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

[niwabi]

[ It's amazing how Ajax goes from looking like an otherwordly giant to back to himself in the blink of an eye. Although she still has questions regarding Foul Legacy, her inquiry must be put on hold for the Dendro Archon. Just as quickly as Tartaglia changed back to his usual self, he smoothly went into diplomat mode as if he wasn't a monster just a few seconds ago. Likewise, Yoimiya puts on her best serious face, the last thing she wants is to cause trouble for her boyfriend in front of Sumeru's Archon. He's already got enough on his plate as is.

And considering Nahida has every right to be suspicious of Childe, she really doesn't want to make him look bad. ]

We'll do whatever is easiest for you, Archon. This will also give me a chance to apologize to the Aranara. They've been nothing but kind to us and I hate to think that we spooked them even for a second. We truly didn't mean to scare them.

[ Nahida glances back and forth between the two of them, their concern feels genuine, it doesn't seem like either one of them are attempting to pull the wool over her eyes. She can sense that the young lady from Inazuma has a pure heart but the Harbinger in particular is rather interesting. Despite his allegiances, his respect for her and the Aranara feels authentic. But there's no use pondering in this dimension, all she can do is keep an eye out for him. ]

I'm sure the Aranara are more concerned that something bad happened to the two of you. They seem to have taken a liken to you since you're one of the few adults to enter Vanaranara.

[ With that, Nahida turns on her heels to lead them towards the exit. Once out of the domain, they're greeted by a gaggle of Aranara surrounding the Silapna. Some are confused, some are concerned, some are freaking out by the sudden appearance of the Dendro Archon but out of all of them, one brave Aramiya plip-plods her way over to the trio. ]

We heard a huge commotion in this direction! Is everything okay?! Aramiya was so worried about new Nara friends.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Following Nahida out, they walk through the portal to the sight of all sorts of different Aranara huddling around and wondering what happened to the two nara that went inside. Arajax can be seen near the front, less concerned and more intrigued by the sudden burst of power that erupted from inside of the training ground. He can't believe those two nara are that strong, and as soon as this is all over, he need to ask for a spar immediately.

Childe looks around with an apologetic smile to the rest of the inhabitants, seeing the results of the commotion they caused. But to no one's surprise, the one Aranara who would have the guts to come up and say something is none other than...Aramiya. Yoimiya's Aranara self really is just like her...

He kneels down in front of her, keeping a warm and reassuring smile on his face now, just for her.]

We're just fine. We ran into an unexpected situation inside, but we were never in danger. Lesser Lord Kusanali doubly ensured our safety, so there's nothing to worry about, okay? Thank you for being so worried about us.

[Tartaglia reaches out to muss the top of her little plant head, to show his appreciation of her. Nahida eyes him, while also trying to keep the rest of the Aranara in check as they throw question after question at her and Yoimiya.]

Is Red Nara okay? Was that the Marana inside? Didn't Golden Nara and Arama beat the Marana? Lord of Verdure, did you take care of the scary Marana?

Not so many questions at a time please! Everything is okay and these two are perfectly fine. Please, give us a little space, I have to talk to them a little!

[niwabi]

[ The worries lil Aramiya had been bottling up vanish the moment Ajax places his hand on top of her small plant head. The everlasting smile on her face somehow looks even brighter and with relief flooding into every crevice of her small body, she nuzzles her head into his palm, happy to see her new friends safe and sound. ]

Yeah, we're okay! Sorry for causing a commotion, we went overboard in the training session is all, really!

[ Try as she might, Yoimiya is having a tough time keeping up with all the questions. Golden Nara? Scary Marana? What is all that???? It's overloading her brain. Thankfully, Nahida does her best to calm the poor confused Aranara but it's proving to be difficult with so many of them throwing question after question. ]

Shall we move our discussion to the Elder's hut? They're all understandably curious but it's getting difficult to converse.

[monoceroscaeli]

[It's a relief that their host seems to have accepted his explanation and apology, and that she'll be okay. That's terribly adorable of this little Aranara to be so worried for the two of them, but on the other hand, that's very on brand for Yoimiya in any universe and any existence when he thinks about it.

