#rrkc

[nobody-for-sure]

Language Barrier

Fixed the pronoun issue whoops- lmk if you guys see something because this shit’s not beta’d.

Chapter 12

(~2.4k words, see chapter list here)

You wake up in a cold sweat.

Something tingles in the back of your mind. Is it a dream, or a memory? Whatever it is, you have a feeling it's important.

You try to grasp it, but it slips through your fingers like sand when you chase it, the waking world unapologetically whisking your thoughts away from you. It leaves you feeling empty and uncertain, with a sense of foreboding you can't explain. What was it? What was it?

Your first night in Teyvat had been dreamless, and now you wished you could say the same of the second. Unpleasantly abstract thoughts swirl in your brain. You want for answers no one has, and it's an ill feeling.

And yet, oddly, amidst the turmoil of doubt, one thought remains clear. Somehow, you're more certain of it than ever: you need to get to Liyue. If not the solutions to your problems, at least the answers to some of your questions may be found there.

The Knights' dormitories are surprisingly comfortable, distressing personal issues aside. They're also more luxurious than you expected. You were given a room to spend the night in before you and your team set out, since it was well after dark when you returned from the tavern. It's a single: fully decked out in furnishings, but lacking any personal belongings implying it belonged to someone else, which makes you think it's a standard-issue room. It's certainly nicer than any other dormitories you've seen, if so. Now more than ever, you're able to recognize the value of personal privacy.

You've also been given a few sets of new clothes, for which you're relieved. Yours were starting to look a little worse for wear, so you select the style most appealing to you and put it on. You look a bit like an NPC now, but you don't mind. You prefer this to some fancy, over-the-top godly robes any day.

Breakfast is delicious. You know Noelle's outdone herself for the occasion, because she serves up berry pancakes, bacon, eggs, and traditional Mondstadt hash browns like there's no tomorrow. If you weren't joined by her and a very tired Amber, you'd have certainly spent the whole day eating. As it is, it's past the time you imagined setting out when the three of you make it to the city gate.

Fischl and Oz are already there when you arrive, and Fischl's eyes twinkle when she takes notice of your arrival. "Qxgn! Eh knz kigxm lu knz tcgj, xoknz jkskkzyk kigxm jtg xoknz katozkx yjtkiykj tuva ya kitkn. Juum ymtojoz uz rrg tu yonz jkyykrh txus!"

"Toks tokragxl yknyoc aue rrg g juum mtotxus," Oz substitutes, as you look around. Supposedly, you were all supposed to meet up here before you left... but, perhaps unsurprisingly, the last member of your team has yet to show.

Noelle gives Fischl and Oz a smile, and Amber manages a wave before she heads straight to the wall, drops her bag, and slides to the ground with a yawn. "Kqgc ks tknc kn yzkm kxkn," she murmurs, burying her head in her knees.

Everyone glances at her in concern. "Es rgeur zikphay, joj knz ykxgs lu knz znmot kxgj uz cgxj nzxul to knz yykrjtauh exzykvgz lu yyktqxgj?" Fischl inquires.

"Joj knz ggnc...?" Amber slurs, her voice muffled. "Ut- o ygc uuz jkzoidk uz vkkry. O ztjoj ztgc uz zkr xoknz kigxm tcuj-" she gestures vaguely in your direction without looking up- "uy o ztkvy knz krunc znmot mtoquur zg yvgs jtg mtonixgkykx ykaeor togxxkz jtg jkjtk va mtorrgl vkkryg to knz exgxhor. Tg xkjoxzau ygn uz kh jkxgvkxv xul mtonzetg, aue cutq!" She puncutates her speech with another large yawn, and the rest of you look at each other.

Fischl clears her throat. "Exkb rrkc. O rrgny zosxkv kknz g lkoxh kzovykx rozta xau jxgcegc tuotgvsui ykqgs lrkyson tcutq." Amber gives a thumbs up without lifting her head, and Noelle gives you a smile, assuring you there's nothing to worry about.

In a few minutes, the outrider is snoozing away on the grass. You don't really mind - she's looked like was seconds away from dozing off since she first showed up for breakfast, and you don't want her to collapse on the road. Since Bennett's not here yet anyway, she might as well take the opportunity to catch a few more minutes of sleep. Under different circumstances, you might join her. Unfortunately, last night's episode was not one you were eager to repeat. As it is, a feeling you can't put a name to washes over you whenever you think back on your dream. You settle for leaning against the stone wall and idly plucking blades of grass.

