Journey to Old Mondstadt (Part Two)
Amber and I awoke to the feeling of Paimon shaking our shoulders, telling us it was time to wake up. "Come on, sleepy-heads! You need to get up and get moving! It's almost time for breakfast, and then we need to get going!" I groaned in response, pulling Amber closer to me. I thought for a moment. Why was Amber close enough to cuddle, like this? Didn't she have her own sleeping bag? I lowered my hands, hearing a whimper from the girl as my fingers traced her exposed belly. Huh, guess her shirt had ridden up in her sleep. Nice. Still, I felt what I was looking for. Amber was in my sleeping bag as well instead of her own.
"Amber," I mumbled into her hair, wrapping my hands around her waist as she snuggled back against me. "Any reason you're in my sleeping bag?"
"Warm," she mumbled back, much to the vocal frustration of Paimon, who at this point sounded like she was floating above us. I could hear Venti laughing off to the side, doing his best, and failing, to stay quiet. Of course, our blissful, warm embrace couldn't last forever.
Cold water doused us as Venti let out full-blown laughter. Both Amber and I scrambled out of the sleeping bag, thoroughly awake as, standing over us with an unamused expression on his features was Diluc. The red haired man was already up and seemingly unimpressed with Amber and my sleeping arrangements. "Go warm up and dry off by the fire," he told us. "We leave in thirty minutes." I grumbled under my breath as Amber dried out her hair, wringing the water from it. I glanced down at my clothing, letting out a sigh.
"I guess that's one way of washing my clothes," I grumbled, earning a gentle laugh from the girl. "I really need to buy new clothing."
"Wait, you haven't gone shopping, yet?" she asked, giving me a rather judgmental look. "What have you been doing?"
"Nearly killing myself, apparently," I told her. She had the decency to blush at that. "Clothes shopping hasn't been at the top of my priority list. How about this, then, we can make it a date once we get back to Mondstadt? Clothes shopping, I can get cleaned up, and we can grab some dinner. Sound good?"
"That sounds great," Amber said, giving me a kiss on the cheek before wandering towards the campfire. I followed close behind, seeing as Jean was cooking, this time around. She had a pan set over the fire, with a doughy substance on the bottom and topped with some kind of cheese sauce, mushrooms, and some cabbage and spinach.
"What's for breakfast?" I asked, taking in the smell. "Whatever it is, it smells great."
"It's a pizza that I've come to perfect over the years," Jean said, only briefly looking up to look in my direction before focusing back on her pizza. "The normal recipe for pizza is enough for civilian life, however not exactly ideal for an active lifestyle that the Knights of Favonius requires. This pizza is calorie dense and filled with nutrients in order for our bodies to last. Theoretically, one knight could make it the entire day with just the calories from this meal. I wouldn't recommend it, though." I glanced at the dish again. It was pretty big... I could believe that the pizza could last someone an entire day.
"Sounds good," I told her, not sure what else I could say. Breakfast was a simple affair, and while the pizza was cooked, I took the time to get a bit more practice with the movements of the technique Jean had shown me the evening before. The aching muscles hadn't gone away, and it was leaving me a bit concerned. Surely, I should have felt better by now, right? At least by a little bit. No, it was about the same as yesterday, and I wasn't sure as to why. "Venti," I called out to the bard, getting his attention as he strummed his lyre with idle interest. He glanced at me as I walked towards him, and I just barely caught Amber watching us. She looked away when she'd noticed I'd seen her, though. "The pain still hasn't gone away." He seemed confused at my words before concern etched over that.
"Let me see if I can find anything about that," he offered, motioning for me to come closer. I sat down in front of him, and the green bard rested his hands on my shoulders. I stared at the ground, but noticed his hips seemed a bit... wider(?) than they had back at the church nearly a week ago. "Hm..." he hummed a few times as I felt something poking around in my body. Or was it my soul? Either way, there was this strange tingling sensation as he focused, doing something I couldn't quite understand. "It's as I feared," he mumbled low enough that only I could hear him. "That trick that you did took too much of your soul with it. It's not repairing itself any further." I glanced up at him, seeing as he kept his expression even.
"What do you mean?" I asked with a hissed whisper. "I though you said I'd be fine."
"Well, if you were a normal person, you would be," he explained. "However, human souls are made up of memories. Everything they are and what they've done up until that point in their lives. Your soul, however, was always incomplete with your amnesia- no, I shouldn't call it that. Amnesia implies that your memories were there to begin with. It seems like whatever happened to you before you woke up last week completely erased who you were up until recently, so your soul can't fill in the massive gap that's left." I grit my teeth. So, what, I was going to be in pain for the rest of my life? "Luckily, the more memories you make, the more your soul will be able to heal on its own. Unfortunately, that's going to be a slow process. It's something that could take centuries to fully recover from, which I'm fairly certain is time that you don't have."
