【Ｌａｍｅｎｔ】

օռɛ.

Okay, so maybe sneaking onto a boat to Liyue wasn't your best idea ever. But when did a little interrogation hurt anyone? Sure, you'd broken a pretty major law, but your travel permits seemed to convince the Millelith that you had good intentions. So they let you go, after a thorough search that seemed a little too excessive. Now annoyed at that entire process, you decided to go wander around the harbor in search of something to take a picture of. Who knows if you'd come back once you'd left after all.

You regretted taking that commission. Some stuck up woman and her much kinder husband requested pictures of the highest quality you could possibly imagine. for their new house. Since you were one of the best photographers in Fontaine, most people came to you anyway. But none of the pictures you took in Fontaine itself didn't satisfy them, and the woman threatened to force you to pay her for bad service. Unknowing of her demands, you promised to find something in another nation before hastily running off to go get a boat to Inazuma.

You'd gotten stranded there and had to sneak on board a ship with permits to leave Inazuma, but you found yourself in Liyue instead. You took the opportunity and decided to take a few more pictures before returning back to your home nation. But Liyue was just so amazing that it soon became pretty hard to decide what to take pictures of, and what would be the absolute best angle to do so. In the end, you became so overwhelmed in thought that you had to take time off just to de-stress. Which led to some interesting events.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

You were checking in to Wangshu Inn, when someone saw your Kamera and asked if they could have their picture taken on the balcony as a souvenir. You accepted before following them to where they wanted to take the picture. The person was so nice, and even handed over a hefty sum of Mora as thanks. You weren't going to charge them in the first place, and almost refused to take it, since you already had enough in your pockets as is. They wouldn't even hear it before shoving the money into your hands and leaving before you could protest again.

Surprised, you just stood there in shock, until a strong breeze made some leaves from the tree blow right into your face. Annoyed, you brushed them off, pocketing the money even though you really hadn't wanted to take it. When you looked up, you managed to catch a glimpse of someone with dark hair and eyes like burning gold. It wasn't really a huge deal that time, but this mystery person kept appearing for a brief moment before just as quickly vanishing again. It bothered you all week, so when it became too distracting, you decided to go find them.

After searching the entire inn, you gave up, leaning against the balcony railing, completely exhausted. You didn't know that this particular railing wasn't doing too well, the wood rotted, and you fell backwards. The idea of death was always so imposing, but now that it was rapidly approaching, only moments away, it seemed almost relaxing to not have any more burdens. No, you didn't truly want to die, but it didn't seem scary now. But when you opened your eyes again, you were back on the balcony, hair completely messed up from the rushing wind, and there was a person standing in front of you.

"It's not polite to stare you know."

"Sorry! I just thought I was going to die and it's a bit of a shock to be back up here."

"Just be more careful around the railing."

The person in front of you made eye contact for only a split second, but you recognized his appearance. He was the one with those eyes of burning gold, who'd been almost a ghost in the corner of your eye since arriving here. Before you could speak up again, he vanished, leaving you rather shaken. You looked back at the now broken railing, wondering that if you fell again, would he catch you. You didn't test it and went back inside to really let the thoughts sink in.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

A month later, not long before you were planning to return to Fontaine, you returned to the balcony, hoping to see that person again. The railing was repaired, but that didn't stop you whatsoever. You just stood there, wondering how long the fall would last if you weren't saved from it. You heard the quiet sound of footsteps on wood right behind you, and was scared out of your skin to hear someone speak up.

"Don't even think about it."

"Huh?!"

"You were trying to get me to catch you, correct?"

"Yeah... I just didn't feel right."

"Must I really continue to watch over you?"

"I don't understand?"

"Your general good mood seems to be reducing the burden of my karmic debt, and things are becoming less of a hassle for me. Should something happen to you, I believe those burdens would return."

"Why me? And what's this talk about karmic debt? It's a Liyue thing huh?"

"You really are strange."

"Same goes to you! Cool mask by the way. Oh! Do you mind if I take your picture?"

"What?"

"I'm a photographer from Fontaine. Sorry if that was too sudden."

"Very well. One picture."

"Thank you!"

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

After you took your picture, Xiao vanished. And the bracelet you'd been wearing  lit up the same color as an anemo vision. You understood it, and you knew what it wanted you to do. Besides, the man with the mask piqued your interest.

Timeline #1 - Failure

End one.