The Lost Key in Teyvat

by KHVSFF

Following the events of Kingdom Hearts 3 Re: Mind, Sora awakens in a strange new world with many questions. Realizing that by using the power of waking he has no way to get back home and must adapt. However, Sora won't be alone in this new world. He will meet all sorts of new friends and even find love interests. What adventures will he find in Teyvat. [Sora x Harem]

13. Chapter 12: Harboring Introductions

*Disclaimer - I do not own the copyright to Kingdom Hearts nor Genshin Impact

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*A/N – Hey there, long time no see. Sorry about that. I kind of blame the prospect of road trips along with dedicating myself to a new game one hundred percent. But to be honest, those two things were worth it. And the latter provided me with some, shall I say inspiration when it comes to combat. Needless to say, I also know that there's a lot of covering to get done for our dear Keyblade wielder of light given that he's only just gotten to the second region within Teyvat. Do expect Liyue to play out differently than Mondstadt which will show Sora that there's more to this world than meets the eye. With that being said, I hope you'll continue to stick around for what's to come and once again thank you for all the reviews and interest this story is getting. Take care out there and hope you will enjoy the chapter.

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Many thoughts were roaming through the Keyblade wielder's head at the moment. One was that his arrival in the land of Geo, Liyue, was turning out to be a much more eventful experience than he initially thought. Granted, he wasn't sure what to expect aside from everything he was learning from his blue-haired traveling companion, Eula, but to say his expectations were met would be the opposite. He was thrilled to be seeing all the new sights that lay before him.

However, his attention was now being directed toward the woman who appeared to have her hair tied up in a bun using a pin of some kind while the rest of her hair fell. She was also wearing a white dress with yellow and black shades on top of it, adding very unique characteristics to her attire. And another interesting detail he found about her was her red irises and the calm yet bright smile she had on her face while the aura surrounding her was something of that of a person with authority. Something that Sora had picked up on given that he had met many friends from different worlds that were of royalty or power.

"Who… are you?" Sora muttered, still taking in the girl's appearance.

His answer would be found in Eula, Yanfei, and Yaoyao's bodies taking a straighter posture. One that conveyed and confirmed to the boy that this girl was someone of a higher power. Madam Ping on the other hand simply smiled while grabbing another cup on her table and smiling at the woman approaching them.

"Lady Ningguang, may I interest you in a cup of tea?"

"That would be wonderful, Madam Ping, in return, may I ask to join you all" the girl now known as Ningguang respectively asked the group.

"Of course, Lady Ningguang, by all means," Yanfei said to the white-haired girl.

"Thank you, Yanfei. And it seems we have two new faces joining us today or should I say one new and one I've heard a great deal about."

Ningguang's attention was now on Sora and Eula as she offered a friendly smile to the two.

"Greetings, Lady Ningguang. I am- "

"Eula Lawrence."

Intrigue could be seen on the icy maiden's face as she was not expecting that.

"Oh? I wasn't aware that you knew me" she replied, surprised by such a thing.

"Characteristics of yours are what stood out to me. Acting Grand Master Jean and I have exchanged letters with each other many a time now. Aside from discussing legal matters that pertain to both Mondstadt and Liyue trading and other fine-tuned relations, she also tends to mention those that are close to her such as you, the Calvary Captain, the Librarian, the Spark Knight, the Honorary Knight, and many others. Hence, how I was able to ascertain that you were Eula Lawrence, Reconnaissance Captain within the Knights of Favonius" Ningguang explained to the blue-haired girl.

Content with her answer, Eula returned a friendly smile on her face as it seemed that Jean spoke highly of her which got her to feel a sort of sensation pounding in her chest. Knowing full well that her friend and superior saw her in a good light. Not only in the standing within the Knights of Favonius but as a close friend as well. She would have to seek vengeance against her blonde-haired friend for this occasion.

"Thank you, for the clarification, Lady Ningguang."

Waving her hand in a kind gesture, the white-haired woman now turned her attention to the spiky-haired brunette.

"Now then, I don't believe I'm as familiar with you my good sir."

"I wouldn't think so. My name is Sora. It's nice to meet you, Lady Ningguang" Sora kindly replied, getting the impression that she was an important figure within the city.

"Sora… it's a pleasure to meet you. Would I be wise to assume that this is your first time in Liyue Harbor?" she asked the boy.

"Yep! This is my first time here. There are so many wonderful sights that I've seen in the short time that I've been here that I can't wait to explore the rest of the harbor" he excitedly said.

Liking the boy's positive attitude, Ningguang was becoming more interested in what he had to say.

"That's wonderful to hear. If there is anything you need help with or anything bothering you, then might I assist you in whatever is bothering you?"

Seeing that this would be the perfect opportunity to learn some vital information about the city, Sora jumped on the chance.

"Really? Thank you, Lady- "

"Ningguang."

"Huh?" Sora was stumped by her response.

"Ningguang is fine. It gets rather tiring to hear everyone address you as Lady Ningguang. I'm perfectly fine with you calling me just by name. That goes for you as well, Eula."

Turning her head to the side, the elegant woman also gestured over to Yaoyao and Yanfei.

"I would also like to extend that offering to you two as well. And Yanfei, I'm also aware that there will be times when you have to address me formally and while that is to be expected, I would like for you to remember that once business is done, calling me by name is gladly welcomed."

"Thank you, Lad- I mean, *giggle* Thank you, Ningguang" Yaoyao cheerfully replied.

"I appreciate the gesture, Ningguang. Wow… that's going to take some getting used to" Yanfei casually commented.

Nodding her head in understanding how the legal consultant was feeling, Ningguang moved her attention back to the spiky-haired boy.

"Now then, Sora, what was it that you wished to ask me about?"

With the conversation back on track, he got straight to the point.

"Right, well, Eula and I are on a mission of sorts to stop by and visit as many libraries as possible that are available in Liyue Harbor. We're on the hunt for some information" Sora explained to the group.

"Oh? What kind of information?" Yanfei asked. "Is it about that monster you talked about before?"

Shooting a look over at Eula, Sora tilted his head to her which seemed to be a nonverbal message of sorts which she returned with her nod of the head.

"Yeah, it's about that. This is… *sigh* how do I explain this?" Sorting his thoughts out, Sora decided to just let his heart to the talking. "There's a monster that I'm familiar with but it seems like not a lot of people are. Scratch that. It seems like practically nobody knows anything about these monsters but me."

Ningguang's eyebrows rose as she was hearing the boy's words. Where was this going?

"Are you sure about that? What makes this monster so different?" Yaoyao asked the boy.

"Could you be mistaken, Sora?" Madam Ping questioned while pouring herself a cup of tea.

Shaking his head, the Keyblade wielder knew that he was not mistaken. The Heartless were an enemy that he would never forget. From their appearance to their dark intentions. He knew exactly what he was dealing with.

"I'm afraid not, Madam Ping. This monster is something that I'm quite familiar with and so far, I've yet to meet anyone that already knows about them. Which is why we were hoping to start finding libraries in the harbor that might help us get an idea of if this monster was spotted in the past and recorded in a book or two."

Hearing Sora's sincere and confident response, Yaoyao and Yanfei shot each other looks seemingly taking the boy's words more at face. Madam Ping also had a contemplative look on her face while casting a glance off to the side and taking in the view before her. Ningguang on the other hand had her eyes locked onto the boy's blue orbs. Her interest in him had once again shot up.

"Sora."

"Yeah, Ningguang?"

"Could you please describe to me what these… monsters look like?" the white-haired woman respectfully asked the brunette.

Nodding his head, the boy began to pull out his Gummiphone and started pulling up the documents he had stored within his device to find a clear picture of a Shadow Heartless to show the others. Speaking of the others, the three Liyue residents were intrigued by the strange device in his hands. From its square-like shape to the red and black color design of it, they were interested in it from the get-go.

"Here, take a look at this" Sora said, gesturing to the device.

Taking the boy's device into her hands, Ningguang was now staring at it and couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had to spend a moment lingering at the device due to what was appearing on the rectangular object. There in a clear perspective was a drawing of a dark creature followed by another picture right next to the drawing, only this time it looked to be a life-like image. The two depictions were of the same creature that matched the reports that had been sent her way regarding monster sightings around the region.

The Tianquan did not know specifically what her next move should be in the matter seeing that the problem that was beginning to weigh heavily on her mind right now was suddenly commented and documented by another who she had barely just met. She didn't like to pronounce it in the public eye when things seemed to surprise her as it had negative connotations in her line of work creating and maintaining business deals with others. However, she would gladly accept that this time, she was stumped.

Luckily, the white-beige-haired girl seemed to have a moment to as Yaoyao raised her hand in the formal fashion of having a question. This bought her a few moments to think about what she truly wanted now knowing that Sora was somewhat familiar with the dark creatures.

