Chapter Text
"Now, I've gotten you a scarf because the Chasm gets really chilly," Guizhong had offered Zhongli a fuzzy scarf embroidered with golden and brown stripes, "Why, pray tell, are you going to that archon-forsaken place again? I didn't wake up just to send you off to somewhere dangerous, you know?"
Zhongli pulled away from Guizhong, looping the scarf loosely around his neck with a scowl. "I had to see to matters there personally. There was a bizarre corruption brewing underneath. If it was the Abyss Order-" he protested, looking up as if to plead with his wife, before she shushed him with a slender finger to his lips, a motion that made him startle himself to silence.
"Don't jinx it," she grumbled, looking annoyed, "I wish I could go with you, but you know what Dr. Baizhu said when I tried to ask him about it."
He took his wife's hand and patted it, examining the digits fondly. "If Keqing and I get lost underneath the surface, we need a smart, elegant and intelligent person who also happens to be extremely resourceful to rescue us," he commented, running his hand across her arm, "I wonder who it could be. It must be Ningguang."
"You-" Guizhong had began hitting Zhongli's arm with a fist, all while giggling at his delivery, "You awful, nasty hunk of rock. I should've never agreed to remarry you."
"Yet you are saddled with us," Zhongli sighed dramatically, putting the final items into his suitcase before closing it, "Ningguang sent Keqing for a reason. If anything, someone has to be supporting her from the Jade Chamber while we mount investigations. You disappearing like this is going to arouse suspicion...especially considering the Fatui are watching us right now."
Guizhong knelt down, slipping Zhongli's shoes off for him before tugging his socks off as well. "I know. That Ajax boy is very nice, just like you said, but he's still Fatui, and a Harbinger at that. Can't help but still be worried about them being around," she sighed, lifting her husband from his wheelchair to deposit him into bed, "Does he know about what happened to Signora?"
"Szechnaya did not like what Ei did to her," Zhongli looped an arm around Guizhong's neck as she rolled him gently onto it, "Probably why she's visiting us right now in Liyue. After all that stress, it was nice of her to finally get over her agoraphobia and accompany us back to the mainland when I was done solving that diplomatic disaster she wrought."
"Then Venti is visiting with his band to Inazuma," Guizhong got into bed with Zhongli, tucking her husband in attentively, "I sometimes wonder what goes on in little Barbatos's head, but I'm glad Ei is finally opening up after what happened...her trying so hard to be like her sister was doing her no good."
A polite knock resounded through the shut door, and Zhongli reached over to fold his chair up before calling for whoever was behind it to come in. Keqing's head peeked out from it, looking abruptly nervous (and seeming like she hadn't gotten enough sleep).
"Am I interrupting anything? You two look ready for bed," she asked, before narrowing her eyes at Zhongli, "Are you already ready for the Chasm?"
Zhongli motioned to the suitcase next to him. "I packed light," he commented lightly with a smile, "I also have Guizhong breathing down my neck to pack just essentials. Helps to ensure I don't lose focus deciding which of my shirts I should bring."
"Lies. If I didn't nag at him to actually bring things, he was going to throw in six sets of underwear and a backup wheel for his chair before calling it a day. I had to remind him to bring a toothbrush," Guizhong complained, pressing the back of her hand dramatically against her forehead, "Archons forgive me for choosing to marry the world's most eligible boulder as a husband."
Keqing scoffed, before straightening her back and reddening slightly. "Ganyu says she can't make it. The Jade Chamber is short-staffed, so she's...not going this time," Keqing began to interject, seeming far more disappointed than she should've been, "I was hoping we could get away for once and do some sightseeing, but you know how work is her lifeblood, and she wasn't going to leave Ningguang-jie toiling at her desk alone, so we've got a slot opened up for the excavation party. We need someone skilled, someone who's able to take a hit-"
"Bring Ei. She needs the time to unwind, and I am more than happy to vouch for her combat prowess," Zhongli had began snuggling into bed, pulling Guizhong towards him, "Tell her I sent for you, and she'd be happy to talk once you coax her out of her room. She likes sweet things."
Keqing began to protest, before she was gently pushed aside by Ningguang, who was also dressed in a comfortable nightgown. "You can do that tomorrow, Qing'er. The trip isn't until Wednesday anyway. I made those plans in case things like that was to happen, and look where we are now," Ningguang's tone was light as she turned Keqing around by the shoulders to march her towards Ei's room, "She's a bored archon on vacation. I'm sure she'd agree to nearly anything, plus this will help Inazuma-Liyue ties. Go, off you trot."
