#hoyoverse told me this in a dream

[xiao-come-home]

Even MORE pre-release Boothill. Please bear with me im doing my best,, slightly sug/gestive in one paragraph 🤸‍♀️

I've read somewhere that Boothill short-circuits when he's embarrassed AND I STAND BY IT. 1000%. I am here to spread this like a disease. His system is definitely able to process his emotions, but when you do something that makes his heart skip a beat, he freezes in his spot, his cheeks gain the most beautiful scarlet color... And then you hear the worst combination of malfunctioning robotic noises, AND then sparks fly off of him. Might have to wait a few minutes until he comes back...

Boothill might look like he's calm outside, but he just FEELS the blue screen coming when things get too heated with no break whatsoever or too much fluids go past the protective metal plates. His body stops in place, is absolutely unresponsive, and his eyes flash blue.

Don't worry though, your Boothill has a restart button, right in the middle of his upper back, hidden by his half-vest (or.. whatever that is). He might overheat a little bit though, so be careful not to give yourself unnecessary burns.

In rare cases when his blue screens get REAL bad, you have to stick a USB drive he gave you in those special slots he has on the left side of his hips to bring him back.

Boothill most definitely does not sleep, but gets recharged by electricity or fuel instead. Perhaps that's the reason for the hole he has on his back? Either way, it gives you an opportunity to "plug him up", which he hates, despises even, to hear from you when he feels low on energy (he still wants a goodnight kiss btw).

Boothill swallows bullets. He also spits them out when needed.. usually, he's very careful not to spit them into your mouth when you kiss, but gravity betrays him on his worst days.

Boothill probably works like Siri or Alexa when battles leave him a bit too wounded. You might wonder about something, say it out loud, and then Boothill just can't stop reading the first thing that came up on Google.

"What's the best recipe for carrot cake?"

"2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt—" Boothill gasps and covers his mouth, "1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ¼ cups (295ml) vegetable oil, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar—"

He just can't stop.

[volaquet]

March 7th for before pride month ends maybe

[spoiledmilks]

Furina likes to kiss women

Hoyoverse told me in a dream

[lovemaiyo-main]

AND THE GRASS WHERE YOU LAY LEFT A BED IN YOUR WAKE

SUMMARY the artists / music they listen to

WITH all of the released genshin males WARNINGS none / THE IMAGES MIGHT LOAD WRONG!! if so, go to this link to read the post (the link is js this same post but on my tumblr ) 70GIN-M IM MAKING A BIGGER PIECE RN SO JUST TAKE THIS UNTIL + this is canon hoyoverse broke into my house just to tell me

mitski, lana del ray, mac demarco`

CHONGYUN favourite song : yes to heaven - lana del ray biggest lana del ray stan EVER & fights lana haters online KAZUHA favourite song : first love / late spring - mitski mitski is the main inspo for his haikus HEIZOU favourite song : my kind of woman - mac demarco

clairo, girl in red, MARINA

DILUC favourite song : we fell in love in october - girl in red THOMA favourite song : ancient dreams in a modern land - MARINA he buys headphones and blasts this while he works VENTI favourite song : pretty girl - clairo doesn't pay attention to the lyrics but loves how it sounds

taylor swift

ALBEDO favourite song : snow on the beach took a vacation from work when midnights came out just to listen to it on repeat for 92 hours BENNETT favourite song : you belong with me only listened to the old taylor songs because his ipad kept breaking before the new albums came out and is now SO broken it can't even function properly CHILDE favourite song : fifteen ITTO favourite song : midnight rain kuki has to listen to him do karaoke of midnight rain whenever she comes over for a sleepover XINGQIU favourite song : love story (taylors version) ZHONGLI favourite song : blank space hu tao told him taylor was popular w the kids so now hes a dedicated swiftie

steve lacy, eyedress, laufey

AYATO favourite song : something about you - eyedress also likes 'jealous' by eyedress. he loves the feelings eyedress conveys and how elegant they sound while doing so CYNO favourite song : static - steve lacy GOROU favourite song : let you break my heart again - laufey kokomi showed him this one and he thought it sounded SO pretty. whenever this plays his tail starts wagging help

sza, yeat, tyler the creator

ALHAITHAM favourite song : möney so big - yeat plays this song really loud whenever kaveh is talking 💀😨 FOUL LEGACY favourite song : big boy - SZA hii foul legacy childe (im single) KAEYA favourite song : out thë way - yeat SCARAMOUCHE favourite song : kill bill - SZA he might he might kill his ex TIGHNARI favourite song : see you again - tyler, the creator ft. kali uchis CAN I GET A KISS?? AND CAN YOU MAKE IT LAST FOREVER? XIAO favourite song : EARFQUAKE - tyler, the creator

[frozenambiguity]

Yes, I know that the content approved in the bilibili mvs is fandom-created and oriented. However, these contents, being part of the 3rd-anniversary festival, had to be reviewed and approved by someone in Hoyoverse.

That said, I have some thoughts about the "Light in the Abyss" video. Khaenri'ah rant after the read more!

Can I just start by saying that having Khaenri'ah depicted as a land warm, prosperous, and peaceful touches my heart? The technology is abundant and advanced, semi-sentient ( to our knowledge. to what extent that sentience is is yet to be determined ). That we already knew, but it was nice to have confirmation that the ruin guards, for example, were not machines created by Khaenri'ah only for war, as some sources in Genshin have stated and we have seen in a few quests.

I know that the information that the ruin guards were machines created with the purpose of doing other activities, such as gardening and other menial work, exists. That only further strengthens the idea shown in the video. However, I do recall debating said information with a few friends before ( who were from different parts of the world, and played the game in different languages ). They told me that, in other versions of the game, describing the ruin guards as "gardeners" was some type of analogy, and it could be interpreted as something else besides gardening --- in this case, related to war.

Take this information with a grain of salt though, because since I play the English version of the game, I lack the knowledge regarding the context of other versions and I cannot confirm the veracity of the statement itself. Still, I thought I would add it for curiosity's sake!

Of course, the ruin guards played their roles regarding war, too. It would be foolish to have the means and resources and not use them to defend a cause or belief. Still, it is nice to see that they were indeed part of society and well-integrated with human beings.

The fact that Khaenri'ah is referred to as a "dream" is interesting to me. Who is this narrator? What are their beliefs? Certainly, it is someone either Khaenri'ahn or someone who was there to see it all unfold with their own eyes. Most people in Teyvat have a distorted view of the land, and its history is either forgotten or completely tainted by the cataclysm and the abyss forces. Khaenri'ah was, and is, more than that. Even if we have come across certain factions in-game that give strength to that first argument.

It is also interesting to see Lumine summoned instead of arriving at Khaen on her own. Everyone seemed to have gathered to watch the spectacle of her arrival, common people and royalty included, so this visit did not happen by mere chance. They had to be waiting for her. The reasons are unclear, but we see that Lumine lived in Khaenri'ah for a long time before the disaster occurred. She experienced peace and prosperity before the cataclysm. In other words, they did not summon her as their salvation against probable corruption//abyss forces, but perhaps as something else, in a context prior to that. Something... more. Regardless, everyone is gathered to welcome her.

King Irmin's first appearance! On the left, we have Pierro, and on the right... Rhinedottir. Being so close to the king meant that she had a high position in the royal court and thus was highly regarded, even by the King himself. Also, we get to see baby Bedo's first appearance as well!

Now, these are an interesting couple of frames. They appear after the disaster has started. People are being corrupted and everything is blood red. However, let us analyze these frames a bit more. Because, at first, my guess was that the royal guards were arresting Rhinedottir for her creations and having unleashed abyss creatures. In a land so prosperous and advanced, science had gone too far.

