Childe "I Can Make Her Worse" Tartaglia (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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insurmountable2022-11-26 09:40 pm
monoceroscaeli) wrote in insurmountable2022-11-26 09:40 pm
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you hide your face with your disguise // 'cause someone filled your head with lies
[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...]
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...]
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Y̞̞o͍̻͉u͓͓͇ f̟̞̝l͎͓̦a͚̙t͍̻̻t̡̟͖e͓̫̺r̡̙ m̞͇͕e͎̘̼.̞̟̫ J̢͔u͎̘͜s̟̘t̙̻̦ w̼͖͜a̺̙͇i̠̙͙t͖̪̦ u̢̢͉n̟̞̝t͇̦͜i̘̙͜l̢͔̠ y͕͙͙o͇̙u͇̞̞ s̻͓e̡̫e̪̙̼ m̡̼̼e͖̞ i͓͚̙n͔͍ a͖̟̞c̺̺͜t͍̼i̻͙o̪͕̠n̙͙̺,̠͖͉ a͙͉̠n͖̪̪d̻͚͔ t̢̢̝h̠͉͕e̫͉͉n͕͍͖ t͚͓͕e̞̪͜l͖͜l̡͇̪ m̠̼̠e͙̼͚ w̢͇̫h͖͖̺a͍͙̼t̼͍ y̼͜͜o̻͙̪u̢̝͎ t̡̪͕h̢̫͜i͕̟͉n͙̻͜k̞̦͎.͉̙̺
[If he could wink at her, he would here- but as it stands, she can't see an inch of his face, so he simply stands confidently while declaring it. She's so small and tiny to him in this form...it makes him want to pick her up and fly her around just so he can see her priceless expression from soaring through the air.
But since they're in a dream within a dream, he'll hold off. They do have monsters to kill, but he got a little caught up in Yoimiya flirting with him...]
A̡͎͇n͓͙̺y̝͖͓ f̫͕͜o̢͓͎e̢͙̼ t̟̝̻h̢̢͜a̙̻̘t̡͚̼ s̡̺͙ț͜͜a̡͉̪n̢̫̺d͔̼̪ș̡̢ b̢͔͎e̡̢f̫̘͎o̡͉r̡͙͖e̠͖͜ y̡̡̺o̢̝̠u̟̻͙,͔̺ I̫͎̟'̟͉l̪̪͎l̡̡̞ m͔͍͖a̙̠k̡̠̦e̦̫ s͍̼u̢͓͜r͎͉͉e̡͚͍ t͙̫̘o̡̪̘ c͍̝͙r̢͔͇u̘̪͎s͖̦h͍͎͇ i͙͔t͚͙͚.̘̟͜ Y̝͚͜o̙͍͕u̺͚̞ c̡̙͇a̡͎̼n͙̪̻ c͚̼̙o̙͉u̘͜n̢̺͜t̪̻͎ o͙͉̘n͙̪͚ m͕͙̘e̙̼ t̺̞͔o͉̠̙ b͇̘̟e͍̘͎ y̫̟̞o͉͎̞u̼̙͜r̠̙̙ l̢͖o̼͓͖y͙͙̠a͉̫̟l̪̠͙ k̡̦̦n͎͖̪i͕͓͜g̢̪͜h͔̺̦t͚̠̫.̝͉͜
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I have the best knight anyone could ask for. Strong, handsome, talented, and big. Since you've been so sweet, I'd like to give you a reward.
[ Unable to contain her urges, Yoimiya leaps at him, slinging her arms around his neck to assault him with kisses. She makes sure no part of him is deprived of affection as she smooches him all over his face, neck, shoulders, and anywhere else in reach.
It's the Yoikiss attack! Mwah mwah mwah. Chuu chuu chuu. ]
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[He catches her mid-leap, pulling her upwards and holding her right against his chest as Yoimiya delivers her signature Yoikiss attack, standing up to his full height now as she gives him all sorts of kisses. He can't feel any save for the ones applied to his neck, and those feel good against the black of his abyssal skin. Ajax cranes his head to the side to allow Yoimiya much more purchase to it, indicating that he'd like them there above all the other places...]
H̙͔͓e̞͕̝y̞̪̦ n̢͍̺o̻̠̙w̻͜,̙͜ s̫͎t̝͙͔o͎͚̻p͚͚͓ t̪͜h̡͍͎a͚̻̼t̻̟͙.͚͕͚.͕̞.͉̦̞y͍͖̠o͓̞͇u͉͚'̘̘̝r̘͓̟e̠̻̘ t̻͖̼o̟̫͜o͕͔͕ a͚͓̪d̫͚o͖̠͜r̡͍̞a̢̦͔b̦̘l͙̫̞e̢̻̝,̙̝ i̺̙̟t̠͎̻'͖͚͜s͉͚̘ a͔̘͎s̼͓̠ i̞͙̟f͎͙̙ I̠͚̠ h̞͇a̠̺v͔͇̼e̼͙͎ n̢͙̘o͔͉͖ p̺͇̪o̘̼̦w͔͚̦e͖̘̞r͕̪ h͓̟̘e͍͉͖r̙͍̫e̼͓͍.͎͕̙.͙̪͜.͕̻h̠̞͉a̢̦h̡̪̞a̡͖͖h͉͎̪a͉͉h͓͇a̟̘!̢̟͖
[His laugh is soft and fond despite how distorted it is, loving every second of affection that Yoimiya pours on him. It almost lulls him into a sense of complacency, being with her in a realm that's only filled with monsters that have taken to hiding away and not coming near them for fear of complete annihilation. So he giggles more, humming with pleasure at the soft, sweet kisses, until he suddenly feels a presence in the area.
