Oh that is both reviews finding a term cringy and strange...let me just... crumble into dust.

ASM769476: Thanks for the feedback- happy I mostly pulled it off.
FirstWinterLight: Just be glad it's only the basic hillichurls, if anyone saw Keqing single-handlely fight a lawachurl to the death, I think some rather uncomfortable questions would be asked. Concerning Cloud Retainer, I've been thinking on how best to include her in the story, that's certainly an idea worth considering- it's the probable last hiccup of this fic, as the plans really take shape.

FYI, we alternate hypnosis chapters for at least the next four.

Seriously, how fucking long does it take for a daughter to say 'see you in a few days' to her father? I swear if she doesn't hurry up I'll-

:Yaaawwnn:

Damn it. Too tired…to get angry… sigh….

This is ridiculous. I should be fresh, ready to go, pumped for what is to come after yesterday! Ganyu is mine, for now and forever- that's amazing! But no, I just HAD to ruin it, staying up ALL night to work on this new equipment! And to add to this, of course Xiangling just HAD to insist on acting upon what she learned! I was really hoping she would forget, just for one more day! The instant I went to Wanmin though-

Hey, your tasks are already done! Hehe, surprised~? It's for a very special reason…
I know where Shenhe is- her home in the mountains!
And we're going to visit her as soon as I'm done here! We've got a lot to do today, it's time to thank her!

Look, maybe this is for the best. This 'flashlight' needs practical testing anyway, I wouldn't feel comfortable using it in crisis time otherwise… but still! If this was just tomorrow,- I would be well-rested and carrying the fruits of my hard-earned labor! But I really didn't like the idea of putting off Xiangling another day- the question of 'why are you suddenly so unavailable?' and subsequent disbelief at whatever lie I would tell would only complicate matters. Dear Ganyu also deserves a night to recover… well couple of them actually, as Xiangling was just.oh-so excited to tell me.

:Yaaaaawwnnn:

My emotions have already been put through the wringer this morning, thank you. It started just fine, with me and an overexcited Liyue chef detailing plans, but well- I learned something frankly unbelievable.

"We'll need to travel all the way to Mt. Aocang, which means we'll be sleeping here to get there, here on the mountain after meeting Shenhe, and probably….mmm~, heeere! on the return trip! Got it~?" No Xiangling, I didn't 'get it' with how quick you pointed at the map, but I'm just gonna pretend I did, and you're just gonna buy it!

"Wait, can't we just go to that place on the way? The guidebook mentioned some kind of inn…"
"Oh, Wangshu? Nope, I've heard from my buddy Yanxiao that they're really packed over there too."
Figures, fucking holidays.

"Also, there are actually two ways we could take, through the mountains or through the marshes. But we're bringing a lot of stuff, so I think sticking to the lower route is our best bet…trust me, you'll see why when we get close."
"You're the native here, so whatever you say- …wait a second, 'A lot of stuff' right?"
"Yeah! A pair of tents for one- or sleeping mats. And of course stuff for our meals; water bottles, pots, pans, plates, utensils, extra ingredients, anything else we need, etc. Not to mention, hehe- plenty of snacks while we're out!"

"Xiangling, how the heck are we carrying all of this? While also making good time every day?

"C'mon, obviously with the help of my-

…..

Wait a minute… Have I ever…? ….I've never shown you my Vision, have I?"

Your.
What.

And that was how my brain promptly got broken. All by Xiangling smoothly reaching under her little orange cloth-thing and pulling out a tiny yet immediately captivating orange stone, Pyro symbol proudly implanted directly in the orb's center. Just like Keqing. Just like Ganyu.

"Yeah I had it on my waist for a while, but Dad was getting concerned I might lose it…" She continues, remaining very oblivious to the firestorm I'm now stuck under.

Xiangling has a Vision.
I repeat: Xiangling Mao. Has. A Vision.
What. The. Fuck.

