Disclaimer: The following story will have spoilers for nearly all of Genshin Impact. Specific spoilers will be listed above here but I cannot recommend you continue this story until after you have completed at minimum Inazuma Act III.
Spoiler Warnings for: Jade Chamber Quest (Shenhe's quest) and Xianyun Story Quest
Huaguang Stone Forest has always been one of my favorite locations in Teyvat.
The towering pillars of rock are a sight that no words could do justice to. When the sun sets on the horizon, beams of light cast shadows behind the spikes in the earth causing the valley below to become transformed in a cascading melody of light and dark.
At the highest peaks, clouds gather together and block out the land below. A white, fluffy amalgamation of beauty. The mountains seem alive with forestry and the winds sing with praises for the adepti.
Signora, Paimon, and I left the city and headed northwest toward the Huaguang Stone Forest. It has taken all day but we've finally arrived at the foot of the mountains. A great climb awaits, one I know Paimon and I can accomplish but I am unsure about Signora.
She's held up alright so far, but it's no easy trek up these mountains to reach Cloud Retainer.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" I ask the Fair Lady.
"Please, you think a diplomat hasn't traveled on foot for this long before?" She states almost playfully. A nice change from the normal strict coldness she's donned over the past week.
Paimon and I look toward each other with a smug glance. She has no idea what awaits her. "Well, it's a long way up. Let me know if you're tired so we can rest a bit." I say, cracking a smile.
Signora puffs out her chest proudly. "It's gonna take more than a few steps to wear me down."
So. Many. Stairs.
We've been climbing endlessly for hours and hours. There's no end in sight either! It's just more stairs and bridges and winding paths. The Traveler continues to say we're almost there but I am unsure if he's doing so to torture me or some other Archon forsaken reason but it's starting to piss me off. The more I think about it, the more I find myself wearing out.
I must look to be in a pretty sorry state because the Traveler turned around with a worried expression written on his face.
"Signora… if you need to, we can take a break." He submits politely.
My body is exhausted, but he's the last person I want to tell. And these heels are the WORST. My feet are killing me.
"I'm… fine." I mutter, stalling between words as my body rejects the answer I give him.
He doesn't seem convinced. "I'm pretty tired myself. We can rest at one of the gazebos along the path. Maybe have a little bit of dinner."
He's not and he's lying for my sake… But I am in no position to complain. I'm practically attached at his hip. Even a step or two apart and I start to burn up again. I hate this feeling of relying on someone.
I nod to him sheepishly. That seems to raise his spirits a little.
Our group of three walk a few hundred more meters before coming to a beautiful little clearing off the side of a cliff. A small gazebo fits almost naturally against the foliage surrounding it and beautiful shards of amber decorate the surrounding cliffs, their soft glow echoing as the sun begins to set beyond the horizon.
"I'd tell you to wait here so you can rest while I build a fire, but I don't think I can leave you even for a moment like this…" He says.
My one uncovered eye flicks over to him. Part of me wants to just sit down for a moment the other part-
My stomach rumbles at the worst time.
I want to keel over and die right at that moment. A light blush rises to my cheeks out of embarrassment. The Traveler doesn't seem to mind.
"Sounds like we better get some firewood." He says playfully.
'Just kill me.'
Thankfully, there are plenty of dying trees around to grab enough firewood without having to stray too far. He doesn't make me carry any of it though, despite the large bundle he's currently having difficulty traveling with. A few loose sticks fall from the pile and rest gently on the mountain path as we travel back to the gazebo.
"So what are we having tonight, Traveler?" Paimon asks.
"I don't suppose you know how to make any Snezhnaya dishes…" I ask, watching intently as he starts a fire with nothing but anemo and a nearby slime.
Traveler uses the two reactions to swirl the fire into starting with a burning intensity. I stare with precision at the flames as they lick at the underbelly of the metal pot.
"Tartaglia taught me how to make one, but it requires a lot of ingredients I don't have on me." He responds.
I should have figured. Snezhnayan foods are rarely seen outside of the cold country.
"I was thinking about making sticky honey roast."
My eyes widen in a mixture of surprise and complete and utter joy. I haven't had sticky honey roast since… since I left for the Academia. Rostam used to make it for me all the time. The sweet taste of the sauce drizzled over gamey meat creates a wonderful combination of flavors that dance along the tongue. Placed over a mount of carrots and it becomes a feast of flavors for the mouth. It's also said to decrease exhaustion.