'A few more minutes' begins to drag on, and it's no longer Amber you're the most concerned for. Fischl taps her foot, and Noelle surveys the area, searching for any sign of the unlucky adventurer. "Uj aue qtonz khegs kn rrozy ztygn tkquc va xkzlg mtoztogl egjxkzyke?" the maid asks.

"So jogxlg zut. Toks tokragxl jtg o jogv knz currkl g zoyob zygr znmot tknc kn ygc va jtg zauhg togmg, uz kxayyg son kn jgn zut jksgkxj knz krunc mtonz," Oz answers.

"Tknz..."

Fischl huffs. "Es kmag xkj mtarokzxaxkb yqgkvy lu tg rro-jkxxgzy kzgl, ktu ut yykr xgorosgl tgnz knz jkzgkn kfgm lu knz egjjos tay jtg ut kxus ztgygkrv. Ygrg, zo kitu togmg yrrgl uz enz toyykftoxv uz kbkoxzkx son." Noelle gives her a nod, and the princess and her raven turn to walk away. You bolt up. Is she going to search for Bennett, perhaps? If so, you'd rather join her than sit around waiting.

"Xaue kigxm, aue ztjkkt exxuc lrkyxaue." Noelle tries to placate you as you start moving. "Kny jtg fu rroc kh qigh erzxuny nzoc zzkttkh, so kxay." She gestures generously to the ground, as if asking you to sit.

You pause, shake your head, and then point to her. You unfold a second finger to point to both your eyes, before moving your fingers to Amber. You look after her. Then you point to yourself, then Fischl, and back into the heart of the town. We'll go.

The maid nods, looking somewhat reluctant. Fischl, on the other hand, seems rather pleased. "Tkbk ytmokxkbuy zyas tmokj uz kxaztkb uzta knz yyktqxgj, kyockyrk kc kqgyxul rrg zgnz yo krhut jtg zyap," she declares confidently. She turns and strides off, and since she doesn't seem like she's going to stop you, you follow.

Though you don't remember them being that far apart, the walk to the Adventurers' Guild is significantly shorter (and contains thankfully fewer stairs) than that of the knights' headquarters. No one's standing outside when you arrive, but you can hear raucous sounds from within. You catch a few snippets of conversation as you approach, and it sounds like a banter of sorts.

"...ztgi erhoyyuv..."

"...zah o ygc tkyuni..."

"...g kigxmyoj..."

Then a booming voice echoes out. "Yzgnz zut xul etg lu aue uz kjoikj. Uj aue tgks uz tuozykaw xoknz ykigxm tuoyoikj?" It's loud and decisive, and your gait stutters for a moment. Who was that?

Fischl narrows her visible eye, and her expression tightens into one of barely concealed displeasure as she clicks her tongue. "Ygrg, nyoruul ykbgtq rrozy cutq zut tknc uz jrun xoknz ykamtuz." Without pretense, she pushes the double doors open wide and marches into the building. "Zgnc xkttgs lu ezosgrgi ykxgj uz togzkj enz ytoyykftoxv kxazxgvkj? Kqgz jkkn, xul g zlocy rgyxkbkx lu kzgl egs kh jkqubto nzoc enz xkcytg," you hear her announce.

"G rgyxkbkx lu kzgl?" someone responds with amusement, as you hurry up the stairs behind her. "Lo aue kbgn zgnz jtoq lu xkcuv, jaue xkzzkh kya zo tu son. Kyocxknzu, xaue ektxaup nzoc... xaue... kigxm..." The voice trails off as you step over the threshold, and every eye in the room turns your way.

The silence is deafening. Your eyes sweep the scene. It's clearly a gathering space, with several tables and chairs scattered throughout the room. Message boards are plastered to the walls in several places, some more heavily filled than others. One end of the room has a platform... a stage? For announcements, perhaps? Or poetry nights? You'll never know.

