly descended to join them on the path.
Paimon studied him before speaking up.
"Those clothes...You're the one who helped Signora get away!" She exclaimed, making Aether summon his sword and enter his combat stance.
"Whoa, calm down, Traveler. I have no intention fighting you." 'Leo' took a step back and removed his mask and lowered his hood.
His hair was of medium length and a very dark blue and his eyes were sharp and red. The same as yesterday, he was wearing not an Inazuman outfit, but it wasn't exactly Fatui uniform either. It was mostly grey with areas coloured black to create a loose pattern. He wore jet black gloves which were armoured. Finally, he had a cryo Vision on the opposite wrist as his now broken grapple hook.
"After all, I take it you've had extensive contact with my mother, correct?" He smiled.
"Huh?!" Paimon and Aether said in unison.
'Leo' sighed. "Fine, I guess I have to introduce myself..."
He did a shallow bow before continuing.
"My name is Liu. Son of Liyue Harbor's Tianquan, Lady Ningguang."
The three of them stood in silence for several seconds, before Paimon broke it.
"What?!"
"But, Ningguang's..." Aether began.
Liu chuckled. "I know what you're thinking. In truth, my mother is older than she would ever let you know. Well, at least old enough to have an adult son."
Aether and Paimon both stared blankly.
"Oh, but don't mention anything like that to her, I'm not ready to die just yet." Liu added.
"Wait wait wait!" Paimon suddenly yelled. "Why would Ningguang's son help a Fatui Harbinger? Isn't she strongly suspicious of the Fatui as a whole?"
"It's a long story." Liu replied. "I can tell you, but not here. How about I tell you over some drinks, I'll pay of course."
"Ugghhh, I'm getting some Childe flashbacks here..." Paimon said to Aether.
"You've met him as well?" Liu asked. "He's an entertaining guy."
Aether put his sword away.
"Alright, I'll hear you out" Liu perked up at his response.
"Good." Liu turned away. "Follow me!"
[Later...]
"So, Traveler, what do you want to know?" Liu asked setting down his glass.
Aether thought for a minute.
"Why did you help Signora yesterday? You don't look like Fatui to me."
Liu took a swig of his drink.
"You're correct, I'm not Fatui. Not anymore." Liu looked at his drink. "My goal in my life is much the same as yours. To explore every corner of Teyvat, except I'm only doing it for myself, not because I'm looking for someone."
Aether and Paimon showed that they were listening intently. "So, obviously, I ended up in Snezhnaya about a year ago now. Much like here, that place isn't very kind to outsiders, but they demonstrate it in a different way. Instead of absurd lodging fees and heavy restrictions on the actions you can take. The Fatui, being the governing body there, make a point of assigning spies to keep tabs on visitors. They don't try to hide it."
"What's the point of spies if the people being spied on know about it?" Paimon interjected.
"My guess is that it's to make the targets feel so uncomfortable to the point that they leave to make it stop." Liu sipped his drink again. "The only reason they let me join in the first place was because I could get way with saying I was born there. I never met him, but my mother said that my father was a Snezhnayan."
"And they just took your word for it?" Aether made his surprise vocal.
"I was shocked as well." Liu's smile faded. "But I wasn't fully trusted at the start. I had to go through with some things that I'm not proud of but if it meant I could stay in Snezhnaya without being watched, I had to persevere."
"How did you get to know Signora to the point where you risked your life to help her?" Paimon asked.
"That has to do with my performance after I was fully accepted into the Fatui." Liu paused to finish his drink. "I became one of the fastest promoted operatives in the entire history of the organization, even receiving a commendation from the Tsaritsa herself. It was with this commendation that I was assigned to the La Signora squadron. Being under direct command of a Harbinger comes with a few privileges such as a room of your own and first pick at meal times."
"Is that why you saved Signora because she was your boss?" Paimon questioned.
"If that's all she was, I wouldn't have even followed her to meet with you and the Shogun." Liu leant back and smiled again. "I probably should have worded that differently, we were never lovers, but you know how I said I was rapidly promoted in the Fatui?"
Aether and Paimon nodded.
"Well, I didn't stop when I was in Signora's group." The ex-Fatui straightened his posture. "I worked my way up that small ladder of ranks as well until I reached the highest and vacant slot. La Signora's right hand man. Of course, the way to obtain such a rank is not as simple as others. I had to get Signora herself to deem me worthy."
Aether and Paimon had all but forgotten about their own drinks.
"Granted, it probably helped that my personal room was right next to Signora's so we had a few small interactions before I was her right hand. Though, saying that, when I first got that room, she just completely ignored me." Liu scoffed.
"How rude!" Paimon exclaimed.
