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[acquirement]

❝Greetings. You have reached Kamisato Ayato, however, I seem to be occupied currently. Leave a message and if it is important I'll get back to you.❞

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[godofdust]

[She's ready for him when he arrives and though the knock is quiet she doesn't keep him waiting, opening the door within moments of hearing it. Guizhong only smiles when he speaks and nods her head, then lifts one hand to gently touch his cheek without trying to force his gaze upwards.]

It's just fine.

[Inside, the apartment is very simply furnished. The most ornate thing is a large china teapot sat on a coffee table in the middle of the living area.]

The realm that I spoke of is inside here. [She tells him as she leads him into the room, indicating the teapot.] I don't often have visitors, but I think it should be just what you need.

[The adeptus holds her hand out to him, looking up at his face.]

You shouldn't feel anything unpleasant when we move inside, but you might want to close your eyes, just in case. Are you ready?

[acquirement]

{ even if it isn't intended, he will let his gaze flicker over to her at the touch, it's only brief before he looks away again, a nod following shortly after. }

That's good.

{ but his responses are much more stilted than they would usually be. a sign of his mental state, the mental exhaustion he's been fighting. }

Inside a teapot?

{ it's a murmur when he speaks, and the surprise is enough to lift his expression again, looking towards her then to her hand. }

Oh... { and he has to shuffle his belongings, hooking the canvas under his arm so that he can take her hand. } Very well. Will you let me know when I can open them?

{ the idea of standing there with his eyes shut is unnerving, because his eyes shut means darkness and he doesn't have the scent or warmth of ayaka or thoma to pull him back if his mind drifts. guizhong will feel that hand on hers tighten as his eyes close. he definitely looks uncomfortable. }

[godofdust]

Inside a teapot.

[She confirms it gently as he takes her hand and she squeezes his fingers in response to his tight grip. What must be going through his head right now is not something she will be so bold as to assume she fully understands.

Though, once again, she doesn't keep him waiting.]

Oh, you can open them now.

[It has barely been a second of time but when Ayato opens his eyes he will find the space around him has entirely changed. The room he had been standing in is gone and instead they are surrounded by a large open space bathed in a warm, golden light. Wisps of clouds swirl in elegant spirals overhead and several islands floating in the air can be seen from where they are, linked together by shining golden bridges marked with sigils. The grass is thick and soft underfoot and the trees sway in a gentle breeze, occasionally shedding yellow leaves that flit through the air as they fall.

Guizhong watches Ayato carefully, keeping hold of his hand.]

Welcome to the Realm of Clouds. Or... a memory of it. There wasn't quite enough space to recreate the whole thing.

[acquirement]

{ as soon as she speaks again he's opening his eyes, his hand still tight on hers until he takes in the view and it seems to go limp.

perhaps if he were in a normal state of mind he'd be more guarded, but the wonder of the place leaves him speechless for a moment, eyes wide as he struggles to take in everything at once. }

I... { well, at least it isn't just 'oh' this time- } ...don't know what to say.

{ his eyes flicker up, taking in the wisps above. }

It's beautiful.

[godofdust]

[Guizhong chuckles and slips her hand free of his, taking a couple of steps back and opening her arms in welcome.]

It is but a terribly ostentatious demonstration of the power of an accomplished adeptus like myself. [She pauses here and smiles crookedly, because she does not often boast in such a way and finds it amusing to hear it in her own voice.]

... But it is a place of refuge, and... somewhere that Rex could not see me hoarding things to take apart. [Zhongli is very much missed, but she had noted the occasional expression of dismay when he caught her deconstructing yet another toaster to see how it worked.]

Nothing can harm you here. This I swear.

[acquirement]

{ his hand feels incredibly empty when she pulls away, but he won't bring it up. not at the moment anyway. }

As I mentioned before, I'd barely heard even stories, given Inazuma does not have adepti. It is very impressive, however. That is something you enjoy doing, then? Taking things apart?

{ he won't comment on nothing harming him here, because his own thoughts could very easily do that at the moment. nothing physical, at least, is something. }

[godofdust]

I'm an inventor. I take things apart to discover how they work, and then use that to design new things.

