Meeting the man from the blue skies

Meeting the man form the blue skies

Meeting the man from the blue skies

Summary: Bringing a friend over from another world is bound to cause a little trouble. Aether however did not expect to put nearly every Archon on high alert just by his comrade’s very presence.

Tags: SFW

Meeting the young man from the blue skies

Bonsai trees. The small decorative plants, the smaller version of their much bigger siblings, have always been calming for Zhongli to work on. His hand as still as stone as he clipped the single leaf off the branch. His mind, an empty void, focused on getting the ideal shape of the miniature foliage before him.

His whole body moved in small motions and stopping even at the slightest. When he felt his long flowing raven ponytail drift just slightly off his back he pauses to make sure his balance was right. Shifting his weight so his light brown jacket would settle and ceases it’s fluttering. His shoes would traced the wooden floor with silent steps of adjustment as his rich amber eyes locked onto the single branch with his hands as still as a mountain.

“…” Once the clam had come he clipped another left off a branch.

“You’ve been snipping at the bush for hours old man.” Hao tou said from the corner of the room. The young girl spinning in the chair of the receptionist. Her own dark brown funeral dress fluttered with her hair and bubbly persona. Though it is marred by the bored air around her as their business is more dead than the people they bury.

“You ca not achieve beauty in mere moments Hao tu.” Zhongli sighed but a smile did not leave his lips as continued to clip the leaves. Peace over coming him as he enjoyed the sight of the tree being shaped by the tiniest of changes. And Hao tu’s groan of boredom behind him.

“!” Zhongli’s clippers stopped. The peace he felt evaporated less like dust in the wind and more like a sudden explosion.

‘Wh-what is this…’ A raging clam. And gentle storm. Contradiction upon contradiction swelled up in the retired god as he felt all of Teyvat suddenly shiver in fear. And excitement.

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment. There is something I need to take care of.” Setting down his tools, calmly, Zhongli walked out of the office.

“Sure gramps. Don’t break your back or anything…” Hao to huffed with her back turned. Not noticing Zhongli vanishing in thin air.

-OOO-

Venti’s head snapped suddenly to east. His lackadaisical walk through Mondstad was halted by a tighten in his gut and quaking of the very winds of Teyvat. The crowd around him did not notice the sudden shit of the wind as it south, then east, tickling dresses and clothes, spinning the windmill ever so slightly to the right before it went back to the left before it stopped moving just like the wind.

“Oh pardon me!” The spritely archon sprinted on the wind between the crowd. Twisting through the throng of people. Dancing, spinning and even jumping off the shoulders of some people as he became the very wind of the city. Dashing under the skirt of noble woman who gasped at the naughty wind, holding her skirt down as the blacksmith a heavy breeze on his shoulders. Blowing through and around them as Venti raced up the side of a bakery shop, the smell of freshly baked bread clinging to him as he bounced from budling to budling and leaping out of the city.

‘This feeling….so unbalanced yet perfectly in harmony. The winds seem to scream fear but shout in joy.’

A smile grew on his face as he flew to the east. “I can’t wait to meet them.”

-OOO-

The cheery blossoms around the shrine danced and floated gently in the warm summer air. Miko, her long pink hair flowing the breeze, sat on the back porch of Narukami shrine. The crimsons colored shrine is at utter peace as shrine maidens and servants went about their usual business. Politely, Miko sipped the tea she has in her hands as she looked every bit of shrine priestess as she should. Resting on her knees in her white and red shrine maiden dress. It hugged her figure and for a while, created a noble, serene silhouette as she gracefully held her cup of tea in both hands. Bringing it to her lips for a single sip with her sweet cherry pink hair shifting in the island breeze.

Minus the manuscript of the racy story of the lust maid and her master setting right next to her, Miko looked very bit the shrine maiden she is.

Miko’s tails, for the briefest of moments flashed behind her of their own volition. Her body stiffing at the strange source of energy that has just entered her plane of existence. It cause the very cheery blossoms themselves to pause, for a moment in their drifting. As if the world had taken a moment to hold it’s breath and breath out a nervous sigh.

Miko blinked at the sudden change in the powers that be around her. “Oh? Now that is-“

Ei stepped out of the shrine next to Miko with grim expression. Her lavender short length kimono, mixed in with the dark hues of purple like the rich noble color of her eyes, moved franticly in the new wind that has now kicked up. Though it was more like appearing out of thin air as she did not even make a sound from her approach. Stepping out of her more normal meditation suddenly and without warning.

The hard look in her friend’s eyes told the shrine maiden that not only is this not the false shogun that Ei had made, but the archon herself, glaring out into the distance. Purple lighting arching between her fingertips.

“It’s coming…here…” Lighting sparked at Ei’s feet as she gazed beyond the entrance of the capital and hone in on the small field a few miles away.

-OOO-

“Achoo!” The young man, his messy short sunk kissed brown hair, ruffled from his sneeze. His dark golden eyes looked bemused as he did not feel any cold in the summer air of Teyvat. More so considering his blue hooded jacket is underneath hard plate armor, the steel on his arms and legs. His simple traveler’s sword, clinked to his side as he rubbed his nose.

“Whoa, you catching a cold there Gran?” A small red dragon, no more than the size of a small dog spoke to Gran with concerneed and tilt of the head. His black wings flapping lightly to keep him eye level with the tall young man.

“This is another world….” A beautiful young girl tap her cheek curiously. Smaller than the young man, only coming up to his mid waist, her long, luxurious bright blue hair flowed around her pure white sun dress held by a bright crystal on her small chest. Her long hair simmered brightly, brighter than the clear sky itself as it flowed around her shuffling feet. Her toes flexing in the warm grass as she pondered.

A tall, knightly woman behind them nodded in worry. “This is a whole other world. We don’t know what kind of effects it’ll have on us.”

The knightly woman shifted her weight on her sword that hung on her armored covered hips and belts that held a few pouches, along with a single red ribbon tied to her sides. Her royal blue coat decorated her as a high standing knight. Looking as regal and gallant as the knights in the story books with her blade on her side. Her golden locks shimmered in the bright afternoon sun with her blue cap valiantly fluttering around her as she stood next to the young man.

“Captain!” A short woman with large horns befitting a bull, coming up just below Gran’s rib cage, stood up to him. Her laic eye, the other hidden by her stunning long lavender hair, widen in worry for the young man. Her large chest, even held in her deep white sleeveless coat, bounced with her panicked movements. Her katana, nearly as tall as her, hung to her side.

“If you’re feeling the slightest bit sick, please tell me!” Her eyes pleaded with the young man who took a nervous step back.

