Chapter Text
Albedo took Game Albedo’s advice–he tested. The answer to his question was yes; both his laptop and his phone could, theoretically, support the game in its odd, haunted state.
So Albedo went to class that day and, after some last-minute coordinating, hoped his attempts to offer the explanation Ajax deserved would be sufficient with the aid of the haunted game itself.
Just as according to what they’d coordinated, he was waiting for Albedo on the ground floor of the building his last class for the day was in. He’d apparently chosen to wait by the stairs, legs crossed over the floor and snacking on something Albedo couldn’t fully see.
“Yo. Albedo, right?” Ajax waved, sounding awfully casual. Albedo nodded in response, “Good to see you follow through on your word.”
Given Ajax was making no move to actually move from his spot, Albedo figured he might as well take a seat on the floor as well. He took out his laptop and prepared for a terrible amount of confusion, opening his terrible and haunted game.
“Not much of a talker, are you?” Ajax leaned closer to Albedo, “Might make it difficult to do the explaining part of our deal, then.”
While waiting for the game to go through all its loading screens, Albedo clarified, “It’s hard to explain. It’s…something better seen to be believed.”
“Are you always so cryptic?”
Albedo let the statement sit and processed a moment, then said. “Maybe I should start a tally now. Of how often I’m being called that lately.” The game opened.
“Say hi,” Albedo said when Game Albedo finally faded into view, “It’s the person I was talking to you about.”
Hello. Game Albedo said simply, not turning from whatever he was doing. Ajax, correct?
Ajax hummed. “Crazy mod setup you got going on. Didn’t know you were into that, I hear it’s rough for these live-service games.”
What is he talking about?
“If only it was just a mod,” Albedo said.
“Did you record your own voice for this? Pretty good quality, honestly,” Albedo didn’t know if he was purposefully being ignored.
For a moment, I was going to argue that my voice is my own, but, Game Albedo frowned contemplatively, I suppose that actually could be debatable.
“Not a mod,” Albedo insisted, “My game is a bit haunted.” Ajax looked at him, probably confused, then suddenly went to adjust the laptop to examine it better.
The moment his hands touched the computer, an unfamiliar, three pointed emblem emblazoned itself over the screen and pulsed like rippling water. Ajax took his hands off in surprise as the screen faded into the image of Game Ajax.
Much to Albedo’s surprise, Game Ajax at least looked fairly normal, all things considered. Sitting down as he was, he really just seemed like he was in a weird, gray dress shirt and pants. The only standout features were his weird cape, which almost every game version seemed to have something like, and some kind of mask pulled to the side of his head.
For whatever reason, Game Ajax turned fully in his seat to look toward the camera.
“Oh. Huh,” Ajax commented quite plainly, “Haunted, you said?”
You know, Game Ajax called, his tone worryingly cool and even, The Fatui aren’t one to tolerate tricky rats in our midst. He summoned what seemed to be a sword made of water and confidently strode in the direction of the camera.
“So…is this supposed to be me? Also, can he like, see the camera or something?”
Albedo made a so-so motion with his hand. “Maybe more like ‘you if you had a fucked up and cool fantasy backstory?’ No clue about the camera, though. Usually they can’t tell?”
Game Ajax stopped just in front of the camera and sighed. You’re in my head and I can feel your presence, but you’re just not here? How…irritating. I was almost hoping for some quality entertainment on this boring boat ride to Liyue. He scoffed. Still better than sitting around wasting my time, though, I guess, since they banned me from training atop the ship.
“He sure looks like he can see—or sense, I dunno—the camera,” Ajax pointed to his game-self very pointedly standing in front of the camera, occasionally reaching as if to poke or otherwise touch it.
“That’s his own problem, then. No one else has been able to.”
For a moment, his tone turned light and casual, Purposefully ignored by someone I can’t do anything about. Ha! It’s like I never left Snezhnaya, then it fell again, Do you want something or are you just here to commentate over my existence like some kind of sick play?
“Why on Earth did the haunted part of your apparently-haunted video game make me into such a fucked up little man? I would love to study if this thing has actual code, by the way. Sounds like it would be a fun challenge.”
Addressing actual Ajax first, Albedo said, “Sometimes it decides that you are to be a fucked up little man and you just can’t do anything about it, I guess. As for this Ajax–”
Eugh. Don’t call me that. You’re not allowed.
Albedo blinked, confused, and frowned at the text on screen. “Is it not your name?”
Instead of answering, he said, Call me Childe.
Weird. Albedo wondered what his deal was.
“Goofy name,” Ajax muttered. Albedo privately agreed.
Childe folded his arms. You can call me Tartaglia if you’re going to be an ass about my title. He huffed and muttered, What a day. Transferred to Liyue to do mundane desk work until further instruction, disallowed from training on the boat, and now you two show up and I can’t even fight you.
