"You can't escape without saying 10 nice things to the other person."
The Domain stated.
"What in the world?! Where are the monsters? The challenge? The traps? What kind of Domain are you supposed to be?" Furina whined. While in reality, her mind was thinking, 'Thank you so much for being a nice Domain. I'm so lucky to have stumbled upon you. I did not want to be humiliated today.'
"I don't see anything dangerous anywhere. Best do what it says. We don't want to be stuck here forever now, do we?" Aether asked. He coughed twice to clear his throat... and then was lost in thought.
'How did we even get here?' Furina thought.
Flashbacks
They're great for context!
As much as Furina would've loved to spend more time in the Archipelago..., their clothes were located elsewhere. And it would be... quite embarrassing to ask him to wash her clothes for her. It would've been better if Tubby were to do it. She was the resident butler and she was a she. It's not that she doesn't trust Aether...
It's just a sensitive matter...
Which he thankfully understands.
It was a good thing he had a spare bathroom. The only issue was that the shampoo and soap were... of poorer quality. She sucked it up. No use complaining. It's not like she can go back to Fontaine... and it would be rude of her to demand that he goes there to get her bathing products...
That is even if he manages to get to her room in the first place. Which reminds her... She did see a familiar silhouette pass by her window. When she drew the curtains, she didn't see anything resembling a man. She shrugged it off. Maybe it was a bird.
Or maybe it was...
'What kind of reason would he have to get up to the highest floor of the Palais Mermonia? I must've been imagining things since I was distraught from losing to him in trial,' Furina shook off the memory.
Maybe she was homesick. Already? It's only been a few days.
She took off her swimsuit. Let the bathtub be filled with water and sank into it. Since dinner's not going to be there for another half hour, she's just going to relax for a bit...
"Whoa!" Paimon shouted. A loud thud could be heard coming from the hallway. "Ow."
"You okay, Paimon?" Furina asked, slightly startled.
"Yeah," Paimon winced in pain. "Just finished defrosting the chicken! Anyway, how was your beach date?"
"B-beach date?" Furina sank further in the bathtub. Her voice muffled by the water. "It was nothing of the sort! We simply had fun. That's all."
"Uh-huh. But do you really want some advice? Because at this rate, he'll move on to Natlan and you'll have less time to spend with him," The fairy sat on a table right beside the bathroom door. She let her legs sway to and fro while searching in her pockets.
Furina hated time limits.
Fontaine being sunken under the sea and she'll be left all alone is something that will happen unless she does something. And now, Aether would move on to Natlan unless she does something. At least with the prophecy, she's had... 500 years?
Aether's leaving in a year. And for a being like her, who's lived for far too long...
That kind of time feels way too short.
She rose her head from the water. "I suppose I'll be needing your guidance."
Paimon pumped her left fist once she found it. Her Groucho Glasses. She put them on. "YOU'VE COME TO RIGHT PERSON. LISTEN TO PAIMON AND YOU'LL WIN HIS HEART IN NO TIME!"
Paimon got the nearby pen and paper and began to write down tips.
"Okay, so what's his type? ...Wait, don't tell me. I don't want to be devastated when I find out that I am not his type," Furina felt weirdly comfortable being vulnerable around this little kid.
"Well, there are a lot of girls who like him. But if you want my advice, flirt with him. He's weak to girls who take the initiative. It catches him off guard and leaves him into a blushing mess. It's not gonna be easy though. He's got his wits about him as well so if you're not careful, you'll be the blushing mess..."
"But that's going to be pretty easy for him anyway."
"HEY!"
"No offense, Furina, but you're the type who wears her heart on her sleeve. Just like Paimon!"
"Please don't compare me to you... So... Be assertive and flirty... I suppose I can do that... but..."
"But?"
"I-I... uh... have competition?"
Paimon's eyes shrunk. She facepalms before trying to explain it in a way that doesn't leave Furina devastated. "...Yes... No... Look. Furina. He's got crushes. I mean... everybody does, but... Okay. He has this annoying thing of having feelings for someone, but never committing to it. Honestly, I've been through it like what? 8 times?"
8?
8?!