"Uh, yeah, Yaoyao, do you have a question?" Sora asked, a bit thrown off by the younger girl's well-mannered action.

"Yep, I do. On your way from Mondstadt to Liyue Harbor, did you encounter any more of these monsters you're talking about?"

"Yeah, Eula and I managed to run into some before we arrived at Wangshuu Inn back in Mondstadt. And I also encountered the monsters in the evening a good distance away from the inn" Sora replied to her.

"I trust nobody was hopefully hurt?" Madam Ping addressed the spiky-haired boy.

"You're correct about that, Madam Ping. Though to be honest, we are not sure that the inn hasn't already encountered the monsters before. That's also something I didn't consider…" Eula answered while feeling a bit worried.

Sora also felt a sour taste in his mouth at the thought of innocent people getting attacked by the Heartless while traveling around the region. He wanted to pin the blame on himself for not leaving soon enough but deep down he knew that there wasn't anything he could have done about it.

The two hadn't really considered the idea that the Heartless were already in the area attacking people who traveled to and from Wangshuu Inn until now. Sure, they encountered the wandering trader before arriving in Liyue Harbor but that did not correlate to the idea of people being attacked the day before. Who knows what could have happened in the past 48 hours?

"Ah. I apologize for asking that kind of question. It seems I've dampened the mood a bit" the older lady commented, seeing the look Eula and Sora now had on their faces.

"Not at all. I'm sorry for looking particularly distraught. I just let my thoughts wander into negativity. There's nothing to worry about now" the blue-haired girl kindly responded.

"Since we're on the topic of these strange monsters…" Yanfei said before looking over at the brunette boy. "Sora, I'm getting the feeling that you know a bit more about these creatures than it seems anybody does right now. What are they called exactly?"

The Guardian of Light understood what the legal consultant was getting and decided to tell the others what he knew. Maybe that would help him get some headway into learning more about Liyue Harbor.

"Those creatures are known as the Heartless. They can come in various shapes and sizes. The one that's on my device is the basic look known as a Shadow. Another way to identify a Heartless is by two distinct characteristics. One being yellow eyes and the other would be a strange-looking emblem somewhere along its body" Sora explained to the group who was listening intently.

"Yellow eyes…" Yanfei muttered.

Yaoyao who had been handed the Gummiphone thanks to Ningguang took a look at the Shadow Heartless and couldn't help but let out her inner child-like thoughts at seeing the small creature.

"Aww. It looks kind of… cute. In a strange way."

Taken back by that comment, Sora had to think about what she said and pictured a Shadow standing right in front of him. Sadly, the first thing that came to his mind was to summon his Keyblade and destroy the monster due to his vast knowledge of just how dangerous the Heartless truly was.

"Cute? Ah. I… I don't think I've ever thought of them like that?" Sora unevenly replied.

"Hmm. Maybe that's just my way of thinking."

"I'll say, the creature is quite small" Madam Ping commented, glancing down at the picture of the Heartless.

Ningguang who was watching the boy's reaction to when Yaoyao said it was cute noticed the drastic change in his expression. This caught her attention and intrigue as she was curious about what he had to say.

"Sora. May I ask you something?"

"Hm? Of course, Ningguang. What's on your mind?"

"Your reaction to when Yaoyao called the creature cute… you had quite a distraught look on your face. I take it that there's some baggage with that kind of reaction. Am I correct in assuming so?" Ningguang asked the boy while still watching closely what he'll say or do.

Realizing that he was wearing his heart on his sleeve, Sora figured it was time to get into the details surrounding the Heartless.

"Yeah, you hit it right on the nail, Ningguang. The Heartless are anything but cute." He said this while noticeably frowning and glancing at everyone before continuing. "They are very dangerous and overwhelming at times. And while the Shadows might look small and not that intimidating, don't let that cause you to underestimate them. Where there is one, there's more probably following. And the even more concerning thing to worry about is that you never know when one might just appear. Sometimes you'll get the sense that one or more is going to appear while there, at other times they just show up out of nowhere. Coming from dark portals in the ground or from another larger Heartless"

Listening to what the boy had to say about the Heartless, Ningguang's interest shot up exponentially as many thoughts and feelings began piling up in her heart. To hear that these creatures were not only nimble and spontaneous but also numerous… the Tianquan was growing concerned.

"Hold up, you're telling me that they can just pop up anywhere at any time!?" Yanfei exclaimed, beginning to cast her eyes around the area.

Seeing that he had to calm the pink-haired girl down, Sora took the initiative.

"While that is somewhat true. It isn't very common for every place to be where the Heartless can appear. Unless they are being commanded by someone, then you don't really need to worry. And besides, the Heartless can be killed. It's just… they are a bit different when it comes to defeating them" Sora explained.

"I beg your pardon. These Heartless are different? Would you mind clarifying that part, Sora?"

"Gladly." Clearing his throat, Sora began to explain more about the dark creatures. "Anyone has the ability to kill the Heartless. It doesn't matter the size or shape of them. Regarding the geneal main kind which is the Shadows, they are pretty easy to deal with as long as you don't get overconfident and try to take on too many otherwise, they'll surround you leaving you in trouble."

As the girls listened to this, Ningguang and Madam Ping shared a single thought even without uttering a single word. In their many experiences of encountering people across many different backgrounds, there always tended to be one or more individuals who thought that they could accomplish a difficult task on their own without the need for assistance from others. This would ultimately lead them to a perilous and unfortunate outcome. So, listening to what the spiky-haired boy had to say, the two decided to take what he said and pay close attention.

"When you say easy to kill… what does that mean exactly?" Yaoyao asked the boy.

"Hmm. Perhaps an example of a monster we are all quite familiar with will be a better depiction to follow, yes?" Eula said, seeing that she could offer a bit of insight on this matter.

"That would be an excellent idea, Eula" Ningguang affirmed.

Seeing that it was her time to shine, the icy maiden took a moment to clear her thoughts and best formulate the simplest way to explain the Heartless in terms of danger level.

"Right then, having encountered the Heartless alongside Sora, the best way to describe the Shadows at least would be that they are like slimes. Granted, their mobility is much more versatile than a d regular-sized slime they should still not be neglected. Where one is another is bound to show up."

Sora couldn't help but nod his head while feeling both relieved and, in a way, happy. Happy that Eula had paid close attention to the Heartless and her experiences dealing with the otherworldly monsters. She would be a big help in the future when it came to warning others about the Heartless as he was starting to have a feeling that things were going to pick up in this world. He still had a lot of ground to cover…

"Huh… that does make me feel a bit better. Knowing that even I could beat these monsters were I to run into them" Yanfei replied with a sense of relief.

"Yanfei? Why do you not give yourself enough credit for your fighting capabilities?" Madam Ping questioned the young woman.

"W-What do you mean? I'm confident… enough."

"Really?"

"Yes! I mean, I know how to handle myself along with my vision when traveling and dealing with a bandit or two or even a group of slimes were I to run into them. But hearing these Heartless be compared to slimes, I'm feeling a bit more confident now."

A bit of small laughter could be heard coming from the white-haired girl of the group who was currently taking a sip of her tea. Ningguang had a look of sheer respect while also smirking a bit at the half-illuminated girl.

"Mm. I think you are selling yourself short, Yanfei."

"Huh? What do you mean, Ningguang?" the pink-haired girl asked.

"A colleague of mine mentioned how you kept your composure while also staying up front with the traveler when you were stuck down in the Chasm. Not just anyone could do that and manage to stay upright while doing what they can to help their friends get out of the harrowing situation" Ningguang clarified to the girl.

Taking a second to think about who she could be referring to, Yanfei immediately realized who it was that talked about her time down in the Chasm and couldn't help but shake her head and smile.

"Ah… I see. Next time I see her then I'm going to corner her and hear what she had to say about me" Yanfei cheerfully yet amusingly responded.

"Hm-Mm. That will be a story I can't wait to hear."

Seeing that there was a story behind Yanfei's courageous personality being stuck in a place called the Chasm got Sora a bit curious. Maybe when he got the chance, he would ask her more about what that place was and how she managed to get lost.

"Going back to the Heartless, what is it that they want? There has to be a reason for attacking people?" Yaoyao asked.

Surprised by the young girl's comment, Eula was slightly taken aback by how mature her question was and felt gleaming at the idea that the young girl had a bright future. However, that also caused the Mondstadt Captain to shoot a glance over at Sora with concern in her eyes.

By chance, he also caught her nonverbal message and knew exactly what she was thinking because he was also thinking the same thing. This left him in an awkward place. Should he tell the young girl the truth about the Heartless or give a plain ordinary answer? But deep down, Sora knew that the right thing to do even if it did sound a bit harsh was to tell her the truth. That way, she wouldn't be caught off guard were she to find out about the truth later.

"Well, Yaoyao… the Heartless are in a way a magical enemy. One that I don't think a lot of people will be used to."

