Author's Notes: Back from my little hiatus, I hope the wait wasn't too long for this chapter! After all, I will finally be introducing Dehya! And she's always a big win!
Pairings (Final)
Mondstadt: Eula, Sucrose, Jean
Liyue: Ganyu, Shenhe, Yelan
Inazuma: Shinobu, Yae Miko, Ei
Sumeru: Collei, Dehya
Review Responses
IdkwhatImWritting: Well, you're in luck!
Dragon and Sword Master: As for who wins, that'll be decided in this chapter. Regarding the terminal, that will be given to Naruto eventually, this section will not be equivalent to the actual Sumeru storyline in the game.
elkenn: This is a commonly asked question, but, I implied that, even though Naruto is trying his hardest to use Kurama's chakra, he cannot necessarily force the Nine-tailed fox to collaborate.
redlox2: I should probably address the traveller's situation. In this story, a different fate will befall the twins, since it's currently set a year before the game's events... Which is all I'll disclose for now.
Enraem: I understand your gripes, and I can see that you're not doing it as an insult, but, allow me to explain. The ellipses situation is something I struggle with as well, since, ever since I was in middle school, I had always placed ellipses at the end of statements and sentences. Call it a bad habit, if you will, I'll do my best to minimize it.
Nathair1: Naruto will try, and it will work for a while, but he'll find issues with Kurama's cooperation.
Kael: That section where Naruto suggests the Kyuubi would be him assuming he could use the Kyuubi's chakra, but he wouldn't necessarily be able to use it at will.
JintoLin: Now that I've had a glimpse into Honkai, it's safe to say I might understand where some of the misunderstandings may have stemmed from :P Either way, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. As for the lack of Amber, it'd really be because I have no idea how to write her.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"'Kurama talking and thinking"'
-Sumeru City-
Naruto readied himself, stretching and cracking his knuckles as he stared at Dehya, who shared his gaze.
"I think we should take this outside..." Naruto commented, watching as the woman with catlike ears in front of him gave it some thought, before nodding.
"Fine, we'll do this out there... Don't you dare try to use this opportunity to run," Dehya warned as the two made their way out, followed closely behind by a nervous-looking Collei.
"So... What do you do... As in, your job?" Naruto asked, genuinely curious as to what people in this world do for a living.
"Well, I am an Eremite, part of the 'Blazing Beasts' brigade to be specific," Dehya explained, "Why'd you ask?"
"What's an Eremite?" Naruto asked back, having never heard of such a term prior.
"I..." Dehya mumbled, slightly confused as she turned towards Collei, "Is your friend not from here? Or does he have a few screws loose?"
"Ummm... Naruto isn't from here, no... I... I never heard of the place he's from..." Collei mumbled nervously as she walked up behind Naruto, "Naruto... I... I think we should... You know... Leave? Ummm... Apologize and leave?"
"Apologize? She... I mean..." Naruto began to say, before turning to Dehya again, "Hey! What was your name again?!"
"Me? It's Dehya!" Dehya replied, shaking her head as she withdrew her claymore, "If this is some sort of stalling tactic, be aware that it's not gonna work!"
"I'm not stalling!" Naruto stated as he turned back to Collei, "I'm not apologizing! Dehya bumped into me first!"
"I... Are you sure? Eremites are known... Or according to what Master Tighnari tells me..." Collei began to explain, "Eremites are fierce warriors... And... This Dehya... Besides her scary-looking claymore... Is known by another name..."
Naruto turned back for a moment, "Now that you mention it, her claymore is rather intimidating... What is she known by?"
"The... The Flame Mane..." Collei mumbled, her voice shaking as Dehya took some slow steps forward.
"You've got that part right... But step aside, this is a duel between your friend and me," Dehya stated.
"I... No! I... I'm not gonna let you!" Collei exclaimed, her legs moving on their own as she ran up in front of Naruto and holding her arms out, her eyes firmly shut as she shook slightly. "You... You're not gonna hurt him!"
"Really? What's this now? Are all teenagers so melodramatic these days?" Dehya questioned, still stepping forward as her gauntlet-wearing arm adjusted before facing forward.
"Collei, trust me..." Naruto whispered assuredly, placing his hands gently on Collei's shoulders, "I'll be fine. I promise."
