Chapter Text
cyno
Cyno stepped off of his passenger ship and into the bustling town of Ritou. It had been days of travel. First to Ormos, then to Liyue harbor, and now, finally, he could set foot in Inazuma just before the sun was beginning to set. Although a little weary from his journey, his excitement overtook him. He was here at last, overlooking the banners, garlands, and lanterns decorating the red maples he'd heard so much about. He was so thrilled it was actually a bit overwhelming. On the ship, he'd had to resort to shuffling his deck repeatedly to calm his nerves once Inazuma came into view on the horizon.
He thanked the gods (and Dehya for covering for him at work) for this opportunity. Genius Invokation had started to take off in Inazuma and now that Ritou's harbors were open, this year they would be holding an international Genius Invokation tournament, the Komorebi Cup. Apparently they're planning the first commercial release of a new set of Inazuman themed cards during the festival! Suffice to say that Cyno absolutely needed those cards. Though he maintained a stoic exterior, he was goofily jumping for joy on the inside as he scanned his new surroundings.
While many people enjoyed Genius Invokation in Sumeru, not as many shared Cyno's fervor, especially no one in his inner circle. Sure they'd play a game or two with him, but by the fourth round they were begging to leave. Cyno, however, never got tired of discussing strategy, reorganizing his deck, or vying for new cards. But he'd sometimes catch people's eyes glazing over which was how he knew he'd been talking about it for too long. He didn't take offense to that, everyone has their own niche. But the chance to go to a festival and be surrounded by other fanatics made him feel like a shroomboar returning to the forest after being lost in the desert. He loved his friends at home, but there was this glimmering feeling that Cyno might find a sense of belonging here that he wanted more desperately than he knew.
A warm sea breeze blew his hair and clothes toward the festivities as if welcoming him. He could hear distant chimes or bells ringing along with it. But his excitement didn't dull his senses as a mahamatra. As he was disembarking, he immediately noticed a rather tall man watching his every move from a distance. He had horns, so an oni then?
Almost as soon as he confirmed his vacation with Dehya and the sages, Cyno began studying Inazuman law thoroughly. Even so, he'd brought a small Inazuman legal booklet on his voyage, and had gone over the words so many times he could recite them from memory. But admittedly, he didn't know much about Inazuman culture after the Sakoku Decree, aside from things he'd read in the occasional news article and none of them mentioned oni. As such, he was unsure of the role oni played in Inazuman society and had little to compare them to in Sumeru. Perhaps they ranged from citizens to members of the archon's government like the melusines in Fontaine or the adepti in Liyue.
His teeth nervously clenched reflexively under the stranger's prolonged gaze. He couldn't help but think about the way the people of the desert are looked down on by those in the rainforest. Growing up in the Akademiya, he'd learned to expect the stares and insults. He'd grown a relatively thick skin and gotten used to isolation over the years to get by.
That was part of the reason why he became so deeply enamored with Genius Invokation. It was said to be based on ancient games played by King Deshret and his viceroys. He'd imagined his ancestors playing games like this in countless daydreams, and there was so much to learn, so many cards to know! Focusing on building the perfect deck occupied a lot of his free time and was something he could do alone that didn't make him feel lonely. He often floundered socially, but with Genius Invokation, he understood the rules and the interactions with other players were built in. On the card table, it didn't matter who you were if you were skilled enough.
He'd hoped things might be different abroad. But perhaps negative rumors of eremites had spread to Inazuma too. The thought soured his joyful mood from a moment ago. He could at least fall back on his vision and identity as a mahamatra, but he was keenly aware of how unprotected he'd be without them. And even then, his well-practiced speeches didn't mean much to some people who assumed he was just a bluffing mercenary. He began to lock the carefree side of himself away and gathered his badge and permits while the imposing figure began to approach him with another man in tow, no doubt to hassle him.
itto
Itto and the gang had heard about the Komorebi Cup just a few weeks ago when Akira had brought back a flyer from a snack run. Naturally, the group was excited to see people from all over the world come to Ritou for a huge showdown. But it was also the ultimate test. These would be some of the absolute best minds (when it comes to games) the world had to offer. A thought quickly bloomed in Itto's head.