"I have all the ingredients on me and it'll help us to relax before the next leg of trip." He continues, placing the meat and sauce into two different pots before setting them both over the fire.
My stomach moans in anticipation. I remove my heels and stretch my feet, calluses forming around where the shoe pinches my skin. My feet hurt as if I were stepping on pins the entire trip up. I rub my sore soles and sigh.
Dinner is done before I can adjust my eyes to the darkness of night as the sun finally lowers below the horizon. The glowing amber and the flickering of the burning fire are the only sources of light for miles around.
The smell is tantalizing, wafting through the air as if to torment my stomach further. Finally, the Traveler lifts to the lid away from the pot and pulls out a juicy, succulent roasted pork. He the ham over a pile of carrots on a dish before slowly drizzling the thick honey sauce over the top.
Watching the sauce slowly cascade down the sides of the ham is almost too much for my stomach.
The Traveler cuts the pork into slices, placing them on plates. He warmly hands me a plate with a large helping of the meal as his eyes flicker in the firelight. I stare at him, thousands of thoughts swirling through my head. I gently take the plate from him.
"Thank you…" I mutter.
A look of near surprise crosses his face. He simply smiles mellowly. "You're welcome."
He then proceeds to give a portion to Paimon and finally himself.
I stare at the meal as memories come rushing back to me. Spring mornings where I'd look out my window to the tune of the birds with a breakfast already made for me. Rostam always told me to eat more, I'd always tease him about gaining weight.
This dish takes me back to those simple times in a world far different from this.
I stick my fork into the dish, it simply cuts through the tender pork like butter. I swallow some of the saliva that's been accumulating since we sat down. I gently lift the fork to my mouth and take a bite, unaware that the Traveler is watching my every move.
It's… delicious… my tastebuds exclaim in joy as the honey caresses over them. It's everything I remember it to be. Sticky. Sweet. And absolutely delicious.
The Traveler smiles warmly, watching as I devour the rest of the meal with little hesitation. I finally notice he's watching me and blush significantly.
"I'm glad you like it." He says, a stupid grin across his face.
"It's… I can't even deny it. It's very good." I say, wiping my mouth with a handkerchief.
"If you'd like you can have mine." He says, handing me his plate of food. I look to him, despite how we may feel about each other, I can't help but feel a little worried about taking another person's food after having already ate mine.
He must sense my hesitation because he says, "It's alright. I had a big lunch."
'You didn't have lunch, idiot.' I say as much in my head but I can't help but grab the plate from his slowly.
"Hey! No fair! Paimon wants seconds too!" Paimon complains.
"Now now, Paimon. You could eat thirds and fourths if I gave you the chance." He responds, a gentle smile plastered across his face.
"Ack! Well! Paimon still would have liked some more."
He chuckles at the frustrated fairy. I watch the two interact like good friends as I scarf down the portion he gave to me.
I hand a small portion of the plate back to the Traveler, leaving a few strips left uneaten. He looks back to me in surprise as if to say 'Are you sure?'.
I don't deign him with a response.
"Here you go, Paimon." He hands the floating fairy the rest of the meal without hesitation.
A question suddenly arrives in my head, a question I've never really cared to ask. "How did you two meet? A Traveler from afar and a… floating pixie?"
"Hey! Paimon is not a pixie! Paimon is Paimon!" The small floating pixie squeals.
"Mhm. Alright, Pixie. But that doesn't answer my question."
The small fairy grunts in frustration.
The Traveler chuckles as the two of us banter. "I fished her out of the Ocean one day. She was so grateful for saving my life that she decided to help on my quest to-" He pauses for a moment. "My journey. I'm new around the world of Teyvat and needed a guide."
"And Paimon is the best guide!" She exclaims.
"Ah, so you're the one I have to thank for the Traveler always being in the wrong place at the wrong time." I tease the fairy, throwing in a hint of seriousness to my voice.
The fairy panics. "Wh-what!? N-no! Paimon was just…"
"I'm only kidding. Coincidences like that happen more often than you'd think…" I say, letting my voice trail at the end of my sentence as I go back to looking at the flames. A sudden yawn creeps to the front of my throat. I try my best to hide it behind my gloved hand as a proper lady should.