"No shit," I growled, standing back up. Venti shot me an apologetic look. "So no matter what, this entire thing has been pointless? I can never fight again, basically?"
"I never said that, dear Honorary Knight," Venti chirped. "Were you any other man, you might have been out of luck. But, lucky for you, you have the mighty Anemo god Barbatos on your side." I cocked an eyebrow at that. "Let's just say that I have something that might solve a problem for both of us. Once we get to the winery, I'll fill you in. It's something we can't take lightly, after all. For now, though, just take it easy and act like everything is normal."
"If you say so," I grumbled, turning to face the others as Jean declared that breakfast was ready. "Well, let's join in on the food. I'm starved, and that smells delicious."
"Heheh, that it does, my dear knight."
Breakfast was a quick affair, the group taking only ten minutes at most to eat before we were on the move again. We travelled lightly, and not long after, the sun was visibly rising over the cliffs surrounding us. We wouldn't be able to see it until around the afternoon, but the light it provided was still comforting in its own right. "I'm surprised that there's not more hilichurl camps along this way," I thought aloud. The group had opted to move together this morning instead of separately. "This far out from the city, it would be easy for them to ambush travelers."
"Thankfully, we have the wolves to take care of them in this area," Diluc spoke up, giving our surroundings a once-over. "The hilichurls are slaughtered by the wolves, who fight off any unwelcome intruders. The people of Mondstadt get a free pass, so long as they travel quickly and don't dally without good cause."
"You make it sound like they're sentient," I commented. "I thought wolves were just animals."
"Any other wolf pack might," Diluc explained. "However, the wolves of Wolvendom belong to the pack of Andrius, the North Wind. They're... different, and follow his leadership without question." I nodded in understanding, but came at him with a different question.
"Wait, if he's the North Wind, how come he didn't take care of Dvalin?" I asked. It was Venti who answered this time.
"Unfortunately, Andrius' physical body died a long time ago," he told us. "He can still summon a manifestation, sometimes, but it's not the same, and it can't travel very far. I'm sure if Dvalin came to him, he'd act, but Dvalin is clearly smart enough not to get close to here. It's why this road we're taking is relatively safe. There's no way that Dvalin would risk getting close to Wolvendom."
"You make it sound like this Andrius could kick his ass, even while he's dead," I pointed out. All I got back from the bard was a chipper smile and a wink. Interesting.
"Unlike the West Wind, Andrius was once considered a god who resided in Mondstadt," Jean explained further, and that was all I needed to hear. So, Venti wasn't the only god who lived here, then? I wondered what Andrius was the god of, and what had killed him. During my thoughts, I felt Amber brush her shoulder against me, and her fingers lace themselves with mine. It was a small act, but it still sent a warm feeling up my arm.
Conversation became sparse after that. After all, there wasn't much to talk about, and Diluc and Jean were both busy keeping a watch on our surroundings. Venti, Amber, and Paimon were all playing a game called "Eye Spy", and from the cheering of Paimon, it seemed like she was winning. I guess being able to fly at will gave her an advantage.
I, on the other hand, focused on my Vision. I channeled Anemo energy into my body and back out in a repeated fashion, trying to get a feel for what exactly this element was and control my affinity for it. It was strange, to be honest. Filling my body, Anemo felt like a cool breeze, refreshing my muscles and giving them a second wind. As soon as I allowed it to dissipate, though, that cool feeling was replaced by soreness. I could see Venti glancing at me every now and again, as if making sure I didn't overexert myself. Said glances didn't go unnoticed by Amber, though, who moved closer to my side.
During our breaks every few hours, I would practice my stances for Jean's technique, slowly figuring how I could make it work, even with a sore body. Unfortunately, it wasn't a quick process.
"Let's try something different," Jean stated as we came to our final resting point for the day. Evening had fallen swiftly, and Diluc and Venti were once more in charge of setting up camp on the side of the road. "I have another technique that might be easier for you. It focuses more on your control over the Anemo element rather than physical conditioning."
"Well, let's see it," I said, waving for her to go on with it whenever she was ready. Venti and Amber both watched with interest, even as the bard in our group put together a fire pit. Jean stood at the ready with her blade straight up, a stern expression on her face. I watched carefully, and was shocked when it happened so quickly.
Wordlessly, I saw and felt the air shift and swirl around her, filling a visible space with a green glow. I reached forward into the area as Jean relaxed, still keeping focus on her face as she moved within the stationary space. As my hand passed into it, I felt… it felt like when I had channeled Anemo into it; cool and relaxed, without the soreness. "This is a zone of Anemo," she told me.
