Any Way the Wind Blows
Waking up, I sat in my bed and stretched, letting out a yawn. I looked around, spying Paimon asleep on her small bed that I'd had made specifically for her. It was surrounded by small pots of lamp grass that she'd moved the first day she'd stayed here, and it wasn't like I was about to kick her out. She was Hoshi's best friend, and I'd never kick out such an adorable fairy. I still wasn't entirely sure what she was, but it seemed like she didn't know either, and I was ok with that. It's not like she was lying, like Venti had.
I swept my feet from under the covers and stood up, shedding myself from my fresh pajamas and getting dressed in some casual clothing, a red linen shirt, a pair of shorts, and some boots. Comfortable, but functional in the case an emergency happened. Of course, I wasn't really sure if there would be many more emergencies. With the Stormterror threat ended and Acting Grand Master Jean doing her best to cut ties with Snezhnaya, Mondstadt was in the best state it could be in years. I only wished that Hoshi could see what had come from all of this. I finished putting on my clothes and headed for the kitchenette of my apartment. It wasn't a large place, in fact, it was only a single room with a joined bathroom, but it was home.
Even looking at my living room, I couldn't help but stare at the groceries I couldn't fit in my fridge and cupboards. They were all nonperishables, the other stuff I'd crammed in there as much as I could. They were thank-you gifts from people. With Venti and I landing the final blows on Dvalin, and Hoshi missing, I was naturally hailed as the Hero of Mondstadt. It felt like a title I didn't earn. I only landed the last shot, that's all. Maybe I did some more to help, but it should have been my boyfriend. He should be here. He should be alive!
I gasped as I noticed the wooden kitchen counter catch fire, and I quickly tapped it out. No, I couldn't get so worked up. Today, I had to march on up to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters and demand Master Jean let me go out and search for Hoshi. With how busy she's been, I wanted to give her some time to adjust, but my patience has officially worn out!
"Hello, Amber," Paimon spoke as I focused on making breakfast. I must have gotten lost in thought... Still, the little fairy floated over, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She never said 'Good morning' anymore... I guess for her, it never is. "Are you making breakfast?"
"Mhm," I nodded, finishing up the eggs and toast. Fisherman's Toast, nice and delicious and simple to make. "It's almost done, Paimon. Why don't you take a seat?" The girl nodded, sitting at the edge of the counter as she watched me cook. This had become something of a morning ritual for us. I wake up, start breakfast, and then she wakes up right before I finish. I've been on patrol a few times since the fight, and Paimon's taken to staying with me during those times. I guess being Hoshi's girlfriend, she feels like a part of him is still around when she's with me. Honestly, it kinda feels the same for me, being with Paimon.
"Today I'm going to ask Master Jean if we can go out searching for Hoshi," I told her, setting her plate in front of her. Paimon nodded, her eyes filled with determination while her mouth was filled with breakfast. "I know it's kind of a long shot, but I have to try. I-I'm still his bodyguard, after all. How can I guard him if I don't know where his body..." I trailed off, not quite wanting to finish that phrasing. "Um, if we don't know where he is?"
"Yeah," Paimon agreed with me, eagerly finishing off her first slice of toast. Thank goodness for all these groceries, or she might have already eaten me out of house and home! "Paimon didn't get to see where exactly he fell, but Paimon thinks it was to the south, somewhere? Hm.. Paimon's not exactly sure. But Liyue could be a good place to find some answers!"
"You're right," I agreed with her, nodding my head after I'd finished my slice of breakfast. "In fact, let's go talk to Master Jean right now! I'm sure that with us asking together, there's no way she can tell us no!"
"Yeah, let's go!" Paimon cheered. We marched out onto the streets, two women on a mission to find the man we loved. Um, in different ways. Actually, I didn't know what Paimon actually thought of Hoshi. All I knew was that she usually told him off for being a pervert. That also gave me another thought; what if he met a cute girl while he was out there? Would he still think of me? I mean, I know I told him it was ok to go after other girls, but I also said I wanted to approve of them first, right!? That settles it, I have to find him as soon as possible! I took off into a full sprint to the headquarters, Paimon floating behind me.
When we arrived at the Knights' Headquarters, Athos and Porthos were there, as always. I gave them each a wave and a cheerful greeting that I wasn't quite feeling, and while Athos was chipper... I noticed the slip in Porthos' smile. I guess he'd considered Hoshi a close friend, too. "Hey, how're you holding up, Porthos?" I asked him, stopping a moment to really talk to him. He tried keeping the smile on his face, but it just wouldn't stick.