I only carry four things on this trip of a lifetime. A pocketwatch in my pants pocket. My third deck of cards and the modified flashlight in the opposite pocket. And an utterly shattered, broken beyond repair or recognition, understanding of how the world works in my head.

…I do not think it's possible for me to properly convey how blown away I am by this revelation- and maybe my brain thought it was all a dream too and wanted to drag me back to sleep's sweet embrace. But after saying goodbye to Chef Mao (well Xiangling did anyway- he kind of just stared blankly at me until I left first), his daughter took the lead- gracefully providing me the opportunity to make sure I wasn't actually in a coma.

Nope, there it was again. Now that I'm looking for it, it's so easy- the same orb peeking out of cover whenever she darts forward. Xiangling's…Vision. Her gift from the gods themselves.

Again, what in the fucking world.

Did- did I cause this? I'm suddenly reminded of when I got Ganyu behind Wanmin and asked her a bunch of stuff, including who had a Vision. Did the universe take note of my hesitation for that question and give Xiangling a Vision there just to spite me? Ridiculous, I know, but only slightly less so than the idea that this chef here could be viewed on the same level as- well, a fucking lot of people! I mean c'mon, let's look!

Ganyu is a beautiful, brilliant, will-work-until-I-drop-dead adepti, doing all she can for Liyue! Plus, if what Keqing says is true, she's extremely devoted to Rex Lapis! If she DIDN'T earn a Vision- fucking throw the whole system in the trash! There could be no one more worthy, and the gods clearly agree with me here~ Keqing is much the same, stunning and smart, and really believes in her hometown's future. Now maybe a person who trusts their fellow man more than the divine should raise eyebrows, but Lady Furina has always shown everyone in Fontaine tolerance, so Rex Lapis could be the same. Regardless, Keqing's mind and dedication probably makes overlooking a misstep in faith easy. Both make sense.

And if we go to the rest- Shenhe literally saved the life of me, a total stranger, not asking for anything in return. Giving her a Vision would be an easy decision! There's also Hu Tao, who may be crazy, but running a funeral parlor shows a level respect and reverence for this life…hopefully. And Yanfei was a lawyer, so of course she's extremely knowledgeable, duh!

Hell! Fontaine! My hometown! Lyney, Lynette- impressive beyond words! You have to have serious talent to fill up the opera house on the regular! And there's the Spina de Rosula leader, the Champion Duelist! The FUCKING CHIEF JUSTICE! All incredible people- with the Vision to match, to acknowledge their talent!

So they missed me, whatever! Clearly I haven't done enough yet! But Xiangling?! What?! She's not smart, I haven't gotten any feeling whatsoever that she's dedicated to the gods, and she sure as hell isn't sexy. And look… she's a great cook. Ridiculously great, I'll be the first to vouch for that- the restaurant owners back home are going to hate me when I get to brag about how their works are upstaged by a lone young adult. But…to be frank, a cook is all she is. You remove her from the ecosystem and all you get is worse, but still quality, meals. That's it- Xiangling's contribution to society. A profession that isn't specific, one you could find wherever you looked.

Yet she- a bumbling chef who can't win a single card game - has a Vision. The Archons looked down, and out of everyone, one of them decided to gift their sought-after prize to Xiangling.

Must have been really famished.

"…eeeeyy!"

And just for the record, no, this little romp through Liyue is not a fucking crusade against Vision-holders the world over. That'd be insanity; I have nothing against either the power itself, or the people that receive it. It's coincidence that all three lovely ladies have em- and it's un-freaking-real that such a person like Xiangling gets to be in this exclusive club as well.

"Hey! Stop!"

Like, I'm trying really hard to look at this objectively, to not let my admittedly-jealous thoughts bias my judgement, but I just don't see it man… how could I not receive a Vision, but she can? Is there like a limit to Visions in a region that we're all unaware of? Do I need to move to Liyue and take a 'slot' that way? Because if so, that actually sounds tempting, especially with my progress here-

"Gotcha~!"

