you hide your face with your disguise // 'cause someone filled your head with lies

[monoceroscaeli]

[It had been a few days since the hunt for the Great Mujina Youkai had come to an end, having to say goodbye to the kids and to Yoimiya too. The ship that was to take him back to Snezhnaya would be arriving a bit later in the day, and Childe sighs as he sits back in his chair in the tent he's occupying in one such hidden Fatui camp. He had a great time in Inazuma. The country was beautiful, rich with a new culture to learn and all sorts of places to explore and fight new and more exciting enemies. All his things were in order- the gifts that he'd bought to bring back to his family, Teucer's Onikabuto in a little bug box with some food to keep it alive during the trip back- all he'd have to do is wait for the ship and he'd be on his way.

He tells himself that he'd return to the country one day, once tensions between the Fatui and the Shogunate calm down. It was a miracle that he was able to stay as long as he has, evading the Tenryou Commission. He has some people to thank for that, and he won't forget what they did for him while he's been here. Some gifts would be in order for them upon his return.

The Harbinger idly plays with a writing utensil between his fingers. He'd like to bring something from Snezhnaya for Yoimiya, too.

There's a sharp rap at his door, and Childe sighs. He doesn't really want to deal with work right now, perfectly happy reminiscing on the time he's spent in Inazuma before he leaves, but answers with a bored tone to his voice:]

Come in.

[An agent enters, bowing and standing at attention.]

Sir, we've captured a Tenryou Commission spy that was found sneaking around. We've taken her into custody and are awaiting your orders on how to deal with her.

[Childe's eyebrow raises. It should have been hard to find this camp, even by the Shuumatsuban. Somehow, doubt creeps into his mind, but stands from his chair.]

Alright, I'll deal with it myself. At least I can have one last bit of fun before I depart.

[The agent only bows once more, to lead Childe towards the prisoner. He knows better than to argue with the Harbinger, but feels sorry for the spy. The two cross the camp to another tent, the agent stopping him right before lifting the flap for his senior commander.]

She claims to be from the fireworks shop, but we've seen Tenryou soldiers stop frequently at it.

[Before he can answer, the flap is lifted to reveal a certain girl that he'd met not but a few days ago...]

Comments

[monoceroscaeli]

[Looks like all that internal combustion happening inside of Yoimiya finally exploded. Childe can't help but think how cute and sweet the two of the look together, expression softening at the sight of the two of them being so friendly with one another.]

Hahaha, yeah. Perhaps one day we will.

[How could anyone say no to those faces. It makes him want to pummel Seraphina's face into the ground for putting them in a position where their adventure can't happen. But one day, he swears, Yoimiya and Aramiya can go on any adventure they want without fear- he'll make sure of it.]

We're going to be here for the foreseeable future though, so we'll be able to spend time with you as much as you want, Aramiya. The problem is, we're having trouble finding a place to stay. Do you know if one of these uh...huts are available?

[niwabi]

[ Aramiya is tickled pink by all the promises and affection the two Nara are showering upon on her. Who would have thought that beinf cute pays off??? Sure enough, she proves to be just like Yoimiya as she eats up all the attention, giving the biggest smile an Aranara is capable of. ]

Oh, yes! You can stay at my place. I've always wanted to have friends stay with me so the two of you are making my dreams come true. Follow me!

[ Sadly, Yoimiya has no choice but to let her down. Ut rest assured, she swears to bestow all the hugs and attention lil Aramiya wants.

The small creature leads them to a lone hut sitting on top of a grassy hill. It's small but bigh enough for two grown humans to lodge in, and provides them with a wonderful view of the sky above them. ]

This is my home! It's a bit simple but I hope you enjoy your stay. My house provides the best view of the sky! One of my favorite hobbies is to come out and gaze at the pretty stars.

[ She really is a chatterbox, just like Yoimiya. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Welp, he was hoping to get a place just for himself and Yoimiya, but it seems that the little creature is set on letting them stay at her place for the time being. Which is okay, eventually they can move out, right? He ponders on the advantages and disadvantages to this, while they walk along the path towards her home.