[This is truly a passion of hers. It's written clearly in the way her eyes light up when she speaks and how she brings both hands up to her chest curled into loose fists as she bounces her weight up onto the balls of her feet.]

I was never a match for the other gods in the Archon War when it came to brute strength... but I know that the things I built in that time have endured.

[She lifts one hand and a gold light shimmers around it for a moment. A sputtering of Geo energy spinning around her fingers.]

And I was able to teach my dear Rex many things, so he could be a capable leader for our people when he needed to be.

[acquirement]

That explains a few things regarding the way you conversed with me before, and of your gentle nature.

{ she has, after all, shown him nothing but kindness. even if she had been a little firm when she'd first talked to him about the way he was using the camera.

honestly he isn't in a state to remember what she said before, back when he witnessed her death in a memory, but he can at least infer some details from what she said now. }

A capable leader? When you refer to 'Rex' do you mean the Geo Archon?

{ if his mind was in a better state he'd be more confident in putting the pieces together, as it is now... }

[godofdust]

[Guizhong cannot help but smile in response to his comment on her nature. She is not always gentle, but when it comes to humans she has always had soft feelings for them and wanted the best for her people. It's nice to know that he sees her that way.]

Yes, the Geo Archon. The people of Liyue know him as Rex Lapis.

[Though most of his older friends called him Morax... and the adepti knew him simply - and sometimes fondly - as 'Rex'.]

But to me... he was always my friend. My partner. Someone I could always trust to be at my side. [She smiles again, a little more softly this time.] I know he would have had me with him beyond the end of the war, if he could have.

[acquirement]

{ if she hadn't been he would have had more reservations on her, and at least so far it hadn't seemed fake. granted, a lot of that had changed when he'd learned of who she is. he may not fully agree with archons overall (though that is a topic too deep to get into) he can see that unlike his own archon, she has a much deeper connection with people. }

I know very little of him, if I'm honest. But given what I'm hearing from you, he sounds like a reliable person now, at least.

{ and because of that, he'll try to give her a smile, though she can likely see he's just Trying Very Hard here to keep things somewhat normal. }

[godofdust]

He was always reliable. Just... not always the quickest thinker. [Not by any fault of his own, she believes - he had taken to her teachings well enough after all and she had been able to see him here as the man he had become, so elegant and refined... but still so easy to tease.]

But I heard that the Geo archon was killed, not too long ago.

[And if she had heard it from anyone else but Rex himself the conversation might have gone very differently than her reaching up to pinch the old dragon's cheeks in chastisement for worrying her so.]

I trust that Liyue is in good hands, now it only has its people to care for it.

[acquirement]

{ he nods at that, slowly, letting it process as he thinks how to respond. }

Communications were fairly cut off in Inazuma for a long while, so I had only heard rumours. It didn't seem fair to say as such without evidence or details as to what happened.

I'm afraid I couldn't say otherwise for the same reason as well. I believe the only Liyue resident I properly know is Hu Tao.

{ and he isn't sure he'd trust leaving liyue in her hands dskjgn }

[godofdust]

I don't believe I'm acquainted with a Hu Tao.

[They have spoken once, but without any real introduction. Unfortunately... Guizhong is likely to find the Director absolutely delightful. Guizhong pauses for a moment of quiet contemplation... then smiles and very gently pats the man on the arm.]

But I didn't bring you here to bore you. You have your art supplies with you, yes? Do you see anywhere that you might like to set up?

[For her, he can have the run of the place. She trusts he won't put his hands onto something he shouldn't.]

If here doesn't suit you, we can have a look around. The bridges are solid enough.

[acquirement]

{ oh ayato definitely finds her entertaining, he just wouldn't trust an entire nation under her care. }

Perhaps one day I could introduce you. { though he likely doesn't know what level of chaos that would cause. } Nor are you boring me. The... distraction is welcomed.

{ he'll focus his gaze on their surroundings again then, unsure of where to pick, or where to begin. }

Where do you normally stay when you visit here? Around there will be fine.