Hm? A fierce, borderline violent, grip on my shoulder makes me swiftly turn around- right into familiar eyes of gold.

"Oh Xiangling. What's wrong?"

She puffs out her cheeks. "What's wrong?! I've been calling for you a bunch, but you've just kept walking!"Oh crap, I can see that she's right as I look around at a completely different landscape…that's Liyue proper behind her.

"A-ahaha…sorry, got lost in my thoughts. Is there something you need?"

"Not really, but I was gonna climb that tree and get us some apples." An outstretched pointer finger confirms her target some ways back. "You want yours roasted?"

"Roasted? How- o-oh, of course. Ah sure."

"Goody! Wait right there~" No, I don't think so, and some retracing my steps later, I'm standing at the base of a tree, waiting for fruit to literally drop in my lap- which is looking more and more like if the way Xiangling is shaking the branches is any indication.

"Have you ever heard of Bulle Fruit?" I call out nonchalantly. "It grows in trees just like this, but they have an orange coloring instead. Tough outer layer, but ridiculously juicy and sweet inside. Almost like a splash of the ocean in each bite."

"Mmm~ That sounds so good, hehehe~"

"…Xiangling, you better not be drooling on our snacks up there."

"Ulp!" Adorable noise aside, it becomes clear my presence was not actually required as Xiangling jumps down directly in from of me, two apples successfully plucked. Magic then happens (funny huh?) as the rightmost one gains a slight brown coloring within seconds before she hands it over. I can almost see the warmth flowing throughout the fruit as I take a hearty bite. The point of pure apple meeting its' now-crispy exterior makes my tongue cry out for more; it's absolutely invigorating, and the smile Xiangling wears as she witnesses all of this- well, it should be downright infectious... But the mystery of how is still dampening my mood.

I'm being laughed at. A performer's worst feeling.

"Hold on." An arm firmly blocks my body from moving forward, making sure I don't walk off again. "Now that we've crossed, I should let you know that there could be some monsters nearby. Hillichurls, tasty Slimes, maybe a Geovishap…be careful, ok?"

I grimly nod, even though I have no idea what the third one Xiangling mentioned is…also, did she just say that Slimes were- you know what, fucking never mind, that's just par for the course. "And make sure to ask for water if you need it." Another nod- this area is a lot more mountainous than the previous, almost like the bridge and stream we just passed was specifically made to inform travelers that Liyue's west is a tricker hike. No matter though, I was here once and will be here again… although I could do without getting beaten this time, let's try to avoid that.

"Was this route chosen so you could get some Violetgrass by the way?"

"Nope~! Sorry to disappoint, but yesterday while you were doing who-knows-what, I went out and got plenty of the stuff!" Hm, I don't like this… a dangerous topic to even be brushing against….!

"Oh, um, cool! Say, w-what is your favorite meal?"

"Heh~ I'll eat absolutely anything, don't worry!"

"Uggggh." Ok, even though that was a question solely meant to distract, I can't help it. A total non-answer.

"What's that look for? Fine, fine, I really love Black-back Perch Stew! The salty-hot mix of fish is just incredible! You should try it!"

"Does it involve anything spicy?"

"…M-Maybe a bit of Jeuyun Chili…"

Fuck off Xiangling. I think my body language communicates that well-enough as I turn and begin ascending a particularly-steep incline. You know, I'm aware that it hasn't been for very long, but I'm definitely glad I've been doing at least some physical activity. This would be actual murder otherwise…also pretty embarrassing with how Xiangling would have to carry me if I collapsed. No doubt she could do it too; the way she's effortlessly keeping up, though whether that's because of her god damned Vision or not, who knows. At the very least, with most of our stuff safety in the weird 'pocket dimension', we don't have to carry it. And honestly? Just because I don't get why Xiangling has been blessed doesn't mean I won't wholeheartedly use it to my advantage with regular water breaks and snacks. This trip is actually fairly easy with that in mind, despite the occasional screams of monsters over the horizon sometimes killing the atmosphere.

