The misadventures of having a vision

Chpt. 8

"Excited?" The ginger leaned down to match your height as you rubbed the sleep from your eyes,

"Mmm...am I always going to have to get up so early?" Childe's step felt too loud in the quiet early morning. You tried to best to stay light as to not interrupt the quite stillness of the normally bustling harbor.

"Yup,"

"It that why you're so...so..." you struggled for words, "so...awake,"

"Right again," he sang, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it,"

"Something tells me I'll be hearing that a lot today, won't I?"

The only response Childe gave was a warm smile as you made your way out of the city.

By the time the sun came up, you had been long put to work. First, you had to walk across the yellow grass fields and hills and mountains of Liyue before finally taking a break around the Wangshu Inn.

After making it closer to mondstadt, you began "training".

"I'm pretty busy during the day so the mornings are all we have to practice. And then, during the day time, you'll shadow me. You probably won't have to do any real work but you should pay good attention,"

"What exactly do you do during the day?" There was a slight hint of something between hurt and amusement that you couldn't distinguish in his eyes.

"Well, I do a lot if different things as a harbinger but I say the main three things I do is intimidate people who stand in the way of the Tsarista's will as well as build her reputation, train newcomers and my subordinates," there was a new glint in his eyes that made you uneasy, "And of course, collect unpaid debts,"

"Which do you do more often,"

He deflated, "Training,"

"You don't like it?" You couldn't help but feel a little bad,

"Yes," he turned to you with intense eyes, "but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to training a vision holder. Us harbingers fight over you guys,"

"Vision holders?" You may have been pretty useless, but at least you had a vision nonetheless, "So you really can help me?"

"Of course," He stopped walking and turned, "You have a vision which means you have it in you. Its just about channeling it out of you,"

You put your hands on your hips, "Well why didn't you say something before?"

"Would you have said yes to joining the fatui?"

"...no,"

"Exactly,"

... ... ... ... ... ...

Your first day was nothing short of exhausting. You practiced sword techniques until you couldn't and then practiced some more. On top of that was endurance training and all while Childe dumped information of the inner workings of the fatui on you. By the time you made it back to the harbor your brain and muscles were running on empty.

"And you'll get to do it all again tomorrow!" Childe sang before leaving for the night.

You tried to match his good mood but once you were alone you couldn't help but feel a wash of tired grumpiness.

Yes you wanted to put use to your vision, but now that the road ahead was a lot more clear, you really got to see how long it is.

Childe had already gone on about how you couldn't master your elemental stills if you didn't have the body to support it and how fighting with elemental skills needs to be paired with physical agility and grace. But it didn't put your antsiness to work with your vision to rest.

The days events and all the information dumped on you and all the thoughts in your head swirled around and somehow eventually put you to sleep.

... ... ... ... ... ...

You somehow managed to roll over despite everything, your only motivation being your blood you were choking on.

You closed your eyes in hopes of clearing the fog in your mind and the throbbing in your head but it only made you more aware of just how much pain you were in.

Your eyes shot open at the sound of someone else'smoan but you still didn't have it in you to sit up.

"Oh...oh no..." the only sound you could manage to make was a moan.

You head felt hot and your limbs like lead but you wanted to look at the boy who was now kneeling over you.

At a loss for words of what do to about your current situation, he said the only other thing he was thinking, "I-I got it," he stuttered astonished as if he was telling himself and not you.

"Goo...ood," Was just about all you could manage. You knew you should have questions and should ask more but thinking was now difficult. As you struggled to life your head and as more and more liquid bled out of you, the fog in your head only grew thicker, eventually pulling you to sleep.

... ... ... ... ... ...

"Today," the ginger sang, "you're going to help me with some special official Fatui business,"

It had been about 2 weeks since your first day working with the harbinger and you were starting to feel used to your daily routines.

"Thats what you said last time and I believe that led to me doing inventory on Fatui meals," you raised a brow at him, not fully believing the excitement he used to say "suprise".

"Hey! It can't all be glamor and glory," he put his finger up and raised his eyebrows like those snotty kids who always corrected you on your grammar, "but today, it will be,"

"Why are you smiling like that?"

... ... ... ... ... ...

Childe scoffed loudly as the last one fell to the ground.

You stood there for a moment, staring off, until your lungs felt like they were going to explode and your body forced you to breathe out.

As Childe pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping, no, smearing blood on his face, you turned to the setting sun over the Liyue mountains.

Birds chipped and the overgrown grass made soft noises as it blew in the cool wind. It was peaceful but wrong considering the stains left on that same grass and the scene the birds had just witnessed.

You took a step forward with your shaking knees and drew in a deep breath. Your heart was still racing from the adrenaline and nerves of it all but any attempt you had made to calm down was inturrupted by you jumping back at the feeling of a wet warm hand wrapped around your ankle.

Your sword came down and before you knew it you were now also covered in blood.