Standing up back to his full height again, he towers over the rest of the inhabitants of the forest, giving them all a reassuring wave just so they could see that both Orange Nara and Red Nara are okay. They're really an excitable bunch, but that makes them all the more endearing to Tartaglia- they definitely can't let Dottore get his grubby paws on them. He doesn't like to think of what he'll do to the poor things if he's allowed the chance. So he looks down to Nahida, gives a nod of his head, so they can head in the direction.]

Let's go. This isn't going to let up if we don't move.

[He's happy to take the lead, being careful not to step on anyone as they make their way back to the elder's hut to talk about things. Tartaglia doesn't say anything on the way there, preferring to have the privacy of the house to discuss things- he wouldn't want to talk about the real threat looming over their tiny town.

Once inside, he finds a nice spot near the wall while everyone else files in.]

What a lively bunch...seems that the village and everyone else was alright. For a moment, I was scared that we'd affected the forest outside of that little training realm. Now, why don't we get down to business.

[He's ready to talk, and doesn't want to waste any time- the Dendro Archon is here, and that means they can kill two birds with one stone.]

Yes, let's. Can you two explain exactly your business is in Vanaranara? You said you were refugees, and you said there was a threat. Care to elaborate on that so I can understand?

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya gives one last wave to the Aranara before trotting off with Ajax and Nahida. She too doesn't say anything during their trip but now, she is determined to protect these precious creatures more than ever. The Aranara have shown them kindness beyond anything she's seen, they've accepted the two strange Nara into their village without much question and still continue to be nice to them even after getting spooked. There's no way she could hand them over to Dottore, none of them deserve whatever fate he has in store for them.

With newfound vigor, Yoimiya takes a deep breath and enters the hut, she quickly makes her way over to where Tartaglia stands while Nahida get herself situated. Thankfully, the elder is here too and since they've already shared their story with him, he'll be able to vouch for them with any luck. ]

Absolutely. So um, we keep getting attacked by an entity beyond our control. She's been after us for some time now. To say her powers are terrifying would be an understatement, she can control both the mind and body of a large city. Here recently, she took control over the citizens of Sumeru City just to kill me.

[ There's a brief moment where Nahida looks surprised before her expression melts into one that looks like she's received an answer to a question that's had her perplexed. She brings her tiny hand to her chin to contemplate for a few short seconds. ]

I see... I actually recall sensing a strange presence in Sumeru City a few days ago.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Yoimiya's retelling brings back terrible images in his head of watching them take her to the edge of the dock, dump her in, and leave while laughing. The coldness in the eyes of that possessed maid won't leave him for a long time, and the experience he had with her when she controlled Yoimiya's body will send chills down his spine for as long as he lives. Even now, he still doesn't know what exactly got into him when they were in the bath...and he's afraid of the possibilities. That, and he can't even begin to figure out what's wrong with him.

So call it a relief that Nahida also can sense the presence of Seraphina. Knowing that, they might have a chance if even she can't hide from an archon.]

That most certainly was her. She also possessed Yoimiya's body just to get to me the night before. She goes by the name Seraphina. Ever heard a name like that before?

[Concern lines Nahida's features, bringing a finger up to her lip to think.]

No, but there's ways of finding out who that is. I can't have someone like that manipulating the minds of the people of Sumeru. As the Harbinger is certainly aware, the people have already gone through a similar crisis. I don't want anyone to go through that again.

[Childe's face doesn't change, but internally he feels a little anxiety. Dottore already made a mess of things here, and he hopes that she doesn't hold that against him instead of the culprit.]

Speaking of which, the Doctor has returned to Sumeru. The reason of which is something I think Yoimiya can speak more to.

[niwabi]

[ Seraphina... even just hearing her name sends chills down her spine. Yoimiya still can't wrap her mind around the whole situation, what did either one of them do to deserve this? She swallows hard, doing her best to drown her nerves in the face of the Dendro Archon. Unfortunately, doesn't seem like the Archon knows the mysterious entity but even so, it's a relief to hear that Nahida could also sense her presence in the city. Makes her feel like she hasn't gone completely crazy.

And maybe, just maybe, she'll use her vast knowledge to unveil her identity. If the Archon of Wisdom can't figure out who Seraphina is then no one can. ]

That's right, Dottore is here in Sumeru and his goal is to grab a hold of an Aranara. But before we go any further, there's a matter I need to be honest about and apologize for.