Furina sighed. Of course. There are loads of desirable women in Teyvat. However, they're mortals right? The Traveler from what she's heard... is definitely not mortal. No one walks away from the Raiden Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi like it's a normal Tuesday. No one except him anyway.
She's the illustrious Hydro Archon. If anything, the real competition is...
"None of them are... Archons?" Furina asked.
"Nope. As... far as Paimon knows. He is overprotective towards Nahida but that's because he sees her as a little sister... Ei... Well. That's another can of worms, but they'd rather communicate with their swords rather than their words. But Paimon won't deny that they are close."
"Ah... Good. Good...," Furina breathed a sigh of relief.
"The thing is Furina. He's a Traveler... He's off to one place and the next. Sure, he'd return back to the places he's been before if he needs to, but... He'll always walk towards the next destination. Paimon thinks that's the main reason as to why he never gets himself a girlfriend. AND IT'S SO ANNOYING!"
"It's like reading a romance novel and finding out that the girl you want to win doesn't get with the guy! It's even worse for Paimon because the guy is Paimon's best friend! And... Paimon hates that he's preventing himself from being happy. Paimon gets that he's smarter, but seriously, he's as dumb as a hilichurl sometimes."
"You two are really close huh?"
"The closest! But Paimon wouldn't mind if he manages to land a special someone. Everyone deserves to feel special. He's spent all this time making other people feel special... Paimon thinks he deserves to get someone who makes him feel special. And Paimon has full confidence that you'll be the one his heart belongs to!"
"H-how can you be so sure? I... uh... haven't done much... aside from loudly proclaiming my presence and having a battle of wits against him. I mean... I-I am the esteemed Hydro Archon, but I don't think that would be more than enough to win his heart..."
"It's because once you want something Furina... You'll do everything in your power to take it. Everyone else prioritizes their responsibility over their happiness, but Paimon's impression of you is that... Even if it's hard, you'll try to find the outcome where everyone's happy. Or more likely, the outcome where justice prevails."
...
Furina appreciates Paimon a lot more now.
"You're way too confident in my abilities... I mean. You should be. Because I am the Hydro Archon!" Furina faked her confidence once more. "By the way, do you have any history books?"
"The library's in the room on the right of the main hall downstairs. Paimon'll see you at the dinner table!"
"Got it. Hopefully, it's got something related to the Primordial Sea..."
Libraries
Return your books on time. Or else.
Dinner was...
Absolutely divine.
Forget her personal chefs, Aether somehow blows them out of the water. (Pun intended). The best part is that he's consistent too. Not to mention, dinner wasn't boring again. Or lonely.
Everyone else was too busy or didn't feel like they had the honor of having the Archon over for dinner. So her personal servants just deliver her meals to her and she eats it by herself. Overlooking the stretch of Fontaine.
It's a wonderful sight, but the sight of having friends to eat meals with makes... it feel a lot... warmer. Rather than cold and serene.
Too bad that she can't make that moment last forever. She went to the library right after she finished her plate. And... good golly, it was an actual library. Did... did he read all of these himself? How much free time does he have?
She looked at the covers of the books. Some of them were children's books. Those were definitely for Paimon. Some of them were... utterly ridiculous slop. "Reborn as the Raiden Shogun"? Why would anyone write or read something so... cringe?
Eventually, her eyes land on the history section. There were a lot of them. She picked the one titled: The History of Teyvat. She opened it up and found...
Several annotations made by Aether.
His handwriting was remarkably pristine. But as she continues to flip through the pages, the notes, circles and underlines become less and less... frequent. She flipped back to the beginning of the book, scanning if there was anything about Fontaine...
There was, but it was just history that she's lived through before.
She looked at the sections of the other nations. Maybe they encountered similar problems related to the Primordial Sea. No. Nothing of the sort.
She returned the book. And then opened the one next in the list. Once that book proved that it was a disappointment, she repeated the process.
She did notice something of note. Aether was mostly focused on Sumeru... and most importantly... Khenri'ah. And everything that happened before 500 years ago.
He couldn't have been there 500 years ago...
But... could he have been?