If they placed bets on their matches, and then win the matches and the bets, by the end of the tournament they might come home with two–no maybe even three days worth of snacks for everyone. It was for this reason especially that they had to take that sweet number one spot to prove the Arataki Gang's strength to the world. And so, thanks to Kuki Shinobu's genius, they devised a meeting of the minds to spy learn more about their competition. The gang would hand out flyers for only the best GI TCG players and lure them into their honeypot. They'd chat like old friends unaware they're spilling all of their precious secrets, securing the Arataki Gang's status as numero uno.
Because of the importance of this plan, the flyers were most elegantly designed by Itto himself.
hello super strong GI TCG player!!!!
do YOU want exclusive information about ur favorite game??
do YOU want to meet the other top players and swap secret moves??
do YOU want first dibs on exclusive cards that would put the Komorebi Cup's Inazuma packs to shame??
meet by the ramen stand after the moon rises in the sky and YOU too will rise to the top!
So Itto and the gang marched to the docks with their stacks of invitations, ready to scope out the top players once they arrived. He was beyond sure of their plan and of his compadres' skill.
And just as he was imagining the taste of the tri-color dango he was going to buy, everything the gang said stopped registering in an instant. He forgot what he was doing. He forgot where he was. He almost forgot his own name when the most beautiful boy he'd ever seen stepped off one of the recently docked ships.
His jaw went slack and it took him much longer to close his gaping mouth than he realized. Adrenaline pumped through his body when the little guy seemed to notice Itto staring. With an unspoken magnetism, he began walking toward him, not even noticing Mamoru calling from behind. Every part of his body pricked up like he'd been electrocuted as he approached and they exchanged awkward hellos. After a beat, Itto remembered what he was there to do and raised his sweaty and slightly shaky hand to offer a flyer.
"Do you want to go to this with me?" he asked in a surprisingly vulnerable and childlike tone. Itto waited on bated breath while the smaller man glanced over the paper. His eyes were a gorgeous shade of orange, nearly matching the red of his own. The setting sun and the crimson of the maple trees surrounding them seemed to make them sparkle even more. And as he read, his hair fell to hide them briefly in a way that made Itto feel like a balloon was expanding in his chest, about to burst. The loud chatter of the crowd and the sea melted into a dull rush in Ittos ears while he watched him.
"This seems unofficial. Are you really licensed for this?" although blunt, the mysterious man didn't seem too bothered.
"Uh, boss.." Itto finally became aware of Mamoru standing next to him, looking around nervously like shoplifting teenager.
"KAHAHAHAHA! When it comes to friendship, you don't need a license."
Without breaking eye contact with the intriguing stranger, Itto shoved his flyers into Mamoru's hands. "Have you been to Ritou before? I'm the number one tour guide here! Care if I show you around?"
After a pause the new boy responds "Okay, show me around," in a thoroughly neutral tone and tucks the flyer along with some papers back into the small bag crossed over his shoulder.
"So tell me friend, what should I call you?" Excited by this new guy's enthusiasm, Itto threw an arm around him. He could feel the stranger's shoulders tense but then soften just as quickly underneath him.
"Cyno...the adventurer."
"Oh! An adventurer are you? I happen to know one of those myself! Real strong lady. Nice to meet you, Cyno the adventurer! I'm Arataki Itto head of the Arataki Gang, but you can call me your one and oni."
To Itto's shock, the boy chuckled quietly at his pun. A fellow connoisseur! This day was getting better and better. "Here, Mr. Adventurer, let's see the festival's sights together. Something tells me this is going to be an evening to remember."
"How funny, something tells me the same," Cyno replied cooly.