The exhaustion from the day is catching up with me as I slowly drift in and out of consciousness. I blink rapidly to try and keep myself awake. The conversation around me becomes muffled and distant. I quietly let myself fall asleep to the evening night.
My head lands on something cool but surprisingly gentle. I grin in delight at the soft spot my head rests on and slowly let myself get taken away by dreams.
I honestly can't believe my eyes. Surely this isn't happening right now.
My mortal enemy, the woman I've fought time and time again, is sleeping on my shoulder.
She breathes so gently, the rising and falling of her chest slowing with each breath she takes. Her lips are ever so slightly pushed apart by the air she breathes. She has a beautiful sleeping face. She looks completely relaxed without even a single strand of hair out of place. She must spend a lot of time on keeping her long flowing blonde hair in such perfect condition.
For once I don't know what to do. This certainly isn't the first time someone has used my arm to fall asleep on, hell Paimon does it nearly every night, but it is most certainly the first time someone who actively hates me has done it.
She'd probably kill me if she knew she were sleeping on my arm, but I'm also too scared to move her in case she wakes up. In my confusion, I end up staring at her for a while.
She really is beautiful. Even without the several layers of makeup covering her face. Her skin is as smooth as freshly fallen snow and even as pure. She knows how to make her hair do exactly what she wants and flaunts it around constantly.
I glance down at her exposed legs. "Certainly she must be cold at night." I say to myself, looking around for my bag. I slowly and quietly reach for it and pull out my sleeping bag, draping the Fair Lady in it. She seems to enjoy it, though I can't help but worry what might happen if she begins to burn up again.
Wait. Does this mean I'm going to have to sleep right next to her?
I physically swallow the lump in my throat at the idea.
This is going to be a long night…
…
Morning dew had fallen on my face overnight. I rest up against the side of the gazebo with a sleeping bag draped across my stomach. I don't recall getting much sleep, but a little bit of sleep was better than none. As I yawn and attempt to stretch my arms out, I find my right arm held down by something. Or someone.
I turn my head to find an open-eyed Signora staring face-to-face with me mere inches apart. Suddenly it comes back to me what happened last night. I couldn't figure out what to do so I simply just fell asleep, hoping Signora would understand in the morning. Now here we are, both awake and with her still laying on my shoulder.
It's likely she had just woken up too because she still doesn't seem to understand what was happening. She looks down and sees how close we are to each other before looking back up at me.
I stare at her, trying to keep my flushing face from growing any redder.
Realization crosses her features as her cheeks grow increasingly red. Realization quickly changes to anger.
"W-w-w-w-wait! Let me explain!" I plead with her.
"WHAT. DID. YOU. DO. TO. ME." She commands rather than questions.
"Y-you fell asleep on my shoulder last night and I didn't know what to do since I can't move away from you so I just set us against the gazebo and prayed you'd understand in the morning! I'm sorry!" I say, covering my face in case she decides to use violence against me.
She pauses for a long moment, weighing the options in her head probably.
"A-and… that's it?" She asks.
I slowly lower my guard to look her directly in the eyes. "Yes. That was it."
We stare at each other's eyes for a very long time. I increasingly try to convince her through them that I didn't do anything else. She stares daggers at me, trying to discern if I am telling the truth or not.
She eventually yields, throwing the bag off of her exposed legs and standing up quickly. "Let's just go. And forget this ever happened." She says quickly.
"I agree, but what are we going to do for when we need to sleep normally?" I ask her, leaving her stumped as for what to say.
"This adepti is going to be giving me something to control my burning. I won't have to rely on you ever again afterwords." She says, though noticeably lacking any real malice.
I stand up with her and hand Signora her heels. "I suppose you're right. So we better get going."
She stares at the heels for a second before grabbing them from me. She may not be actively trying to end me anymore but she certainly wasn't happy.
We grab our items and douse out any of the coals remaining in the fire before setting out up the mountain.
"Shouldn't be too long from here. Watch your step though, it's mostly bridges from here." I say to the group, though I suppose Paimon doesn't have to worry about it.
"Let's get going already. The more time we waste the more time I'm not in Snezhnaya." Signora complains.
The three of us begin moving out across the never-ending landscape of stone spikes scraping the heavens themselves. We're so high up now that we're above the clouds which is pretty confusing when you're walking over a bridge and expect to see the land far down below.