"Ah, that obvious, am I?" he asked, chuckling bitterly. I could feel the pain in his voice. "First Miles, and now the Honorary Knight. I, uh... It was only a few days apart, so I'm really trying to keep it together, ya know? Hey, do you know when Master JEan's gonna hold the funeral? I'd really like to attend."
"O-Oh, uh, well, actually," I looked around, trying to find a good excuse. I didn't want to tell him we thought he was alive, especially not to put words in the Acting Grand Master's mouth. But... I also knew she had to be holding off on it for a reason; I just wasn't sure why. "I don't know, actually," I finally settled on that as my answer.
"Jean's been really busy," Paimon covered for me, and I sent a silent thank you in her direction. "So right now, she probably just doesn't have time to set up a funeral; especially one for the Honorary Knight. Just be patient, and I'm sure you'll hear something soon!"
"Ah, right," Porthos stammered, looking away for a moment. "Sorry, I guess it's just gnawing away at me. If the rest of us had been there, maybe we could have gotten everyone out of there. It's really dumb, but I just thought-"
"I appreciate it, really," I told him, hoping my words could give him at least a little bit of comfort. "I'm sure he'd be really happy knowing that you and the others think so highly of him, and that you're all safe. Right now, the best you guys can do is remain safe, ok?" I felt like a hypocrite saying that stuff. Still, with pleasant goodbyes, I went inside the headquarters and knocked on Master Jean's door. It was quiet for a bit, but finally I heard her call to come in.
I let myself in, with Paimon close behind. "Outrider Amber, reporting," I greeted her, saluting. Jean was sat behind her desk, looking tired and with mountains of paperwork on her desk. "Er, is everything alright, Master Jean? what's all this?"
"Mm, as it turns out, the Abyss Order wasn't just twiddling their thumbs when we all went to confront Dvalin," she said, partially paying attention to us as we walked up to her desk and partially reading what was in front of her. "They tried to storm the city, but only made it so far due to Captain Lawrence's efforts. She and the rest of the Reconnaissance Tem were present in the city while we were away. I take it we have you to thank for that?"
"U-Uh, yes, ma'am!" I replied, glad that my efforts hadn't gone to waste. I hadn't lied to Hoshi when I told him that I went to Eula for advice about our relationship, I really did, but girls like us can only talk about relationships for so long. Business was the name of the game, and since Eula's job includes going out hunting for the Abyss Order, I told her all about how those hilichurl camps were getting closer. I told her my thoughts about them moving against the city soon, and I'm glad she took those to heart.
"Good work, Captain Amber," Master Jean told me, and I couldn't help but smile at the praise. "The rest of this are all requests from merchants from Liyue asking for safe passage into Mondstadt for trade. News of Dvalin's... defeat has spread quickly, and now that the roads are clear again, it's provided a potential boon to Mondstadt's economy. Though I'm sure you're not here about logistics." Her eyes came up to meet mine, and I took a deep breath before talking.
"I want to be sent out in search of Honorary Knight Hoshi," I told her.
"Denied," she said immediately, and I felt like I'd been stabbed through the heart. She shook her head and let out a sigh, long and tired. "I'm sorry, but with all of these requests, I need everyone on-hand and working. The Abyss Order has been pushed back, for now, and there's a lot of cleanup that needs to be done. I even have Captain Eula out retrieving Captain Albedo from Dragonspine for this. Naturally, the rest of the Investigation Team are here, helping."
"Th-Then can we be sent to Liyue to help with anything? Like sending a message?" Paimon asked. Great thinking, Paimon! I sent her a grin, which she returned. Thankfully, Master Jean didn't automatically turn this one down. In fact, she seemed to be thinking it over!
"You make a good point, Paimon," she finally said. "I'll approve of such a mission. There are a few things I'd like to discuss with the Quixing in regards to trade rates, and I'd like to do this in person. I was originally going to send a courier, but having a small group of Knights do this would be far more secure. I'll write up the details and the letter. Come see me this evening, and I'll officially assign this mission to you and a few others." I grinned at this turn of events. It might only extend into Liyue, but this was good progress already! Plus, seeing the place that my grandfather came from would be an extra treat on top of everything!
"I won't let you down, ma'am!" I told her, saluting again.
"I'm sure you won't," Master Jean responded. "If that's all, then I'll see you this evening." Dismissed, I gave Master Jean one last word of thanks before turning to Paimon, giving her a high-five. "Great thinking, Paimon!" I praised her. "You really saved our bacon, there. I really had no idea what to say!"