"How so?" Madam Ping questioned the boy. "What makes them unique in a magical sort of way?"

There was also a hint of interest in the older woman's words. For those who knew her, it was very evident especially considering who she truly was.

"Probably a whole lot different than what you're thinking, Madam Ping" the spiky-haired brunette replied earnestly.

"Hm. Now you've certainly piqued my interest. If I were to guess, then I dare say these Heartless have something to do with the heart beating inside people. Such a dark idea to truly think about."

Letting out a quiet hum, Sora had to give props to Madam Ping. She took a well-structured guess about what the Heartless really were in the magical sense.

"That's a pretty good guess. However, not quite correct. The Heartless can be considered a magical enemy in that they are physical, living manifestations of the darkness inside people's hearts. And when I talk about the heart, I don't mean the body part. It's…"

Sora stopped himself as he glanced over at everyone who was intently listening to him. He knew things were going to get hard to explain so he wanted to make sure he described it in an easy-to-understand way.

"This is going to be quite hard to grasp so bear with me, but when I talk about the heart… think of it as an invisible force within all of us that is responsible for storing your memories, desires, goals, and ambitions. It's also influenced by the light and darkness that help give us the feelings we exhibit in our lives. Feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, happiness, hopefulness, realization, and more" Sora continued to explain.

As he finished speaking, he began to look at every one of the girls before him and could see their facial expressions slowly shifting from confusion to a somewhat normal stance then going back to confusion. He couldn't blame them for this kind of reaction. Anybody hearing this for the first time would either be lost in total confusion or just outright conflicted trying to understand how the heart works.

Truth be told, he was also starting to realize just how crazy the entire discussion around hearts really was. There weren't that many times where he had to describe what the heart was in complete detail. Most of the time when he visited different worlds, the discussion of hearts was only briefly mentioned. Hence, this experience would hopefully help him with coming up with a better way of explaining all this information to someone who wanted to learn. Hearts, Light, Darkness, and more.

He had a lot to talk about.

A staggering moment of silence seemed to make itself apparent within the group as nobody said anything and continued to extensively ponder just what the boy had said. It was a lot of surprising depth about a topic that they weren't familiar with or even considered before today. The reaction was acceptable, but it still made the boy start worrying about what their answers would be. However, the wait soon ended as one of the girls did respond.

"I… I think I'm beginning to understand."

As Madam Ping said this, Ningguang who had taken a thinking pose also seemed to nod her head while casting her red eyes over at the older lady.

"As have I. It's rather… strange if you will. Upon hearing all this information, I was met with disbelief and wasn't sure what to think about it all."

The white-haired girl then took another sip of her tea and cast a glance out to the city view before her. Once she was done with her quick glance, she went back to explaining her thoughtful interpretation of the news.

"However, after pondering it for a moment longer it was all starting to make more sense. We as humans and Adepti tend to let our emotions flow through our actions. The things we feel and ultimately do in order to make sure the things and people we cherish are loved and protected. Our home… you three are probably familiar with what I am referring to. Eula, perhaps you might have heard about the Osial and his wife, Beisht, incident that occurred" Ningguang said while remembering the events surrounding both situations.

"Yes, Jean informed us of what occurred and how Aether was able to join the fight with the people and Adepti against the two ancient seam monster gods" Eula replied.

"Mm. Truly a difficult situation that was stopped due to the Geo Nation's people coming together. Man and Adeptus… Such a tale it has become along with the point in history for those who will continue to uphold Liyue's future" Madam Ping commented while having a sincere smile on her face.

A time when Man and Adepti stood together to fight for the preservation of the city as well as the time when the people proved that they would uphold the future. The older woman couldn't help but feel a sense of pride swelling in her heart as well as realizing what Ningguang was getting at with her explanation.

"Those were scary times. But everything worked out in the end!" Yaoyao cheerfully exclaimed, showing clear happiness.

"A truly life-changing time if you ask me. One minute all seems fine and the next… you have a giant sea monster attacking the harbor. And not just once but twice" Yanfei added to the conversation.

"And yet, here we are now. Due to the hard work and desire within everyone to protect this place not because it is an important landmark or business expenditure but because of the one thing that matters most of all. It's our home."

Everyone seemed to agree with that sentiment and couldn't have said it better.

"Taking all that into account now, that is how I came to the reasonable conclusion to believe Sora's claim on the invisible force known as the heart. Our feelings of joy and happiness with this city… they played a great factor in wanting to protect our home" Ningguang declared with a sense of humility.

She meant every word she said. This place was her home and no amount of Mora departed from her would ever come close to how much the city truly meant to her.

"Well now, putting it like that it does give Sora's elaboration a lot more believable. Hence, while I'm not one to strictly stick to facts I'll also start to believe in this heart that we do have but can't see… boy, that's kind of weird to say out loud, haha" Yanfei claimed while shrugging.

"Thank you, for listening to me and my explanation. I know I could have worded it better and I'll take this chance as a learning experience." Sora said this while looking over at Eula which caught her attention. "I have a feeling that I'm going to be repeating this explanation a bunch more times."

He said this while ruffling the back of his hair and having a bashful expression on his face. It was a safe bet to say that the discussion of the heart was bound to be something that not a lot of people would understand at first but would hopefully come around sooner or later to comprehend just how much of a factor it played in everyone's life. Not to mention, it'll also give a better idea as to what the Heartless truly were.

"A learning experience, make no mistake of that. But still, one that is full of truth. Besides, Sora, you have a way with words that seems to get people thinking. I can assuredly say that with full confidence due to experiencing it myself" Eula said while recalling her time with the boy in Mondstadt.

What the spiky-haired boy had done for her and said regarding her character undoubtedly made her think about the hero in a significant way. One that she couldn't help but feel her heartbeat start to pick up just thinking about him.

"Yeah, well, I've still got a long way to go. This brings me back to the main topic at hand, our search into Liyue that might land us in a library or two with any clues or hints to mention of the Heartless" Sora stated for everyone to get a better idea of the spiky-haired boy and icy maiden's mission.

"Looking into libraries? My, that's an actual reasonable way of finding information" Madam Ping commented.

"It's a far-fetched idea to go by, that much is true, but it's at least something we've come to agree on. Besides, our initial plan was to find Yanfei to see if she could lend us a hand on which libraries would be available for us to stop by and conduct our search" Eula replied respectfully.

Hearing that the two were going to start their investigation into the Heartless involving any information found at the libraries found across the harbor, Ningguang suddenly had a thought pop into her head. One that would not only help benefit them but her as well. The perfect opportunity to strike a proper business investment while gaining something that could not be bought with any amount of Mora… friendship.

"Sora. Eula. If I may, I might just be able to help you out in your endeavor" Ningguang claimed in a delightful tone.

"Really? How?" Sora questioned the fashionable girl.

Ningguang seemed to have an aura of calmness around her while her body posture straightened up as she summoned what appeared to be a group of small rocks in one of her hands admiring the stones before explaining herself.

I'm not averse to everything you may already know about Liyue Harbor, Sora, but my official title is that of the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing. Ask anyone around the harbor about me and you'll hear a plethora of various names and titles or descriptions about me. But the one thing that is bound to be similar is that I am heavily referred to as a professional businesswoman who got where I am now through sheer hard work and perseverance while making sure to leave one thing unchanged about my character. Myself. Money and power tend to corrupt and while I will truthfully say that my hands are not completely clean, let it be known that I will do whatever is possible to make sure the people and this city are protected so long as I have the power to do so. Hence, considering this, I would like to make a deal with you, Sora."

Taken back by her high-standing words, Sora also straightened himself out and gladly responded to her.

"What do you have in mind, Ningguang?"

"Hmm. How about this… I offer to you and Eula and Yanfei, were she to join you in your endeavors…"

"Wait what? I'm included?" the pink-haired girl commented.

Alas, nobody paid much mind to her comment and were solely focused on what the Tianquan had to say.

"The opportunity to have all access to the various libraries located in the harbor making good usage of what documents and books are scattered throughout the establishments…" Ningguang continued saying.

"Whoa… this is- "Sora tried saying but was stopped as he saw Ningguang raise her hand.

"If I may, I'd like to finish my offer."

"Oh! Right, sorry."

The young woman offered a friendly smile to the boy.

"Not at all. Time seems to be crucial, so I'll finish. In short, I'd like for you, Sora, to come with me on a short albeit walk with me."

"A walk?" Sora repeated.

Everyone else listening to Ningguang's deal was surprised by the sudden and unusual offer and wasn't sure what to think.

"Yes, there are many things that are worrying to me regarding the Heartless and I for one would like to know more about this mysterious enemy. And it would seem that you are more knowledgeable in this subject area" the white-beige-haired girl said before glancing over at Eula.

