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Cloud Retainer’s intense gaze was fixed on the blueprint Guizhong had laid out on the heavy wooden table. Her eyes traced the fine drawings, occasionally resting on Guizhong’s remarks here and there. Her hand came up, shifting her glasses, as Cloud Retainer continued to study the blueprint.
The Lord of Dust was standing next to the Adeptus, her expectant smile only half hidden behind her wide sleeves. Her focus lay solely on the woman next to her, not wanting to miss the slightest shift in her expression.
Cloud Retainer’s gaze flickered to the third of this afternoon's meeting, Morax, the Lord of Geo, who showed as much interest as she did. He was standing on the other side of the table, studying the blueprint from another angle.
Guizhong followed Cloud Retainer’s gaze. Her eyes narrowed, and her smile grew wider. Neither of them had said anything so far. She shifted her weight, rocking back and forth on her feet.
It was quiet in the sunbathed pavilion. Birds sang around them, while the wind rustled the leaves of the trees gently. It was a peaceful day, the warmth already promising the summer. The air smelled like fragrant wood, fresh herbs, and heavy incense created by followers of Guizhong, a present of gratitude towards the goddess.
“So?” The Lord of Dust interrupted the contemplative silence, raising her wide sleeves, hiding the lower half of her face completely, eyes almost closed, suppressing an excited snicker.
Morax hummed quietly. He lowered the hand his chin had rested on a moment before, shifting his weight; his robes whispered during the movements. Finally he crossed his arms over his chest, making himself look more imposing than he intended to.
“A machinery that draws up water from beneath the earth,” he concluded.
Cloud Retainer nodded. She had guessed the same. The Adeptus played with her glasses again, adjusting them, letting her gaze flicker between the two gods. As an engineer herself, she was fascinated by Guizhong’s ideas. She also felt a twinge of healthy rivalry. Now, she had to come up with something equally, if not more, interesting. Something the mortals could use, because this was surely meant for them. The healthy competition didn’t put their friendship under strain. It helped them to step out of their comfort zone. That aside, they also supported each other when they hit a wall.
Cloud Retainer mused about the timing for the suggestion. The promise of heat was already on the horizon. Guizhong’s plan came just at the right time. But even with their engineering, Cloud Retainer wasn’t sure if they were able to build the machinery in time, ignoring the testing that needed to be done.
“I would suggest we build a smaller version first,” Guizhong spoke, unknowingly answering Cloud Retainer’s silent question. “It would speed up the testing immensely.” She leaned forward and pointed at a few details. “These here might be more complex to produce. If we lower the scale, we might save time and resources in case we have to change some parts.”
Cloud Retainer hummed. “Would it then not make more sense to create a bigger version?” She walked a few steps, looking at the plan from another angle. “Building it would be a simpler matter. The smaller, the more precise everything needs to be.”
Guizhong nodded. “This may well be, however, dear friend; it would also require more time. And if changes needed to be made…”
“Taking it apart and putting it back together would be quicker this way,” Morax concluded, earning him a bright smile and an energetic nod from Guizhong.
“I’m aware we would need to change the calculations once we attempt to build the final version,” the goddess conceded, “but I believe getting the results of the first tests would be more advisable.”
Another hum from Cloud Retainer. She needed to think about the proposition. It would help the people immensely, negating any possible lack of rain during the summer months, saving the crops from dying in the fields. Of course, smaller machinery wouldn’t be able to water all the fields, but it could be put on test for some smaller ones in one or two areas. If they scaled it down, they might even be able to build a second machine, testing it somewhere else. The environmental influence might have an impact on how the machinery had to be constructed.
Light steps drew closer. Morax didn’t need to look up. He knew this specific rhythm of feather-light steps, unburdened by anything. The god raised his hand, his gaze still fixed on the plan, wondering if the machinery couldn’t also be used to drain the land of water, making it accessible to the mortals. Of course, a few changes had to be made, but it was worth a try.
Morax’s movement was smooth, practiced, and repeated countless times. As he lowered his hand, he hoped he wouldn’t find a random assortment of twigs, leaves, and other curious items decorating the head of the newcomer. His hand touched empty air, sending his calculating thoughts stumbling.
The smaller figure slid past his outstretched arms with unbothered airiness, spreading the gentle fragrance of wisteria. Gloved hands came up. They were placed without hesitation on his broad chest.
The god froze. His specially developed sixth sense started to tingle, warning him of impending social doom.
His eyes wandered downwards, watching the slim hands patting all over his chest, feeling it, measuring it. The touch wasn’t what bothered him; he was used to the closeness. It was the abruptness of the behavior without any context that sent worry down his spine, making him perk up straighter and taller.
