An air of excitement permeated Liyue Harbor, and an unexpected one at that. Several days had passed since the defeat of Beisht, and although the people of Liyue were happy to have averted yet another calamity, it'd been a rather subdued affair.
So great was Ningguang's foresight, and her planning so meticulous, that most citizens went about their daily routine none the wiser that a scorned goddess had threatened their lives.
Why then, wondered Aether, was the city now bustling with cheer, adults and children alike jumping for joy as they skipped down sunlit streets. Could it perhaps be attributed to the Jade Chamber gracing the skies once again, or was it the upcoming lantern rite that lifted their spirits?
Amidst his musings, something hard crashed against his back, all but sending him stumbling.
A growl had Aether turning around, his face adopting an apologetic expression. It appeared he wasn't the only one to have been accosted, and worse still, his latest companion was one no sane person would wish to bother.
"I'm sorry, if I'd known it would be this lively…"
"It's not your fault." said Shenhe, her eyes frigid, devoid of expression.
Aether pitied whoever had bumped into them, praying that their paths wouldn't cross again - at least not until Shenhe had safely returned to her home in the mountains.
"That said, I do find myself wondering what could warrant such boorish behavior from the masses."
He snorted at her words, unbidden thoughts of Cloud Retainer coming to mind.
"You and me both."
Only a short distance away, blissfully unaware of the approaching duo, as well as the general commotion around her, Raiden smiled in self-satisfaction.
"E- Excuse me?" stammered a confused and bewildered shopkeeper, not believing her ears.
"What?!" screeched an old lady.
"You can't do that! That's scalping!" a young man spat indignantly.
Raiden, of course, didn't understand what was so strange about her request, nor why the crowd behind her suddenly burst into an uproar.
"I wish to purchase your entire stock of limited edition, made-to-scale, Traveler figurines." she said, repeating herself for the sake of formality.
Realizing that Raiden was of a serious mind, the shopkeeper quickly schooled her features into that of forced regret.
"I'm terribly sorry, Miss, but these are a pre-order bonus for the latest set of Liyue Millennial. We're limiting them to one per customer, not that we ever thought anyone would want so many… Leave it to Lady Ningguang to consider every eventuality."
The last part was muttered under her breath, an odd blend of respect and disbelief.
"Yeah! You tell her, Boss!" the same young man yelled triumphantly.
"I see." said Raiden dejectedly. "In that case, I suppose I shall have to content myself with a single figurine. Please present me with each one, then, that I may choose the superior specimen."
"You can't be serious!"
"This fangirl is on an entirely different level!"
"Someone call the Millelith, I can't take it anymore!"
Unbeknownst to Raiden, the irate, impatient crowd, made up of nothing but devotees of her love, was quickly transforming into something more akin to a ferocious mob.
"Oh…"
Frozen in place and mortified, whether out of embarrassment or something else entirely, Aether stared wide-eyed at the pandemonium taking place before him.
He'd completely forgotten about the promotional chess piece that Ningguang had commissioned - the one designed in his likeness. When she first mentioned it, he'd been flustered beyond belief. The thought that tens, or even hundreds of people might be walking around with little replicas of himself in their possession made him strangely uneasy.
Never in his wildest dreams, however, did he predict that a mob of at least a thousand people would be climbing over themselves in an effort to reach Xingxi's store. He could barely make out the contour of Mingxing Jewelry, a fact not helped by his short stature, and unless his eyes deceived him, the throng of prospective customers stretched as far as to the Adventurer's Guild.
"Argh! Rex Lapis, forgive me! I'll happily spend a month in jail if it means I can lay my hands on the Traveler, even if it's just a model!"
A young girl who'd been standing quietly in the sidelines gained a deranged glint in her eyes, throwing herself into the fray following her passionate proclamation.
"Traveler, are you alright? Your cheeks are flushed, and…"
Shenhe placed a palm against his forehead, her eyes no longer dull, instead filled with concern - just as they'd been during the battle not too long ago.
"Ah, that's-"
"By order of the Qixing, stop right there!"
"Thank goodness, it's the Yuheng!"
Between her thumb and index finger, Raiden held an immaculate, thoroughly polished figurine of the Traveler, sculpted to perfection from the finest marble. After a great deal of consideration, she was finally ready to make her purchase.