“Narmaya …. Guys…it was only a sneeze.” Gran sighed as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Well sweety can’t you blame us for being on pins and needles?” A woman of beauty and grace floated on the wind around Gran. Flying above the ground in her black dress that did nothing to hide her stunning figure as it showed off all of her back and just the shiest hits of her rear. Her long hair, a rich dark blonde like the fox ears on her head, shifting like the ocean as she hovered over to the captain’s side. Leaning her supple body against him and not hiding her teasing smile as the captain turned his head away from the deep cleavage of her top.

“This is the first time many of us have been taken to other world than the other way around. Even old scruffy over there looks like he’s about to explode with curiosity.”

Metera pointed to the serious stoic man next to Gran. His own black canine like ears seem dot flick and swivel back and forth. His deathly white short hair shifted in the wind. Giving just the smallest hint at the covering over his right eye. His black jacket is armored and his cap fluttered a little too in the summer breeze with his rifle strapped onto his back and a combat dagger on his hip.

“….Curiosity isn’t what I would call what I am feeling right now.” Eustace said plainly as he ignored the archer. He icy blue eyes taking in every unknown entity he noticed and took note of them and their potential dangers. The pink hue of the small flowers around them seemed to but slightly pinker than the ones back in his world. At how the clouds are shapes he was not familiar with but at the same time knew very well.

“Everything feels the same but not. Even the air smells different. “

“I agree with Eustace. The flow of magic is even different.” Woman, the height of a child and coming up to the captain’s knee spoke with the authority of knight as she too observed the quite green plane they are walking through. “I still feel it but it feels…constrained.”

The small woman, with long honey bright hair and large elf ears, crossed her arms over her chest in thought. Her long flowing dress his held tight by the black and gold chest armor. A small shield on her left armor is accompanied by a large sowrd on her back that, for taller people would be nothing but a short sowrd. But for the small knight is a mighty board sword.

Her youthful, young appearance is overtaken by the serious expression on her face as she too felt the odd engines in the air around them.

“Do people really cross over to the sky world that often?” Aether asked curiously. The young man was walking ahead of them. His braided ponytail shifting with his steady pace along the small fairy floating beside him.

“Way more than you’d expect.” Gran chuckled. “It’s why we weren’t too surprised when you and Paimon fell onto our deck.”

“Well Paimon sure was surprised!” Paimon floated around Gran with an excited grin on her face.

“Floating islands! Flying ships! Great food! And even talking lizards!”

“I told ya, I ain’t no lizard ya walking side dish!” The ‘talking lizard’ snapped

Gran chuckled for a moment until he felt the hairs on his neck stand on end.

‘Someone is….’ He turned his gaze towards the west. Past the forest and out into the sea that sounded them on the island of Narukami. A mountain, and few islands in the distance but there is nothing strange about that.

-OOO-

“!”

The shadowy figure waved her hand the wall of ice went pitch black. Gran’s gaze vanished as she panted for a moment to regain her composure.

“No that can-he actually saw me!?” Though a user of ice, she began to sweat as if in den of fire.

Those eyes…physically they are as far away as possible. A true sea between them and yet they bore right through her. As if he was in this very room.

“You!”

A fatui soldier, two at her doorway, rushed over and kneeled to her side.

“Yes Tsaritsa.”

“Tell any and all of our men currently in Inazuma to cease any activity. Effective immediately. That includes the harbingers.”

The guard looked perplexed for a moment but shook off that worry. “B-By your leave.”

The man stood and hurried marched out of the room with the other guard to spread the message.

Tsaritsa sighed and returned the image with a wave of her hand. Much to her worry Gran’s cool, dark golden eyes locked back with her’s this time she can see his hand hovering over the handle of his sword.

‘Turn. A. way.’ The woman girted her teeth as she tried to will the young man’s gaze away from her. And what is worse she could ‘feel’ the presences of nearly everyone staring to notice the young man’s gaze.

‘I. am. Not. Your enemy.’ She tried her damnest to push this feeling as far out as he could. Praying not to be unnoticed by a…creature with such power.

The man with wolf ear looked at her as well. A hand twitched towards the knife on his side.

The small knight and worse yet the samurai woman with horns, who’s sweet demeanor died like the ice the Tsaritsa controls, slowly seemed to reach for their weapons.

‘No-‘

“Huh? Something wrong Gran?” The girl in blue spoke and Gran’s gaze turned from her.

“It’s nothing Lyria.”

The woman let out a steady breath.

No one. Not even her fellow archon could sense her power to see in this domain.

And that…being could. That feeling of overwhelming power when he walked in her realm is truly nothing to take lightly.

‘Just what did you bring to our realm? Traveler….’

The Tsaritsa sighed as she continued to watch the strange man from the blue skies.

-OOO-

“Are you sure?”

“Hmm…” Gran thought for a moment. “It just felt like some-“

“Well hello there~.”

“Dwah!?”

There was a suddenly gentle breeze and Venti appeared before the young captain from the wind. Looking up at him with a bright curious gaze. Nearly everyone had their hands on their weapons in surprise by the wind sprit’s sudden entrance as he began to circle and look over the taller young man.

“Well well not quite what I expected.” Venti said as he took in the captain’s form with a curious and playful gaze.. “Certainly not form around here. Very tall. Huh. You know I was expecting a monster.”

The young wind sprite smiled. “But you look like a swell guy!”

“U-Uh t-thank you?” Gran blinked as he lowered his guard.

“Venti? What are you doing here?” Aether asked more than a little curious about what the wind archon was doing so far from Monastad.

“Oh come now Traveler! You can’t go parading around your new friend without introducing them to me first.” Venti swung his arm around the traveler. Rubbing a fake tear from his eye. “I could have sung them so many wonderful songs.”

“Or try to get them to pay your tab…” Paimon dead panned.

“Well I was going to head there first.” Aether said. “But Gran was more interested in the shrines.”

“Yeah I was wondering if they are like the ones we have back home.” Gran nodded.

“DO you think they have shrine maidens like Alina and the others?” Vyrn asked.

Venti blinked a few times before turning back to Aether. “You like to live dangerously huh?”

“Um I don’t mean to impose, but…” Katalina raised her hand to get everyone's attention and pointed at a large flower next to Gran. “Has that flower always been there?”

It was the size of a large dog, the close red rose.

“Uhh…I don’t think so?” Gran starched his head confused.

“Do you guys have randomly blooming flowers here or someth’in?” Vyrn asked the traveler.

“Um…” who turned to ask Paimon.

“I err…” who turned to ask Venti.

“Don’t know!” Who was very little help with his charming smile.

“Whoa!?”

“Kyha!?”

There was a sudden explosion of white dust and smoke from the flower as a small, girly figure popped out of it. She landed in Gran’s arms with a bemused look in her bright forest green eyes.

