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Her first visit to Liyue in centuries was always bound to be eventful. Until she was actually getting on the ship and watching attendants scurry about with supplies, Ei hadn’t been sure she’d be able to go through with it instead of sending Zhongli a letter with her regrets. But here she was, feeling somehow cold and alone in the sunshine of a warm Liyuen afternoon.
Until a smiling young woman skipped up to her, slinging an arm around her as if they’d known each other for millennia. Ei tensed, fingers twitching for her naginata, but before she could let it fully materialize, the stranger gave her a reassuring pat on the back.
“You must be Zhongli’s friend from Inazuma!” she exclaimed, as if all the funeral home attendants hadn’t been practically falling over themselves trying to accommodate a visit from the Raiden Shogun. “Ehehe, sorry he’s not here to greet you! He’ll be along in a jiffy, probably got caught up with his boyfriend or something.” She rolled her eyes dramatically, still leaning right up against Ei in a manner that made it difficult for her to process the implications of Zhongli having a boyfriend.
“Er, yes,” she replied, muscles and voice both equally stiff. It was a great effort to remember Miko’s teasing instructions to relax and smile, glancing over to get a better look at her new hanger-on. “That’s right. And you are?”
“Oh, of course, silly me! I’m Hu Tao, director of the fine Wangsheng Funeral Parlor you see here!” The arm that wasn’t still keeping Ei close gestured broadly to the nearby building, as though she were a shogun herself flaunting her territory. “And you are?” If not for the truly impressive amount of mischief packed into that smile of hers, along with the wink of one warm scarlet eye, Ei might have been able to believe she really didn’t know.
“Ah. Hu Tao. M— Zhongli’s seen fit to mention you in some of his letters. He’s very proud,” she said politely, trying to buy some time to decide how she ought to introduce herself. Clearly there wasn’t much use in lying to Hu Tao, and the parlor staff had already recognized her too. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Raiden Ei, Shogun of Inazuma. As you’re such a close companion of Zhongli, feel free to call me Ei.”
“Well, Ei, you’re in luck, because you’ve got yourself one of the best tour guides in Liyue Harbor! No doubt you’ve heard all the history about a thousand times already, so what you need is fun, and that’s what I’ve got.” Hu Tao finally unwound her arm from around her, and the loss of her heat—no wonder, Ei thought when she got a glimpse of the Pyro vision she wore—left her feeling just as unnaturally cold as when she’d been standing alone in the courtyard. Then, the arm was just as swiftly linked with her own instead, just a little awkward because of the height difference, and Ei studied the unfamiliar face, trying once again to figure out what to say. Maybe coming here was a mistake.
Hu Tao didn’t seem bothered. She was still chattering along eagerly, requiring Ei to do absolutely nothing but walk alongside her and try to seem inconspicuous.
“I’m taking you to Wanmin Restaurant first,” Hu Tao continued, bouncing a little with every step. “It’s one of my favorite places in the city to get a bite to eat. One of my friends, Xiangling, her dad’s the owner and she’s in there all the time cooking. You’ll probably get to meet her today. What’s Inazuman food like? Any favorite restaurants? I’ve never been.” Barely a second for Ei to begin to collect herself, and Hu Tao was already going on. “Ooh, and I’m really curious about Inazuman funeral rites too. Do they differ from Liyuen traditions?”
Miraculously, Ei managed to stumble through some explanations of her new favorite spots to eat in Inazuma City for as long as it took to arrive at the restaurant, and by the time they arrived, Hu Tao was caught up enough in other things to talk about that it seemed she might’ve gotten away scot-free, no need to talk about death.
Unfortunately, she was wrong. As they picked at the final scraps of their meal and sipped cooling dregs of tea, Hu Tao leaned in close across the table, laying a hand atop Ei’s own.
“Earlier... I’m used to other humans being put off by me, being scared of death. They don’t understand, so it’s only natural. I just try not to let it get to me. I wasn’t expecting to get that kind of reception from an archon.” She chuckled a bit uncomfortably, and Ei felt an unexpected pang in her chest, guilt that she’d hidden her discomfort poorly enough to upset her host.
“I’m sorry,” she began, but Hu Tao was already shaking her head, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
“No, no! You’re a guest, I should be putting you at ease! But...” She chewed thoughtfully at her lip then, a reflex youthful enough to make Ei feel the full weight of all the millennia of her existence. “I can tell that there’s something that’s been haunting you for a long time. Maybe more than one thing. If you’d like to talk about it while you’re here, Wangsheng’s doors are always open to you. Free consultation, no tricks!”
Even after the partial closure she’d gained, the thought of talking to a stranger about Makoto and the others was enough to conjure a lump in her throat. Ei swallowed thickly, downing her last few drops of tea, but there was something about the way Hu Tao was looking at her and the Pyro-favored heat of her hand that kept her from refusing.
“Thank you. I’ll give it some thought. I’m certain I’d like to hear more from you while I’m here.”