However, don't they look... corrupted? Much like the version that we fight deep within the Chasm? And even the presence of the wolves --- so far they were not shown, so they were not from Khaenri'ah, even if they were created by Rhinedottir.

Just what, exactly, did Rhinedottir use to create these beings? It has to be more than Khemia itself, so perhaps she did start tampering with the 'forbidden knowledge, the forbidden power'. And that power turned against her. Because, if these were Khaenri'ahn guards ( fully conscious ), they would probably try to arrest her first and then conduct an investigation//trial. Rhinedottir was an important person with power within the kingdom. And yet... They raise their weapons against her. That indeed confirms that these "guards" are long gone.

And if we require further proof regarding their corruption, they are seen slaughtering innocents a little later in the video.

... ... ...

... ... ...

Now, THIS:

Is the true reason behind the creation of this post. There he is, ladies and gentlemen, Papa Alberich in the flesh. And this is so important.

I have mentioned in the past that I do not think Papa Alberich has any affiliation with the Abyss ( not a genuine one, at least ), and that he truly might represent a faction within Khaenri'ah that wishes to see the remains of Khaenri'ah respected and its people protected to the best of his capabilities ( even if that means committing the atrocity that is abandoning your child and having him play the role of a spy in another nation --- although he did so with remorse ).

The information we received in the Hidden Strife event simply fortifies the argument. Remember what Papa Alberich told Kaeya when he forced him to write sensitive information regarding Khaenri'ah and their lineage so that it would not be forgotten by the young child, only to command him to burn it all afterward:

"Remember always that it was the Alberich Clan, who did not have royal blood, who stepped in as regents when the strength of the one-eyed king Irmin failed. Though we could not restore Khaenri'ah to life, we of the Alberich Clan should lead lives as those who blaze like fire, rather than those who wallow in the embers."

This begs the question: what are Papa Alberich's true motives? Because he recognizes they have failed to restore Khaenri'ah as it was, but that does not mean he will not try to bring justice to his people. Maybe he is procuring a way to get them rid of the curse, maybe he is gathering survivors and leading them as their plans take form and unfold. Who knows?

On this note, I think there is a lot Kaeya has not revealed to the players as well. If he is a spy, then how is he conducting his investigation? Who is he reporting to? To what plans is he contributing?

If you are hoping to read content that supports the idea that Papa Alberich abandoned Kaeya, said "peace!", and left forever, you won't find it here.

If you're hoping to read content that supports the idea that Kaeya has completely forgotten and doesn't care about Khaenri'ah or his biological father, you won't find it here.

If Papa Alberich did not care about Kaeya and Kaeya did not care about his father, then why, during Weinlesefest, did "the wind" ---- which we all know was Venti --- bring him a message from his biological father?

The wind brought pleasant memories to all the citizens of Mondstadt. Everyone got an important message from a beloved person. Kaeya's could have been a Master Crepus voice line. Heck, even a Diluc's! But it wasn't. It was from his biological father. And that, friends, says plenty.

I truly believe Kaeya thinks far more frequently about his father and his heritage than we are led to believe. Even if he is thankful for the memories he made in Mondstadt and with the Ragnvindrs ( which is confirmed by the way he softly looks at the Dawn Winery, and at Diluc, by extent ).

But why was the message so sorrowful and remorseful? Well, because Papa Alberich did not want to abandon Kaeya. He probably did not see any other way to deal with what was happening. And as Kaeya told us before in the Caribert quest:

«Maybe my father left me in the peaceful land of Mondstadt for no other reason than simply to keep me alive... As well as ensuring I'd be safely cut off from... certain things. The thought that I might be able to actually live a happy life there must have been the icing on the cake».

Yes, that does not erase the impact Papa Alberich's decisions had and still have on Kaeya. It is insane to abandon a child and put so much responsibility on his shoulders. To spy and protect a slaughtered cursed nation by age 8...? Nonsense. But that does not mean he did not love Kaeya.

Back to the bilibili mv.

We can see the young man carrying a crown, so it is safe to believe that, by this point, King Irmin is nowhere to be seen anymore. Dead, quite possibly. And it is in this critical moment, in the middle of conflict, blood, and disaster, that the Alberich clan steps in as regents. We finally have a timeline.

But it is simply too late.

No one can escape the creatures and the demise they bring. Not the common people. Not the guards. Not even King Irmin himself, who sits on his royal seat with a sword on his chest. Now, I wonder if he was killed or if he killed himself, but that is another conspiracy theory I am cooking --- Don't mind the thought for now.

One last note regarding these events that I would like to focus on. The fact that Papa Alberich took over as regent during the cataclysm means that he was alive then, and is still alive today. Or, at least, up until the point he left Kaeya. That makes me itch a little about the date of Kaeya's birth, because there are two possible paths here. Either:

• Kaeya was born during the Cataclysm era, and something has happened that made him remain alive until current events ( the time traveling and the frozen in ice theories are fairly popular in the fandom, although I have no subjective opinion on them thus far ).

OR

• Papa Alberich was also cursed with immortality due to the events that unfolded, and Kaeya was born way after the Cataclysm, seemingly ( emphasis on the word ) all right because his body was able to develop like a normal human being's. We still do not know how the curse has affected Kaeya in canon. And I think it is too much wishful thinking to believe he is not cursed at all and was able to deflect all that. We will find out more about it soon enough, hopefully.

Now. Back to the Cataclysm.

And there we see them, in all their glory. The Archons. Possibly Celestia's last resort to contain the disaster. They have finally descended to Khaenri'ah.

It is interesting to notice how they only came to aid Khaenri'ah once they started to feel their lands on the surface threatened, though. Perhaps this has to do with the belief that Khaenri'ah is a god-less land and thus they did not want to interfere, but it hurts to think that the Archons would simply sit idle ( although I do have the controversial opinion that they indeed did, and only acted when it was either fighting against the abyss or letting it devour the entire world ).

The Khaenri'ahn mechanisms that were fortunately not corrupted, however, still aid the archons in the fight against abyssal//corrupted beings while being controlled by Khaenri'ahns and Anfortas troupes. That was a nice touch. A much-needed collaboration between Gods and non-believers, who still unite against a common threat. This makes me have hope regarding the restoration of Khaenri'ah someday, and it being capable of living peacefully along with all other Teyvat nations once more ( although on vastly different terms, of course ).

Bonus: Caribert being cursed is such a sad scene...

This also dismantles the theory that Kaeya is Caribert//The Loom of Fate and that Clothar is his father, although I personally never agreed with it.

Overall, there are still so many questions left to answer, but one cannot deny the importance of this content, even if it is fan-made, because it makes the community reflect on many mysteries and unanswered questions.

TL DR --- I love Khaenri'ah. I love Papa Alberich. And I hope they do give Kaeya the treatment he deserves as a character. Because, regardless of his classification as a 4 star, he is going to end up becoming one of the most lore-relevant characters in Genshin Impact, if he gets the treatment he deserves.

PS: Make Kaeya a 5 star sometime, Hoyoverse. He deserves that sort of treatment.

[opalescent-cheetah]

ty for the tag @inkats ! :D

1. Are you named after anyone? Multiple of my ancestors!

2. When was the last time you cried? Earlier this week when I was listening to the finale of Lempicka again lol. (Everyone please support it when it comes to Broadway 🙏 just over two weeks to go!!)

