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#impostor au genshin impact
bitwynn · 1 year
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Cast away by the world with you
A SAGAU Impostor AU Songfic.
Song used: Castaways from The Backyardigans
This song has been stuck in my head for the past three days and I've just been brainrotting abt this song and my current main team-- which honestly is just a team composed of my favorite characters and has no synergy with each other in fights WHATSOEVER but fuck meta, lemme wander the world as my faves AHAHA
I might add on to this and turn it into a series, as it hints at past events. Hm... a songfic sagau series... fun concept isnt it?
Blue for Barbara, Yellow/Gold for Zhongli, Green for Wanderer, red for Diluc, Italics is Reader/General, Combined is Everyone. Colors only used for singing parts.
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After the disaster that was earlier-- AKA risking Heizou's vision and life by holing up in his home and detective agency, Raiden ordering daily raids on any and every building, practically leaving Heizou to the wolves as you and the team ran for your lives out of Inazuma City, finding out the hard way that Raiden had once again disabled Teleport Waypoints (you still felt embarrassed by the full chested "WHAT THE FUCK" that alerted every single treasure hoarder, fatui agent, and nobushi in the area), booking it the second Diluc let out his burst which while eliminated everyone in the surrounding area ALERTED EVERYONE ELSE TO WHERE YOU ALL WERE, panic screaming directions and profanities the entire time you were hauled over Zhongli's shoulder with Wanderer dealing with enemies in the rear and Diluc and Barbara vaporizing everyone at the front, barely making it to Amakane Island and completely missing the Electroculus you needed for 5 minutes thanks to sheer panic, and finally FINALLY being able to access the Waverider Wavepoint and pointedly ignoring Wanderer's panicky jabs at your eyesight the entire time-- you and the gang were exhausted.
Last night was spent by everyone catching their breath and you sailing your tiny Waverider the entire time. Though everyone did have their own different definitions of "catching their breaths" as Wanderer just panic-snarked at you the entire time and Diluc looked like he was heavily considering his personal policy on drinking alcohol because of it. Good times.
You had sailed for days, deftly avoiding the large main islands of Inazuma and raiding hilichurl sea camps for food and materials. The memory of Wanderer laughing his ass off at everyone looking like "drowned rats" because they had to swim to the camps, and getting promptly shut up by Barbara using her Vision to drench him was something you'd never want to forget.
And now, you had finally reached it. A safe little island far and away from the main five islands of Inazuma, and relatively close to the abandoned and forgotten Tsurumi Island. You had plans to maybe try and stay there, considering the fact that its a ghost island at this point. Wanderer and Zhongli had even theorized that the Waypoints there might work, with the mystery and magic that practically oozes from the place. And if not, they could maybe try to use the vast underground systems and ancient knowledge there. Apparently Zhongli still remembered the hours of agony you spent there as him, trying to complete its many lore filled quests,
But now wasn't the time for scheming and planning your next moves. Not the time for wondering what to do and how to stay alive. Not for risking life and limb for merely just existing. Now was the time to simply just rest. To rest and lick your wounds, to recover energy spent and the blood and sweat spilled. To have your deepest thought to be that of what to eat for dinner.
Right now, Barbara was tending to the Wanderer's wounds as Zhongli continued to tend to his bamboo shoot soup that he'd been simmering all day. Diluc had been talking to Zhongli about Venti, and Barbara had gone red with embarrassment when she admitted how she and the other nuns had treated him. Which prompted Wanderer to tease her to hell and back for it saying, "the most devout of them all didn't even realize he was her god?! AHAHAHA, you even have a giant and ACCURATE replica of him outside your church! And you never thought to put the dots together? AHAHAHAHA--"
It was nice.
With the moon high in the sky and bellies full of warm and excruciatingly slow cooked bamboo shoot soup, your tiny little camp fell into a comfortable silence. There was nothing but the breeze, the gentle rustling of the leaves, the crackling of your small fire, and the lapping of the ocean waves.
This too, was nice.
You pull out your lyre and began to strum a simple little tune. Everyone's gaze turns to you as you take a few moments to get it right. You feel yourself begin to sway to the song as your mind fills in the silence of the missing instruments, and you get lost in the beat.
"Castaways, we are castaways,"
You feel yourself break into a smile as you start shimmying to the beat.
"Ahoy there, ahoy, we are castaways."
Barbara giggles and she begins to clap. Wanderer snorts in fond amusement as everyone listens.
You hand the lyre over to Diluc as you stand. Everyones eyes are on you, rapt with attention as Barbara keeps clapping and Diluc quickly finds the melody. You climb atop your tiny boat stage as the next words leave your lips.
"We're stuck where we are, with no house, no car.
Castaways, ahoy, we are castaways."
"We were out at sea, on a sailing ship,"
You sway and move your arms, almost but not exactly dancing, as you gesture out the lyrics. You quickly wet your hands and with a little splash at your little audience, you keep on singing.
"The rain began to rain, and the wind began to whip-- oh hey--!"
You laugh as Wanderer indeed made the wind start to whip. "Thats for getting me in the eyes." The smile is evident in his voice. You chuckle at him as you dramatically lean against the boat, continuing with your song.
You finally jump off your makeshift stage to join the others on the soft beach sand, dancing your one-man salsa to the strumming of the lyre and the clapping of the beat. Though you certainly aren't dancing alone.
"We felt the ship tip, it was going down.
So we launched our lifeboat, so we wouldn't drown!"
"Castaways, we are castaways,"
Your face brightens into a wide smile, as Barbara joins into the song. You pull her to her feet with a laugh, your lone salsa not so lonely anymore. Everyone sways and claps to the beat, as you keep singing.
"Ahoy there, ahoy, we are castaways!"
You let go of her hands, letting her copy your movements and preparing for the last few parts of the song.
"On an island at sea,"
Though her singing of the lyrics were a little rushed from the sudden lyric change, you still appreciate it, giving her a smile. You abruptly stop moving, a cheeky little smile on your face.
"Just--"
You quickly point to Barbara standing beside you. She startles with a squeak but quickly understands, once she sees your cheeky face.
"Me,"
You point down the line, the chorus of their voices filling the sea air. Little smiles appear on their faces as it goes down.
"Me,"
"Me,"
Your finger lands on Wanderer, smiles on both your faces. You keep pointing as he stays silent. He raises an eyebrow. "Seriously?" "Yeah, song won't end til you say it." He stays silent for a moment longer, before finally letting you win.
"...Me,"
You burst into smile, pointing your thumb at yourself as you finally finish the song.
"--and me!"
"Castaways, ahoy, we are castaways.!"
With a smile and a flourish, you bow as everyone erupts into cheer and applause. "Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all night!" Diluc hands you back your lyre. "That was a nice song. I really liked it." Your smile turns sheepish as you poof it back into your inventory. "Oh, its nothing-- the vibes, they were just-- y'know?"
As he settles back down onto his log, he says "Still, it was nice." You sit back down on your own log, throwing in a couple twigs to the fire Diluc restarted.
A soft smile graces your face as you poke at the few sticks that made up the fire. "Thanks, you guys. For uhm. Joining in."
You pull your knees to your chest to hide your quickly heating face. "I... really appreciated it..."
Barbara puts a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "Oh, no worries! I had fun!" "I have to agree," Zhongli says with a pleased little hum. "It was quite a pleasant way to spend the time." "It's not the best music I've ever heard but it was certainly better than just sitting here and twiddling our thumbs."
"Oh my gosh," you gasp, dramatically turning your head to him. "did I just get a compliment from THE Wanderer himself?! For real?!?!?" "Ah!-- Tsk." He turns away, adjusting the brim of his hat. "I just tell it as it is, got a problem with that?" "Awh, my little emotionally constipated boy!"
You immediately smother him in a hug, practically pouncing from your seat as you had perfectly anticipated the fact he'd run. "H-Hey! Put me down!" He's like an angry little cat in your arms as he hisses and scratches at you to put him down. "Oh, don't you worry Wanderer, we love and appreciate you too-- AHHHH--"
You started screaming as he ascended into the air, carrying you along with him. And that was how the rest of the evening went-- just a strange group of misfits messing around on a tiny deserted island. The sounds of your mirth heard only by nothing but the breeze, the gentle rustling of the leaves, the crackling of your small fire, and the lapping of the ocean waves. Maybe far into the future, an echoing conch would sing an otherworldly tune by a voice not of this plane.
And maybe, for just these few moments, you can pretend that your little ragtag group is just that-- a ragtag group of friends enjoying a wonderful night on the beach.
For but a few moments, Barbara Pegg-- once deaconess and endlessly devout, now the "brainwashed betrayer"-- is just Barbara, a girl who loves to sing.
Zhongli-- once god, once funeral consultant, once god once again, now "the one who falls endlessly from grace"-- is just Zhongli, an aged man who makes a mean soup despite it taking hours to simmer.
Diluc Ragnvindr-- once the "Uncrowned King of Mondstadt" and master of its wine industry, now the "new Lawrences - the tyrant aristocrat"-- is just Diluc, a stoic and handsome young man whose hands are deft with the lyre.
The Wanderer-- once God-Puppet, once Balladeer, once struck from the annals of history itself, now the "nameless wind fiend"-- is just that, a Wanderer roaming the world with his fellows.
And you-- once person, once player, now "divine deceiver"-- is yourself once again, laughing and singing along with friends.
And even if this beautiful little lie lasted for but a few moments...
It was nice.
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damn, its been a while since ive written something semi-seriously. hope that my time off hasnt degraded the quality of my writing too much. if it has then eh-- i can just sharpen them again by writing some more :))
life hit me h a r d boi. also time management. yeah. rlly need to fix that.
hope you enjoy :)))
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thetempleofhades · 7 months
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favorites pt2
this is mostly self indulgent. just fontaine being my favorite. this is an alternate version with imposter au creator! reader.
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Maybe it was childish in the eyes of others that you preferred Fontaine over every other nation. You had been ridiculed and branded as an imposter in Mondstadt, you had been nearly killed in Liyue, had been nearly killed again in Inazuma, you didn't neven want to talk about Sumeru.
You didn't want to even think about the Fatui or their reigning Archon, The Tsaritsa. Fontaine had been the first place that you ran to that didn't try to kill you or accuse you of a heinous crime. You had nearly broken down crying at the realization that the residents of Fontaine weren't going to hurt you.
You looked out at the rain, watching it fall with trembling hands as you sat at a table, having tea with Furina and Neuvillette.
"....Your Grace?" Neuvillette called your attention softly, staring at you with a concerned look as he took notice of your trembling hands. "Are you alright?"
It was overwhelming. This was the first time you'd been asked if you were okay since the moment you arrived in Teyvat. It was.... strange. In a horrible way, running and avoiding death was something you got used to. you used to hide in caves and amongst the hilichurls for a moments of respite and look at your scars.
Your shaken eyes stared down at your scarred hands, "Um... Yes... I'm fine." It sounded like a lie from your lips. You weren't fine. Fontaine had refused to hunt you down, and the moment you entered it's borders, Fontaine protected you. Furina, Clorinde, and Neuvillette protected you and comforted you. Why was Fontaine the first to protect you? Were people truly that cruel?
Furina's eyes noticed your shaken state and she exchanged a look with Neuvillette. "Your Grace, please try the cake! It's of highest quality, as is everything and everyone that graces my table." Smugness radiated from her as she pushed the piece of cake towards you, eager to get you to eat something, anything.
You looked up towards her as her presence calmed you down from your anxiety. Your shaky hand reached for the fork. "Is it really okay for me to be here, won't it cause problems with the other nations?"
"Forget about those guys! Those Archons have rotting brains and feeble bodies. They should have just turned to dust instead." Furina scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "I don't really care about them, Fontaine welcomes you and we'll protect our beloved creator." She smiled at her and you relaxed slowly as you looked down at your cake before taking a bite.
"...!" Your eyes widened as you stared down at the slice of cake. "....It's good." You commented quietly, not noticing the pleased look on both Neuvillette and Furina's face.
"Everyone here treasures you, Your Grace. You don't have to worry about anything and everyone who has hurt you will never be able to come here so easily. Rest easy and enjoy all the things we have to offer you." Neuvillette's voice was soothing as you found yourself nodding.
Yes.... you did like Fontaine.... You liked being in Fontaine...
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Okay, you liked slightly less now that you were in an actual prison.
"Why are going to a prison?" You asked Neuvillette, nervous as you shifted in the lift you were in. You tugged your jacket closer to your frame as you looked up at the man who had been by your side since you had arrived in Fontaine. "I'm... not being arrested, right?"
"No, of course not, Your Grace. You haven't done anything wrong in the slightest. This is the Fortress of Meropide. The administrator of this place, Wriothesley is a personal friend. I thought you should be introduced to him as well as you have decided to reside in Fontaine for now.
Before you could respond, the lift opened and you really weren't sure how to feel about this place.
You shyly waved to those who you past. They were all staring at you, it was a little unnerving but it didn't feel like they disliked you.
You currently found yourself in an office as said man, (Wriothesley was what Neuvillette called him) poured you tea. "It's chamomile tea, Your Grace. You seem a little nervous." The man smiled at you which only made a blush of embarrassment appear on your cheeks.
You wondered if anyone was ever disappointed when they learnt that you were the Creator of this world, you didn't fit the title of All Powerful. Your time being hunted had made you skittish and paranoid.
You looked to the side as Sigewinne, the Melusine that Neuvillette told you about entered and your hear jumped. You had always been fond of cute things and Sigewinne was cute, you had always been fond of children.
"Hello, Your Grace!" She smiled at you happily and you swore you could cry. She was so cute....
You quickly averted your eyes, to try and keep your composure, to not seem strange, "Um, hello to you too." You greeted her, the shyness leaving you as a soft smile curled at you lips.
You kept the steaming cup in hand, not yet drinking it.
"Their Grace has decided to reside in Fontaine for the moment as we sort out the issue with the other Archons." Neuvillette quietly informed Wriothesley while you were enamored with Sigewinne and talking to her quietly. "It will most likely be a drawn out affair. The other Archons will likely not admit their wrong doings." Neuvillette frowned, which was mimicked by Wriothesley.
You were oblivious to their conversation as you talked quietly to Sigewinne about the sights you had seen so far. "Neuvillette and Furina have been making sure my meals are good enough."
"I'll write out a detailed meal plan so you can recover quickly!" Sigewinne seemed happy to be able to do something for you and you couldn't refuse her after seeing her excitement.
Your eyes softened as you smiled. "I'll make sure to follow it fully."
Yeah... Fontaine was great.... You didn't mind staying her for a while...