"Paimon just thought about what Hoshi would say," she replied, still looking happy. "Paimon's not entirely sure about all the details, but it worked, didn't it?" I nodded eagerly to her.
"It definitely did," I told her. "Let's go run some errands and prepare. I'm sure there's plenty we can do in the meantime."
"Oh? Is something going on, Amber?" the familiar voice of Kaeya echoed through the hall of the headquarters, and I saw the man walking down from upstairs. "I haven't seen the Hero of Mondstadt in a few days. How have you been holding up, after everything?"
"Ah, I've been doing the best I can," I admitted as much. "Still trying to make things work. What brings you back here? Usually, you're out doing missions for Master Jean."
"Well, I had some time to spare and took a short break up in the lounge," he said, turning his attention to Paimon. "It seems you've picked up a peculiar companion. I remember you being our Honorary Knight's friend, are you not?"
"Yep, that's me! You're the guy who made him upset after fighting off Dvalin the first time," ah, I guess Paimon still isn't really sold on Kaeya...
"My, my, you remember me! I'm flattered, Paimon, truly. So, what has the two of you all excited, today? I could hear you both from upstairs, after all." Kaeya, of course, took it all in stride. I guess being friends with Master Diluc will make a guy cool like that.
"We're being assigned a delivery mission to Liyue," I told him. "It's also so we can try and find where Hoshi is. Until we see a body, Paimon and I refuse to believe he's really dead."
"Well, that's truly admirable aspirations, ladies," he complimented us, an easygoing smile on his face. Maybe a few months ago I would have loved to see that smile, but right now, it just makes me think of Hoshi. "Perhaps I'll even volunteer to join you. After all, an extra set of capable hands should be more than welcome, wouldn't it?"
"I guess..." Paimon seemed hesitant.
"It would definitely help," I answered for us. "I guess we'll see you later, then."
"Of course," he waved us goodbye as Paimon and I began to leave. We still had errands to run, after all. "Take care, ladies!"
"Seeya, Kaeya!" I called back. Paimon and I headed to the streets of Mondstadt afterwards, heading to Windseeker Goods. I waved to some of the people who greeted me when we walked by, saying hello to Sara at Good Hunter, and even stopping by to ask Timaeus about a few potions for travel. It was there that I saw another familiar face.
"Miss Amber!" a sweet voice called from behind me while I was discussing prices with Timaeus. I turned to look, and saw another familiar face.
"Oh, it's Sucrose!" Paimon pointed out, the minty-haired girl quickly approaching use with scrolls in her arms. "It's been so long! How're you doing?"
"I've been quite well, Paimon," the girl in question responded before turning back to me. "It's not often we see you around, though. I-I mean, it's not like I don't like seeing you here at all!" The girl flushed, and I waved my hands dismissively, telling her I didn't mind it at all.
"Oh, no, I know what you meant!" I told her, hoping to calm the skittish alchemist down a bit. "I see you're hard at work! Timaeus here is super lucky to have someone like you around."
"Hah, you don't know the half of it," the other alchemist spoke up. "She's always able to bring me some of the best materials from around Mondstadt. If you want someone to thank for your potions, it's her."
"Please, you're being too kind!" Sucrose protested, shaking her head. "I'm just doing as a good alchemist should, that's all! U-Um, but what brings you to visit, miss Amber?"
"Paimon and I are being assigned a mission to Liyue, and I'm hoping to grab a few resistance potions before we leave," I told her. "It's bound to last at least a month, so we're stocking up before we leave."
"Liyue!" the girl exclaimed before waiting for me to finish speaking. "Oh, they must have some wonderful materials there for alchemy. Could I bother you to bring some back?"
"Oh, why not come with us?" I asked, feeling a rush of excitement. I never got to know Sucrose very well, and this was a golden opportunity! "That way you can pick out the best stuff for yourself. How's that?"
"A-Ah, well, mister Timaeus..."
"Don't worry about me, Sucrose," Timaeus spoke up. "I can hold down the fort while you're gone. I might not be quite as top notch as you or Albedo, but I can still handle the basics that come through here. Just make sure to bring back your notes for me to study off of and we'll call it even."
"Oh! Um, of course," Sucrose shook her head again and suddenly noticed she was still holding her scrolls. She set them down at a nearby table and offered me and Paimon a bow. "Well, I hope we can travel well together, miss Amber and Paimon."
"Yeah, this'll be great! With your smarts, we'll be ready for anything!" Paimon cheered.
