-Stop right there, criminal scum! Nobody breaks Liyue's law on my watch! -Was suddenly heard from above, just as Hu Tao jumped down before the "Dragon carousel", stopping it in its tracks. -I'm confiscating your stolen goods. Now pay your fine or it's off to the coffin with you. -She continued in a very angry voice, before suddenly pausing, as her expression soon shifted to an amused one and she started laughing. -...Hahahahahaha! Ever since I heard those quotes from the Traveler, I really wanted to use them in my own special way~ You should have seen your expressions just how! So hilarious! Hahahahahahahahahaha!
-...Director Hu, did you actually need something or was this your weird attempt at a joke...? -Zhongli soon asked her via telepathy, already sounding done with everything. -If it is the latter, I would ask you to move out of the way, so I could finish this punishment soone...
-I am not here just to have fun with those quotes~ Once I heard the news of a certain "Dragon Carousel" moving through the Harbor, I just had to see what this was all about~ -Said Director soon interrupted him, looking and sounding very amused, as well as slightly teasing. -And seeing you like that, with so many children and Venti already on your back...-At this point she turned to look towards the other Archon, a wide smirk appearing on her face. -...I also want to ride Zhongli~ I can, right...?~ -She then turned back towards the consultant, whose draconic expression now looked clearly miffed. -Hey, Zhongli! Mind giving a ride to your director too? You still have space on your back, right?
-...Not near Qiqi...I don't want to have Hu Tao anywhere near me...-The zombie commented soon enough, starting to look annoyed.
-Ayaa, how long are you going to be mad at me for...? -Hu Tao started, looking and sounding quite bemused now. -I tried to bury you before, yes, but I soon realized that it was a mistake! Ever since then I tried to...!
The sentence suddenly cut off with a literal icy ball to the face,
Which continued to kick Hu Tao's face a few more times before disappearing...
-I despise Hu Tao. Hu Tao should be kept in the fridge. -The zombie said as soon as it did, her expression darkened now. -Don't come near Qiqi.
There was eerily silence after those words, with everyone now looking between the two,
As Hu Tao's expression rapidly changed between hurt, to shocked and finally to understanding...
*She knew full well why Qiqi was so mad at her, with her trying to bury the zombie child in the past numerous times,
Way before she knew about the child's past and just thought she was "trying to grant her eternal peace"...
...
As she expressed deep regret that she had not been able to lay Qiqi to rest fast enough,
Seeing Qiqi as someone who has been trapped in this world and cannot free herself of her eternal suffering...
...
Trying to restore the natural order,
The circle of Life and Death...
...
...
And then, after many tries of hunting Qiqi down,
She finally decided to dig deeper into the zombie's past...
*A past which made Qiqi into a rare exception that eludes the natural laws...
...
...
But the damage was already done, right...?
No matter how much she tries now, Qiqi continues to despise her...
...
-Well, right here should be okay, right Venti? -She decided to say instead, as she went to sit right behind him, trying to look and sound cheery. -We are carried buddies now~ -She added soon enough, trying to ignore what happened earlier. Though her face still hurt from the icy assault...! -Oh, how about we go down the stairs to the harbor part, next...? That's where the celebrations are mainly being held and should be a nice area to ride through~
-...It should be fine to go down there, yes. -Venti soon answered, also deciding to ignore the earlier issue for the moment. It was not his place to make decisions for those two. -It is a part of my dear friend's punishment, after all~ Don't you agree, Morax...?~
He asked the other, with a question that was clearly rhetorical,
And Zhongli soon realized that he didn't have much of a choice...
...
He did agree to this punishment, after all...
Zhongli indeed complied to the "request",
Soon proceeding to turn around and carry everyone down the stairs...
*And all the while, he could not help but partake in some self-reflection...
...
"To get people to abide by a contract and act in accordance with the guidelines set out within is simply to ask them to respect the concept of fairness. It is not a large request. How are there those who still do not understand such simplicity?"
This was what he himself told the Traveler, once upon a time,
Failing to realize how troublesome it would feel to be the contract's recipient,
Failing to realize how annoying the terms of the contract could be to abide by...