His gaze followed the hands, then the arms, finally rising towards the face of the perpetrator, who sported an amused and curious smile. He stared at the shorter person in front of him, not even slightly shocked by the unbotheredness. They were tilting their head from one side to the other, pointed ears shifting with every movement, brown — and thankfully orderly — hair dancing with every tilt. Their mismatched eyes — one green, the other amber — were entirely focused on their object of interest.
Cloud Retainer inhaled sharply. This was pure insolence! She was ready for a blunt reproach but hesitated. Morax was too calm. The Adeptus gave Guizhong a side glance.
Guizhong’s smile stiffened, her eyes wide. In contrast to the Adeptus, she wasn’t appalled, more so curious.
Morax waited, with a patience that at times surprised even himself. It had been a hard battle, developing this skill, but being met with a true champion of unintentional chaos had made him a master. Although he could need some more practice, feeling the cold dread creeping up his neck while he held back, hoping an answer to this riddle would present itself.
The perpetrator had enough and retracted their hands, turning the palms towards their own body, touching their own flat chest, hidden under layers of fabric. They ignored everyone around them, too focused on their assessment. After what felt like an eternity, their head snapped up, eyes clear and curious coming to rest on Morax’s face, before they declared happily: “Master’s chest is big!”
Guizhong snorted, quickly turning away and stifling the sound behind her sleeves. She glanced over her shoulder, trying to regain control over her reaction, which the shorter person in front of Morax didn’t seem to notice at all, considering how focused they were on the god.
Cloud Retainer opened her mouth and closed it again, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath. Whatever Morax’s servant was thinking was beyond her. Even with the few tests she had been allowed to run — the puzzles she had specifically made to understand the construct’s mental capacities — this was just too absurd for her.
Guizhong and Cloud Retainer remained silent for the time being. While they both had won Morax’s trust and were allies who respected each other, they didn’t possess the right to lecture his servant.
Morax stared at them in bewilderment. The sinking feeling in his body became heavier the more he watched them. He didn’t dare to ask, fearing once he opened this box of doom, it would explode right into his face, in front of the Lord of Dust and Cloud Retainer, making them probably even collateral in the process.
“Yìchén?” His voice was steady and quiet.
His servant’s smile grew wider. Their head snapped towards the two women, followed by a sharp movement of their whole body. They raised one leg to step forward.
Morax’s reaction, trained during countless battles, was instant: his arms shot out, clamping around slim shoulders, pulling them from their feet, as he maneuvered their entire body around, bringing himself between Guizhong and Cloud Retainer, shielding them with his body. It was one thing when Yìchén let their curiosity get the best of them and stepped over every non-existent boundary with him, a difference altogether when it came to other people.
He didn’t let them fall, his iron-clawed grip around their upper arms leaving them suspended in the air for a moment before he placed them onto the ground. The god waited, making sure they had secure footing, before he let his hands wander up, placing them heavily onto their shoulders. He wouldn’t allow them to wander off, not even to wriggle slightly out of his clasp. Morax took a deep breath, summoning all his willpower to remain calm, collected, and, most importantly, patient.
Yìchén recovered relatively quickly from the rough handling and beamed at their master, not being intimidated in the slightest by the intense expression the god made. Someone hissed behind Morax; another person snickered. Yìchén tried to lean sideways to see but realized quickly they couldn’t move.
“What are you doing?” Morax’s voice was deep, even, and sharper than he had meant to.
Yìchén’s attention returned to the god in front of them.
“Master’s chest is the best!”
The compliment was met with utter silence. Morax was completely confused. He closed his eyes, tightening his grip ever so slightly.
Another snort behind him. Guizhong was profoundly entertained, having not taken any outward offense to nearly becoming the victim of Yìchén’s groping.
Morax took one more deep breath, battling down the urge to thank them for the compliment while he wasn’t even sure he wanted to get it from them. Or if it was even meant as such. The god was also taken aback by Yìchén’s sudden interest in chests to begin with.
Yìchén tried to wriggle free but found Morax’s grip unyielding. They attempted to take a step aside, their foot stretching out, the tip of their shoe touching the ground. Morax didn’t move and didn’t let go of them either. He observed their attempt. Yìchén retracted the foot and repeated it with the other side. When it didn’t work, they addressed the god directly: “Master, this one asks Master to let go of this one. This one is unable to move. This one must continue with the measurements of chest sizes.”
A sharp inhale behind Morax, followed by an indignant reproach: “How dare you! One’s chest is not for measurement! Show some respect!”
Guizhong cleared her throat. “Now, now, dear friend. Our young member here surely does not have any ill intention.”
