Chapter Text
The sun was shining incessantly in the messy, overcrowded streets of Inazuma, where everyone was trying to turn things back to normal since the end of the Vision Hunting Decree.
Ganyu was to be seen alone, in the bench of a random park, where she could find some escape of the scorching sun in the shadows of the trees, and rest a little bit from her endless walking on the city, running in circles in this strange, unknown place for her.
Why is she here, though? Well, some weeks ago, and considering the current, new state of the once closed region of Inazuma, Ningguang thought of great benefit to establish naval trade routes between the Liyue Harbor and the stormy country, and for that, she sent Ganyu to accomplish that task.
Going around to a lot of governmental places, requesting the forms needed, talking to a lot of big charges of the country, and presenting the offers of the Tianquan were only some of the tasks that she was ordered to do. If only she had Keqing with her. Yes, they had some different perspectives in things, but she worked hard, and both compenetrated very well, though her presence here would be impossible. According to Ningguang, the half-adeptus absence was already a really big hit to the proper functioning of Liyue. They couldn’t also dispose of the Yuheng, or the harbor would collapse in just a few hours.
What most intrigued Ganyu were the words of Ningguang before her parting. “I am sure that this journey will help you, Ganyu. Try to get the most out of it.” Yeah, as if. Alone on an unknown, foreign land, where she doesn’t even know the capital city, that wasn’t as big as Liyue, but large enough to get her lost.
Ganyu sighed. She reached to her tired, hurting foot, and began massaging it, praying to the archons that she didn’t get a blister, when something caught her attention. Some meters away from where she was seated, there was a circle of kids, playing with some… beetles?. The bugs were fighting each other, and the kids were cheering for one or another. But the odd thing about it was him. A muscular, more than 2 meters tall man was playing with the kids, and probably the one that was most fired up from them, cheering to one of the insect duelists.
Ganyu was shocked at the sight of that man, dressed in an odd, exotic outfit, big as a wardrobe, and looking the most childish of everyone. But that wasn’t what caught her attention, but the red, slender horns that adorned his head that she couldn’t help but stare at. At least, until he turned his head, and they both made eye contact, making Ganyu miss a heartbeat and look in another direction.
It wasn’t the first time that she met another non-human, she was often mingled with Yanfei for work, another half-adeptus, but the way he was just light-heartedly playing with just some children was unthinkable for her. She already had troubles dealing with grown up, human adults. Playing with children, which she could not understand, was inconceivable to her .
Not at all enough rested, but wanting to get out of there as soon as possible, she rose up from the bench, tidied her clothes, and began to walk away. And that was when a loud, cheerful voice rang behind her. -”Hey! You are not from around here, are you?”
Ganyu’s blood froze, and as she slowly turned around, she saw a gigantic, white haired titan, tall as the mountains in the Jueyun Karst, that stood just a few centimeters away from her.
-”Well, umm, no, I’m j-” tried babbling the girl, but was immediately interrupted by the man.
-”Aha! judging from your clothes, you must come from another country! You are lost, aren't’ you?”
-”Ah, n-no, I’m fine, you don’t need to-”
-”No need to be so formal! Come on, I’ll show you around!” The man interrupted Ganyu once again, and grabbed her hand, pulling her.
Ganyu, trying to release herself from his grip, just starting to get serious, looked at his face, but what she saw there - a big, carefree smile filled with glee and pure, genuine cheeriness, told her that the man was being totally honest and meant no harm, and though a bit forceful, she just took the offer and accompanied him.
The white haired man, with some sort of red make-up or tattoos, that looked so very threatening, ended up being right. Like a real tour guide, he began to tell Ganyu a lot about this city, that he appeared to have been living in forever from his vast knowledge of all the places, stores, restaurants and even the people that populated it. He was apparently very renowned around here, as he stopped often to talk with the vendors, merchants and practically everyone in the streets.
-”Hey, now that I think about it, I still don’t know who you are! What’s your name?” said the man, just as if he really had forgotten about presentations.
-”Ah… My name is Ganyu. I come from Liyue.”, she answered.
-”Oh, Liyue! Yeah, I know about it, really big place! Now that we can travel, I would like to visit it!”
-”Yeah, it’s very nice…”
They continued strolling for a little bit, until Ganyu shortly talked again.
-”And, so… What’s your name?”