“M-My…I guess I need to practice that more…” Nahida whispered to herself. Her white and green, leafy dress was a little ruffled and there are smaller versions of flower she just popped out of in her white hair with forest green highlights. Her elven ears flickered as she took in her surroundings and taking a moment to notice she is Gran’s arms.

“Um are you ok?” The captain asked.

“Oh, just fine! Thank you for catching me. I do apologize. I am getting used to using teleportation magic for such long distances.”

“R-Right.” Gran could only politely put the girl down as she dusted herself off.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Nahida.” Nahida gave a polite bow to which Gran nervously returned.

“Oh um Gran. Nice to meet you. Sorry not used to little girls popping out of flowers…”

“Seriously?” Eustace raised an eyebrow at his captain. Holding back going off the extensive list of strange things his captain has done.

“Looking good there Nahida.” Venti smiled.

“Oh Venti. A pleasure to see you too. I assume…”

“Yup.” Venti steps up and waved his hands at Gran as he was showing off a prized panting. “Take a look at this! Interesting stuff right?”

Gran looked utterly bewildered as Nahida took a step up to the young captain.

“Gran. Would mind if I could get closer look at you?”

Gran looked to Aether for any help. The young traveler and his fairy could only shrug in unison.

“Uh…sure.” The captain squatted down to Nahida’s eye level as she looked at him. Nahida’s bright green eyes, her star pupils looking into the captain’s deep hazel ones. As the young man looked into Nahida’s gaze, the niveous relaxed a little as he felt something odd but familiar.

‘A primal? No…but she doses kind of remind me of Rei.’ Gran thought as Nahida nodded to herself.

“…I can see why Teyvat feels this way….” The girl mumbled in thought. Sensing the energies flowing in and out of the captain. The very grass below them flowed differently. Shuddering nervously but also jittering in excitement.

“…You guys aren’t…human?” Gran said as he gave a side eye at Venti who waved at him.

“Ah so you can tell?” Nahida smiled warmly as she stepped back from him.

“Well…” Gran half smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. “I am…kind of used to dealing with this sort of stuff.”

“Ah I see you made it here before me. Venti. Nahida.”

Zhongli walked up to the group. Calm and posed with his hands behind his back as the ground below closed up from the stone pillar he walked out of.

His eyes glue to Gran as the young captain stood up.

‘Such power…’ Zhongli thought to himself as he walked up to the captain. ‘Even standing I feel…a sense of great danger and yet…it’s calming in a way.’

“Is there something wrong?” Gran asked as he took note of the man’s pensive gaze towards him as he can meet eye to eye with him being the same height as the captain.

“My apologies. I am Zhongli. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” The man bowed deeply.

“Oh! Yeah nice to meet you too. I am Gran. Captain of the Grancypher.” Gran, though stumbling a bit bowed in greeting as well.

‘Humble. Perhaps there is nothing to worry about.’ Zhongli thought as he watched the young captain sheepishly rub his head.

“Didn’t think you’d bring a welcoming party for us blondie.” Vyrn said as he looked around the numbers of their party suddenly increasing.

“I wasn’t trying to…” Aether asked a little concerned to see three archon suddenly appear. “Is something going on guys?”

“Not exactly.” Venti said casually putting his arms behind his head.

“Hmmm how to explain it…” Nahida put her hand to her chin in thought.

“Traveler. If I may.” Zhongli asked as he changed the topic. “Are you sure you should be introducing Gran and his friends to the shogun?”

“Ei’s lighten up a lot recently so I don’t see why not.” Aether said.

“Wish we could have brought Yuel and the others; They tend to like that style of architecture if what you’ve told us about Inazuma is right Aether. I know Societte would have loved it.” Gran mused to himself.

“That’s not what I meant….” Zhongli mumbled as he turned to a few shadows marching towards them from the direction of the city of Inazuma. One of them wearing a purple kimono.

The Raiden shogun stood before everyone a few miles from her city. Behind with a fearsome gaze one could see the top of Narukami shrine crest over the hill. Her short kimono stood as still as her even though there was a light breeze in the air. Her long braided deep purple hair did not shift nor shake in the breeze as she honed her eyes down at Gran.

The only thing that moves is the purple lighting that occasionally arched around her.

Sara, her ever present guard, stood with her. Her sharp, deep yellow eyes held a strong gaze as the breeze did ruffle her short cut, black hair. Her tengu mask, seemed to shake and stir in agitation as the air around her became a tense mix of energies. Sparks from her shogun tickled her traditional white and black combat dress. Even with her black under top she felt utter cold in the air but the lighting from her shogun prickling her skin warmed her.

‘The very balance of the realms is in danger. You do not have to come with me.’ The shogun’s heavy words weigh on Sara but she kept a stoic visage as she looked out to the group the Aether is with.

‘Could they…’ Sara watched them all with a scrutiny gaze and could not see much about them save for their odd state of dress. Until she noticed the ‘child’ with the blue sword on her back in front met her gaze with blue narrowing blue eyes that showed years of experience that the archer herself does not know of.

Sara felt her bow arm twitch.

Gran put a hand on his sword as he felt a wave of unease suddenly. He took a step-in front of Lyara with Katalina taking a step along side him. Both of them have a light touch to the handles of their blades.

Storm clouds began to form above them.

“Ei? What is she?” Aether however asked himself. Utterly confused as to why the lighting archon would appear.

‘Dose…dose this have something to do with Gran?’ Before the traveler could even think further on the idea, Ei spoke in a plain, even, but threatening voice.

“Traveler. While I welcome you to Inazuma.” Ei voice carried on the wind like an icy dagger. Unfeeling and deadly.

The woman pointed at Gran. “That thing must leave Teyvat this instant.”

“Thing?” Vyrn grumbled as he flew forward in a fit of anger. “Hey who do ya think your talk’in to-“

Like the element she has control over, Ei pulled out her blade from her chest and pointed at Vyrn with not a threat but a promise of his head leave his shoulders

“One more step, and I cleave you and everything around you in two.”

“D-Did she just pull that sword firm her chest?” Vyrn gulped as he fluttered back to hide behind Gran.

“Lyria…” Katalina pushed Lyria further behind her in worry as she kept a hand on her blade. The blue hair girl herself kept a worried expression. However, her hand touched the crystal on her chest. It emitted a low hum of energy.

Narmaya rested just a finger on her katana as her and Charlotta, her hand on her blade, stood next to their captain. Eustace simply unhooked the fastener holding his gun on his back.

“Mmmm…” Metera yawn. Floating on her back, but magic tickled her fingers as a pink butterfly floated with her in the air.