3. Do you have kids? Nope

4. What sports do you play/have you played? I used to swim competitively! Other than that it was just the stuff I was forced to do for school lmao

5. Do you use sarcasm? No,, at least not that I'm aware of

6. What's the first thing you notice about someone? Their general vibes, if that makes sense? I like to think I have a pretty strong sense of Vibes... like, I once met someone who gave me bad vibes despite seeming like a person I should get on really well with, and then a few days later I learned that they enjoy bullying minors in online games in their free time! I can't even make this up

7. Eye color? Brown

8. Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings, I'm a wuss lol

9. Any talents? Writing, I guess? It's the one skill I have that feels like it came pretty naturally. I've been told I have really good rhythm too, but I think my tone-deafness balances that out hahasjfhd

10. Where were you born? On earth

11. Hobbies? Writing, drawing, playing bass. Occasionally I paint jackets! I also play too much Genshin Impact lmao

12. Any pets? A tiny but very loud black cat <3

13. Height? 168cm / 5'6"

14. Favorite school subject? it bounced between English and Art depending on the teacher and the work LOL

15. Dream job? I don't know tbh! I just want to be a part of something cool. Working for Hoyoverse might be fun, I'm bilingual and an animator...

Ty for reading if you read this far lol! I'm tagging @brib-burget , @soverane , @jade-doodles-questionmark , @sweetestberryofthebunch and @holywaterzzz !!

[yourfriendlytabibito]

Yun Jin: Off-Stage

© Hoyoverse

SPOILER: This post contains spoilers from the 2.6 Interlude quest in Liyue Harbor as well as Yun Jin's hang out quest.

Liyuean opera is an art form steeped in rich tradition. One of the best practitioners of this ancient art is Yun Jin, a daughter of the Yun family. They were once weaponsmiths but Yun Jin's father decided that it is not the only thing their family would be known for. So they delved into the world of Liyuean opera and Yun Jin became one of the rising stars of the opera troupe. Her performances are sought after by people from all walks of life. She even had the chance to perform the opera, The Divine Damsel of Devastation, after the Jade Chamber was rebuilt. Suffice to say that Yun Jin is a celebrity in Liyue.

However, that fame has taken its toll on Yun Jin. She encountered things that come with being famous: tabloid reporters, scandals, and gossips. Though she keeps a correspondence with some of the best performers in all of Teyvat, she told us Travelers that the receivers of her letters found her cold and aloof. But in reality, Yun Jin is one of the sweetest characters in Genshin. This was shown during the Steambird route wherein Yun Jin wrote a letter to Shuyi so she could have her boss arrested for extortion. Yun Jin used her acting talent to save the journalist from being exploited by her employer.

Aside from her sweet character, I admired Yun Jin for being accepting of concepts that are new to her. She's fond of rock and roll, something that is frowned upon by her elders. She even chided them for their refusal to acknowledge its place in Liyuean culture. Also, she values her friends and even threw Xinyan a surprise feast for her birthday together with Xiangling.

It's unfortunate that Yun Jin's persona off-stage is not as well known. She was often mistaken for a cold and aloof person by her letter correspondents, probably due to the formality of her words. In one of the routes of her hang out quest, the Traveler asked for a souvenir from Yun Jin. And the latter gave her a signed autograph of her. But Chen the Sharp and the guy manning the general goods store in Liyue also have a copy of that particular photo. To her, having a signed photograph of her has less value since someone already has it. I cannot put into words how I felt about that and it made me think that Yun Jin is offended because the Traveler (if you chose the "Your appearance on stage is quite striking" or something along those lines) thought her on-stage persona is more appealing than her personality off-stage (which is kind of the point because Yun Jin's public image is catered to all ages). It seems to her that we preferred her on-stage persona rather than her true self off-stage, which is not true. This made me think of celebrities in our world, where they are treated as idols in a pedestal fit for public viewing rather than human beings with thoughts and dreams. People, especially fans, form their preconceived notions of their idols which are totally different from their true selves. Yun Jin has to keep up with her public image to make her more likeable to the masses, which is exhausting, in my opinion. Being in the public eye all the time and had to keep up appearances will definitely take a toll on someone. I just wish nothing but the best for Yun Jin. She's a sweet and kind girl who is passionate about Liyuean opera. She deserves better. And I hope her career will soar into new heights.

[blackidyll]

@qserasera I AM HERE TO RAMBLE!!!!!!!!

first prefacing this by saying MASSIVE 2.2 TRAILBLAZE QUEST SPOILERS! in case anyone random is reading this! but also i played it over like 9 days just chipping at the quest in bits and pieces so my memory might not be the best (i wish we could replay quests! there was so much going on!!)

I have two big thoughts about jingheng/hengjing this patch

1 - dan heng is just constantly itching to use that jade abacus huh. first, he uses it to prove a point with boothill. then in the first part of the quest, he actually does use it (with a sweet astral express family moment, saying that he's willing to use this once-in-a-lifetime item because his companions are once-in-a-life-time people who are important to him). then when he is awoken from the Order's Dream and told that they need A Lot of Other People to introduce chaos into the harmony/order of the dreamers, he goes -obviously it means we have to call in the luofu!!-

like, i cannot get over the fact that he was just willing to drag the entire luofu's army into this thing with penacony. everyone else has to talk him out of it? dh without the astral express family holding him back just goes feral? on the one hand it's endearing that his first thought is always to turn to jing yuan for help, but also this reinforces something he has in common with dan feng, and it's that they make Very Extreme and Illogical Decisions when their friends are threatened. like, it's funny from our perspective but had he really used the jade abacus, i don't doubt that jy would honour his promise. he would bring the luofu's armies to penanony. and what would happen if they all get absorbed into Ena the Order's dream? it's clear that brute strength alone (other than acheron's nihility) cannot break the dream (even welt who has a herscherr core and trailblazer themselves with a stellaron couldn't do it on their own), like there's no logical reason to expose so many other people to Ena's influence when the chances of them getting trapped is so high.

i enjoy all the memes about dh and the jade abacus but i like digging into the implications behind his thought process more ヾ(•ω•`)o

2 - the whole sequence with dhil and jy fighting together back-to-back is entirely a dream. this is really funny to me. like at first i was a bit disappointed that it wasn't real, but like. outside the game, someone at Hoyoverse decided that they HAD to bring jing yuan into the story. they couldn't go two patches without giving him an amazing animated cutscene. they couldn't logically write jy going to to the charmony festival, so they decided to port him there in a dream instead. someone at in charge at HYV ships jhj and i love it.

inside the game... it's never clear whose dream we're experiencing during that first fight with sunday. is it trailblazer's? because that means in their eyes jy and dhil are a unit that cannot be separated. (like, they could have just dreamed dh coming to the rescue alone, clearly the azure dragon was enough to smash into sunday's harmonious choir). is it dan heng's dream? even more amazing, he dreams of saving his astral express friends fighting back to back and absolutely in synch with jing yuan.

(is it just sunday/ena subliminally pulling things from people's mind to manifest the most ideal dream? which means most of the astral express believed dhil and jy to be the most ideal rescue team for it to be the dream that is created. and also they believed jy to be the best person to mediate between the IPC and penacony? they really admire jing yuan, huh).

--

anyway. i remember thinking how weird jing yuan's presence in the quest was, like it felt like someone high up in the HYV team wanted it so the writers were forced to write him in... and then we get that ending credits and black swan telling us the story as we fall asleep........... and then, the twist! all my weird instincts were RIGHT... this trailblaze quest was a trip.

PS: i love dan heng and boothill's friendship, they are hilarious. i want boothill to meet jing yuan so badly. i just think their dynamic could go in so many directions, also with boothill being a galaxy ranger which jing yuan had wished he could be so he could travel the stars and help people on the way... many things to chew on here!

i kno they likely didn't mean to frame it this way, but i loveee the cdrama overtones of 'are u threatening us? my boyfriend has status and power backing him, and gave us this specific seal to use if we ever need to call on him. do Not test me.'

