92 You Can Escape Despair

It's been three days and I know I said I was ready, but fuck I was getting a bit dizzy with all this shaking. Not only that, as soon as we entered the storm, I felt like someone was watching us. Or rather, was watching ME.

Because of said feeling, I needed to toughen up and not let the motion sickness get to me. Still, how the hell am I getting seasick when I can handle flight perfectly? Geh, I can just deal with that later. For now, I'll just have to deal with this god watching me.

I headed back toward my room and sat down on my bed. Using a bit of Pride, I connected to the artificial leyline that this god created so they could watch over me. Kinda like how you connect to a channel during calls.

"Oh…Interesting, for you to actually come and meet me."

"I'm not really there per se, but this should be enough for you, no?"

"That is true. Tell me, what is your business in Inazuma, god of unknown origins?"

"I just wish an audience with her Excellency," Good thing Kazuha told me how they addressed their Archon. "Is that not enough of a reason?"

"...Very well, I shall send the Tenryou Commission to-"

"No need for that, I'll walk to your gates by myself."

"There's no need-"

"Why so insistent? Is there something you're afraid of me finding?"

There was no need for me to ask though. After all, Kazuha already gave me the gist of things. Still, I would prefer it if I heard it from the Archon herself. Of course, I knew that she wasn't going to tell me anything at all.

"Very well, do proceed with caution." She said as she cut off the communication.

"Right on the money then…" I said as I laid down on the bed. I closed my eyes and began to ponder. Should I make a small barrier around me to cut off the Archon's view? No, that would only make her more suspicious. Besides, I have a kindling that she won't do anything even if I were to do something reckless in her nation.

"If she does do something though, I don't want to deal with a god."

Slowly but surely, I began to drift asleep. Now this was much welcomed. I don't want to keep experiencing this whole journey after all. And so, I let the realm of dreams take over me as the ship kept on swaying.

-x-X-x-

In a place that's familiar to me, I saw a mirror. Only the mirror existed in the dark void where I first discovered Gluttony. Walking closer, I saw a reflection of myself that looked slightly different.

His hair was pure black as his eyes were a combination of my left and right eyes. A pair of purple eyes with crosshairs that had the middle line resembling a dragon's pupils. The cracks that were only on my left eye were now on both eyes. That was cool and all, but what caught my attention was the look in his eyes.

Despair.

"That's hell you're walking into." His voice was… soothing and yet I can't help but shiver a bit.

"Inazuma? How so?"

"You do know who I am exactly, correct?" Once more, he used the same kind of tone as earlier.

"I do. I don't know how you're here, but I presume it from our newly sealed ability?"

"Correct."

This raises a lot of questions now. From which time is he from? Didn't Zhongli say that messing with time is a bad thing? I'm confused, but considering that this is me, I'm sure that he found a way to bullshit it.

"This appearance you'll take is an inevitable future. However, you may be able to change the despair. You may even be able to completely erase it."

"Doing that though…"

"Yes, you'll erase the future I hail from and create a new one. I'm fine with that."

Wow, a heavy mission just suddenly dropped.

"Mind telling me what to change then?"

"You know I can't do that. Just trust your instincts, unlike me."

That wasn't helpful at all, but he makes a point. After all, outright telling me what to do is basically like changing the past himself. This situation just brings more things for me to think about though.

"Alright, I guess I'll try."

"Good."

With a smile, his body began to gain some cracks. Suffice to say… It was quite disturbing to see myself slowly die away. I know that I've already died once in this world, but that was the first time I died without my original powers, this one being the second. Something tells me that I'll have even more deaths though.

And just like that, I was alone in my dreamscape. I didn't have anything to do so I just forced myself awake, which was easier said than done. After a few attempts though, I just gave up and laid down.

-x-Beidou's POV-x-

Beidou was a bit worried since the Traveler disappeared from her sights while they were dealing with the waters of Inazuma. She went to his room and what she saw was something she could not believe.

The Traveler's hair switched from pure black to the blonde that had it fading to black at the bottom that he's commonly seen in. Well, that black fade was a recent addition.

The cracks under his left eye also appeared on his right and both seemed to get longer. It was like she was watching two versions of the same person overlapping. Little did she know, she was actually right. All the while, she just stood there in complete silence.

"Ngh…"

That seemed to snap her out of her daze as Beidou went in the room and locked the door behind her. She doesn't know why she did that, but oh well. She sighed, took a chair, and sat down on Aether's bedside. Now's her time to see just why a lot of women, even the Ningguang herself, fancied him.

She's got to admit, he was quite cute. Not only that, he's also a legend throughout Teyvat right now. A man of unknown origins saving two nations and becoming a god himself. She would be lying if she said that she wasn't excited to meet him.

That desire was even more fueled when Ningguang wouldn't stop rambling about him. They have a few more days until they arrive in Inazuma, so maybe she can get to know him better during that time. For now though, she'll just enjoy his sleeping face.

She moved in closer and rested her head on her hands. If Aether was awake, he'll get to see this cute image of the mighty Beidou front row seat. If Ningguang were to see this scene, she won't stop reminding Beidou about it and will use it as a teasing card against her. Luckily, the Tianquan wasn't here.

Just watching Aether sleep was somehow putting Beidou at ease. Maybe it was because this was someone with far more experience in all aspects letting their guard down? Maybe. She was so comfortable in fact that she became drowsy and was slowly falling asleep.

Normally she would just shake it off and continue with what she was doing, but maybe she can let her guard down this time as well.

'Ah, to hell with my routine. Maybe something interesting will happen when I wake up.'

With a decision made up in her mind, Beidou stood up from her seat and laid down beside Aether. Why did she decide to lay down beside him rather than just rest her head on her arms? Who knows, the human mind is a complex thing.

Gathering her courage, she hugged the sleeping man with a red flush on her face. Even though Beidou is revered as someone strong and hard to reach for some, she was still a woman. She still had desires and she sure as hell was bashful.

It took her a few minutes to calm down, but once she did calm down, the drowsiness got stronger and stronger until she finally fell asleep.

-x-Aether's POV-x-

When I came to, I felt the familiar sensation of fleshy mounds pushing against my arm. Only difference on this one was they were bigger… Maybe the same as Ningguang's? Yeah, and since she isn't here, the only other person I know who has mounds that big must be the culprit.

Opening my eyes, I looked to my side and was caught off guard by Beidou's sleeping face. I was kinda used to seeing her grinning face, but seeing her in peace like this… I couldn't help but just smile. I raised my free hand and gently stroked her head, eliciting a satisfied hum from the sleeping captain.

"Mngh…"

She shifted a bit and because of this, I raised my hand a bit. To my surprise though, she looked dissatisfied when I did that. With a smile, I put my hand back on her head and elicited another hum from the sleeping woman.

Maybe I'll stay like this for a bit.