“E-Ei clam down.” Aether took a step forward to try and pacify the raging woman. But was promptly ignored as the shogun spoke to Zhongli instead.

“Zhongli I am sure you all feel it to.” Ei, keeping her eyes locked on Gran said. “That thing, all three of them, will bring every realm into ruin. There will be nothing left if they stay here.”

“That is an undyeable truth.” The archon said in agreement. “But you can neither deny that fact that there is an equal chance that they won’t do such a thing.”

“….I am not willing to take that chance. Not for Inazuma. Traveler. Have them leave. Now.”

Gran with a deep breath held his hands up and took one step forward. “Look ms-“

In an instant, there was an arc of powerful lighting that roared toward Gran. There was no warning no words. Just the shogun giving a deathly fast swing of her blade that unleashed a mountain destroying slash of lighting right at Gran.

“Whoa!?”

“Gran!”

“Lyria get behind me!”

Everyone acted at once. Katalina racing to protect Lyria, Lyria shouted for the captain as the crystal on her chest glowed a bright blue, Vyrn gasping in shock. Narmaya and Charlotta pulling out their swords while Metera floated away, and Eustace rolled to the side.

However, Gran was faster than any of them.

“Hmph!”

The captain moved quicker than the slash of lighting to blocked it with his sword. Purple lighting cracked and seethed around him and through the air. Burning the grass under his feet and biting at his face as he held the attack at by. It shook the ground and would have slashed a whole city and more in two

But the captain was not even pushed back or strained in the slightest.

“Ha!” With a grunt he knocked it back, and little effort, far beyond them in into a distance mountain. Where it did what Ei intend and cut the tower of stone in two places.

Ei did not give Gran a moment to recover as she dashed at him with crackling energy nipping at her heels. She was not even a blur with how fast she moved. Cold deadly eyes homed in on the captain’s head.

Gran however did not need the time as he locked her blade with his even faster than she could reach him. Meeting her in the middle of the field with her sword roaring with energy against his. Popping and crackling with heat that ripped the air apart. Lighting cut the ground apart as it coursed through Ei’s whole body. Her blade digging into Gran’s with her violet eyes buried it into the captain’s golden hue.

However she noticed something odd.

She was being pushed back. Her heels cutting up the ground as Gran, with a calm but fierce gaze began to push her back. It was at that moment she realized just how far this fight is tacked against her.

Not giving herself the time to ponder, with a click of her tongue she disengaged the captain. Flashing in a blot of lighting as she stepped back from him, covering the distance between them with slashes of thunder from her sword. The arcs boomed through the air as they broke sound itself. Making shockwaves as they rocketed towards the captain.

Gran was not deterred as he took her gaining of ground like a vengeful hound. Darting through her thunder strikes with ease as his blade cut through them and his body ducked around them with grand speed and grace. Even taking one in his hand to throw it back to her with equal force.

Ei back handed her own attack with ease. Sending the arc of thunder into the forest in the distance. But that single half second of delay was enough for Gran to slip past her guard. A steel gauntlet fist soared at her chin.

‘Block!’ Her mind spoke and her body acted in an instant as she had not time to counter.

“Guh!?” Though her body suddenly being launched into the air like a bullet made it feel like her attempt at defense was feeble at best. Her body soaring far beyond the dark clouds she had created to the point that she can see the blue skies above it. Her fingers could just touch the clouds as she sent hurtling through the air. What felt like a continent had hit her blade as she had guarded against the fist. As she felt weightless ness she also felt her body tingle from the blow that lunched higher than the birds.

Inazuma is not even a dot under her.

And then she saw Gran’s boot above her. The young man jumping after her with such speed that he left a crater it the ground under him and even cleared the storm clouds she had created. His form blocking the sun as Ei is left open to his attack and once more, she could only defend herself again as the young man dropped and kicked her back down to the ground with the force of a meteor.

A ruckus explosion shook everyone as the dusk kicked up and swirled around the field. A large hold had been formed into the ground with El on her back and Gran on top of her. His sword pieced the ground but close to her neck with his knee on Ei’s chest.

Pinning the shogun to the ground.

Calming his victory.

It all happened in a blink.

As that’s all Sara did and suddenly, the ground was carved up, the wind had rushed and buffeted around her like a hurricane had just came and left. And when she opened her eyes, the shogun, the mighty protector and ruler of her city, was pinned on her back.

“S-Shogun!” Sara cursed as she knotted an arrow and pointed it at the captain. She let it fly in an instant, straight and true to her mark. But in the same instant, it was knocked out of the air, split in two by a bright pink arrow.

“Wha!?” Sara watched an ephemeral ghostly pink butterfly float by her.

“Now now no need to be so naughty~.” Metera’s sultry voice tickled Sara’s ear and the woman snapped around to point her bow at the flying vixen who floated by her.

“Keep in mind you and your little friend their attacked Gran first when he was oh so kind.” Metera purred as she gilded through the air on her back. Though she sounded lazy and nonchalant, her silver eyes are dulled with malice. “I’d rather not mess up that pretty little head of yours….”

Sara’s eyes glared at the woman, before briefly looking at the shogun, and then back at Metera.

“Oh dear…” Metera sighed as black wing erupted from Sara’s back, pure onyx colored feathers flowed around her, as she was coated in lighting and launched herself into eh sky.

“So you like to play rough cutie?”.” Metera yawned before vanishing in the wind as arrows of lighting shred the air was just laying about in.

“Tch! Sara clicked her tongue and shot off three arrows at Gran but only to have them shot out of the sky but ten others.

“Boo~.” Metera whispered into Sara’s ear with a lick of her lips. Getting the woman to snarl at her and fire off an arrow at her. Only to have the archer spin and dance in the air. Giggling at every missed shot Kujou unleashed at her. And every time she tried to aim at Gran the shoots would be knocked out the air by other arrows.

“Look here cutie~.” Metera said as she danced around five more bolts. “I’ll give you one last warning~.”

“Go to hell.” Sara glared as she knotted one more arrow. Lightning surged around it and it roared forth into a massive lightning blot.

“Honestly….” Metera rolled her eyes as she zipped around the arrow. Appearing under Sara’s feet before grabbing the archer’s legs.

“Grah!?” Sara shouted as Metera grabbed her leg and spun around. The world tumbled with her as she was sent face first back onto the earth with arrows pinning her down.

“Oof!?” And Metera sitting on top of her like a chair.

“I’ve never liked people that can’t take a hint.” Metera sighed as she leaned back and inspected her nails. “Your lucky Gran’s such a nice guy. Or you’d be filled with holes…”

Sara could feel the promise in that threat but that did not stop her from trying to move.

