The Boy Loved by the Thunderbird

An Anemo Vision

"What? Is that really you Ruu?" Paimon stared at him wide eyed. The ghost boy from Tsurumi island nodded and smiled at her as if it was the most normal thin in the world.

"How did you even get it here? I mean why are you here? In Inazuma City?"

"I don't know." The boy shrugged.

"When I opened my eyes I was standing just outside the city and I watched loads of these people walking around! I've never seen so many people in my entire life!" He continued.

"I was wandering around and was getting a little bit scared when I saw you and Big Bro walking in the crowd! So I decided the follow you." The boy grinned.

Paimon turned towards Aether with a confused look plastered across her face. They knew that Ruu was a ghost and all and that the laws of reality might not bind him like it does with living creatures, but to find him in Narukami Island- in Inazuma City even, still left a ton of questions to be answered. Further adding to the mystery was the green glowing stone that was nestled in Ruu's scarf. Aether took one look at it and immediately recognized what it was.

A Vision.

Even Venti, who had somehow magically recovered from his drunken stupor, stared at the new Vision bearer standing in front of them. A look of concern mirrored on his face.

Aether shot him a glance which Venti immediately noticed, changing his expression to his somewhat carefree one.

"Ugh! Venti do you know anything about this? Paimon can't wrap her head around it." Paimon said whilst holding her head.
"Like I've said to the Traveler before. We-" He emphasized. "-do not have control when and where a Vision appears. It just does." Venti smiled, shifting his glance to Paimon then unto Ruu.

"Ah! You're no help at all as usual!" Paimon quipped, crossing her arms in disdain.

Somewhat lost on what the two were talking about Ruu simply tilted his head in confusion. Aether chuckled to himself as the banter between the two continued.

"Well there's no helping it now. Ruu's here and that's that." He smiled, patting the young boy's head earning him a giggle.

"What do you say we show you around Inazuma now with all the festivities going on?"

"That would be so cool." The boy cried out. His eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Lucky for you-" Aether puffed out his chest with pride. "-we've gotten ourselves a couple of good tour guides to show us around today. We were just about to meet them when you found us."

"Traveler?" A voice behind them said as if on cue. The silver haired youth looked at them from atop the steps, his maple coloured kimono whipping with the breeze. Behind him was the all too famous resistance general, his ears all perked up.

"Gorou! Kazuha!" Paimon excitedly flew up to greet their old companions.

"Paimon it is great to see you again. And you as well Traveler!" Gorou announced to which Kazuha nodded in agreement.

He was still in his imposing military garb, with his bow slung across his back and Vision strapped to his armor. He didn't look a bit intimidating however, it was probably because he and Kazuha each had a skewer of Tri-color Dango and cup of Dango Milk on each hand, and probably because Gorou's tail was wagging excitedly behind him.

"I thought we were going to meet in front of the Adventurer's Guild?" Aether chuckled before giving each of them a hearty hug and couple of clasps on the back.
"We were but then I thought I thought I heard Paimon's high pitched voice somewhere around here. So we decided to have a look."

"Hey Paimon's voice is not that high pitched!"

"I'm sure he didn't mean it in a bad way Paimon." Kazuha gave her a reassuring smile.

"He better not! Now you Paimon some Tri-color Dango and some Dango Milk as well!"

"Alright alright. I'll get you some as an apology." Gorou conceded to which Paimon responded with a "Huzzah!"

Aether felt Ruu tugging on his shirt behind him. It seems he had forgotten their little dilemma thanks to Kazuha and Gorou.

"I almost forgot. Introductions!." Aether exclaimed. "Kazuha. Gorou. Meet Venti he's a bard from Monstadt."

"Nice to meet you both!" Venti chimed. "As the Traveler said I am a bard from the City of Freedom!"

"Right..." Aether could feel beads of sweat rolling down his nape. Perhaps Venti was still drunk after all?

"Anyways" He cleared his throat "And this is Ruu. He's a uh- friend from Tsurumi Island."

The two Inazumans shot each other a confused glance.

"Tsurumi Island? Isn't that the mysterious place covered in fog?" The dog general asked glancing at the boy hiding behind Aether.

"Indeed." Kazuha nodded. "You must've experienced quite a journey my young friend."

The boy shook his head. "I actually can't remember how I got here."

"Yeah we were actually just talking about it when you two came along." Paimon affirmed. "The island isn't covered in fog now but it still doesn't explain how Ruu got here though."

"You've been to the island?"

"Yeah! We were the ones that made the fog disappear."

"Amazing. You must tell us all about it Traveler." Gorou said excitedly, his tail wagging much faster than before.

"Of course but let's show Ruu around Inazuma first. We did promise him." Aether smiled at the boy.

"Of course! We'll give you the best tour of Inazuma yet." Gorou proclaimed. With pleasantries aside, they started with their supposed best tour of Inazuma.