That reminds me. "Hey Xiangling, can we take a detour?"

"Hm? A detour? Sure, where to?"

"I don't know the specific location, but to a hilichurl."

"Oh, ok!" What the- "Wait, WHAT!?" Ah there we go, thanks for blowing out my ears. "Why?!"

"Ok, calm down." I say, wincing from her shout. "Let me show you what I mean…" For once reaching into a pocket doesn't result in a pocketwatch reappearance, but rather a small black tube, identifying bulb seen through clear lens.

"A flashlight?" Xiangling guesses.

"Right you are, but not just any flashlight. I'm not sure if you know this, but Fontaine has some really impressive machines. Robots, waterways, and even a fullproof way to convict criminals. Live there long enough and you might just pick up a trick or two~" I wink at Xiangling, then promptly feel like a dumbass as her face makes it crystal clear she's still wrapping her head around the 'robot' thing. "T-the point is, I've modified this so that I can hopefully avoid any future hilichurl incidents. I didn't want to be the only one not learning from experience."

"…So I guess you want to test it out…?"

"Precisely! So what do you think?" Why do I feel like a child asking his mother for a piece of candy? And after a minute of contemplation, Xiangling does nothing to dissuade that.

"I guess so… but I'm coming along too~"

Very unremarkably, it takes like no time at all to find more of the foes I seek- seriously, we just go off the path for a few minutes, circle a nearby incline, and lo and behold, there's a distinct pile of fence… Hillichurls, fucking everywhere like a damn virus. Always making life difficult for me and everyone else without a Vision, horrifically showing the power imbalance between us and the gods' chosen. How many supplies have they damaged, how many routes have they altered, how many lives have they destroyed? …I regret nothing about what I told Keqing; in fact, the very thought of her slicing one of these demons up into a million pieces makes my heart sing. If only I didn't limit her to the most basic of them.

So, after explaining to Xiangling what I'm gonna do and why she should stay back- only to ditch her halfway through her dimly understanding me- I cautiously approached enemy territory. There appear to be only a pair of the nameless, faceless, thoughtless fools too, looking absolutely no different to the three that totally pounded my ass… Since they have weapons and this is their base, the instant they spot me, they'll charge.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Grass dies under my wary feet.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Silence.

….

"HEY ASSHOLES!" Did I need to scream that? No. Did it feel good, to finally tell someone how I really feel, even if they are hillichurls? Of course~!

"…Grwaha! Ika-ika!"
"Ika?! …IKA!"

And just like that, the two imps start to lumber their ways over, clubs drawn high. God damn….I can NOT believe I was humiliated by this worthless slug of a species, they walk like drunken divers! Put that aside; I certainly do as my hand re-slithers down my leg, tightly wrapping against Fontaine technology, and positively whipping it out in full glory. Not that the hillichurls can even hope to understand.

I don't have a battle cry or something equally as stupid, so all that's left is to point the flashlight at them, and hold the base down…!

Xiangling's not behind me, check! Making sure to squint, check!

The energy is gathering…

So exciting!

Five!

Four!

Three!
Whoops, miscounted~
Threetwoone!

*FLASH*

"Maaaadaa-la!
"Urrrhhh…maeeddaa!"

"GA- FUCK!"

Blinding. That's the only word even remotely appropriate to what I just did- the nails-on-chalkboard torture I just subjected my eyes to. As if I just threw a fucking star from the heavens themselves right at my face, or more realistically, Xiangling's secret storage of Jueyun Chili seeds, pouring through my sockets like lava. Squinting didn't help one fucking bit, Teyvat itself has died and the world is a vaporizing shade of white pain now. I can only just make out the dribbles of liquid my eye feebly produces to combat the light. By most accounts, this was a complete failure, as with nothing acting a limiter, the flashlight just gathered an infinite amount of energy in the time it had, leading to this near-permeant loss in vision.