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ixiot-ghostrebel · 5 months
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Hello! I saw that your requests are open so I thought, I'll shoot my shot
So, it'll be SAGAU with Impostor and Isekai trope. The reader is a real Creator, while the fake one is on the throne. But! What if they look completely different? Characters don't hunt reader because well, they don't look like their beloved grace and they're unaware that their sweet creator is in fact a real impostor.
But when you look at reader and the fake creator, you can see a total difference in their surroundings. The real Creator - Reader, is connected to the Teyvat, right? The flowers bloom everywhere where they stand, the trees are more green and lively, while there's nothing like this with the impostor in the throne.
So! To the idea- How about Zhongli and Kaeya's (or any other characters you'd like to add here) to see their Reader cut themselves and suddenly bleed gold - while they saw their beloved Grace bleed red and suddenly, they connect the dots?
Ooh, this is certainly interesting, @ilumin! I'll see what I can come up with :)
Zhongli & Kaeya Find Out The Imposta :)
You weren't gonna lie—you kinda freaked when you realize the isekai and sagau trope thing happened on you. Reading fanfiction from the internet, you knew how things were gonna go down. You read the signs.
Safe to say you were not expecting you yourself to be the "lucky winner" of this entire thing. Nu-uh. Not one bit. You knew this was gonna be a hellhole.
That is, of course....you realized that the Imposter did not look like you at all. You were kinda stoked about it—that means you weren't gonna get ratted out, or killed, or hunted—so yay you! Time to chill with some bros! Time to free ball it while you still can!
And thennn... one night you were hanging with some ppl, and you accidentally nicked your finger.
You guessed it right, fellas, you bled gold. And that did not go unnoticed.
Good luck.
(Warning: Might be OOC!)
Zhongli
When he first met you, Zhongli thought you were like The Traveler—you were someone who passed the Celestial Atmosphere above, and descended down to traverse the world.
With Their Grace present, their world has prospered and Zhongi is proud to say that Liyue was doing well under their rule. But when you came, he was a little surprised to see how the earth seemed to connect with you. Flowers around you seemed brighter, precious rocks seem to surface at your presence..and you somehow manage to always be able to get the most freshest fruit anyone can come across.
You were truly an interesting enigma that Zhongli is curious to learn more of. He commits every detail about you to memory. The day the wind conveniently came to the rescue when the days were boiling hot. The time where you managed to restock your food stalls even though so many Liyueans were nabbing them and almost leaving you nothing. Everything Zhongli saw, he noted down in his mind.
You eventually became acquainted with him the moment he walks up to your food stall. It wasn't that packed in the morning (somehow), and it allowed the two of you to get to know one another better. Safe to say your relationship was solid.
And then you bled gold that one night. Zhongli eyes your blood with wide expressions, before immediately excusing the both of you out of the situation.
He cannot believe that the person that sits on the Creator's Throne was not the Creator. He's constantly being bombarded with the "Creator" and their meetings, while you were just selling goods on the streets of Liyue.
"...Your Grace..." Zhongli looks at you as he puts a bandage over your finger. "...Truly, we have all been deceived." And while you're glad that he wasn't suggesting you start up a riot, you were kind of worried about what he'll do to the Imposter the next time Zhongli sees him.
Safe to say he did have a "Chat" with them that consisted of a meteor and a lot of "I will have Order!" voicelines repeating over and over again.
Kaeya
When you got plopped into Mondstadt, somehow, the winds started becoming more gentle and a lot more carefree. Everyone saw this as a sign of Barbatos, you saw this as a sign of the world trying to rat you out or something.
You decided to get a job at the Tavern to get info, and boom you meet Kaeya. You should've expected this when you got a job at Angel's Share, because this hottie bro is very much interested on your merchandise.
Safe to say, though, Kaeya was very interested in you. Like Zhongli, he takes note of your every move. But, unlike Zhongli, Kaeya's trying to see how your...unique superpowers work, and how they can be used to help protect Mondstadt—assuming he manages to convince you to join.
Kaeya is very talkative in the Tavern, so he usually talks to the bartenders. Diluc is pulling his hair out to see how much info Kaeya's spilling to you during your shifts, half of which are just boasting about the Knights of Favonius.
When you nicked your finger, though, you knew things were going down. It didn't help that Kaeya noticed. His eyes widen for a fraction, before he stands up and suggests that you both should take a walk around the streets of Mondstadt when your shift was done.
You agree, seeing as there's no way out of this, and quickly grab a bandaid to patch up the scratch. Once you were both out, Kaeya speaks first, in a low tone.
"My...I never knew the Almighty Creator could be this sneaky, to have an imposter sit on the throne while they serve cups at my favorite tavern." You look at him incredulously. He took the situation to praise you to make himself sound like he was blessed?
Good sir, this was the opposite of how your life got thrown upside down when you entered Teyvat. Then again, this sounded a lot better than getting killed, so you'll take it as a win. For now.
Kaeya promises to keep this a secret, but safe to say Diluc is rubbing his temples when he hears the Calvary Captain himself trying to offer you a position in the Knights of Favonius, saying you had potential and whatnot.
Honestly, he just wants to spend more time with you outside of the tavern.
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Ghost Rebel Side Notes: Why the heck did this take SO MUCH LONGER than I expected sobbing. Sorry y'all—istg life is hitting me like Truck-Kun.
Also one more thing: Furina is my new child now. She and Fremmi are my Fontantian Children. Love 'em both too much ppl will have to pry them out of my cold-dead hands.
✦ Check out The Ghost Rebel’s Blog Description & Info Page to See if Their Mailbox is Open! ✦
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st4rshang0ut · 6 months
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HEAR ME OUT.
Genshin SAGAU au, right?
Okay. So reader gets isekaied into Genshin Impact. And everyone is crawling at their feet.
At thier divine one’s beck and call, everyone, Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, they all love you!
But wait.
Why is there another mortal?
Why do they have such similar hair to you? Why is their mannerisms so… similar to you? They must be an imposter!
But when the Archons bring the trembling and terrified imposter before you, asking thou heavenly one on how to kill them, you raise your hands and stop them.
Stepping forward, you brush away the stray hair out of the imposter’s face. Your eyes sparkle upon seeing them. Such beauty… so perfect. Their eyes, their cute nose, and their bewildered yet frightened expression.
They. Were. Perfect.
And from that day on, wait, the Archons, what about them? Why are they so mad? Oh, it’s because you, my dear reader, are too busy on the person everyone was calling an imposter!
You loved the so called imposter, how could you not? Sure, your acolytes were harsh with them, making them scared and wary of you at first. But slowly, you two slowly opened up, and now, both you and the ‘imposter’ are a couple!
Who cares about having Teyvat at your feet? They could all be against you, and you wouldn’t care. You had your love by your side, how could you not?
And the best part? The so called imposter was isekaied randomly as well! They had no intentions of being a ‘divine’, yet, because you arrived first, everyone thought they were an imposter and treated them like a prisoner.
How patheticcute. They all love you, adore you, worship you, they would kill for you, and yet? You focus barely on them. You love your precious ‘imposter’ to death.
Wait, what do you mean Zhongli’s trying to poison the imposter?
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mylittlesecretwish · 9 months
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Okay, but what about an imposter au with an isekied!reader that is way too inocent and excited to notice that people were initialy mad at them?
Like, reader arrived Tevyat and gets incredibly excited when realice what is happening and then one of the characters find them and when was about to acuse you of trying to look like the creator reader just goes to them and start talking super excitedly with a big smile about them, calling them cute nicknames, praising their strenght and elementary mastery and even talking about their weapon, telling them how much you like to use them in your adventures and how you were trying really hard to build them or how excited you were to get them (even saving wishes to get it in the next banner)
They are supoused to be angry at you for you audacity to dress like the creator but now is completely flustered because the one in the throne barely look at them and probably doesn't even know their name and now you are praising them and even know a lot of them, and yet they doesn't feel vulnerable (or at least not in a bad way) or in danger, they feel completely safe (u know, for the creator's aura)
I think that is more than enough proof of you being the real one
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avocad1s · 7 months
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Trial By Combat - 4
Requested By: No One. Original Work.
CW: Post-SAGAU Imposter AU, Mentions of killing a divine being, kidnapping, drugging, manipulating people
Summary: Your health takes a turn for the better.
Note: 4.0 Archon Quest Spoilers.
Part One Part Two Part Three Part Five
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It was only under exceptional circumstances that the harbingers would return to the homeland. If one of them managed to obtain a gnosis and further the Tsaritsa’s plan, a celebration was in order. Yet even then, it would be miracle for all to appear .
However when one of Tartaglia’s subordinates returned holding the newest edition from the Steambird, the Tsaritsa ordered all of them to return Snezhnaya.
The deafening silence filled the hall, encasing the walls with anticipation. As the pages were passed to the last harbinger, they were suddenly slammed onto the table before fluttering gracefully onto the floor.
“Focalors proves time and time again that she is not worthy of being an Archon.” Arlecchino spits. “I will go there and rip that gnosis out of her dead body.”
“Wait just a second.” Tsaritsa calls out. “Before we act, we must find out if their Grace is still alive. This paper gave no details of their condition.”
“Her Majesty is right. If their Grace is still alive we need to prioritize bringing them here.” Pulcinella adds.
Arlecchino scoffs, “I can do both. I’ll get the gnosis, kill Focalors, and get Their Grace.”
“That’s a bit ambitious. Don’t you think?” Pantalone questions, his voice as sweet as honey.
Alrecchino digs her nails into her palm. “This isn’t the time to pick a fight when Their Grace could be dying in the so-called Nation of Justice.”
“I agree.” The Tsaritsa begins, “Alrecchino will go to Fontaine but the Gnosis and Focalors are not the priority. Getting the Creator back to Snezhnaya is the only thing that matters.”
“—and if Their Grace is dead? What shall we do then?”
Everyone turns to stare at The Doctor. Although none of them wanted to think about the worst case scenario, it was still something that needed to be addressed.
“Then Focalors will beg for a quick death.”
-
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When you woke up, you were greeted by more Melusines. They stood resolute in your room, as if they were guarding you. While the Melusine in front of you held a tray with food on it, it was plated beautifully. It was fixed with great care and it’s easy to tell a lot of attention was put into making it perfect.
“Did Neuvillette send you all again?” Are the first words to leave your lips once you sit up in the bed.
Blathine, who stood the closest to you, nods. “Monsieur told us to watch over you.”
She slides the tray carefully onto your lap being careful to not let anything fall. You look down at the tray licking your lips, you didn’t even realize how hungry you were until food was right in front of you.
“Thank you.” You smile picking up a piece of the sliced bulle fruit putting it in your mouth. It was sweet and refreshing, you craved more, desperately famished.
As you eat, you can’t help but notice how the Melusines get closer and surround your bed their eyes on you. You hesitate for a moment, dropping the piece of fruit back onto the plate as you wipe your mouth.
Their eyes followed every move you made, it was clear that the species was interested in humans but this felt like something else. Like how a child would act with their parent.
“I thought Melusines were responsible for guarding Fontaine?”
These five Melusines were apart of the Marechaussee Phantom, the blue uniforms and hats made it obvious.
“Monsieur Neuvillette increased the number of Gardes and Gardemeks around Fontaine so that we can prioritize your safety.” Menthe explains.
“My safety?
“Lady Furina and Monsieur Neuvillette prioritize you over everything. Everyone does.”
You want to scoff at their words, if you really were as valued as they say you wouldn’t be in this hospital bed right now.
“Your Grace…?”
You look up noticing a woman in a white coat standing by the door. Her blonde hair was pulled into a low bun and her red lips stretched into a welcoming smile.
“I’ve been assigned as your personal nurse and I’m here to change your bandages,” she explains. “Are you finished eating?”
You look down at the tray and the half eaten food on it. You still felt a bit hungry but having all these eyes on you made it difficult to eat. You push the tray away slightly as you nod at the woman.
The woman takes a step to enter the room but the Melusines were quick to approach as they checked her and her bag for anything suspicious.
The nurse places her bag at the foot of the bed opening it. Inside were multiple different medical supplies, bandages, and gloves. She grabs a pair of the gloves sliding them onto her slender fingers.
“How have you been feeling Your Grace? Any pain in your abdomen?” She asks.
“No. No pain.” You reply shifting slightly.
She looks over at you giving you another smile, “don’t worry Your Grace I’ll be quick. We just don’t want your wounds to get infected.”
You lay down on your back as the nurse slowly lifts your shirt to reveal the golden stained bandages wrapped around your torso. Carefully, she begins to unravel them making sure not to cause you any pain or discomfort.
Once the bandages were fully removed, you notice her eyebrows furrow. She bites her lip slightly as her eyes dart all across your exposed skin.
“Is something wrong?” You ask feeling a sense of dread creep up your spine.
“I— Your Grace.” She stammers, “Your wounds, they’re already healing.”
She touches what was left of your injury with her gloved hand. The gash was already almost closed and there was no more blood leaking from it. The wound looked more like a large scratch rather than something that could’ve killed you.
“Healing!?” You reply, “Already?”
“It’s fascinating…” she breathes out, “I never seen anything like it.”
The nurse begins to notice your discomfort, she clears her throat as she bows slightly to you. “I apologize for my behavior Your Grace. That was very unbecoming of me.”
She grabs the fresh bandages from her box and quickly wraps your abdomen back up.
“I do not believe you need these bandages anymore.” She says as she secures the bandages with medical tape. “however I will wrap them just as a precaution.”
Once she back away and pulls off her gloves you pull down your shirt and sit back up in the bed.
The nurse closes her bag and picking it up to put back in her shoulder. “Although you are healing much more quickly than expected, you should still drink plenty of water and get some rest.”
“I will inform Monsieur Neuvillette of your condition. I think by daybreak tomorrow you should be able to leave this bed.”
It was relieving to hear that you would be able to leave this bed soon. Being cooped up in the same room for days at a time was mentally draining. Especially when the only ones who visited you (excluding the Melusines) all groveled at your feet for an apology.
“Enjoy the rest of your day Your Grace,” she bows again, “I hope that you will be able to enjoy everything Fontaine has to offer you soon.”
She turns and walks towards the door, her heels clicking as she walks.
As her footsteps fade, the room grows silent again. You pull the blankets off your body standing from the bed. The Melusines watched your movements before Blathine speaks up.
“Did you have somewhere to go?” She asks tilting her head slightly. “We have been instructed to follow you.”
“I want to speak to Neuvillette.” You reply stretching your sore limbs, suddenly not feeling anymore pain in your abdomen.
“Monsieur Neuvillette?” She repeats, “Shall I bring Lady Furina as well? She’d love to talk to you.”