"Incredible," Venti gasped, doing the same as I had by sticking his hand into the glowing area before it faded. When it did fade, I saw Jean visibly relax. Venti, for his part, went back to working on the fire pit, but his gaze was firmly still on the Acting Grand Master. "That's a technique that requires incredible concentration and will! While it might strain the body at first, the natural elemental resonance within that field can naturally offer relief and healing to anyone inside of it! Surely, the work of the Dandelion Knight!"
Jean laughed, sheepish and seemingly unknowing of how to take the blatant praise. "Well, I'm certainly flattered that you think so," she said, playing with her hair. "It did take an incredible amount of time for me to create and master." Jean looked to me and smiled, resting her hand on her hip and shifting her weight to her left foot. "I don't know if you'll find this easier than my other technique, but it's worth trying. Let's see what you can do, and I'll guide you through whatever I can see you doing wrong." I nodded, focusing on the power of Anemo through my Vision. I held the same position that she did, drawing in the Anemo element from my Vision before releasing it. And boy, did it come out.
Unlike Jean's steady wave of cool, gentle winds, my burst of Anemo came out as a wild zephyr. It buffeted the others, sending Paimon flying as it also blew out the fire that Diluc had just gotten started. 'Hey!' he shouted, his coat flapping from the wind I'd released. I had no choice but to release it all, lasting a few seconds before finally calming. "Well, that certainly was an attempt!" Venti commented with a laugh. "I guess that goes to show you the difference between a novice and a master!" I growled in frustration while Amber coughed dust from her lungs, and Jean brushed the dirt from her clothing.
"I'll get it right this time," I grumbled, preparing once more. Jean shook her head and grabbed my shoulder.
"Wait just a moment, Hoshi!" She protested, shaking her head and gently pulling my arm out of position. I grunted, and she quickly let go of my arm, once more treating me like glass. "Ah, sorry, Honorary Knight. I just wanted to let you know what you did wrong. Believe it or not, I made the same mistake when I was first developing this technique." I kept silent, waiting for her to continue. "You're focusing too much on what you think the technique should be, instead of what it actually is. you're trying to focus on gathering the power of Anemo and releasing it in a long, controlled burst, correct?" I nodded, and she continued. "The technique isn't a burst of controlled power, though. It's a relaxing breeze, a comfortable friend, a warm evening," she explained. "Its name is Dandelion Breeze, and your ability to use it should reflect that name and what it means to you."
"Is it just me, or did none of that make any sense?" I asked, glancing at the others. "Why are you describing these things as feelings? It's a technique, isn't it?"
"I think it makes perfect sense," Venti spoke up, stepping forward. "It's just a pleasant sensation. Simple as pie!" I glanced at Amber, who shrugged.
"I don't really get it, either," she agreed with me. "I'm sorry, Master Jean, but is there any way you can simplify it?"
"I'm afraid that's as simple as I can explain it," Jean shook her head, sounding a bit sad. "I'm sorry, Hoshi, but that's the best I can offer you. It's something you truly have to come to understand on your own." I grumbled in frustration before letting out a sigh. "I really am sorry."
"It's fine," I growled back, staring at my sword. The dull thing reflected back my frustrated expression, as well as when Amber walked up behind me and rested her chin on my shoulder, and her arms around my waist. I took a deep breath, and let it out, trying to calm my frustration.
"Are you alright, Hoshi?" Amber asked, her voice low. I met her eyes through our reflection. "It's ok if you're not. I know it must be upsetting, since you thought you'd be able to learn some new techniques from the Acting Grand Master of all people. But hey, keep your chin up, alright? You're an Honorary Outrider, and as your captain, I'm telling you that we'll figure something out." I chuckled, and a smile spread across her face as well. "Hey, how about you and me go for a quick walk while everyone sets things up, here?"
"Amber, we're in a canyon," I reminded her. "There's not exactly a lot of places we can go."
"Hm, well, we can always walk a bit further down the way," she suggested after a moment of thought. "Someplace a little private? I wanna try something, but it's probably best we don't do it in front of present company." I immediately started walking down the road.
"Well? What're ya waiting for, captain?" I asked, earning a light giggle from the girl as she happily followed after me. She grabbed hold of my arm as we made our way down the road.
"Hey, don't be gone for too long," Diluc called out after us. "Once it starts getting dark, head back." Amber and I voiced our agreement to that as well. The sun was just setting over the cliffs, giving us around thirty minutes on our own. After a few minutes of walking with her wrapped around my arm, I found us a place to sit down and relax together. The scenery wasn't all that enthralling, but having Amber here was nice.
