Chapter Text
“How many years has it been? Heh, I always remember. It’s almost been a decade now. I hope you’re doing well.”
“I know. You want me to be happy. You want me to live my life, even after you’ve left this world and into the next.”
“...”
“. . .”
“But how could I?”
“We’ll meet again. You said that many times, and I believe it. We believe it. To this day I still do.”
“But I can’t help it. Waiting. How long would I have to wait?”
The man gave a sigh as he stood up from his kneeling position. He carefully looked up, spotting a lantern hung above an inscribed stone tablet. The lantern was unlike any other, well decorated and intricately made with neat edges and an elegant look. It looks like it came straight out of the mansion belonging to an esteemed family.
And in a sense it did.
But he didn’t mind the aesthetics. What he cared for was the lantern’s core.
A shining white light, with aura emanating from it. It wasn’t hostile, and in fact, he found this aura to be the most calming single thing in the world. Whatever was weighing on him, coming here would put his mind and body at ease.
Sadly, to him, he still felt a little empty on the inside.
Cryo particles floated about the lantern, a soft smile on his lips as he fondly remembers all the memories they shared, moments they had together.
Up to their last.
He sighed inwardly. They both knew this was coming. Between an Immortal and a Mortal, separation was inevitable. Of course there were others who confided in such relationships as well, and they knew well the lo they’d eventually go through. Even immortals could be separated at some point.
He wondered how Yae was able to keep a straight face. But then again, he knew she grieved for a time under that facade.
He still had friends from the time he first landed here. Those people who didn’t age along with time like the others.
Ganyu, the adeptus from Liyue, still working under the Qixing to this day.
Xiao, the guardian Yaksha, still protecting Liyue to this day.
Yae herself, the kitsune overlooking Inazuma from the shrine.
Then there’s the archons themselves. Truly, there were quite a few beings who stood the test of time themselves.
Yet for all they stayed, many more have left the world as time flew by.
He couldn’t even recall how many of them passed his life on this world. He hadn’t originally planned to stay this long of course, but he did.
He and his sister.
He jumped up atop a tree, the pink leaves flowing with the wind as he stood atop the tallest branch. Looking up and away, he spotted the silhouette of Liyue harbor using his sharp eyesight, plain in sight a fair distance away. It stood tall, much bigger and more majestic than before. A silent smile slipped past his lips.
“Keqing really outdid herself with that. Even Ningguang would be impressed how far Liyue has gone now.” He mused to himself.
Not to mention, that’s where his sister currently resides.
He sighed, propping back down onto the ground with a jump. He just met her last week when he came over for a visit to check. She’s doing fine, as is expected. Not to mention Liyue harbor was quite a pleasant place to visit.
Listening to tales with Zhongli under the teahouses there. Night patrols with Xiao to stretch his legs. And even helping Ganyu with her otherwise immense workload. That being said, he should remember to tell Yanfei if he's coming or she’ll sue him for not informing her of his arrival.
That was a joke of course.
Still, despite his demeanor while visiting, he still felt different. He couldn’t get her out of his head. No matter how hard he tried.
Finding someone else? No, he was above that. He’d rather die before moving on to love someone else.
He was an enviable man in love, yet the only person who evoked all of this was no longer here.
It hurts.
And because of that, he had been thinking a lot.
How would they meet again? In the afterlife? They would, but it would take a lot longer before his time came. He flicked his finger, a small flame emitting from it. He swished it around, playing with it as if it were a light stick.
Another faint, yet somewhat dry smile appeared on his face. “Yoimiya….heh. I wonder how you’re doing up there. I hope Kazuha’s still keeping you in check.” He said to himself.
He curled his fist, the fire stopping. He relaxed his hand after a moment, sighing again.
Aether took a moment to reconsider. Was this right? Was this betrayal? Was it improper? Unethical? He didn’t know. He didn’t understand it all. He never felt this way before.
But he had made up his mind. A moment of doubt, before it vanished completely.
Before he could gather his thoughts on the matter more, he needed to talk to the other person about it. The only other person he knew that could at least help him.