Walking inside, Tartaglia looks around at all the simple decorations inside, ones fitting of an Aranara. It's mostly leaf-based and wooden decorations, much like the elder's hut, with shelving that house vegetables and fruit. Not a single piece of meat to be seen...but that makes sense. From the outside, he can absolutely appreciate the view, giving them a good vantage point both downwards and upwards.]

This is quite the cozy abode! You've certainly managed to snag the best seat in the house, Aramiya.

[He'll let that silver tongue of his make sure they stay welcome here.]

Thank you for inviting us into your home. Yoimiya and I will make sure we're wonderful guests for you. We can even do a bit of cooking, right Yoimiya?

[niwabi]

That's right! It's only fair we do our part as your guests. Ajax is a wonderful cook, one bite and you're guaranteed to be sent to a heavenly plane.

[ If Aramiya's eyes could shine like stars twinkling in the night sky, her beady eyes would be dazzling. She lifts her tiny arms, leaping in the air with pure joy. It's at this moment, Yoimiya finally realizes what cute aggression is because she wants nothing more than to pick up this little darling and squeeze her with hugs. ]

Oh, thank you, thank you so much! I've never had Nara cooking before but Aramiya has always wanted to try food from all across the land.

[ She points toward a wooden bed filled with leaves that should be big enough to hold both of them. ]

Hopefully this bed will be comfortable enough for the two of you! If there's anything Aramiya can do to make your stay splendid, please don't hesitate to let me know. Since we are friends, I want nothing more than to treat you well.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Looks like they just made Aramiya's whole world. There's a few dishes he thinks he can whip up for the little plant creature, but getting used to an all-vegetarian, if not vegan, diet was going to be hard for him. He's not...a big fan of vegetarian dishes, even if he'll eat them if he has to. Hopefully they can at least season things...]

Any bed at all is good enough for us. It sure beats sleeping on the floor. By the way, Aramiya, I noticed that there's a lack of fireplaces in this village as we were passing by your homes. You don't mind if we make a little cooking ground outside of your home, do you? We'll make sure the fire doesn't spread, I understand how important that is.

[That and they need to go out into the village and explore, maybe bring some food back with them, and convene on how to get meat and a mattress into the village without leaving the dream...]

We'll be able to cook you something really nice tonight, as thanks for your generosity.

[niwabi]

Of course! If there's anything you need to do, you're more than welcomed to take care of it in my home. I trust you Nara, I know the two of you will be extra careful with that fire.

[ With Aramiya's approval, Yoimiya feels a whole lot better about their situation. After everything they've been through, it's nice to finally have a shred of hope in the form of these adorable creatures. For the first time in what's felt like forever, she hasn't experienced any dark thoughts clouding her mind, the thought of being useless hasn't even occured to her. Finally, she's starting to return back to her old peppy self. ]

Well, if you don't mind, Ajax and I will take our leave to explore the village some more. We promise to bring back lots of food and cook the grandest meal for you.

[ She drops her bags nearby the bed and makes her way over to her boyfriend. ]

Shall we, Ajax?

[monoceroscaeli]

[He nods to Yoimiya, waving once to Aramiya before they'll take their leave and head out into the village.]

See you later, Aramiya.

[Ajax slips his arm around Yoimiya's back to let his hand rest against her hip, bringing her into him as they leave while he sticks his other hand into his pocket. From the vantage point on top of the hill, he looks around the entire village, still amazed with their temporary home.]

You know, [he says while they trail down the hill,] if we're in a dream, I do wonder if the same logic that applies to the real world will apply here. For example, do you think we'd be able to fly if we so willed it? Or even use other elements that don't pertain to our visions?

[He isn't saying it, but it's clear- Tartaglia wants to know if he has more powers while he's here, which he'd clearly want to use to fight with...]

[niwabi]

[ As he snakes his arm around her, she snuggles up closer to him, melting at his heat that brings her comfort. The sight of the Aranara village is stunning, like a fantastical wonderland straight out of her dreams. And best of all? She gets to spend it all with the love of her life without Seraphina or any other terrible distractions. ]

Oh, that's a wonderful thought, Ajax! I don't see why not, the last time I was in Sumeru, I got to ride on a shooting star and watch meteorites fall from the sky.