The path over the bridges is stunning every time I'm up here though. I haven't returned since I said goodbye to Ganyu and Cloud Retainer. I wonder how they're doing. Guess I'm about to find out. Finally, we come to a rather large cliff where the bridges end. I look up and begin stretching my body out.
Signora looks at me stretching and then up the rather tall cliff. Realization washes over her.
"Oh no. Oh no no no no. We are NOT climbing that thing." She demands.
"It's just over the top, seriously! Once we're over it we've made it. Certainly, you didn't think the Adepti made it easy to enter their abodes, did you?" I ask teasingly. Truth be told, I've already had a plan for when we reached this part.
"I can't climb in these things! And certainly not barefoot!" She complains.
"Alright alright. I get it. Here." I hand her a small vial holding three floating spirits inside.
She seems to recognize what it is, but doesn't feel confident in her answer. "Is this… a wind catcher?" She asks.
"It is." I say, a knowing smile crawling to my face.
She examines it thoroughly as she holds it high in the air. "I haven't seen one of these in… centuries." The way she holds it reminds me of how she flaunted the Gnosis in Venti's face. "I don't have any gliders wings though."
I remove my glider from my backpack and hand it to her. She seems baffled by this decision.
"What? Do I need to teach you how to use them?" I ask.
She scoffs. "I'll have you know I was once the Mondstadt gliding champion." So she says, but she doesn't sound extremely confident.
"Is that so? Well then I shouldn't need to give you any pointers. Sounds like you've got it!" I say playfully, though Signora believes I'm being genuine.
"W-wait! It's been… a long time since I've last used these. Maybe… a quick refresher wouldn't be bad." She stammers out.
I smile playfully. "Alright. So here's what you do."
…
I outfit Signora with the wings, letting them unfurl before using the wind catcher. "So you're just gonna let the winds carry you up and then lean into the direction you want to go." I say to her.
She nods but does not deign me with a verbal response.
"I'll see you at the top." I say to her, quickly turning around and grabbing onto the nearest rock
"Wait!" She shouts, and I immediately know why. She's already starting to overheat. Then she shakes her head. "No. Go. I'll be fine. It's only for a moment." She says, breathing heavier.
Though I'm worried, I know a few moments won't be too bad. And I can always jump back down in an emergency. "Alright. If you think you can do it." I spin around once again and start climbing.
Once reaching the top, I turn around and look down at the ground where Signora braces herself.
"You've got this!" I shout down to her.
Just as I do, a gust of heavy wind blows up against the side of the cliff. Signora jumps into the wind and lets the glider carry her all the way up. As she reaches the top, she hovers in place and looks out around at the world around her.
Then she does something I've never seen her do. She laughs.
"Hahahe! Wooooo!" She shouts excitedly.
She moves her center of gravity forward and lets the glider do the rest. She lands with a light step and a big smile plastered across her face. It's refreshing to see her don something other than a scowl.
She walks over to me and hands me the glider proudly. "Just like riding a bike." She says.
I laugh with her before stowing the glider back away in the pack.
"Heat wasn't too bad?" I ask her.
She shakes her head. "It was actually like being out at sea, strong winds tend to help cool me down to the point I can at least stand."
"Interesting. Well, as promised, cross one more bridge and over some stairs and we're there." I tell her.
I can almost feel the relief of her burning skin as she approaches next to me. She sighs in relief as well. "Finally. I hope the walk back down is easier."
I laugh at the statement. "It's not."
…
The top of Mt. Aocang is just as beautiful as I remember. The mid-morning sun glistens off the pond in the center like sparkles. The great tree has changed a vibrant red and shelters the table beneath from the sun. Sitting at that table is a beautiful white-haired woman I've never seen before sipping tea.
Signora takes in the view at the top and sighs wistfully. She hesitates to go into the water, taking off her heels before doing so.
"Ooooh. That feels good." She moans, steam emanating from the spots in the pond where she's dipped her feet in.
We walk towards the table where the young woman sits, paying our arrival no mind.
"Hello." I say, trying to get her attention. She glances over at us but does not say a word. She picks up the teacup and raises it to her lips one more time before speaking. "Greetings."
She doesn't say another word. Signora seems upset that her presence is not recognized but before she can say anything I continue the conversation.
"I'm the Traveler, and this is Paimon. And the grouchy one is La Signora." I say, trying to get the girl to say something.
"Grouchy-" Signora cuts herself off.
"The Traveler… and Paimon…? I've heard of you before. You're the ones Master was talking about." She says, suddenly her full attention is turned toward us. "Shenhe."