{ which may speak volumes for where he wants to be at the moment, and why he accepted this offer to begin with. }

[godofdust]

[If there's one thing she can do it's offer a distraction. She listens to what he says, hearing the meaning in what he does not say as much as what he does, and she smiles warmly as she slips her hand into his again and tilts her head towards one of the glowing bridges.]

This way, then.

[It should give him a good view. Though it isn't visible from where they are, as they cross two of the bridges to the highest point of the floating islands a cosy little cottage comes into view. There's a forge tucked against the side of the building and several tables strewn with half-deconstructed pieces of technology and papers covered in sketches.]

This is where I usually stay. [As if it wasn't obvious. She looks up and him and squeezes his hand.] Sorry about the mess.

[acquirement]

{ inazuma was always so overly restrictive when it comes to touch that he sometimes wonders how difficult it will be to go back there, especially when the warmth from her hand offers comfort. especially at the moment. }

No need to apologise. This is your space, after all.

{ and he won't say it, but without thoma his own rooms would be absolute chaos all the time. the only reason it looks organised is because the other still cleans up after him, even here. }

It's very beautiful here.

[godofdust]

I modelled it after the mountaintops of Liyue.

[To a point. The light there never quite reaches this level of golden clarity even at sunset, but it was never meant to be a perfect copy. It's more of an ideal. Liyue through Guizhong's eyes, rather than the reality.]

I would hope that you can see them yourself, one day.

[But then, she would hope that everyone would be able to see the beauty of Liyue at least once in their lives.]

You can set up wherever you like, and I'll bring some of my work over and join you. How does that sound?

[acquirement]

Then Liyue must be very beautiful. Sadly the likelihood of me being able to leave Inazuma for long isn't high, but I may have chances to in the future if Ayaka is able to take on more responsibility once Cloud is able to help her.

{ but he'll nod in return. he's used to sitting on the floor, so he takes a spot a few metres from the edge, overlooking the side where the glow of the bridge is visible along with the next floating landmass.

then he'll start by sketching an outline, very lightly on the canvas he has with him. }

[godofdust]

[Guizhong, true to her word, collects a few items from the tables by the house and brings them over to where he is. She spreads out a mat on the ground and places her papers on it but has no issue with sitting on the grass herself.

The paper is covered in little drawings. Not the kind of artwork that Ayato himself is producing but rather mechanical designs and sketches with measurements jotted against them.

She also has something she's in the middle of taking apart. It looks like an older model television... or it was at one point.]

The original Realm of Clouds was something I made to house my more... dangerous creations and collections. [Guizhong says as she settles herself down.] But here, I suppose it's more to contain the mess.

[acquirement]

{ he glances over at the notes she has, along with what he can recognise as a television even if it seems older than the ones that were given at the apartments. }

What did you create that was considered dangerous?

[godofdust]

[At first she just gives him a look. Someone from Liyue would not have to ask such a question but he doesn't know enough about her to realise just who he's speaking to right now.

Guizhong straightens up, looking at her sketches.]

In the early days of the Archon War's encroachment into Liyue I made many powerful weapons and artifacts. Some of them too volatile to consider falling into mortal hands.

[acquirement]

{ but he isn't from liyue, which is why he listens intently as she explains, his hand pausing in his sketching to give her the attention this conversation deserves. }

I see. I suppose it was important at the time, even if you didn't want it falling into mortal hands? People are after all rather greedy and twisted, it could do more harm than good.

[godofdust]

[She hums out a little chuckle.]

I wasn't really thinking of it like that, but I suppose that's one thing to consider as well. [Her pencil taps against the paper as she looks out over the view.]

I had to keep it out of the hands of other gods, too. Not every participant in the Archon War would have had the best interests of humans in mind had they been able to claim a seat.

[acquirement]

{ he sets down his pencil for a moment, hand instead raising to his mouth. }

Mm, admittedly I don't think many of the other gods would have been as considerate as you are either.

[godofdust]

Mhm, that was my point.

[In the end, at least for Liyue, it seems to her that they got the best of the bunch. Zhongli would be a fine leader for them and hopefully he would have been able to take all of the things she had taught him over the years to heart.]

... Are the Archons good to you all, Ayato? Do they rule well?