You draw your attention to the frozen altercation in the middle of the hall. Several young men in adventurer's uniforms are clustered around a table, looking fairly pale in the face at the sight of you. They all look vaguely familiar, but you can't put a name to any of them, at least off the top of your head. You think one of them is... Robby? Roy? Well, not important. A short distance away, Cyrus stands with his arms crossed at them, though his stern expression is slowly caving in favor of shock and awe at your presence. Fischl faces the scene with her hands planted on her hips, the only one not to turn when you walked in.

And, in the middle of it all, a very dispirited Bennett shuffles his feet and looks at the ground.

Ah. So that's how it is.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on here. From the look on Fischl's face a few moments ago, it's hardly a rare occurance, either. You purse your lips tightly... and yet, there's only so much you can do. Mentally, you curse your helplessness. What good is being a god if I can't defend even one person?

You narrow your eyes at the group of young adventurers, coupling it with a tip of your chin for a proper disdainful glance. You can't say anything, but you don't need to. They turn even paler from just a look, and Robby looks on the verge of fainting when you start to move forward again. You exchange glances with Fischl as you pass. Her expression tells you you're right on the money, along with some thinly veiled pleasure at the reaction your entrance has caused. You can't blame her. If you weren't so angry, you'd be feeling very badass right now.

With measured steps, you approach Bennett. When he looks up, you push your negative feelings away. Then you hold out a hand and offer him the biggest smile you can muster. "Let's go."

His eyes widen. For a long moment, he stares at you, but you don't waver. Slowly, carefully, he reaches out to place his hand in yours, looking dazed. Dimly, the vision on his hip pulses as you give him a nod. Without further ado, you turn to leave.

The three of you (plus Oz) march silently out of the building, not bothering to close the doors behind you. Bennett stumbles on one of the stairs, but manages to catch himself before sending you both faceplanting. When you're several paces away from the guild hall, he pulls his hand from yours and gives you a deep and earnest bow. "Thank you, xaue kigxm," he says. "Rro uj es zykh uz kbuxv lrkyes enzxuc lu xaue nzogl to me."

You blink a few times in surprise before beaming. "No, thank you."

With your whole party gathered, you can finally set out. Fischl and Noelle take the lead, while a refreshed post-nap Amber hangs back with you and Bennett, seemingly putting the two of you through the same comprehension test you took with Diluc. The results are the same, too.

Is this a point in favor of your friendship level theory? Only recently had you finally pulled Bennett for the first time (why were four star characters so hard to get?), so he was still sitting at friendship level one in-game. But something had definitely happened back at the guild. Is it possible to raise your friendship levels without access to the game mechanics?

Surely it must be. If nothing else, the traveler's journey has taught you that friendships can transcend even worlds.

The thought buoys you. I was actually right about something! Your companions seem equally enthused (if not a tad confused) by this fortuitous turn of events, and there's a bounce in everyone's step as the party travels the winding path through the country.

The rest of your day is largely uneventful. After such an exciting morning, you're almost disappointed. You meet with no treasure hoarders or members of the Abyss Order, and no one is injured in any way, though Bennett does take a tumble into a ditch and come out covered in mud at one point. Dusk approaches as you pass the Dawn Winery, and when the road meets with the river, the group stops to eat dinner and set up camp for the night.

You're glad you took personality and compatibility into account when selecting a team, because conversation is free-flowing all the while. The cheerful voices and good-natured laughter do much to set you at ease. Even Fischl seems to have loosened up a bit, because Oz interjects to translate with less frequency. Though you understand little, you're swept up in the mood as well, and for a while, your questions and troubles are all but forgotten.

As the last rays of sunlight fade from the sky, Amber takes a stick and makes a rough sketch of a map in the dirt by the fire. "Suxl es nixgkykx, ycuxxusuz togxxkz jrauny kh erxogl eygk uz kzgmobgt. Kbkc zum g zoh lu tg rronva qkxz jtauxg egjjos, zah kxkc erzyus mtorkbgxz tu zgrl nyxgs yjtgr rozta kc nigkx anymtgc tto." She circles a spot before looking to the others. "Yzo zut kzoaw knz egclrgn ztouv tkkczkh kxkn jtg knz xuhxgn, zah o qtonz zo jrauc kh g juum kigrv uz vuzy jtg zykx kxulkh xau zygr mkr. Zgnc uj aue qtonz?"