He gave a last goodbye, holding the grave with one hand before turning away, heading to the city with his resolve in mind.
He just wanted to see her, even if it wasn’t her.
As he left, the light in the lantern dimmed, but didn’t die. On the inscription in the grave, a very neat calligraphy could be seen.
Forever Beloved.
Kamisato Ayaka
—-----------------------------------------------------------
Aether waited patiently outside of the chambers. He played with the electro element as he waited, a flowing purple orb of raw electricity floating about his palm as he flicked it back and forth, matching the element strongest within the building.
The doors opened shortly afterwards.
“Aether, her excellency will see you now.” The guard said. Aether gave him a nod, getting up from his position of leaning on the wall and heading inside. Once inside, the guard closed the door behind him.
A familiar figure, one that had never changed throughout the decades, came into view. His golden eyes landed on her purple ones, and she gave an approving glance.
“Good evening, Aether.”
“Good evening, Shogun.”
The puppet stood up, offering a small bow. Aether bowed in return. Having spent many years in Teyvat, especially within Inazuma, he grew accustomed to their traditions. In fact, the Shogun once said that he was an excellent example of honorable behavior, despite being an outlander.
Ah, an outlander. Funny how about a century ago, the very woman in front of him wanted him dead. Now, their mutual respect for one another was through the roof.
“How are things around here?” He asked, taking a seat across from her at the tea table. The shogun poured them both a cup, settling the teapot down.
“Nothing of note. Inazuma has been developing steadily with not much obstruction.” She replied, quite flatly. Aether noted, but his attention was more on her behavior than it was her reply.
“Hmm. Good to hear.”
“How have things been on your end?” She asked in return.
Aether pondered for a reply. “Nothing much. Just the usuals.” He replied. Raiden gave a nod, and nothing much more. Aether knew for a fact that the Shogun would usually not even ask him about his own state, but she picked it up somewhere and he found her more bearable.
More human.
Still, she wasn’t the one he wanted to meet.
“Shogun, if I may.” He stated.
The Shogun did not need another answer. She closed her eyes, and Aether could feel electro flowing through the room as her hair lit up for a few seconds.
He has seen this many times, so he didn’t flinch. He just waited patiently, sipping his cup of tea.
Soon enough, the same purple eyes reopened, looking back at him. However, as opposed to the plain and flat purple orbs looking back, the purple eyes now looking at him were more vibrant, with a faint purple underglow. In fact, he could just make out the faintest of smiles seeping through her face.
This was who he wanted to meet.
A dear friend.
“Ei.”
“Aether. Pleasure to see you again.”
“Likewise.”
They sat there for a moment, before Ei broke out into a chuckle. “I hope you didn’t find the Shogun too hostile today.”
Aether replies with his own chuckle; a genuine one. “No, she wasn’t. In fact, I prefer her more human-like demeanor more than how she used to be.”
“Ah, yes. People have been talking silently about the Shogun behind my back. Hehe, sometimes they don’t even realize how well I hear them. Still, it’s positive so I see no reason to do anything about it.” Ei replied, earning a soft laugh from both of them.
As Ei examined Aether though, she could tell a lot was on his mind. And it has been for a while now too. She sighed.
“You’re still thinking about her, aren’t you?” Ei asked, swirling her tea cup.
Aether wanted to reply, but he couldn’t. She was right. He just nodded slightly.
“You’re wearing yourself down too much, Aether. It’s not healthy for you, or for those around you to see you like this. Think of your younger ones too.” Ei said. Aether looked at her for a moment before sighing.
“Yes, I know. I met them recently and I do love them a lot too, but I just can’t help but feel like a piece of me is missing without her. Even if what she left for me is the best thing I could have ever asked for, aside from having Lumine back.” He answered.
“Hmm, how ironic.” Ei mumbled to herself, remembering how the person before her was the one wanting change, but now he refused to let his past go so easily. But then again, perhaps that’s the thing about immortals paired with mortals.
At least, he was much more different than the other example she had to base on.