[ Yoimiya hangs her head down in shame. As much as she doesn't want to come out and spill the beans on their true intentions, it doesn't sit right with her to keep this from Nahida. ]

I was brought here to bring an Aranara to him. We told him about the entity that's been going after us and I told him about my ability to see the Aranara. So in the end, I struck a deal with him to bag an Aranara.

[ Nahida doesn't say anything for a good while, almost as if she saw through their intentions right on the spot. ]

I see... [ She directs her attention at Ajax. ] And you? I assume you're helping her?

[monoceroscaeli]

[Childe is silent while Yoimiya explains herself and apologizes. He's sure that this is not something Nahida wants to hear, nor appreciates, but it's better to be forthcoming with this rather than hide it. He's heard that the Dendro Archon can gaze into the minds of her subjects if she so chooses...something terrifying all on its own, if you ask him.

Of course, attention is brought back to him, but he's prepared for it. It's only natural to assume he's up to no good, even if he doesn't always appreciate that mindset. But, that's what comes with being a Harbinger, he supposes.]

'Helping' in the terms of assisting with getting an Aranara for the Doctor would be a stretch. I'm here to ensure Yoimiya's safety as her significant other. I'm in no means obligated to help the Doctor with his goals, nor am I under any orders from the Tsaritsa herself in this matter. I doubt he is, either. Which brings us to the good news.

[Tartaglia's grin couldn't be wider...it's going to be fun to thwart his coworker.]

Yoimiya and I have been plotting to undermine him. Her safety means far more to me than any of his research, and the elder here reassured me that there might be something you can do to help us. Since I'm free to do as I please, I see no reason to hand over one of the Aranara to the Doctor. Besides, the deal wasn't to capture one. The deal was to introduce him to them so he could ask for their assistance in his research, in return for something that would help Yoimiya combat Seraphina's influence on her mind. So you must understand why we sought out the Doctor, and what exactly we can do to keep him away from this place, right? I've heard you've negotiated with him before.

[There's a knowing look in Tartaglia's eyes- he's pretty sure the Doctor didn't think that they'd get Nahida involved with all of this. And there's a lot of different ways that "introducing the Doctor to the Aranara" can be interpreted.]

I understand your reasoning. I think there might be a few things I can help you with on that! But can I trust that you won't betray me and the Aranara? The Fatui haven't given anyone a reason to be trusted after what happened with the Akademiya.

[niwabi]

[ Ajax provides an explanation better than she ever could. Despite that she still feels awful about striking a deal with Dottore, she can't help but crack a smile at her partner's grin. That's the face of a man excited to give his own coworker what for. And best of all, seems like Nahida is willing to accept their perspective. Although it might not be what she wanted to hear, Yoimiya knew that ultimately, it'd be better to tell the truth.

It wouldn't surprise her if the Dendro Archon surmised their original intentions on her own and that would spell trouble for them.

But since Nahida is willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, it's only fair she makes a promise she doesn't intend to break. ]

Yes, I can give you my word neither one of us will betray you or the Aranara. We're not big fans of Dottore or the way he conducts himself either. I'd rather die than see any of these precious creatures turn into one of his lab rats.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Nahida's concerns are valid, and Tartaglia isn't even about to try to refute it. After the blunder at the Akademiya, there's no reason for her to trust him, and Yoimiya by association. But all they can give is their word at this point, so he joins Yoimiya in her pledge to the Dendro Archon.]

I can assure you that I can pledge my support barring an order that comes from Her Majesty herself or the leader of the Harbingers. I don't take orders from Dottore, and it's in my interest to protect these little guys here over his research. I hope that this will prove enough to work together to come up with a solution to this problem.

[Even if it's not possible to make this a permanent situation, it could be a band-aid that prolongs more attempts to capture an Aranara.]

I know you're only helping us because of Yoimiya, but I can accept that. Working together to both keep the Aranara safe and thwart this Seraphina person is in my best interest. So, welcome to the team, you two! I think we should be able to come up with something to fool the Doctor, but it won't be easy.

[Relieved, he lets out a sigh. That went better than he was expecting.]

Right. Acting as their intermediary probably won't be enough to keep him satisfied, and it wouldn't do to give even a single Aranara up. But I've got an idea.

[niwabi]

[ Nahida agreeing to help them feels like a giant weight has been lifted off her shoulders. A ray of hope shines down on them for the first time in what felt like forever, and finally, the future is looking bright. Shes confident not even Seraphina can withstand the combined forces of Tartaglia and the Dendro Archon.