Collei hesitated for a moment, before nodding her head and running off, keeping a safe distance as she hid behind a tree, her hands placed over her eyes as she feared the worst.
"Is that... Normal?" Dehya asked, slightly confused as she readied herself.
"I... I'd like to think that she's just worried..." Naruto mumbled, getting slightly worried as he readied himself as well. "Shit, I hope so, anyhow."
"That... Just tells me that you have no idea if it's normal..." Dehya commented, her grip over her claymore tightening much more as she dashed forward, swinging directly at the blond.
"I don't, I mean, I did know someone like that back then..." Naruto mumbled, dodging the slash whilst placing two fingers on his chin, before thinking things through, "But she was more of the blushing and fainting type, so I don't think it applies..."
"What the hell are you on about?" Dehya asked incredulously, astonished by the blond's casual reaction to nearly being slashed in half by her swing.
"You did ask me if it was normal, so I was saying that it was a little, at least to me..." Naruto began to say again, still managing to dodge attack after attack from his opponent, jumping onto the claymore and standing there through chakra control as Dehya attempted to reorientate it, "It's like, Hinata used to just faint after a lot of blushing... But Collei's different... If you get what I mean?"
"At this point, I doubt the Archon herself would get what you meant by any of that," Dehya joked as she tried her best to shake Naruto off before dropping her claymore and launching forward, throwing a cross through her gauntlet.
"Speaking of which..." Naruto began to say, grabbing hold of the gauntlet and struggling a little to keep it from tearing into his flesh, "You think you could help me meet this Archon?"
"I... Don't be absurd, no mere person can meet Lesser Lord Kusanali on the basis that they'd like to!" Dehya yelled, small sparks emerging from her gauntlet as they clashed in the centre, "Besides, why should I want to help you?"
"... Why not?" Naruto asked back.
"Wait, what?" Dehya questioned, completely flabbergasted at this point.
"I mean, do cat-people don't have the concept of helping others out?" Naruto asked, just as confused, "Like, you do a good deed in helping someone for your good conscience?"
"I don't think that's the- Wait a minute, we're supposed to be fighting here!" Dehya stated, yanking her gauntlet arm back before jumping back, as Naruto did the same.
"Yeah, but there's nothing wrong with talking mid-way through, no?" Naruto retorted, unsure of what he should be doing.
"I... How about this? If you beat me, I'll do whatever I can to help you get to Lower Lord Kusanali," Dehya offered as she readied herself.
"Well, no, you would treat Collei and me to lunch if I beat you..." Naruto mumbled as he shrugged, "That's what you said, so we'd like that since I can't make decisions for both of us, not alone, anyhow..."
"... You are, by far, the single most confusing person I've ever met..." Dehya sighed as she shook her head, picking up her claymore and pointing it at Naruto again, "Look, just... How about we just settle this now before it gets more complicated?"
"I don't think it can get more complicated, but sure," Naruto replied.
Dehya returned this statement with a sly smirk, placing her claymore back on the ground before her gauntlet was set ablaze, the wild flames emanating from her gauntlet crackling as she stepped closer to Naruto, before dashing forward.
"Woah... Now that's cool..." Naruto admitted, gazing at the gauntlet as he dodged a swift kick from Dehya.
"Cool, eh? Well, let's see how long you can stay cool!" Dehya exclaimed, cringing at her joke as she launched her attack.
"Stay cool...?" Naruto mumbled, puzzled for a moment, "I mean, we are in the desert... But... Oh, I get it- Woah!"
The blond quickly ducked down, mere inches from being decapitated by a fiery strike from his opponent. Naruto took a few steps back, taking a brief breather before being forced to dodge several other blows, eventually prompting him to leap into the air to dodge a particularly strong attack.
'I wonder what Collei's doing...' Naruto thought to himself whilst still airborne, looking around to try and find her, 'I should really try to make up for this... However, that may be possible anyhow...'
From her hiding spot behind a tree, Collei watched on, shaking in nervous anticipation as she watched Naruto descend back onto his feet. 'Please win... Naruto... Please stay in one piece at least..." Collei thought to herself, placing a hand on her bow as she considered intervention.
"Well, finally decided to stop running?" Dehya asked with a smirk, readying herself once again, "Very well, shall we end this with one last hit?"