[ It was a wonderful dream she swears to never forget. The only way to improve it is if Ajax was there. ]

I'd love to ride across the starry sky with you.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He feels his heart swell at the idea of getting to ride on a star across the sky with her. That in and of itself is something that could truly only happen in a dream. He remembers she told him about her adventures in Sumeru when she arrived in Snezhnaya, and it's still amazing to him that she got to experience that kind of thing. It feels like so long ago that they had that little conversation on the way to his hometown, like they've aged so much since then even if it's really only been a few weeks or so.]

Well, perhaps while we're here, we can make it happen. Mastering the power of dreams sounds like an incredible power to wield.

[As soon as he says it, he realizes now why Dottore wants to get his hands on an Aranara. He won't verbalize it, but his cohort wants to control dreams...perhaps that's what that little project he was running was out on those remote islands?]

We'll ask around about it. For now, it's time to get to know the locals. Why don't we start down there? I want to know what that structure is down there, too. I bet there's all sorts of secrets to learn here...

[niwabi]

[ Thinking about riding on a star across the milky galaxy with the love of her life causes her heart to pound with excitement. If they can make it happen, that will be her ultimate dream come true. That dream has stuck with her ever since she left Sumeru and she'd love nothing more than for Ajax to experience it too.

And knowing Ajax, once he sets his mind on a goal, he'll see it through the end. She had faith they'll have that wonderful experience once more.

But for now, her attention is drawn to the fascinating structure in the middle of the village, it practically caught her eye the moment she stepped foot in this fantasical land. Now that they finally have time on their hands, it'd be a waste not to check it out. She sticks close by Ajax's side as they head down the hill and toward the lake, nuzzling her head against his arm the whole way there. The structure is stunning, every intricate detail looks like it was made from the finest wood in Sumeru. And to make it even more amazing, dendro crystalflies twirl and fly around it, one of them even flies over to land on top of Ajax's ginger hair. ]

Hehe, looks like you made a friend.

[ She giggles, the sight of Ajax with a crystalfly fluttering it's wings atop is head is just too cute not to admire. Yoimiya extends her free arm with full intent of touching it, only to draw away when she realizes it might be rude. ]

Would it be improper to touch it?

[monoceroscaeli]

[For what may be the first time since the deadly encounter inside of the cave near his home in Snezhnaya, Tartaglia feels like he can finally relax a bit and enjoy Yoimiya's company. Having her nuzzle into him feels like they've been given some sort of semblance of normal, for whatever normal looks like to the Eleventh Harbinger. But it's a normal he'll take right about now, marveling at the wonder of this strange arch and the little green crystalflies that hover and fly around it.

He looks up to follow the crystalfly that floats down and lands right on top of his head, so light that he wouldn't of even noticed if he hadn't seen it first. Ajax makes no moves to startle it, feeling blessed that it had even deemed him safe enough to land on. Looking over to Yoimiya, he chuckles softly at her comment, watching her hand reach and retract itself.]

I think it's closer to, will it allow you to touch it at all. They're pretty skittish creatures. I'm too scared to even budge and inch for fear of it flying off.

[He's willing to bet it's a sight though. He'd take a picture if he could.]

But, maybe you can get it to sit on your finger. I suppose if it were frightened of us, it would have flown off as we were approaching.

[niwabi]

[ There's something about a skittish creature deeming her "dangerous" Harbinger boyfriend a safe spot to land on that makes her heart melt. The sight of a crystalfly taking shelter atop his head is too cute for words, and now, she really wishes she had a kamera on her but then again, it's hard to imagine a kamera working in a dream. Probably wouldn't. So for the time being, she'll just have to settle with the memory of a crystalfly fluttering its wings on top of his ginger hair every time she closes her eyes.

She takes Ajax's advice to heart and slowly extends her arm, stretching her index finger to show she means no harm. The little crystalfly looks almost pensive for a moment, debating if it wants to leave the safety of Ajax's fluffy orange curls, and after some deliberation, it flaps its wings, taking flight to Yoimiya's small finger. Her eyes light up at the gesture, the happiest she's looked in so long. ]

Ajax, look! It's sitting on top of my finger... oh, it's so pretty. I've never seen a crystalfly this close in person.