[hulhudhonado]

"I Think You And I Should Partner Up"

Part 1 | Part 2

Note: I have been reading a lot of Pantalone fanfiction and most mention him giving gifts, pampering you or they are those very dark ones where he is not so kind to you. I wanted to read one where he sees you as an equal since most just gives of sugar baby or very obvious power dynamic vibes. Like we barely have any information about him. Lets make as much shit up before hoyoverse finally reveals more about him. This is also going to be very long. I might also make more parts since I have a slow burn idea for this. Enjoy.

CW: Fighting, blood, mentions of a character's death, Cursing.

HC: Reader is gender neutral and has a reactivated vision (Hydro). Reader is also very unlucky, pessimistic and full of rage.

Characters: Pantalone

Rampage

You wondered whether the archons decided to curse you from the day you were born. Born in the coldest day that Snezhnaya had to face, the village leader had told your parents that while your sister would bring them joy you were going to be the one for their downfall. You scoffed when you were old enough to understand what they were saying. You weren't the reason that Snezhnaya had not escaped the cold winters for decades. It was the Tsarista's who had done it. But of course no one would say her name in vain and you too had to keep quiet if you wanted to keep your head.

While your sister grew up amongst the praising adults, you hanged out amongst the rest of the kids just like you. Hungry and cold, fishing or hunting in the woods. "I'm going to be a fatui solider when I grow up. I heard they get to hold cool weapons. That would definitely help me hunt better " Said one of them. "I want to work under the Tsarista. Maybe I will get a vision if I get her blessings. " Said another.

" I just want to get a lot of Mora when I grow up." You look up towards the voice. A young boy spoke softly, his hair was long and ragged but you knew it kept him warm. His glasses were crooked with broken lenses and he also had ragged clothes just like you and the rest of the kids who sat near the campfire which was slowly dwindling.

You scoffed at them all. " I just want to get the hell out of this damn place." You mumbled. That was the final conversation you had with them. Quiet whispers of dreams for a future that barely had any fruition. However things always go in unexpected ways.

When you made your way back to the your house that night, you were bombarded with hugs. You froze, shocked by the sudden action, something that you had barely experienced. Especially from your parents. You looked at their faces which were full of joy. "Your sister got a vision! We are saved!"

The rest of it was a blur. You and your family making their secret escape from Snezhnaya that same night. You didn't get to say good bye to the kids at the campsite. Not that you cared, you were finally leaving the country that the archon has abandoned years ago. You were going to have a future.

---

Years had passed, yet you were still living in the same conditions as when you did back when you were at Snezhnaya. Your parents had put their whole heart, time and money onto your sister who they praised you became a star in Fontaine with the Hydro vision that was bestowed upon her. How pitiful it was to find out that she had no talent for it.

She couldn't hold a weapon, nor read a spell. A vision in the hands of someone who couldn't even use it properly. You had to hold back your bitter laugh whenever your parents would mumble that she would one day become a famous adventurer. 'Delusional people' You thought bitterly.

You joined the adventure guild alongside her. Even if you didn't hold a vision you could fight, a spear was enough to hold monsters back. Even if you weren't the most prevalent fighter, joining the guild made you realize your love for research. You began to write articles after articles for the Fontaine newsletter hoping for a moment of stability if one of the articles was received well.

However as usual, things almost never go your way and you genuinely still wondered if the archons just liked to mess with you. You held out your newest article to the editorial manger. You could feel yourself sweating bullets. You watched in disbelief as he sighed, setting the papers back down into your hands. "I still don't think you have the grasp of this yet. "

"But you barely read it " you mumbled.

"It's not just about the content, it needs to be interesting. Eye-catching. Fontaine is a place of innovation. We want something new and exciting. Not something factual. " He answered. "Maybe you should aim to be a Sumeru researcher instead. However if you want to try again," He handed you a magazine.

It was flashy, full of various texts.

'What the stars says about your future!'

'The new hit series "A Legend Of Sword" is now available in Fontaine!'

'The latest hit inventions of Fontaine near you!"

"This is what the people want to read" You looked at him in disbelief as he gave a weak smile before heading away. You stared at the magazine again. Looking back at the first title boldly printed on the cover. You open the magazine and pull up the page, slowly skimming to your birthday.

" Your days of tragedy are almost over! Big changes are going to happen soon! Don't turn down any new offers which you are going to come across! Good luck!"

You could feel yourself grip the magazine tightly, the cover crumpling under your hands. Even the magazine was somehow making fun of you at this point. You huffed annoyed, chucking the magazine and the envelope in your hand into the trash before making your way back home defeated yet again.

As you tried to figure out how to make ends meet for the month, you slowly walked towards your house, to see members of the adventurer guild near by. Your mother sobbing into her hands while your father looked worse than ever. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, making your way towards them.

---

Your sister had died. Ironically she died by drowning during a mission. You tried not to laugh. You were not happy but how could you not laugh when your life felt like a joke at this point. Was the stars mocking you? Was this the so called big change that was happening in your life? How fucking incredible. The rage that had been building up inside you was close to spilling out.

It didn't help while through sobs your mom kept wailing 'Why did it have to be her. Why couldn't it have been you?' while your father would not look you in the eyes. You wished you had died instead too, at least you wouldn't have to live with people like this anymore.

You held onto the now blank vision. It used to shine a bright blue and was safely placed as a clip in your sisters hair. How funny it was that now the blank vision was laid on your hand. You gripped it tightly before shoving it in your back pocket.

The wails from your mother would not stop, you couldn't hold it at this point. You began to get up and make your way outside. "They were right, your birth was going to be the downfall for us." You could hear your mothers shout one final time before you closed the door behind them as loud as you can. You sigh, looking at the sky, stars barely visible.

"Fuck you stars."

---

Days had passed. Ends were barely being met and you knew your parents were in no shape to work anymore. You began to work odd jobs. Any jobs that the adventure guild could provide at this point. You gave up writing, you didn't have the time for that anymore.

"Thank you for doing this delivery in such short notice." A customer told you, handing the fees for the delivery to you. You smiled at them. "Don't mention it."

You couldn't even remember how many times have you said that at this point. All the easiest and quick paying jobs involved last minute deliveries. You counted the Mora in the bag that they handed you. It was barely enough for a day. You sighed, dropping it back into your bag before making your way back to the Adventure's guild quest board to hunt for another job.

You scanned the board, seeing not many interesting ones that you could handle. Just as you were almost ready to give up for the day, your eyes locked onto a flyer for another delivery. It was a delivery for a carriage to Snezhnaya. You looked at it in awe when you saw the reward amount. Almost half a million mora! What a steal! The delivery was almost estimated to take only a week! You immediately took the flyer, heading towards Katherine to find more details. You were not going to let it slide.

You were informed that the earliest it could start was the next day. Excitedly you went back home to pack. The amount would be enough for you not to worry for at least a couple of months. Paying back any missed house payments or food bills would be a breeze. You thought maybe your luck was finally turning.

You stepped inside your house, excitedly calling out to your parents. They had not been in work for a while since your sister had passed away. However now you could tell them there was no worries for now. At least you thought you could. You were greeted with an empty house. You looked around, almost everything was left how it was.

You went inside, stopping at the kitchen to see a note had been left at the table. Picking it up, you began to read.

"We're sorry. You're an adult now so take care of yourself. "

All that was written in the note. You immediately felt your blood run cold. You rushed to your room, pulling out a dirtied box from under your bed. It held all your funds. The amount you had been saving up for the last couple of months to be able to pay back all the pending payments you and your parents had accumulated. However opening the box, all you could see was it was empty.