“I...I can’t move! What magic-!’ Yet Metera felt like a mountain on her. She struggled all she could but could not even move a finger.

“Now be a good little thing and stay put. I’d hate to mess with this fabulous hair of yours~.” Sara snarled as she could do noting but stare hopelessly at her shogun facing the same fate as her.

“Heads up!” The cheerful gloating came from Metera’s right as a large, muscular man stormed out of the trees with a spiked bat. Utterly shirtless, with nothing but pants and arm bands, the man rushed Metera. His demonic fang turned into a fearsome smile as Itto leaped up in the air.

“Gaugh!?” Only to be knocked back by a swing from Charlotta’s sword slashing upwards and knocking his spiked bat out of his hands.

Stabbing her blade into the ground the knight proclaimed, “Stand down! We are not here as enemies! On the word of Charlotta Fenia, captain of the Holy knights we-wha!?”

“Get back little girl!” Itto grabbed Charlotta and put her behind him protectively. Looking frantically back and forth around the field.

“These guys must got some crazy magic! Or maybe they’re invisible? Tch. Bring on it!” Itto pointed his weapon at Metera. “Whatever trick you got up your sleeve won’t work. Heh. Been itching for a good fight. Sara!”

Itto shouted at the woman.

“After this, you owe me a re-match!”

“Run you moron! These people aren’t normal!” Sara shouted back but Itto only got back in a defensive stance to watch out for Metera’s ‘magic’.

“What!? You oaf! What hit you was me!” Charlotta shouted as she stepped in front of him.

“Eh?” Itto blinked at Charlotta for a moment. And then sighed. “Look kid you can’t joke about things like this! These guys look like serious business.”

“Oof big and dumb. Not my type.” Metera winced and then looked down at Sara. “What about you feather feet? Got a thing for the tall stupid and cute?”

Sara only glared at her.

“Ugh! Look at my sword!” Charlotta said pointing her blade at Itto. “This is what countered your strike! There is no invisible enemy or magic! It was I who attacked you!”

Itto leaned down to meet Charlotta in the eye and said. “You shouldn’t play with that. Swords aren’t toys for kids.”

“I AM NOT A CHILD!” Charlotta’s rage got the better of her as she slammed the flat end of her sword on Itto’s head. Knocking the oni out in a single hit.

“Charlotta dear, Go easy on them.” Metera shouted from behind her.

“I-I used the flat of my blade! He should be fine! I-If not lady Katalina will heal him.” Charlotta said in a panic.

‘That…damnit!’ Kuki cursed as she glanced behind the tree both her and Itto were hiding in. A snarl formed under her black mask. The lightly dressed shinobi felt cold in her shorts and top in the summer air. They had come here because Itto and his curiosity at what Sara was sprinting had got the better of him. She knew something was off when there was a talking dragon just hanging around the guy in the blue hoodie. And then she saw him take out the shogun so fast it made her head spin.

It’s beyond a fact that they are in way over their heads here.

‘OK.’ Kuki rolled the pellets in her hands as she began her plan. ‘A smoke bomb and then-‘

“Don’t move.”

Death.

It overwhelmed the whole area.

It drowned her.

Her heart felt like it should stop. But it kept beating much to her chagrin.

It was not even the blade itself. Just the handle pointed at the middle of her back.

And yet she felt as if the grim reaper itself had it’s boney, cold fingers round her throat.

‘How-I didn’t even-‘ Kuki gave a small glance back and saw it. It was the short woman with horns and a katana. Kuki had been hidden. No one had seen her and she kept one eye on the young captain’s crew. Everyone was in her view.

But this woman, faster seemingly than light had disappeared and reappeared behind her.

"While the captain has not given us the order to take your lives. I will not hesitate if you dare threaten him.” Narmaya spoke calmly. Evenly And honestly.

Gone is that sweet girl jumping to care for her captain for a single sneeze. Those bright lovely lilac eyes are now dulled with the single minded idea of bringing death to those around her.

“This is your first warning.” Narmaya’s voice felt like ice piercing her skin. “You will only get two.”

“Sounds fair to me.” Kuki said as she raised her hands. Not a fool to try and fight someone far beyond her skill level. So she listened and raised her hands.

And let her smoke pellets drop from her glove. The cloud of dust seemed to nearly take the whole forest. Obstructing everything, even sound as Kuki’s feet moved quickly and without a misstep to escape.

‘Gotta get Itto and-‘

The wind raged and there was a blade at her throat.

Her blood trickled down it’s length from the thin cut of her skin.

“This is your second warning.” Narmaya’s chilling, calm voice froze Kuki more than the blade at her throat. The woman appeared in front of her with her back turned and her blade at her throat. The only thing that moved are Narmaya’s cold, deathly lilac eyes towards Kuki.

“You will get no more.”

The very air felt still with death as Narmaya’s movement is what cleared the fog. Cold and uncaring, the swordswoman made everything around feel like a graveyard. Yet Kuki was shivering as sweat dripped off her forehead.

“G-Got it. No more tricks.”

“Well this has gone south faster than I expected.” Miko spun her fingers as her chanted a spell. Paper talismans with purple insignias glowing on them circled round her.

‘I had a feeling she was going to try and fight back but I didn’t think it would have been so one sided. These people are not to be taken lightly.’ The shrine maiden thought as she spun her fingers and weaved her spell that was nearly complete.

‘I’ll simply push the young man off, put a barrier around the El and try to calm things do-‘

Seven gunshot soared through the air. One for each of her spell papers.

“Ngh!?” And one that would have been for her head, but she spun at the last second for it to graze her cheek.

“My captain’s a soft touch.” Eustace spoke evenly. His boots crunched the leaves beneath him as he casually loaded more bullets into his rifle. Appearing out of the shadows of the forests, the darkness still clung to his body as he made himself none to Miko.

“He’s let a lot of people live and only kills when he absolutely needs to. Me?” The click of the marksmen flipping his rifle seemed to deafen everything in the forest. “I am not so nice.”

“Sorry puppy but this fox isn’t in the mood to play.” Miko said as her hands crackled with lighting and more paper slips hovered around her.

“Wolf doesn’t play with foxes.”

Eustace leveled his gun at her.

“They hunt them.”

Eustace gun shots echoed out in the air as he fired at the six paper talismans with the seventh shot just barely being avoided by Miko bending back and letting the bullet pass through her pink locks.

The gun man was on her before she could regain her posture with the barrel of his gun at her nose. A shot rang out but it only hit a tree as the shrine maiden swiftly dodged the shot at point blank range. She launched more paper blades of lighting at him but Eustace was even faster than them. Rushing forward, shooting two down and avoiding the other.