You shake your head quickly, “No. I only want Neuvillette.”
Blathine nods as she skips towards the exit of your room.
“Very well, I will return with the Iudex immediately.”
-
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For the first time ever, the Northland Bank was closed and no outside personnel were allowed to enter. In fact, no one apart of the Fatui had been seen in the past twelve hours.
Except for Lyney and Lynette.
The magical duo who are loved by everyone in Fontaine, or at least they were before people found out they were from the House of Hearth. Although their name had been cleared from that case, no one would trust anyone associated with the Fatui.
That didn't stop them from entertaining the people around Fontaine with their latest tricks.
Even after Father returned from Snezhnaya the night before.
Alrecchino's visits were always sporadic, the children understood, she was a Harbinger. However this time it felt even more unexpected. The children had never seen her look so angry in their lives but she would never take her anger out on the children. There was one person in particular that she wanted to lash out on, but she has to focus on what’s important.
Lyney and Lynette were the ones pulled aside by Alrecchino, the task she had for them now was bigger than finding out the true nature of the Oritrace.
Yet the twins knew that a second chance will not be an option this time.
-
Getting into the hospital where you were being held would be impossible, that much was true. The level of security around that building alone was enough to rival any trial that had ever been held in Fontaine. No one would be getting into that building unless cleared by the ludex or the Archon themselves.
There was only one person that wasn’t a notable figure in Fontaine that was able to enter that building. The nurse who went through so many clearances and was lucky enough to provide the Creator with any medical assistance they needed.
When she had stepped out the building, the nurse was immediately surrounded by reporters from the Steambird who wanted to know anything about the Creators current condition.
“Could you tell us anything about how the Creators doing?”
“Are they healing? Have they woken up?”
“Will we be able to see them soon?”
“I apologize,” the nurse begins as she glances around at the crowd. “I cannot give any information on Their Grace at the moment.”
The reporters visibly deflate at the news, or rather the lack of news. She pushes her way through the crowd to head towards to Palais Mermonia. The streets of Fontaine were empty, most people were too focused on The Creator to be bothered with anything else.
“Excuse me, Miss?” A voice calls out.
The nurse stops walking and turns around to see who called out to her.
It was the twins, two faces anyone in Fontaine would recognize.
Her face brightens slightly, “Lyney and Lynette! I love your magic shows!”
Lyney gives her a sly smile as he takes a few more steps to be closer to the woman, his sister follows but doesn’t say anything.
“I’m glad you’re a fan!” He exclaims, “My sister and I have been working on our latest trick for our newest show. Would you mind if we showed it to you?”
The nurse hesitates, “Actually I don’t think I can—“
“It’s just one trick!” Lyney interjects, “It won’t take too much time, I promise.”
“Alright fine.” She concedes, “I can only stay five minutes though. I have somewhere important to be.”
The twins exchange glances while nodding.
“Very well! Prepared to be amazed!” Lyney exclaims.
Lyney and all of his siblings knew how awful that Fatui was. The group has done unimaginable things and ruined many people’s lives. However, the children also knew that the Harbingers has their own aspirations that had nothing to do with the group.
Arlechinno only had the best intentions for her homeland Fontaine and the Creator, that is one thing Lyney knew for sure. So if getting the Creator out of Fontaine was the best option, then he would feel no remorse for what he had to do.
The trick was simple, something Lyney wouldn’t use during one of his shows just because it’s not entertaining enough. Yet he isn’t here to entertain this woman, all they have to do is keep her distracted long enough so Father’s plan can work.
Lyney pulls off his hat and bows to the nurse who only laughed and clapped.
“That was amazing as always! I cannot wait to see it in your next show!”
His smile fades as he fixes his posture placing his hat back on his head. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ll be sure to reserve you a special seat in the front.”
Her laughter soon died down as she stares at the twins. Their warm welcoming nature was devoured by something more malicious. The nurse subconsciously takes a step back, the hand that held onto her medical bag began to tremble. Lyney’s face was devoid of emotion and Lynette’s gaze seemed to be focused behind the woman.
However, she had no time to turn around. Two large hands grip firmly onto her shoulders.
“You’re coming with us.”
The nurse’s eyes widen as the two Fatui Skirmishers forcefully pull her back towards the direction of the Northland Bank. She glances back at the twins who only watch silently as she is dragged away.
“What do you want?! Please don’t hurt me!” She cries.
In almost a blink of an eye, the woman was gone. With no witnesses or trace of her presence, the twins didn’t have to worry about being put on trial again.
Lyney sighs as he looks down at the pavement.
His sister places her hand on his shoulder, “Our job still isn’t finished. We still have to deal with the traveler. They cannot intervene.”
Lyney nods at her words as he readjusts his top hat, “You’re right. Let’s go.”
-
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“You wished to see me Your Grace?”
Neuvillette stood by your doorway as he bowed respectfully to you. He spoke in a soft tone and he refused to meet your gaze.
“Yes. There’s something I needed to talk to you about.” You reply.
As he enters your room, the Melusines exit the room quietly leaving the two of you alone. Neuvillette stands by the window facing you. “How can I help you your Grace?”
“I’m sure the nurse has already told you, but my wounds are healing.” You say.
His eyebrows furrow as he brings his gloved hand up to his mouth, “No she hasn’t told me anything yet, but maybe she’s already waiting at Palais Mermonia.”
Neuvillette smiles, “but I’m glad to hear that you are feeling better. I will discuss your condition more with the nurse so I can make the preparations for you to leave the hospital. I want you to be as comfortable as possible in Fontaine.”
“There’s no need for that.”
His eyes widen momentarily but his expression doesn’t change, “What do you mean? If you don’t mind me asking.”
You look down at your lap as you fiddle with your fingers. Although he was trying everything in his power to make you feel comfortable, you still felt uneasy around the man. The last time you actually had an conversation with him, he considered you a criminal.
“I want to leave Fontaine.”
An awkward silence settles around the two of you as you wait for him to respond to your statement.
“I see…” Neuvillette begins, “…Is there a nation in particular you’d like to travel to?”
You ponder his question for a moment, you never really thought about where you’d go after you left the Nation of Hydro. It didn’t matter, you just wanted to get out of here.
“Sumeru.” You reply. “That is the closest nation, right?”
Neuvillette nods, “It is Your Grace, but to get to Sumeru city you’ll have to pass through the desert.”
“That’s fine I just—“ you pause, you didn’t want to say anything that he might take offense to.
“I can make the preparations for you to leave as early as possible. I will reach out to the Dendro Archon to make her aware of your arrival.”
“Is there anything I can say to make you change your mind?” Neuvillette asks quietly.
You look away from his gaze, “No. I don’t think you can.”
Neuvillette nods as he lets out a breath, “I see… was there anything else you’d like to discuss Your Grace?”
You shake your head, “No I’d rather just be alone right now. Could you send the Melusines away too?”
You could tell by the look he gave you he wanted to refuse your request but he doesn’t. He gives bows again as he begins walking back to the door.
“Oh Neuvillette!” You suddenly call out.
He turns to face you again, “Yes Your Grace?”
“Thank you for the flowers by the way.” You say sheepishly, “they’re beautiful.”
You see his pale cheek grow red slightly as he quickly turns away from you. “I’m glad you liked them. I’ll be sure to bring you more.”
You couldn’t help but smile at his embarrassed reaction.
“Your Grace,” Neuvillette says after clearing his throat, “I brought you another gift. I’d be honored if you’d accept it.”
You fix your posture, interested in what this gift could be. “What is it?”
He gestures for Blathine to enter to room, she was holding a nicely decorated vase in between her tiny hands as she holds it out to Neuvillette. He smiles down at her as he grabs it with one hand, using the other to pat her head lightly.
Neuvillette walks over to your bedside with the vase in hand, “It’s water Your Grace. Some of the best water you can find in all of Teyvat. I collected it specially for you.”
He places the vase next to the bouquet of flowers.
“Thank you Neuvillette,” you reply, “I’ll be sure to enjoy it.”
As you accept his gift you notice that his mood seemed to lift, almost like you never told him you wanted to leave Fontaine in the first place. Neuvillette gives you one last bow as he heads back to the exit.
“I will return personally to check on you in the morning Your Grace.”
Neuvillette and the Melusines leave without another word. Just like before, you were left alone with your own thoughts. You could only hope that Sumeru was better than Fontaine, but Nahida was the God of Wisdom so surely she wouldn’t accuse you of anything without evidence?
You let out a sigh as you relax back into the bed glancing out the window. The sky already had a orange hue signifying that the sun would be setting soon. You didn’t even realize how fast the day had passed, spending all your time in this room.
“…Your Grace..” A soft voice calls out.
You glance over at the door, it was a nurse, but not the one you had earlier today. Under the white coat she wore an unusual outfit, wouldn’t it even be comfortable working in an thing like that?
She seemed to notice your gaze on her appearance. “I apologize for my clothing Your Grace, but the matter was important.”
You stare at her a guarded look on your face, “where’s the other nurse? She was the one assigned to me by Neuvillette.”
She nods, “You’re right Your Grace, but there had been a complication with your injury and I was tasked to bring you medicine.”
You raise a brow, “The other nurse said I was healing? How could that change so quickly.”
The mysterious woman enters your room fully, her footsteps as silent as ever. You could hardly see her face as the light began to slowly drain from the sky.
“After checking your old bandages we are worried that an infection is already growing within your body. I brought a serum to stop it before it gets worse.”
Your eyes widen as your hand rests on your torso. An infection? Just when you thought you would be able to leave this nation, you could be stuck here even longer.
“Will this medicine heal me quickly?”
“Of course Your Grace. Your health is our up most priority.” She replies quickly.
She walks to your bedside pulling out a small bottle from her coat pocket. The liquid within it was clear as she holds it out to you.
“Here, you have to drink it all.”
You grab the bottle from her fingers taking out to cork as you smell it. The medicine had no scent. Slowly, you bring it up to your lips letting the medicine spill into your mouth as you drink it in one go.
The woman smiles as she takes the empty bottle from your hands. “Wonderful Your Grace. You’ll be feeling the effects very soon.”
Your head suddenly felt heavy as if the world was spinning around you. What the hell did you just take?You look up at the woman and she just had a small smile on her lips not saying anything else.
You felt uncoordinated as you reach over to the vase Neuvillette had gifted you to take a drink of water. Maybe some water would help wash this feeling away.
The vase slips from your weak grip crashing onto the ground, the glass shatters as the water splashes everywhere. The overwhelming feeling to close your eyes was growing stronger as you take one last glance at the woman, but this time you see someone standing behind her.
This woman had white hair with raven streaks, her eyes were black with and her pupils were X-shaped.
“Don’t worry Your Eminence,” the new woman says, her voice soft and graceful, “I will take care of you from now on..”
You couldn’t fight the feeling anymore, your eyelids close as you rest limply in the bed.
“Lady Harbinger. It’s done.”
The Knave enters the room fully stepping over the shards of glass the was scattered across the room. She kneels down in front of you bringing her hand up to cup your face.
“Tell the others to prepare the ship. We are leaving Fontaine immediately.” She whispers as if you’d wake up if she spoke too loudly.
“And what about Their Grace? Are we taking them back to the Zapolyarny Palace?”
“No.” Arlechinno replies curtly, “I have other plans for Their Grace.
-
-
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© avocad1s 2023
Note: omg this took so long to get out! But I hope everyone is enjoying 4.1 update! I haven’t started it yet since I wanted to finish this first but to all Neuvillette wanters (me) you will win the 50/50 <3!!
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Text
Furina, who while devoted to the creator, knows that they are not all powerful nor all knowing- after all, they still referred to her as Focalors, they still treat her as an archon and one of their acolytes.
Furina, who regularly questioned her faith and her loyalties- after all, she was attempting to fool the Heavenly Principles, the loyal attack dog of the creator, but at the same time, why didn’t the creator try and stop the prophecy? If the creator had the power, and truly loved all their humans and archons, why let Fontaine drown?
Furina, who when an impostor appeared, received the same order as every other archon- hunt down the imposter, the heretic who defied their revered creator, and destroy them and their treasonous behaviour.
Furina, who during the search, wondered if she would be hunted down with the same vigor if others would learn of her duplicity.
Furina, who found you in a grotto only able to be accessed underwater, who saw the way the creatures of the sea attempting to help you patch up the wound in your side, spilling golden blood, and realized her faith was misplaced with far more ease than any other archon could have mustered.
Furina, who helped her creator heal in that grotto, apologies soft and regretful on her lips. She should have realized sooner; After all, she knows how easy it is to impersonate a god.