[ Let's just say her attempts to catch them in the past have been met with........ mixed results. 😔 ]

We really are inside a dream, aren't we? Normally, these little critters would fly away as soon as we're anywhere near it.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Watching Yoimiya's eyes light up like that the moment the crystalfly lands on her finger was worth the trip alone. She was so down in the dumps for the last few weeks or so, not that he could hardly blame her, but it's nice to see her happy for a change. It's the kind of joy he wishes he could bring her every day, but sadly their reality doesn't allow for that kind of happiness for the moment. So he'll be glad that for now, they get to have this, even if it's fleeting.]

We sure are. I know I've never gotten one to come near me my whole life. You've got to be pretty sneaky and fast to catch one- so I guess this means that anyone who's in the dream must be safe enough for them to feel comfortable with.

[So hopefully they won't notice the crystal cores on his gloves...]

I think it likes you. What are you going to name it?

[niwabi]

[ She's absolutely taking his advice to heart. Maybe when they're finally allowed to have peace, they can go on a crystalfly catching spree in the real world. Oh, how wonderful it would be to have a garden with crystalflies from each of the nations fluttering about, she'd love nothing more than to build a magnificent sanctuary for his siblings.

Hey, maybe they'll be the first to catch 9999 of those buggers! Surely there's not a single person who has accomplished such a feat. That would be crazy, right? RIGHT?????? ]

That's a great question! I think... I want to name it Moriko.

[ She flickers her gaze at the dainty green creature sitting pretty on her finger. It's so pretty and even if it's only a dream, the little crystalfly reminds her that life is beautiful and there are plenty of wonderful things worth living for. ]

"Mori" means forest in Inazuman, I think that's pretty fitting for a creature from the dendro nation. What about you? Since it landed on your head first, it's only fair you have a say in its name too.

coming back to this thread and seeing you call me out AGAIN

[monoceroscaeli]

[Inazuman names don't mean much to him, hailing from a country that doesn't use the same scheme, but what does mean something to him is that Yoimiya is happy. Ajax smiles softly back at her, thinking the name is pretty cute. He has no idea what to name it personally, and anything he comes up with is battle related, which doesn't seem right for a beautiful crystalfly.]

No, I think that's a fitting name. I'm not any good at naming things anyway, so I think we can christen this little fellow as Moriko.

[Childe isn't one to talk to something that can't understand him, so he just nods in approval.]

Perhaps this arch here is simply the home for many crystalflies...seems they like to hang around it. A perfect spot for a picnic, wouldn't you say?

[niwabi]

[ Moriko it is! Inazuman names might not mean much to Ajax but Yoimiya is pleased at her naming sense. She sighs with admiration as the creature flutters its wings atop of her finger. And soon enough, the lil crystalfly moves from her hand to the top of her blonde head, looking like a living bow sitting in her hair. ]

You're right! This will be a lovely spot for a picnic. We gotta do that while we're here! I'm sure Aramiya will enjoy it too.

[ Excitement aside, she still has questions about the magnificent structure. ]

But surely there's more to this structure than acting as a home for crystalflies, right? It stands out way too much.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Really, if only they had a Kamera. Yoimiya looks so cute and sweet with the crystalfly now hanging out in her hair instead. Childe's eyes gleam at the sight.]

Yes, I suppose it does. We could always just ask someone, couldn't we? Speak of the devil, there's a free Aranara right now.

[In a village full of Aranara, one was eventually going to cross their path, and one does- a particularly strange looking one on top of it. Its body is a lighter wood shade than the rest, accented by a red scarf around its neck with an orange leaf on top of its head that doesn't look so different than the ginger who's broken away from Yoimiya to approach it.]

Excuse me, we'd like to ask you a question, if you have a moment. This wooden arch here in the middle of your town...what is it for?

[The Aranara blinks back at them in surprise, having never seen Nara here before in Vanaranara but...]

Arch? Oh, you mean Silapna? Why, that's just something you can use for training, if you can get it to activate. Arajax uses it all the time, except I fight the monsters inside instead of avoiding them!

[niwabi]

[Aranara are swarming all over the place, making this the best village she's ever been in. There's plenty to ask and as she watches Ajax approach one that happens to be nearby, the creature's peculiar color and red scarf catch her attention, causing her to stop and stare with her jaw slack open.