"I don't mean any offense, Eula, this is just my presumptuous guess that Sora would know more about the Heartless given his explanation about the heart. I am not aware if you are also as familiar with these monsters" Ningguang reasoned to the icy maiden.

"Nonsense. You'd be right to assume that Sora knows more about the Heartless. All that I know of these foes is thanks to him."

Nodding at her answer, the Tianquan shifted her gaze back to Sora.

"Furthermore, I'd like to spend some time asking you for more information regarding the Heartless. Areas of subject such as how they tend to move around or if they have rank formations or what other factors, I need to take note of."

As Ningguang said all this there was another bit of subject matter that she was withholding from the group and that was to become closer to the boy. Not just solely in the normal, friendly kind of way but in the realm of trust. First impressions tended to be a make or break in some cases when it came to the business side of things in her work. However, in this case, she truly did want to learn more about the spiky-haired boy before her1. His knowledge of the heart and dark creatures born from people's hearts. It was all so new and something she had never encountered before in her life. It in a way made her both internally excited to discover something new but at the same time very worried. Which furthered her drive to get the chance to chat with Sora and learn all that she could.

Regarding Sora's take on the offer, he knew deep down that with the help of someone as powerful as Ningguang, even if he was not officially aware of the white-haired girl's position it still sounded like something very important, then he could start searching for the information that brought him to Liyue Harbor. Besides, Ningguang seemed like she had a good sense of character given that she wanted nothing more than to help people, and in Sora's eyes there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, it just made him start seeing her in an even more positive light. The same thing could be considered towards Eula, which was another reason he viewed the blue-haired girl with such high regard. He hoped he could consider Ningguang the same.

"Ok. I think that sounds like a fantastic idea. What do you think?" Sora said gesturing over to Eula.

Bringing a hand up to her chin, the blue-haired girl immediately knew that this was an amazing deal being made by the Tianquan and that it would greatly benefit them. Moreover, she also grew a bit curious about what Ningguang wanted to discuss with Sora directly while the two went on a walk. Nevertheless, she would not be a bother to her personal matters with the boy as it seemed like she was also beginning to take effective measures to prepare to deal with the Heartless. Just based on her few latest encounters with the dark monsters, she knew firsthand how dangerous they could be. Hence, she agreed with the boy's decision.

"Yes, I think it's an excellent deal."

"Good to hear. Now then, seeing that we have work to do, Sora, shall we get going?" Ningguang asked the spiky-haired boy.

"Yep! I'm ready." Turning to look over at Madam Ping and Yaoyao, the Keyblade wielder respectfully bowed his head. "Thank you for the tea, Madam Ping. And thank you, Yaoyao, for taking us to meet Yanfei and essentially meet Ningguang."

With a bright smile on her face, the young girl giggled before replying to the boy's gratefulness.

"Not a problem at all, Sora! I was happy to help. Plus, I made two new friends today" Yaoyao happily replied.

The spiky brunette couldn't help but have a giant smile on his face as well. Hearing that he was considered the young girl's new friend struck a chord in his chest. One that heavily reminded him of himself.

"As was I. It would seem that there is still a great deal that I have yet to learn about our ever-changing world. Honestly, this is starting to make me quite interested in the matter especially if it has to do with the well-being of the people of not just Liyue but Teyvat as well" Madam Ping stated while casting a glance over at the city with a straightened smile on her face.

"Mm. Again, thank you two for the tea." Sora then turned his attention over to Eula and Yanfei. "After our walk and whatever happens later, I'll come to find you guys."

"Understood. We'll see you soon."

"Yeah, see you, Sora."

Nodding at their response, he turned to look over at the white beige-haired girl who had a smile on her face while her red eyes never seemed to leave his and impeccably soon met his own blue eyes.

"Ready?"

"Yep! Let's go."

Right before the two took off, Ningguang moved her body so that she went over to where Eula was standing and reached into her dress before pulling a small item out and handing it to the icy maiden.

"Eula, take this. It'll let the librarians know that I've permitted you to explore the libraries around the harbor. Once they see this, they will understand not present you with any trouble at all."

"Thank you, Ningguang. You've certainly made our trip a great deal more beneficial" Eula gratefully replied.

"Nonsense. Hearing what Sora has had to say about these Heartless, then it's only natural to use all our resources to prepare for this mysterious foe. This does remind me… perhaps later you and I can chat about how Mondstadt and Liyue will work together to deal with these uncertain circumstances. How does that sound?"

"I think that sounds remarkable if I'm being fair. Thank you, again, Ningguang" Eula replied, feeling a wave of sincerity coming from the Tianquan.

Seeing that there was nothing else to say, the girl beckoned to Sora who understood what she was getting, and waved at everyone one last time.

And with that, the Guardian of Light and Tianqun of the Liyue Qixing began walking away from the group until they were nowhere in sight.

---

Now, with Sora and Ningguang gone, Eula turned to look over at Yanfei who had a thinking expression plastered all over her face.

"Yanfei? Is something troubling you?"

"No, no. Sorry. Got lost in thought there for a second. I was just trying to form a plan on what libraries we should check out first and so on. We have a lot of busy work to get through."

Realizing that the pink-haired girl was right about that, the icy maiden nodded and began readying herself to leave.

"Thank you, once more, for the tea and chat, Madam Ping."

"Oh, come now. It sounds like all we are going to do is thank each other nonstop."

As the older lady said this, the other girls couldn't help but let a small smile appear on their lips.

"Right then, where to first?" Eula questioned the legal consultant.

"We'll start with the closest library next to us. Hope you're ready to go book diving. Because we might just have a difficult challenge to deal with" Yanfei commented out loud.

Eula couldn't argue with her there. This would not be an easy task.

---

Meanwhile, with Sora and Ningguang

Having walked a good distance from where Eula and the others were, the spiky-haired boy and high-standing girl that was walking right next to him had just gotten through a conversation topic regarding the food that is served within Liyue Harbor. Sora had also come to discover just a bit more about who Ningguang was beyond the title that was bestowed upon her. He even found out that she knew how to cook but wasn't that familiar with a vast majority of other recipes aside from the usage of seafood due to her difficult upbringing while growing up. The brunette was greatly interested in learning more about her past and was about to ask the Tianquan a question regarding what else her role as Tianquan meant in terms of responsibility when he was surprisingly met with a rather peculiar sight before him.

A group of young children swarmed around Ningguang as they wore excited looks on their faces while smiling brightly. The sight made Sora also break out in a friendly smile while standing back and watching the sight.

"Aunty Ningguang! Aunty Ningguang!"

A small girl wearing a pinkish dress and yellow accessories in her hair called out to the girl in question.

"Haha! Hello, my dears! It's good to see you all looking lively as ever. I also see that you are wearing the gift I presented to you last time, Zhizhi" Ningguang replied with a heartfelt smile that even caught the attention of Sora.

"Uh-huh! I love it! Thank you so much Aunty Ningguang!" the little girl now known as Zhizhi exclaimed happily.

"Hey! Don't forget what we have to tell her!" another younger boy said to Zhizhi.

"Ah! Right! I almost forgot. Aunty Ningguang, we have to tell you something urgently!"

Seeing that the children had something important to say, Ningguang willingly and curiously lent her ear to listen to what they had to say.

"Well now, you have my undivided attention. What seems to be amiss?" the Tianquan asked while paying attention to the kids.

"Aunty! There's talk going around that two new people have shown up at the harbor!" another one of the children exclaimed.

"Oh? New individuals entering the city. Are they perhaps merchants of some kind?" Ningguang asked the group of children while also shooting a look over at Sora who had a giant grin on his face.

None of the children had paid the spiky-haired boy any mind and didn't even realize that he was standing right next to them. It was as if the kids were zeroed in on the white-beige-haired girl and not paying attention to anyone else.

"Not… exactly. From what I heard from some of the grownups talking with my dad earlier, they were saying that these two didn't look like merchants but adventurers!"

"Yeah! And I heard that one of them had strange-looking hair!"

Hearing this, the spiky-haired brunette couldn't help but don a hurt expression on his face that wasn't exactly conveying hurt but more along the lines of silly exasperation. Sora even raised one of his hands and started playing around with his hair while glancing over at Ningguang who was smiling widely and had to bring a hand up to her mouth to stifle what was assumed to be a giggle.

"Huh? Aunty Ningguang? Is something wrong?" one of the children asked the girl.

"No, no. Nothing's wrong. It's just that saying something like that about someone's hair can be interpreted as being rude" the Tianquan clarified to the group.

"Ahh… I'm sorry, Aunty."

"It's alright. Just make sure you are aware of how things sound and are interpreted. You wouldn't want anyone saying your hair looks weird."

Realizing how bad that sounded, the young child who commented on the hair lowered their head to the ground.

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. You realized your mistake now make sure to be better next time."

"Yes, Aunty Ningguang."