"Fine by me, Collei's getting hungry and I promised to look after her..." Naruto joked, causing a certain green-haired girl hiding behind a tree to go a deep shade of scarlet, "Besides, you offered us lunch."
"I... Honestly, you deserve commiserations alone for caring about your friend there more than yourself," Dehya joked back, before charging forward with her gauntlet aflame, seeking to end it with one final blow.
"Naruto!" Collei called out in fear, seeing that the blond had yet to move in response to Dehya.
Before she could react, however, a large shockwave would erupt from the area, kicking up a large dust cloud as several birds spread their wings, fleeing the scene as if they had been complicit within it. Moments after, the dust settled, as Naruto and Dehya remained in the centre, the flames from her gauntlet still raging as Naruto kept a tight hold over it, a gentle orange aura wrapping around his hand.
"What the..." Dehya mumbled, too stunned by this sudden display to pull her hand back, as the flames over her gauntlet were slowly extinguished.
"Surprised? Yeah, I would be too," Naruto stated, a blue sphere hanging amidst a slowly raising left hand.
Before anyone was able to say anything else, Naruto launched his arm forward, slamming the blue sphere into Dehya's body, launching her back a considerable distance and onto her back, where she winced from the pain, struggling to get back up.
"Phew... Now that that's settled... Collei! You here? Where did you go?" Naruto called out, running around the place as Dehya eventually found her footing.
"Ugh... This day has not lacked any surprises, that's for damn sure..." Dehya grumbled as she watched Naruto eventually come across Collei, "Hmmm..."
"There you are... Are you alright? Not injured or anything, right?" Naruto asked, placing a hand on Collei's forehead soon after noticing her slowly turning redder and redder. "You alright? You're heating up..."
"I-I... Y-Yeah... I... I'm doing alright..." Collei assured, her face red as she pushed forward to hug Naruto gently, "P-please don't be so r-reckless... I... You've got me really worried..."
"Don't worry, and I apologise too. I need to start remembering that you're sick..." Naruto explained as he pat Collei gently on the back before pulling away from the hug. "After all, you're my first friend here!"
Dehya watched on, flabbergasted by the situation as she shook her head with a soft chuckle. "That idiot really doesn't know?"
Before long, Naruto and Collei slowly walked back up to Dehya, the blond helping her up as Collei quickly ran to hide behind him.
"Seriously? He's already beaten me... Collei, was it?" Dehya asked herself, before nodding her head. "Must be... Regardless, I've lost, so I'll treat you two to lunch."
"Well, that'd be very nice of you, Dehya..." Naruto assured as he slowly looked over to see how Collei was doing, "What do you think, Collei?"
"I... I think it'd be great!" Collei exclaimed with a soft smile, slowly moving out from behind Naruto now that she saw how Dehya probably held no ill intent towards her or Naruto.
"Alright, alright, let's not get too buddy-buddy now..." Dehya stated, noting how Collei seemed slightly fatigued even if she hadn't been fighting, "Let's get going now... What'd you two like to have?"
-Tavern, Sumeru City-
Naruto and Collei sat across Dehya on a somewhat large table, the latter having her arms crossed and her eyes closed as an awkward sense of silence overcame the entire table, even if the tables around them were filled with jubilant energy until one would break the silence.
"So, Dehya... You familiar with this place?" Naruto asked, scratching the back of his head.
"Yes, as I've said before," Dehya began to say as she drank from her cup, "I am familiar with this place, as was stated in my previous responses to you asking me this the moment we walked in and prior to that."
"Ah, I see... Eheh..." Naruto mumbled, slightly embarrassed now as he looked over to Collei, "You doing alright...?"
Immediately turning over to look at Naruto, Collei blushed faintly, before nodding repeatedly.
"Mhmm, mhmm... I'm doing alright..." Collei assured rapidly as she did so, "I... Thank you... Thank you for looking out for me this much..."
"Well, no worries... You're my friend, so I'm bound to look out for you..." Naruto assured as he smiled softly at her.
'Just friends?' Dehya thought to herself, recontextualising everything in her head as Naruto and Collei's relationship seemed at least a little more intimate than a mere friendship.
"After all, Tighnari-san did ask me to look after you..." Naruto explained, smiling again at Collei as the latter turned a shade redder.
"Well... I-" Collei stammered, trying her best to find the right words to say.