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m1d-45 · 8 months
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i love your sagau/imposter au fics so much (esp kazuha’s),, do you think nahida would be able to sense if the creator isnt an imposter because of her having access to Irminsul and being able to see if there are records of them? anyways okok so uh hear me out, maybe the creator tries to seek safety in sumeru while they’re being hunted? sorry if this is a lengthy ask ekwjkwm anyways thanks for reading, ur amazing !
sandy refuge
word count: 3.4k
-> warnings: spoilers for the final sumeru archon quest
-> gn reader (you/yours)
taglist: @samarill || @thenyxsky || @valeriele3 || @shizunxie || @boba-is-a-soup || @yuus3n || @esthelily || @turningfrogsgay || @cupandtea24 || @genshin-impacts-me || @chaoticfivesworld || @raaawwwr
< masterlist >
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sumeru was a deadly nation.
liyue was guarded by the adepti, and inazuma’s storms tore the sea around the archipelago to shreds, but sumeru…
sumeru, the land of wisdom, headed by academics and led by scholars and sages. the nation split in two, lush forests barely a stones throw from barren deserts, believers of two (three?) separate gods walking side by side through the city. for a nation so divided, it was rare to get everybody to agree on something, every decision inevitably and invariably leaving some group of people unsatisfied.
and yet, there they were, united under one flag. eremites and the matra, the beige robes of the desert dwellers shifting in the wind besides the glittering armor of the akademiya’s soldiers, spears and swords aligned towards the same target.
it would be beautiful, if only you weren’t the one they rallied against.
you didn’t know how long you had been running when you managed to work your way past the wall, nor how long you had managed to stumble across sand dunes before finding your current oasis.
literally. trees swayed around a large pool of clear water, thick grass cushioning your knees as you barely hesitated before cupping some in your hands and drinking. it was blessedly cool, and you were tempted to swim in it and let it soothe the continuous heat from the desert sun. sadly, you didn’t have a spare set of clothes, and you weren’t keen on stripping when the matra could storm the place at any moment.
or the eremites. or the corp of thirty. or literally anybody else, since you’ve apparently been declared public enemy number one.
you splashed some water on your face and over your head, goosebumps rising where a drop raced beneath the collar of your shirt. how water was so cold when the sand was so hot, you didn’t know, but you weren’t going to complain.
after drinking a few more handfuls of the water, you finally looked around. there was a large spire of stone next to the oasis, flanked by large trees, with a thankfully abandoned hilichurl hut beside it.
you try not to think about how an archer would have had an easy shot as you were drinking.
at the base of a few of the trees is something green, and you remember the nuts that grew in the desert. you were too wary of the henna berries and the cacti they grew on to try and eat those, but you distinctly remember these being used in a few recipes.
all you could do was hope they were edible raw.
you stood—your vision blurred, the ground tilting, but you ignored it—and walked around the oasis, inspecting the green and hoping it wasn’t a fungus.
good news, it wasn’t. bad news, it was the husk of one of the nuts, hollow without any of the fruit inside. fresh, by the looks of it, the green leaves squishing instead of crumbling when you kicked at them.
great.
you sat on the curved trunk of one of the trees, holding up a hand to shade your eyes as you looked up. you could see another nut, hanging off the top of a tree, but.. the bark of the trees were smooth, and any of your athletic abilities were worn away by exhaustion and malnutrition.
you let your head drop and tried not to focus on your hunger, instead inspecting the mix of sand and grass beneath your feet. sand and grass. all of sumeru, represented right at your feet. hot, slippery sand, and cool, spiky grass. the desert and the forest, two wildly different ecosystems, and yet… both drove you out.
you tried not to cry, to push away the helplessness of the situation, but you couldn’t. what had you done, you wondered, for your very face to cause such an uproar? for two separate groups of people, divided in location, name, and faith to ally in their shared hatred of you? if somebody asked you what the millelith, matra, and eremites had in common about six months ago, you couldn’t have answered. you’d have thought about it, maybe, but drawn a blank outside of ‘defenders.’
but what were they defending? and how were you a threat?
when the first tear fell, so did something else.
you jumped at the dense thud, digging your nails—overgrown, bitten at, broken—into the bark as you searched for the source of the noise.
a large fruit had fallen, the one you were eyeing earlier by the looks of it. it sat atop the empty husk of another, magically fallen from the tree by seemingly nothing.
you weren’t going to complain.
you slid off the tree, reaching for the nut, grabbing the stem and pulling, but dropped it just as fast. a fungus was standing just behind it, large orange eyes looking up at you.
you were frozen. would it attack you? was it trying to eat? did they even need to? could you get sick from fungus spores? even if you couldn’t, getting hurt wasn’t worth the meal…
the fungus tilted to one side, then the other, bumping the large fruit towards you.
it… was giving it back?
you stared, but the fungus didn’t move. when you carefully tugged at the nut, slowly drawing it closer so you could properly pick it up, it didn’t move. it just watched you, the rim of its cap slightly falling into its eyes.
you sat back on the tree, pulling it into your lap. the outer leaves were coarse, softening as you pulled away the many layers. there was a high chance some of the inner leaves were edible, but you didn’t want to take chances. the fruit itself was a pale green, easily tearing under your fingers. it was soft, with the barest edge of sweetness that had you prying up more. it wouldn’t make for a full meal, but it was certainly far better than nothing.
you checked on the fungus every once in a while, but it just stood there. by your guess, it was the floating anemo kind, but where was its group? fungi rarely appeared alone, and part of you felt bad.
(felt bad. for a fungus. you’re in dirty, torn clothes and on the run for your life, and you still find the empathy for a fungus. at least you knew your morals were still intact.)
you offered a piece of the nut to the fungus, but it didn’t react. instead it turned, floating into the air and drifting away.
…alright.
you try to eat the fruit slowly, as to not make yourself sick, taking breaks to sip more water from the lake to dim the sweetness. you didn’t know how long the fruit would stay good now that you’d opened it, but you were trying to enjoy it. its not as if you were overflowing with excess, and you likely couldn’t linger here long. you don’t even know why you resorted to the desert anyway.. between cyno, the ruins, scorpions, the primal constructs.. to say it was dangerous was an understatement. even if you made it to the far west, the pari were there, and you didn’t think they would take too kindly to you. fontaine wouldn’t be much better, provided you somehow crossed the sea around it…
nowhere was safe. you supposed that was the point, that nobody would give you refuge, but it still hurt. you didn’t think you’d ever land in this situation when you first downloaded the game..
whatever. you’re not going to go down that path for the nth time. you hold the remains of the nut in one arm as you stand, picking off chunks as you walk toward the hilichurl hut. with any luck there would be something useful inside, or at least be a safe place to rest temporarily.
the camp looks like it’s been clear recently, which is both good and bad. good, because neither hilichurls nor patrols should come by here for a bit, but bad because it lowers your chances of finding anything useful. there’s no arrowheads or vegetables, not even embers in the fire pit, all the supply boxes long since broken.
at least it’s shelter. at least you had food today, and (hopefully) clean water. small wins, small wins…
you gather your strength and begin to drag all the rubble into the hut, using what was left of their training dummies to make a hollow pile. hopefully it would just look like trash to anyone walking by, and could maybe keep you warm. the scraps of furs littered over the camp were matted with something you didn’t want to think about, so this was your best bet.
man, you missed your bed.
you returned to the oasis for more water, scrubbing off some of the dirt from your arms and face. you wouldn’t be clean for long, what with the dirt floor you’d picked as your shelter, but it felt nice. a topical fix for a bone deep wound.
you didn’t try to clean your clothes, eyeing the sun dipping in the sky. having wet clothes wouldn’t help at night, even if it might feel good. perhaps tomorrow? yes, tomorrow. tomorrow you could scrub at your shirt—*blood doesn’t clean easily without soap*—and try to undo some of the knots in your hair, maybe even use leaves and some of the scraps of twine around the camp to bring some water with you.
tomorrow. you got this. surely.
(just ignore the fact that you don’t know where in the desert you are. or how easy it would be to get lost, or dehydrate. nope. this is a perfectly fine and normal situation that you have an okay amount of control over. you got this. you have to.)
you return to the hut, retrieving the other half of your fruit and taking it with you into your pitiful shelter. at least you didn’t have to worry about rain…
it was only slightly cramped beneath the pile of junk, but you had enough room for you and your food. you laid there for a long time, occasionally peeling off pieces to eat. you didn’t know how much was left, and you didn’t think about it, distracting yourself by thinking about tomorrow. if you were clever with some sticks you could fashion some wider soles for your shoes to get more grip on the sand, or maybe a hat to keep from burning… but there was water and food to worry about, but the area along the wall was certainly dangerous, but it might be worth it if it meant you lived a little longer…
you fell asleep at some point, the faint sweetness of your dinner lingering on your tongue.
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normally, waking up to someone barely a foot from your person would be unsettling. in your situation, it was terrifying.
you immediately pushed yourself back, crawling backwards away from nahida. she was kneeling, seeming surprised at your actions. you almost wondered how she was out here, and in your survey of the area, it clicked.
you weren’t in the hut anymore. you’d missed it in your fear, but you were lying on grass, in a small meadow. you didn’t pay too much attention to it though, putting a hand to your chest to try and calm your heart.
“just a dream,” you breathed, and nahida’s expression fell. not into anger, more.. sadness?
“i’m sorry if i startled you.” her voice was soft, but flat, motions stiff as she stood up and dusted off her dress.
what a weird dream. first you’re lucid, then she’s here… maybe it was wishful thinking. maybe your brain had finally had enough.
“it’s fine,” you said, taking another look around the field. tall trees arched high above you, the bushes and ferns between them reminding you of the rainforest. in the center were three chairs, with various plates laid out on the table between them. you stood, automatically wiping for any grass caught on you, only to find that you were actually wearing clean clothes again—one of your favorite outfits, actually.
you mostly ignored nahida as you walked to the table, looking over the various dishes. you recognized a few as sumeru recipes, but not all of them, deciding to pick at a bowl of fruit instead. you’re not sure how dreams work here—you haven’t had many since coming to teyvat—but it feels safer to stick with a food you’ve actually tried before.
(you ignore the nut from the oasis. calculated risk.)
“i hope they’re to your liking?” nahida’s voice is hesitant as she comes to your side, sitting in one of the chairs. you don’t do the same.
“i’m surprised i remember so many of these,” you say instead, looking over the sheer variety of food laid out. your subconscious has done well.. almost a bit too well.
“eat. you need the energy.”
“i’ll just miss them in the morning, and it’s not like they’ll give me any actual nutrition.”
“…please, my god.”
your head whips to her in an instant, the fruit falling from your hand as if it was poison. it could be, considering everything.
even after all these months, you’d let your guard down. in front of the one god who had control over dreams, you ate of her food and showed that you were weak.
nahida raises her hands, and you have half a mind to grab a knife off the table. it wouldn’t do anything, but it would make you feel better. “it’s just me. there’s nobody else in this dream.”
you should have known better. “leave me alone.”
“i mean you no harm, i only-“
you put your hands over your ears and close your eyes, trying to make yourself wake up. you pictured the walls of the hut, of your makeshift shelter and the leaves of last night’s dinner. you pretend you can’t hear her voice, that the only sound is the whisper of the wind.
if only you’d remembered her powers quicker, or perhaps discovered yours sooner.
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you don’t know how long it took you to break free from the dream, or if you managed to break it at all. you just knew that you woke up to the sounds of talking from outside your hut, the words were faint but still discernible from the wind. two voices, one soft and one rough, picking their way around the oasis.
you didn’t dare try to run, instead shifting some of the wood in your pile to cover the entrance. where could you even go if they found you? west was dangerous, east was deadly, north led you into either a sandstorm or a dead-end sea, and south was entirely uncharted, and that was assuming you even made it that far.
they came closer, and you reached for one of the smaller planks in your small shelter. it was still about the length of your forearm, and though the rest of the stack shifted, you felt a bit safer. maybe you could hide in a cave for a while until they left? no, that would mean you’d have to get enough of a lead to lose them, and you doubted you could run that fast.
“-abandoned.” there was a sound like a rock kicked against the side of the hut, covering the sound of your breath as you recognized the voice. “you sure this is the right place?”
wanderer.
“i’m certain, i saw it myself.”
and nahida. she probably tapped into your mind to see where you were trying to wake up to… it would be clever if your life wasn’t on the line.
footsteps drew ever closer, and it was getting hard to judge the distance. the hut was empty save for your little scrap pile, but how close was too close? could you even have a chance with wanderer’s skill? not to mention the dendro archon…
maybe you were doomed from the start. there was no good ending for you, just a constant delay of the fate that you dodged when you first set foot on this planet.
how long has it been? how much time have you borrowed? teyvat had ghosts, would you become one? would you return to earth? did your earth even exist anymore? this was not the time for this debate…
a shadow moved, and nahida’s voice was far closer than it was before. “divine one?”
you bit your cheek as to not laugh. ‘divine one.’ she already had a god, the one that had ordered this mess to begin with. the first person you ran into, ironically, who had on sight declared you a criminal. you didn’t want to be associated with that person at all, thank you. did she think that you thought you were the god? you wouldn’t be hiding if you did.
“buer. you’re talking to a pile of sticks.”
“i’m aware.” her voice grew quieter, like she’d turned around. “but we need to be patient.”
“there’s an easier way to do this, you know.”
“after all that’s happened? there’s no easy solution to this.”
“that’s not what i…” he sighed. “can i show you something?”
“what is it?”
the air hissed, your pile broken by a blade of wind down the middle. the anemo curved around you, acting as a shield as the wood splintered and flew. you quickly pushed yourself up, sitting against the wall and looking between the two of them. nahida looked terrified, and the shock on wanderer’s face is comical. looks like he didn’t expect you to actually be in there.
he removed his hat from his head, quickly dropping to one knee, nahida doing the same barely a moment after. “my god.. i apologize for my haste.”
pardon?
nahida lifted her head, meeting your eyes with a hand to her chest. “and i’m sorry for invading your dream earlier. i just wanted to find you, and when i noticed you were in sumeru..”
wanderer is too prideful to apologize to anybody he doesn’t absolutely need to, even for a plan.. jut what’s going on here?
you fix your attention on nahida and hope she’s not a good liar. “don’t you already have a god you follow?”
nahida flinched, looking away. “that… was a mistake. i should have trusted my instincts, and for that i’m sorry. i had no idea that my silence would lead to this…”
either she’s a really convincing actor, or she means it. given the severity of the situation, you don’t want to assume.
“if it helps…” wanderer’s hands tighten on his hat, and he bows his head further. “my anemo protected you. even if i did mean to cause harm, that is more than enough proof of your identity.”
“…so i’m supposed to believe you? just like that?”
nahida shook her head. “i understand your apprehension. it’s hard to trust someone after everyone else has betrayed you, and i don’t expect you to come with me to the sanctuary right away. aaru village is close by, though, and i was hoping you would be willing to go there..?”
some part of you still thinks it’s a trick, that there would be a swarm of matra waiting for you. but honestly… running is tiring, and nahida is kind. you want to believe her, even if it does end up going poorly. what else do you have to lose, really?
you drop your poor excuse for a weapon, briefly checking your hands for splinters before standing up. you kick aside the remains of your dinner and dust yourself off, walking forward. “alright. i’ll go with you.”
nahida beams.
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wenutted · 9 months
Text
I don't know whether or not I'm going to finish this fic or not, but the idea just popped into my head last night and I rolled with it
Warnings; none, i think?
"Lady Furina, do you wish to speak against the defense's statements?"   "But of course. There are still quite a few claims against the imposter, which must be taken into account! After all, they aren't just a cheap imitation of the beloved Creator." The Hydro Archon's voice booms across the courtroom, bold accusations and overexaggerated truth spilling from her lips faster than the rushing current of a river—  but, you couldn't be bothered to listen to her; instead, tuning out and staring at the audience. There, in the endless rows of chairs, you can recognize a handful of the characters shown in the Fontaine trailers; Wriothesley, Navia, Freminet, Charlotte, Lyney and Lynette. They all sit perfectly still, without an ounce of sympathy– in fact, they seem almost thrilled at the dramatic scene before them.
Before you can delve further into your own mind, the Chief Justice speaks up; his deep, calm voice breaking you out of your thoughts with relative ease.   "And does the defendant have any refutal for these claims?"
Oh shit. You hadn't been listening. You hadn't been listening at all.
    Regardless, you merely bottle up all of your panic, to save for another day, and shake your head. You didn't want to listen to Focalors's yammering again, and you doubt anyone would believe you, if you were to speak up, anyway. "No," you answer.