Noelle nods, and Bennett breaks from trying to scrape a coat of dried mud off his shoes to give her a thumbs up. "Yjtauy juum uz me!"

"O xaitui," Fischl says. "Xoknz ktoboj kitktosk jrauc erkxay ruzdk tg ezotazxuvvu uz qygh to knz yauxkjtuc kxazikzonixg lu niay tg jkrkrrgxgvta ztksnyorhgzyk, jtg enz toyykftoxv jrauc kh zyus jkygkrv uz kqgz xkn ysgkxj yxuujto rgnzoc."

"Toks tokragxl yo to ztkskkxmg," Oz adds.

"Anymtgc tto zo yo!" Amber says decisively. To you, she taps the circled part of the map before holding her arms above her head like a roof. She tilts her head and places her hands underneath like a pillow. You grin. There's only one building to sleep in on that area of the map.

You've always wanted to try almond tofu.

[petitetomoyo]

Today was @nadeshicon online and I was in the fashion show! 🍓🤍❤️🎀 It was so fun, thanks for the opportunity! 😽✨💖 . . . . . . . . . . . #nadeshicon #nadeshicon2021 #selfie #sweetlolita #lolitafashion #plussizelolita #lifestylelolita #lolitalifestyle #kawaii #kawaiiaesthetic #cute #cuteaesthetic #harajukufashion #confident #feelinggood #feelingmyself #hypemeup #fashionshow #convention #animeconvention (à Nadeshicon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CM74s8-rRKc/?igshid=j5k9ejhvv33w

[timmietovenaar]

Week 28 | 10 - 16 juli Met het reces wat in week 27 was gestart, was week 28 een langzame opmaat richting ons vertrek naar Oostenrijk, Hongarije en Roemenië. En stiekem toch nog een aantal allerlaatste afspraken en bijeenkomsten om zaken af te ronden en op te starten net voor de vakantie. Maandag begon in ieder geval met het verzamelen van de spullen voor de reis waaronder onze befaamde vouwtandem. Die moest hoe dan ook mee, achterop de kempert. Dinsdag namiddag met de collega's van de Werkgroep Buitenruimte (Gebiedscommissie Delfshaven) nog even buigen over een voorgenomen nieuwbouw in het Schans/Watergeusgebied. Een verrassend ontwerp, pal aan het Watergeusplein waarvoor inventief over een parkeerplaatsje wordt heengebouwd. Hoewel de woning aanzienlijk groter is, is voor de bouw een kavel zo groot (of klein) als één parkeerplaats nodig. Later die avond door naar de D66 programmacommissie voor het #GR2018 verkiezingsprogramma. De bouwstenen van de verschillende hoofdstukken worden nog eens stevig bediscussieerd voordat ze deze zomer in de "definitieve" versie worden gegoten. Woensdag op het Timmerhuis input geven op het participatieproces vanuit de gebieden op het Cultuurplan van de Rotterdamse Raad voor Kunst en Cultuur. Ook vanuit Delfshaven hebben we input gegeven op dit document wat betreft een aantal lokale culturele instellingen. Destijds waren er al vragen over het hoe en waarom van dit traject. En met name waarom de ene instelling wel beoordeeld mocht worden terwijl een andere ogenschijnlijk leek te ontbreken. Die vragen bleken ook prominent bij andere gebieden te leven. Maar konden ook van wat meer context voorzien worden vanuit de evaluatie bijeenkomst. Daarna door naar Delfshaven, naar het Hudsonsplein 7b voor de inmiddels traditionele seizoensafsluiting met collega Ingrid. Zo net na het reces en voor onze vakanties gaan we eten, liefst op een plek in Delfshaven die we beiden nog niet (of nauwelijks) hebben gehad. Deze keer bij Asian BBQ Reizend Restaurant. Donderdag, einde van de dag op het terras van de Puntegale (een van de eerste, ondersteunde bewonersinitiatieven uit de start van de gebiedscommissie trouwens) in gesprek met bewoners en VVE-bestuurders. Met Little C zin voorbereiding en veel inzet daarbij op de buitenruimte in de strook langs de Coolhaven, doet 't de Delfshavense zijde van de Coolhaven beseffen dat daar ook het nodige verbeterd kan worden. Met name rond groen (mede gerelateerd aan luchtkwaliteit) en verkeersveiligheid zijn issues die spelen rond bijvoorbeeld de Puntegale. Reden om met elkaar eens te verkennen wat er speelt. Maar ook hoe we een haakje kunnen creëren waar we als bijvoorbeeld gebiedscommissie weer op voort kunnen borduren. Later die avond op naar Rotterdam-Oost. In Zevenkamp, aan het Ambachtsplein kwamen we met de verschillende D66 gebiedscommissieleden, 't raadslid met de gebieden in haar portefeuille, fractieondersteuning en bestuur bijeen om nog eens goed te kijken naar het gebiedscommissiebestel. Medio juni was er in de raad besloten over de contouren en experimenten (wijkmodel, loting) van de gebiedscommissies na de #GR2018. Maar een hoop zaken, zeker in de detaillering zijn nog niet duidelijk of besloten. Dit najaar moeten daar nog de nodige knopen worden doorgehakt. Goed om daar de eerste discussie al over te voeren. Zaterdag de tank vol en nog even de kempert schuimborstelen met professionele hulp. Daarna door naar de laatste tussenstop in Nederland om zo zondag vanaf Arcen door te tuffen naar Passau. Onze eerste (korte) vakantiestop voordat we in week 29 doortrekken naar Wenen 😎.