*He had to resist the urge to kick Barbatos and Director Hu hard with his tail...
...
...
Carrying Barbatos alone would have been fine, as he is featherlight,
Carrying the children on his back, humanity's future, would have been fine as well...
...
But carrying Director Hu, together with Barbatos...?
Carrying those two troublemakers on his back, as they were making fun of his...?!
-IT'S THE "DRAGON CAROUSEL"! THE "DRAGON CAROUSEL" HAS ARRIVED!
-It's the "Dragon Carousel" we kept hearing about! It looks so fun!
-Yánwáng-yé is giving everyone rides! He is so nice!
This and more was suddenly heard from nearby and not even a second later a bunch of children rushed in,
Soon proceeding to surround the "Dragon Carousel", as they continued enthusiastically yelling about how fun it looked and how much they wanted to join in...
*All the while, both the children's parents and other Liyue citizens were clearly having a dilemma about what to do,
On one hand it did look like Yánwáng Dìjūn was giving everyone rides, while on the other...He was still their Archon and it didn't feel right...
...
-...I am truly glad to have come out with this specific punishment for our local blockhead. -Venti couldn't help but comment moments later, as he was watching the ongoing chaos in great interest. -Aren't you happy to have become closer to your people, Morax...?~
-Of course he is happy~ It's not every day that children can't wait to ride him~ -Hu Tao replied right away, looking and sounding both amused and teasing. -Now they know that Zhongli is not that big and scary, after all~
She made sure to add, upon dismounting from her "seat", with Venti soon doing the same,
As both of them proceeded to help some overly enthusiastic children mount Zhongli...
-My, I didn't know you loved children so much, Mr. Zhongli~ -Was heard moments later from an amused looking Childe, who arrived to the scene with his siblings, as Teucer and Anthon soon joined the children being helped up by Venti and Hu Tao. -...But although you currently seem to be "preoccupied", your Exuvia form is still quite impressive.
He added in clear fascination, wondering how fun it would be to fight the Archon like this,
Surely, when Zhongli is not acting as a ride for the children and makes this form bigger...~
-The Hanfu looks really nice on you, bard. -Diluc was the next person to say, as he arrived at the group, trying really hard not to look in certain directions. -A lot of effort went into it and...
He soon went on a whole speech of how great the Hanfu was,
Really adamant about ignoring the "elephant in the room", for his own sanity...
*A reaction which Kaeya clearly noticed, getting amused by both it and the crazy scene before him,
Though knowing how Mondstadt usually was, the Cavalry Captain soon realized that it was still quite lacking in that regard...
...
Still...
-Looks like you are having a lot of fun~ -He couldn't help but comment soon enough, as he was looking between everyone in the area, before stopping his gaze on Venti. -Is this the "punishment" that you planned for your friend...?~
He amusingly added, getting a matching look from the other in reply,
As the two soon started discussing just how "interesting" this punishment was...
*A discussion which some other people soon joined in, as well, giving their own opinions on it...
...
Enjou was not one of those people, as ever since arriving on the scene with everyone, he couldn't help but ponder on it...
...
If he could play with the children like this in his Abyss Lector form, what if they came to like it...?
And then, he would be able to stay in it, even in the middle of the harbor, without any problems, right...?
...
...
Surely, this plan had a chance to succeed...?
...
-Big brother, there's something I want to talk to you about. -Tonia suddenly said, her expression and voice eerily calm, as she proceeded to tug on Childe's red scarf. -But not here. Can we talk somewhere more secluded...? -She asked her now confused "big brother", before motioning for him to lean down and muttering something into his ear when he did. -...Northland Bank should be a good place, right...?
She rhetorically asked afterwards, to which the other slowly nodded, clearly trying not to show any kind of emotion as he soon got up,
Before proceeding to go to his other two siblings, informing them of his (hopefully) short departure and giving Anthon a big bag of Mora...
...
Childe knew full well he was going to get lectured and was actually dreading the occasion,
As he now couldn't help but wonder how much Tonia actually knew and...
...