It's nice to finally be pulled from the depths of despair and meet with hope incarnate. Everything is going so well and it feels like they'll be rid of their problem soon. ]

Oh? What's your idea?

[ Nahida asks with curious intrigue. Although theres no denying it feels strange to work with a Harbinger after dealing with Dottore, Tartaglia has proven himself to be genuine. Besides, it will be interesting to see the wisdom of one of the infamous Harbingers. ]

Strong, handsome, and smart? You have it all, Ajax. Hehe, do share with the class.

[ Not yoi flirting with him in front of an Archon... ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[The look he shoots Yoimiya is a combination of a knowing smile and an incredulous smirk. Did you really...just hit on him in the middle of such a serious discussion in front of an archon???? He appreciated the compliment but Yoimiya...]

Ahem, yes, [he says, wondering if his face turned pink or not,] I figured that having Lesser Lord Kusanali here simply tell the Doctor no and tell us all to leave Sumeru posthaste wouldn't really do much to deter his operations here. So, I'd like to propose something a little more...concrete of a solution.

[Nahida glances at Yoimiya and back to Ajax, trying to keep a giggle in. If that wasn't a true sign of love between the two, then she hasn't been observing humans as much as she should. But, she knows not to bring any attention to it.]

Are you thinking about giving the Doctor what he wants?

[Tartaglia's brighten with the quick pick up on the archon's part, nodding his head.]

Indeed. Producing something for him to study and take back to Snezhnaya would satiate his interests for a time, until he either figures out the truth, or is led down the wrong path with his research. Do you have the power to do something like that?

[Nahida has to think for a moment. What Tartaglia is asking isn't exactly the most moral thing to do in the world, and she herself isn't a fan of the idea and it shows.]

Making a fake Aranara could work, but you're asking me to do something that I just reprimanded him for.

I know. That's why I wouldn't ask you to make one like the living, breathing Aranara we have here. Just one that operates enough to pretend to be one, like a pre-written code and different elemental characteristics so as not to give him enough on what the Aranara are truly capable of. Like the machines in Fontaine, but...organic.

[Tartaglia is no scientist or biologist...but this is the best he can come up with, knowing Dottore's persistence.]

[niwabi]

[ Yes, she really did hit on him during a serious discussion in front of an Archon. And no, she doesn't feel a single ounce of shame or regret for her actions. The look on his face is endearing. If this wasn't a serious discussion, she might have poked fun at him a bit more but before a grin could even curve on her lips, Ajax's suggestion causes her gold eyes to widen, and leave her at a loss for words.

Create a fake Aranara...

Now, Yoimiya isn't much of a strategist but out of all the plans he could concoct, making a decoy Aranara certainly wasn't one of them. She had no idea that a feat like that was in the realm of possibilities but that just goes to show you just how creative her boyfriend is. And she's certainly proud of him for it.

Once the initial shock wears off, Yoimiya goes from looking stunned to impressed. But of course, this all comes down to Nahida's feelings on the matter, and judging from this conversation, she surmises that this matter is a bit of a sensitive topic for the Archon. She makes a note to ask Ajax later, sounds like she's got a bit of history with the Doctor. ]

That's a really clever plan, Ajax! Goodness, I never could have come up with something like that. It's brilliant, this will get him off our back and stop his reign of terror in Sumeru for a good while.

[ But of course, this plan hinges on Nahida's consent. If she isn't comfortable, then Yoimiya isn't about to push her into doing something she doesn't want to do. ]

I think this might be the best method of ensuring he leaves y'all alone for good but... I also understand if you are iffy about this plan.

[ Nahida doesn't say a word, pondering to herself in deep silence. It's extremely evident she isn't too keen on this idea and who could blame her? Yoimiya understands she doesn't want to go down the same route as Dottore. But after contemplating, her expression shifts from uncertainty to understanding, seems like she's on board with this plan. ]

No, that's fine. The more I ponder on it, I also believe this is the best course of action. What matters the most is protecting the real Aranara if creating a fake ensures their safety then so be it.

[ Besides, there's something poetic justice in fooling Dottore with a taste of his own medicine. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Yoimiya's praise earns a proud look from him. He thought it was a great idea too, thank you. He's glad that someone in this room appreciates his sneaky tactics for getting a job done! He'd prefer not to do it that way, but his hands are pretty tied, so it'll have to be this way. He waits patiently for Nahida to decide, and seems satisfied with her answer, returning the response with a devilish grin of his own.]