They had taken the money and ran. You don't know where, and now they have left you alone with all their debts to you. You knew the next time you ever come across them, you were going to make sure they end up just like your sister.

---

You sold the house and any other possessions that was in the house to try pay off the debts left. Luckily for you it was enough. 'Enough to start over' you thought. You decided the best solution would be to become a wandering adventurer instead.

You packed your things and began to make your way to the designated sight for the start of the delivery journey. The merchants were very nice. They told you stories of all the place that they had gone to. You kept a mental note on where those places were since you planned on going there after this commission.

The journey itself was pretty tame. The weather was relatively calm and only a few slimes and hilichurls bothered to attack. You smiled to yourself satisfied.

You were only supposed to take them to the boarder. So you were not worried, at least you were not worried until you realized who was waiting near the boarder. Fatui soldiers. They looked big and intimidating. Their delusions showed clearly that they had some sort of elemental power with them. You could feel your heart begin to quicken. Something was not right.

"Are you sure this is all that was ordered? " One of the fatui soldiers grumbled. The merchant hesitantly laughed. " I am certain. I can show you the records if you want confirmation." You watched in horror as the fatui soldier glared at him, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him of the ground. "Don't mock us. The Regrator is not someone who will order such a measly amount."

The soldier dropped the merchant to the ground. You immediately ran to him to see if he was alright. The merchant gave you a weak smile before trying to get up, only to be kicked back down. You were shocked, being a fatui agent must have gone to their head.

"Hey!" You yelled back, holding your spear tightly now. "He said he would show the records. Why are you being a dick about it?" The fatui soldier scoffed at you while the rest around him laughed. You could feel your rage pile up again. You pointed the spear at him. The fatui soldier raised an eyebrow at you. "Are you picking a fight?" He questioned. You sneered at him. "Why you asking? Scared to lose?"

You wondered if you shouldn't have said anything because the fatui soldier began to pick up his weapon. All you remembered was yelling at the merchants to run before rushing towards the soldier, successfully plunging the spear to his side. You felt a smile rise on your lips hearing him groan, only to be interrupted by a smack from the side, pushing you away. You could feel it sting but you pretended it barely did anything.

"Wow, two against one? I'm not even a vision user."

---

You don't know what you expected. You were not a vision user. They had delusions. They could use elemental energy to attack and all you had was your spear. You could hear their jeers and laughter while you tried to get yourself back up with the help of your spear which also looked as if it was in it's last legs. You could feel blood dripping down from your head. Scars from your body also bled non stop. You could feel yourself feeling faint.

'It isn't fair.' You thought. You had not felt comfort from the moment you had been born. Why had this been happening to you? So much for big changes and not turning down offers. All you had left in you was rage. Fuck your parents. Fuck your dead sister. Fuck the stars. Fuck the Tsaritsa and the rest of the archons in Teyvat You hoped they all dropped dead and become forgotten.

The fatui soldier kicked you one last time to the ground. You could feel blood almost instantly pool on the ground. How miserable it was that this was how you died. You felt your eyes close when suddenly you felt a slight warmth in your pockets. A sudden rush of energy filled you. You eyes immediately shot up and you could feel yourself stand up again.

The fatui soldiers looked at you in awe, watching you stand up as if you were not beaten to certain death just a minute ago. Your hand reached into your pocket, pulling out your sister's blank vision. However this time it no longer was blank. You watched it shine a bright blue color yet again. You gripped the vision, wickedly smiling at the fatui soldiers who began to hold up their weapons again.

"I'm going to fucking kill you all."

---

The sun was slowly setting in the horizon and Pantalone could feel the Snezhnaya air become colder along with it. He gripped his coat tighter, breathing out a huff of air to see the whisp of white smoke form due to the freezing temperatures. Pantalone sighed. Snezhnaya had not changed one bit. It remained cold and desolate even with all of the people around it. He could only pray that it will change after the Tsaritsa's vision becomes successfully granted.

Pantalone began to make his way out of his office, only to be stopped by a fatui agent who seemed to be in quite distress. Pantalone sighed yet again, working alongside the rest of the harbringers was tiring enough, he didn't want to deal with another problem today.

"Uh, Sir-"

"Make it quick."

The fatui agent yelped in fear. Pantalone folded his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow. "Well?"

"S-someone is having a rampage near the gates! Almost half of the guards have been knocked down! We kept bringing back up but they kept going! What should we do, Sir?" The fatui agent cried out, still trembling. Pantalone just stared in confusion.

"What does that have to do with me?" He asked, still confused about what was going on.

"They came here alongside some merchants. It was a package for you Sir!"

Pantalone thought about what he could have ordered to bring a crazy person along with it. "What was in the package?" "Wine, Sir!"

It began to click in his head. "Ah, the wine I had ordered from Mondsadt. " It was just some wine he had ordered for himself. It wasn't a big order so he just couldn't understand why such a huge problem occurred because of it. "What should we do sir?" The agent asked once again, still shaking in fear.

Pantalone looked at the agent before sighing once again. "Lead the way."

---

Pantalone looked in awe at the scene. Cicin mages, fatui agents and even the skirmishers laid on the snow covered floor groaning in pain. Blood trailed amongst them but they looked well enough to survive. Wails and sounds of clashing could be heard near by. The fatui agent that brought him here stood behind him, unable to move forward at this point

Curiously, Pantalone made his way towards the sound. He walked past and over the bodies on the ground in a quicken paced. Something exciting was happening for once and he was going to be able to witness it.

You don't remember how long you had been fighting at this point. However the stars were now visible and the scent of blood was prominent at this point. You could feel your vision begin to blur but you didn't care. Years of rage had lead up to this point and you finally could let it all out.

You heard footsteps and immediately turned your head towards where it was coming from. You picked up your spear and pointed at the person who popped out from the side. For the first time you faced an actual face instead of a fatui mask. A familiar face in fact.

His hair was long but it no longer stayed ragged. A pair of vintage glasses accompanied his face but they were no longer crooked or had broken lenses. Instead of the rags you remembered, he wore an outfit probably worth more than anything you had owned at this point. All you could stare before blurting out " I know you."

Pantalone could have said the same to you. You were still that feisty kid he remembered back when he was young. Always angry and ready to pick a fight. He could see the flames in your eyes and the way you gripped the spear ready to strike at him. You looked just the same to him as you did before. " You haven't changed at all it seems."

You scoffed. "You certainly did. What was your name again?" Pantalone sighed in relief. He gave you a sly smile and you could feel yourself go back into fight mode instantly. " The people here call me The Regrator." You glared at him while he raised his hands, pretending to be innocent " But i prefer Pantalone now. It's a nice surprise to see you again after all these years."

"I can't say the same to you. I did not have the most inviting welcome when I got here." You barked back at him. Pantalone looked down at the ground at the unconscious fatui soldiers. "My bad." He smiled. "Let me invite you in and give you a proper welcome."

---

Snezhnaya had changed. You couldn't tell whether the air was colder or whether the amount of fatui agents were just too abundant, but it felt more unwelcome than the last time you had been here. You could feel it in your skin. There was no love here.

Pantalone had invited you back to his abode, a building big enough to hold the entirety of your village back in the day. One room in his house was same size as the house you lived in back in Fontaine. You could only stare in awe, your head turning and looking at all the decorations and the beautiful architecture of the place. Snezhnaya was empty but the structures had never been this stunning.