"Good. Now then, what else can you tell me about these two individuals?"

At this point, Ningguang had a clear idea of just who the two mysterious individuals were as it didn't take a Geo genius to realize that the two were actually Sora and Eula. However, the mature-hearted girl wanted to see what other talk was starting to spread throughout the city.

"Well, I heard from two of the guards that heard from another group of guards that heard from another group of guards that- "

"That heard from another group of guards?" Ningguang questioned, earning a bout of laughter to encircle the area.

"Heehee, no there wasn't another group of guards involved. But they heard that the two strange individuals were coming from the path leading to Wangshuu Inn."

Listening to what the young energetic child had to say, Sora was taken aback by how informative and helpful these kids were to Ningguang. Telling her all the gossip that was being spread around the harbor about him and Eula. He was astounded by it all.

"I see, thank you for telling me all this. Later, I'll make sure to treat you all to some Golden Shrimp Balls once things calm down. I'm in the mood for something delightful and that meal sounds amazing" Ningguang informed the group of kids which got them all cheering.

"Now then, I think it's time that you all get the chance to meet one of the two mysterious individuals."

The look of awe and shock was apparent on all the kids' faces.

"W-What!?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Say that again, Aunty Ningguang?"

"I-I- don't… "

Seeing the looks of confusion, Ningguang mischievously called out to the boy who had been on standby for a minute now.

"Why don't you introduce yourself to them?" she stated.

Clearing his throat which earned him all the children's attention, Sora ruffled the back of his hair while having a friendly smile on his face. The sudden drastic turn in their expressions made him want to start laughing but instead, he forced himself to keep it calm.

"Hey, there, my name is Sora. And… I guess I'm the one with the strange-looking hair, haha."

A silence seemed to encapsulate itself in the small area that was dominated by the children with their stone-cold looks. Nobody made a move, and no one said anything. That is until the boy who had commented on the boy's hair quickly lowered his head and started rapidly speaking.

"A-Ah! I'msorrythatIcalledyourhairstrange-lookingand- "

"Whoa, whoa! Hey, take it easy, it's alright. You heard what Ningguang had to say, as long as you realize that it wasn't nice to say something like that about someone's hair, then I accept your apology" Sora said to the boy in a kind tone of voice.

Looking up at the boy dressed in stylish clothes, the young child was still feeling a bit wary.

"Er… I'm sorry."

"Heh, apology accepted."

Sensing that the spiky-haired boy meant it, the small kid nodded his head and looked over at Ningguang.

"Aunty, you already knew who the two new people were?"

Wearing a smile on her face, the Tianquan replied earnestly.

"Yes, I met Sora not that long ago. We even had a chance to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea. It was there that we learned a bit more about each other. Granted, there's still a great deal I wish to learn about him but for now, we were going out on a walk to chat and show him around the city" she explained to the kids.

"Wow… Aunty Ningguang really is on top of everything that happens in the city!" Zhizhi exclaimed.

"No kidding. It's like she has eyes all over the harbor."

"S-She doesn't have more than two eyes... right?" one of the children nervously commented.

"Aren't we technically her eyes?" one of the kids said which got the others to pause.

The kids spent a second processing this idea before Ningguang called out to them.

"My dears, I hope that you'll welcome Sora to the city with open arms. The other individual that came to the city has blue hair and is probably with Yanfei. Her name is Eula. Please also make her feel welcome here."

"Yes, Aunty Ningguang!"

Content with their response, the Tianquan wore a kind smile on her face as she waved to the kids.

"Now then, do enjoy yourselves and I'll see you all later."

"Uh-huh! Bye Aunty Ningguang! And bye Sora!"

Several of the kids replied while the one kid who commented on the boy's hair shyly waved his hand before catching up with the others as they ran away. Leaving the Tianquan and Keyblade wielder alone again while they both had cheerful expressions.

"I take it they're a bundle of excitement?" Sora asked Ningguang.

"Yes, they truly do make my day. Even on the worst of days. Alas, seeing their precious smiles and hearing their laughter fill the ever-busy city gives me not only hope for the future of the city but manages to make me smile every time."

"Have they always informed you of what's going on throughout the city?"

Hearing that the boy caught onto her tactical way of gathering information and newsworthy coverage, Ningguang couldn't help but allow a grin to appear on her face while moving some of her hair to the side.

"You'd be surprised. At first, I was heavily against the idea of using the children like that. That was never my intention. No matter what happens I'll always be there for them as I easily see myself in them at a young age. However, one thing led to another, and after giving it some intent thought we turned it into a game of sorts with me rewarding them with a treat or a play date, or even a lesson in the business of their choice. In exchange, they tell me what's happening throughout the city and what new things are going on."

"Whoa… that's a simple yet complex way of getting information. And yet, it's being done by kids of all people" Sora commented, amazed by it all.

"Exactly my point. No one would ever expect the children around the city to be listening to adults' conversations or any unusual business going on around the city. Whether it's from idle chatter or serious discussions there is always at one least young boy or girl listening in on the conversation even if it's not on purpose" Ningguang explained.

Wearing an intrigued look on his face, Sora didn't have much of a response on hand due to this whole tactic being new to him but there was one thing that was clear. The kids looked up to Ningguang and she also enjoyed being around them based on his impression of her interacting with them.

"Well, I don't think I can say anything since I'm not from Liyue Harbor, but it seems like those kids take a great liking to you and I know that there's no way that you would do anything to get them hurt. Your face lit up like a star when you heard them calling to you and eagerly telling you about me and Eula" he said while staring right at her.

"Hm. Thank you, Sora. You wouldn't believe how many people there are within the city that would not hesitate to claim that I'm putting those kids in danger. If even the slightest notion pointed toward them being in harm's way, I would call off our little game and make sure they were all safe and sound. Thankfully, nothing like that has happened at all, and even if something did allude to the danger coming to the kids…" Ningguang seemed to pause for a brief moment before flashing Sora a look in her eyes that seemed to convey her sincere feelings. "I have a plan in play to protect those kids."

The spiky-haired brunette couldn't help but raise both of his hands behind his head and glance over at the Tianquan. He had a feeling for what she was getting at.

"You have other eyes and ears around the city, don't you?" Sora questioned, already knowing the answer.

"Is that so surprising?"

"Not at all. Honestly, I would be even more surprised if you were just getting information from the kids alone. But getting more familiar with you as a person, I'm starting to realize that you tend to be a few steps ahead of everyone."

A small smirk appeared on the white-haired girl's face as she couldn't help but raise her right hand to her face and start tapping her fingers repeatedly.

"It seems you have a way of reading people."

"Not exactly." Bringing his hand close to his heart, the Keyblade's Chosen One simply said what he was thinking. "I have my heart to thank for that."

Ningguang curiously glanced at the boy's chest where his hand was residing and let a moment pass before saying anything.

"Speaking of the heart, would you care to tell me a bit more about what else the heart conveys? I'm sure there are other elements to its understanding that go into play with why the Heartless seek to take away everyone else's."

As Ningguang said this, flashbacks to all the encounters he had with Organization XIII and how he learned more about the heart and how they claimed to not have their hearts with them due to being Nobodies. It made him let out a small sigh realizing that he had quite the story to tell the girl that was standing right beside him.

"You'd be right with assuming that. However, I have to warn you… it's a long story."

Offering the boy, a look that conveyed a sort of intrigue and overall interest in his direction, Ningguang spoke excitedly while staring right at him and not letting her red eyes leave his blue eyes.

"Well then, it seems like I'll be listening to quite the story today…"

---

Meanwhile back with Eula and Yanfei

Walking through one of the lower departments found inside the library they were currently inside; the blue and pink-haired girls were beginning to start their next search in this new area. The previous section they just visited held nothing suitable for them to use as a hint or pointer to what they were looking for.

"Hmmm. Let's see, there's this section focused on the studied archeology of monsters discovered around the boarding region of Liyue and Sumeru" Yanfei commented while picking a book up and then putting it down.

"According to the index we were given by the receptionist, there are more books focused on monster cultural studies and reports. Not sure if that encompasses anything relating to the Heartless but we might as well check it out. Hmph. Although, I have to admit that this index is very well structured to the point that I have to commend the receptionist" Eula said, examining the set of documents in front of her.

Chuckling a little at Eula's comment, Yanfei continued to zoom through the book in her hands and see if anything was alluding to or depicting the Heartless at all. Thanks to her experience and skills used in her legal consulting position, she was heavily used to speeding through books for important information. From an outside perspective, one would be able to see the pink-haired girl taking a glance through one page before flipping to the next with her thumb. However, the rate that she was going was gradually increasing to the point that it just looked like she was just skimming through page after page.

It was truly a sight to see.