If he was, then why was there no mention of him? If he was, why didn't he stop the Cataclysm... If he was there, then he could and would have definitely saved her... and everyone from the atrocities, the pain, the sadness it brought upon the world.
She should stop wishing. Anything at all. Even a small hint. Anything that could help Fontaine not drown in it's own element. Anything. Just a word of reassurance. Just a small solution. She flipped.
Flipped.
Flipped.
Flipped.
And eventually it was morning.
"Did... you just do an all-nighter?" Aether asked, snapping her out of her trance.
"No," She began to continue reading again.
"Furina, there are bags under your eyes...," He brushed aside her bangs.
Furina simply got some Hydro and let it wash over her face. It left, making her face completely dry and without any eyebags. Smugly, she asks, "What bags?"
"...Don't make me knock you out," Aether was unamused.
When is he ever going to find a Nation where not a single person is overworking themselves?
"That is a crime worthy of the highest punishment! Y-You wouldn't dare!" Furina held the book closer to her chest. Or lack thereof heyo-
"Fine. I'll just carry you to bed then," Aether stretched his arms. Compared to lifting up a giant mecha, this'll be easy.
"W-wha- I have functioning legs I'll have you know! Being carried by an outworlder of all things is absolutely preposterou-"
Furina immediately shut her mouth. Flabbergasted was an understatement. She's being bridal carried... She shook off the intrusive thought of being his wife. As if that'll ever happen.
"You're incredibly light," He teases.
"...You're way too strong. But that's besides the point! Put me down right this ins-" She falls down on her bed. She looked at him, sensing Electro in the air. She looks for her history book and pouts at it's disappearance.
"Want me to read you a bedtime story?" He almost laughed at his own joke.
"I'm no child," Furina hid herself under the blanket. And shut her eyes. It'll save her from the disappointment.
"Just messing with you. Get some sleep. You'll need it to function. Sweet dreams, Furina."
She heard the door close. She pouted. She grabbed both ends of her pillow and made them cover her ears. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to hear it.
She didn't want to hear that her heart was beating too loudly.
Irminsul
It can forget. Once it forgets, it can no longer remember. No matter how many reminders you give it.
Furina opened the window. To see what the noise was about. There she saw Aether, gardening... Taking some seeds out of a box and planting them in four patches of soil... and water.
"Dinner's on the table," He nonchalantly says.
"Are you... gardening?"
"Yes. Why?"
"You don't look like the type to... garden," Furina smirks.
"If it's too boring for you, you can always wash the dishes," He rolls his eyes and wipes the soil away from his gloves.
"Absurd. You. Making an Archon wash his plates? At least give me a task with dignity or one that doesn't elicit boredom."
"If you do, we'll go on an adventure tomorrow."
"...I'll wash the dishes after I eat. I'm starving...," Furina shut the window and rushed to the dinner table.
Aether smiled. It's nice to see her... drop her act. Guess that's what being far away from her stage does to her. Make her feel genuine. Or was it his habit of making the people around him change for the better?
Who knows?
What he does know is that... he's having fun.
Gardening
Don't forget to harvest your plants!
Sumeru. The Nation of Wisdom.
And right in front of them was a never before explored Domain. A commission. The thrill of adventure! A chance to prove that Furina is as great as she says that she is! Or maybe an opportunity to let Aether be her dashing prince...
"This'll be fun. Lead the way, my adventurous friend!" Furina walked inside the Domain.
"It looks like it's sa-" Aether followed. Only to be shocked by the sudden closing of the doors. "And now we're trapped."
"Already?!"
Nahida
No, she's not a radish
"Ten things...," Aether began to count on his fingers as he spoke out his list. "Your eyes are incredibly unique. They look like lapis lazuli of pristine quality. Not to mention your eyelashes are long and the ends of them are adorable. That's one..."
"That doesn't count as two?!" Furina asked.
"Don't you want me to stroke your ego?" Aether asked.
"Fine," She pouted. Sitting down, legs crossed she then declares, "Keep going then. But just so you know, my majesty is far beyond what words can describe."
"You have a fantastic fashion sense. Blue is your color and you definitely own it. Your hands are incredibly soft and smooth. Which definitely means you go through great lengths to take care of it. You're eloquent with your words. It's clear that you love to talk and that's awesome since I get to listen to your lovely voice more."
