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

now you know my suffering

[niwabi]

[ Oh, Ajax... stroking her ego is a huge mistake, and now, he has to deal with this blonde imp soaking up the praise and looking way too proud of herself. The expression on her face says it all: Yeah, I'm stinkin' adorable and I know it. Praise me more! But thankfully, his sweet kiss brings her back down to reality and now, she's just a giggly little thing.

Maybe she should have taken this a bit more seriously but hey, she had a great time and that's what counts. ]

You did! I'm still nervous but thanks to you, I have a better idea of approaching him. I really appreciate you taking the time to go through this with me. If I went in blind I totally would have screwed up...

[ He really does go above and beyond for her and she truly appreciates it. But now, it's her turn to think: get a load of this guy. He looks so silly puffing out his chest like that, that's the face of a man who is proud of his impersonation. She can't blame him, he really pulled her off but there's something about his face that makes her want to poke fun at him. ]

Hmmm, yeah, I think you did a fairly decent job. [ decent, she says. ] Still gotta work on that voice a bit! But that's okay if you don't get it down pat, my voice is too cute for most normal people to imitate.

THIS IS SO HARD

[monoceroscaeli]

[That's exactly why he wanted to do this. She showed him that she's just as terrible of a liar as him, so now it's just getting her to weaponize the truth in order to achieve their goals. It should be fine as long as Yoimiya doesn't have to directly lie, he thinks.

He can back her up in case something goes wrong. Right?]

I'll ensure I practice. There's no challenge I can't overcome, even something as simple as imitating my girlfriend.

[Taking another bite from his peach, he savors it for a moment before continuing.]

I'll quiz you a bit more later... we should focus on other preparations today. I don't think we'll get much farther with practice.

[Given how silly this got, maybe they should shelve it till later lolol]

[niwabi]

[ Although she's still not satisfied with her ability to come up with a lie on the fly, Ajax really did help her a lot. She'll feel better once she realizes there are two birds of a feather when it comes to lying. They're both terrible at it.

So surely this will go well. Right?

Besides, she got to hear him do his best Tarumiya™ imitation. Listening to him pitch his voice so high and squeaky was worth the practice. ]

Yeah! We need plenty of rest if we want to successfully fool Dottore. We might oughta talk to Aralauka and get him prepared too.

[ Even if the Harbinger might not have the ability to see them, Dottore will probably still look scary in the eyes of an Aranara, and she can't blame him if he feels intimated. She savors the sweet taste of the peach's juices on her tongue as she finishes the last bite. After wiping her hands, she stands up and holds her hand out to Ajax. ]

Let's go! We might have a long road ahead of us but Team Tarumiya has this in the bag.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He was thinking the exact same thing, that it would be a good idea to get Aralauka prepped for the encounter too. He might not be scared of Dottore, but he can easily see why anyone else would be. The Second was an imposing figure that exuded coldness and cruelty under a mask of genuine politeness, but no doubt Aralauka isn't ready to see a nara like him.

Taking her hand, Tartaglia uses the assist to get back up on his feet quickly, dusting the dirt from his butt.]

Haha, now you're sounding as confident as ever. I suppose we should get to it, then. The letter I'll be sending will call for a meeting in two days time- we've been gone long enough at this point that I'm sure Dottore is wondering if we deserted at this point.

[There was a few things to prepare, so probably for the best not to waste any more time.]

Let's head over to the elder Aranara's home- we can start there, and get everything put into place.

🎀

[niwabi]

[ With their hands now joined, she gives him a gentle squeeze before tightly lacing their fingers together. Even if she's scared, she can feel the warmth of Ajax's hand blossoming and blooming within her, giving her the conviction she needs to face Dottore head-on. At his side, she feels powerful enough to take on the vast world of Teyvat. They might only have two days to prepare, and they need to make the most of it. ]

Let's! We have much to tell Aralauka if we want to calm his nerves.

[ Hand-in-hand, she leads him to the elder Aranara's hut. They still have many kinks to work out but their little practice session inspired some much-needed confidence. ]