[dmamotorsportsnd]

DMA Motorsports, Creating Chaos, Winterquist Wins

Red River Kart Club, West Fargo, ND– 6/26/2017 The last race before the 4th of july break for team DMA Motorsports would land in West Fargo, North Dakota at the Red River Kart Club. The sun was shining and the little asphalt oval was grippy.  Wyatt Reisenour and team Chaos made the trip as well as Brandt Winterquist with Winterquist Racing. Both were co-pitted out of the DMA Motorsports camp, and…

[imisshyu]

Mode: #Eating – When you are working as a team - Eating together is a more intimate act than looking over an Excel spreadsheet together. That intimacy spills back over into work. Therefore, there is no better place to build a team than around a food-packed table. Sharing meals favours the tendency to collaborate, thereby promoting teamwork. Thank you @onandondiners for creating moments for @hilangtheseries @elementspictures team to eat together & strengthen our colloborative relationship with your upcoming HARI RAYA BUFFET SPECIAL! I personally heart the mentaiko scallops and salted egg fish. Talking about it make me craving for them again! #hilangtheseries #imisshyu #misshyu #producer #writer #quotes (at West Coast, Singapore) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNz6Es-rRkc/?igshid=1pgy82him6sqs

[freakuotes]

"Tienes una boca asquerosa, una..." - Tekken Arthur a Kaguya (Hangyakusei Million Arthur)

http://freakuot.es/rrKC

[circuitodenoticiasoficial]

Confira o balanço das doações ==▶ https://n8qhg.app.goo.gl/RrkC #serranegra #drivetrhu #alimentos #solidariedade

[napit]

Liked on YouTube: "NA EZ MEGGYŐZŐ VOLT! | Corsair Virtuoso Wireless teszt" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkc-RCKkjQ

[nobody-for-sure]

Language Barrier

Cabbages. Iykyk

Chapter 8

(~2.3k words, see chapter list here)

You think you're starting to understand how everyone else feels.

So far, you've been the one miming and drawing and trying to get your point across. You didn't realize it until just now, but they've been doing their best to understand your requests and cater to your whims without question (you think). However, now that you've established a new goal - a destination - they seem to have things they want to convey in return.

You don't think they're trying to stop you, though there's some obvious confusion as they chatter amongst themselves. Understandable, you think. It is a bit out of the blue, never mind that you only just got to Mondstadt yesterday. And unfortunately, you aren't able to explain why, though a certain bard seems to have had a silent epiphany during the ongoing discussion.

(You wonder if it's the right epiphany. With him, who knows?)

You don't get the chance to linger on your thoughts for long. Kaeya, who's been engaged in conversation with Jean and Lisa for some time, finally raises his hands in defeat. "Rro uj es zykh, zah o ztgi kyosuxv cun juum zo rroc kh." He reaches for a blank sheet of paper.