"Uhm… excuse me?" I ask, confused by the random inclusion of a word I don't recognize.
"That is my name." She says.
"Oh, that's a pretty name." I say.
"Is it? Honestly, I don't even think about such frivolous things." She says.
"Well I think it's a wonderful name." I say, donning a bright smile.
She turns her head away and a brief silence ensues. When she turns around again, she asks a question. "Are you here to see Master?"
I nod my head. "Yes, we need her help for something."
"Understood, did you hear that Master?" Shenhe says to the wind.
A voice echoes through the mountain, something I thought would surprise Signora but she seems rather used to something like this occurring.
"One did, my child. Please give one a moment. One will be there once she has finished some important business." The voice of cloud retainer booms in our heads. "Traveler, One has a favor to ask of you. Can you see to it that Shenhe eats a proper meal? She has not touched her food in quite some time… One has become worried she may not like ones cooking anymore."
"Master." Shenhe says standing up. "I have relayed to you that I am fine."
"One knows dear, but one is worried your excursion to the Harbor the other day has given you an affinity towards the foods commonly found there." Cloud Retainer says like a worried mother.
Shenhe does not deny this. Her stomach rumbles with ferocity.
I turn to the wind, "Don't worry cloud retainer, I'll make sure she eats before you get here."
"You have my thanks Traveler. It will only be a moment." Just as quickly as the voice arrived, the voice is gone.
"Came all this way and she isn't even here." Signora says, slightly upset.
I shrug. "Adepti tend to do whatever they want." I pause as I turn my attention back to Shenhe. "Alright Shenhe, anything you particularly want? I can make just about anything."
Shenhe thinks for a moment. "I've sampled numerous dishes during my time away from the mountains, but the truth is that I don't really remember how they taste. The only dish I can never forget the flavor of is that bowl of noodles I ate at home, so long ago... I shouldn't have to remember that. Why do I have to remember that?"
I am unsure how to respond to that. "I-I don't really understand, but if it's a bowl of noodles that shouldn't take too long to whip up. I'll even choose a recipe using ingredients you can find right here in the mountains."
Shenhe tilts her head curiously as I get a fire going. She waltzes over to me and stands uncomfortably close to my face as I start boiling some flour noodles. "So you're gonna bring the water to a boil and then add some noodles." She nods as she follows along with the recipe. Signora stands far off-ish in the pond, enjoying the brief moment where we don't have to be attached at the hip.
I glance her way periodically just to check how she's doing, I catch her cleaning her hair in the crystal-like purity of the pond, she brushes through her wet hair slowly and painstakingly. Despite the pains of climbing up the mountain, she seems to be enjoying herself. I smile to myself as I teach Shenhe the rest of the recipe.
"Then finally, you add everything together, including the broth. And bingo, a perfect Noodle soup for those on a mountain." I say, combining everything together. I leave a little bit of the broth and ingredients out for Shenhe to try herself and get a little bit of hands-on learning.
She slowly combines the two, trying her best to keep everything in the bowl. "Thank you very much for this learning experience." She says with her ever-monochrome expression.
"Don't mention it. Give it a try!" I say, handing her a spoon.
She gently grabs the spoon from my hand and awkwardly tries to scoop the contents of the soup out of the bowl and into her mouth. She doesn't quite understand the concept of noodles as they simply fall off the utensil and into the soup.
"Like this." I say, setting the spoon into the soup and carefully pulling up the noodles with a little chunk of meat in the dip.
Shenhe tries to copy me, but finds her skills require much to be desired.
I can't help but laugh politely as she scoops out the noodles and quickly catches the falling ones in her mouth.
"It's satisfactory. My hunger is now abated. Thank you." She says, turning towards me with her cool expression.
"Just out of curiosity, what did you eat up here before going to Liyue Harbor?" I ask her.
She thinks for a moment. "Mostly Qingxin, Glaze Lily, and Violetgrass."
I almost spit the food out of my mouth. "A-aren't those medicinal herbs?" I ask her.
"Indeed. They taste rather awful." She says with a straight face.
"Then why do you eat them?" I ask her.
"Master says they keep you healthy and provide all the necessary nutrients to keep the body sustained."
"I'd hardly call that sustained."
She shrugs. "It is what I've eaten nearly all my life. It is not so bad once you're used to it."