"Very well then. We now turn to the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale to render the final verdict on the charges." A tense, nerve wracking silence fills the air as the machinery whirs quietly all around you, your anxiety growing worse with every second that passes. After a few painstakingly long seconds, a small slip of paper appears in front of Neuvillette. He seems perplexed as he silently skims through the text.
"According to the judgment of the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, the defendant is–"
"—Innocent."
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Text
He can't hurt anyone
Self-Aware! BSD x SAGAU Imposter crossover
Self-Aware! Saigiku Jouno x GN! Reader
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Description: In Creator's Cathedral of the Mondstadt found a helpless blind man was found. There is no way said man can hurt anyone.
Warning: OOC. English is my second language. Mentions of torture. Non-descriptive violence. Mentions of killing. Mentioning of fanatism. Jounou is a protective yandere(ish)
Sequel to For your safety
_____
From diary of Guy, New Cathedral Captain of the Holy Knights of Mondstadt
~~~~~~
I
Creator's Cathedral of Mondstadt is a holy place. Everyone can find help and sanctuary here. If you're a pure at heart, believe in Blessed Creator and haven't sinned, you can come here and ask for help.
Beggars and homeless, sick and healthy, can find help here.
Tomorrow I will become a Captain of Cathedral's guards. I can't find wait!
It will be much more interesting, then guarding the northern side gate.
I wish father would see me. If only he wasn't cursed by Impostor's lies.
~~~~~~
II
I love my new title. Other guards respect me. I have become someone.
The Cathedral is beautiful.
I even noticed an afterglow inside the Cathedral through the day.
There are many beggars in the Cathedral. Some of them live on Cathedral grounds.
They are quiet. They either pray for All-Creator or share stories about Dreaded Imposter.
This thing is still talked about. Some stories are quite amusing to hear about.
Tomorrow, Their Holiness will visit the Cathedral.
There will be more beggars.
And I will make sure, that no one will hurt Creator.
~~~~
III
Creator are magnificent. Truly magnificent. Perfect in every way. Without any flaws inside or outside.
The visit went fine. The new beggar was allowed to live in the Cathedral.
A young man. The man has white hair with red tips, he was dressed in rugs. He wore an earring with a small bell attached to it. And he is blind. Milky-white eyes, with a hint of reddish iris, lacked the pupil. Man was starring in the nothingness. He didn't pay attention to anything around him.
Their Holiness stepped closer to the blind man. Creator spoke. Their voice sounded magnificent. As it should be.
"My poor dear creation, you must be starving. Come with me. I will order giving you a warm bath, a warm meal and a new home."
The blind man raised his head. And reached his hand towards Creator.
And Their Holiness ordered to take a blind man with them.
I am not even worry about this one. A blind person can't hurt anyone.
The lucky bastard was hugged by an All Creator. Their Holiness are so kind!
___________
When you disappeared two months ago, Jouno felt lost. No matter, how hard he looked for you, he couldn't find you. You have disappeared without a trace.
For a whole month he and others were searching. Skipping lunches, without sleeping. They were looking for you.
Jouno remembered, how kids were crying in their pillows all night.
One month of search, tears and darkness passed.
And you finally returned home.
Tortured. Starving. Scared.
Almost shattered.
*******
Mouth has passed after your return.
There were no scars on your body, thanks to Doctor Yosano.
You weren't hungry anymore.
But you still were shattered.
Always quiet. Scared of looking anyone in the eyes.
You had nightmares every night. Jouno heard your screaming or crying. Begging to be let go. Begging to be left alone.
And every night all of them would go to your room. To held you close. To calm you down. To assure you, that they weren't sleeping, and you didn't wake them up.
But, no matter, how many nightmares you have had, you never spoke about where you were and what happened to you.
Jouno felt, that you wanted to open up to them. But you couldn't. You were afraid. Terrified.
*******
And then, Capitano came here, to look for you.
*******
Saigiku Jouno was thinking. He was playing with his earring, and a small bell was jingling.
There were a man in the basement. Capitano. But, Jouno agreed with Tetchou, and called it a different name.
An abomination, that dared to hurt and scared you.
Hunting Dogs and Doctor Yosano just finished interrogating it. And Jouno didn't like what they have learned.
They broke the news to others.
Lovecraft left for a few minutes. He wanted to check the barn. Maybe, there was something else here. Something, that would hurt you.
Fyodor Dostoevsky and Dazai Osamu were whispering to each other. They spoke in some kind of code, and Jouno wasn't interested in trying to decipher it.
Captain Fukuchi, Mori and Fukuzawa were discussing what to do with Capitano, who still was in the basement, chained, with his limbs amputated.
Everyone was discussing with someone what to do next.
All conversations came to an end, when Lovecraft returned. He was holding a bucket, full of water. Jounou heard, that some sort of fish was swimming in it.
Steinbeck, who was standing next to the door, take a look at the fish. He raised his eyebrows.
"Where did you find this fish? I have never seen a fish like this."
Lovecraft put a bucket on the floor and answered.
"On the other side of the portal. In Teyvat."
Well, isn't it just great? They have a portal in a barn. Portal, that leads to the world, where His Firefly was tortured.
Dazai and Fyodor looked at each other. They exchanged a few more coded sentences. Dazai spoke, talking to everyone.
"Gave Fyodor and I a day or two. And we will have a plan. A plan, how to make them all pay..."
*******
That's how Jouno get here. He volunteered to spy on one of the Cathedrals. To understand this strange faith better.
_____
IV
Today was a nice day. Nothing strange has happened. Except for one incident.
The blind one, Jouno, fall into the compost pit we had in a Cathedral's fruit garden. What a klutz.
_____
Jouno's senses betrayed him. He couldn't focus on anything else, besides this horrible smell.
The stink, that came from "Creator".
This thing was hideous. Jouno wanted to puke, when they came near him. And almost thrown up, when it hugged him. Only a strong stomach and an ability to control himself didn't let him do it.
To cover that smell, Jouno jumped into the compost pit and now was taking a bath. The water was hot, almost boiling. He scrubbed his skin raw. To get rid of Creator's filth.
He tried to focus his thoughts on you.
On your heartbeat. On the sound of your breathing. They sound like a music to his ears.
On your scent. You always carry around a sweet aroma. It reminds Jouno of fresh fruits.
On your warmth. On nights you spend cuddling each other. On movie nights, when you were sandwiched between him and Tetchou. When your head was on his chest, and he can feel you near him.
Jouno sighs.
He should focus on finding new information.
He hoped, that it won't take much time.
_____
V
Today we had a visitor.
Kaeya Alberich, Calvary Captain of the Holy Knights of Mondstadt, visited the Cathedral. He was pleased with my job as a Captain.
Captain Kaeya brought gifts from Creator. With guards, he shared a few drinks. And some stories. My favorite one was about Captain Kaeya's involvement in punishing Dirty Sinner.
The alcohol made me see things. I saw the afterglow again. At night.
____
"Tell you about an Imposter? Why not. It was the day before their execution. The good people of Mondstadt did their best in showing Imposter it's place. But, there were one thing I couldn't stand. It still has two eyes. So, I came to them, took a dagger, and..."
_____
Jouno's blood boiled. He left the room, guards were in, and returned to a room he was allowed to stay. He deactivated his ability.
Doctor Yosano was the only one, who knew, what scars and wounds you had, when you returned. Jouno could only smell your blood, heard your weak heartbeat.
He wanted to learn about your injuries. So he can infect them on them.
But, Doctor Yosano refused to tell any details about your wounds.
And now, Jouno realized, why.
He wanted to do something.
Good thing, he hid some knives, before his mission truly started.
_____
VI
Two guards were found dead. They were disemboweled and left to lay on a throne, Creator sat on during their visits.
I don't understand, who could do this. None other guard have noticed anything suspicious.
Did someone from the inside did it?
We look through everyone's belongings. Search all rooms.
Nothing.
We couldn't find even the single clue.
~~~~~~
VII
Three sisters were found dead.
The room they were found was closed.
From the inside.
There's no logical explanation.
It would be impossible for a human to do this.
And who would dare to soil holly place!
Maybe, an Abyss Order isn't that loyal to Creator?
~~~~~~
VIII
Creator called for me. They are worried about what is happening in the Cathedral.
I accused Abyss Order.
The only reason I wasn't torn to shreds by an Abyss Lector was Their Holiness.
I am alive.
I am not a Captain anymore.
... two more corpses were found...
~~~~~~~
IX
Another corpse. Eights one this week. Still, nothing suspicious has happened. No one walked in, no one walked out.
Captain Kaeya has arrived. He will take over duties.
Interrogated everyone. Look through everyone's stuff.
Nothing suspicious.
Didn't bother to look through Jouno's stuff. He is harmless.
~~~~~~
XIX
Killer can't be stopped. They can get even in closed doors.
How? Why?
We didn't do anything wrong!
We are good people! We believe in Creator!
We have punished Dirty....
/The rest of the page is soaked in blood/
_____
Up. Down. Left. Up. Right. Down...
Two swords clashed again and again.
Kaeya's breathing was hard. He was tried.
Yet, he can't even land one hit on Jounou. Blind man was a skilled fighter. And he managed to dodge every Cryo attack.
Jouno was playing with Kaeya.
The Cathedral behind them was burning. Jounou wasn't attacking. He was only blocking Kaeya's attacks. Kaeya growled.
"Where did you come from, demon? How dared you to soil the holy land?"
Jouno didn't answer. He blocked the next hit.
'I am not a demon. I am a soldier. Besides, Fyodor won't like me taking his title.'
Up. Left. Up. Down. Right. Up. Left. Right. Kick. Cryo. Up. Down.
A loud shattering sound.
Kaeya didn't realize, that he got too close to the Cathedral. The same moment, the stained-glass window (the main decoration of the façade) shattered due to the heat. Glasses fell on Kaeya and Jouno.
Both became disorientated for a moment.
And Jouno recovered first.
______
Kaeya can't move.
His legs were pierced by Jouno's sword.
Jouno was sitting on Kaeya's chest. He had a dagger in his hands.
"Listen, to what I will say, Captain. Look at me, Captain. Scream, Captain. It is the last time you will see, hear or talk, Captain."
Jouno pointed a dagger at Kaeya's mouth.
_____
"Their name is [Y/N]. They are the kindest person in the world. They are interesting to talk with. We love to spend time with them. Yes, they aren't perfect. They aren't fake as this thing you put on a throne. They are real. They have faults. Sometimes we argue. But we will always make up. And we will burn everyone, who dared to touch them."
______
Jouno left Kaeya at the Cathedral's remains.
It was time for him to return home.
After getting his backpack, full of stolen holy texts and fruits he picked up in the wild, Jouno was on his way to the sea shore.
Lovecraft was waiting for him.
Together they will get back to the portal.
_____
You heard loud stomping sounds behind you. The next moment, a pair of hands hugged you from behind. Jouno pick up a habit to be loud, when he approaches you. He didn't want to scare you.
"Hello. I missed you, My Firefly."
You tilted your head slightly and rubbed your nose against Jouno's cheek.
"Hi... Are you okay?"
Jouno nodded.
"I am. Don't worry. Up for some Bulle Fruits, Apples and Sunsettias?"
You nodded and let Jouno lead you to the kitchen.
"I will do anything for your safety. Even if it means to do something drastic."
_____
In the next few weeks, near Creator's Shrine of Liyue a blind man was found.
A harmless blind man named Jouno.
______
Tag list: @withered-blossoms , @myluckymoon @cocodrilofeliz
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sena-shi · 1 year
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SAGAU but with a lazy and always sleepy imposter!creator!reader
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reader who is always sleepy and doesn't want to move a muscle. it's like even moving a part of their body is similar to working out in the gym for an hour.
not narcolepsy, reader just doesn't really care and is very lazy to even give two flying fucks to the world
reader doesn't give a shit even if a war breaks out, sleep is life, sleep is important
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your genshin characters are always aware that you somehow manage to fall asleep in the middle of the game. well of course, they find it cute
you would play for an hour, then they would hear you yawn, and your soft quiet snores comes next
they love the sounds you create when you sleep, and it also warms their heart to think that you're having a good sleep
it went to the point where aside from building you a statue, they also crafted the most comfortable bed they could ever make. it is created solely for you
so when your imposter descended to your world, they were very happy. they couldn't wait to show you what they have crafted, they also couldn't wait to see how you sleep
it goes without saying that they were slightly disappointed that your imposter didn't really... use the bed they made
like do they even sleep? but their creator loves sleeping right? so why aren't you sleeping?
so when you were first dropped into your own world right infront of your imposter who was seated on a throne, you weren't really shocked. you just hugged your pillow tighter that just mysteriously came with you into this world
even though the archons that you are very familiar with surrounded you, you didn't really give any care
you yawned and made eye contact with each one of the archons, you blinked your sleepy eyes at them to which they reciprocated with a hostile glare
well whatever. though, the ground you are sitting on is very cold! perfect temperature! you suddenly felt sleepy and before Ei can grab you, you laid down on the ground and sleep
after all, sleep is more important, you will just deal with the problems later!
Ei was shocked, very shocked! did you just ignore their presence and continue your sleep!?
oh, but wait, sleep?
oh my archons!
she almost killed their divine creator!
somehow, they already have a feeling that the one sleeping peacefully on the ground is their true divine creator
so who tf is sitting on the throne?
"seize them!" ei commanded to her troops. they all marched inside the palace very loudly, which earned the soldiers a glare from every living archon inside the room
"our divine creator is sleeping, do it quietly!"
"...?" all the soldiers were confused. but their divine creator is clearly awake and is sitting on their throne?
then their gazes all moved to the sleeping person on the ground as if waking them up is considered blasphemy, as if waking them up is the highest sin they can commit and worthy of being beheaded
and so they all quietly yeeted the imposter and quietly watched the archons move their true divine creator to the bed they painstakingly crafted
as soon as your body touched the soft and comfortable material, you let out a satisfied sigh and the whole teyvat rejoiced. they have finally found their true divine creator!
they all listened to your quiet snores and when you woke up hours later, every citizens of teyvat including the abyss celebrated the descension of their true creator.
well, you were too lazy to attend your own banquet so they removed the throne and replaced it with your bed just so you could attend.
a happy creator leads to a happy life!