"Go on," Furina goaded. '...Huh. He's... more observant than I thought he'd be.'
"You're incredibly hardworking. I honestly didn't expect that you actually put in the effort for the trial since I didn't see you gather evidence."
"HEY!"
"Which honestly gives a pleasant surprise. You actually really care about each case and want legitimate justice instead of the thrill of the courtroom."
"Come on. You definitely enjoy it too."
"...Okay. I admit. I did. Guess your enthusiasm for making court cases fun rubs off too much. But back then..., I would've given up then and there since you were too good of a prosecutor. You're selfless. Always thinking about your people even though there are times when you think about yourself. Which isn't a bad thing. Even I can be selfish at times."
"You? The esteemed hero of Teyvat. Selfish?"
"It helps keep Paimon and I alive. Hmm, what else... Your hair's remarkably clean. Not a single smudge of dirt touches it... And your cowlick's adorable. Might be biased since I have that too. You're gorgeous by the way. I'm sure your beauty's incomparable even to the other Archons. Hmm.... What else is there to say? ...Oh right."
"You're the cutest when you stutter."
"W-wha- Ahem. What stutter? I don't do such a thing."
"Sure you don't. That's more than 10... I think. I lost count."
"So it's my turn now huh? Let me think..."
"You're... witty. Not to mention, handsome. Your hair's the streaks of sunlight while your eyes are the stars themselves. You're an excellent cook and have a huge appetite. You've got an incredible assortment of powers. You're courageous. Without hesitation, you draw your... pitiful sword even to the gods. You're infinitely compassionate to those in need. And incredibly devoted to those that you... cherish."
"...Are we done yet?"
"Seems like it..."
The doors to the Domain open once more. Only to blind them both in a flash of white light.
Domains
No they do not expand
"You okay?" Aether asked, rubbing his eyes and getting up from the... grass? He could've sworn that he was in the Domain...
"I'm... perfect. That's what you meant right?" Furina stood up on a nearby rock. Doing a confident pose, as usual.
"Perfectly fine apparently," He looked to where the Domain was. "And the Domain disappeared..."
"An illusion? Or a magician's attempt at a magic trick?" Furina began to speculate. It's unusual for Domains to just... disappear out of the blue. But then again, the Domain's been suspicious from the get-go.
"Now that I think about it, there's only one person I know capable of pulling a trick like this..."
"Please then, enlighten me," Furina turned on her Elemental Sight.
"Yeah, but magic works the best when the audience isn't aware of it."
"It's the Dendro Archon isn't it?"
"...Aw, now the magic's over."
"Please. There may have been no real magic, but you have to admit there was some between us." Furina smirked. Meanwhile in her head, 'REAL SUBTLE THERE, FURINA!'
"I-I uh... I mean... I...," Furina tried to recompose herself. She looked at Aether, hoping that he didn't get the wrong ide- "Are you blushing right now?"
"No. Shut up," Aether turned his head away from her.
Furina rushed down from the rock to tease him some more. Finally. She's got the upper hand. And she's not going to let him go.
"You are! What's wrong? Don't tell me your entertaining thoughts of actually romancing an Archon? Oh the blasphemy. The scandalous nature of it all. Well, I suppose it's only natural since I'm such a divine beau-" She was caught off guard by him taking her hand and using his other hand to summon a dendro vine. "Hey! I'm teasing you here!"
"Time's not going to wait for the both of us," He said and they both were momentarily sent to the skies.
"You're just embarrassed aren't you?" She teased.
"Why should I feel shame when I'm beside a beauty so heavenly?"
"I... O-okay. It-it's a draw then."
"What's wrong? Enjoying thoughts unbecoming of an Archon, Lady Furina?"
"My thoughts are pure and true, thank you very much!"
Dendro Vines
You can use them to swing around the city like Spider-Man
The Sanctuary of Surasthana. The home of the Dendro Author and her former cage. Nahida watched from afar as Aether and Furina went off to go to the next commission.