Eula on her part was not exactly at the level of speed that Yanfei was at. Nevertheless, she was not a slow poke either as she did her best to skim through each page making sure to highlight or notice any unusual wording or descriptions centered around the Heartless or even anything to do with hearts. Her speed was still nothing to underestimate as she was now onto her next book and beginning to scurry through its contents and see if anything stood out.

After a good several minutes of the duo examining book after book, Yanfei stumbled across a book that discussed the feelings of monsters.

"Oh?... That's… something."

"What? What is it?" Eula questioned the girl based on her reaction.

"No, it's nothing. I just stumbled across something that mentioned monster behaviors collected and scripted into a book. I don't think it'll be in the realm of what we are looking for."

"I see…"

Going back to look through the book currently in her hands, Eula suddenly had a thought come to mind.

"Yanfei."

"Yeah, is something wrong, Eula?"

"Not quite. Rather, I have a question that's become apparent in my mind and would like your feedback on it."

Hearing that her friend wanted support, the legal character earnestly put her book to the side and prepared herself to help in any way possible.

"Sure, I'm all ears" Yanfei replied.

"Thank you." Putting her book to the side as well, Eula began to voice what was currently consuming her thoughts and attention. "The question I have pertains to what we are doing right now in the subject matter of finding any relevant information on the Heartless. What are your thoughts about the likelihood of finding such knowledge?"

Taking a second to process her thoughts, Yanfei decided that it wouldn't hurt to be truthful here.

"Well, it's hard to say. I'm not one to give up so easily make no mistake, but these circumstances are a bit… unusual."

"On that, we most definitely agree."

"But again, we aren't exactly looking for something that is common day knowledge or even identifiable in sparse phrasing of book titles. So, there's a sense of mine that revolves around this searching getting us nowhere followed by the idea that we might actually be able to find something hidden in plain sight. After all, based on everything Sora has told us about the Heartless and hearts… that's so weird to say out loud… but they are mysterious creatures that correlate to a topic not adversely heard of before. Do you understand what I'm kind of getting at?" the legal consultant explained in brief detail to the icy maiden.

Letting her hand rest atop the table she was currently seated at, Eula understood everything that Yanfei was getting at as well as other concerns of her own appearing in her mind. This would be a difficult task to accomplish.

"Yes, I completely understand your reasoning on all of this. Truthfully, I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Not just because of what's at stake now with the Heartless in the picture. But because of Sora. He has repeatedly been there to help those around him. And… he has even helped me already in the short amount of time we have spent together. This is the least I can do for him…" Eula responded while making sure her face was facing away from the other girl as she had donned a sweet and caring smile on her face.

The sudden recollection of hearing what he said about her being her own person and essentially looking at her not by her family name but by who she was. The icy maiden couldn't help but feel her heartbeat increase while also feeling a sense of determination to help her new friend.

"Mm. Your sense of humility and dedication to helping Sora is making me want to also jump in and help even more. I hope that I'll be able to become better friends with him" Yanfei commented with a content expression appearing on her face.

"I wouldn't worry as much. Having a good impression of him by now, he's bound to think the two of you are good friends already."

"Even though we just met not that long ago?" the pink-haired girl questioned.

Letting a graceful smile appear on the corner of her lips, Eula happily responded.

"Correct. One of Sora's best quality traits that I've come to learn and admire about him is the positivity he has surrounding him. Sure, he has quite the plethora of power behind him but his sincerity to be kind and real is something else."

"I can agree on his friendliness without a doubt" Yanfei commented.

"Hence, I am starting to formulate a plan that will be able to help him once we are done checking out the libraries and reconvene with him again."

"Oh? And what do you have in mind exactly?"

"Something that will have me retracing my steps in Mondstadt and searching around the hidden domains in the region…"

It was at this point that the two girls continued their conversation while still scouring through book after book in this section of the library. These two would start discussing a future plan that would greatly help the Keyblade wielder in the long run.

---

Back with Sora and Ningguang

Laughter could be heard through the air as the spiky-haired boy had just gotten done telling the Tianquan a brief bit about some of his past adventures. The details were a bit taken out of context but what he did present to her was the time he got slugged in the face while arguing in a line followed by another time when he had to help a sleepy and forgetful yellow bear that somehow led him to get caught up in a bunch of random situations. Or another time that he was beginning to learn how to cook and came close to burning himself and the entire kitchen for messing up a bunch of times.

The Keyblade wielder had told her a bit about the heart and other scenarios where it factored greatly into how a person reacts. Becoming someone on their own with the involvement of light and darkness as well as emotions that no one should be ashamed of feeling. Ningguang was heavily focused on his every response and even pitched in with her own questions leaving a sense of anticipation around her that the boy picked up on. It seemed like she was taking what the boy was saying about the heart to… well, heart and thinking about her character. This was soon followed by Sora turning the conversation into an eventful one that got the two to communicate effectively.

Overall, it seemed like the white-beige-haired girl was enjoying the stories that he had to tell as well as the questions he had regarding the city. One question that she enjoyed answering had to deal with the holidays that are part of Liyue Harbor's culture. The talk around the festivities all managed to get Sora extremely interested and ask even more questions. Ningguang graciously answered every question while enjoying the interest taken in the city. A good balance between the boy taking place.

Furthermore, as the two continued to walk around the harbor and stop to greet anyone who walked up to Ningguang, Sora was also beginning to get a better picture of just how important Ningguang was to the people. Both from a higher-up position and one of great positivity. She would either professionally answer someone's question or greet someone like they were long-time friends with such casualness it was apparent even to someone like the Keyblade wielder who had just met the Tianquan not that long ago. She was the definition of a leader ready to help everyone around her.

As the two were now standing by while she was talking with a few other people dressed in business attire, he let his mind wander for an uncertain amount of time. However, just before Sora could ponder a bit more about her, he was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts as he saw Ningguang wave her hand in front of him.

"Sora? Are you there?"

"Huh? Oh. Sorry. I was lost in thought there."

"Did you happen to catch what I just said?" Ningguang asked the boy, examining his reaction.

"Ah, no, I didn't."

Nodding her head, she repeated what was missed by the brunette.

"Right then, I asked if you were now ready to head on up to the Jade Chamber. There are a few things I would like to discuss in private with you that…"

Ningguang then turned her head to the side making it seem like she was looking at something before turning her attention back on him. This was all done casually.

"I don't believe being heard by someone would be the best outcome for both of our situations."

Shifting his gaze to look over at the Tianquan, Sora was about to say something but caught what appeared to be a glint in her eye seemingly indicating that there was more than he was thinking going on right now. Hence, it was at that moment he recalled what happened to them when the young children surrounded her earlier.

'If she can have eyes and ears around the city, then… who is to say others aren't doing the same thing…'

Playing a cool attitude, Sora nodded his followed staring her right into her red eyes. He understood what was happening and communicated it to Ningguang without even having to utter a single word.

"Excellent. Now then, shall we head up?"

"Gladly."

Saying this, he followed right next to the upstanding woman as they continued to pass by many people who all saw her accompanied by him resulting in whispered talk going around. Either the citizens who were watching the scene before them weren't aware of how noticeable they were being or just didn't care. Sora was starting to send some sympathy to Ningguang. If this was something that she had to deal with, then he figured that she also couldn't do a lot of things out in public what with all the public attention drawn to her.

A situation that he would ponder to himself regarding the leader walking right next to him.

---

After reaching what appeared to be a pad that sent them to the floating structure above Liyue Harbor, Sora was now entering through two large doors that had guards positioned on each side. Now inside, he had to hold his breath at how extravagant the décor and structure looked to be. He had not pictured it to look like this at all. Honestly, he had no idea what the inside could or would look like, so this was a pleasant surprise to him.

Coming just a few steps inside the Jade Chamber, he was about to ask Ningguang something when suddenly two girls appeared out of nowhere and looked to be carrying stacks of paper while looking directly at the Tianquan.

"Lady Ningguang, here are the reports filed and documented in order from essential businesses for the day prioritized in the order you directed."

"Lady Ningguang, the paperwork regarding the fishing tariffs and incoming trade deals for the upcoming month are ordered from least to most important followed by an additional page of notes on the details you discussed."

"Excellent work you two. I'll take a look at those later. Right now, I have some urgent business to attend to with our dear guest."

Gesturing over at the spiky-haired boy, the two secretaries had not noticed him until now and were a bit startled to see him there.

"Oh? Hello there. I take it you have an appointment with the Tianquan. I don't recall you having a meeting at this time, today?" one of the secretaries mentioned to Ningguang.

"That's because I don't. However, this meeting that we're about to have might just be the most important one I've had in quite some time."

Bewildered by what they were hearing, the secretaries both looked at each other before addressing the white-haired woman.

"Um… Lady Ningguang, if I may, what do you mean exactly?"

Letting a smile grace her lips, she replied with a bit of hope and suspense.

