Summary: Aether and Ei have a heart-to-heart.
It didn't take long for Aether to track down the former Archon. The mujina cloak, while doing its job at obscuring her identity, wasn't exactly the most inconspicuous of disguises for running through crowded city streets. He eventually came across her sitting alone on a bench on one of the terraces overlooking the the city.
"Ei!" Paimon exclaimed as the duo approached.
"We weren't expecting you to run off like that," Aether said, gingerly taking a seat next to her.
"I apologize for my... unseemly behavior," Ei said, coughing lightly in an effort to distract from the red hue of her cheeks. "It's been a few centuries since I've had to deal with Miko's teasing and was unprepared to be suddenly... accosted by her like that."
"Yeah, Paimon's sure it had nothing to do with what she was implying," Paimon muttered sarcastically. "No, siree!"
"Paimon," Aether scolded, sensing Ei's rising embarrassment.
"Well... yes," the Goddess said demurely. "I will be the first to admit that my experience in the... romantic department is lacking."
As the duo watched her shyly poke her index fingers together while wearing an adorable mujina yokai cloak, they struggled to reconcile the image with that of the Almighty Shogun furiously bearing down on them with her infamous sword art.
'The gap moe is too real,' they thought simultaneously.
"I've never taken a lover before," she admitted to both of their shock. "It seemed counterintuitive to my goal of eternity. Why would I ever fall in love if my lover was destined to die? Mortal lives are so tragically short. And even the kami and yokai of Inazuma... all of them disappeared one by one. The supernatural beings that inhabit Inazuma today are but shadows of their kind's former glory."
"Ei..." Paimon whispered, a stricken look on her face. Aether likewise grimaced.
"I'm sorry, Ei," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Yae Miko... she told us stories. About your sister and your old friends. You've lost a lot... But that shouldn't stop you from opening your heart to the world."
"That's right!" Paimon nodded enthusiastically. "Even if loss is painful, Paimon thinks that all the beautiful memories you make with your loved ones is worth the pain."
"I couldn't have said it better myself, Paimon," Aether chuckled. "I've been to many worlds. I've seen myriad sights and met countless people. Even knowing that I'll have to say goodbye one day... whether that be because I outlive them or because I move on to the next world... I've never allowed that to stop me from making memories with them that last forever."
"Memories... that last forever," Ei whispered. "Morax and Barbatos told me that you came to this world from beyond the celestial atlas. I'll admit I found that hard to believe... But if what you say is true then... I suppose my goal of eternity was more of a fool's dream than I thought."
"There's nothing foolish about dreams," the Traveler retorted. "Eternity is your dream. Your ambition. And I think we've more than proven that ambitions are nothing to be scoffed at. They're something that can transcend time and space." He took her hand and bid her to stand. With her hand firmly in his, he led them to the railings and gazed out over the city.
"What do you see?"
"I see... Inazuma," Ei said wistfully. "But not as I remember it."
"But it's still Inazuma, is it not?"
"Yes..." she whispered. "It is."
"Eternal doesn't mean 'never-changing'," Aether said. "Nor does it mean everlasting. Nothing in this universe is truly everlasting. Not physically, at least. But the one thing I found that is eternal... is memes."
"Memes?" Paimon asked in confusion. "Like those funny posts people sometimes leave on billboards?
"What?" Ei asked, totally lost.
"Gods dammit," Aether sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "No. Not those kinds of memes, Paimon. I meant the original meaning of the word. Basically, it means an element of culture or behavior that gets passed on through imitation."
"Paimon doesn't get it," the fairy shrugged.
"I think I understand..." Ei said slowly. "It is said that in the time before the Seven, the people of ancient Liyue migrated from island to island before finally reaching what would later become Inazuma. While they brought much of Liyue's culture with them... that culture slowly changed over time and eventually evolved into what is now modern Inazuman culture."
"Oh!" The sprite perked up. "Paimon did notice that a lot of what Inazumans do is similar to how things are done in Liyue. Definitely more than Mondstadt at any rate."
