SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 105 out, I present Chapter 106 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Pairings: Albedo/Sucrose, Zhongli/Mitsuko/Kazuha, One-sided Diluc/Mitsuko, One-sided Diluc/Jean
Disclaimers: Genshin Impact and Sailor Moon belong to miHoYo and Takeuchi Naoko-sensei respectively. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except the plot, I hope.
Chapter 106: Teyvat Arc: Summertime Odyssey, Part Fourteen
On the island where the broken-down machine was located...
"Isn't that the same guy we saw on our first day here?" Paimon spotted Persikov lying on the sand.
"Everyone's gone crazy." Persikov moaned. "Everyone should get out of here! We'll never wake up... but I was right, my precious, you are invincible."
"Precious?" Xinyan echoed. "What's his precious?"
"A miracle machine..." Persikov groaned. "Definitely not... impossible..."
"I think he's referring to that machine." Mona noted.
"What a drunkard." Fischl huffed.
"I've checked the surroundings, but there's no one else here." Kazuha returned to the group. "Isn't that strange? The Fatui is a big organization, but he is the only one left at this camp. What's more, we didn't even see him the last time we were here. Even the larger gentleman from the first time is missing. I think they must be hiding somewhere. As for why they may be hiding, I'm afraid we'll have to ask him." he looked down at Persikov.
"But he's as drunk as Tone-Deaf Bard." Paimon complained. "Should we wait for him to sober up?"
"Cleanse him with the holy spring of punishment!" Fischl retorted.
"Mein Fräulein means to splash him with water." Oz translated.
"Huh?" the now sober Persikov looked around.
"Are you one of the Fatui?" Mona asked. "Can you tell us what happened here and what that machine is for?"
"F—Fatui..." Persikov scoffed. "Those blockheads from the administration will regret it now! That's what you get for rejecting my research and forcing me to conduct my research on this deserted island... .my precious! My precious..." he sobbed. "You mocked me and my precious invention! You don't know anything about the future. Only my invention can help us conquer the world! Idiots, such idiots. Don't hit me!" he pleaded. "I won't blow up the lab again. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."
"He wasn't like this when we first met him." Kazuha remarked. "It looks like the effects have grown worse, to the point of driving him mad."
"My manuscript, my manuscript!" Persikov wept. "Only that... can save... save..."
"Manuscript?" Fischl pressed. "Where is it?"
"Don't yell at me, don't yell at me." Persikov begged.
"Allow me." Kazuha stepped forward. "Please excuse me!" he apologized beforehand and flipped the delirious researcher over his shoulder.
"My butt..." Persikov was jolted awake. "* My brain is finally starting to work again. It's not a mushy mess anymore."
"Can you tell me where you put the manuscript?" Kazuha requested.
"The manuscript is in the crack over there." Persikov pointed.
"Found it!" Fischl pulled out a stack of papers from a rock formation.
"Let me see..." Mona perused the papers. "Just as I thought. This machinery named 'Cognitive Mimicry' is capable of altering the state of people's brains." she explained. "It was invented by the researcher we met earlier, his name is Persikov. According to the manuscript, the Fatui officials did not support Persikov's research. They believed he had taken the wrong path. But Persikov insisted on putting his machine to use. In order to achieve that, he disassembled the machine and used his connections to transport the parts to this deserted island. Persikov was dead set on carrying out his experiments on this island. Most of his subjects were junior Fatui soldiers who all signed a waiver before the experiment. It looks like they really thought this machine would benefit the Fatui."
"How does the machine work?" Kazuha asked the Hydro user.
"The manuscript didn't reveal any details, but Persikov did mention that the machine was modeled after the power of a god." Mona answered. "Does that mean there's a god connected to these dream-like mirages, and the Fatui found a way to research it?" Anyway, Persikov's experiment did not go as planned. The machine broke down just days after it was activated. They tried to fix it, but the technologically illiterate Fatui soldiers completely ruined the machine. Even its most important component of all — the crystalline cores — got ejected and disappeared. Persikov may be a mad scientist, but he didn't want to see his subordinates suffer. Besides, if he didn't solve the problem, he would end up going insane as well. As a last resort, Persikov went out on his own to look for the cores. But he was just a sickly researcher unfit for the task. He had to give up. Then, Persikov went searching for the soldiers who had gone mad and strayed from the group and took them to a hidden cave. It took Persikov all of his strength to get all the missing soldiers into the cave. He tried to snap them out of it with music and poetry, but nothing worked. There's good news and bad news written on the last few pages. The good news is, Persikov managed to figure out the location of the crystalline cores by piecing together the snippets of information he could get from the delirious soldiers. The bad news is, Persikov failed to revive them, and eventually succumbed to the device's influence himself. The last few pages of the manuscript are just unintelligible drunken scribbles. There's a map in the manuscript. The markings should indicate the locations of the crystalline cores."
"We've inserted all the crystalline cores." Paimon stated after the Traveler returned with the three crystal spheres. "Mona, is that all we needed to do?"
"I think so." Mona nodded. "That's what the manuscript says anyway."
"Let's give it some time." Kazuha suggested. "Hopefully, it'll return to normal."