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bitwynn · 1 year
Text
Not a fan
A SAGAU Impostor AU Songfic
Song used: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
...so I caved. Yep. Starting a new series even though i already have one. To be fair, i felt like i needed a break from that series since that beast needs a whole lotta world building and im planning for it to get into some heavy fucken subjects. This one tho is more chill and light-hearted, since theyre all just a bunch of kind of disconnected one shots that are all kind of connected. So like-- when this series gets a lil longer, you can literally start from any fic since its all connectedly disconnected. A better example was my original idea of me just writing the end goal where they finally defeat the impostor like-- directly after the Castaway fic to rlly show how connectedly disconnected it is but i refrained myself since i wanted to write more wanderer. Been playing as him a lot but i havent rlly done the archon quest yet lol but hes just a blast. Hes an annoying lil shit (affectionate)
Blue for Barbara, Yellow/Gold for Zhongli, Green for Wanderer, red for Diluc, Italics is Reader/General, Combined is Everyone. Colors only used for singing parts.
---
Is this the real life?
You were running again, the spears and arrows of the Millelith chasing you all across Liyue.
Is this just fantasy?
Zhongli was by your side, steadfast as a rock as he shielded you from their weapons-- both with his Jade Shields and his body.
Caught in a landslide,
A loose rock almost sent you tumbling down into the depths of the Chasm, Barbara grabbing you just in time.
No escape from reality.
Diluc recognizes the path you were taking towards Tiangong Gorge, immediately rushing off to the Chasm's Maw and letting loose Dawn-- his phoenix rising up into the sky like a blazing beacon, just buy the rest of you more time. He'll rejoin you once again, he knows the path you'd take. He's your main afterall.
Open your eyes,
The three of you make it, the relief from seeing the glow of the blue Waypoint almost bringing you to your knees.
Look up to the skies and see,
You stumble in, Barbara hauling your arm over her shoulder as Zhongli collapses the tunnel behind you. You may be Overseer of Teyvat but he is the Overseer of Liyue, and its stones still answers to his call. There is nothing left but the browns and greens that creep towards the borders of Liyue.
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy,
Your little group exit the cavern, the fresh air of the rainforest cooling the sweat on your backs and you see Haypasia's "little neighbor" peeking up from behind a leaf.
Because I'm easy come, easy go,
The tiny Aranara, though a little hesitant that more people could see him now, takes your hand and guides you through Avidya Forest. Thank goodness you had caved from your siblings nagging and finally done at least a part of the Sumeru quest.
Little high, little low,
You were still unfamiliar with the lands of Sumeru, trusting your little lettuce friend to lead you to a place of safety, of rest.
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me,
Lettuce, as you had affectionately named him, lead you all deep into the rainforests of Sumeru all while deftly avoiding the little village of forest rangers and the rangers themselves. You hadn't said a word to him but you knew, deep in somewhere, that he would be leading you somewhere safe. Somewhere protected.
Though this... wasn't what you expected.
To me.
He turns to your group, the smell of tea faintly wafting from the pot he was tending. "I don't think I need to introduce myself, do I?"
-
After the short but silent panic that washed over the three of you (it took the you and Barbara 5 minutes to even get a centimeter pulling Vortex Vanquisher out the cave wall while Zhongli aggressively apologized to him), the four of you were sat on the floor watching the Wanderer tend to the bubbling pots of food he was making.
There was a strange... very not tense(?), and very awkward energy in the air as he set aside cups and bowls for all of you, his own cup still full with steaming almost black water. Zhongli was very noticeably trying not to stare at his oversteeped tea.
Little Lettuce had already left, presumably to keep an eye on the area or watch out for Diluc. You didn't want to use him as a shield or a way to break the ice or something but god-- the energy in the air was just so uncomfortable.
You all watched Wanderer in this terse silence prepare your food, his soft chopping of the grilled unagi sounding like death knells in your cave. He took each of the bowls he set out, placing a considerable amount of rice in each and a small handful of dried seaweed and sesame seeds. Bringing out a jar of umeboshi from his inventory, he placed each slab of unagi with a single umeboshi atop the bed of rice and seaweed.
He pours out the tea onto the rice, 1, 2, 3... and stops. He cocks his head. Frowns.
"Wasn't there supposed to be four of you?"
And the silence was broken.
"W-well, little lettuce already left--"
"Not the aranara-- wait, you named him lettuce? Tsk, whatever. Where's the other one? The red one?"
"Oh, uhm, Diluc?"
He nods, the small scowl on his face almost carved into him. You feel your face heat as you turn your face away from him.
"He ran off. To the Maw. Let out his burst as a diversion to buy us time --but he'll find us. He'll come back. He knows the way, he knows how I think, he knows what I'll do. He'll come back."
Wanderer sighs, disappearing the extra bowl. You're not sure whether you said all that to stop his retort or to diminish your own worry.
You're shaken from your thoughts by Barbara holding your hand. She gives it a squeeze, and you squeeze back, thankful for the comfort.
"Are you just gonna keep staring at your food or do you want to die of both exhaustion and starvation?"
"Okay, eating now!"
You're handed a warm bowl of Shimi Chazuke, Wanderer's specialty. It didn't look like its in game icon, only having the plump umeboshi on top of a bed of rice and seaweed with the pale tea glistening in the light. But you had come to learn that many things in game didn't translate directly, there sure as hell no quest or mention of a "Divine Overseer, and yet-- and yet.
You bring the bowl up to your face, the warmth soaking into your aching, tired hands and its steam gently caressing your face. You mix a portion of the rice together with the tea, scoop it up, and put it into your mouth.
And practically turn into jelly at the taste.
"Umai...!" you moan, savoring the taste of it all.
The fresh rice soaked in the bitter tea tasted amazing, each bite slowly turning into a different flavor as the oils and sauce from the grilled unagi gradually mixed in with the rice. Cutting up a bit of the eel with your spoon, you mix it with the rice and your mouth burst with deliciousness.
The eel was grilled to perfection, plump and juicy and flaky. And with the addition of the tea, it introduced flavors you hadn't even imagined from a simple grilled fish.
As you were about to burst that plump little plum, the Wanderer stopped you, a strange look on his face. He handed you a handkerchief.
"Wipe your face, the flavor's gonna be off if you mix it with your tears."
Stunned, you took the handkerchief. "Oh."
It... had been a long time since you've eaten good food and found a place to rest. Too long.
You hold it close to your chest, eyes squeezed shut as you tried to calm down. After a moment, you wipe away the sweat, and tears, and snot, and grime that had accumulated on your journey. It had been such a long time since you first found kindness in this world, even if that kindness came from an emotionally stunned automaton designed to be a god.
You chuckled to yourself, a wet little thing, as you realize that you kept weeping harder and harder with each swipe of the cloth. You bury your face in it, the handkerchief practically soaked with your tears as you take a few calming breaths to finally stop your tears.
"I'm... I'm sorry, I-- its been a while since I've... yeah. Uhm..."
You take a breath, still wet with your snot. "I, uh... I'm gonna keep this, I uh-- ruined it. I'll, I'll clean it though! If you want it back."
Wanderer, handily ignoring your breakdown just earlier, cringes in disgust. "No thanks. Keep it, you need it more than me if you decide to bawl your eyes out again."
Despite the harshness of it, you soften, tucking the offending handkerchief away. "Thanks." "Don't ever mention it."
He reclines back into his little designated space in your cave, and hesitantly stokes the fire with his anemo vision. You pick your unfinished bowl of chazuke, umeboshi still waiting to be eaten. It was good to know that at least there was a few things that didn't change now that you're here.
"Are you finished yet? Stop gawking at your food and finish it so I can do the dishes."
Yep, some things just never change.
You finally finish your meal with the silence in the cave now something much more comfortable, the crackling of the fire and the quiet rushing and clanking of dishes almost lulling you into a sense of "you don't have a bounty placed on your head and are definitely not running from anyone and everyone for fear of them betraying you and handing you over to your megalomaniacal doppelganger".
Wanderer, having lost the argument of who does the dishes against Barbara, was definitely not sulking in his little corner and absolutely not fiddling with his new(?) anemo vision. "So, why'd you come here to Sumeru anyways? I know you definitely were not looking for me, considering the fact you tried to impale my head on sight. Which to be fair," he chuckles at Zhongli's sheepish face, stood near the cavern entrance. "I would do the same."
You absentmindedly plucked the strings of your Windblume Lyre, the instrument becoming a sort of stimming/coping device, helping you deal with everything that had happened to you. He hummed to himself, the cogs turning in his head. "I can't think of any other reason why you'd come here-- finding and trusting in me is a huge gamble that you won," he clarified, turning away from Barbara's blank stare. "the ancient Khaenri'ahn technology scattered around Sumeru won't be of any use if you were considering taking the fight to your impostor, the Irminsul Tree could be a good reason but I can't see any way you'd use it to help you, though knowledge is always good to have anyways."
He scoffed, reclining into the dirt of your cave. "Archons, imagine how ridiculous it would be if you just ran here because you had no choice but to! Like a bunch of scared animals, ahaha!"
You slowly sink behind your lyre as he continues.
"In my time here, you're infamous for always evading their grasp-- heck, there's even an entire division of scholars here dedicated to just trying to figure out how in the world you do it. Some say you're a master at faking trails, some say you have some sort of... psychic power that lets you read the mind of your enemies so you can anticipate their moves."
He shrugs.
"Honestly, I'm more inclined to believe that last one-- in my brief time as your Vessel before your descent, you somehow managed to find information about me, despite my entire existence being wiped from the Irminsul Tree. Add to that the experiences that your other Vessels had, and it's a pretty compelling case." A sigh. "Shame that probing is one-sided though, a peek into the mind of the 'Divine Deceiver' or 'Overseer' or whatever fancy title you call yourself would be quite intriguing. Who knows what schemes are you cooking up in there. Now tell me,"
He straightens, eyes boring into yours from where you were, at this point, hiding in shame behind your lyre. "why are you here in Sumeru?"
"Aha... ha... haaa..." If you had a pyro vision, your face would be on fire by now. You had to turn away, the warmth of embarrassment creeping down your neck. "Well, uhm..." You clear your throat, gulping as you try to even find the words to explain how much of a legitimately normal person you are, who was practically forced to grow brain cells specifically for scheming because if you didn't you would die.
"So, uh...ah he he he... heh..." you take a breath, a shaky grin on your lips. "So, you know how reality is sometimes stranger than fiction?"
He raises an eyebrow.
"Well..."
You vaguely gesture, hoping that your flailing would get your message across.
He stares at you. He stares some more. He blinks.
"No."
"Yeah."
"No..."
"Yeah...
"NO."
"YEAH--"
His mouth drops in shock as he tries to process what you're implying. The rumors painted a... much prettier and mightier picture of you than the both of you thought.
"I-- you-- wha-- how-- what?!"
He takes a breath, chest rising despite his lack of a need for air. He pinches the bridge of his nose, and you get the feeling that he's restraining himself from grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking you stupid.
"So, you're telling me. That the 'Divine Deceiver' and their little posse made of a literal god, the once-captain of Mondstat's Knights of Favonius, and Mondstat's most renowned healer idol, have, quite literally, been running around like rats all over Teyvat and somehow, somehow staying alive by a thread?!"
"I KNOW MAN, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW WE'RE STILL ALIVE--"
"Oh my--"
He begins to growl, a black orb of anemo energy collecting in his palm. You squeak as you try to scramble to your feet, his face full of rage.
And the whirling winds in your cavern suddenly stops, Wanderer dismissing the dark energy in his hand. "Oh, relax."
He blows a raspberry at you, as you groan and sit back down. You bring your lyre back out from where you unconsciously disappeared it and clutch it like a lifeline.
"God, I never knew your idle could be that scary."
"...Idle?"
Barbara waves off his question, a sheepish expression on her face as she fixes her curls back into place. "Its... complicated. You'll learn more about it as you travel with us." She hands him the used and cleaned bowls and utensils. "You... will travel with us, right?"
He scoffs, taking the bowls and disappearing them with a flash of light. "Of course I will. Its literally in my name. Besides, I have nothing that ties me down anymore so I might as well wander with you guys."
She smiles at him, ever sweet and ever kind. She settles back down near the fire, drying her soaking hands. Though Zhongli is still taking watch by the cavern entrance, you could see the slightest look of pleased approval in his face. "Though if you are going to be travelling and running from the law with me, we need to make a plan instead of scurrying around like rats."
And at that, the entire cavern groans in exhaustion. "Not now, please." "We'd like to have some rest first, Wanderer!" "Please, fuck, no-- I've had enough scheming for 3 thousand years--"
"Wait, so you did have a plan going into Sumeru?!"
You wave him off, hands going to rest back upon the strings of your trusty lyre. "Well, it was more of like... a guideline? A safety net? We had a couple ideas on what to do if we ever ended up in Sumeru and we, yknow, ended up in Sumeru so we'll probably do that."
You pluck a couple strings as you remember what you "planned". "I hadn't finished the Sumeru main quest yet and I hadn't unlocked all of the Statues of the Seven yet either. We were thinking of unlocking all the Statues first since, without them, my 'all-encompassing' game map is jack shit here in Sumeru, and then we were thinking of finishing the main quest to both progress the story and better the... political? climate here along with a few other benefits. After that..."
You make a face, much more aggressively playing at your lyre. "We really didn't want to split up the party but, I kinda wanna finish the main story quest in the Chasm but also we need to collect all the Dendroculous and Electroculous for more stamina and stuff. But also, I kinda wanna visit Dragonspine since..." You let yourself trail off, the makings and ideas of plans evident in your voice.
Wanderer merely stares at you for a moment, the game terms flying over his head as Barbara mouths at him, "I'll tell you about it later". You sigh, dreading the planning of tomorrow as your fingers calm on the strings. "But, we can plan tomorrow. Please. We almost died multiple times again." He sighs, relenting. "At least you have the skeleton of a plan."
"Yes!"
Humming, you sink into the soft ground, thanking the soils of Teyvat for giving you some comforts in this trying time. What little grass in the cave caresses you in gratitude, as you pluck at your instrument.
The Wanderer sighs, as he prepares a small pot of tea. "You've been messing with that thing all night and its about to grate at my ears. Do you even know how to play?"
You chuckle a bit, sheepish as you hand the lyre over to Barbara who plays a quick, jaunty tune with a flourish. "Well, I can sing...?"
He sighs again, bowing his head and resigned to the confirmation that you were much more... ridiculous than the gossip and rumors painted you as. "Then why are you the one with the lyre?"
You shrug as Barbara starts up another little song. "Gives me something to do with my hands. Helps me calm down. Diluc and Barbara have been teaching me though when we have the time."
Your soft smile at Barbara's song turns cheeky as you turn to him. "Wanna hear what they've taught me?"
"Sure, better than forcing this inane conversation."
You giggle maniacally as you smile at Barbara, the singer immediately catching your drift. "Follow me?" "To the ends of the earth."
You laugh, as she tunes the instrument to the right notes. "Not like that you sap!" "I know, I know! But yes, of course. His song right?"
