1 New Beginnings and New Friends

I finished telling Paimon my story. We were now headed to a place called Mondstadt. There, a school named Teyvat high is located. I'm not really sure why I need to go to a school though.

While on the way there, we passed by a park with a statue in the middle of a nearby lake.

"What is that?" I asked.

"That is the statue of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, the people of Monstadt worship him."

"Anemo? Like wind? The Archon of Wind?"

"Yes, let's take a closer look."

As Paimon floats across the water to the statue.

"I wonder how you managed to drown yourself when you can easily float on water."

"Hey! It's not that easy to float okay bud?" Paimon said angrily "Just c'mon swim across."

"Fine." Luckily I could still swim.

I swam across the lake to a small land where the statue was. As I got near the statue the small ball-like orb it was holding suddenly glowed. The glow floated above the orb and had a weird symbol that resembles wings in it. "Hey, that's the Anemo symbol," Paimon said. The orb suddenly struck me although it didn't really hurt. In fact it somehow made me relieved in a way. As I look around it seems like I was emitting some sort of green light.

"Woah, it feels kinda breezy all of a sudden brrr." As paimon shrugged off the sudden breeze "Looks like there are Anemo Particles surrounding you." Paimon added

"What? What do you mean by Anemo Particles?" I said quizzically

"Anemo Particles. Like Paimon said, small Elemental Particles of the element Anemo. It seems that you possess the power of Anemo suddenly. Look there are some slimes there try out your new power."

"Uhhh I don't know how to use it and how are you sure that I have Anemo powers?"

"C'mon quit the chit-chat and just obliterate those slimes already"

As I came and got near the slime, one went in and attacked me. I used my sword since I really don't know how to use this Anemo thing. Suddenly another slime was about to attack while my sword was stuck in the other slime. When the slime was about to hit me I raised my left hand hoping to stop the slime attacking my body. A sudden vortex of wind came out of my palm and killed the slime. I finished off the rest of the slimes and sat in shock.

"Amazing! You managed to kill off all the slimes and used your Anemo power" Paimon said with relief.

"No, thanks to you. You just stood there and did nothing but float."

"Hey! Paimon was cheering you on while you were fighting okay?!"

"Why thank you for the moral support oh grateful creature." I said with a smug smile across my face.

"Hey! That didn't have any gratitude behind at all! Or rather, you were just making fun of Paimon!"

"C'mon quit the chit-chat and let's go to Monstadt." I said to provoke her while running as fast as I can.

"Aether, come back here!" said the little gremlin. "Paimon has a feeling that she is still making fun of while saying the last sentence." As paimon flies to catch up with me.

As we were having our little game of tag while going to the City of Monstadt I suddenly felt a feeling that I was being watched and turned to the feeling and saw a forest. The forest gave me a weird tingly feeling when just seeing it.

"Aha! Got you. Why are you looking at that forest like you saw a ghost or something? Wait don't tell Paimon that that forest is haunted?!" Paimon said while frightened.

"It's nothing, let's head to the gates of Monstadt."

While heading there we saw a doll that resembles a red bunny with a face on it that is dancing? Weird… Who in their right mind would stitch a human face on a doll that is clearly supposed to look like a bunny? And why is it dancing?

"Uhmm. Paimon go take a closer look at it will you?" I said hoping she would.

"Sure, Paimon wants to take a close look at that cute doll and not because you said so." As Paimon is floating near the doll she said "Can we keep the doll, Aether? Paimon thinks it's quite cute."

"No." I said with no hesitation.

When Paimon got near the doll… Nothing happened. "Look Aether it's really cute up close. Why do you look like you expected something to happen? Don't tell me that you are scared of dolls?" Paimon said with a smug face.

I came closer to the doll and said with a cautious voice "No that's not it… I expected something to happe-"

As I was saying that, the little rascal exploded. I instinctively used Paimon as a shield.

"What was that for?!" complained Paimon while her face and hair looked burnt.

"Afro…" I couldn't help but mutter those words when I saw what Paimon's hair was right now.

"That hurts you know!!" Paimon shouted while throwing a tantrum.

"You said it was cute so I gave you an opportunity to absorb it's cuteness." I taunted.

While I was having an argument with Paimon a sudden figure up a nearby hill appears and slowly glides down using what seems like a pair of gray wings behind their back? The figure lands and holds a bow and with an aiming posture. The figure looks like a girl in a high-school uniform? She had dark brown hair and light brown eyes with a bunny ear shaped bow on her head.

Wait, don't mind that! She's pointing the arrow at us!

"Name yourselves!" yelled the girl.

"Woah, calm down. We're not hostile. I'm Aether, this little mascot here is Paimon." I said that last line sarcastically.

"Hey! Paimon is not a mascot!"

"It talks?!" Said the girl. Come to think of it, she looks kinda like the face the doll had… Wait, it is the same face!

"Ah! You were the one who owned that little exploding rascal!" I yelled while pointing at the girl.

"O-oh, you really aren't hostile. Sorry, you two just looked really suspicious with your clothing and all." Said the girl in an apologetic tone as she put down her bow.

I should have listened to Paimon when she said I should have bought clothing first. This place is a far cry to the place where we were at. We were living in grasslands back then, but this place looks much more modern with its buildings and all.

Wait, I don't even have any money. How the hell am I going to buy clothes?

"So you two aren't from around here am I correct?" The girl asked.

"Y-yeah, we are…" I was kinda embarrassed to ask where to get money. We were borderline poor since we could just hunt and wash our clothing for free outside of this city.

"Hmm, you seem to don't have any clothing that doesn't look that exotic. Come with me, I'll buy you some!" she said enthusiastically.

