𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦

Strange

NOTE:
This is POST Chapter I: Act IV - We Will Be Reunited, so if you're not into spoilers I suggest not continuing.

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Anyway, enjoy!
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Days after Aether came back from those ruins he began to act strange.

He avoided contact with anyone, even when taking commissions. He stopped coming to Wangshu Inn and instead camped out. Xiao found this behavior strange but couldn't bring himself to investigate.

While lost in thought Verr Goldet made her way to his balcony and tried to speak to Xiao.
Xiao a bit hesitant at first, eyeing the boss of Wangshu in, reluctantly leaped down from the roof landing on the balcony.

Verr Goldet gave him a small smile before speaking. "It's about the traveler." Xiao's facial expression changed to a more worried and questioning one.

She continued, "He's acting strange, he's distancing himself from everyone, he even stop coming to Wangshu inn to buy food or accept commissions."
Xiao nodded, he understood where this was going but let the lady talk. "Do you mind talking to him?"
She asked, Xiao thought about it for a bit, looking back up at Ms. Goldet, she looked desperate for answers.

Sighing, he responds, "I will help you." Switching back to that stone-cold expression. She smiles a bit bowing her head in gratitude before leaving the balcony.

Xiao thinks to himself. What did you find in those ruins, and what happened?

Xiao looked around Liyue for the traveler, but to no avail, he was not seen anywhere. He deeply despised going into Liyue harbor, but it was the only place he did not look.

He teleported to the top of a building, a restaurant in fact, to where a voice of someone he didn't want to engage with greeted him.

"Hello, comrade!"

The Fatui boy and Zhongli were standing looking up at Xiao, who was still on top of the building. He very much wanted to disappear but his old master was there, not wanting to disrespect him, Xiao teleported to the ground.

"Would you like to join us for lunch?" Childe asked with a joyous expression.

"No," Xiao said flat out.

Turing his attention to Zhongli, he greets him with a slight bow of the head, Zhongli responds with the same gesture back.

"Do join us for lunch Xiao, we need your assistance."

Zhongli spoke in a relaxed tone, though he seemed a bit pensive.

The two men passed by Xiao and entered the restaurant in front of them, Xiao followed behind.

Entering the restaurant they're greeted by a young waitress who seats them. Zhongli and Xiao wielding chopsticks while Childe held a fork.

"Xiao what would you like to eat?"
Xiao looks at Zhongli, expressionless.

"Almond tofu"

Zhongli nods ordering one almond tofu.

....

"Do you know the whereabouts of the traveler?"

Xiao shakes his head. Zhongli looking even more concerned than before.
Childe intervenes saying, "Perhaps the traveler is in Mondstadt. He can't leave to Inazuma yet due to their borders being temporarily closed."

Childe was indeed right, the only option would be the land of the wind.
However, the two Adepti never set foot off Liyue after the war. So exploring such terrain could lead to potential danger.

"Xiao, you're usually with him on his adventures, where did he go and why's he acting differently," Childe asks taking another sip of tea.

"I'm unsure myself, I was busy fighting demons so I told Aether such, he said he'd be fine exploring the ruins alone."

Zhongli lifts one eyebrow, "What ruins exactly?"

"He never told me the location, all I know was he was helping track down something from Mondstadt. Something about a wolf spirit and suspicious activity."
Xiao looks at the tofu on his plate. Head facing down.
Silence filling the room.

What happened in those ruins traveler?

What happened..?