"Someone's in our camp!" a Pyroslinger Bracer approached the machine with a Anemoboxer Vanguard in tow. "Who are you people!?"
"Hold on, look at the machine." the Anemoboxer Vanguard stopped his partner. "Is it fixed?"
"We're the ones who fixed the device." Paimon informed.
"We could have had a nice, relaxing vacation, if all of this hadn't ended up occupying so much of our time." Mona huffed.
"I'm outta here..." the Pyroslinger Bracer beat a hasty retreat.
"Don't leave me here on my own." the Anemoboxer Vanguard protested. "Mr. Persikov's still there, we need to save him!"
"Those two definitely seem a little more lucid now." Xinyan chuckled.
"It looks like we succeeded." Kazuha nodded.
Back at camp...
"After coming home to a nice big meal then having a long lie down, Paimon's finally starting to feel relaxed." Paimon cooed.
"You're all here." Mona approached the group. "I've noticed an issue. Although we've fixed the machine, as you can see; the mirages on the islands have still not disappeared."
"I've noticed that, too." Kazuha agreed. "But considering it took some time for the mirages to appear, it may also take some time for them to disappear."
"In other news, my scryglass seems to be working fine now." Mona informed. "The divination results are also looking about right, although there are some parts in the results that I don't quite understand; it's as if there is some sort of power surrounding us, and it's still watching us."
"Do you think it's caused by the machine, or perhaps Persikov?" Kazuha inquired.
"I'm also not sure." Mona admitted. "All I know is that the power is not hostile at the moment. Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to harbor any ill will toward us."
"Paimon, come with me!" the Traveler led Paimon away.
"We're gonna call the Tone-Deaf Bard, right?" Paimon pressed.
"Hello there, strangers!" Venti chirped. "You finally called! I thought you were having so much fun that you'd completely forgotten about me."
"Tone-Deaf Bard, a whole bunch of really strange things happened!" Paimon responded and the Traveler recounted everything.
"A strange machine that can imitate the power of a God?" Venti mused. "I didn't know the Fatui had plans like that. Their imaginations are truly running wild. Other than that, did you two have fun?"
"We did!" Paimon beamed. "We ate a lot of yummy food and saw loads of amazing things. It was really cool!"
"That's good." Venti chuckled. "The point of traveling is to record any feelings stirred along the way. As long as you had an unforgettable experience, this journey has served its purpose. As for the mysterious voice, although we don't know who it was, not only did she not harm you, she also helped you to gain a better understanding of each other, right? If you look at it that way, maybe she meant you well. I mean, if she was able to intercept Alice's communication tool, I'm sure she's also plenty capable of attacking you."
"Tone-Deaf Bard is right." Paimon concurred.
"Just enjoy your vacation to the fullest, and don't forget to tell me all about the marvelous mirages when you get back." Venti reminded. "I want to record all these beautiful memories and turn them into ballads. Every summer will become an unforgettable song." with that, he ended the call.
"Let's head back, we don't wanna keep everyone waiting." Paimon urged. "Didn't Fischl say earlier that she's going to catch some crabs? Paimon wants to go too!"
"Now you have solved the mystery." the familiar female voice echoed in the Traveler's head. "Doesn't it make you feel happy, satisfied? Don't worry, I won't hurt you." she assured. "I'm just a little bird that sometimes flies by these islands, and am now watching you from far, far away. I just so happened to sense a power here that has something to do with me. I was curious, so I landed on the beach to quietly watch everything that took place on these islands. It was fascinating. The ones who came here to work were so busy, and yet I still saw genuine smiles on their faces from time to time. And then all of you arrived later on, bringing your glorious dreamscapes and wonderful willpower. Your dreams are like the pure and delicate bubbles floating on the water. The more beautiful the illusion, the more it fascinates me. I'm not able to travel myself, but I do admire free spirits like yourself. So, I helped them design a little something for you all. I hope you liked it."
"Who are you?" the Traveler inquired.
"As I said, I don't have an agenda." the voice replied. "I'm just a little bird. I stopped here to admire your lives — joys, sorrows, and all. You are a special person, with a unique and brilliant glow. I decided to communicate with you in this way because I'm really curious about you. There is no need to wonder about my name. Maybe one day in the future, we will meet in another place. When that time comes, I think you'll be able to recognize me."
The Traveler's eyes widened slightly when a Dendro symbol flashed briefly in front of them.
Sometime later...
Xinyan and Kazuha had returned to Liyue.
"Ah, you have returned." Zhongli looked up from his cup of tea at the table in the trio's shared bedroom.
"Indeed I have." Kazuha returned. "It was a very... fascinating journey."
"Oh...?" Zhongli's interest was perked. "I see..." he nodded, after Kazuha related what had happened. "A manmade device that has the ability of manifest one's desires into reality and it's modeled after an Archon's power... could it be..." he frowned, placing his half-empty cup on the table.
"Zhongli?" the Anemo user blinked. "Do you... know who's..."
"I have a suspicion." Zhongli's eyes glowed amber. "That ability belongs to the youngest of us, the present Dendro Archon, Buer."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Grins* Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.