“But Ei, I didn’t come here to grieve. I came here to ask something. A favor, if you will.” Aether said. Ei leaned forward, now more interested in what Aether has to say. He had never asked a favor from her before, in fact it is him who she owes many favors to.
“Do speak your mind, I’ll help best I can.”
Aether nodded, taking a deep breath. Ei tensed a little, feeling the weight of what he had gone through to say whatever it was that he was going to say. Aether had put a lot of thought to it, no doubt.
“How do you….” He paused.
Ei raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. Aether waited, his mind racing to make sure. In the end, he was resolved to it.
“How do you make a puppet?”
“...”
Ei blinked. Several times.
“A….puppet?”
“Yes. Like the Shogun.”
Ei was baffled. Why the sudden request?
“I suppose I could tell you, or even make one for you, but why? What are you trying to achieve?”
“I miss her, Ei. I just want to see her.”
It hit the archon like a mitachurl. No wonder he was a little hesitant to ask. What Aether was trying to ask of her was doable, very much so for the archon, but to think he’d go this far.
But there’s a catch.
“Aether, you do realize how a puppet works, right? Like the Shogun, you would need directives, rules, a set of restrictions and such. That’s very complicated, and it would likely cause some differences to her as you know.” Ei said. Aether thought about it for a moment, before he spoke again.
“Ei. Remember Kunikuzushi?”
Ei’s eyes immediately shifted to his. She thought about it long, before her pupils widened when he realized what he wanted her to do.
“But Aether. If I gave a puppet free will, it would retain no memories. I can only form an empty shell, an empty canvas if you will. It would live without the bonds of rules and directives, but it will be merely a husk with nothing in it. In fact, it would almost be like the Shogun in terms of being emotionless.”
Aether slumped in his seat, seemingly confused about what to do.
He wanted to see her. He wanted to be with her. He wanted her by his side, just as they have been all these years.
But now he was faced with a choice. If he were to recreate her, it wouldn’t be a reincarnation as she would be devoid of memories and lack a soul. In fact, she’d just become an emotionless person with no prior knowledge about herself, just the basics of movement and language. Would that be what he wanted?
He hesitated. Ei didn’t continue. She wanted him to be sure of his choice.
In the end, Aether decided it. He wanted to see her, and that’s enough. He wanted to try and see. Teyvat has its own laws, and he wanted the possibilities to be tested. Perhaps he would be able to twist the laws to his bidding. Perhaps he could get lucky.
He was lucky enough to have married her. He wants to know if fate would grant him luck to have her by his side once more.
“Yes.” Came the reply. “I’m certain of it. I want it to be done.”
Ei nodded ever so slightly. “Very well, but I would need your memories of her, to the precise point you want me to paint her into the puppet. Come.”
Ei opened the Plane of Euthymia, entering it and motioning for him to enter.
Aether took one look back. Was he certain? Did they want this? Was it okay?
He stepped forth. No going back now.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------
She looked just like her.
Aether knew that figure anywhere. It was an exact copy, a perfect imitation, an excellent result.
Yet he knew it wasn’t her.
Ei stood at the back of the room as the person seated in the bed in the middle of the room awoke, scanning her surroundings. Ei took a peek at Aether, seeing a wide range of emotions go through his face at once. Happiness, worry, confusion, and amazement.
Yet, as the light blue eyes locked onto his gold ones, Aether noticed something.
The eyes were dull. Blank. Void. Lifeless.
Almost as if he was looking at a statue instead of a person.
He knew better than to expect much. Seeing her again, in the same form she was in all those decades ago when they just got married. It was wonderful, her flowing light blue hair that reached past her waist. Her facial features matched every single detail. The curves of her body that was etched into his mind, he saw the exact copy of it in front of him right now.
All there for him.
Yet, she wasn’t there.
It still isn’t her.
Those bright eyes that once looked at him with compassion and love were looking back at him with blank nothingness. No emotion, no memory, no recollection of the past life she had with him.
He had to curb his expectations, but how could he?
She opened her mouth first.
“Who……are you?”