It was a hobby of hers. To watch over her friend once he comes back to Sumeru. It's hard not to sense him when he's nearby. Out of all the elements, he's sensitive to Dendro the most. And because of that, manages to have strength far beyond compare whenever he channels her element. She did have a theory on why that was...
But it was only a theory...
A RADISH THEOR-
Ahem.
On the other hand, it was pretty obvious to her that Furina was the Hydro Archon. The hair and the eyes were obvious. She wondered why the Hydro Archon of all Archons is in her nation, but she wouldn't judge. In fact, Furina being there in the first place is why she's watching their hijinks.
And helping them have more fun too.
That look in Aether's eyes pretty much said it all. It was a familiar look. He's had it before. His eyes would soften and dazzle a bit more brightly when he's... looking at someone special. She thought he'd only look at Nilou that way, but it appears that she was incorrect.
'Maybe his type is girls with an affinity to Hydro?' Nahida thought. She shook her head. 'Spying on their date... I know I shouldn't but since Focalors wishes to remain anonymous, I have to ensure that whoever sees them together... doesn't see them.'
'Memory erasure is far too drastic. So is memory alteration. Guess I have to just use dreams once more. Nobody ever complains when they have good dreams right?' She watched on. For some reason, she found this quite more entertaining than she thought it would be.
It was cute. Seeing Furina fluster and stutter at his wit and kindness. How she'd hold his hand and never want to let go of it. How they'd effortlessly banter with each other. Although, she did find it odd...
If they clearly had romantic feelings for each other, then...
Why not confess?
But romance was something even the Goddess of Wisdom cannot comprehend. Secrets, however, was something she could comprehend.
She used her Elemental Sight... And the other thing that was bothering her was proven true. He didn't have Hydro. He still has his previous powers, but he didn't have Hydro. Could it be that...?
She recalled a conversation she and Aether had before.
"Let it be," Aether said.
Nahida couldn't believe that he was on board with it. She looked at him with disbelief. "Are... are you sure about this? You of all people..."
"I was never part of this world. It's not a big deal," He shrugged. His indifference felt... cold. This was unsettling. Usually, he felt warm. But he was oddly accepting of the sad revelation she just told him. "What matters is that this world's still fine after I've done my traveling."
Nahida felt tears well up in her eyes. She can't accept this. Something deep down inside of her was begging her to not let that happen again. But what was 'that' exactly? She can't tell. But it was bad. And she had to put a stop to it.
"There's got to be a way, right? Maybe if we gather the Gnosis back from the Fatui Harbingers we can-"
Aether wiped away her tears. His face was compassionate, but his eyes looked utterly lifeless. It was horrifying. Those eyes are when he has to do something horrible. Or when he's staring at something he utterly hated.
Nahida knows better that he could never hate her... so it was definitely the former.
"Nahida. It'll happen eventually whether you like it or not. Sumeru is and will always be your focus. You'll lose a lot of people that you cherish along the way, but... What matters is that you take them with you. As long as you're doing your job, I don't have any regrets."
"You're dead set on leaving, aren't you?"
"You're a tree. I'm a star. Sure you may reach up to the heavens, but I'll always be there where you can't thrive. I'm sorry. But... I don't belong here."
"But what if you did? Your sister managed to-"
"I'm not her. I don't owe anything to this world. I'm not a hero. I'm just someone who's in the right place at the right time and couldn't let good people get hurt."
Nahida could feel his pulse. It was... deafeningly quiet. For a second. For her it felt like forever. It felt negative. It felt alien. It felt hateful. But it wasn't directed at her.
"That's what a hero is."
"Not to me it isn't."
It was directed at himself.
Nahida stopped recalling. It felt awful.
He was her hero.
The one who brought her out of her birdcage that trapped her for 502 years.
Her first sage.
One of the smartest people she knows.
Her closest friend.
One of the few people she can trust in both body and mind.
And yet she couldn't save him from the darkness that harbors his mind. But that's the thing about Dendro. It isn't the element of healing. It's the element of wisdom. If there's any element that's worthy to be called the element of healing...
It's Hydro. The element of Justice.
That's why watching them feels so endearing.
Because nothing soothes the mind better than seeing a Hero and Justice... Walk hand in hand.