"Qtgnz aue, gekgq," Jean says, looking relieved. "Ztuj exxuc, rrkc rrg vrkn aue kxamol zau zgnc uz cgxj."

He chuckles. "Ut jkkt. Zyap rrkz ks zgnc uz egy, jtg rro kxamol zau cun uz zkm zo yyuxig." Nimbly, he twirls a quill between his fingers, before catching it in his grip.

Jean's gaze flits briefly to Diluc, who responds with a small sigh and the barest hint of a nod, before nodding more firmly herself. "Znmoxrg. Zxgzy eh mtoeloxkb zgnz xau tuozvsayyg yo zikxxui jtg zgnz xoknz kigxm yjkkt uz zkm uz kaeor xuhxgn, kyocxknzu rrkc kbgn uz zxgzy suxl nizgxiy. Lo yzgnz knz kygi, gyor rroc um jgkng jtg jtky zau knz xkzzkr kbo jkttkv uz ejgr mtgammtot."

Kaeya's hand is already moving across the paper before she's finished speaking. You lean forward as a person begins to appear - far better than a stick figure, though nowhere near the same level as Albedo's Paimona Lisa - and you realize that it's you. You point to the paper, and then to yourself, your eyes shifting to the winery owner. "Me?"

"Yes," he affirms. Kaeya takes this as his cue to move on to the second part of his drawing. It's... a building, you think. A vaguely castle-looking one, which he draws a long line from. Then, at the end of the line, three boats. Mondstadt, and Liyue Harbor.

It barely takes you a second to nod when he adds an arrow from the first drawing to the second. "Yes, yes."

Your response is met with general enthusiasm when Diluc relays it. Amber loops her arms around Eula excitedly. Venti claps politely for Kaeya, who gives an exaggerated bow. Lisa pats Jean's shoulder and snags a creased piece of parchment off the desk before wiggling her fingers and disappearing out the door once more.

Did they just want to double check what you had said, after all? Not that it was a bad idea, all things considered, but you'd figured there was more to it, since they'd gone to all the trouble. Sure enough, the Acting Grand Master nods to the Cavalry Captain before she looks you in the eyes, squares her shoulders, and bows. "Juuzyxkjta, xaue kigxm. Nmaunz xau ykixul kxg kyxgvy zg knz ztksus, xaue ezklgy yo xau xkhsat ktu ezoxuoxv. Kc rroc rrav xknzkmuz tg zxuiyk kixul lu g tkfuj yznmotq xul xaue ektxaup. Gekgq, lo aue jrauc?"

Instead of drawing, however, you watch as Kaeya's brow creases, and he sets the writing implement down. "Jrun tu g ztksus. O kkxmg zgnz xoknz ykigxm ezklgy yo g ezoxuoxv, zah mtorrav zgnz etgs yznmotq suxl xoknz yzyuv jrauc kbgkr ya mtozzoy yqiaj xul knz yyehg xkjxu."

Eula folds her arms, and you sense an argument brewing. "Xau ykixul jrauc kh krhg uz jrun zau mtur nmautk xul xoknz ykigxm ezklgy uz kh jkxaytk kxulkh xoknz txazkx. Kxusxknzxal, kxknz kbgn tkkh ut yyehg xkjxu ymtoznmoy kxkncetg xgkt knz ezoi kitoy xoknz kigxm jkjtkiykj."

To your left, Diluc sighs. "Yg nias yg I kzgn uz zosjg zo, gekgq ygn g ztouv. Erkqorta yg tg qigzzg egs kh, zo jrauc kh kyocta uz kbgkr zjgzyjtus uy krhgxktrab, lo ertu xul g lkoxh juoxkv lu ksoz."

Jean purses her lips, seeming... not angry, but tense nonetheless. "Tknz zgnc uj aue zykmmay kc uj?"

The question hangs unanswered in the air. You glance around the table stiffly, unsure what's going on. Is there something they don't want to tell you? Are they opposed to your trip after all? Come to think of it, a lot of sagau fics had yandere themes, didn't they? Ooh, that's not good. What if-

A single chord trills, snapping you back from your quickly-spiraling thoughts. Venti winks at you before tucking his lyre away and addressing the rest of the room. "Enc ztuj kc qyg xoknz kigxm zgnc eknz qtonz lu knz tgrv? Erkxay ktuexkbk rroc kkxmg nzoc xoknz tuoyoikj, znmox?"