Just as I'm about to continue the conversation, a familiar voice appears behind me.
"One has returned. Thank you for making a meal for Shenhe, Traveler." The voice of Cloud Retainer sounds different than normal. Less 'In your mind-y'.
I turn around and find myself not speaking to Cloud Retainer but someone entirely new. "Oh, I'm sorry I'm not entirely sure we've-" I am cut off by Shenhe.
"Welcome back, Master." She says.
I look at the woman surprisedly, the green-haired beauty scoffs at my expression.
"Did one not recognize oneself? I thought better of you Traveler than to be off put by mere appearances.
"F-forgive me, Cloud Retainer. I was just so shocked to see a human when I've always seen… the crane." I stamper out, knowing Cloud Retainer's wrath is nothing to scoff at.
"Well so long as you have apologised it is okay. I believe you required one's assistance with something?" She asks.
I nod and look over to Signora who walks towards us, steam billowing off her skin.
Cloud Retainer's eyes light up. "Oh my, the Crimson Witch of Flames."
I can visibly see Signora's blood vessel in her forehead about to burst. "I am not. A. Witch."
"With the terror, chaos, and damage you left behind you might as well have been." She states, the two already getting off to a rocky relationship.
Signora stares daggers at Cloud Retainer and she stares daggers right back.
"Cloud Retainer, we need your help. Signora's cryo delusion trapping the Crimson Witch was destroyed and now she's in serious pain trying to keep the witch from exiting again." I explain.
"And so one came in search of the inventress to fashion you something to aid her ailment. You're pretty smart for a human." Cloud Retainer deducts.
Signora and I look at each other before speaking next.
"So… can you do it?" Signora asks.
"One shall see. Wait here a moment." Cloud Retainer goes back to the table across the pond and tinkers with some equipment.
Signora seems worried that the answer wasn't immediate.
"Don't worry." I begin. "If there's one person who can solve temporarily solve your problem, it's Cloud Retainer."
Signora seems to tense. "That's what I'm worried about… what if she can't? Who else could I go to?"
She brings up a very valid point. The only other person who could probably resolve the issue would be the Tsaritsa herself. And it's a long way to Snezhnaya. I likely would have to accompany her as well…
"I have a Cryo vision." Shenhe says from behind us, causing both of us to turn and look at her. "Perhaps I could be of some assistance."
Shenhe places the back of her hand against Signora's forehead. Considering that most people would have been very burned by now, my hopes are looking up.
"Anything?" I ask Signora.
"It helps a little bit. But my Cryo delusion was far more powerful than a vision. It would be hard for any amount of Cryo to conceal the liquid flames flowing through my body." She states.
"I apologize for being so weak." Shenhe says.
"Don't apologize Shenhe, you did the best you could." I respond.
"Perhaps this may aid you." Cloud Retainer appears behind us once more with a small trinket in hand. It looks like a fan of some sort, tiny enough to fit in someone's pocket. Cloud Retainer flicks a button on the fan and it instantly turns on with a huge gust of wind. "It won't work nearly as well as a Cryo delusion, however using my adeptal control over the winds I can create a vortex in a small area that could cool the rising temperatures in an emergency."
She points it at Signora who visibly relaxes as the wind whips her hair. Though not a cure, it certainly helps the situation.
"Thank you Cloud Retainer. What do I owe you?" I ask her.
"Simply come to visit one more often. It is awfully lonely up here and one enjoys your company." She says, a mild blush rising above her cheeks.
I nod and smile, "Next time I'm in Liyue, I'll make sure to stop by for longer."
"Good. Now must you be off? One would enjoy if you stayed a while." Cloud Retainer says.
"No, we must leave. Getting a delusion takes priority over everything." Signora states plainly.
Cloud Retainer nods. "I understand. Concealing the Witch must be everyone's first priority. That being said, if you need anything I shall be here as I always am."
Shenhe speaks up from the crowd of people, "Please, allow me to accompany you. You have shown me your kindness and I would like to assist you."
"Shenhe…" Cloud Retainer utters.
"It's a long way away to Snezhnaya, Shenhe. You'd likely be away from home for a long time." I say, a little worried about how an Adeptus apprentice would fair in the world of mortals.
"He's right Shenhe, besides you know so little of the mortal realm-" Cloud Retainer is cut off by Shenhe.