Then it's settled. We'll hand over the fake Aranara to Dottore, and see where that leads us. It may reveal secrets behind your own powers, archon, [he warns,] so I hope you're okay with that. Even I don't know the extent of his knowledge on divine elemental power, but I imagine it's more extensive than what anyone gives him credit for.

Oh, I know. I don't underestimate the Doctor, and I'll make sure that this little creation doesn't reveal anything more than what I believe he already knows.

[Good. Since that fell into place well, he turns to Yoimiya. This would probably be the harder part, he figures.]

Alright. Now, you have to facilitate a meeting between the Aranara and the Doctor. We can't let him know Lesser Lord Kusanali here is in involved, and we did only promise he would be granted an audience. Can the elder here accompany Yoimiya to do that?

[Ajax is met with a shake of the old Aranara's head.]

While it appears I am present with you here, I have no physical body of my own. I can only take shape within Vanaranara's dream. But maybe, young Aralauka can do it. You two already made a bond with him, it may be easier to pass it off if you can all work together on this.

[niwabi]

[ Oh yeah, it's all coming together. Never in a million years did Yoimiya ever think she'd be helping out in fooling Dottore, the second-ranked Harbinger of all people. There are still bits and pieces of this plan that are flying over her head but she gets the general gist of it, so long as no real Aranara are harmed then she's down for anything they throw her way.

But... huh, the Elder's revelation takes her by surprise. She totally thought he was real and in the flesh the moment they met. The powers lurking within Vanaranara continue to amaze her, she's got questions for the Elder but for now, they need to focus on the plan and get Dottore off their backs for good. ]

Alright, we'll ask Aralauka when we leave the hut. He's been nothing but kind and helpful to us, so I have a good feeling he'll go along with it.

[ There's a part of her that almost wants to ask the gutsy Aramiya or Arajax to join them but it's probably for the best those two avoid Dottore at all costs. She's still baffled that two Aranara resemble Ajax and herself, no doubt the Doctor would also find that extremely suspicious. ]

So, if I'm understanding this correctly, I'll approach Dottore with Aralauka and "introduce" them to each other. And then at some point, we'll hand over the Dendro Archon's fake Aranara to him? How should we go about doing that?

[ Goodness, she hopes she doesn't sound dumb. Everyone in this room is way more intelligent than she'll ever be. Nahida nods her head and brings a hand to her chin to contemplate how they should go about the switch. ]

Why don't we do a "switch"? I could make the fake Aranara resemble Aralauka and then at some point, we'll swap the real one out for the fake.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He agrees- Aralauka will probably have no problems helping them. Another piece of the puzzle is solved, but there is the issue of introducing the Aranara to the Doctor in the first place. And from what Ajax understands, Dottore shouldn't even be able to see the Aranara in the first place. Which is why he was so desperate to get Yoimiya to help- he doubts any of the Fatui can see them, save for him, for some reason.]

That shouldn't be a problem. Aren't the Aranara generally invisible to people, with few exceptions like Yoimiya and myself? If that's the case, then making the swap won't even need an expert slight of hand.

[With the situation seemingly more in favor of their side, Tartaglia is feeling a lot more confident than when they started this. Before Nahida showed up, he had no idea how they would fool Dottore.]

And I noticed that the Aranara seem to have some power over dreams, which seems in line given the Dendro Archon also has power over dreams, [he says with a knowing look towards Nahida.]

I also heard that Dottore's experiment came at the defeat of in infinite samsara loop until the Dendro Archon decided to stop it, thus giving the Traveler enough battle experience to defeat that mech he made once and for all. So...we introduce Aralauka inside of a samsara loop, which will give us do-overs if we mess it up and he sees through us, until we're successful and he buys the story. Once he's released from the loop, we hand over the fake Aranara, which will have been there the whole time. Aralauka just needs to appear inside of the samsara, thus ensuring his safety. What do you say, Lesser Lord Kusanali? Is my plan thorough enough?

[niwabi]

[ ...........