Even though his gunship is masterful he chose to stick in close to Miko’s guard much to her ire. They danced as his bullet would tickle her bare skin from her barely avoiding the shots. Knowing she was a spellcaster the gunman did not give her a chance to gain any distance from him. Not that Miko did not try as she ducked under his swing and threw a palm strike that he was forced to jump back from as it was followed by a swift kick.

As Eustace regained his balance, Miko took this time to fire off her own lighting shots. Though the young man was not easily put off and ducked through them. Pulling out his combat knife in the process and adding it to his onslaught of close quarters attacks.

“Hmph!” The shrine maiden pushed back at the swing of his gun at her face with one palm, and her other pull pushing back against the wrist of the hand holding the deadly dagger. Locking them in a clash.

However, Eustace had other ideas. It was only for a split moment, but the gun men drop his rifle breaking their clash however he caught by switching his hands with his knife, and spinning into the fox woman to slash at her neck. Miko vanished in a burst of lighting, but Eustace’s bullets followed her like a hawk.

Each one cut through the trees as she vanished to finally gain some distance and send a host of paper talismans at him. Only to have Eustace think further ahead of her and threw a flash bang into the ground. Detonating her explosives talismans and causing a haze of smoke and light to surge around her.

Eustace’s bullets sang through the smoke as Miko’s fingers tingled with thunder. Clashing to be rid of the haze with the gunman’s rifle pointed at the shrine median’s face. Her eyes stared directing into the abyss of it’s muzzle while lighting licked at Eustace nose.

“Well aren’t you a dogged fellow.” Miko taunted. “I do wonder if your bullets are just a tad slow however. They just can’t seem to keep up.”

Yellow lighting crackled at the end of Eustace’s gun.

“Let’s see about that…” And it arched around his body.

“I don’t want to hurt you. Please.” Gran pealed with the El as he leaned over her. His eyes as gentle as they could be even as his sword is next to her neck.

“El!” Aether rushed over to his friend and kneeled down to meet her. “Let’s just talk this out. Gran isn’t some great evil or something.”

“Yeah! The captain’s a good guy!” Paimon chimed in with her beaming smile. “He punched a monster’s head clean off to save Paimon!”

“Ugh….” Gran hung his head low as that little fact is not going to help at moment.

“…” Eventually the shogun released with a deep sigh. The vouching of the young man who had helped at her lowest claimed her worries far more than she thought.

“Fine.....This is way I don’t do anything…Makoto. Take over. We will discuss at length later traveler.”

“Understood.” In an instant was like Gran was talking to someone else as the voice of the shogun became utterly stoic and robotic.

“Uh. Ok?” The captain of the sky blinked countless times as he got off her. More confused than anything.

“Gran!” Lyria and Vyrn rushed to their friend.

“Looks like the fun is over.” Metera said as she hovered off Sara. Who did not waste a moment’s breath to rush towards her shogun.

Seeing the captain stand Narmaya removed her blade.

And Kuki ran as fast as legs would carry her towards Itto. Lifting the heavy, unconscious man on her shoulder before throwing a smoke bomb and vanishing.

Out of the corner of his eye, seeing Gran move away from the down shogun, Eustace sighed as the yellow sparks dissipated from his body and he holstered his gun. Without even acknowledging Miko, he turned and walked away from her.

Much to her aggravation as she sighed at his sudden leaving. Destroying all tension in the air. “So unromantic…” Miko grumbled before yelling at the young man’s retreating back.

“You do know women find men like you very annoying.”

Eustace did nothing but gave a lazy wave towards her with his retreating back.

“My lady are you ok!?” Sara said as she rushed towards her shogun and stood between her and Gran. Glaring at the young man who scratched his cheek nervously.

“I am fine.” The shogun answered calmly.

“What was that about any way? I mean I know your kind of crazy but-“ Paimon would have continued but Aether’s hand over her mouth silenced her rambling.

The shogun pointed at Gran. “That being is a danger to not just Inazuma but all of Teyvat. His very presence has already caused a shift in our planes of existence, and all the realms. His power could ren everything to dust.”

She turned to the other Archons. “I am sure you all know of this.”

Venti started whistling a tone as he looked at the sky, while Zhongli coughed in his hand. Nahida on the other hand gave a quiet nod of agreement.

Gran look taken back by such an accusation. “I am not-“

“You are on every watch list on every organization in the skydom. And even ones the society does not even know of.” Eustace said as he walked up to his captain.

“We’ve toppled and saved how many kingdoms?” Katalina said with her arms crossed and her brow raised.

“You were a king for a few months too….” Lyria said thoughtfully.

“We uh…did cut a mountain in half when we were training…” Narmaya said nervously.

“You and Charlotta split a flying island, hurtling at the ship, in half, last week.” Metera floated down beside everyone.

“A-Ah w-well…” Gran his face blistering red under the scrutinizing gazes of everyone present could only sputter out a reply.

“Gran, sweetie.” Metera floated down and rested her chin on top of Gran’s head. “I love you, but you’ve saved the sky from so many world ending, god level threats, and beaten so many gods and would be gods, it’s a little canyoning at how humble you can be.”

Metera teased the younger man with a pinch of his cheeks. “Honestly be a tad arrogant, would you? Mister ‘captain of the Eternals in training’.”

“Yeah, bubby I am go’in to be honest here.” Vyrn sighed. “I think anyone should be scared with us walking up their front door. We’ve kind of done some crazy stuff…”

“Being a singularity is no easy task is it captain?” Katalina smiled at the deflated expression of the captain.

“A singularity?” Nahida asked.

“Ah right that’s probably why she’s so worried and why I can…do all that stuff.” Gran said as he crossed his arms listlessly. “It’s kind of hard to explain but the gist of it is that I can, from what I remember being told, ‘deny god’s will.’”

“That sounds about right with what I generally feel around you.” Zhongli nodded in agreement. “It is as if I am in the presence of sort of…wild energy. Every time I thought I had a grasp on it, it would change into something else. As if avoiding me.”

Sara looked at everyone utterly bemused. “How…what sense does that even make ?”

“I think something like this.” Nahida said as a flower appeared in her hand with a bright pink petal around its center. When a butterfly, smelling the sweet nectar, landed on it, the petals gently closed around it.

“If say, I-ahem- If I was an archon, and trapped a human in a reality of my own creation, they would have no way of breaking out with their own skill. Only an external power equal to or greater than my own would be able to free them. But If I do the same to Gran, he would be able to not only break out of this realm but shatter it with his own power.”

The flower in Nadia’s hand opened up and let the butterfly flutter away.

“I... have done something like that once or twice….” Gran nervously answered.

“I am sorry but what you all are saying makes no sense.” Sara shook her head in disbelief. “Someone being to deny a god’s will…it sounded crazy.”