Pantalone sat across you, staring at you while your eyes wandered around the room. You had not changed at all. He wondered what had happened ever since you had left Snezhnaya. It was your wish to get out of here, so why were you back sitting across him? He had so many questions to ask, however at this point he didn't know where to start. He called in a maid, who began to pour in tea and set an entry of food in front of you both.

"I would have offered some wine but it seemed my package was delayed. " He smiled at you while you turned to look and glare at him. "Maybe if your underlings learnt how to keep their hands to themselves and not touch the merchants then maybe your wine would have come on time." You retort back, Pantalone just looked back at you in excitement. Something was sparking in his eyes, he could feel something fun was going to happen if you stayed.

He continued to stare watching you gawk at the food. You reached for the little sandwiches with one hand and for the cup of tea with the other. You ate as if this was your last meal, who knew when you would get such good food again. "Were you always that good at fighting?" Pantalone asked. He watched as you stiffened, almost spilling the cup of tea but you kept your grip steady.

You coughed, the sandwich feeling a bit stuck in your throat by the sudden question. "My fighting has been the same as always. I was just able to last a lot longer." You finally looked at Pantalone directly, he was leaning towards to face you. His head in his hands watching you earnestly. You could feel a blush rise to your cheeks realizing he was watching you stuff your cheeks as if you were never fed in your entire life.

'Exciting.' He thought. Snezhnaya was cold and empty. Other than the Tsaritsa's vision slowly coming to fruition not much was happening around these desolate fields of snow and ice. Every day felt like a chore and Pantalone wanted something exciting.

"What if I offered you a job?" You squinted at him, as he continued to give you the same off smile since the very beginning. " I do not want to work under the Tsarista. Besides, what do I have to offer?" Pantalone straightened up, frowning at your refusal. "You just took down half of my agents. Why would I not offer one to you. Besides," he picked up his cup of tea to take a sip " You won't be working under the Tsarista's. You will be working for me."

You stared dumbfounded as he sipped his tea. Everything was going too fast. Your sister had passed away only a couple of months ago. Your parents have ran away with all your money only a day ago. You were almost beaten to death by a group of Fatui and now their boss who turned out to be someone you knew back in the day is offering a job to you.

You remembered the magazine, the stars. They promised big things. All of these were big and now you wondered, is this the offer I shouldn't turn down. You looked at the room you sat in. The ceiling was high, a chandelier in the middle. Everything in this room was worth more than anything you had earned your entire life. The man who owned this room was now offering you a job.

You still wanted to say fuck the stars but only an idiot would turn is offer down. "What will I have to do?" Pantalone looked at you, his smile feeling genuine for once. "You'll be my right hand. Basically a body guard, keep me company." You stared at him and back at the room, to the food on the table and the teacup in your hand. "I'm in."

He set the teacup down, extending his hand towards you. You set yours down and followed suit. Shaking his hand you heard him say. "I can't wait to start working with you, partner."

[izzuku]

DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN, YOU HEAR ME?

content- GENSHIN NEW EVENT SPOILERS (ver 2.7), mentions of death, angst but with happy ending, reader shouts at Xiao because they were scared, making a scene in front of everyone, Xiao gets all flustered and is concerned about your feelings, gender neutral reader, reader-insert? reader is a traveller but not the in-game traveller (if I missed something let me know)

summary- when your team was trying to get out of the depths of The Chasm thanks to the "fantastic compass" that Yanfei was searching, Xiao realises that there's no other way of leaving since there's not enough power to get out. He tries to save all of you but sacrificing himself. Things take a turn when he notices that he's back in Liyue.

au note- I just finished doing the event and honestly I almost cried when I thought he was going to die. Everyone before the event happened was like: oh no, he's gonna die. No he can't, he's loved by many and if Hoyoverse had killed Xiao I would have left Genshin, believe me. Anyways, just wanted to write about the event and how I think a real human being would have reacted.

It was the only way out, that's what everyone thought, and you did not engage in the idea of leaving Xiao behind just because he wanted to get you and the rest out of there. When the magic device know as the "fantastic compass" everything was going perfectly. Yes, it needed a combination of magical power from a human and power from an Adeptus. Even if he already told everyone that he was fine, you were concerned from the moment you saw his wounds made by Bosacius, another Adeptus who lost his mind.

The crystal platform you were on was surrounded by shadows and entities who tried to attack all of you. While everyone was using their Visions and weapons, Xiao was channeling all his power to maintain the platform ascending. You could hear him panting, he was using all of his strength to get everyone out. He tried, even with his mask on, only to break in pieces. You contemplated the scene, terrified, scared that you could never see the light again, that you could not reunite with your sibling.

When your gaze returned to him, you saw his hand, holding something with the color of his vision. That's when lights appeared around all of you, you realized what he was going to do. You, alongside with Yelan, Paimon, Yanfei, Shinobu and Itto, even Ushi rejected his idea of sacrificing himself, not even when there could be other ways out. But at that moment, there was no other way out, and he did what he knew he had to in order to get you out alive. Panic flooded your eyes as you tried reaching out for him, screaming: "XIAO NO!" but it was too late. Your vision was blurry because of the amount of light that shone from above.

"No...nononono! Not again! Please!" You got up. Everyone was out of The Chasm, except him. You lost someone once, you didn't want to lose the one person you loved the most. You fell to the floor again, trying to hold the tears and the grief of losing someone again. That's when another light appeared, this time, a yellow one. His body was lying on the floor, as if he was waking up from a dream.

"Uhg...how-" He did not have time to process anything when you jumped on top of him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, shaking him with anger. Your tears were falling on his face, that face that you thought you'd never see again. He was shocked to see your reaction, screaming at him. "You idiot! You stupid yaksha! Don't you ever do that again, you hear me!? If you think you can't get rid of us that easily you're wrong!" The screams soon became sobs, leaning your head against his heart, quietly murmuring things. "Don't do that again...don't leave me please...I was so scared by the thought of never seeing you again. You...you don't deserve that end, you deserve..to live and experience lots of things...". Everyone went silent when both of you were having a moment. Yanfei signaled the rest to leave you and Xiao alone so you could talk about it in private.

From his point of view, having you break down on top of him shattered his heart. He was doing it for good reasons. He never feared to die alone because he knew that it was his destiny. But since you entered his life, part of him wished to live a normal life, to not be scared of getting close to you, to talk to you every time you visited Wangshu Inn. He desired for a better life with you by his side, but he knew that if his sacrifice meant that you could get out alive, he would do it twice without thinking. Shyly, his hands wrapped your body close to him, to let you cry while he rubbed soothing circles on your back, mumbling a "I'm sorry" in your ear. He wasn't sorry for sacrificing himself, he was sorry for thinking that you would be okay with it.

After what seemed like hours, you shifted around so he could see your face. Your eyes were still teary and your cheeks and nose had a red undertone from crying for a long time. His gaze was stuck on your face, slowly lifting his hand so he could cup your cheek. Even though you knew there was something between the two of you, you never had the opportunity to confess but even now, you returned the same tenderness, putting your hand on top of his and sinking into his touch, a sad expression painted on your face.

"I'm sorry...everything was breaking and the only option left-" You cut him off, extending your hands to grab his face. Instead of letting him continue, you pushed your foreheads together, closing your eyes and inhaling deeply. "It's okay...it's okay, I...understand." Your words became a whisper so only he could hear them. "Just don't leave me yet, I want to show you the things from this world that are worth seeing. And I also want you to experience what it feels to be loved". With a simple look you took the opportunity to demonstrate your feelings in a sweet but burning kiss. It wasn't passionate but full of love that you had for the yaksha. His surprised expression soon turned into one of peace, wandering his hands once again to hold your face.

When the both of you needed air again, you stared into each other's eyes before you talked first.