"Then this shall be a perfect learning opportunity. Furthermore, if she does become the Crimson Witch again, the Traveler will need aid to stop her." Shenhe pleads her care.
"I have beaten the Witch once before, I'm certain I could do it again." I say confidently.
Signora shakes her head. "Not likely, that was a weakened flame. Lingering suppression from the cryo delusion before it shattered. The longer we go without containing the flames, the more intense the flames will burn. It has already been quite a while since they were last contained."
I weigh the options available to us, perhaps I would be doing Cloud Retainer a favor by letting Shenhe explore the world and become familiar with its inhabitants. But another person means everything is going to cost more and require more time. Then again, if the Witch does appear and it's like Signora says…
"Alright Shenhe, you've convinced me. I'd like to employ your help." I say, causing the white-haired apprentice to nod in agreement.
Cloud Retainer sighs, "You heard him Shenhe. Pack your things and get ready to go."
"Yes, Master." She says, walking away towards the cave entrance.
Cloud Retainer watches Shenhe until she is out of sight, then turns her gaze towards me. "I'd like a word with just you."
I turn to Signora who is already fiddling with Cloud Retainer's strange contraption. "Will you be okay if I step away for a moment?" I ask her.
"With this contraption and the water I should be fine for a while. At least I won't have to stand and sleep with you all hours of the day." She says.
"Ah, such a shame." I tease her. She doesn't find it nearly as funny.
I walk with Cloud Retainer towards the table across the pond where she invites me to sit for a moment. "There are some things one must tell you about Shenhe…"
"And there are some things I must ask about her." I respond. "For starters, is she Adeptus? She doesn't appear to be a normal human."
Cloud Retainer seems surprised I asked this question. "Does she present herself differently than other humans?"
"Y-yeah you could say that. So if she is a human, why are you training her like an Adeptus?" I ask.
Cloud Retainer shakes her head. "On that note, one will allow Shenhe to reveal at her own discretion. One will say only what you need to know and nothing else out of respect for Shenhe." She pauses for a moment. "Shenhe has been cursed with an extreme bloodlust since birth, the red strings tied around her body are the only things keeping that bloodlust in check. If the strings were to somehow become undone, it is likely you would have to fight her to put them back on."
Suddenly her monotone expressions and mannerisms make sense. The red rope is keeping her emotions in check so that she doesn't go on a rampage. That poor girl… cursed from birth.
"If her tendencies are so violent, why train her as an Adeptus?" I ask.
"For many reasons." Cloud Retainer responds. "Her constitution is well adapted for Adepti arts as well as it is far easier to keep an eye on her and make sure she grows up correctly than going around Liyue and murdering innocents. There is another reason, however, One does not wish to reveal it."
"Anything else I should know about her?" I ask.
"She is… not well versed in mortal society. It is likely you will have to explain near everything to her. That being said, she will prove an invaluable ally if conflict should arise."
"Thank you, Cloud Retainer. For both this information and your invention." I say, bowing to her.
"Remember what I asked of you. And do please take care of Shenhe. Underneath the layers of ropes is still a girl. Oh and make sure she eats. She will forget." Cloud Retainer mumbles.
"I will, it was nice seeing you. Anything you want me to bring from Snezhnaya for my next visit?" I ask.
She blushes mildly. "A-a jacket. I have seen a mortal wearing one in Liyue and I want one for myself."
I crack a smile as I make my way towards Signora. "A jacket. We'll be back."
Cloud Retainer nods at me as Shenhe comes out of the cave carrying a small pack of items. I look at the white-haired beauty and give her a questioning glance.
"Are you sure this is everything? It's a very long trip to Snezhnaya." I say.
"I have gone weeks without needing any form of sustenance both material nor nutritional." She states very matter-of-factly.
"If you say so. Welcome aboard." I say.
I turn back towards Signora who is impatiently waiting out of the water. She's put on her heels once more and is ready to head out. Despite the fact that she has the fan, she still sticks close to me as we walk away. I smile at her playfully without her noticing.
Shenhe waves goodbye to Cloud Retainer as we begin our descent down the mountain.
"So. What do we do next?"
A chapter a little more from Aether's perspective. I'm planning on changing that during this next chapter and conflicts will start arising far more frequently on their way to Snezhnaya. I'm conflicted on whether I keep Shenhe for the long run but she'll be here for likely the next few so get used to seeing her. Hope you guys are looking forward to the next one…
Whenever that may be…