𝗜 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗔 𝗚𝗢 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘 ✦ 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁

*𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴*

"So... any ideas as to where your sister may be?" y/n inquired as she walked along with Aether and Paimon.

The Traveler and the Pixie were both nibbling on food y/n had made since Aether was still a little shaken from being brutally murdered by a boar.

"No, we haven't gotten any clues so far." Aether murmured and y/n frowned.

"Well..." she said thoughtfully, "I have a feeling this won't be too helpful but I could ask Miss Ningguang if she could help."

Paimon gasped, "Really?"

Y/n nodded, "Yeah, after we finish seeing the adepti of course. That's important. Speaking of which... here we are!"

Y/n stopped, hands on her hips as she stopped to stare at the beautiful lake, the small island in the middle and Cloud Retainer's abode which was located in the cave on the other side of the lake.

"Woah...!" Paimon exclaimed as she floated over to the island where a stone table sat and called, "Hey, who put this table here?"

Aether and y/n wandered over together, joining the pixie beside the stone table.

"They've even set it ready for dinner, there's a wine jug and everything..." Paimon pointed out, "Ooh, they even have the guests' names carved into the seats! Here sits Retainer... here sits Guizhong... and here sits Rex!"

"Rex?" Aether echoed.

"Maybe Rex is short for Rex Lapis?" Paimon suggested with a shrug, "But Paimon has no idea about Guizhong."

"I recgonize that name..." y/n murmured, "Though it'll probably take a while to remember who exactly it is. But, I can tell you for sure that Retainer is short for Cloud Retainer."

"So, this must be where Cloud Retainer and the other adepti have their dinner parties!" Paimon exclaimed.

"Ah! We've gotta cook!" y/n suddenly declared, earning confused looks from both the Traveler and his Emergency Food.

Y/n smiled, "We have to offer food! And I have the perfect recipes to use!"

"You do?" Paimon and Aether said in unison and y/n nodded with a grin.

"Mhm! Mora Meat, Matsutake Meat Rolls and Jewelry Soup!" y/n replied, "I'm guessing you don't know how make them?"

"Nope." Aether sighed.

"No worries, I can make it!" y/n chirped, "But first... we need to find a spot to cook!"

A couple minutes later, they found what they were looking for. A little cooking station. Though it was a little messy, y/n cleaned it up then got to work.

Aether and Paimon watched like curious kittens as y/n cooked, focused.

She was quiet and so were they, not wanting to mess something up by speaking.

"And... done!"

Both Paimon and Aether perked up when y/n turned around, holding two plates of food and a bowl of soup.

"Can you help me carry these? I might end up dropping one-" y/n began but Aether had already taken the soup and one of the plates from her, allowing her to carry the last plate easily.

The trio headed over to the little island and placed the food down at the table.

"It smells really good...! Can Paimon try? Just an itty bitty bite?" Paimon asked.

"I'll make you some later. We wouldn't want to make the adeptus here angry." y/n replied with a small smile.

"One senses the presence of a Sigil of Permission..." a voice suddenly spoke up, causing y/n to shriek and jump to Aether so she could cling to him for dear life.

"One knows not why you have come, though the sincerity of your offering is clear... hence, you shall be granted an opportunity." the voice continued before the barrier that blocked the cave disappeared, "Find your way through mine abode, and you shall receive an audience with the adeptus whom you seek."

The three were silent for a moment before Aether sighed, "Okay. Let's go."

"WHAT!? NO WAY!" y/n shouted, "You guys go ahead, I'm staying out here!"

"Huh? You're not coming with us?" Paimon questioned, "Come on, you're not scared, are you?"

Y/n glowered at the pixie, "Of course I'm scared. I almost pissed myself, there's no way I'm going in there! You're on your own."

"Alright, you can stay out here then." Aether decided, putting y/n down and letting her head twice, "Don't get eaten."

Y/n stood there, trying to figure out what he meant by don't get eaten before it finally clicked.

Aether half expected y/n to come with them but she didn't. She stayed outside the entire time though she was a little jumpy and frantic when they returned.

"Hey we're ba-"

The rest of Aether's sentence was drowned out by y/n's shrill scream.

She whipped around and covered her mouth when she realized it was him and Paimon rather than a monster with a craving for human flesh or an angry adeptus.

"Don't scare me like that...! You can't just sneak up on people!" y/n whined, grabbing Aether by his shoulders and shaking him.

"Mhm, okay, got it, please stop shaking me, I'm going to get a headache."

Y/n stopped shaking Aether, taking a deep breath, "Right, my bad. Nothing bad happened, right? What did Cloud Retainer say?"

"Oh yeah. Cloud Retainer was planning on squashing Liyue." Aether replied.

"WHAT? SERIOUSLY!?"

"Oh yeah, don't worry though. We convinced Cloud Retainer not to!" Paimon cut in but y/n had already started crying.

Paimon glared at Aether, "Look what you did. Y/n, please calm down-"