"So, here we are," Amber said, a nervous excitement laced in her voice. "Could you, um, close your eyes, Hoshi?" I smiled at her bashfulness, but did as she asked. I felt her hands touch my cheeks, turning my head. After a few moments, I felt her lips press against mine as she leaned into me. It was gentle, meek, but as the seconds passed, she let the kiss deepen as she grew more confident in what she was doing. After a few seconds, she pulled away, and I opened my eyes. Her face was bright red with embarrassment, but she held fast in meeting my eyes. "Was, um, was it good?"
"Even if I had any memories to compare it to, I'd still say it was the most pleasant kiss I've ever had during the prelude to a life or death situation," I told her, earning a slap on the shoulder. Light enough that it shouldn't have hurt. "Ah, I'm kidding, I'm kidding." I threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against my side, hiding the pain with a fake gasp. "You're perfect, Amber. You've done so much for me, and of course, there's only one way to thank you," I leaned forward, letting our lips connect again. It was a nice back and forth that we played with for a few minutes, both of us making excuses to kiss one another. Of course, with all good things...
"Must I come fetch you like a perturbed father?" Diluc's voice called from a few feet away, torch in hand. Ah, it seems to have gotten dark... "I had expected better from the Knights of Favonius."
"Oh, uh, Master Diluc!" Amber stammered out.
"It's my fault," I immediately spoke up. "Sorry, Master Diluc. We lost track of the time." The man remained unimpressed, staring down at the two of us.
"I'm sure," he replied, letting out a sigh and shaking his head. "The two of you are fully grown adults. I shouldn't have to come get you like this. Get back to camp. Now." His tone left no room for argument, and Amber and I scrambled to head back to camp, where Jean and Venti's knowing faces met us, along with disappointment from Paimon. The little traitor. The night passed quickly, though, and we were able to get some food in our bellies, as well as some relaxation with Venti playing the lyre and Amber's voice as she sang little songs from her childhood. It was an all around pleasant affair, and it was entirely too easy to forget that we were on a life or death mission. When we headed to bed, though, Diluc made a showing of separating Amber's and my sleeping bags to opposite sides of the camp, and Paimon had rejoined me as my sleeping companion, her goodwill when it came to us pretty much run dry. Oops. Not that I could really blame them, though. I guess Amber and I had gotten too caught up in the joys of being a new couple.
The next day's travel was more of what we'd already done. Breakfast was served by Amber and Venti this time, we walked and talked, and our trio of bard, Outrider, and travel guide played traveling games, and by evening, we found ourselves leaving the canyon into a valley that laid before us. Small cottages and grape vines stretched on in the distance, and a wooden palisade wall separated it from the rest of the world. guard towers lined the wall, each one seemingly manned and protecting the vineyard. Off the side of the road as we approached stood a sign, the text simply saying "Dawn Winery" in Teyvat's native language. Forget a vineyard, Dawn Winery was practically a village in and of itself. "Welcome to Dawn Winery," Diluc said to us as we passed one of the northern vineyard gates. "Home to the famed Dawn Dandelion Wine, Ragnvindr Apple Cider, and my childhood home." Despite his rather even tone, Diluc sounded... lighter than he had the other times he'd spoken. I could even see the barest hints of a smile on his face. "Please take care to be on your best behavior during your stay. Especially you four," he stared down everyone who wasn't Jean in our group. "You are my guests for the evening, and your actions will reflect on me."
"Not to worry, Master Diluc," Paimon spoke up. "Paimon will keep an eye on them!"
"That was directed at you, too, Paimon," I told her, and the fairy recoiled from the red haired man as if slapped, shock in her expression,
"What!? But Paimon has done nothing but behave!" she protested. Diluc merely grunted at the thought.
"My words stand," he replied. "Please respect it." Paimon whined and grumbled, muttering under her breath about how unfair everything was.
We approached a massive building at the center of the vineyard, with Diluc being greeted enthusiastically by those we passed by. They all seemed to love and respect the man, and he greeted them all in turn by name. I guess Diluc was something like Amber in this regard; he really seemed like he cared about those who lived and worked at his winery. The place was massive, and I realized as we got closer that the large building wasn't some kind of fancy processing or storage area, but a mansion. Diluc was loaded! So why did he have such a small tavern in the city, if he could afford bigger?
Either way, he opened the door to his mansion for us and waved us inside. Immediately, two women dressed like maids came to greet us. "Master Diluc!" they called, curtseying before him; a cute blonde and a girl with auburn hair. I grunted as Paimon smacked the back of my head.
"I didn't even say anything, this time!" I growled at her, but she looked at me with disappointment and crossed arms.
"Adelinde, Moco," Diluc greeted the two girls, his tone warm. "These are my guests. Please make sure that they're well accommodated, and let Hillie know to prepare the kitchens for me. I will be cooking dinner for my guests and I. Also, ensure that these two," he motioned to Amber and I, "are given separate rooms. They have a tendency to misbehave when together." Amber sputtered with embarrassment, and I felt a blush heat up my cheeks at being called out like that.