She can't even process what the lil orange aranara is saying. Something something Silapna. What is that? Something about training? Why do they have to activate it???? None of that matters when she's staring at the Aranara version of her boyfriend. She sends a glance over his way, holding up her arm in his direction. ]

Ajax... I know we're in a dream but could you pinch me, anyway?

[ After the whole Aramiya debacle, the appearance of Arajax shouldn't surprise her and yet, it's hard to grasp what she's seeing.

Arajax is here too!! ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[It doesn't dawn on Childe right away, he just sees a cute little Aranara walking along, minding his own business. It slowly starts to click though, when it says its name is Arajax and Yoimiya asks him to pinch her. He hasn't forgotten, they'd talked about Arajax before they dealt with Aramiya. Tartaglia hadn't expected they'd run into a tiny him here already, though.]

O-Oh! Hey now, no need for pinching.

[They'd specifically talked about acting cool in front of Arajax, because he knows that if this little guy is like him, he'll pick up on their lies and deception quickly...neither of them are great at it.]

What did she say your name was? Ajax? That sounds suspiciously like Arajax...who are you? And why does a Nara look like me?

[This puts Ajax instantly on edge, feeling himself sweat already. He has to learn to lie to himself in one sentence...]

Who's to say, [he begins,] perhaps it's just a coincidence. Where I'm from, Ajax isn't an unknown name. It's only fitting that an Aranara has the same name. I'm actually flattered to know that I share a name with someone from Vanaranara. But, I'm more interested in what you said last. What's this about training?

[Trying to change the subject as fast as he can to something he knows he'd zero in on immediately!!!]

[niwabi]

[ It's times like these that make Yoimiya wish she was a good liar and could pull off a poker face. Shoot, they did talk about keeping their cool in front of Arajax just in case he was lurking around and she already blew it in the first few second. Great job, Yoimiya..., she mentally facepalms at her obvious.

Maybe Ajax isn't the best liar but he's certainly better than herself, she'd be floundering if it wasn't for him. Yoimiya is able to pull herself together thanks to his quick thinking, nodding her head to try and make it seem authentic. ]

It's nice to meet ya, Arajax. I'm Yoimiya! Sorry if I scared you, I was so impressed you have the same name as him that I couldn't believe what I was hearing for a second. Ajax is a strong warrior, so it wouldn't surprise me if you were just as powerful.

[ Whew, she's still not great at lying but hopefully that keeps him from looking too deep into the situation. If he's truly anything like Tartaglia, then she has no doubt the little Aranara will hone in on picking a fight with her beloved. ]

Yeah, do you mind elaborating on the part about training? Both of us enjoy fighting and we're always looking to improve our skills in any way we can.

[ Welp, it's not a total and complete lie on her end. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Arajax doesn't look like he's totally buying what they're selling, but then his priorities are in other areas than figuring out why a Nara looks like him and shares the same interest as him. He's just happy that the two of them are expressing interest in this! Plus he's definitely interested in Ajax now...strong opponents sounds great.

He puffs out his chest a little bit when told that he must be powerful too. He is! Thank you for noticing.]

Nara are interesting in training too, huh? Well, first you'll need a song to enter! Once you're inside, you'll need to use all your skills to deal with the Fungi and Hilinara inside while collecting seeds! Only Arabalika has beat Arajax in the trials. But I'll beat him one day!

[Childe can't believe what he's hearing- it's as if he's listening to a recording of himself. He laughs nervously, throwing a hand behind his head only because now he can hear himself when he talks like that too. Not ashamed at all about it, it's just...weird.]

We'd certainly love a chance at it ourselves, Arajax. But...perhaps you'll spar with me sometime? We'll be here for the foreseeable future, and I'm always looking for strong opponents to cross blades with. Maybe I can teach you a thing or two about how Nara fight. What do you say?

[He folds his arms over his chest now, looking confident and doing his best to wipe away the momentary image of him before that was mildly weirded out.]

How could I turn that down? Anytime you want, Ajax! I'm always ready for a spar. Will you be joining in too, Red Nara?