The models made it hard to tell, sometimes, but it seemed like Childe was almost shaking. From what, Albedo hadn’t a clue.
“You’re kinda violent, you know?” Ajax, who seemed to have taken the haunted video game thing in stride, leaned closer to the screen.
Yeah. So I’ve been told, Childe said quite casually. What can I say? I’m always up to test my skills.
Albedo mulled over the information presented to him by Childe. He’d mentioned being on a boat to Liyue, a place Albedo had dim recollections of others mentioning. The story presented in Mondstadt had concluded last time–did that mean new additions were going to be focused elsewhere?
Seemingly discontent with the ensuing silence, Childe questioned, So, what actually is the big idea with–what, a clone of me as well as some stranger?–being in my head? And how and why is your presence intangible and– Childe swept a hand at the camera position– in some weird, arbitrary position above the ground?
“How can you tell all of that?” Albedo asked in return.
Oh, come on. At least answer my questions first?
“The first question is a bit complicated to answer,” Albedo muttered.
And the second?
Ajax started, “The–” then abruptly cut himself off. “Do you know what a camera is?”
A Kamera? He asked. Albedo noted the weird spelling. I’m…passingly familiar. The new inventions from Fontaine that almost instantly record still images, right?
“I can work with that,” Ajax said. “The ‘presence’ you detect is in its position because it operates similarly to the viewfinder on a camera, determining how much we can see. Because we’re not, like, physically there. It’s invisible and intangible because, even though the viewpoint is defined, there’s no physical object or boundary or marking to define its existence. Because that would be weird for a third-person perspective like what we have.”
Childe processed the explanation for a moment. Okay. Can’t believe I’m actually holding this conversation. Sure. Weird invisible intangible Kamera that acts as a stand in for the voices in my head. What does the, uh, Childe snapped a couple times, thinking, the third-person–the narrative thing. What does that have to do with anything?
“Well, we’re sort of following along to your life, I guess. The viewpoint is centered on you. But we’re not seeing through your viewpoint, which would be first-person. We’re just sort of there. So it’s a third-person view. The whole ‘centered-on-you’ thing is also why we’re in your head or whatever, I think.”
So, can you not leave?
Albedo hummed, unsure how to approach answering that question. Especially considering Ajax seemed to be infinitely better at it. “You’re pretty good at explaining things.”
Ajax grinned. “Maybe only for this guy. I just need to think to myself, ‘What would I need to say to get this information through my own head if I needed to have this stuff explained?’ and then just sort of hope the knowledge barrier isn’t too severe.”
Childe snorted.
“How could you discern all of that?” Albedo repeated.
The “being watched” sensation is pretty noticeable, first of all. Plus, your–uh, the presence? It just kind of…feels different. Sticks out from the rest of the world to me. He grinned. Never been all too good with words. Talking circles around other people is usually more of my comrades’ thing.
“Comrades?” Ajax repeated, clearly confused. “Odd word choice.”
Flippantly, Childe continued, Oh, you know. Being part of the Fatui and all. Just something you pick up.
His response having invited more questions than answers, Ajax turned to Albedo for answers. He shrugged. “The Fatui are like weirdly aggressive military diplomats or something, I think?”
Not the most flattering description, I have to say, Childe chimed. But considering you’re still acknowledging that we still serve as Her Majesty’s diplomats, it’s definitely one of the more positive ones.
Clearly, Albedo had yet to see the breadth of how people described this Fatui stuff.
For an outsider, of course, Childe tacked on.
“You know, Rosalyne is involved in all of the whole Fatui thing,” Albedo motioned to the screen, “somehow. And she’s part of them.”
Oh, he groaned, You’ve had the displeasure of meeting La Signora, I see.
“Is…weird game-her that bad?” Ajax muttered.
Yes, Childe said, at the same time Albedo said,
“Just take her usual attitude and,” Albedo made a motion like pulling a lever, “crank it up about five notches.”
I could say much worse than calling her a displeasure, Childe grinned, then his smile faltered into a groan, And she’s not even the worst of my comrades. Il Dottore? Now that one’s a real piece of work.
“Still trying to imagine Rosalyne but more extreme,” Ajax hummed, “Man, this is so weird. Do you think we could coordinate to do more of this?”
Imagine what it’s like for me, Childe grumbled while Ajax and Albedo tried to work out potentially doing more of this, Though when I think about it, I’m not exactly particularly opposed to hearing more from you. Certainly something to spice up my boring orders so far. Remaining in Liyue and helping out our Northland Bank branch there until further notice sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Ajax glanced down at the watch on his wrist and grimaced. Quietly, he groaned and muttered, "Probably the most interesting thing I'll see this whole year and I don't have time for it right now." He suddenly moved to stand, briefly apologizing and explaining that he hadn't expected this to take particularly long and that he should probably be getting back now.