"Of course, Master Diluc," the blonde, Adelinde, answered as Moco also bowed and headed off to, presumably, talk to Hillie. "Please, honored guests, come follow me to your rooms. Forgive us if they're not yet prepared to your liking, as this all has been on short notice."
"The fault is my own, Adelinde," Diluc said, waving off her apology. "I should have sent ahead a letter, but I did not know when we would arrive."
"Oh, please, it's no trouble at all, Master Diluc!" Adelinde shook her head before turning to us again. "Please, come this way." The five of us that remained followed the blonde, with Amber taking my hand as we walked. She gave it a squeeze.
"Interested?" she asked, glancing at the maid. "She's cute."
"Not as cute as you," I told her.
"Yuck, can you two go even an hour without making goo goo eyes at each other!?" Paimon complained. "Get a room! Actually, on second thought, don't!"
"It's not like we can," I told her. "Diluc specifically told Adelinde not to let us share." 'Good riddance!' the fairy responded. "Still," I continued, whispering gently in Amber's ear. "I promised you a night together here. If you're still awake, feel free to visit late in the night." Amber nodded eagerly, giving my hand a gentle squeeze once more before letting go.
The rest of the evening was a simple affair. We were all provided rooms, with Venti, Amber, and Jean sharing one room while Paimon and I would share another. Dinner was pleasant, and Diluc cooked a delicious dish of meat, potatoes, and cheese along with little sweet berries that added a delightful mix of flavors to it. I'm not sure what he called it since I was too busy stuffing my face, but I'm pretty sure it had 'Mondstadt' in its name. When night fell, he bid us all goodnight, told us to get some sleep with a pointed look towards Amber and I, and the rest of us went to our rooms.
"Man, what a long trip!" Paimon said, floating around the room with unburned energy, obviously not going to sleep any time soon. "Paimon thought we'd never get here! Paimon thinks this is the longest we've traveled, isn't it?" I nodded, reading one of the books that I found on the shelf in the room called Ballad of the Squire. It seemed like an artistic book encompassing the history of Ragnvindr during his days as a squire.
"We still have some more days to travel," I said, half paying attention to Paimon and half flipping through the book. I was lying on the comfortable bed, letting my muscles relax. My mind gently drifted as well, thinking over all that had transpired over the last few days. I would need to resume my training in the morning. I was determined to master at least one of Jean's techniques before we reached Old Mondstadt.
"Hm... Paimon is still a bit hungry," she said. "Paimon is gonna see if there's any more food in the kitchen! This might be the only opportunity we can eat a whole bunch before we leave!" Well, that was convenient for me.
"Take your time," I told her as she opened the door and left. I sat up, stretching and setting the book on the table beside the bed, heading to the window that had an excellent view of the outside. I opened the window, allowing the cool night air to wash over me. The moon was full tonight, and I could see a massive dome of... something in the distance to the west. I remembered Diluc once saying that Old Mondstadt was covered in the winds of the old Anemo god. That implied that Venti wasn't the first, so how was that title passed on?
"Hey there, dear Honorary Knight," Venti's voice spoke from the doorway as he entered. "Quite a pleasant night, isn't it?" The bard closed the door behind him, and I heard it lock. "Looks like Paimon isn't here, which works just as well for us."
"I assume you're here about this solution you found for my soul?" I asked, turning to face him. Something was different as I looked at him, but I couldn't tell what. He had a cheeky smile on his face, though. "Let's get down to business."
"Ah, ah, first, I have a question for you," he held up a finger, weight shifted to the side as he stood in a casual manner. "Consider it an interview of sorts. I want you to answer this question as seriously as you can."
"Fine. What's your question, Venti?" We stood in silence for a moment, the god's eyes wandering me as if searching for any signs of deception or trickery. His gaze was uncharacteristically serious, reminding me of the day he'd drawn the air from my lungs like it was child's play. I wondered what he was searching for. Still, he seemed satisfied if the smile that appeared on his face was anything to go by.
"Answer me this, dear Hoshi," he began. "What do you think freedom means? Is it something that can be demanded of someone, or is it something that must be chosen, no matter how much destruction is left in its wake?" That was an interesting question, but as Mondstadt's god, I could understand his reasoning behind it. Whatever solution he was about to offer me, it must be something personal and important to him to warrant this kind of question.
"Freedom," I started, my speaking slow as I pondered the words before committing to them. "It's worthless to force freedom on someone. They have to want it and strive for it, themselves. Nobody can truly force someone to make a choice that they don't want to make." After all, I gave Amber the choice on whether or not she wanted to date me, even knowing what kind of person I was, and what our relationship would be. As someone who values freedom, I imagine that was part of why she chose to still pursue a relationship with me. Venti's smile grew wider, and I could tell that he was satisfied with my answer. He stepped forward.