'Oh? Is it a duty, perhaps?' Dehya thought to herself, drinking from her cup again as she continued to observe, 'Perhaps I've been mistaken... Maybe it's merely a coincidence, their affection-'
"Don't worry..." Naruto assured, placing a hand gently on Collei's head, "Just let me know how I can help out, and I'll do my best, alright?"
"I... O-okay..." Collei murmured, her face getting redder than before as she placed her hands on Naruto's and gently nudged it off of her head, "P-please not here... It's... It's a little embarrassing... I... I'll tell you when we get back..."
"Well, whatever it is, I'll do my best to help you," Naruto explained with a smile as he turned away.
'... There's no way he doesn't know...' Dehya thought to herself, unsure of what to make of the situation as a waiter brought their food, to which she fake coughed. "Ahem, you two... Food's here..."
"Hmm? Woah... That's... A lot of food..." Naruto mumbled, looking over the table, "I... Look, I know you lost a bet, but, isn't this a little much-"
"Shut your damn mouth and eat," Dehya stated, brushing him off directly, "I lost a bet, and since you didn't regulate what I can or cannot buy, I took the liberty to order such a meal. If you asked nicely, I might just tell you what all of this is."
"I... Fine," Naruto mumbled, sighing for a moment as his head hung low. "What are these really good-looking dishes, Dehya?"
"Good, but you're really kissing my ass a lot with that one," Dehya joked as she shook her head, "But we'll try again some other time."
"I... Right, so... What are these things, really? I've got no clue what they are..." Naruto mumbled as he looked at the several bizarre-looking dishes.
"Same... Same here... I've got no idea what these things are..." Collei admitted as she leaned in to get a closer look.
"Well, you're in luck!" Dehya joked as she laughed heartily, "Since your yellow friend here asked so nicely, I'll explain. From left to right... There are three bowls of Lambad Fish Soup, a few shawarma wraps, Coconut Charcoal Cakes, three bowls of Sabz Meat Stew, and some scented meatballs to go along with everything."
"I... That's... That seems like a lot..." Collei mumbled, looking around the table before taking her bowl of fish soup.
"She's not wrong... This is a lot of food..." Naruto echoed, picking his bowl from the table and sipping from it silently, "And as good as it is... You sure you're alright with spending this much, Dehya-"
"Just shut your damn mouth and eat," Dehya retorted, taking her bowl and a shawarma wrap alongside it.
"R-right!" Collei exclaimed, slightly shaken from Dehya's tone as she frantically sipped from her bowl, putting it down soon after, seemingly scalding her tongue.
"Hmm... You alright?" Naruto asked, turning over to see Collei seemingly on the verge of tears, "Hey... It's alright... Dehya was being mean to me, not you..."
"I- What?" Dehya asked, unsure of what was going on opposite her as she sipped from her bowl.
"Trust me, Collei..." Naruto began to say, placing a hand on Collei's head again before patting it gently to try calming her slightly. "Dehya will apologize..." Naruto assured, turning to Dehya soon after, "Won't you?"
"Well, I don't see how this is my-" Dehya began to say, only to be cut off by a glare from the blond.
Naruto gave a different look, writing something on a note before slipping it to Dehya, which read: 'Please apologize, I do not wish to raise my voice, but please do so. I will pay you back later... Somehow.'
"I... Fine..." Dehya mumbled, crumpling up the note and tossing it aside as she looked at Collei, sighing before speaking again. "Listen... Collei, was it?"
Collei slowly looked up at Dehya, shaking slightly but still nodding regardless.
"I... Look, there's nothing to be scared of, I hold no ill intent towards you," Dehya began to reassure, her cat-like ears drooping slightly as she blushed in embarrassment, "And... Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you... Can you forgive me?"
Collei whimpered silently, noticing the embarrassment that had been caused to Dehya, as she looked to Naruto before back at the eremite, before nodding her head.
"Y-yeah... I... D-don't worry about it..." Collei stammered, slowly taking Naruto's hand off of her head as her blush deepened, "I... Ummm... I-I think we should finish eating and head back soon... Master wouldn't be too pleased if we stayed out too late... Y-you can pat my h-head later..."
"Umm... Well... Collei, I think you made a small mistake there..." Naruto mumbled after a moment of silence, blushing slightly as well.