"I love you Xiao, you don't need to sacrifice your life because I'll be there to save you."

His mouth turned into a soft, small smile.

"I...I love you too."

[dkniade]

A name is a song that deserves to be sung

August 18, 2022. // August 25, 2022.

Characters: (platonic) Nameless Bard, Venti, Mondstadt bard (OC)

Genre: slight hurt/comfort

Notes: Venti backstory spoilers, implied canon character death, crying, most of the conversation is between Venti and an original Mondstadt character of mine talking about Venti’s friend.

Headcanon: The Nameless Bard was called Carmen Dei, and Carmen Dei is another title of the Anemo Archon Barbatos.

Author’s Comment: This one was inspired by this post about my headcanon of the bard’s name being Barbatos and @teyvats-worst-hero’s headcanon of the bard being called Carmen (from Venti’s constellation Carmen Dei). The idea is that the Anemo Archon Barbatos’ titles secretly refer to the bard rather than Venti himself so when the people of Mondstadt praise Barbatos, they’re actually praising Venti’s friend. All settings and characters except for Azurblau belong to HoYoverse.

See the end for notes.

---

This is a tale of remembrance from eons ago carried to present-day Mondstadt, and now it unfolds… over the perpetual motion of wind... 

“Oh, I don’t think I’ve told you my name yet, little wind wisp? I’m Carmen Dei. A fitting name for a bard, right? Though, I guess it’s a little egoistic of me...” The young bard had introduced himself this way to Venti back then.

A fitting name. Oh dear skies, it was so fitting, such a beautiful name must be carried on through the winds’ melodies. But alas, Venti back then was just one wisp in the thousand winds, and the boy was just one boy in a thousand little boys. And yet the two of them became each others’ muse, unbeknownst to Carmen. Venti never forgot his friend’s sacrifice and dreams. Even now, in present day Mondstadt, he made sure that dear name lived on. 

The winds blew gently through the wide plaza beneath the great statue, its silhouette clear against a blue sky. A small crowd gathered before a bard with a small can at their feet. Clear notes rang out from a lyre as its master standing before the green bard in performance. They sang of freedom and wine, of dandelions and crystal lakes, and of the Anemo Archon. As people passed by, some Mora were dropped into their can. With the last notes of their song fading, the performer bowed to their crowd.

“Thank you all, my dear audience, for attending to my tunes.”

As the bard looked up, Venti stepped forward with a smile. “That was a wondrous melody you used. May I ask for the name of your muse?” he inquired.

The bard chuckled, and bowed again. “High praise, high praise… My muse is Lord Barbatos, of course.” They strummed their lyre gently as the crowd disgrouped. “The God of Song never ceases to inspire me.”

“Oh yes, Lord Barbatos!” Venti echoed, visibly excited. “Or by a name that’s just as sweet, Carmen Dei, so I’d like to believe!” He hoped the bard didn’t catch the sliver of sadness behind his cheerful tone. “I’m Venti. Prithee tell me your name?”

“You… wish to know my name?” The bard bent down to collect his can of Mora and stood back up to face Venti. “It’s Azurblau.”

“A beautiful name under this beautiful sky!” Hearing it conjured up in Venti’s mind the image of Dvalin, that bejeweled dragon and his good friend. “A name is a song that one is remembered by, wouldn’t you agree?”

Azurblau nodded, and looked beyond him to the windmill-lined sky. “And Carmen Dei… I’m sure his name is a song that’s sung by all the bards of Mondstadt.”

His name is a song that’s sung by all the bards of Mondstadt.

Venti had to hold back the tears that nearly overflowed from his bright eyes. Of course, it’s always been his wish to have all of Mondstadt remember Carmen’s name, but to hear it from one of the very bards that lived in the city struck harder than any chord one could play.

“Indeed he’s a wonderful muse… His past deeds bring hope to present calamities.” Venti looked past Azurblau, towards the large statue’s serene visage through his teary eyes. “I’m sure Carmen will hear your tune...”

“Thank you for your words, kind bard,” they replied. And yet, why was this green bard crying? But it’s true, they supposed, that he’d find comfort in the Anemo Archon. 

Now might’ve been an inopportune moment, but Azurblau realized that this crying young bard before them was incredibly beautiful, even bearing the likeness of Carmen Dei himself… Was this how Lord Barbatos looked when he cried?

Venti laughed a little. Oh, it rang clearer than any lyre. “Ahh, please excuse my tears,” he apologized as he wiped some away. “I was just remembering something… A friend…”

A friend so great, the God of Song, Carmen Dei—

“With every night there comes a dawn. I'm sure your friend’s happy where they are,” Azurblau said gently. Venti noted how they clutched the curve of their lyre a little tighter. “And… It was my first time knowing Lord Barbatos also bears the name Carmen Dei. It’s a fitting name.”

A fitting name. Oh dear skies, it’s so fitting, such a beautiful name must be carried on through the winds’ melodies. But alas, Venti is now an Archon who’s part of the Seven, and this bard is one bard in a thousand Mondstadtian bards. And yet the two of them found their muse in Carmen Dei, unbeknownst to him. Venti would never want his friend’s sacrifice and dreams to be forgotten. Even now, in present day Mondstadt, he’s grateful that someone made sure that dear name lives on. 

“Yes, Carmen Dei… A fitting name for an Archon. Though, I guess it’s a little egoistic of me to say this name like that…”

This is a tale of remembrance in present-day Mondstadt, carried by the winds of the past… to that storm-ridden, bright blue yesterday…

---

Notes

I wanted the beginning and the end to have parallels if not be a full on circular narrative. I also wanted it to sound like a ballad. Thus, the first sentence is “This is a tale of remembrance from eons ago carried to present-day Mondstadt, and now it unfolds… over the perpetual motion of wind...” with the last sentence being “This is a tale of remembrance in present-day Mondstadt, carried by the winds of the past… to that storm-ridden, bright blue yesterday…” 

Similarly, the intro’s “fitting name” section talks about Venti the wisp and Carmen the bard, with them becoming eachother’s muse, and the outro’s “fitting name” section talks about Venti the Anemo Archon and Azurblau the bard, with Carmen and Barbatos being their respective muses.

And in between the two sections, Carmen and Venti express their feelings of egotism separately. Carmen thinks as a human bard, a name that means “God of Song” would be too elevated, and Venti thinks as a wisp who did nearly nothing, bearing the name of his friend as a god doesn’t give enough credit to him.

When I finished typing the last sentence of this short story, like how I felt when I wrote “In Your Image, the Midas Touch”, I felt like crying… 

And lastly, the title. Originally the stand-in title was “A name is a song that one is remembered by” but then I changed it to this based on two of my favourite lines in the story.

A name is a song that deserves to be sung

“A name is a song that one is remembered by, wouldn’t you say?” —Venti

“I’m sure his name is a song that’s sung by all the bards of Mondstadt.” —Azurblau

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you’re doing well.

[dustofthedailylife]

HELLO AWSHAJGEHAGS I HAD A DREAM WITH AYATO AAAHGHGHH IT WAS AMAZING

I'm gonna tell you about my dream cuz ✨️ayato✨️

Ok ok so;

It was like modern Cinderella Genshin AU IT WAS SOO GOOD

It's a bit long so get ready!!

You need some info first: Everyone in my dream had 2 fairies but they are like cupids

Mine were Xiao and Itto and Ayato's were Xiangling and Ganyu. They work like cupids, they match you and you meet with the person's fairies that your fairies match you, then the person him/herself.