"Very good, dear Hoshi," he said, sounding a bit more relaxed than he'd been moments before. "I knew I was right to give this to you." He closed his eyes, and I could feel the winds swirling around us. It was a gentle breeze, soft and inviting. I saw his chest begin to glow, and from it... a small chess piece-looking object emerged. It floated before him before he reached up his hand to hold it. His eyes opened, and he offered his hand, and the object, to me. "This is something that the Fatui have been after," he told me as I held my own hand out. It seemed to float into my palm, levitating just above the skin. I could feel... coolness emanating from it. Comfort and peace, while also torrential storms and violence. "It's called a Gnosis, and with it, you should be able to better control the power of Anemo. Maybe even enough to use the winds to move your body without pain."
"So it's a temporary fix?" I asked, a bit unimpressed by his words. Venti merely laughed, shaking his head.
"Not at all," he corrected. "The Gnosis might not be able to restore what you've lost, but it does hold some power over Ley Lines and connecting to them. This way, it can fill in spaces of what's missing with itself, naturally healing your soul at a quicker rate. Instead of centuries, it'll only take decades! That rate of healing should be just enough to make you combat ready by the time we reach Old Mondstadt." I hummed in contemplation, nodding slowly. "Just between you and I, this is a secret! You can't tell anyone about this, not even your girlfriend, understand?"
"I understand," I replied. This must be some kind of god thing, then. "Wait, but why would the Fatui be after this, and how does it help you?" She guggled, winking.
"That would be telling, dear Honorary Knight," he replied, earning a roll of the eyes from me. Of course he wouldn't say anything. Fine. "Now, just like before. focus on the power of the winds. I'll help guide you. When you can feel the power of Anemo, tug it into yourself." I nodded and closed my eyes, doing as the bard instructed. "That's it. Nice and gentle. If you're too rough, it might break, and neither of us want that." I felt... something course through me. Coolness. Relief. The soreness slowly faded from my body, as if I were channeling Anemo from my Vision. I heard whispers of ambitions and dreams, all jumbled together. Visions of past battles and wars echoed in my head, but they flashed by so quickly that I could hardly make out any one piece. Was this what a Gnosis felt like? It was strange, I'll give it back. Instead of having to focus on the power, I felt like I could just naturally control it as if it were a muscle. I heard a shout from Venti, though, which drew me back to my senses. I opened my eyes, and the room was a mess.
"What happened?" I asked, looking around at the room. Venti laughed good naturedly, picking himself up off of the floor. "Did I do something to cause this?"
"It seems like the Gnosis took to you well," Venti answered, brushing some dust from his clothes. "A little power surge is a sign of a healthy insertion!" His clothes were ruffled and his hair tousled, but he looked uninjured. "Now then, I should probably head back before Amber and Master Jean go looking for me. Wouldn't want to give them the wrong idea, would we?" He shot me a wink and turned to face the door, before spinning on his heel to face me again. "Well, it wouldn't be the wrong idea if it were true." Before I could react, he had leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine, pulling away just as quickly. His lips had been surprisingly soft. "Consider that a down payment, as well as a thank-you for doing me a favor. Toodle-loo!" He waved at me before unlocking the door, leaving me stunned and uncertain. What the hell had just happened? I sat back at the foot of the bed, shaking my head as I tried to understand just what the hell Venti had just done. Why the fuck did he do that? Ugh, I needed to clear my head a bit.
(XXX)
Amber's boyfriend was different. She knew that, Master Jean knew that, and she's pretty sure even his companion, Paimon, knew that. He was also something of a stranger. Well, not quite. He was a friend; she could confidently say that much. A boyfriend, even. He was flirty to anyone with a nice pair of boobs, it seemed, but he was also a genuinely good guy. He helped Mondstadt and its citizens when Stormterror attacked, and his first instinct wasn't to run or hide; it was to tell others to get to safety. Even when he had been sucked into the air, his first thought had been to fight off the dragon! Then, he came to help the Knights of Favonius in their time of need with hardly a second thought, even though the reward was minimal to nonexistant. Even still after that, his first thought upon helping end the disaster that surrounded the city was what he could do next to help people.
Yes, Amber's boyfriend was different, and that difference was one of the reasons why she felt she could come to love him. Oh, sure, she definitely had affection for him now, but was it love? She wasn't really sure. She wasn't sure that he was sure, either. Still, they were dating now, and Amber wanted to make the most of this experience before other women inevitably got involved or, gods forbid, one of them died. Right now, he was hers, and she was his, and it was nice and simple. Master Jean had even been so kind as to assign her as his bodyguard, so they could remain together even through his travels. She definitely owed the Acting Grand Master.