Amber nods in passionate agreement. "Yzgnz znmox! Qtonz zauhg cun xoknz kigxm yrkkl, mtokky ktuexkbk uy jkqxuc va!" She gestures to you, and everyone else turns to look. You hunch your shoulders nervously.

Somehow, the tension in the room eases. Jean looks at Kaeya, and he nods, picking up the quill again. Next to the drawing of you, he adds a rougher sketch of... another person, but without any distinct features. And then another. And another. A dozen faceless individuals are added the paper before they're enclosed in something similar to a bracket below a... crest? No... yes. Maybe?

He glances up, notes the look of confusion on your face with light amusement, and goes back to add a few details to the crest. A pair of swords cross behind it... oh, is it a shield, maybe?... and when he adds a little insignia to the front, it hits you all at once. The Knights of Favonius. Of course. Duh, you think to yourself. Okay, so these people are all knights. You nod for him to continue. With little fanfare, he circles you and the knights together and draws an arrow to the three boats.

Your jaw slackens. That many?!

You can't say you weren't expecting some kind of escort to Liyue. Hoping for one, even, because you're not fully certain you know how to get there on foot. Not to mention that if you ran into any trouble along the way... it probably wouldn't end well. But since Kaeya took the time to sketch out that many individual people, you're assuming that's the specific number they intend to have accompany you on your journey. You do another quick head count just to make sure, but the number remains the same.

In some ways, twelve is not a very large number. It's the percentage of your pulls that are are four-star weapons (or characters, but let's be honest). It's the chance of making a character's special dish or crafting an extra material, which never happens when you need it to.

But for an ordinary person like yourself, it's also a very big number of people to suddenly have glued to you, watching your every move and following you around 24/7. You're struggling being the center of attention in front of six people right now, for crying out loud! And these are people you know (more or less), so imagine double that number, a random assortment of people (as you're unsure if any of the people in the room would be there or not), none of whom can understand you or vice versa.

(...And you know the city is bigger in real life than it was in the game, but... do they even have that many knights? Not to mention, you're not keen to leave your safety in the hands of the guy who was always asking you to fake accomplishments for him, or the one who seemed to think you had memory loss when it came to the knights' titles.)

You shake your head vehemently. "Nonono. Please no," you say, trying to use at least a few words Diluc will recognize. "I don't need that many people to come with me. Just one or two would be fine!" Aware of your translator's limitations, you hold up one finger on one hand and two on the other, trying to get your point across.

Apparently you succeed, because most of your audience looks appalled. Eula seems particularly aggrieved. "Kc errgaya zav ucz yznmotq tu g tuurrgh zxuvytgxz! Zo jrauc kh tg ezotmojto uz xaue kigxm uz xkllu aue knz ksgy ezoxaiky yg g jgur lu ykmghhgi!" Kaeya disguises a snort of amusement with a well-timed cough at this outburst.

With a side-eyed glance at them, Jean gives you a troubled look and shakes her head. She points upward, as if to say, "Higher." They couldn't possibly send you with so few people, it seems.

You sigh. You don't like it, but it's understandable. A VIP like yourself (and isn't that weird to think about) would logically have an escort of more than a couple people. When you were playing, even the famous traveler technically had a full party of... hmm. Hmmmmm. Now there's an idea.

Come to think of it, where is the traveler, anyway? You remember they don't often feature in sagau fics, but surely they and their sibling would still be around somewhere, right? It's a baseless hunch on your part, but you have a feeling they might be able to understand you. Sadly, they'd probably also be the hardest to track down. Well, plan B it is.

You turn to Venti, on your right. He gives you a peculiar smile, like he already knows what you're thinking. Maybe he does. Either way, he doesn't seem to question when you point to the glass ball on his hip, detaching and handing you the fake vision with ease.

You stare at it for a moment, absent-mindedly running your thumb over the decorative edge. Though it's not real, holding it gives you an odd sense of déjà vu. Nevertheless, you shake off the feeling and turn back to Jean.