Yet, despite the overwhelming pain, what I can hear instead makes it all worth it.

"Blaaata! Ikaaa…!" Hillichurls shrieking, wailing into nothing- music to my ears. Sure, petty revenge is nice- like, really nice- but more importantly, if the flashlight cut through all that 'fur' hillichurls have to their actual face (I assume they have one of those?), then this will absolutely work against any regular person. It will only catch anyone off-guard once, duh, but imagine the look on their face…!

Hmmm, maybe I should blow up Chef Mao's vision…? No, we 'reached' an understanding. Oh-hohohoho~! What about Gouba? Yeah I still have to get revenge on him for setting my hair on fire-

"IKA…!"

Oh shit. I forgot. All that hair/fur/skin/whatever meant that the hillichurls would recover faster…

Let's make myself scarce, luckily sight isn't needed when you're just retracing your steps, right. Right?

"A-ahahah….time to run!"

Blind escaping the blind!

And as I run, the world slowly returns, first in puddle-like batches of color. Green grass beneath me, clear skies above me, and silvery-grey sides of the mountains all around me. Then comes definition, details to each part. Individual blades, patches of blue with darker clouds, and jagged rocks that jut out in unnatural ways. It really helps me realize- Liyue is a beautiful region. Just ask the rushing figure on my side what they think too~!

…Wait, figure? What the-

"…XIANGLING YOU MORON! I MEANT RUN AWAY-"

But all of a sudden… Xiangling's hands, which were completely empty… hold something special. Thin, long, almost certainly requiring two hands, and very red with the sheen of a knife's edge on the tip. A polearm- Xiangling's weapon is a polearm. A fact that leaves me stunned, and the hillichurls about to be bludgeoned by a girl boldly charging- nothing more than a gut feeling at first, but considering how she slams her polearm into the ground before pole-vaulting a foot into a monster's face, it quickly becomes not the most unlikeliest thing I predict. Doubly so as Xiangling whirls around, gracefully retrieving her weapon, and whacking the other hillichurl upside their head.

Oddly, my feet feel like they're made of lead- I can't get close. But I can see the first hillichurl pop back up, attempting to clobber the chef with their barely-held-together club. They don't even get the opportunity though, as Xiangling pounces, locking her polearm around their wrist- sending said club flying- before yanking them down onto the other hillichurl, creating a flailing heap of limbs and beastly groans.

A calm hits the area. Attacker, bullies, witness, we all don't breathe- and for some reason, I'm completely sure what Xiangling is attempting to communicate. 'If you leave us alone now, I'll let you go.' But Xiangling-

"I-I…I-KA…!"

One of them throw a punch. She dodges easily.

…Yeah, if these hillichurls were smart enough to actually listen, they wouldn't be hillichurls.

"Hah!' Xiangling slides back, leaps up, and positively slams her now on-fire polearm onto the pair of heads, not only knocking them back down, but lighting the nearby area on fire. Guttural yelps and cries are heard, maybe finally realizing that it's too late…

And so, just like a professional fisherman of twenty years, Xiangling grips her blade in an absolute vice, stands directly above her targets, and thrusts downward two times with all her strength- and everything goes silent, save for the gentle wave of newly-birthed fire.

Forget bludgeoned, the hillichurls were fucking executed. And their killer didn't even look like she was breaking a sweat~ Before I even know it though, said executor is before me, giving her useless ally a once over.

"You alright?"

"M-Mm-hm. I know how that looked, but rest assured, that gave me everything I was hoping for." I dangle the flashlight for a moment before inserting it in my pocket.

"I'm glad~ Now let's get back on track- I'm starving!"

"Heeeere you go~! Eat up~"

"T-Thanks…" No, that grumble wasn't because Xiangling decided to plop down a vat full of, let's see here, 'Liyue Berry Soup Surprise' onto my plate, nor is it because she appears to be… juicing a Pyro Slime on top of her own dinner… It's not even because thanks to my detour, we were forced to stop traveling when nighttime sprung, so the only thing separating us from bacteria-infested brown marsh water is the circle of torches Xiangling set (using her Vision naturally).