You nod. "Yep."
"'My' song...?" Wanderer tilts his head in confusion, before realization dawns on his face.
"Hey, just because it has my-- ...that name, does not immediately mean its 'my song'."
The two of you handily ignore his slip up, you drinking some water in preparation for singing and Barbara testing the lyre if its in tune. "Oh, please," you say, sitting up. "you haven't even heard the full thing yet! It's definitely your song."
He sighs, leaning back against the cavern wall. "Very well then. Indulge me."
-
You start, reciting the beginning "poem" from memory. Barbara watches and waits, fingers hovering above the strings. Wanderer cocks his head, clearly interested. She begins playing as you get halfway, the lyre an excellent substitute for the piano. You continue, the Wanderer scoffing a little at the poem's mention of a poor boy needing no sympathy, but you pay it no mind. He hasn't heard the rest of the song yet.
"Mama,"
Barbara picks up on her playing, wringing the lyre out for all its worth for those deep chords and piano-like sounds.
"Just killed a man,"
You summoned the small drum you bought from a merchant in Inazuma in preparation.
"Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger now he's dead,"
You close your eyes, swaying to the tune of the song.
"Mama, life had just begun,"
You didn't need to open your eyes to know that he's really listening now.
"But now I've gone and thrown it all away!"
You quickly tap on the drum, trying in vain to mimic the band's performance.
"Mama!, oooh,"
Zhongli was sat at the entrance with his legs crossed and humming along.
"Didn't mean to make you cry,"
Wanderer was still. You could almost hear the turning of the cogs in his mind.
"If I'm not back again this time tomorrow,"
The steady beat of the drum was a stark contrast to the deep, heavy feeling inside his chest.
"Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters."
His Vision pulsed, as his hand unconsciously came to caress it. Was this what it was like to have a heart?
Barbara's fingers were gentle on the strings as a set of footsteps approached the entrance of the cave. You could hear Little Lettuce's pitter-pattering and the dulcet tones of Zhongli and Diluc's voices as they catch up in the short time they've been separated.
"Too late, my time has come,"
He had closed his eyes, listening intently to the music as the waves of sound rocked him gently and deeply into his sea of memories.
"Sends shivers down my spine,"
He can see it now, those old fleeting moments of happiness before they were all ultimately destroyed.
"Body's aching all the time."
He could feel it, suddenly hyper aware of his joints and limbs. The feeling of phantom strings and hands pulling and pushing him like he was some puppet. (But it wasn't like he was ever anything else.)
"Goodbye, everybody. I've got to go,"
He could hear it, everyone's cries and wails of despair filling his ears as he sailed towards Inazuma City to beg the Shogunate (his mother) for mercy that they would not grant.
"Gotta leave you all behind to face the truth."
He could also hear the Doctor's cackling laughter as he began to weave his web of lies, webs that would replace the strings that she had put on him. That he had cut away.
"Mama!, oooh,"
He could see it, the light shining through the patches in the walls and the roof of that old hut. The kind and innocent smile on that sickly, young face.
"I don't wanna die,"
He could see it, red, red, red lapping up and eating away at the walls and roof of the house. Red, red, red all around them. As if he was asleep in a meadow of flowers. (or sinking into a pool of blood)
"I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all.!"
You all gave him his moment, deep in his sea of memories. Diluc was wordlessly playing the zither, an imperfect substitute for an electric guitar. He'd noiselessly joined into your impromptu concert after he was caught up on the situation by Zhongli who had promptly disguised the mouth of the cavern as some kind of rock formation.
As he played, you thought back to the Wanderer's words. To the moment you first heard him say that-- his character teaser. Your heart had clenched back then, tears pricking the corners of your eyes but you couldn't help chuckling at his words-- that ever iconic song playing in your head. But you know that there was nothing to chuckle about here, Wanderer holding the brim of his hat in an almost vice-like grip. His jaw is clenched.
You all silently agreed to let the solo drag on at least a little bit longer. He takes a sharp breath. (You all know its his way of saying his thanks.)
Barbara begins plucking the lyre in a jaunty little tune, and you couldn't help but crack a grin. The atmosphere's heavy, but it's beginning to lift anyway.
"I see a little silhouetto of a man,"
The Wanderer scoffs, already knowing the next few lines by heart thanks to you. You all readily ignore the wetness in his sound.
"Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the fandango?!"
You were surprised at everyone joining in. Wanderer especially, being caught so off-guard that he jumped in his seat. "For the nth time, no I won't!" Barbara giggles as you push onwards, a manic grin on your face.
"Thunderbolt and lightning!"
Diluc only smiles at the mildly disgruntled Wanderer, his Divine Overseer and Mondstadt's Deaconess having stood up to sing their hearts out. "I'm pretty sure that's not gonna be the last time you say that to them."
"Very, very frightening, me!"
The singing duo once again became lost in the music of the song, belting their hearts and lungs out for their one audience member. Said audience member could only crack a smile and reply, "I had a feeling."
"Galileo, Galileo,"
You had all but screeched out said scientist's name as you pointed to Zhongli. When faced with the Wanderer's incredulous look, he could only gain a fond look in his eyes, shrug and say, "You get used to it over time."
"Galileo, Galileo,"
"Wait, you're all used to this?!" Barbara's sheepish as she answers. "They sing as a coping mechanism. We kind of picked it up over time as well." Diluc shrugs again. "It's better than alcoholism."
"Galileo, Figaro! - Magnifico, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,"
Wanderer cringes-- despite this, a smile is growing on his face. "You don't have to vocalize the echoes, you imbecile!" You merely put a hand to your forehead, aiming to up the drama with your next lyrics.
"I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me,"
He feels the tug of old memories, of old traumas still clinging to his skin. But he pays them no mind, knowing he must march onwards to the future. A future paved by a ragtag group of wanted divine beings and important people that are beginning to worm his way into his chest.
"He's just a poor boy from a poor family,"
Oh no. He's feeling it again.
"Spare him his life from this monstrosity!"
He cannot help but watch you all sing.
Barbara's fingers fly on the strings.
"Easy come,"
He felt what he felt back then, before she had forsaken him.
"Easy go,"
He felt what he felt back then, before he was fooled into thinking he had left him-- left them.
"Will you let me go?"
He felt what he felt back then, before he was torn away from him with no bigger enemy to blame but his own mortality.
"Bismillah! No!"
It was affection. It was care.
"We will not let you go!
(Let him go!)"
Oh archons, he's starting to care.
"Bismillah! We will not let you go!
(Let him go!)"
For hundreds of years, he's hardened his heart and closed himself off from everyone and everything. Sworn to scrub himself clean of human emotions.
"Bismillah! We will not let you go!
(Let me go!)"
And yet, for those same hundreds of years, he had never fully closed himself off-- never fully scrubbed away the feeling of... feeling.
"Will not let you go! (Let me go!)"
He couldn't help but glance at those two, fingers flying across the strings of their instruments. Humans, can they really be trusted?
"Will not let you go! (Let me go!)
His eyes slowly drifted to the other two, one ancient and the other practically a newborn. Can the gods really make him feel anything other than loathing?
"Never let you go!
(Never, never, never let me go!)"
He takes in their entire performance, all of them being their pure, complete, and unadulterated selves. With no masks to keep on, or roles to maintain. Merely singing, and dancing, and playing these instruments just for the heck of it.
"Oh, oh, oh!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no!"
For centuries, he has roamed this world-- seeing and meeting many new people, and yet never regarding any of them as his companions.
"Oh, mama mia, mama mia!"
Would he be able to regard these people as such?
"Mama mia, let me go!"
Would he be able to trust them, like the did with the others? To stay and not break their promises with him?
"Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me,"
Would he be able to hold on to them, and they not let go as they had been claiming over and over?
"For me!"
Well, he has no choice in the matter. He's stuck with them now, as wanted fugitives.
"For me!"
Only time will tell if they forsake him like those before him. At least he's safe in the comfort that the world had forsaken them as well. Just like him. He hopes that strange sort of kinship makes you understand. He hopes it makes you stay.
You whooped with joy as Barbara absolutely nailed that note, Diluc quickly shredding on the zither afterwards. You would've given it to Zhongli but-- the man hasn't played a guitar before. And you need a certain "je ne sais quoi" to really pull off what Queen was doing. ...Also, you needed the sound of a guitar for the song.
You glance back to the Wanderer, mostly silently listening this whole time. He was lightly bopping his hand to the beat. You smile, taking whatever victories you can get. "Beelzebub? Really?" You blow a raspberry at him, preparing for the next part of the song. "I'll tell you about it later!" You clear your throat.
"So, you think you can stone me and spit in my eye!"
Diluc hits that sick riff.
"So, you think you can love me and leave me to die?!"
Barbara, even if she's practically undetectable underneath Diluc's strumming and your-- excuse me, Zhongli's drum beating, is still managing to bring up and compliment every single one of you performing.
"Oh, baby!"
You swear, if you all weren't wanted fugitives forced to live on the LAM because of a crime you didn't commit, you'd be a killer band.
"Can't do this to me baby!"
You do gotta thank Zhongli for subtly swiping away the drums from you-- you frankly weren't quite sure how you'd be able to focus on giving this song the power ballad it deservers while also playing an instrument.
"Just gotta get out,"
Despite all your peeking on Wanderer for his opinions on the song and to check on his emotional state, you weren't exactly omniscient. You were, afterall, still performing and still getting lost in the music.
"Just gotta get right outta here!"
So you didn't notice the twinge of an... almost fond emotion lacing his face as he watches you rock out to this classic. What can you say, Diluc kills it on the zither.
The sound builds and builds, Barbara layering on top of it and you not being able to resist the urge to air guitar to it as it slowly reaches its crescendo... And crashes back down, Zhongli and Diluc humming along to the sound.
"Ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah,"
You gasp for breath, the end of the song finally coming up. Diluc's energetic playing slows down, signaling the finale.
"Nothing really matters,"
You feel sweat dripping down your skin, having danced and moved around-- possessed by the power of the song.
"Anyone can see,"
You lean your back against the cave wall, relishing in its coolness as you bring the song to a close.
"Nothing really matters... Nothing really matters, to me..."
You sigh as you sink, pleased and satisfied at everyone's performance.
"Any way the wind blows..."
Zhongli finishes it off with the rapping of the drum, mimicking a cymbal crash to his best ability. Barbara beams at the Wanderer, who looks like he's regretting singing along to that last part.
"So," you ask, out of breath. "what'cha think about the song?"
Wanderer waves off Barbara's tired but happy smile, poofing the fourth bowl back into existence and busying his hands. He prepares Diluc's Shimi Chazuke as he hums.
"Well, despite it being a complete emotional roller coaster and the utter gibberish that it contains, I suppose that its worthy being called 'my song', as you will."
"I'll fucking take it! Fives all around guys, good job!" You quickly double high five everyone in the group-- Zhongli letting you slam your hands down on his, Barbara being a quick pair of one-two taps, and Diluc just lightly bumping his full hands into yours. You turn to Wanderer, waiting for him to high five you. "You too, hat boy-- you joined in the song, you get some fives."
At least Diluc had the decency to look away when he huffed in amusement. "Hat boy?! Let me tell you, I've gone through many names and titles during my journey. And each one is more eminent than any ordinary mortal could ever imagine!"
As he said these words, his heart slowly sank to his feet as he saw the stupid, cheeky smile growing on your face. "Yes, yes... But! and I quote, 'they're all just water under the bridge to me now.
Call me whatever you like. Go ahead, let me see what you can come up with.'" The Wanderer's eye twitched.
"And that's the best you can come up with?! If you know me so well, oh, great Overseer, then you would very much know that I'm also telling you to not disappoint me! Tell me, All-Knowing Guide, am I not disappointed?!" You snorted, too tired from the day's events to feel any sort of proper fear and trepidation at this situation. "Then, I'll just keep thinking of names until something sticks, mushroom head." You pat his head. "Now, how in the world did you even get here Lulu?"
He sips from his bowl full of rice and tea. "Doro44 Sumeru Chasm sneakpeek. Would've gotten here faster if the place wasn't absolutely surrounded by treasure hoarders and Fatui. Had a bit of trouble finding it as well, since it was behind some rock walls." He grabs a small twig from the ground and starts drawing. "Its a sort of cave that's absolutely overgrown by giant roots." "You dare to ignore me?!"
You flash that same cheeky grin at him again. "We didn't ignore you, we just changed the subject!"
Nope, he takes it all back. He hates all of you.
---
AND THATS A FUCKING WRAP AUGHHHHHHHHH-- broooooo, you would not BELIEVE how hard this was to write. both because Bohemian Rhapsody is SUCH a long song but also because of SOOOO many outside circumstances. like BRUH i was supposed to release this like a day after my castaways fic but NOOOOOOOO-- life got so in the way man. my parents started breathing down my neck for chores, we had to visit my relatives in the province (still in the province btw lol), i got FUCKING SICK BECAUSE OF STRESS AND DUST ALLERGIES and i literally spent like-- my first few days sick making my sickness FUCKING WORSE since our house was literally covered in dust and i was the only one who could clean it fucking apparently. bro, i even spent this goddamn christmas fucking sick. ugh this has been such a hell week. literally the only comfort i found this week was all genshin related AHAHA-- i was playing genshin, visiting the SAGAU tag a lot, waiting for fanfics to update, just generally genshin brainrotting.
ugh thank god i finally released this one. i do have a lot of ideas for this down the road and hell dawg! i even got a request! thats the one thatll be coming up next. i wrote like-- a massive part of this sick and it got sOOOOO out of hand ever since i didnt get to finish it that day so i hope it sticks together well and is mostly coherent. enjoy!! :))
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alitheakorogane · 21 days
Text
Reader: (Running around the place to avoid being hit by arrows) So, do all of you think I'm an imposter?!
Venti: Yep! But don't worry, we'll hunt you down with love!
Reader: Love? More like with a thousand arrows!
Zhongli: Just let us catch you and face the consequences of your crimes of impersonating the Divine Grace.
Reader: But I just wanted to chill in Teyvat, not dodge arrows, spears, and angry mobs! And what do you mean by impersonating?! It's not my fault I was born with this ridiculous face!
Venti: Ha! Good luck with that! We're relentless when it comes to catching imposters like you.
Reader: Good luck with that! Your aim still sucks, you'll have a chance catching a random sleeping hilichurl with your aim than me!
325 notes · View notes
whispereons · 11 months
Text
Oracle!Reader Part 1
Masterlist - Part 2
A light zap of electricity made your cheek tingle, urging you awake. Sleepily, you opened your eyes and were greeted with a rundown room with no furniture. The strange sight woke you up immediately and you sat up.