So now, Amber crept slowly through the hallways of Master Diluc's mansion, hoping to sneak in some intimacy with her new boyfriend before they inevitably had to travel with everyone else, again. Hair still damp from the shower she had taken, Amber was squeaky clean and partially hoping to get a bit dirtier before the night ended. She'd heard Paimon loudly fly her way down to the kitchen, so now was the perfect time to spend time with her man. Or so she thought. Behind the door she heard voices. Plural. Wasn't he supposed to be alone? So, she listened, and recognized Venti's voice in the room.
Venti was also different. Aloof, playful, and charming, Venti was far more than Amber could ever hope to be. She liked the bard, truly, she did, but sometimes the bard was a bit too playful. Too chipper, even when things seemed hopeless. Granted, he'd been right about her now-boyfriend having a strong will and waking from his unconscious state, but when she'd first arrived back in Mondstadt and heard about his condition from Sucrose, she'll admit she panicked a little. Yes, she owed the bard quite a bit for soothing her nerves. In fact, she would normally consider Venti a good friend.
Unfortunately, Venti also had the attention of Hoshi. Her boyfriend. Her boyfriend who had struck some kind of weird deal to have sex with the boy. The boy! He wasn't even a girl! At least, not as far as she knew. Plus, everyone else said Venti was a boy, too, so... what exactly was going on, here? Had Hoshi been blackmailed? Charmed? She'd heard stories and legends of skilled bards seducing and flirting their way through entire countrysides, so maybe that was what was happening? Except she couldn't exactly prove it, either. It was all so frustrating!
So, when Amber heard Venti's voice through the door of Hoshi's room, she felt an ugly jealousy fill her for a brief moment. It was a feeling she'd been experiencing a lot more, recently. any time Venti got close to her boyfriend, she couldn't help but feel insecure, if only for a moment. Just the knowledge that he was going to partake in some kind of weird booty call for reasons he wouldn't explain gnawed at her. Why couldn't he at least tell her that he wanted to date Venti, too? At the very least, it would make it feel like she meant more to him than... whatever this was. That their relationship meant something to him, and was important to him.
"That's it. Nice and gentle. If you're too rough, it might break, and neither of us want that," she heard, and after a few moments, the sounds of rushing winds and power rang through the room. Just what was going on in there!? Amber kept quiet, resuming her eavesdropping. She strained her hearing to catch the next words. "A little power surge is a sign of a healthy insertion!" I-Insertion!? Were they doing this early!? Right now!? W-Well, at least it meant they wouldn't be doing it again, right? It would just be the once. Hoshi promised, after all. "Consider that a down payment, as well as a thank-you for doing me a favor. Toodle-loo!" A down payment!? Did Venti intend to do it again!? Wait, he was leaving the room! Amber scrambled away from the door, making it look like she was just approaching the door as Venti opened it, giving her a knowing smile as he spotted her. His clothes were ruffled and out of place, as if he'd hastily put them back on.
"Oh, there you are!" Venti chirped, sounding far too pleased with himself for Amber's liking right this moment. "Don't worry, I didn't wear him out too much. He should be ready for you after that little pick-me-up. I'll see you soon!" With those words, the green bard practically skipped past her. Amber shook her head slowly, not sure how to process what she'd just heard and seen. All she knew now was that she needed to talk with her boyfriend. Maybe there was some explanation for this. Gathering her courage and nerves, Amber entered her boyfriend's room.
(XXX)
It wasn't long until my next guest arrived; this one far more welcome than the last. Amber. She looked a bit nervous, probably a bit uncertain about us sharing a bed alone together. It was different when we were camping within view of others. This was far more... intimate. "Hey," I waved her in, and she closed the door behind her. She glanced me over, taking in every inch of my admittedly disheveled state. "Sorry about the mess, it got kind of crazy in here a bit ago. How're you feeling?" She blushed, though for what reason I wasn't sure.
"I'm fine!" she squeaked out the words before coughing into her hand. "I'm fine. Just, um, a bit nervous, you know?" I could definitely tell. I'm fairly certain that Amber didn't own a nightgown, but right now she was wearing a sheer red gown with frills and flower imprints on it, probably something provided by the maids of the mansion. It really suited her, and the visible white bra and panties under her choice of sleepwear was definitely doing something for me. I took a moment to really appreciate my girlfriend, both in looks and how well she treated me. Truly, I must be the luckiest guy in Mondstadt. "How do I look? I hope this isn't too much..."
"You look incredible, Amber," I told her as she stepped forward, seeing the shy smile cross her face when I complimented her. "I don't know what I did before I lost my memories, but I must have been really good to have earned this. Well, don't be a stranger. Let's cuddle a bit, how's that sound?"