"Hmm? What are you- O-oh... I... I see..." Collei stammered, her face turning a deeper shade of scarlet than before as she looked away, seeming as if she wanted to crawl into a ball and never come back out. "I... I... I d-don't mind..."
"It's alright. I've got it... Headpats and a favour," Naruto assured, turning back to his food and beginning to eat once again whilst Dehya watched on, trying her best to contain her laughter.
'This is just too funny...' Dehya thought to herself, finishing her food moments before standing up, "I've already paid, so you two can leave when it suits you... But, before that... A word outside, Naruto."
"Alright, in a moment..." Naruto assured, making sure Collei was doing okay and taking account of the many other patrons in the restaurant, before standing up and walking out with Dehya.
"So... You going to tell me why you were eyeing everyone up?" Dehya asked, leaning against the walls of the back of the tavern.
"Just had to make sure," Naruto explained, leaning against the wall as well, "I've seen the worst of what people can do... If anyone in there tries anything against Collei... And I find out who... They'll have to answer to me."
"Oh? That's... Rather selfless of you, I'll have to admit," Dehya explained, smiling to herself as she closed her eyes.
"Well, I didn't really have anyone like that where I came from..." Naruto explained, "People used to like beating on me a lot for things they blamed me for... And, well, while some other people do intervene here and there... I never had a friend, per se, that'd actually stay after to make sure I'm doing alright..." Naruto stated, smiling softly to himself as he closed his eyes and placed his hands behind his head, "So, now that I see Collei in a similar position to me, that same, vulnerable position... I just thought it'd be the right thing to do."
"I see... You've had a hard time getting to this point... Haven't you?" Dehya asked, reminiscing on her upbringing, "Kid like you speaking like such... You must have seen something... Or many things... Some would call... Horrifying."
"Oh? Is that so?" Naruto asked back, "How about that... Someone finally put it all into words... May I be bold to assume you've gone through a similar thing?"
"... I wouldn't want to brag about it..." Dehya admitted, sighing softly as she did so, "There was quite a bit that came before my present time as an Eremite..."
"I see... I won't press further into it, then," Naruto assured, "I'll be honest... You seem like a decent person, despite, well... The mercenary stuff and all..."
"How can you be so sure...?" Dehya asked, now intrigued as she turned towards the blond. "You've literally just met me."
"Trust me, many worse first impressions have been made towards me," Naruto assured, "Let me recall... One of my old masters tied me to a post before beating me up the first we met... A weird snake paedophile I ran into in a forest beat me up before giving my old best friend a hickey... A group of one of my master's old students showed up and beat me up and killed half my village after killing my master..."
"I... Wow... I certainly can't compare to that..." Dehya mumbled, unable to believe any of what she was hearing. "So... If you don't mind me asking, where were you from?"
"Hmm? Well, even if I said it, no one would believe me, or even know where that place is..." Naruto explained, "I'm from a village known as Konoha... But most people here would just think I'm crazy and assume I'm from a place called Inazuma."
"I... I'd be lying if I said I didn't think you were from Inazuma..." Dehya admitted, "Why are you here? Since you mentioned your village lost half of its population... I think your village would need you, no?"
"Well... That's the funny thing about the whole situation..." Naruto began to say, scratching the back of his head gently in embarrassment, "I don't know how I got here... Nor do I know how to get back... So I was hoping this Archon of Knowledge would know a method..."
"As is the assumption many outsiders have of our Lord..." Dehya sighed, before continuing on, "Many think they can just walk in, and ask for an audience with the Archon. I would think not. It isn't a lack of willingness on my part to help, it's me knowing that, even if I wanted to help, I can't help."
"It's fine, I understand..." Naruto assured, leaning against the wall once again, "Nothing ever comes easy... That's something I've learned the hard way."
"Really? 'Cause I think..." Dehya began to say, deciding now to be the best moment to press the question, "I think you've gotten a girlfriend really easily here... Haven't you?"
"I... I don't follow, exactly..." Naruto admitted, his brain trying its best to come to a fast conclusion, "Are you coming onto me?"
"I... What?!" Dehya asked, a slight tint of pink coming over her cheeks as she did so, "N-No chance! I... At least, not now... I meant you and Collei."
