Summery ~ You spend the whole day failing to sit on a ball of wind, landing in dirt. But when you finally got back, its time for the feast with Aether! ...
I stretch to the skies the moment I reach the top of the steps to the shrine. Damn even when doing nothing all day, I still feel tired as hell...
Like a zombie I wonder dragging dirt along with me, that's when I realise that I still look like a total mess, like a landslide hit me! I attempt to brush off as much dirt as humanly possible from my clothes and skin. Then while I try to remove all the sticks from my hair, it turns my hair to a matted mess. Desperately I use my fingers to comb my hair some what back to normal. Disappointment hits me when I get a glimpse of myself in the water near the shrine. I really do look and feel like a zombie...
I pace around the shrine looking for fuel to give me life again. The instant I see Aether coming down the hallway as cheery as ever, I can feel the weight of the world life off my shoulders, and the energy returning to my body. It's like he's radiating energy or something with the smile on his face...
Maybe it was just seeing a friend in high spirits that lifted mine, but I was feeling ready to run a marathon!
"You ready for the biggest meal of your life?!" Aether beams.
"Paimon's ready!" Paimon yells as she rushes down the hallway towards me.
They stop right in front of me and wait for my reply, "Of course I am!"
A whole buffet is set on a table ready for us to eat. Paimon gets right into it, I take a seat in one of the chairs. So overwhelmed by the choices that I don't know where to start.
"So, what have you been up to?" Aether asks, while piling food onto his plate.
"I have been trying to find something to practice, before the raid," I answer as I finally decide where to start.
"So, I picked my special move!" I smile with stars in my eyes.
A small chuckle escapes Aether's mouth, "Special move...?"
"What. Everyone has one," I mumble as I take my first bite.
"Yeah, I know, it's just how you said it," he giggles.
"WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HOW I SAID IT!?"
"Paimon thinks that this is the best skewers she has had in her whole life!" Paimon says to herself, then she realises that we heard her, and she corrects herself. "I mean, Paimon hasn't tasted skewers worse in her life..." she laughs as she takes another bite of the skewer.
I shake my head. "Anyway, what have you been up to?" I ask Aether.
"Oh, you know, getting ready for the raid and stuff," he says between mouthfuls.
"That reminds me..." Aether chuckles, "That raid we are preparing for, is ahhh... happening the day after tomorrow..."
His tone towards that sentence drew out what he said. It took a moment for it to sink in.
"WHAT!! THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW!!" I shriek as I stand up so quickly that I knock my chair over. I cringe when it hits the floor. I start murmuring to myself, "I am so not ready... I have so much still left to improve on... How will I-"
"Relax," Aether interrupts my muttering. "You have been practicing very hard, I am sure you'll be fine. Kazuha and I will be there to watch your back. That being said, you'll have to watch ours as well, alright," he smiles.
His smile reassures me. What have I got to worry about, I have got the Aether with me, the main character with so much plot armour it's not funny. Plus, Kazuha and the rest of the revolutionary army. I am sure Aether meant that, it's just that I haven't met anyone besides Kazuha by pure coincidence...
I fix my chair and sit back down. Then I remember something, "Aether? Do you happen to have a balloon from that event- I mean festival in Mondstadt?"
He was so confused by my question it took him a second to reply.
"I do, do you need it for something?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah! It's gonna help me practice."
I only left him confused, but he gave it to me.
"Thank you!" I beam. Paimon was looking confused, but I doubt she could care less as she stuffs her face.
"You busy tomorrow?" I ask while rearranging the food on my plate.
"Unfortunately, yes..." Aether grumbles.
"All good," I smile as I shove more food down my gob.
"Hey Y/N, could you pass Paimon that plate of skewers?" Paimon grins.
"Didn't you say these skewers where the worst you have had, in your life?" I snicker as I take a few off the dish and put them on my plate. She laughs like she had been caught trying to steal the biggest diamond in the world.
"Paimon was saying that Paimon doesn't think you would like the skewers – and Paimon doesn't want to waste food- so Paimon would eat it. Paimon hates wasting food..." she makes up on the spot. It's clear she's lying through her teeth.
"I'll remember that then," an evil smile crawls across my face.
"Guess who's cooking breakfast tomorrow?" I say pointing at me.
Aether raises an eyebrow, "I didn't know you can cook?"
"I can't."
Aether then starts snickering, which turns into full laughter. The horror on Paimon's face made me start laughing. I begin to pass the plate to Paimon, but the laughter caused me to tip the plate, with that little tilt, all the skewers fell into a soup.
Paimon's face turned purple as she rushed over to the pot and starts shaking it, "NOO! NOT MY SKEWERS!"
My laughter soon stops after seeing the problem I caused. "Sorry Paimon," I apologise, offering two of the four skewers I took from the plate prior.
"Paimon doesn't forgive you," she huffs as she snatchers the skewers from my hand. I shrug before I take a bit of one of my skewers, it tastes like pure bliss.
"Aether! have you had one of these?!" I grin with stars in my eyes.
"No, I hav-" He starts, but before he can finish I shove my spare skewer in his hands.
"Try one," I mumble with the skewer hanging from my mouth.
He takes a bite and says, "They are pretty good."
"All the food is more then pretty good!"
"I pulled out all the stops, I am glad you like it," Aether grins.
"Wait did you make all this food?" I ask. All he does is grin.
"You should consider a career as a chef," I say, but once I say it I realise how much like my parents I sound when talking about my siblings. My face turns sour.
"Something wrong with the food?" Aether asks.
"Nope!"
That night I did eat the biggest meal of my life. I was so stuffed that any second, I felt like I could pop. Aether and I chatted like old times, while Paimon ate most of the food. That being said, I doubt I am going to eat the breakfast I cook tomorrow. Whatever, I can make Paimon eat it, because Paimon doesn't 'lie'. Once again that evil grin returns to my face. I flop on my bed and stare out the window looking at the stars. Another day gone, one more before it all matters.
I pull out the balloon I shoved in my pocket and stare at it intensely. I hope I don't pop it... because then I will be back to where I started... This will be what I achieve tomorrow.
I roll over and fall asleep.
Word Count: 1314
Sorry updates are so infrequent, schools been pretty killer recently...
Thankyou for reading:))