It's all because of…. Of…. Fuck, I don't know!

Ever since I witnessed a murder, I've had this…growing pit in my stomach. A churning, rotten, rush of bile and acid… but I'm not sick, and I don't need to throw up. Case in point, Xiangling's cooking- :slurp: delicious as always. But when I look at her, there's just this ugliness I can't dismiss… As to why… is it jealousy? Well yeah, I am pretty jealous about her having a Vision, but I can admit that; I already have after all. Why wouldn't I be jealous of such egregious favoritism, come on now. With that out, is it a newfound wariness over how she just ended the lives of a pair of creatures? Psssh, nonsense~ If I could, I would've done the same! Fuck it, twice as fast even! So what about fear, maybe a hidden worry that one day she'll snap and turn her blade on me? Except, again, hahahaha. Xiangling would never, and even if I'm wrong, I've got a Cryo beauty at my beck and call.

So, no, I don't get it- how could I feel so conflicted, when Xiangling's…yup, not a thought is going through her head, she's just happily eating away. I almost lost at cards! Cards! I got distracted by this and missed an obvious 'book' opportunity. Sigh… maybe I'm just tired, or maybe-

"Hey Xiangling?"

"Mmmm~ -HNM?!" It's okay I'll wait. "…Ahhh, w-what's up?"

"We're almost there right?"

"Yup! There should be some ladders around here, we just have to climb those tomorrow and we'll be at Mt. Aocang's summit! Fair warning though: it's a lot of climbing! But I think it beats…" Weirdly enough instead of finishing that thought, Xiangling points directly up. Ok then, what does she want me to see- what the fuck?!

Ok, so we are at a place known as Huaguang Stone Forest, where mountains are made out of marshes apparently. Everywhere you look, there are stone towers, stretching assuredly hundreds and hundreds of feet into the sky. But if I look closer at heaven, I can clearly see…wooden bridges, ringing around some pillars and connecting to others. Presumably they form into a nice network when you can see the whole thing, but who thought it was a good idea to build something like that fifty-fucking-million stories high?! Whaaat?

"…We…could've been up… there?" Look, I'm not scared of heights now, but if I was trying to be…

"Told you you'd see why we came this way."

One false step…no one's surviving that… "Unless you can wield Anemo…"

"Ooh, like Xiao~" I don't know who that is, and she was not supposed to hear me anyway.

"Having a Vision must be pretty nice huh?" My eyes drift back towards the six torches surrounding us in a plump circle.

"Yeah, it's awesome~ Helps me cook wherever I want for one!" Um, weren't you supposed to pick up on my tone and say, 'oh it's not so great' or something? If we're not being subtle about this-

"Do you remember when you got it?" I probe, looking for something, anything that would make sense here. "And why?"

Xiangling lets a loud 'hmm' at that. "Nope~ But that was aaaround the time I first met Gouba, I know that much, so maybe it was a gift."

"What does Gouba have to do with this?"

"Get this: Gouba's actually God of the Stove!"

.

….

"Xiangling, it's not nice to lie to someone!"
"Oh come o- I'm not lying! He really is!"
"Riiiight. And I'm secretly the Hydro Archon!"

Rotten stomach be damned, a furious shouting match of repeated and re-repeated statements are thrown into the darkened sky. I know befriending a god would absolutely be that 'edge' I'm looking for, but it's just too unbelievable for me to consider. Gods are supposed to be wise, kind, just! Gouba is none of those, I still have uneven strands to prove it! But no matter how many 'nuh uh's I reflect (What round are we up to? Fifteen?), Xiangling remains insistent…

"Hey if we keep arguing forever, we're not going to have any energy to actually see Shenhe you know? Didn't you warn about the climb?"
"…Fine. But I swear I'll make you see the truth-"
"Yeah, yeah, enough of this, going to bed now!"

