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The day that Zhongli arrives in Mondstadt is a rainy one. The heavens have opened, unleashing their sorrows upon the mortal realms, but he pays no heed to the weather. For an ordinary person, travelling from Liyue to Mondstadt would take a week or more, if one rested along the way, but losing his Gnosis has not rendered him powerless. Many seem to forget that though Rex Lapis – the Stone Emperor - was one of the seven, before that, he was simply Morax the adepti.
Summarily, it takes but a few short moments for his form to ripple, shedding its human disguise, before he takes to the skies. Within an hour, he’s landed on the shores of Mondstadt’s easternmost beaches, well out of sight. It is here that he safely returns to Zhongli’s body. Within minutes, the violently shifting tides will conceal any signs of a large animal’s descent.
Even with his flight shaving off a great deal of travelling time, the walk from Mondstadt to Liyue will take the better part of the day. And while a normal human would locate an overhang and wait for the dark, swirling grey clouds to pass, Zhongli sees no need to do so. Although wet clothes were certainly an inconvenience, Mondstadt’s weather is fair enough that it would quickly dry up once the sun returned.
The knights at the gates of Mondstadt appear to think that this line of reasoning is illogical at best – and a threat to his health at worst. As he carefully picks his way across the slippery cobblestone leading to the city’s front gates, they call out to him through the hazy, humid air.
“Greetings, strange yet respectable traveller!” The formal welcome is tinged with worry, oddly enough. The one to the left eyes his drenched form, before choosing to speak up. “Ah – traveller, might I recommend that you seek shelter immediately? It wouldn’t do for you to catch a cold so soon after your arrival, and judging from your attire, you’re from somewhere far off.”
How kind. He’s always surprised by humanity’s simultaneous capacity to either – or both – care far too much and far too little. Zhongli gives the knight a gentle smile in exchange. “Do not fear for me; I am well-versed in avoiding illness. I must thank you for your advice, however.”
The knight’s brows furrow and his worry does not dissipate, so Zhongli tacks on another sentence. “I will be seeking shelter, of course, now that I am within the confines of the city.”
“Very well.” Comes the reply. “Enjoy your stay in Mondstadt, traveller!”
Zhongli nods, before stepping out from the temporary shelter of gateway and back into the pouring rain, this time within the city limits. The market stalls lining the city’s overcast streets have been mostly packed away, merchants knowing that few would be out to browse wares in the awful weather, so as he heads to his destination, naught but the gentle winds and pitter-pattering of rain accompany him.
He pushes the door to Angel’s Share open with a bit of effort, and is immediately greeted by a lively crowd who has had the same idea as him. Fortunately, it appears that most have chosen to gather deeper into the tavern, hoots and hollers echoing from the cluster of people by the lower tables, leaving the barstools largely empty. The breeze that blows through the tavern upon the door opening turns some heads, but most turn back to the spectacle in front of them.
It’s only the watchful gaze of the bartender that remains on him. Zhongli reaches for a bar stool, pulling it outwards carefully so as to avoid a high-pitched screeching sound. As he takes his seat, the bartender sets a polished glass down on a shelf behind the countertop with a decisive thud.
“What brings you here, Liyuan?”
Here, Zhongli hesitates. This is the first visit to Mondstadt that he has ever made. His only meetings with Barbatos have been in his hometown, in his territory, and briefly, the unknown grounds that he has wandered into sends a spike of self-consciousness throughout his being. He’s quiet for long enough that the bartender turns away once more, tossing a casual remark over his shoulder. “You don’t need to share, of course, it’s simple curiosity – you don’t often see people travel from Liyue to Mondstadt solitarily.”
The comment cuts through his daze, but he remains still, pondering for a little longer. Had this been a mistake? He did not even know if Barbatos would welcome his presence, especially in the wake of his surrender of his Gnosis to the Cryo Archon. Barbatos, on the contrary, had reportedly avoided the theft of his own only through the timely appearance of the Knights of Favonius, who proceeded to remove the Fatui from the city. That might sour things between them… Especially with the complicated history that Barbatos shared with the Tsaritsa.
Still, he has made the trip here. “Do you happen to know where I might find a young bard in viridian green garb?” He speaks up, suddenly.
Curiously, the bartender’s expression shutters. “A young bard?”
“Yes, with teal-tipped braids. I believe he goes by Venti.” Zhongli clarifies, attempting to decipher the emotions flickering across the man’s face. Worry, curiosity, caution…?
His query isn’t answered directly. “Why are you looking for him?”
And this is another question that he doesn’t really know how to answer. For all the trivia and obscure pieces of knowledge that he holds, his long memory fails to aid him in puzzling out the future. It may have been a simple matter to figure out Liyue’s path, and even Morax’s path, but he finds himself unable to see into Zhongli’s future.
“I simply wish to ask him a few questions.” He says delicately.
He has an inkling that that was the ‘wrong’ answer, because the bartender’s eyes narrow. “I’m afraid –” He begins, but is cut off by the tavern door swinging open once more.
Speak of the devil and he doth appear.
A light voice greeting the bartender – “Good afternoon, Master Diluc!” – meets his ears as the door swings shut, but the scent of a breeze carrying the fragrance of Cecilias from Starsnatch Cliff remains. His entrance draws more glances than Zhongli’s had, which he supposes would be natural, if Barbatos Venti has been wandering Mondstadt as a bard for long. Even he had to admit that the Anemo Archon’s musical talent is second to none, even amongst the gods.
The issue is that this time, their eyes remain on Venti. It probably has something to do with how he’s frozen in the process of reaching for the strings of his lyre with one hand, gaping at Zhongli. This movement is aborted quickly; instead, his spare hand goes to his eyes, which he rubs once before checking that what’s in front of him isn’t an illusion.
“Did I drink too much wine?” He mutters, under his breath. “No, I haven’t touched a bottle since last night… and even then, my alcohol tolerance…”
Tch. “Venti.” Zhongli greets, formally, then made an addition before he could open his mouth “No rhymes, please.”
The other’s eyes dart to the crowd of onlookers, then behind him to where Diluc stands. “Heyy, you old blockhead. What are you doing in Mondstadt?”
He hopes his lost expression does not show.
“I… had hoped to talk about something with you.” He replies, lamely.
Venti’s face twists in confusion. “Why didn’t you send a dandelion message in advance?”
“…”
Venti’s lyre returns to its fake vision form in a flash of light, and he brings a hand to his face, facepalming. “You buffoon...” Rolling his eyes, Venti reaches for Zhongli, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the tavern. “I’ll be back later, Master Diluc! Don’t miss me too much~”
“Just- be cautious, bard.” The stern command carries hints of fondness.
"Aw, I didn't know you cared," is Venti's reply, and Zhongli has just enough time to see Diluc's exasperated expression before the door of the tavern swings shut. "So, why are you here?"