-...Let's go to the bank now, Tonia. -He decided to say instead as he walked back to her, trying to act as the "Big Brother" that he was still supposed to be. -...I promise to tell you everything you wish to know.
He reluctantly added, just as they started their walk towards the stairs,
Now wondering how she will react once she knows all of it...
*Tonia was the oldest of his younger siblings, but still...
...
Would she be disappointed in him...?
Would she hate him...?
Despise him...?
...
...
What if she already does...?
"Look how cute they are!~"
"They look so adorable!~"
"I want to buy one for mommy!"
"Do you think big brother would like it?"
"We can buy one for our big sister!"
This and more she kept hearing from the other children,
Which made Klee so annoyed, that she soon started pouting...
...
They recently made a stop by a toy stall,
And everyone were all excited about some "Exuvia plushies"!
...
...
-VENTI IS A LOT MORE CUTER THAN THOSE STUPID PLUSHIES! VENTI'S "WIND SPIRIT" FORM IS THAT MUCH MORE ADORABLE! -She couldn't help but yell out soon enough, pretty much prompting everyone to stop what they were doing and turn towards her, with her seen pouting even harder now. -If you want to get gifts for your friends and family, you should go to Mondstadt and buy Venti's adorable plushies instead!
She made sure to add, as she looked between the children around as if they just betrayed her...
*Which clearly made some people really confused, intrigued and/or gradually more and more embarrassed,
With the latter reaction coming from the Archon in question himself...
...
-...Venti's "Wind Spirit" form. Yes, Qiqi remembers it. -The little zombie commented moments later, a small smile soon appearing on her face. -Just like Klee said, it was very adorable.
-That's right! And they still look like Venti does! They are not just a smaller and chubbier version of him! -Klee yelled out soon enough, her expression really serious now, before she suddenly turned to look towards Venti with starry eyes. -Venti, you have to transform into your "Wind Spirit" form and show everyone your cuteness! Do it for Klee, pleaseeeeeee!
She added upon shifting her expression to a "kicked puppy" one,
With Qiqi soon deciding to mimic her friend's "Puppy eyes"...
*The zombie also secretly wanted to see Venti's cute form again...
-...I, uh...T-that form, you see...-Venti couldn't help but shakily say, getting caught completely off guard. -L-last time when I transformed into it...E-everyone was overly...-...Remembering the chaos that happened last time, just what kind of word would fit here...? -...E-enthusiastic, yes...
Which was putting it lightly, as everyone's reaction at the time was that much worse...
"KYAAAAAAH! YOU ARE SO CUUUUUUTE!
I have to take you home with me!"
"NOT FAIR! WHY WOULD HE EVEN WANT TO GO HOME WITH YOU?!
He should go home with me instead!"
"NOOOOO! HE SHOULD GO HOME WITH ME!
Unlike you, I am going to hug him and play with him and pamper him and...!"
...
...
And now he actually remembered it!
"...Lord Ba...Venti...You are actually very...Cute...Looking like that...
...I-I...If I could, I would have taken you...T-to Wangshu Inn...W-with me...!
...Having such desires...So sinful...For a Yaksha…!"
...
...
Even Xiao!
…
…
And then,
It became even worse...
"YOU CAN'T TAKE VENTI AWAY! KLEE WON'T LET YOU!
Venti is ours! Mondstadt's! Not yours! So leave him alone!
Venti is nice and cute and he is both Mondstadt's god and Klee's friend and...!"
"THAT'S NOT FAIR!
Why are you the only ones who have a nice and cute god who can look so tiny and adorable?!
YOU SHOULD SHARE!"
-Venti, pleeease! -Klee was pleading, still with that "Puppy eyes" expression of hers, which Qiqi was also showing him. -Pleease, can you turn into your "Wind Spirit" form this once...? Klee would be more careful this time!
To this, the other children decided to join in the pleading,
And Venti found out soon enough that he was fighting a losing battle...
...
...
Well, surely everyone gushing over him would be better than Morax' current state of a "Dragon Carousel"...?
*Instead of riding him, like they did the blockhead, he was going to be pampered, right...?
...
...
It wouldn't go out of hand this time, right...?