They're not alone.
One second he's drinking in Yoimiya's affection, the next he's pivoted with one hand pointing the blade of his glaive at a small cabbage-like child while holding Yoimiya protectively against his chest with the other. Tartaglia's focus is lasered in on the young looking girl, but he knows if she's here, she must be anything but.]
Sorry, but am I interrupting?
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But then it all comes to a close. One moment she's showering him with affection and then the next, she's huddled in his chest with Ajax whipping his blade out at an unexpected guest. She briefly flickers her gaze to see a small girl. ]
Ah! Who are you...?
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[Tartaglia feels so on edge, it's such a terrible whiplash from the giddy emotions he was feeling just moments ago as he and Yoimiya enjoyed a stress-free moment together. But with the threat of someone being able to get in a space he thought was secure puts him on edge, and his blade is unwavering as he points it at this little girl's face.
Never would he ever take an action like this against a child, but he's convinced she's not.]
I think I should be the ones asking you two that question. The Aranara don't often let adults come into their lands, but for some reason, they made an exception for you.
[Ajax stares hard at her for several moments, and the gears begin to click in his head. Little green girl, looks like she belongs to Sumeru, appearing in a dream...
His glaive lowers and his body relaxes, turning fully to face her with Yoimiya still tucked safely away in his arm.]
F͚̻̦o̡̘r͍͇̦g͉̙͔i͎͙̫v̟̝͙e̢̪̙ m̢͕͎e̪̠̺,͔͉̦ A̡͚͔r̺̝͚c̺͇h̫͎̘o͜͜n̢̡͔.̞̠̼ I̟͍͜ d̙̟̻i̡̘̙d͙̫͔n̻͚̼'̠͓̼t̢͚ r̼̺͖e̼͎̠a̢̠͕l͖͕͖i̢̻͇z͍̫̞e̡͔̺ w̺̘̪e͉͚͔ w̙̼͙e̡̠͔r͓̘͓e͇͔̠ s͍͙̻p͚͎͔e̡̞͔a̼̻͜k͇̫̫i̻͚n͖̝̟g̡͎͓ t͔͓o̟͇̠ t̝̙h̡͍̫e̼̼̪ L̡͚̘o̪̙̻r̠̺͍d̝̺̞ o̫͉f̫̫̫ V̡͍͙e͇̞̫r͉̘͓d͓͖͍u̟̦͉r̙͎̪e͇̟͓.͉̠̼
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Yoimiya knew there was something off about this young girl as soon as she made her appearance but it finally dawned on her right then and there. They're face-to-face with the Dendro Archon herself. In an instant, she goes from even more shocked to somewhat embarrassed, she was being all cute and PDA in an Archon's domain. Oh goodness, she just hopes the god of her own country forgives her for this transgression. She quickly peels herself off Ajax and immediately bows her head down in reverence. It's rare for her to get flustered but being this lovey-dovey in front of an Archon would certainly do just about anyone in.
Especially since she looks like a little girl... ughhh. How mortifying! ]
Please forgive me as well, Dendro Archon! If I had known we were having an audience with you, I would have given you the respect you deserve.
[ Now that he's lowered his glaive, Nahida visibly relaxes, feeling the tension in the air dissipate. He might be a Harbinger but at least he's reasonable and for that, she knows they'll be willing to talk. ]
It's quite alright. I'm not asking for respect, I'm just curious about you two. Now please, could you tell me exactly who you are?
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He switches into diplomat mode as quickly as he can switch to battle mode, keeping his attention on Nahida and paying no mind to Yoimiya. He doubts there's much Yoimiya can do that would anger this particular archon, so he's not worried about it.]
You'll have to forgive us, Archon. I'm number eleven of the Fatui Harbingers, codename Childe. And this is Miss Naganohara Yoimiya, of Inazuma. We're here as sort of refugees, seeking temporary asylum from an outside threat that's been following us from Snezhnaya.
[That pretty much sums it up, he thinks. It's more likely Nahida knows why they were allowed in Vanaranara, so no need to sum that up.]
I'm guessing my little stunt there disturbed the peace here, didn't it? My apologies, I hadn't meant to frighten anyone.
[Nahida looks thoughtfully at the both of them, trying to gauge Childe more than Yoimiya. He is the most dangerous one here in her opinion, but she's curious as to what could possibly be so threatening that even he, with that power, would have to hide.]
You both shook up the Aranara quite a bit, and I sensed a lot of peculiar energy coming from this realm. But, apology accepted. At least I know that the forest isn't in danger. Maybe we can chat a little more somewhere else? This realm isn't safe either to have a discussion.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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... ]
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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.]
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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. ]
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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?
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