“Eh ha ha…I am a little with you on that one.” Gran answered humbly with a gentle and charming grin.

“But…. “ A grin that turned into a stern, determined frown. And everyone there could see a spark, just for the smallest of moments, of blue around the young man. “I am a stubborn guy, or well so I’ve been told by a lot of people. And…I don’t care. I don’t care if they are a god, otherworldly being, I am reaching the ends of the sky.”

And that right there is when Sara understood why an archon would be so afraid of him. That powerful sense of conviction. The weight of those words were not ones of ideal or promise. They are ones of reality. A reality this man will make no matter what. For a god, seeing a mortal be so confident to make such a thing real, something that they can not control, of course, they’d be afraid.

Sara looked to her shogun and sure enough, she could see the hairs on the raiden’s neck stand up.

“Hee hee~.” Only Venti would laugh at something that would make the very gods shiver in worry. “You remind of a new friend I made.” The wind god’s eyes gave a short glance towards Aether.

“Mabe I’ll introduce ya Captain.”

“Well that explains why our shogun acted so hasty.” Miko said as she walked up to the group. “Having felt such a power coming at their doorstep, anyone would have taken up arms to defend themselves.”

“Sorry. I didn’t really notice.” Aether apologized.

“Well it’s not like Gran is shouting about being some god slaying boogey man or something.” Vyrn shrugged.

“Unless you are connected to this world like an archon, no mere mortal would notice.” Raiden said as her voice was a little less robotic. “I can see why you would not feel such power, traveler. But even so, please be more careful on bringing beings from other worlds at my door step.”

“Glad to see you well, shogun.” Miko said pointedly to which El coughed in her hand.

“I believe talking about this over refreshments would be better.” Miko suggested.

-OOO-

“Everything? In the sky?” Nahida gasped in enthusiasm as she sat next to Gran. The low table in Narumkai shrine made everyone sit on the cushions on the floor. Tea and sweets lined the table Gran, Aether, Zhongli, Venti, El and Miko sat. Hand maidens walked around handing out refreshments as the warm summer air heated the cool room from the open large window.

“It sounds like the lands of gods and yet to you all it is the norm.” Miko said amused as she sipped her tea.

“How dose it all float? Is there a bottom? Have you ever been? Do you even understand oceans or know what they are? Actually, do you even have forest-“

Nahida’s barrage of innocent questions took Gran back.

“Um…” Gran blushed a little at the small archon’s eagerness. “I am not the guy to ask all that. Maybe someone like Cagliostro.”

“Gran.” Katalina spoke to get her captain’s attention. “Are you sure you want to bring someone like her here?”

Gran paused for a moment.

‘Hooh~? A ‘god’ are you~? Then maybe you could prove it by drinking this. Oh don’t worry if you’re a god you won’t die. Just turn into…something else…heh heh…”

And then his face went a little pale. “On second thought maybe not. I…don’t think bringing her to another world would be a good idea. Maybe Fediel would be a better choice?”

“Oh miss.” One of the hand maid severing food smiled at Katalina. “Would you like a rifle?”

“Oh that would be delightful.” The smile that Katalina gave was charming. Brightened than the sun outside yet warm and handsome.

The poor handmaid turned so red in the face that she may as well be an apple. “Y-Your very much um well ahem...o-oh my…”

Miko was about to say something, but Vyrn stopped her. “Don’t. She doesn’t notice.”

“Seriously?” The fox woman whispered under her breath. “That is like the fifth person she’s talked to that acted like that…and it’s not really gender specific…”

The image of one of her most stoic guardsman turning into blushing young boy from Katalina simply smiling is fresh in her mind.

“Yeah Kat’s denser than Gran when it comes to romance…. At least Gran can get the message after a bit but Kat…hoo boy, really feel’in bad for Vira there…” Vyrn just sighed as he sunk his teeth in another apple. As Miko watched as the young captain and the traveler both smiled as they handed ta cup back to her maids and both women looked ready to faint.

‘Oh dear…there’s two of them now…’ The fox woman thought with a brow raised thoughtfully but hidden behind her taking a drink from her tea.

“Gran.” El spoke to the captain suddenly.

“Ah uh y-yes?” Gran, after being explained the rather complex situation that is El, still is not used to talking to her or even how to address her as he turned to her suddenly. Her stoic visage as she drink her tea unnerved him a little.

“Would it be possible to ask a spar from you?” The question was sudden and almost made Miko pinch her eyebrows. “Being from another world, I am curious about the abilities you possess. And I must admit it has been a while since I have a good sparring partner.”

‘And a good excuse to avoid your duties.’ But Miko kept that thought to herself.

“Sure. Just uh… someplace where we won’t mess things up too much would be nice.” Gran answered with a nervous smile.

“Heh heh yeah. You and the captain over here only danced a little and you two nearly tore up that field! Wouldn’t want to be in the middle of that!” Venti chuckled as he took a deep drink of his wine.

“Indeed….” Zhongli gave a side glance to the wind spirit but said nothing of his thoughts as he placed his cup down. “I too must echo lady Ei’s request.”

“Eh?” Gran blinked.

“Though I am…retired, I still have a duty to protect my own and do not wish to get…rusty so to speak. As there are not many people I can ask to do any sort of daily exercise.” The stone archon bowed his head. “I would be humbled if you would clash blades with me during your stay here.”

“Hmm….to see your technique firsthand…” Ei said curiously towards Zhongli. “There is much I could learn from you as well.”

“Hm.” The funeral worker nodded toward the shogun. “I cannot deny I am curious to see our growth as well.”

“Combat is not my forte but seeing such powers clash against one another is surely an impressive sight. Perhaps I can learn a little magic from watching.” Nahida beamed at the idea of learning combat techniques from another world. “It also would be wise for no one to hold back. To view the most optimal potential of your powers to truly understand them.”

“Hm. I agree with this.” Ei nodded. “I have not pushed myself combat wise in while. With you captain, I believe should reach new heights in my abilities.”

“Indeed. So captain,” Zhongli looked towards Gran. “Do we have an accord?”

“Um…h-hold on now…” Gran began to sweat as the three gods loomed over him with immense curiosity.

“Ha ha! Do your best captain!” Venti laughed, along with Aether’s chuckling, while the young captain has heavy stares from three gods.

“Um M.Ms Kokomi….are you sure we should be here?” Gorou shifted his eyes back and forth and around the scene before him. His eyes glued forward at far end of the table while his tail and ears flicked nervously around. The general is certainly not one for fancy dinners and gatherings like this more so with strangers that, from what he has overheard, are from other worlds. Even though he is in his normal shirtless armor and his bow is not far from him, he felt utterly nervous.