"I guess we should tell you the real reason why Paimon and I are invested in this," I told Sucrose, lowering my voice so Timaeus couldn't hear. "Oh, uh, thanks for the prices, Tim! Just send the bill to the Knights of Favonius, alright?"
"You got it, Amber!"
"Alright," I continued once Sucrose, Paimon and I were out of earshot of the others. "So, you know the whole fight with Stormterror last week, right?"
"Yes, I do," our friend said. "I'm very sorry for you loss, by the way. I didn't know the Honorary Knight for very long, but he seemed like a very nice man."
"That's the thing," Paimon picked up. "We don't think he's actually dead. Ho- er, the Honorary Knight is really tough, so we think he's still out there, somewhere. Just really hurt is all!"
"You do?" she asked. "W-Well, even if it's unlikely... It's not impossible, I suppose?"
"Right," I continued. "So this mission to Liyue is also so we can ask around and see if anyone has seen him. At the very least, we can cross it off the list if he's not there. all we know is that he was sent flying south somewhere, so that means he could be in Liyue, or Sumeru..."
"Or Inazuma," Sucrose finished. Paimon and I both winced at the suggestion. With how closed off Inazuma was... "That's your worst possible outcome."
"Yeah," I admitted. "Still, are you onboard with all of this?" Sucrose gave it some thought before nodding.
"Yes," she said. "My main goal hasn't changed. I really would like to find some unique alchemical reagents native and exclusive to Liyue. At any other time, though, I'm happy to help in your research." I couldn't help but grin at her reply.
"Great!" I cheered, pumping my fist into the air. "Looks like things are looking up for us!"
(XXX)
The door opened, and a girl walked in wearing a pretty white dress. She had flowers in her warm, red hair, and her eyes shone a cerulean blue, like crystal clear waters. She gazed upon me with kindness and excitement. This was her... fifth time visiting me in the last week, or so I'd heard. On her first two visits, I was unconscious and dazed. The last two were rather pleasant, though. We talked about inane things. She asked me how I was feeling, and told me about where she'd found me. I had fallen and caused a small crater outside the city as she was carrying back someone else who had apparently fallen ill from drinking untreated water. Thinking quickly, she'd called the Corps of Thirty to help bring me back.
Still, as she walked in this time, I glanced up from my book, titled The Shepherd and the Magic Bottle. It was an interesting tale, though I felt that one of the academics listed, Faramaraz, was kind of shit on for no reason by his colleagues in the footnotes. Anyway, my attention turned to my returning guest. "Nilou," I greeted her, earning a pretty smile in return. Ack, that was powerful. This girl was dangerously adorable! Still, I had to try and hold myself back. amber was out there waiting for me, and Paimon would never let me live it down if I managed to somehow fuck this up by fucking her. And boy, did I want to. "Glad to see you again. How's the theater?"
"It's the same as yesterday, Hoshi," she told me with a giggle. Dangerously adorable. "Everyone is well, and I even brought some gifts! Everyone from the theater is wishing you well. Oh! Mister Jut made some fresh tahchin as well. I don't know if you've had it before, but Mister Jut makes it in a way that's incredible!"
"Well, I guess I'll have to give it a try, then," I told her, accepting the small paper pouch with a delicious smelling food inside. "Hm... rice, some kind of... fowl? A floral scent, too." I took a bite and gently chewed the food, the sweetness and sourness and savoriness spreading through my mouth. All thoughts of trying to figure out what was in it faded away as I enjoyed the snack.
"Mmm, sho ghood!" Nilou moaned as she ate, her eyes closed in bliss with a large smile on her face. "Nobody makes tahchin like Mister Jut does!" I nodded, having to agree with her.
"I'd love the recipe to this," I admired the flavors as I ate, wondering just how it could be cooked. "Paimon would love this stuff."
"Paimon is the little fairy girl you have as a friend, isn't she?" Nilou asked, trying to remind herself, it seemed. "Your guide, I think. I'd love to meet her! It's such a shame that you two were separated."
"Well, at the very least I can ensure I have some nice surprises for her when I see her again," I told the girl. "Some food will certainly have her forgiving me for accidentally leaving her behind." I finished the last of the snack, and winced as I adjusted myself on the bed. I could sit up, but moving my legs was proving painful, even with the Anemo element I was pumping through my body. I guess even a Gnosis will have trouble healing a broken spine. "Would you thank Jut for me? I honestly appreciate everything that's been done for me the last few days. Sumeru City is very different than what I expected out of the City of Wisdom."