I'm really expecting that to be the last thing we say to each other, how many times do I need to turn away before she understands-

"Ah wait! I forgot, there are two important things I wanted to talk to you about!"

"Fiiiine. What is it?"

"Ok first of all, this morning my Master had some breakfast at Wanmin." Xiangling I don't care- "And she told me that yesterday, she heard some really weird noises."

….Oh. Oh shit. "W-weird noises?"

"Yeah! Like, um, you know, s-screaming…sp-spooky screaming… I didn't hear anything, but I promised her that I'd ask around. I really hope you didn't either though… it'd be way too creepy!"

Shit, again. I got too carried away; Ganyu's yells of pleasure travelled. "Well, I-I was at the hotel resting, so… m-maybe Hu Tao was doing something?"

"T-that's just what I thought, too! Honestly I've gotta have a talk with her! Master is a nice old lady!- scaring her is just too mean!"

Note to self: Apologize to Hu Tao for this deflection later.

"And my second thing-" Aw crap, what now? I instinctively stiffen- "Can you, um, tell me more about Fontaine?"

"…Come again?"

"Yeah I mean, you've gotten to know a lot about Liyue! And I've shown you a ton of places in town! But, I don't really know like, anything, about Fontaine…! So I just thought I'd ask, you know…"

Pheeewww…. "No problem. You probably want to do know where the best food is first, huh? Well don't worry, I know of several-"

"No!" Xianging unexpectedly bursts forward, standing up. "I mean! Of course I do want to know that, but I think I should learn, um, general info first? Like, what it's…like?"

It goes without saying that I've never had anyone ask me for this before… I'm really not sure where to begin… ugh, Xiangling just has that look in her eyes again, the dangerous twinkle…!

"Ok, do you know what an aquabus is, for starters?" A head shake. "Ok…well, you've certainly been a boat before right?" A nod. "Perfect! Well, an aquabus is pretty much just a much smaller boat, able to fit on….ah! Look at those bridges above us again and just imagine them, let's say, three times as wide. Filled with water too. An aquabus travels along the path like that, giving a small group of people a relaxing ride. I bring this up because if you enter Fontaine from the south, there's an aquabus that goes right to the main city!"

"Wow, really?"

"Yeah, it's an incredibly scenic ride! You can see previews of a ton of locations, mountains, oceans, the Court, even the Opera Epiclese, which I'll talk about in a bit- but it's where I do my magic, just know that."

Xiangling gains her cheery look back. "Sounds fun! If I ever go to Fontaine, w-would you like to ride one of the aquabuses?"

"Absolutely, but be warned that the Melusine on that line doesn't appreciate people being loud and distributing others."

"H-Hey, what are you- wait, a Melusine? What is that?" Oh yeah, this again….

"Just imagine a Gouba-sized human with softer skin. Anyway, so once you made it to the Court, there's a lot to see- I suppose it could actually be kind of overwhelming honestly… so where you really want to go first is-"

And on and on I go, talking about popular tourist spots in the fantastic nation of justice. The headquarters of the Steambird, Cafe Lutece, and briefly mentioning the actual court part. Despite it being a big deal in Fontaine, I can't really comment on the fashion world there (I mean, look at my clothes!), but thinking about Xiangling in Fontaine… her lack of attire might get me in trouble… definitely going to have to prepare beforehand then. Even with me lacking some information though, I talk and talk, more than I have in quite some time- just so easy with Xiangling. It's so…fun, seeing her reactions, perking up and smiling when I mention meeting Lyney for the first time, or imagining the areas in her head. This is almost succeeding in brightening my mood, almost.

But the talking inevitably finishes, Xiangling eventually conks out for the night, and the rotten feeling returns in full force. Great, a second straight night with no fucking sleep!

Shenhe I swear, this better be worth it.