Childe—quieter than his previous speaking voice, as if not to interrupt—said, I wish I had someplace to be like that. Aside from this boat.
Ajax took off with a brief mention of contacting him later, sometime.
Albedo reached for his laptop to leave Childe to his own devices. Before he could, Childe spoke, Hey. This weird connected alternate parallel world thing. How long has it been going on?
He pulled back from reaching. Talking about time got kind of weird, sometimes, because according to Game Albedo its progression fluctuated depending on if the game was open or not. He tried his best to convey this and the amounts of time that kept going, then concluded it with, "Not…horribly long, I think?"
Huh. Childe said. Good to know in advance. I was actually wondering because of the mention of La Signora and your version of her earlier. As of late, her subordinates have been gossiping that she's been acting somewhat strange. Deranged, crazed, erratic, confused—all things I've especially heard about the Fair Lady recently. Time going wonky would explain some of that. Distantly, Albedo thought that sounded somewhat familiar, though he couldn't quite recall at the moment where or when it had been mentioned. Childe fell quiet, then suddenly perked back up. The camera rotated behind him, following his line of sight as he said, Liyue Harbor is coming into view. Soon I'll be able to finally burn some of my energy—I've heard good things about the prowess of Liyue's martial artists and adepti. He closed his eyes and hummed, clearly contenting himself with whatever he was imagining. And better things still about the Geo Archon. I wonder what it would be like to battle Morax…
Another distantly familiar name. This time, he was pretty sure he dimly recognized it from a conversation or two with Game Venti.
Childe shook himself out of his imagination. As if. Not even sure how much you know as some weird observer—that might be completely nonsensical to you.
Albedo prompted Childe to explain, if he was willing, and Albedo filled in every so often what he already knew.
Mostly, Childe said, It's on my mind because of the Rite of Descension coming up. For all that some Liyuens laud the presence of their Archon in their land over their Mondstadt neighbors, the Geo Archon only personally descends once a year as the God of Contracts and Trade and such to give business and market predictions for the upcoming year. By the time I get settled down in Liyue, it'll surely be fast approaching.
Childe fell quiet once again. Albedo waited for a bit, to see if he had anything else to say—nothing. Albedo gave his farewells and finally moved to leave.
Just before Albedo picked up the laptop, switching it back to Game Albedo, Childe chimed, Come back soon, yeah? You actually are pretty interesting to speak with—and I've never been good at turning away from something interesting.
Did you have a fruitful conversation with whoever your presence disappeared to? Game Albedo asked once Albedo had gotten back home, idly working on something while Albedo also chipped away at his own work.
"Yeah, actually." Albedo said. "He was a bit weird—seemed to be able to sense our viewpoint."
Curious.
"Told us to call him Childe in lieu of the name of the person I was with. Or 'Tartaglia,' but I ended up sticking with Childe because it's shorter."
Game Albedo's normally flat, neutral tone dropped into something cold and tense. The Eleventh of the Eleven Harbingers. Is he in Mondstadt? I can't say I'm enthused at the prospect of dealing with another so quickly after the Eighth.
"On his way to Liyue. By boat."
Game Albedo's tone relaxed. Comforting to know another Harbinger is not in the immediate area. He made his way around the familiar mountain lab he was in. Though the eccentricities of the interactions between our worlds have thus far been limited to the Mondstadt area, I suppose there is no known reason it should not be able to branch out into other nations. You have previously likened this all to a kind of story, yes? And that curious display of "Mondstadt Chapter - Complete" that you mentioned. Perhaps the major aspects of your focus on Mondstadt have truly come to a close for now, and the focus is switching to Liyue?
"That sounds like a lot of involving more people in this mess," Albedo grumbled.
I suppose you'll simply have to weather that particular storm as it comes. Perhaps first by getting some rest? It is getting late for you, is it not?
Albedo glanced at the time. It was. "Sort of," he said.
Then rest.
Albedo did not dream that night. Yet another was not so fortunate.
~~~
Dearest sister—
—Tartaglia wrote.
We've finally arrived in Liyue. By the time this letter reaches you, I imagine we'll have gotten everything prepared and things will have settled into a sort of routine. Except for me, probably—you know how restless I can get.
Liyue is rather warm and lively—I think you would like it here, Tonia. The entire city is abuzz with chatter about something called the Moonchase Festival, though I've yet to figure out when it is or what it's for.
There was a market around the wharf in the harbor when we'd just stepped in. The fish they sell here are rather small compared to what we have back home, and most of us were hesitant to try it. But that makes it more of a challenge, does it not? So I took the first step. The small fish here actually have their own charms, but I find it hard to describe. Perhaps my next letter home will come with a package and have some for you to try.
Make sure you and everyone else take care while I'm away, alright? As soon as Her Majesty's will is done in Liyue, I will return.
Ever faithful, Your loyal knight.