"Ah, I get what you mean..." Naruto assured, now understanding what Dehya was probably referring to, "I promise you, that wasn't really intended... It just came out as the right thing to do and-"
"Not the head patting thing," Dehya explained, shaking her head, "I'm talking about... About that look in your eyes. The gaze you two share... The awkward yet chemistry-filled conversations... The casual flirting in front of me... It's all there."
"I... It's not intentional! I swear!" Naruto exclaimed, waving his hands around frantically as his face grew redder as well, "I wasn't trying to-"
"Whatever the case..." Dehya began to say, cutting Naruto off completely, "She's interested in you. You don't need eyes to see that... So... Do take care of her, whether you like her, which I'm sure you do, or not... You hear me?"
"... You have my word," Naruto stated, sighing in defeat. "You have a way with words, don't you?"
"Years of needing to have a silver tongue for a job has trained me for that, don't worry," Dehya joked, standing back up straight before walking towards Naruto, placing a soft kiss on his forehead as she did, "Now... Take good care of her... I'll be back to fight Collei over you..."
"I... So you are coming onto me?" Naruto asked, slightly stunned by her sudden kiss as Dehya laughed to herself, handing Naruto a note before walking away, "Be sure to write often!"
Naruto watched on, letting Dehya walk away as her figure stepped further and further away until it became an unrecognizable spot amongst the large crowd of the city. The blond sighed, opening up the note and seeing an address.
-Later That Night, Gandharva Ville-
Naruto sat at the desk of his room, reading up as much as possible of the map of Sumeru, until a knock could be heard on the wall.
"I wasn't aware you needed to knock here... But come in!" Naruto stated, his eyes still glued to the map as a series of soft footsteps came closer and closer to the desk, alerting Naruto to who it was. "Collei? It's rather late... I could've sworn you'd be sleeping by now..."
The green-haired girl shook slightly as Naruto looked over, timidly passing a piece of paper to the blond as she did so.
"I... I... M-master is busy tonight... I... I wanted to know if... If you could help me write a letter...?" Collei stammered, worried as to what Naruto's response may be, "It... It's to someone important... A-And... I... I can't really write, m-my hands shake too much..."
"I see, don't worry, I'll help you write it, no problem whatsoever," Naruto assured with a smile, pulling a chair over for Collei to sit next to him as they worked, "So... What would you like me to start with?"
"W-well..." Collei stammered, giving it some thought before replying.
Omake: At Qingyun Peak...
"Hmm..." Came the feminine voice of a white crane with blue, gold and black plumage, as she perched herself upon the highest point of Qingyuan Mountain. "One may have found the perfect pair for one's pupil..."
The crane overlooked the small dwelling that had been built at the peak of the mountain, a large pond surrounded by several large trees and chunks of Cor Lapis. Her view, however, was fixated on the small table situated on a small island in the centre of the pond, where a woman sat. Dressed in a tight black, backless bodysuit that fades into turquoise at the edges, with it even extending to her forearms, the woman sat silently at the table, sipping from a cup of tea as a gust of wind kicked her long, loose but thick braid into the wind, revealing a cropped white-and-grey qipao over her bodysuit, as well as the red ropes that bound her arms and hair.
"Yes... One could certainly see it..." The crane continued, looking off into the distance once again, "Shenhe bears the most resemblance to oneself, however, she is a mortal... Rather than keeping her by one's side... One foresees that she may have a better future... And that Shenhe might open her heart more to this Naruto fellow."
The crane shook her head, before gliding down to the table and in front of Shenhe, the latter bowing her head.
"Master. You have need of me?" Shenhe questioned, her monotone voice emotionless throughout.
"One does, Shenhe..." The crane stated, "One has found a suitable match for you."
"I see..." Shenhe stated, "Would you like me to bring him here?"
"One sees great benefit in doing so," The crane explained, "You can bring him here, but only once he has arrived at Liyue."
"Understood, master..." Shenhe replied, before turning back to her tea, taking a bite out of a flower soon after.
Author's Notes 2: And Collei's reply will come next chapter! Heh... I hope you've all enjoyed this chapter, cliffhanger aside... I also hope you'll all enjoy the small Omake as well. Think of it as a section that can come in during the timeframe from literally anywhere within these chapters.
Regardless of which, do tell me what you guys thought about this chapter in the reviews down below! I'm always eager to see what you guys have to say!