"Yes, the people here are all wonderful!" Nilou praised. "I can't wait for you to be able to walk again. Once you can, I'll give you the grand tour of the city and show you every incredible sight!"
"I'll be looking forward to it," I said, leaning back against the bedframe. "What's it like, outside? All I can do is look through the few windows here. I guess these Corps of Thirty guys don't mess around. I'm surprised they even let you in here to visit."
"Ehe, well, I once did a performance for the Eremites here," Nilou explained. "While the Akademiya values wisdom above even the arts, the Eremites can appreciate dance and song without the need for any more complex themes or ideas behind it. The Corps of Thirty are on good terms with us, so asking them if I could visit you was simple!"
"I see," I said, not sure how else to respond to that. It seems like Nilou was exceptionally well connected, even despite her rather... simpleness. It was something I could appreciate. A good person just doing what she thought was right. More people could learn from someone like her. "Well, I'm glad to have made a friend in you. It's nice having a friendly face around in someplace so foreign to me."
"That's what I thought, too!" she agreed, eyes sparkling with joy and understanding. "I didn't know if you had any friends or family, but I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if you ended up here all alone. I'm glad I took the chance, otherwise you might have been so lonely in this room, and I wouldn't have met such a wonderful person!" I looked around at the room. It only had a single bed, and seemed to be a spare bedroom, given the lack of decorations, but still decent accommodations. Speaking of...
"Ah, Nilou," I bit down my pride, just for a moment. "It appears that breakfast has decided to make an arrival. Could you help me to the bathroom?"
"Of course!" She accepted without a word of complaint, slowly helping me to my feet and encouraging me despite the grunts of pain from my legs being forced to move with minimal healing. "Easy, easy," she whispered, her voice soft and soothing. "There's no need to hurry, Hoshi. I'm right here, and I won't let you fall, ok? We can go as slow as you need."
"Damn, to think this is the second time I've wrecked my body this hard," I grumbled. "At least this time, it's physical." Nilou giggled, apparently finding it humorous.
"All in a week, too! Yet you're already up on your feet," she complimented me with a bright smile on her face, opening the bathroom door. "Easy, there's a small step."
"Yeah, I remember," I grunted out, shaking my head and letting out a sigh. "I'm not made of glass, Nilou. I appreciate the help, but ease up a bit?"
"O-Oh, right, sorry," her smile faltered a bit, but eventually I was able to use the bathroom in peace. It wasn't all that much, but I figured calling for help as soon as it made itself apparent would prevent any messes for later. "How do you feel?" she asked as soon as I was finished and had called for her to help me back to the bed. "Nice and refreshed?"
"Yeah, thank you again." I laid back down, closing my eyes and letting out a soft sigh. "It's getting late, isn't it? Won't your parents be worried about you being out late?"
"Oh, well some of my performances go on late," she told me. "So they understand that sometimes I won't come home until they've already gone to sleep. It's nice and safe, too, since the Corps of Thirty patrol the streets as well. There's no need to worry about me, Hoshi."
"Oh yeah? What if they knew you were spending so much time at night with a man?" I asked. I saw her cheeks flush red at the teasing and let out a short laugh of my own. "I bet that being a dancer, you have a lot of fans. Jeez, how come I seem to meet the girls who're well known and earnest?"
"Ehe, well I don't know anything about that, Hoshi," Nilou replied as soon as she got her bearings back. Her hand reached over, and gently ran itself through my hair. "Though I guess I feel a little responsible for you. As generous as the Corps of Thirty have been, you haven't had any visits from their members that weren't really required, right?" Ah, yeah, she had a point. "They're just like that, so I'm your only company. I'll try and bring some of the others around next time, but there's no guarantee that they'll be allowed in."
"It's fine, Nilou," I shook my head. "Just your company is enough, for now. I'd rather meet them when I can stand on my own two feet. The fact I can stand at all is a good sign, so maybe I'll be well enough in a couple of days or so."
"Then I'll come and visit any day that I can," she told me. "I can't wait until you can come to the theater and see our performances!"
"Well, you could always perform here for me, if you wanted," I suggested. She looked at me with surprise, but a smile soon graced her lips again.
"I could," she agreed. "Even without music, I'm sure it would be fine as long as I put my passion and love into it." Her grin was radiant, making her eyes squint up from her cheeks being pushed up by her lips. I'm sorry, Paimon. I don't know if I'm strong enough. This girl is way beyond dangerously adorable!
"I think I'd like that," I told her honestly.