What the hell? This isn't your home, fuck, this doesn't even look like somewhere in your city!
As you surveyed the surroundings with more urgency, thoughts of the day before came to mind.
----------------------------------------
You were only supposed to drop off the money from the scams to your boss. Your forte wasn't fighting yet when you entered the rundown building, there was tension in the air.
Your boss glowered at the woman across the room. Before you could even ask one of your coworkers what's happening, guns were drawn. In less than 5 seconds the building became a mess of fighting, gun shots, and noise.
Trained instincts of running kicked in and you were already slipping past brawls trying to get to the nearest exit. The money was already dropped off, your boss couldn't hold shit against you.
Just as you got close to the window, a lanky man shoved you. You only stumbled back and raised your fists. You didn't like to fight but after years of living less than legal, you've learned how to fight long enough to escape.
In 10 minutes you were already walking down the sidewalk with bloody knuckles and a bruised foot. The other guy must be worse since you threw him into the window before escaping.
It's just your luck that a police car pulls up beside you. Stopping, you flash a smile to the officer as he rolls down the window.
"Sorry to bother you so late but I noticed that you're a little hurt. Do you need me to bring you to a hospital?"
What he's really asking is what got you hurt, but you keep your cool and answer with cheeriness.
"It's really nothing. I was just at the bar down the street with a friend when some people started getting rowdy. They got kicked out before anyone could really get hurt but I still got a little banged up."
You point to the bar that you passed by that's in full swing. The officer eyes you for a moment before asking a follow-up question.
"And what about your friend? Where are they, are they okay?"
Your tone drops a little as you reply. "Their wonderful partner picked them up so I left. I mean it's not like I have any lover to pick me up. What can a poor single person like me do?"
The officer instantly becomes bored and says a quick goodbye before driving off. You roll your eyes at the predictable action and continue walking home. Lying has become a natural habit for you and you've become damn good at it.
You finally get home to your shitty studio apartment in the seedy part of the city. Locking the door, you trudge to your computer as you ignore the screams from other apartments. You boot it up and start eating the cheap fast food you picked up.
First you check on the scam ads you posted to see which poor sucker fell for it. You forward the card information to another coworker and consider yourself done with work for the day.
Were you a bad person for being a scam artist? Yeah. Did you wish that you could have a normal job that doesn't involve hurting people? Hell yeah. Have you ever been able to? Nope.
You click the little Paimon app to run Genshin to distract yourself from those meaningless thoughts. You've been stuck in those loops long enough to know it's useless to dwell on them.
The mindless commissions are just what you need to relax. You smile at the sight of Bennett's idle before farming for the most annoying materials; Handguards.
You finish combing through most of the Inazuma islands before teleporting to Seirai Island. The statue of the seven heals your party from any damage that occurred.
Leaning back in your chair, you stretched your arms, sighing as the tension is released from your body. Deciding to turn in for the night, you exit out of Genshin.
Well, you tried at least.
No matter how many times you clicked, it just wouldn't exit. Brushing it off as a bug, you just shut down the device.
Instead of shutting down, the screen showed the doors to Celestia. With no prompt, the doors opened and the white flash shined into your eyes.
Cringing at the harsh light you waited for it to stop.
It didn't.
It got brighter and brighter before it completely enveloped you.
--------------------------
Feeling more awake after remembering, you look around the house. Other than the creaky bed you were on, nothing else was in the house. You stand up and nearly trip over a bag at your feet.
Opening it, you find nothing but you decide to take it just in case. That's when you notice that your knuckles are completely healed. No blood, bandages or pain.
You check your body and see that although scars have remained, all your minor cuts and bruises have healed without a trace. Feeling creeped out you try to leave the house. The nearly broken door takes a good amount of strength to push open but you do and stumble out.
The sight of purple thundering skies, floating rocks, and a statue of the seven shocks you. You stumble on the squeaky plants and hard cobblestone as you get closer to the edge.
White trees with purple leaves, blue grass and Naku Weed surround the ground. It's the same area where you tried to log off. There was no way you were in Genshin Impact; Shit like this only happens in fiction.
Hallucination, death, dream, or pulled into a fictional world. Your mind whirls those four possibilities. You stomp on what should have been your bruised foot. It's painful, but not as much as a bruised foot.
With death and dream off the list you walk to the small tree with purple leaves. An Otogi tree, your mind helpfully supplies. You press a hand against the bark and feel the leaves carefully. The sensation is too real and you're too steady to be hallucinating.
You must really be in Tevyat. You were never attached to Earth but being suddenly thrust here is still a bit jarring. You look at the statue of the seven and contemplate your next decision.
From what you remember, anyone who isn't from Teyvat should be allowed to take elemental power from the statue. Biting your lip you approach the statue and place a hand on the gold accessories.
You marvel at how the statue glows at your presence but when you look at your hands, you feel no difference. It seems you wouldn't be a main character in this world either.
Shrugging it off, the excitement of actually being in Teyvat started to well up inside you. You walk down the desecrated dirt and cobblestone path as you admire Seirai Island.
While walking you freeze at the sight of two Fatui soldiers at a camp. You could fight people and escape, but Fatui soldiers? Fuck no. You didn't plan to die this fast.
You sneak along the houses to your left all while trying to remember Seirai's layout. If you wanted to survive in this world, you would need to get to civilization. You needed a boat cause there was no way in hell you were swimming in water that could be struck with lightning at any moment.
You follow the left path that seems to lead to the shore. Fuck, a mirror maiden is walking the same path right towards your direction. With some fast thinking and only a small dose of panic, you scale the rocks on your right.
They were thankfully small enough that your minor skills could be utilized well enough. Breathing heavily, you lay down on the soft blue grass. You close your eyes and open them swiftly at something tingly but smooth on your nose.
It's an electro Crystalfly. Purple and beautiful. You lay there mesmerized before it flies off gently. You stand up in a daze and struggle not to blindly follow it.
You walk along the cliff's edge while being careful not to fall. You can't risk going onto the grass in fear of a spector chasing you. Yet another thing that can end your new life.
Once far away enough from the mirror maiden, you slowly climb down and feel relieved at not breaking a bone. The path splits into two and you contemplate which one would lead to the Waverider.
Logically you know the chance of the waverider working for you was small, but the chance of you finding an intact boat was even smaller. Your train of thought is broken by the sounds of machines whirring from the right path.
You curse yourself and start sprinting down the left path to get away. Forgetting the existence of Ruin Sentinels almost cost you your life, but due to your panic, you almost sprinted straight into a different Ruin Sentinel.
Skidding to a stop, you hastily walk around it while sweating bullets. Thankfully it didn't notice you and you praise your good luck. You walk more alert to the waverider but stop at the teleport waypoint.
Out of simple curiosity, you touch the teleport structure. It glows similar to how it did in the game. But instead of red turning blue, the blue turned gold.
A smile forms on your face as your mind races with the possibilities that this could mean. Excitedly, you run to the waverider and touch it. Its blue turns gold and a boat is summoned onto the water.
It's not the same boat as the travelers, in fact you would even say it's better. Climbing into your boat you marvel at how much space it has. There is a small screen in the middle with a handprint.
There is no steering wheel or any other controls. You put your hand on it and say the first island that comes to mind. "Take me to Kannazuka Island."
The boat begins to move and you sit down on the couch. The whole boat feels luxurious to the point where you feel out of place; as if you're the sole piece of dirt on it.
But you don't have to be trash anymore. This world is kinder to people that couldn't finish school or can't stay in one spot. You wanted to try a normal job, maybe set up a stall or shop. Work as a normal, legal worker, or even become an adventurer. If reckless Pallas could do it, surely you could.
No more lying, no more crime.
The boat stops and you get off as you try to remember which part of the island you stopped at. There's a waverider and a teleport waypoint close together. That's on the right side of the Tatarasuna also known as the place where Kunikuzushi died and became Scaramouche.
After tapping both the waverider and teleport waypoint, you walk closer to the main part of the island. You remember farming this place for the handguards which explains why there is no Nobushi.
After passing the broken down ship part, you spot a tree with lavender melon. Excitedly and with hunger you get close and pick the lowest hanging fruit.
It's juicy and unlike any fruit you've eaten before. Which isn't a lot since fruit is expansive. You stroll down the shore as you finish the fruit.
You recognize the area on the left as a place where a quest had a fight. Walking on it you smile at seeing it in person. It's really amazing how you're actually here. And holy shit is that Ei?
The archway made of rock that leads into Tatarasune has Ei standing right there. You freeze and your breathing slows down as you try not to be noticed.
Ei was a complex character meaning that she will cause a lot of trouble for the peaceful and lawful existence you planned to live here.
As you try to walk away casually you hear her mutter something interesting.
"I could have sworn I felt their presence somewhere here."
Ei locks eyes with you making you freeze. You should greet her with her long ass title but there was no way you remembered that. Instead you give a small bow and speak politely.
"Please forgive my intrusion. I hope I haven't-"
"How dare you."
"I'm sorry wha-"
"Who are you? Which nation are you from? How dare you show such disrespect toward Their Holiness?!"
Her glare is firm and her voice grows louder. Gaping at the sudden hostility, you take a step back when she starts to pull out her Musou-no-something.
Ei's words are barely registered in your brain as you scramble for a way to escape.
"Someone with the same face as the creator is an anomaly. No one has ever been born with their face yet you, a mere human mortal, has it. I shall sacrifice you to them for impersonating the creator's image."
It's like her one track mind as a soldier has taken over Ei again. You yell the first thing that comes to mind that can help you escape while pointing behind her.
"OH MY GOD, IS THAT MAKOTO YOUR TWIN SISTER?!"
Ei freezes and immediately whips her head to look behind her. You don't hesitate to book it back to the boat.
'Just keep running, just keep running.' You sing frantically to yourself as you hear Ei chase after you. You yelp in pain when lightning starts striking your heels with every step.
She's toying with you, you realize. She wants to know how you could possibly know about her sister. She won't kill you yet but you know she won't hesitate to harm you severely.
The boat comes into view and you jump into it. The water that you splashed in, in your hurry makes your feet hurt more.
"Do you think that boat can protect you from me?"
You sit on the floor and try to think up a solution but the pain coursing through your body is hindering you. But you already know that you can't drive the boat or else she'll destroy it.
"Tell me how you know her name. How do you know her connection to me? How much more do you know about us?"
None of your regular tactics can work on her, not without risking death. You look at your lap for some kind of solution and notice your hands glowing. A small plan begins to form and instead you answer her with a distraction.
"Do you truly believe that I'm the only person alive that knows about her?"
Ei goes silent and you take advantage of the time to try to figure out what's happening with your hands. As much as you hope you gained elemental powers, you doubt that it can actually help you when an archon is trying to harm you.
You feel like spiderman as you make various hand gestures with your hands trying to figure out what the deal is with the glowing. It's the simple gesture of putting your hands together and pulling them apart that makes the glowing leave your hands and form a small screen.
"Did Celestia send you down here? Did you have a mission from them to use the Creator's form to dig up information?"
As the screen glows white and shows the Genshin Impact logo, your breath hitches. Your only hope is to let Ei draw her own conclusions from your answers as you hope your new power can help you.
"Celestia, huh? If Celestia themself took on the form of the Creator for their plans, do you think they would succeed?"
Thunder strikes louder after you say that. The logo leaves and shows the traveler on the beach in Mondstadt. You don't think about the weirdness of that before teleporting Lumine to where you are at.
"What are you implying-"
Ei's words are cut off as the sound of teleporting rings through your ears unlike the game audio has ever done before. On the screen the traveler stands next to a gold teleport waypoint with Ei nowhere to be seen. You smile at the implication.
You look out the boat and don't see Lumine there. You look back at the screen only to find it gone. You make the gesture and the screen reappears. It's only when you look away from the teleport waypoint that the screen finally loads.
Lumine is still standing next to the gold teleport waypoint. After teleporting her back to the beach you close the screen. With the Ei threat somewhat subdued, you feel safe enough to collapse on the couch.
Lazily you tell the ship to sail to Narukami Island, Ei would still come after you. Anywhere is better than your present location. An idea forms in your mind and you clarify. "Bring me to Amakane Island."
Your mind processes the information of a Creator, your resemblance, the screen, and new threats. The first step is clear as day. The little shop on Amakane Island that sells masks is your first stop.
Hello anybody that reads this. I have started another fic series. Again. There is a large chance that I'll get burnt out and not finish it. But I hope you enjoyed this. The next chapter should have what I really wanted to talk about which is Oracle!Reader.
Taglist: @vvyeislazzy, @nikqi, @the-dumber-scaramouche, @etherisy, @yourlocalstranger123, @ra404, @iruiji, @goldenglow149, @haru-tofuu, @lsleepysimpl [Edit: This chapter has been updated by my dear editor on 8/19/23]
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pix-stuff · 4 months
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The Duke of Meropide is not the biggest fan of the use of violence against well behaved prisoner. Everyone should have a chance to recover from past sin or mistakes, it's up to them if they wish to take it or not.
But the impostor is.. Another subject. Their sin is too deep, too serious. It can't be easely forgotten, even with an entire life of repentance.
It is more than faking an identity, it's stealing one of a divine instance.
But they seems to be protected from everything. Wriothesley will not use violence against them by himself if they don't use it first, but he has seen other try.
Some have tried, but never succeed. There was even this one time where he was watching over them from afar when another prisoner was sneaking behind the impostor, trying to hurt them; but fell instead and almost goes from the first floor to the main floor. They would have probably broke their legs.
There was also this moment when the impostor tripped but Sigewinne was miraculously passing by and grab her.
Sigewinne was never suppose to be here at this time of the day.
All the coincidences he saw over the few month of their stay in the prison were particular. Even if most of the people around them wanted to crush them, they all seems to fail. Always. They didn't bleed a single drop while their stay.
But today is the day of their judgement, when Monsieur Neuvilette will finally judge and weight their sin, according to the laws of Fontaine.
He would have like to observe them a little longer.
He has a bad feeling about this..
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(here's another story I post a while ago, if you want to check it out, It would be really appreciated 🤸❤️)
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mylittlesecretwish · 9 months
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I just KNOW that in a imposter au traveller won't be tricked by the imposter
They haven't being on Tevyat until now so they just get to know about you a little ago, and most important they had felt your presence when you saved them when that strange god attacked them (u know, since you have to choose a twin)
They had been your first vessel and even if isn't one of your mains it is there with you every now an then (for cinematics and some missions)
He knows your energy more than anyone else and knows that the one in the throne isn't you, but probably don't tell anyone aside from Paimon because they will be acused of being a traidor or something
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