“The shogun did invite us here. It would be rude to turn down the offer.” The young noble said as she took a bit of rice cracker prepared for her. Dressed in her lovely pale once blue and white, shoulder less blouse, Sangonomiya kept a gentle eye on the traveler and his other worldly comrades.

Though the invitation was less that and more the shogun just happen to see them and Miko dragged them along for her own amusement.

“Besides, I am also quite curious of the traveler’s friend.” Aya finished as she watched Aether laugh at Gran being hounded by El, Zhongli and Nahida. Their eyes all oddly sparkling at the young captain who began to sweat under their gaze. Nahida’s especially innocent one made the young captain swallow in worry.

Gorou, however, has his mind on a more dangerous topic.

‘H-He’s been glaring at me since I walked in…’ He did not dare look back at the hound leering at him. His eye leering at him from his position of leaning along the wall.

‘…It’s looks so fluffy….’ Eustace thought as he watched Gorou’s fluffy tail bounce to a fro. His cool, haunting gaze followed the soft tan cloud slowly wave back and forth.

How silky such fur must feel…

‘But…he’d never let me touch it.’ Eustace let out a pained sigh knowing how rude it would be to ask someone to touch their tails. The young man is not like to other fox women he knows back on the Grandcypher.

With a click of his teeth in disappointment, the gun man turned from the treasure he cannot have. “Tch.”

‘He’s totally going to try and kill me!’ While Gorou moaned in fear of his impeding doom.

“It’s been an honor being your general.” Gorou said as he took a bit of the rice. Unable to help ballooning his stomach as the food song on his tongue.

“My miss Narmaya! Good with a sowrd and in the kitchen!” One of the shrine maiden clapped her hands in glee as she watched the short but skillful woman dice up the potatoes for the guest. Though the women offered to simply let them take care of everything, hearing Gran was going to partake, the young swordswoman instead she help make something for her captain as she stood on a stool to help cut the vegetables with an easy slash of the knife.

“Ah it’s nothing. I cook all the time for the captain.” Narmaya smiled warmly as with a flick of her wrist the onions all were diced neatly.

“So tell us…that captain of yours.” One of the hand maids whispered. “Are you and him…like…you know...” The maid pushed her two index fingers together with a blistering red face.

“I mean you are so close to him….”

“Like…? Oh! U-Um… we-well…” Narmaya’s face turned a bright red as she held her blushing cheeks in her hands as she understood the woman’s meaning. Looking away from her with her the large knife in her hand Narmaya’s voice became small and sweet. “S-Something like that….”

The maids all whipped into a gossiping frenzy.

“Hooh my! Please lady Narmaya you must tell us about it!”

“How did you two met!?”

“Oh the love story of a captain and his crewmate! I am all tingles!”

‘It doesn’t match….’ Kuki watched from the distance with a bemused face under her mask. Hiding in shadows of the ceiling, as per Miko’s request to keep an eye on their otherworldly visitors, she watched the woman who had just threatened to easily cut down her life, something she could have down as simple as breathing. A woman who gave off such a suffocating powerful aura that Kuki felt as if she was in the presence of a deity of death, turn into a blushing bride of sorts.

‘It really doesn’t match.’ Kuki gave up on trying to make sense of it for the sake of her sanity.

“Oh! Shinobu! Would you like to come down and help us?” Narmaya said as she turned up and speak directly into the hidden panel Shinobu was hiding in. The knife in Narmaya’s hand glimmered innocently in the light.

‘How’s she-!’ Getting the woman thought was well hidden to jump in fear and shock.

“I-I am good!” The ninja shouted back from the ceiling.

‘…These people are bad for my heart…’

“PLEASE MASTER! TEACH ME YOUR WAYS!”

Outside in the gardens, Itto is bowing his head to the ground in front of Charlotta. The oni, after being awakened and the whole situation explained, he has hounded the tiny knight that bested him to show him how someone so small could be so strong.

“Hmph if your that desperate then I will teach you.” Charlotta said. Standing on a few boxes.

Though she was annoyed by him at first. Seeing someone genuinely take interest in her training warmed her up a little.

“First! Five hundred swings of your weapon! Every morning!”

“Eh?”

“Then a three hundred mile run towards the mountain and kill five hundred monsters!”

“T-Three..” Itto began to turn green. “Um is that a little-“

Charlotta’s sword slammed so hard into he ground that it made Itto jump.

“YOUR TRAINING BEGINS NOW WITH ONE THOUSAND PUSH UP!” The fire and fury in Charlotta’s booming voice shot the young oni up in a feared salute.

“Y-Yes mama!”

“Looks like your boy toy there is in a little trouble.” Metera muttered as she floated around the step Sara was sitting on. Popping a few dango in her mouth every now and then. “Little Charlotta may be cute, but she is a powerful captain. Let’s hope she doesn’t break your lover boy too much~.”

“He’s not my boy toy and will you stop following me.” The woman herself, who sat crossed legged, trying to clear her mind hissed at the flying headache around her.

“Oh, I was serious about that hair tip.” Metera said as she popped another sweet in her mouth. “And I am not leaving until I get something out of you.”

“Ugh…” Sara pinched the bridge of her nose. Seeing as this is not someone like Itto who she can ignore or beat in a fight, she gave up. “Look I just…comb it every morning. Thirty times on the right and thirty on the left.”

“Seriously!?” Metera’s face suddenly appeared in front of Sara. Making the other archer glare at Metera in shock and aggravation.

“Well that’s the natural beauty types for you.” Metera sighed and went back to floating and snacking.

“To be bested by such a…” Sara let the insult die on her lips as she went back to mediating.

“Fu~Fu~.” Metera giggled a little. “You remind me of my little sister you know.”

“Is she just as crass and flirty as you?” Sara meant it as a biting insult but there was a change in the flying woman’s demeanor. Her voice got softer and there was a pleasant and loving smile on her lips.

“Oh no. No that sweet little busybody is far different from her more…outgoing older sister. She’s so serious but that’s what makes her so charming. Caring and understanding. Always ready to help….”

Sara blinked at the sudden change in tone from the filthy seductress. Sweet sure but the air of tease and mischief has vanished and been replaced with a loving smile.

For a moment Sara did not know how to really respond; so, used to snapping back at the teasing woman’s charms, she could only mumble awkwardly in response.

“You...care a lot about your sister huh?”

“Oh, she’s always very fun to tease like a certain someone…” Metera giggled as she leaned on top of Sara.

“H-Hey!?” Sara snapped as she tried to wiggle the archer off of her. “Y-You-Give me back my feelings-!”

The day in Teyvat passed by peacefully.

With a bright blue sky hanging over everyone.