By the time Keqing turned around, the door had shut behind her, and there was no way in hell any of the three were going to help her.
She huffed, walking towards the guest room before raising a hand to knock.
"Oh, sorry," Ei put her boba aside to cross her legs on her bed, "Have you need of me? You and Morax seemed to be chatting earlier outside, and I didn't want to disturb you two."
"Um...well, about that. Zhongli actually suggested you join us for our trip to the Chasm, since my girlfriend isn't able to make it. It's not safe to go as a pair, and even us at the Qixing recommend at least a party of four. Having a second archon on our side is akin to adding wings to a tiger," Keqing had began waxing lyrical as she motioned in front of herself, "Besides, you've been in your room since you came with us to Liyue. Won't it be nice to go out and have a look around?"
Ei managed a sheepish smile. "That sounds amazing and all, but it'll probably be best if I stayed home. Don't want to accidentally switch to the Shogun under stress," she explained, gesturing to her head: Keqing had heard about how she'd developed DID and created an alter named 'the Shogun' to cope with the loss of her sister after the war, "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go exploring, but I just don't want to be too much of a liability for you and Morax, Miss Yuheng. I genuinely appreciate it, though."
"We'd have to call the expedition off otherwise, and I can't do that," Keqing sagged against the doorframe morosely, "Something's down there, and I don't know what I'd expect from the Chasm. Wasn't like we didn't seal it off for reasons years ago. Zhongli speculates Abyss Order bullshit down there...I'm a bit more worried that we're biting off a bit more than we can chew."
"The Abyss Order again," Ei sighed, shaking her head before looking determined, "On second thought, I'll come with you two. I have some unfinished business with them to settle too. Questions, even, that I'm not sure will ever get answered. Give me a moment to call Miko...let her know what's happening so she doesn't get worried if I fall off the grid."
"Wait, really? We might not actually be running into them, you know," Keqing startled, looking attentive, but watched Ei already throwing clothes into a bag, "Well...I mean, if you want to...welcome aboard, miss...Baal? Ei-sama?"
"Just Ei is fine. I'm not working right now, don't worry about it," Ei had neatly folded another set of clothes before turning to her side, seemingly expecting a weapon, "I'm worried the Shogun might front when we're down there, but my question outweighs her needs on that matter. I hope you don't mind, yeah? I'll do what I can to be useful, but I'm a little rusty."
Keqing managed a polite smile, seeming suddenly nervous that she was chaperoning not one but two archons, legendary generals who had ascended to practically godlike status after the war that had ripped through Teyvat not too long ago. "We do have a Skyward Spine you could probably-- woah!" she began before being cut off by a yell when Ei motioned before her, ripping a tear through space to rummage through her pocket dimension, "Please...please, a heads up before opening a portal to the Plane of Euthymia, I'm begging here."
"Oh, archons, I'm so sorry," Ei seemed sheepish as she pulled a sword from the space inside her chest before examining it in her hands, once again putting the sword back inside, "I was just checking if I was still carrying Engulfing Lightning with me. I didn't mean to scare you! I always forget not everyone's used to me just popping things out of my chest like that. Looks like I'd have to take you up on that Skyward Spine offer after all."
Keqing heaved a sigh of relief. "Zhongli's armory is full of random weapons he hasn't used in a while, so I figured I'd offer. Just a few days ago, I pulled a dusty Aquila Favonia out of that heap. He really needs to start cleaning the place, he's been neglecting it since he moved into the Serenitea Apartments," she sighed, tapping the Primodial Jade Cutter on her hip, "Guizhong-jie crafted me this sword for the Chasm trip...couldn't turn her down."
"It is very pretty. I remember Guizhong using it herself," Ei managed a weak smile, standing up from her bed before motioning towards Keqing, "With me, you and Zhongli only have 3 people. Would it truly be prudent? I could ask Miko to send help from her end. She has plenty of highly competent contacts back home. Surely someone there might be willing to help us, if nobody from Liyue we know seems to be available."
"Oh, right. That'll...be kind of nice, actually," she admitted, leading Ei to the armory and pick out the Skyward Spine amongst the other scattered weapons and Refinement Ores, "I'm struggling with it because nearly everyone is away for Qingming activities. Not everyone's a masochist, apparently."
"Being devoted to work is a good pursuit," Ei had casually slotted the spear into her chest, where it once again vanished into the interdimensional space Keqing had just seen moments before, "Just be careful to strike a balance between. I'll drop Miko a line and tell her about our plan to head into the Chasm. I think she'd be thrilled."