[niwabi]

[ Archons above, Yoimiya cannot believe what she's hearing either... his love for fighting, his offer to spar with Ajax, his determination to beat whoever this Arabalika is, Arajax sounds like a mini-me of her sweetheart. She's forced to bite back the giggles that threaten to spill out of her lips but goodness, she nearly loses it when sees the little creature puff out his chest in pride.

Yup, that's definitely a walking plant version of her dearling Ajax. They look like mirror images of one another with Ajax confidently crossing his arms and Arajax puffing out his chest. She has no doubt he's probably weirded out right about now, once they're alone, she absolutely has plans to poke fun at him but for now, she needs to focus on keeping a straight face as not to clue the perceptive Aranara in. ]

Yes! Of course! I'd love to train with y'all. It will be an honor to fight with two strong warriors, hehe.

[ As ridiculous as the scene unfolding in front of her is, this little bit of silliness is just what she needs to take her mind off Seraphina. Coming to this village has been the best blessing she could ask for, seeing all the cute Aranara and chatting with them has lifted her spirits and she finally feels a bit more like her usual perky self. She still can't wrap her mind around Aramiya and Arajax actually existing and acting just like them but for now, she's happy to enjoy this much-needed break from all the doom and gloom of the real world. ]

I happen to have a lyre on me. [ In fact, she produces it as they speak. ] Could you show me how to play the song?

[monoceroscaeli]

[Now that it seems everything's settled to Arajax, it's time to teach these Nara how to enter the Silapna. It's really more Arana's job to be teaching this since it's her song, but it couldn't hurt, right? Helping them learn means more battles for Arajax, and that's what he wants at the end of the day. So, the little Aranara holds his little stubby arms out happily as he nods to Yoimiya's request.]

Of course! It goes a little something like this.

[Arajax begins to sing a simple tune for the both of them, easy to learn and easy to play. Once he finishes, he looks at both Ajax and Yoimiya proudly, happy with his performance.]

There, now you Nara can enter the gate. If you can beat the monsters in there, you can probably take on the Iron Chunks too. Those are the most fun to fight.

Haha, thank you, Arajax. Yoimiya, think you can play that? We could try the gate out right now if you wanted...

[Maybe that would earn them some trust among the Aranara, which is their goal anyway. He can't believe that coming across his Aranara twin might end up proving very useful today. Fate has a funny way of making things come together like this.]

[niwabi]

[ How could something so bloodthirsty also be so cute? Yoimiya is so charmed by lil Arajax singing a tune for them that she almost forgets he's here for a fight. Ajax's question snaps her out of her cuteness overload reverie and she quickly holds up her lyre. The song was so adorable and yet so simple, so even for someone who can't play her way out of a wet paper bag, this shouldn't be too hard. Hopefully. ]

Let's see... like this?

[ With Arajax's song fresh on her mind, her fingers carefully strum across the lyre's strings, playing the song note for note. Just like that, Silapna's opening glows a bright green, spooking away nearby crystalflies in the process. Yoimiya looks amazed at the sight, she can't believe she's already learned two songs from the cute Aranara. ]

Oh, look at that! It's glowing! How pretty... I guess I need to start keeping track of the songs y'all taught me.

[ Hopefully her blonde head will be able to fit everything... 💦💦💦 ]

Well, do we just hop in to get in on the action?

[monoceroscaeli]

[And just like that, the gate springs to life and emits a strange aura from the entrance. It beckons all who stand before it to come in, and while Yoimiya asks her question and worries about learning songs, Tartaglia steps forward to reach his hand out gingerly towards the portal. Nothing seems to happen upon him touching it, and he retracts his hand. Guess he'll have to take the plunge to find out.]

That's right! Just step inside and your trial will begin. Good luck, you two!

[Arajax, who has assumed that both Yoimiya and Ajax both want to attempt the gate's trial, plip-plods behind the both of them. In the next second, Ajax can feel a force on his back that's pushing both himself and Yoimiya forward towards the gate, but he doesn't try to resist- he wants to do this more than anything.

That must be that Aranara's power...I can't wait to challenge him.

In he goes, through the portal into a darker version of the very forest they find themselves in. No Aranara are present inside, and he looks around to see what exactly it is they're looking at. He calls out for his companion, looking behind to see if she'd gotten pushed in too.]

Yoimiya?