"Baiwen, Baixiao, may I introduce you to Sora. We met after I arrived at Madam Ping's usual spot where I was met with a few other familiar faces followed by two new ones. To get right to the point, Sora here is very familiar with our current situation right now. I've simply asked him to accompany me on a walk as well as discuss what other crucial information needs to be discussed."

Hearing how this boy was connected to the problem that was being covered by Ningguang, the two secretaries immediately bowed their heads to Sora before taking off without leaving him any room to actually introduce himself.

"Hey… what's going on?" he asked, seeing that the two girls took off before he could say anything.

"I apologize for that strange encounter. Things are not exactly as peachy as they might appear to be. Not that long ago I received a report detailing monster attacks on wandering traders and civilians passing through the region. I implore you to guess as to what the monsters were."

"Heartless."

"Exactly. And now with your unexpected appearance, it seems to have thrown a curveball at my secretaries. Granted, it's nothing truly bad and more akin to the hopeful side of things. They just prefer to have a clear idea of how best to help me is all. Don't feel bad about their strange behavior" Ningguang reassured the boy.

Getting a better idea of the secretaries' behavior, Sora decided that it would only be natural for them to be taken back by everything new happening in front of them. This entire situation was seemingly new to them all around.

"No worries. But can I ask you something, Ningguang?"

"Certainly. What troubles you?"

Moving his eyes around the inside of the chamber, the spiky-haired brunette wasn't sure what to make of this place. His thoughts drifted toward it fitting as a central hub in the skies or as Ningguang's personal headquarters. Either way, he was quite curious about it.

"Is the Jade Chamber like a significant building where special business is conducted or… is it like your personal headquarters?" Sora asked, gesturing with his hand around the entire place.

"In a way, both of your answers are correct. While I do not just bring anyone up here this place is welcome to those, I consider my friends. Rarely do I conduct any sort of official business meetings here and namely use it as my own quarters with my staff treating it as a place of their own at times as well."

Hearing this, the boy had a brief embarrassed look on his face.

"O-Oh. Sorry for walking in here nonchalantly. If I had known that this was your home, then I would have cleaned my boots of any dirt" Sora said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sora, why the sudden awkward notion?"

"I mean, you just said that this is your home. I don't want to be rude or anything like that. You invited me here to basically your home. The last thing I would want to do is be disrespectful" he reasoned to her.

Bringing a hand up to her lip, Ningguang expressed a content and albeit teasing smile on her face. This was the first time she had had this kind of reaction from anyone entering the Jade Chamber. Most people would be fairly interested in what mysteries or secrets she had scattered around her residence regarding business tactics or information to gain them privilege or financial status. As for those who she considered to be friends, they usually saw this place as hers but nothing more than that. But Sora here was treating the chamber like it was her home and with respect… this train of thought weighed heavily on her mind and made her happy.

"Well now, taking your words to mind, I'd like to make it abundantly clear that you are most certainly invited and welcomed any time now. So, you do not need to worry about anything. Apart from the trouble currently at hand."

"Yeah… getting back to the main topic. What did you wish to speak with privately?" the boy questioned her now seeing that they were away from prying eyes and ears.

"Mm. This way if you please. It'll do us much better to sit and talk in my office."

Walking to another part of the chamber, Sora was met with what appeared to be an office space with stacks of scrolls and papers all over the place with paintings and even weapons displayed. There were also a few chairs waiting to be sat in.

Taking a seat across from Ningguang, the Guardian of Light listened intently to what she had to say.

"What I wanted to ask you has to deal with how the Heartless operate. You mentioned earlier that they can appear anywhere at all. While that is a… thought I don't really want to think much of. I need to. Could you perhaps go into more detail about that?"

"Sure. I'll tell you everything that I know in a more simplistic answer. The Heartless do have the ability to appear anywhere. But in most cases, it was because of two reasons that have factors behind them."

Raising her gloved hand, the red-eyed beauty caught Sora's attention.

"Would it be acceptable for me to copy down what you're about to say? I wish to be able to review all this crucial and necessary information given that I…We, the people of Liyue, are facing a brand-new threat that is shrouded in mystery" Ningguang kindly asked.

"Of course! I would be honored to help Liyue just as I did for Mondstadt" Sora charismatically replied.

"I take it that you told Acting Grand Master Jean about the Heartless."

"Yep. But… maybe I should have told them more… *sigh* that's something I'll have to fix later. But anyways, are you ready?"

"Yes, I'm all ears."

"Great. Now then, one of the reasons I'm leaning toward knowing why the Heartless can appear anywhere would be because they are being controlled."

"Controlled? As in, ranks and affiliations?" Ningguang conjectured.

"Something like that. There are two kinds of Heartless. Ones that have a symbol on their chest…"

As Sora said this, he reached for his Gummiphone in his pocket and started tapping away at the device to look for a picture of an Emblemed Heartless. Once he got the picture to show up, he handed the phone over to Ningguang for her to see.

"Such a strange design…"

"Not something you'd see every day that's for sure."

"Indeed. Please give me a minute. I'd like to try and copy this for further research."

"Go right ahead."

Letting a few minutes pass as he watched Ningguang's tracing skill with much amazement, Sora was soon met with a drafted copy of the Emblemed Heartless sigil.

"Whoa! That looks really good."

"You flatter me, Sora."

"No, really it does look good. If you asked me to make a copy…Err… it would probably be lopsided, haha"

A lively bit of laughter escaped the Tianquan's lips as she could imagine the boy's drawing.

"Should we see if that's the case?"

Reaching for another quill near her, Ningguang was about to hand the boy some paper to try and copy the image, but he instantly raised his hands.

"Ahaha maybe another time after I've gotten some practice" he replied with a bit of an embarrassed look on his face.

"I'll hold you to it. Now then, would you continue with your vivid explanation?"

"Certainly. Getting back to the Emblem Heartless, they are usually commanded by one or more individuals. Now, I'm not exactly sure how they are able to control the Heartless, but I believe it has something to do with the amount of darkness inside their hearts, or how much darkness they are allowing to take control of themselves while thinking that they are in control. There are many different shapes and sizes of the controlled Heartless but the one thing to look out for is the symbol somewhere on their bodies" Sora explained, hoping that it was easy to understand.

The gentle sound of Ningguang's quill sliding across the paper in front of her was somewhat turning into a smooth, relaxing sound. It added to the atmosphere since they were seated in an office space.

"Right then, that's the Emblem Heartless. In which case, I'm guessing there's another group?"

"Yes, the other kind of Heartless is known as Purebloods. They don't have an emblem located somewhere on their body and typically just have large yellow eyes and a black-pigmented body. They are born when people's hearts are normally consumed by darkness. These Heartless are more accustomed to being around places that are close to darkness. And… like I mentioned earlier, do not underestimate either of these groups" Sora reiterated to the white-haired girl sitting across from him.

"I understand, Sora. Truly, I do. And it is thanks to you and the information that you've provided that I will be able to come up with plans and ideas to help not only the people of Liyue Harbor but all around the region and beyond. Your wise words will not go unheard."

Sending an acknowledging nod to the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, the Keyblade wielder shot another glance at one of the displays located next to him. Decorated on the wall was what appeared to be a highly detailed map of what he suspected to be this world's layout of the land. To his amazement, right next to Liyue which was titled was a vast distance of nothing but water. The realization made him smile a bit recalling his home and how he was surrounded by nothing but seawater. It was a nice faint memory now but was soon flipped as he saw what appeared to be another mass of islands a good distance away on the map.

Inazuma. Nation of the Electro Archon.

Seeing that this might be a good chance to learn about the next region of Teyvat, Sora got Ningguang's attention.

"Hey, Ningguang."

"Hmm? Yes, Sora, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm good I just had a question."

"There's no need to hesitate on asking me questions. I'll do my best to provide you with a reasonable answer" she replied, putting her quill down and focusing all her attention on him now.

"Thanks. And, since Liyue Harbor does a lot of trading with the other regions across Teyvat, what are the chances that there is a ship that travels over to Inazuma?"

Surprised by the boy's question, Ningguang looked up at the map before starting to search for something on her desk but after looking for a good minute she ended up with nothing. A sigh escaped her lips as she would need to search for the papers she was missing later.

"There are several ships that make the voyage on a systemic schedule. At the moment, not that many ships are traveling to Inazuma since they are bound elsewhere. However, there is one ship that may just be able to get you there…"

"Really?

"Yes… Although, the captain of that ship is certainly a pain to deal with at times. I'll see if she is willing to make a trip to Inazuma. Essentially dealing with two problems with one simple solution" Ningguang commented.

"Is the captain a difficult person?" Sora asked, becoming curious about this captain.

Letting out a brief sigh, Ningguang figured she could tell him a bit about the wind-faring Captain of the Crux.