"Exactly," Aether nodded. "In one world I travelled through, there was a great civilization. That civilization spread its culture throughout the land. And even centuries... no, millennia after its downfall, people still paid homage to that civilization through their own culture and beliefs, derived from that once great civilization. Through song and story, they remembered its glories and its tragedies; its birth and its fall. Someone once told me this: Even if something that was once clear and defined fades away, as long as the world continues to exist, its memes will remain. Its memory will last forever."
"I understand," Ei whispered, her eyes wide. "Even if Inazuma ceases to exist... As long as the world remembers it, it will live forever."
"That is my definition of eternity," Aether nodded once again.
"That's..." The Archon shook her head with a sigh. "I once again find myself at a loss for words when faced with your ideals. After spending so long acting as the wise and all-knowing god of Inazuma, all it takes for that façade to come crashing down is a simple conversation with you."
"Aether has a certain way of demolishing world-views," Paimon said with a helpless shrug.
"Sorry," the blond Traveler chuckled.
"No need," the goddess said with a strange look in her eye that had Aether unconsciously tensing. It was a look that reminded him of when they'd clashed in the Plane of Euthymia. When he had challenged her will with his own.
"That simply means I must retake the initiative."
"Huh?" Paimon asked, tilting her head in confusion. "Wh-What do you—" She was cut off as Ei pulled on his hand — he'd forgotten he hadn't let go! — until they were suddenly face-to-face. He found his face flushing from the look of intensity in her eye.
"Tabibito-san, how would you like to... How do they say it nowadays...?" She murmured. "Ah, yes. How would you like to go on a 'date' with me?"
"Wh-Whoa, sister!" Paimon exclaimed. "Where's this coming from? What happened to the 'mortal lives are so short' schtick!" Aether would have laughed at her hilarious attempt at imitating Ei's voice if he wasn't practically nose-to-nose with the goddess with how close she'd gotten.
"Indeed," Ei said, her eyes never leaving his. "Mortal lives are short. Tragically so. But our dear tabibito is not entirely mortal, is he?"
"Well... no..."
"Aether," the goddess said, her eyes softening. "You come and go with the wind. But when the time comes, you stand as solid as the earth. In battle you fight with the ferocity of fire and the fluidity of water. You live in tune with the people and world around you as taught by the God of Dendro while relentlessly pursuing your goals with the precision of lightning. In a way, you embody the ideals of each of the Seven. You wield the elements of this world with careless abandon, spitting in the face of every one of Tevyat's laws in the process."
"W-Where is she going with this?" Paimon's voice was barely noted as the two stared at each other, transfixed.
"You exist beyond the celestial atlas. Have witnessed things I can scarcely imagine... And you remember all of it," she whispered. "You are a living contradiction and it vexes me so. You are the farthest thing from Eternity... but also the closest to it that I have ever seen. You have shattered me. Tainted me with your song of truth..."
"Ei..."
"I want to know you. To understand you. To engrave myself into your memories." Ei's eyes were practically glowing as she spoke. "Even if this world were to come to an end... so long as you remember me... I will live forever. Inazuma will live forever."
"Whoa..." The fairy gulped. "Paimon thought this was gonna be another of Aether's funny romantic encounters, but that actually got kinda heavy..."
"Also, you are very attractive and I wish to spend time with you."
"Ah, there it is."
A/N: Ei's banner is coming to an end. Did you manage to get her? Or are you holding out for Kokomi? To those who missed her, I wish you luck on her rerun! It's bound to happen eventually. For those of you rolling for the Kokomeme, I wish you luck! I'll be rolling for her as well. Also, I had to go with that title. It's just too funny.
This was inspired by Ei's bond 6 voice line. You can tell she kind of reaches the same conclusion as Zhongli, that the Traveler's memories are the closest thing to eternity.
Also, can you recognize what world Aether was talking about and who it was he was talking about? Hint: It's another gacha game.
That's all for now. Be sure to leave a comment!
Published: Sep 20, 2021
Update: Sep 20, 2021
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Unbeknownst to the trio off in their own personal bubble, someone sat watching them. It was an inconspicuous figure. Not for lack of distinguishing features or the like. No. It was just very small. Small enough that the average passerby would hardly notice it.
It was a small, pink fox.
Oh... This is gonna be fun. The fox grinned.