Ahem, so there was a ball and my fairies were helping me to get ready. First we went to the pool and spa [I SAW ITTOS AND XIAO'S ABS WUAAAAAA] and then they helped me to get ready(dress and hair) but I didn't want to wear high heels[they're uncomfortable as hell] and I wore sneakers instead. After that we went to a mall, the ball was organized there, and I met with ayato's fairies. But Xiangling told me that I should wear high heels, I panicked and called xiao. At first we didn't see him but then ganyu said, "is he the one who wears a hoodie? he is right behind you" XIAO CAME UNDERCOVER AND HE WAS SO HOT IN A HOODIE AAGHHHH I COULD LEAVE AYATO RIGHT AWAY AND RUN WITH XIAO, ahem then he came with my high heels and I changed then we went upstairs with the girls.

When we arrived at the ballroom I saw ayato and AAAAAAAAAAAAA he wore his suit but it was dark blue HE WAS SO HOT OMG YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN HIM

He approached me and kissed back of my hand I DONT KNOW HOW I MANAGED TO STAY CALM then we started to dance

After a while partners switched and I was dancing with xiao, HE WAS IN A SUIT GAAAAHHH, WE MUST STAY FOCUSED BROTHERS, WE. MUST. STAY. FOCUSED. Xiao asked me if Ayato was a right choice [cuz they chose him yk] and ofc I said yes and then we changed partners and I continued to danced with ayato

I am short, 5'2 so there was a massive heigh difference even with the high heels. why am I telling this? HE LEANED DOWN AND WHISPERED IN MY EAR WHILE WE WERE DANCING AAGHHHHH PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!!!!!

He offered to go to balcony and talk so we went. I complimented on his suit and he told me he made it himself. Then he said "I also made one for you, a dress, i would like to give it to you on our next date" [I'm in love help]

But then my cousin punched me in my face at night -_- when she woke up she told me she was fighting with giant snakes in her dream GIRL I WAS ABOUT TO GO ON A SECOND DATE WITH AYATO WITH CUPID XIAO AND ITTO PLS

Anyways that was a nice dream I hope you saw ayato or zhongli in your dream too PLS TELL US IF YOU DID I LOVE LISTENING ABOUT PEOPLE'S DREAMS

That was all luv ya <3

-⛄️

ASHIFHJAKLF, the way I screamed reading this!

Just the imagination made me blush. Sounds like quite the heavenly dream, nonnie *swoons*

Also how cool would it be to have Xiao and Itto as fairies? Certainly wouldn't become boring with them around. Also since the new quest I want more Xiao and Itto interaction. The way Itto kept calling Xiao "Little Dude" when he could probably sweep him off his feet, pls, it's so cute 😭🙏🏻

Also Xiangling telling you to wear heels? SMH, Sneaker supremacy!

Anyway, back to THE MAN himself. Dark blue suit? Oh my god, I need to see this (Hoyoverse, skin when?). And he kissed your hand and leaned down and WHISPERED IN YOUR EAR?! I am going feral just thinking about it gndnsm >///<

You certainly won the dream lottery last night, nonnie! The perfect cupid boys and Ayato *bites hand*

I didn't dream of anything I can remember unfortunately but I want to have the same dream too now. Oh, to go on a date with Ayato and kiss him... pls

Thanks for telling me about your dream, nonnie! Stay safe and hydrate enough. It was super warm here the last couple of days and I literally melted into a puddle 🥵

[localmacguffin]

Something of note: Eide tells Caribert, "You're in a fairy tale world" when he's trying to soothe him. Could this be foreshadowing? Given the importance placed on stories (fiction can save data from Irminsul deletion) combined with the importance of dreams (one can say that stories=dreams that have been passed on), this may be a future plot point. Maybe that "Teyvat is a domain" theory has more weight that I thought. Alternatively, a "fairy tale" is a lie, as in a world with a false sky. Or tied with the Khaenri'ahns=Fae thing, a "fairy tale world" is "a lie told by Khaenri'ahns", which is true in the context of Eide and his son.

Anyhow, right on the money: Eide is the founding Alberich.

The twist with the Abyss Twin was actually kind of well done? In terms of time travel/reliving the past. In terms of investment in our Traveller however I still don't have anything. If anything I want to know more about the Abyss Twin. Again, this was the perfect opportunity to tell us more about the Traveller's character. But instead everything they did was...exactly as the other twin would have done? In the hands of a more skilled author this could be a parallel to how both twins were the same until their journeys brought them onto different paths, but knowing Hoyoverse they didn't think this part through.

My thoughts overall: This quest is 5/10. It gets brownie points for letting me see both Kaeya and Dainsleif. As all Dain quests are, the lore given is plenty to ruminate on. But in terms of character writing, no one exists except as a vehicle to deliver lore. It's frustrating because as I've mentioned in previous posts, this was the perfect opportunity to develop Kaeya/the Traveller as well as foreshadow future character arcs. Instead all we have is this decent mystery about characters who have been dead for centuries, rather than anything on our playable cast.

Lenore Plays Caribert

Starting the Caribert Quest right now. It's my boy, Kaeya!!! But why are we bullying him? Must we always assume he's up to no good?Paimon, sweetie, please shut up.

I wish there was some way to give him his skin now since he's in Sumeru, but this did come out like a couple months ago.

Wait why is Kaeya just dropping the Khaenri'ah backstory now? Isn't he the type of character who would literally hold it in until he was dying??? It's very obvious the writers couldn't figure out how to make Kaeya fit in organically. At least baby Kaeya stories are cute.

Feat Dainsleif randomly dropping in! The writers seriously don't know how to put characters in naturally. They have to force them with the most random inserts.

Noooo why is Kaeya leaving. Come back, this is actually relevant to your lore and an opportunity for character development! Don't leave and make me deal with an NPC named Caribert Alberich or something! Who am I kidding, Hoyoverse would definitely do this.

[tnsophiaonly]

This is 100000000000% canon

Even MORE pre-release Boothill. Please bear with me im doing my best,, slightly sug/gestive in one paragraph 🤸‍♀️

I've read somewhere that Boothill short-circuits when he's embarrassed AND I STAND BY IT. 1000%. I am here to spread this like a disease. His system is definitely able to process his emotions, but when you do something that makes his heart skip a beat, he freezes in his spot, his cheeks gain the most beautiful scarlet color... And then you hear the worst combination of malfunctioning robotic noises, AND then sparks fly off of him. Might have to wait a few minutes until he comes back...

Boothill might look like he's calm outside, but he just FEELS the blue screen coming when things get too heated with no break whatsoever or too much fluids go past the protective metal plates. His body stops in place, is absolutely unresponsive, and his eyes flash blue.

Don't worry though, your Boothill has a restart button, right in the middle of his upper back, hidden by his half-vest (or.. whatever that is). He might overheat a little bit though, so be careful not to give yourself unnecessary burns.

In rare cases when his blue screens get REAL bad, you have to stick a USB drive he gave you in those special slots he has on the left side of his hips to bring him back.

Boothill most definitely does not sleep, but gets recharged by electricity or fuel instead. Perhaps that's the reason for the hole he has on his back? Either way, it gives you an opportunity to "plug him up", which he hates, despises even, to hear from you when he feels low on energy (he still wants a goodnight kiss btw).

Boothill swallows bullets. He also spits them out when needed.. usually, he's very careful not to spit them into your mouth when you kiss, but gravity betrays him on his worst days.

Boothill probably works like Siri or Alexa when battles leave him a bit too wounded. You might wonder about something, say it out loud, and then Boothill just can't stop reading the first thing that came up on Google.

"What's the best recipe for carrot cake?"

"2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt—" Boothill gasps and covers his mouth, "1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ¼ cups (295ml) vegetable oil, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar—"

He just can't stop.