Yoimiya brings a hand to her forehead because this is so, so much information to take in. What the heck is a samsara loop? Did he say there was a mech involved? Do-overs? Huh?? What is all this???? This is why she prefers a simple hands-on approach because information overload is just frying her brain. It's a good thing Nahida is here because she has no idea what Ajax is even saying right now. This is why she is super not cut out for the Akademiya life, sometimes it pays to live a simple life out in the country. ]

You lost me at the samsara loop thing. I'm gonna have to ask you for the synopsis later because I'm so confused.

[ Even the elder Aranara seems to understand everything perfectly. A talking plant knows more than her.... she feels like her head is gonna explode.

Bless Nahida because at least she isn't the sort to poke fun at her lack of brain cells. The Dendro Archon cracks a small smile at Yoimiya, charmed that she's so simple-minded, and now it makes sense as to why she has the power to see the Aranara. ]

I'm impressed at how thorough your plan is, you really thought of everything. If you weren't affiliated with the Fatui, you could easily enroll in the Akademiya with how sharp you are. Anyhow, I don't see a single flaw in your plan so you have my approval.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Poor Yoimiya. He'll have to go over the Doctor's victory and experimental failure with her after they lay this plan out. She's practically Fatui now herself anyway, so he supposes it won't hurt to tell her as long as he asks her not to freak out too much about it...

But now isn't the time to worry about that. Tartaglia will take that compliment from Nahida, but dismisses the very idea of him enrolling as a student with a wave of his hand.]

I'm flattered. Now, why don't we break for now- we can ask Aralauka for his assistance and put the plan into motion in a few days from now. We've been missing from the Fatui envoy for a few days now already, but we can easily pass that off if we're able to produce an Aranara to the Doctor.

During this time, would it be too much to ask for you to look into Seraphina for us, Archon? Yoimiya and I would be more than happy to assist you with ensuring she's unable to do anything to the citizens of Sumeru.

[Childe's hand comes up over his chest, and his words couldn't be more sincere. He's boiling inside about what that woman has already done to them, too cowardly to come out and face him herself in a one-on-one brawl between them. Instead, she chooses to manipulate him and alter his mind...absolutely dishonorable. Nahida can sense this without having to read his mind, so she nods in agreement.]

I will. Okay. I'll leave it to you two to talk to Aralauka, and I'll be back in a few days to put this into motion. Hopefully we can bring some peace to Sumeru. Goodbye for now.

[And with a little bow, Nahida turns to leave, leaving Yoimiya, Ajax, and Araja the elder. Childe turns to her, breathing out a small sigh of relief.]

Guess all that leaves us is with time to get prepared. I get the feeling I'll need to explain a bit to you, huh?

[niwabi]

[ Despite her brain feeling like mush, Yoimiya still sends Nahida off with a big smile, relieved and thankful now that they have the power of an Archon at their side. Things are finally starting to look up and maybe for the first time since they've encountered Seraphina, she'll finally be able to a good night's sleep.

It's like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders, she sighs alongside him, turning her attention to Ajax with relief painting her features. Judging from his own sigh, she can tell he's also feeling a little semblance of reassurance for the first time in what's felt like forever. Yoimiya can't recall the last time they were allowed proper rest and with any luck, they'll finally achieve it during these next days. ]

Yeah... a bit. [ She chuckles at her own admission, bringing her hand to scratch the side of her cheek. ] Sorry I couldn't keep up with the conversation, strategizing has never been my strong suit.

[ There's a lot to unpack with everything that was said and Archons she doesn't even know where to begin. For now, the best course of action to take is to recruit Aralauka and get the ball rolling on their plan. ]

Let's talk while we seek out Aralauka. We also can't forget about our promise to prepare a grand feast for Aramiya. Maybe having a discussion after dinner might be better?

[ Because Archon knows if Aramiya is just like Yoimiya, she too will be just as confused. ]

🎀

[monoceroscaeli]

Yeah, we can hold off on that until after we eat. It's quite a bit to digest...and if you didn't like Dottore now, just wait till that story's over.

[Not that he wants Yoimiya to like the guy- better to be wary of him and keep a healthy distance if you're someone like her. It's too bad they had to seek him out for help, but then, if a certain eldritch-style lady would have stayed out of their lives, they wouldn't be in this predicament to begin with.]

Let's go seek out Aralauka. Elder, thank you for hosting us. We'll be off until the appointed day.

[Gesturing to Yoimiya, they both leave to go find their other little friend in the village and make a nice dinner for Aramiya as promised.]