After all, she must've gone through at least a hundred different models by now - tiny bolts of lightning holding all the restless queuers at bay. Unfortunately, her moment of happiness was short-lived, ruined by the untimely arrival of the Yuheng and her guard.
Raiden didn't like the girl, finding something about her off-putting, and that was before looking down the length of her sharp, glistening blade.
"Do you intend to duel me?" she asked, unable to help the slight undertone of mockery seeping into her voice.
"Your actions have caused civil unrest. Friend of the Traveler or not, I must do my duty."
The mob gasped, drawing back when the Yuheng's blade suddenly came crashing down upon her. To Raiden, who had mastered the precursor to each and every Inazuman sword art, the strike was sloppy and unrefined.
She intercepted the blade with naught but her finger, tiny sparks against her nail serving as the only evidence of their clash, and disappointed eyes locked with her opponent's.
"I do not know what he sees in you. That Vision you bear… it offends me."
A lazy flick sent the Yuheng sprawling, skidding painfully across her back. The poor shopkeeper yelped, her face hidden behind her hands, and even the Millelith could do little more than look on aghast.
"Perhaps I shall dispose of it."
A sense of déjà vu overcame her, time slowing to a near halt, the Vision fluttering almost hesitantly before soaring towards her outstretched hand. Somehow, Raiden could already tell what would happen, anticipating it eagerly, and she smiled as a familiar blur of violet and gold snatched the Vision out of the air.
What she didn't expect was the ecstatic, ear-piercing scream of the mob, who'd just a second ago been pacified out of sheer terror.
"Oh my god!"
"It's him, it's the Traveler!"
She even swore a lady's voice called out fervidly, begging for his children, before dismissing the thought entirely. No one would be foolish enough to utter such a thing in Raiden's presence.
"And this, ladies and gentlemen, is a reenactment of the event that sparked the abolition of the Vision Hunt Decree. Thank you for taking part in our surprise performance, and please, be respectful to Miss Xingxi while standing in line."
The Traveler bowed his head lightly, cheeks tinted rose from the thundering applause, and returned the Vision to its rightful owner - an owner who looked a little too perky for Raiden's liking.
Aether heaved a sigh of relief, feeling far more exhausted than he had during the battle with Beisht.
At this rate, Raiden would be the death of him, and for one reason or another, people seemed intent on hurrying the process along as quickly as possible. It was turning him paranoid, almost to the point that he believed wielders of the electro element in particular had something out for him.
Lisa was a menace easily as formidable as Ying'er.
Fischl made his head spin by simply existing, and not necessarily in the best of ways.
Keqing was… a little too admiring at times.
Beidou had become convinced he was a closet pervert ever since he asked her to strike a flirtatious pose for the kamera.
Kujou Sara tried to have him hunted down and possibly even killed.
Yae Miko - he shuddered at the mere thought of her - had been the source of many questionable nightmares. He'd not considered what his relationship with Raiden might entail when it came to the shrine maiden, but given his track record, he doubted anything good would come of it.
Almost as an afterthought, Aether made a mental note to thank Razor deeply and earnestly for being such a good and normal friend.
Feeling something warm brushing against him, he paled when Keqing grabbed hold of his hand. It was an innocent gesture in and of itself, but not when the Raiden Shogun stood opposite him, her left eye twitching dangerously.
"Ah… Uh-" he stammered, shuffling his feet, fidgeting nervously while looking between a very pleased Keqing and a very wrathful Raiden. Thankfully, both seemed to be playing along with his improvised stunt, but he could sense Raiden's patience running out at an alarming rate.
"Right!" exclaimed Aether, swinging his arm wide and motioning to the crowd. "Let's hear a round of applause for Lady Keqing and my dear friend Ei, who agreed to take part in this little show!"
The crowd roared, displaying their newfound affection for the two ladies.
"As a token of my appreciation, they shall each be receiving a hand-signed Traveler figurine!"
"That's so unfair, I'm so jealous!" someone shouted.
"And in my case, a kiss as well." said Raiden, grabbing his other hand.
"Of course, dear." confirmed Aether with a nod, before realizing what he was saying. "No, wait-"
"WHAT?!" the crowd screamed as one, ablaze with fury the likes of which only zealous fans could produce.
What followed was a rather painful contest of strength in which Keqing and Raiden both pulled on his arms, the former out of defiance, and the latter for the sake of love and one-upmanship.
"Shenhe! Save me! Please, I'm begging you! Shenhe!"