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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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[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?

[acquirement]

{ he laughs under his breath at that. }

My answer would need to be 'yes' no matter what I think, you realise? That's hardly a question anyone would be able to answer honestly if they felt any differently.

[godofdust]

And why not?

[Her brows lift slightly, curious. The answer itself as well as the way he gives it perplexes her.]

Do they all rule with such an iron fist that you fear speaking a word against them even when they aren't present in a world in which they would have no power even if they were?

[acquirement]

{ he doesn't look her in the eye, instead gazing off to their surroundings as he considers the best way to answer her question. }

I can only speak of the archon I serve, not any others. { he pauses there, picking up a small bottle of paint to hold between his fingers. } But that archon already created a decree that would forcibly take away people's visions and left them empty. It has, thankfully, since been abolished and those visions were returned to their rightful owners, but I'm sure you can understand my lack of trust now.

[godofdust]

[She looks up at him quietly while he speaks and then away, frowning softly towards the distant, golden-hazed horizon of this pocket realm.]

I can.

[Then she shakes her head. Of course it would be too much to expect that every individual who made it to one of the seats would be one who would rule with a fair and just hand, but still...]

Not all those who fought in the Archon Wars were kind beneath their ferocity, and nor were all of them wise.

[acquirement]

{ he isn't giving her the full details, not telling her about how he'd enabled a resistance army to enter his archon's domain to fight back. effectively treason, in a way, but given how things have changed for the better he'd never regret it either. }

So it would seem. Thankfully we were blessed by a wandering Traveler who came to our aid. I'm not sure how much longer things would have gone on for otherwise. My family has served the Raiden Shogun for generations. My parents constantly spoke about how blessed we were, to serve our god. I admit, I've never really understood why.

[godofdust]

When something goes on for that long, it can be difficult to understand how things might ever be different. Things that once truly were blessings can become anything but.

[She doesn't need to know the rest in order to understand. The lives of humans are short and they are comfortable in their patterns and traditions. That Ayato's family would serve this Shogun for generations without question isn't so strange a thought.]

Though, sometimes... all it takes is one person to raise an objection. Or a question.

[acquirement]

{ his smile tightens a little at that. }

Perhaps so. Unfortunately, while my faith in the Raiden Shogun is very limited, I still want the best for the citizens of Inazuma. I've upheld my position for my family, and for those other people.

And there's very little a mortal can do against a god.