"Yes… and no. Basically, they are quite the stubborn individual who has a knack for finding themself in quite a predicament on many occasions. Whether it's treasure hunting or engaging in combat with mystical monsters out at sea or even getting in trouble with the law, the Captain of the Crux is quite the person who is both well-liked by the people as well as a pain in the government's side. Alas, she is also a friend of mine who has ties with the city due to having grown up in the region. She comes from quite a difficult background, having dealt with a lot back in her early days and had to overcome many challenges to get to where she is today. She has also been of big help to the safety of Liyue on multiple occasions even helping our dear esteemed friend the Traveler" Ningguang explained.

"Wait, you said the Traveler? Aether, right?" Sora asked.

"Correct. Are you acquainted with him and his floating companion, Paimon?"

"Not yet. I haven't met them but based on what I learned in Mondstadt and from Eula they seem like quite a duo. It's starting to sound like they are famous all around."

A hearty chuckle could be heard coming from the Tianquan's lips.

"You'd be right to assume that. They have managed to travel across most of the different regions in Teyvat now. Last I heard they were beginning to make their heading toward Sumeru but that was some time ago. Those two tend to find themselves wrapped up in another amazing adventure before you know it. They might already be in Sumeru right now as we are speaking. The rate that they travel across the different regions is very high" Ningguang clarified to Sora.

"Ha, hopefully, I'll be able to meet up with them. I'm betting since they travel around a lot, they must have a great deal of knowledge with them" the spiky-haired boy reasoned.

"I would say that's a bit of an understatement. Aether and Paimon have found themselves in so many extraordinary events that at this point it's unreasonable to predict their next move. The day you manage to cross paths with them make sure to ask about their adventures. I'm sure you'll hear quite a variety of tales."

Nodding at her response, Sora was once again hoping to meet the two soon.

---

Before Ningguang could say anything else, the sound of footsteps making their way toward her, and Sora could be heard. Soon enough, two individuals appeared, and they were not familiar at all to the spiky-haired hero. They were both girls with different appearances.

One of the girls had long, waist-length dark brown hair and fair skin with a hair accessory going through her hair and an earring dangling from her ear. She was also wearing thigh-high dark boots with a yellow design on them followed by what appeared to be a black body suit. In addition, she had on black gloves with an anchor design and small dark sleeves. One of the more distinctive features Sora captured on this girl was the red dress that had the front part going across her chest and leaving a cloak-like look behind her. Attached to her hip on the left side was a small amulet that held a purple color inside of it. This was better known to be her Electro Vision. Another aspect of the girl that caught the boy's attention was that her left eye was covered by a red eyepatch while her right was perfectly fine and conveyed a beautiful ruby-red color. She was also wearing a very elegant smile on her face conveying casual friendliness that caught the boy's attention.

The other girl standing next to the brunette had fair skin along with pale blue hair that bunched in the middle and fades into a darker shade at the ends. She also had black-red horns that bend back along with her hair with red markings on them. Her outfit was that of a black bodysuit with golden details around her legs underneath followed by white heels. Another intriguing characteristic of this girl was her eye color which appeared to be a mix of pink and purple. Around her arms and waist was a white and blue material that seemed to match the color of her hair giving her a unique appearance. A red string was also tied around her waist followed by a light blue jewel hanging close to her body which Sora recognized as being a similar color to Eula's Cryo Vision indicating that she was a Cryo user. One other attribute of the girl's appearance was that of a gold bell hanging around her neck and in front of her body. She also wore an anxious expression on her face seemingly worried about something.

"Apologies for the sudden appearance, Lady Ningguang" the girl with pale blue hair stated.

"All is well, Ganyu. And… I see you brought Beidou here as well."

"Ouch. That was bluntly said" the dark brown-haired girl now identified as Beidou replied.

"I hope that wasn't a problem at all" the other girl with pale blue hair now known to be Ganyu said to Ningguang.

"No, it's not a problem at all. In fact, her appearance is quite the coincidence since I was needing to talk with her about several important factors that will require her help."

A surprise was apparent on the dark-haired beauty's face.

"Huh? You wanted to talk with me? Great. What did the Crux get accused of now?" Beidou nonchalantly asked the Tianquan.

Shooting a look over at Sora, the Tianquan held a smirk on her face.

"Well, before I answer that, I think you two are forgetting my guest here."

Ningguang said this while gesturing to the spiky-haired brunette who was sitting there offering a respectful smile on his face.

"Oh? Hello there, sorry I didn't spot you right away" Beidou replied with an energetic tone in her voice.

"Not a problem. It looked like you guys had something urgent to say to Ningguang" Sora said back.

"You probably heard my name be called out but I'm the kind of person who prefers giving myself an introduction."

The spiky-haired boy couldn't argue there with as many times he introduced himself to his soon-to-be new friends.

"Heh, there's nothing wrong with that."

"Great. Then it's a pleasure to meet you. The name's Beidou."

Offering a friendly smirk, the Guardian of Light returned the gesture.

"My name is Sora. It's nice to meet you too."

At this point, Ganyu tilted her head and decided that she should also introduce herself as well.

"Hello, Sora, my name is Ganyu. I hope that we can get along."

"Hey, Ganyu, it's nice to meet you too. And likewise, on the getting along part," Sora said with a reassuring smile.

Seeing the boy's friendly personality, Ganyu's face slightly relaxed before becoming serious and turning to look over at Ningguang.

"Lady Ningguang, do you wish to discuss this morning's events later or…"

Raising her hand, the Tianquan shook her head.

"No, no. It's alright. In fact, it's more than alright as our current predicament heavily involves Sora."

Ningguang said this in a nonchalant way that the two girls had to take a second to process what they were hearing before they could even try to say something. Sora on the other hand was starting to put the pieces together on what was being discussed and realized that it had something to do with the Heartless.

"What?" Beidou murmured.

"Wait. How does that- I'm sorry, I'm confused" Ganyu said.

Sora couldn't help but instill a small smile on his face as he glanced over at Ningguang who also wore a knowing look on her face. There was also another bombshell that the Tianquan wanted to share with her friends that had arrived as it also involved Sora once again.

"And Sora, do you remember that captain I mentioned to you earlier?"

"Yeah? I remember what you said."

Pointing her finger at Beidou, the white-beige-haired girl laid out the truth.

"There's your soon-to-be captain."

"Wait what? Hold up. Does someone mind catching me up to speed on what's going on here?" Beidou demanded while having a confused look on her face.

Ganyu wasn't that far behind as she had no idea what was being discussed.

However, before either of the two could find out more about whatever was going on right now, Sora took a few steps toward the dark brown-haired girl and was standing right in front of her with a bright and goofy smile on his face. She had no idea what he was going to do next but… what happened next left her puzzled beyond belief because this had never happened to her before.

Raising his right hand up in a sort of saluting pose, Sora spoke in an all-affirming tone of voice while looking excited. He had commented multiple times on what world was one of his favorites to travel to and he had returned there on his latest adventure with Donald and Goofy. He even donned a whole new outfit fitting right into that world.

"Aye! It'll be a pleasure to sail with you, Captain!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…What?"

The Captain of the Crux was now officially meeting the captain of the magical ship better known as the Leviathan. The ship that was somehow created out of white crabs of all things.

These two brunettes were about to have the time of their lives together.

---

Meanwhile, somewhere else within Liyue Harbor

Appearing in a dark room with the windows closed and nobody else present in the room, a cloaked figure appeared in a flash of light standing over what appeared to be a table holding a teapot and several empty cups.

The Master of Masters began checking out the place and made sure that no one else was going to waltz into the room and catch him off-guard. Once he was done scanning the place, he figured that it would not hurt to catch a break and enjoy a cup of tea.

"Well, it would be a waste if this gets stale and cold. Might as well do the owner a favor."

As the Lost Master said this, he reached into his dark coat and pulled out a bag full of Mora, and left it on the table while also pouring himself a cup. Taking a seat, the mysterious figure took a sip and let out a relaxing, content sigh.

"Ahhhh. That hit the spot. Now then, where do you have your spiky hair planted now, Sora?"

The Lost Master had several things he needed to get done while in the city but for now, he would watch how things played out. Especially with the involvement of the Keyblade wielder in the City of Contracts. He also wondered what sorts of deals the boy would become involved in.

It was surely going to be an entertaining time.

---

*A/N* - Hello from the bottom. Hope you're doing well. Sora's now gotten himself involved with Ningguang and made some progress in gaining access to the libraries across the city followed by having a chat that's nowhere near done with the Tianquan and now the Captain of the Crux and general security of the Liyue Qixing. Much is going to be talked about along with helping the Keyblade wielder progress in his journey to learning what he can about the Heartless and if they were present at all in Teyvat's history. Many mysterious discoveries still await him along with the inevitable realization that there are forces he will encounter that call for action to be taken. The Keyblade's Chosen One's adventures in Liyue have just begun. Thanks for sticking around with this story and I hope you take care out there. Until next time.