"Maybe, but that's just how she is." Liu narrowed his gaze at the fairy-like being. "If you are not powerful or established enough, she will not acknowledge your existence. That's how she views everyone. Based entirely on their power or relation to her."
"Why did you save Signora in such a risky way?" Aether spoke up.
"Like I said I was her right hand man...but there's also the fact that I just couldn't let her die like that. Usually, she'd back out of a clearly unwinnable situation because she's cautious, but you defeating her must have wounded her pride so much that she just became blinded by rage. It was my belief that she would back off that kept me from intervening until the last moment." Liu frowned at his empty cup.
He looked over the bar. "May I have another serving please?"
The bartender nodded.
"Another thing..." Paimon spoke up. "Signora...called you 'Leo', right? What's up with that?"
"It's the name I used while in Snezhnaya and the Fatui." Liu answered. "My real name is a bit too Liyuen to avoid being watched."
Liu finished his refilled drink in one go, then turned to look directly at Aether and Paimon.
"You probably still have more to ask me, but I need to meet with Signora." He stands up. "Should we meet again, I'll tell you all you want to know. For now, leave Signora to me, I'll pacify her, so do not go hunting."
With that, Liu left a bag of Mora on the bar and swiftly wandered off, out of sight.
[With Liu...]
"It stands to reason that Signora would be wherever the Fatui have set up their Inazuman hideout." Liu muttered to himself, standing upon a cliff looking over the land. "But where is that?"
"Leo...correct?" Liu knew that voice all too well.
He turned and, sure enough, it was the voice of a Mirror Maiden.
"Yes, that's me." He approached the Maiden. "Here to fight me?"
"On the contrary, actually..." The Maiden shook her head. "La Signora has requested a meet with you, for undisclosed reasons. I am here to escort you to her."
'How does she know where I am?' Liu thought.
"It does not matter whether you agree or not, I will be taking you to her." The Maiden grabs Liu's arm.
"Alright, I get it." Liu frees himself. "I was planning on seeing her today anyway..."
The Mirror Maiden bows and leads Liu towards the Fatui hideout...
[Later...]
"Lady Signora, I have brought him." The Maiden kneels to Signora, who is currently facing away.
"Well done..." Signora sets down the goblet she was inspecting. "Leave us, now."
"As you wish, Milady." The Maiden stands and leaves.
"Explain yourself, Leo." Signora still doesn't turn to Liu.
"That's harsh..." Liu shrugs. "Not even a thank you for saving your life."
Signora finally spins around with a penetrating glare directed at Liu.
"That...does not make up for making me believe you were dead for these past 4 months." She slowly starts to walk up to Liu. "Leo, I accepted you, I gave you that space, beside me, as an equal. Only to see your body in a patch of red snow, next to a masterless Vision."
"Signora, I'm sorr-"
"That image is burned into my memory." Signora stares past Liu. "Not a day went by where I didn't think about that scene."
"Look, Signora if you just let me-"
"Only for you to magically appear when I'm in peril one day." Signora was now just half a metre away from Liu. "So, tell me. What merit did you obtain by faking your death to me, and the entire Fatui?"
Liu sighed and looked Signora dead in the eye.
"It hurt me too, you know." He began. "If my circumstances were different, I would've happily stayed there or wherever you ended up. But I couldn't stay, because of family reasons."
Signora continued to glare at Liu.
Liu bowed. "I sincerely apologize, Signora. I realize that there was probably a better way to go about it. I'm sorry."
Signora remained silent, but her expression changed to one of relief.
Liu's gaze met her's again. "I will try to make it u-"
Liu was was cut off by Signora throwing her arms around him and pulling him close.
"Just, stop talking now." She said.
A stunned Liu gently returned the embrace as best he could while Signora rested her head atop his.
"Thank you for...stepping in when you did." She whispers. "I...wasn't thinking straight yesterday. I'm more just glad that you are alive and well."
"Signora..." Liu relaxed and sank into the warmth that surrounded him.
"Leo, come back." Signora muttered. "Come back to my side."
Liu hesitated.
"I...can't."
Signora visibly depressed upon hearing his reply.
"Why not?" She said. "Do those nights we spent drinking together mean nothing to you?"
"Signor-"
"Do I mean nothing to you?"
Liu froze. He knew his reply here would decide the outcome of this night.
"...I could never forget the bond we forged." He began. "It's just...there's still things I need to do, outside the Fatui."
Signora pulled away but still held Liu's shoulders.
"Fine...just promise me this..."
Liu nodded for her to continue.
"You'll return to me, once you've finished all you need to." She gave a shallow smile.
"I will, Signora." Liu smiled back. "Also, it's okay to admit you're in love with me, you know?"
Signora's eyes widened, before she pushed Liu away and turned around, hiding her face.
"N-nonsense..." She murmured.
Liu simply sighed contently, satisfied at how this night had ended.