-OH! That’s right, I’m sorry! I’m Arataki Itto, the Strongest fighter in all of Inazuma, the First and Greatest Head of the terrifying and deadly Arataki Gang!” said Itto, yelling in excitement, as if he was telling all of Inazuma of his name.
Ganyu looked at him for a little bit, puzzled, and laughed, lighthearted.
Itto told her in detail about all the sites he liked, where she should hospede (though she had already booked a hotel), and where she should go to see the best sceneries in the city. He took her to see the large, renowned statue of the Raiden Shogun, where she had once embedded the visions of almost a hundred people, his included.
His voice was very loud, and, in general, Itto was very noisy, but Ganyu found herself fixed in that joyful, easy-going attitude that he wore, and found the walk very entertaining and, in fact, really helpful, though she was really, REALLY tired.
When the last sunshines of the day were disappearing, and the lights of the streets began to be lighted, they were calmly walking when a howl, proceeding from the stomach of Itto, made them stop.
-”Oops, looks like it’s already time for dinner.” Itto said, as he rustled his hair.
Ganyu laughed a little, just for her stomach to do the same, awkward sound, her face turning bright red.
Itto loudly cackled, -”Well, let’s go to a place I know then!”
Ganyu, unable to reply, just followed him to a small, typical Inazuma food stall, where the only place for the customer to sit is at the bar, very close to the food that the cook prepared.
As they sat, Itto ordered, as if he was very used to coming here, two of the same as he always ate, but Ganyu interjected quickly -”I’m sorry, could I get something without meat?”
The cook nodded at them, and started to work.
-”You don’t like meat?!” Exclaimed Itto. -”Man, you don’t know what you’re missing, his ramen is sooo good!”
-”Well…” Ganyu began. “It’s more like I cannot eat it. I am vegetarian.”
Itto looked at her puzzled, as if that word wasn’t in his dictionary. -”Why?” he just said.
Ganyu was shocked. Obviously, she had a reason, but no one ever questioned it like that, almost as if he was offended for her meatless diet.
-”Well, uhmm… I actually am not human. At least partially. I’m half Qillin, so I can not eat meat, as they, we , are vegetarian.”
-”Ooooh!” Itto exclaimed. “I ain’t really a human either! The blood of the oni runs thick through my veins!” He explained, as he flexed his arm, very proud. “So that’s what the horns are, huh? Same as me!”
Ganyu blushed a bit as she nodded, looking away. She is very conscious of her horns, as they are what most separates her from the rest of people.
-”Well, no need to be so embarrassed! I do think they look cut-!” He said as he lowered his hand to touch her horns, but at the least contact of them with his hand, Ganyu almost jumped out of her skin, letting a little shriek, and getting her hands to her horns, as if reflexively protecting them.
-”A-Ah, I’m s-sorry. My horns are a little bit… sensitive…” She said, red as a tomato.
Itto, for the first time in the day, found himself wordless, blushing in embarrassment and guilt, though his heart skipped a beat. -”S-sorry. Didn’t know about that…”
Then, both stared right down at their plates, eating in an awkward, stiff silence, that lasted all the meal.
-”Well, ahem. Shall I accompany you to the hotel?” said Itto, when Ganyu finished her food.
Ganyu nodded, and they rose up and began walking, still surrounded by that mood of awkwardness.
As Ganyu was opening the door, Itto stopped her, saying -”Hey!, uhmm, I haven’t yet showed you all the places in town, so, uhm, should I come here tomorrow to get you?”
Ganyu turned around, and said, -”I’m sorry, I am here for work, and I should attend to my tasks, I don’t think I have the time for more tourism.”
-”Oh, yeah! Hahah, of course, I understand.” the oni said, trying, ineffectively, to hide his disappointment, rustling his white mane.
-”But... I’m still unfamiliar with the city, so, would you keep me company tomorrow, and guide me to all the places I have to go?” said Ganyu, with a little, glad smile.
The mouth in the face of Itto turned into a big, elated smile, ear to ear, as he recomposed himself and gave Ganyu a thumbs up.
-”Awesome! I’ll come here tomorrow, just you wait!” he almost yelled, turning himself around and waving to the half adeptus as he ran off.
Ganyu, with a smile, stepped into the hotel, and as she was closing the door, she sighed, but this time, not of exasperation, but a happy, thrilled sigh. She began to walk towards her room, eager to see what would tomorrow bring.