"Are you sure?" I asked since I wasn't really that comfortable with it.

"Yeah!"

She was dead set on this huh? And this personality of hers is a far cry from the one she had earlier.

Come to think of it, I never saw Paimon take a bath, and yet she smells as fresh as she always does. What a truly mysterious creature.

"On that note, can Paimon also ask for you to buy us food?" said the gremlin with a grin.

She really loves thinking about food all the time huh? I sighed and looked back at the girl.

"May I ask your name?"

"Oh, right. I'm Amber Nesoberi, nice to meet you!" She said with a smile. Amber huh? That's a nice name.

We walked together until we arrived at a clothing shop. When we got in, a lot of people kept looking at me as if I was a freak. Was my clothing really that exotic? And jeez please stop staring that much.

Alright, time to ignore them.

"Paimon, return to your little sub-space." I said in a somewhat serious tone.

"R-right, Paimon is getting uncomfortable." said Paimon as she disappeared. I could hear gasps of awe as she did that.

"She can do that?" asked Amber, who was right beside me this whole time. I just nodded since I don't really know how she does then even though we've been companions for a while now. Sure is mysterious.

We went on to try a lot of clothing until we settled on a yellow hoodie with brown lining and black pants. I kept my earrings, gloves and arm guards, and white scarf with me.

"Luckily it's a bit chilly right now. Otherwise your clothing might make you sweat a lot." said Amber, looking at me from my feet to my face. Please don't come any closer than that. I could feel your breathing…

I backed away a bit because I was a bit embarrassed. We walked out of the store when suddenly, Amber screamed.

"I'm late!!"

Oh right, she's wearing a uniform. It's also Monday today, I think. Wait a sec, she might be able to help me.

"Amber, you go to Teyvat High, right?" I asked her while chasing her.

"Hm? Oh, yes I do. Why do you ask?" She said quizzically while almost hitting a post. Alright, I need to make sure I don't cause an accident. I picked her up princess style and seemingly ran in the air.

It was all thanks to my new Anemo powers. I compress air just below my feet to make a platform for me to step on. I call this move, Air Walk.

"Can you help me get into the school? I was thinking of learning there." I said as I kept running. I could see her face redden bit by bit.

"S-sure, I can think of something." she said while avoiding eye contact. Wow, this is really awkward. Paimon didn't even bother coming out right now.

---

We arrived at the front of Teyvat high.

The school gates was a large metal gate with wings as emblems that get cut in the middle when the gate opens. It was… to be expected at the very least. It is named after this continent after all.

"Amber! You're late!" said a voice that came from below us. Whoops, I forgot to come down.

I landed in front of the girl. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. She had this innocent air around her. It was pretty calming really.

"Sorry! I had a run in with Aether and had to buy him clothes." said Amber as I set her down.

"Is that him? Wait, what do you mean buy him clothes?!" said the girl as she looked at me. That's what you're worried about?

"Calm down Barbara. There's nothing wrong with it." So her name was Barbara huh? Cute. It would be rude not to introduce myself.

"Hello there, my name is Aether, nice to meet you." I said with a smile while offering my hand for a handshake. She shook my hand and answered back.

"Likewise. My name is Barbara Pegg."

She was wearing a high-school girl uniform with a blue and white cap that looks like a nurses cap. She has tied pigtails that just adds to her cuteness.

"Wait, let's forget about that. Amber, we've been waiting for you for 1 hour now. You were supposed to watch after us since our teacher is sick."

Wait, really? I think that was my fault. I was about to apologize when I felt a strange presence.

"An abyss portal?! And here at school as well?!" screamed Barbara.

I looked behind me to see a purple portal. Monsters started coming out of it. Those masks, I recognize them… Ah! That's right, I saw masks like those outside the city before. I've read a book about them. They're something called Hilichurls.

I took out my sword and readied my stance. Since I don't know how they attack at close range, I need to find a way to attack them from afar.

Hm… How about this. I swung my sword horizontally while it was embedded by my Anemo power. A line of wind came out of the sword and hit one of them. Uwah, I cut its head off.

I was shocked though, it didn't bleed. It just crumbled away. Still, that move was pretty dangerous. I need to be careful when I'm using that. I dashed forward and tried to hit one of them up close, but I was stopped by another one with a shield. It was readying its club so I hopped back.

This is troublesome. I can't deal with shields that well, and I doubt that my Anemo powers would be of much help.

"I'll handle the shield!" yelled Amber as she pulled out her bow. She pulled it back and as she charged her bow, I could see the tip of the arrow starting to burst with flames.

"Whoa! She's a Pyro user?" said Paimon as she appeared out of nowhere.

Good, she could burn that shield since it seems to be made out of wood. Amber fired the arrow and hit the Hilichurl's shield. It started to burn and turn into dust. Good, I can use my Anemo powers now.

I dashed forward using Air Walk and readied my left hand to use Palm Vortex.

"Wait!" yelled Barbara, but it was too late. A vortex came out of my hand and started spreading the fire on the shield all around me. The Hilichurls were all crumbling away, but I'm afraid that I'll get burnt as well. I quickly retracted my hand and made the vortex disappear. It hurts, my body has a lot of burns.

"Stay still," said Barbara. My burns were then surrounded by water that Barbara seemingly made. Hydro user then. A moment later, my wounds and burns were gone and I was good as new.

"You're lucky that only your hand got burnt." said Paimon.

"You're more worried about the clothes? I should have cooked you…" I said, sulking. Luckily though, I didn't wear my gloves.

"W-wait, no! I'm sorry!" said the panicking gremlin.

"Gotcha." I grabbed her and tickled her a lot. She laughed like her life depended on it.

And thus, my new life inside this city began.