You hold up four fingers, before pointing to the vision in your other hand, and then at Venti. Four vision wielders. You point to yourself, before making a gesture similar to plucking a flower. I pick. You don't know what game mechanics might still apply, like the full party buff, but the number just feels natural at this point. Your audience exchanges looks, and you hold your breath.

"Rrkc," Diluc says at last, "to es kitkoxkvdk, zgnz ykuj skky uz kh knz suzyai."

"G mtozzol kyosuxvsui, jo egy," Kaeya adds, looking to Jean. "Xkzlg rrg, cun xkzzkh uz kya knz xkcuv jkztgxm eh knz yjum tgnz xul g jum lrkysknz?"

Jean considers, glancing around the table to see various nods of assent before closing her eyes in thought. When she opens them, she gives you a firm, decisive nod. "Exkb rrkc. To zgnz kygi, kc rroc uj zgnc kc tgi uz xknzgm yg etgs lu yzjgzyjtus tuoyob yxkjrkoc yg krhoyyuv, uy zgnz xoknz kigxm egs kyuuni knz zykh sgkz uz etgvsuiig sknz tu xoknz ektxaup."

Amber gives her a salute, Venti smiles, and Diluc turns to translate as best he can. "Yes," he says. "We..." He pauses, evidently struggling with the next word. He awkwardly holds his arms out, as if for a hug, before sweeping them in towards himself... which is hilariously adorable coming from him, and you bite your lip to stifle a laugh as you try to think of what word it could represent. Collect? Gather? Bring together? They all have the same general meaning, so you nod. Looking relieved, he points to the fake vision in your hand.

You have a moment of panic, because wait a minute, they're collecting visions? Did I not get the message across right?? Shit, did I just start the Vision Hunt Decree in Mondstadt?! Your alarm must show on your face, because his eyes widen marginally and he hastily says, "No, no," before pointing at the vision again and then at Venti, the same as you did. Ah. Okay. When you relax again, he points to you before copying your flower-picking motion, and you grin. Not only did they agree to your plan, but they agreed to let you choose who comes with you.

Suddenly, you feel like a new player all over again, trying to decide the best team comps from the characters available to you. You barely offer him a nod of acknowledgement before you pull out your list of Mondstadters again, analyzing your options. Luckily, he seems sufficiently satisfied by this, and returns to whatever conversation the rest of the room has moved onto. By the sound of it, Jean's handing out directives again, and no one seems to be focused on you anymore, so you're free to brainstorm.

Surely, you'll be taking Diluc. It's not much, but understanding something is better than understanding nothing. Venti would be a good choice also. He can be hard to get a read on, but he's still pretty powerful. Plus, he seems to have a good sense for what's on your mind.

So much so, in fact, that as people begin to disperse, the bard lags behind, until finally it's just you, Jean, and Venti left in the room. Jean pauses at the door. "Yo kxknz mtonzksuy kyrk o jkyyos?" she asks him.

He smiles and waves his hand. "Ng, ut, jo zyap kqor uz qgkvy uz xoknz kigxm kturg xul g kzatos, lo aue ztuj jtos."

She nods and closes the door behind her. Curiously, you turn to him, tilting your head to the side in question. His smile falters slightly, and he sighs, taking on a more serious expression - his Barbatos expression - as he slides Kaeya's abandoned drawing over between the two of you. He points to himself, before making an x with his arms and shaking his head, before finally tapping the picture.

'I'm not going with you.' 

[dmamotorsportsnd]

Rain Outs, and Wet tracks

June 17th through June 19th 2017: Our weeked of trackside support and house kart testing was an eventful fight with mother nature and her weapon of choice, RAIN.  Aberdeen Kart Club was scheduled to run on Saturday for the first of a two week series to allow prep testing for the Dakota Kart Tour. Unfortunately the skies opened up and caused them to cancel. Sunday was a little more promising…

[circuitodenoticiasoficial]

Confira o balanço das doações ==▶ https://n8qhg.app.goo.gl/RrkC #serranegra #drivetrhu #alimentos #solidariedade

[dmamotorsportsnd]

We will be at the races tonight in West Fargo at @RedRiverKartClub come say hi and check out our parts and tire selection! #rrkc #NDkartshop #kartshoplife #tracksidesupport #kart #oval #racing #kartshop #karting #dunloptires #northdakota http://ift.tt/2suiA9U