"It sounds really nice," she admitted, stepping close to me and into my arms before I dragged her down to lay in bed with me. She wrapped her arms around me as well, and we took a moment to really appreciate one another as we held each other in a tender embrace. It wasn't anything spicy or lewd, but that was fine. This was fine. We were- "Um, I saw Venti leaving the room. Is everything ok?" Fucked. we were absolutely fucked. God dammit, Venti.
"Yesh, he just had a-" I froze. I promised not to tell anyone about the Gnosis. Amber's face shifted as I cut myself off, ranging from curiosity to concern to... something a bit more complicated. "Something we needed to do before going to face Dvalin. Sorry, I can't tell you what it is." I couldn't help it. I couldn't think of any excuse in time. "I'm sorry, but I need you to trust me on this. I swear it, Venti and I didn't-" He kissed me. The memory made me pause just long enough to get Amber's attention again.
"It's ok if you did something," she whispered, burying her face into my chest. If I wasn't mistaken, her face was wet against my shirt... "Just tell me, please. Don't like to me, Hoshi. I can't be in a relationship filled with lies." I let out a sigh and continued what I'd been saying, just with an adjustment.
"He did kiss me," I told her. "I, uh, honestly wasn't expecting it, and I don't really know what it was for. He said something about it being as thanks for doing him a favor, but it's not something I really cared to reciprocate. I don't know what Venti thinks this is, but to me, it's nothing more than that I told you." I felt Amber relax a bit in my arms. I just hoped that was enough for her. I held her a bit tighter against my body, pondering my decisions. I made a promise that, if Venti started pushing for more than what we'd agreed on, I'd end it right then and there. No deal or ambition was worth bringing my girlfriend to tears over it.
I don't know how long we laid together like that. It was warm and comfortable, and before long, I felt Amber's soft breathing relax from where she was. I guess she'd fallen asleep. That's fine, I wasn't in any rush to push her beyond what she wanted, anyway, and I guess I kinda screwed up the mood with Venti visiting, before. I owed her this much for putting up with me and my bullshit. My ran my fingers through her hair, enjoying the feeling while she unconsciously wiggled closer into my grasp. I kept at it for a while before I, too, fell into slumber.
The next day was, shall we say, hectic. There was much scolding and public humiliation, which ended up with Amber and I on our knees, heads hung in shame as Diluc and Amber stood before us like disappointed parents. "I give you one rule within my home," Diluc spoke, his voice laced with frustration. "You are both grown adults, and should have been able to follow my wishes without a problem. Instead, I find the two of you snuck off together against those very wishes. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"We're sorry for the disrespect, Master Diluc," I spoke first, looking up to meet his eyes. "However, Amber and I are still a couple, and it's unreasonable to assume that we'll be spending time together like this. In fact, because of the danger of our mission, I'd argue that us wanting to spend time together is even more reasonable, and denying us the chance to spend intimate time together is borderline cruelty." His gaze seemed to soften a bit, and I decided to press just a little harder. "Isn't there someone you loved who's gone that you wish you could have spent more time with?" I saw his face slacken and his jaw relax.
"Fine," he finally said after a moment. "Just make sure it doesn't become a liability, do you understand?" Amber and I both nodded our heads, the girl still looking like a kicked puppy. While Diluc and Jean got everything ready for the road, Amber and I took some time out in the sun, overlooking the vineyard from in front of the mansion. While her eyes might have been on the vast growth of plantlife, my eyes settled on that wall of winds in the distance. It was maybe two days away. Two days of travel until we made it to Old Mondstadt. Something resonated within me; a sense of familiarity with the concept. Was it because of the Gnosis? Either way, the storm was coming, and I could only hope that we were ready.
(XXX)
I, uh, might have been distracted by actually playing Genshin. Whoops! Also, watching the 4.1 update trailer has got me hyped, even though I'm still in Sumeru! I'm stuck during the Aranara quest because I want to finish it before moving through the main story, and dear lord the people weren't kidding with how long it is. Unfortunately, I can't just skip everything because I eventually want to write it into this story, so I have to pay attention to the details of it including locations, geography, pacing, and other such things. Thankfully I have a while to figure it out, since right now I gotta get through Mondstadt.
I have to say, Mondstadt's actual story is kind of a slogfest as I'm going back through it, so that's why I cut Hoshi from the initial confrontation with Dvalin. Getting those tears and all that is honestly just tedium-work, and it's better in my eyes for Diluc, Jean, and Venti to have completed that on their own while Hoshi was healing. Liyue is very similar in this regard, so I'll probably take the story in my own direction once we get to it. Either way, we're getting close to wrapping up Mondstadt's storyline. I imagine it'll take maybe three more chapters, but of course I can never be certain. Thank you to those reviewing and keeping the passion for this story alive!