The goddess stepped around the table, keeping some distance between Morax, Yìchén, and her. She made sure she was easily visible to both of them. Her sleeves were lowered, a friendly smile playing on her lips, a little too wide.
Yìchén’s head snapped around to her. Their fingers twitched.
“Yìchén,” Morax addressed his servant, whose attention was promptly back on him. “Please explain.”
Yìchén nodded and declared proudly: “Big chests are the best!”
Guizhong glanced at Morax’s chest, which was indeed ‘big’ in a sense. More broad and muscular. The humanoid form the warrior deity had chosen represented his role perfectly. Even if he didn’t need to demonstrate his physical strength often, one he definitely did possess.
Guizhong raised a sleeve, hiding her widening grin. She knew very well Morax was Yìchén’s baseline for everything. In their circular logic, Yìchén would refer every matter back to Morax in some way. As puzzling as it could be, it was often also a very delightful experience for her.
“Hmph, one thinks the importance of chest size is non-existent,” Cloud Retainer remarked.
Guizhong held back. After all, compared to the other three — while ignoring the puppet — it was she who had the smallest chest to begin with, and by Yìchén’s logic would be the weakest of them all. An amusing thought. That aside, she was quite curious about the whole matter and the sudden interest in body parts on Yìchén’s side.
“Context, please,” Morax almost begged, already feeling the social doom crashing over him like a hysterically laughing avalanche.
“This one has observed the play of mortals,” they started their explanation. “They had so much fun.” Yìchén beamed. “They were laughing and touching each other. They were also hugging, not quite like Master is hugging this one right now. Although, their constitution was lacking. They were quite out of breath.”
Morax's expression became stiff like frozen stone. He already had an inkling where this would go and what the consequences of Yìchén’s awakened curiosity were. He wasn’t ready for it.
Yìchén’s smile grew wider, their expression excited.
“Master, this one can demonstrate!”
Without any hesitation, they attempted to step forward, but Morax increased the pressure of his hands on their shoulders, rendering them immobile. His arms became a barrier between him and his own servant.
Yìchén blinked. They tilted their head from side to side, like they often did when they were faced with a new data point.
“Master, this one is unable to move. Please let go.”
“No,” Morax flatly declined. “Continue,” he said, but wished for the opposite.
They had just outgrown tumbling down mountains when the god was taking a rest on the top of one. It already had become a habit for him to wrap his tail around them when he was in his qilin-dragon form so he could enjoy at least some peace and quiet. He also had found other creative ways to keep them in place. Ear rubs were especially effective. He had to thank the mortals, who unintentionally taught him this treatment when he had observed them handling their pets, particularly cats.
Guizhong glanced at Cloud Retainer, who still looked appalled, also already guessing what Yìchén had seen.
Yìchén followed the order and continued chirpingly: “One of them has laughed a lot more when he has patted the other’s chest. Then he exclaimed: ‘Big chests are the best!'” Yìchén raised their voice, mimicking the man, but it sounded odd and at the same time unsurprising to hear such indignant words slipping over their lips without the slightest hint of shame. They paused and nodded energetically. “Master’s chest is the biggest; therefore, Master is the best. Master is also the strongest; therefore, a big chest must be a sign of strength!”
Morax stared blankly at Yìchén. He tried to follow their logic, but it didn’t compute. He was relieved they had no idea what they actually had witnessed. No, on second thought, he was horrified. How many people had they ‘measured’ on their way? And how many more would they want to observe ‘hugging’ and ‘playing,’ potentially interviewing in the middle of the act?
Morax knew he couldn’t avoid it, but right now, he had to find a way to not let them become a perverted stalker in the eyes of the mortals. To Morax's dismay, they had developed from falling from mountains or into ponds to stalking mortals copulating. The god wasn’t quite sure which phase he preferred.
“Oh my!” Guizhong exclaimed, still entertained but realizing the full context, while she was fascinated by the construct’s logic.
Cloud Retainer walked around the table as well, flanking Morax from the other side, keeping her distance. She didn’t trust the puppet, not right now. Even when she knew they certainly didn’t have malicious intent, they were clearly on a mission, as misguided as it was.
“I see,” was all Morax could say for the moment.
He wouldn’t let go, couldn’t. Either Yìchén would proceed with their measuring or demonstrating to him very hands-on how exactly the mortals had ‘hugged.’ Physical proximity was certainly nothing new between them. Because of the shared link, Morax saw them as an extension of himself, a very chaotic one that couldn’t be left alone for too long or the consequences would be dire, like right now.
“How much… data… could you gather?” Morax finally dared to ask.
Yìchén tilted their head sharply. “Master, this one has compared past data plus the new one for Master’s chest. Master’s chest is exceptionally well formed, compared to visual data of the assembly’s members.”
A sudden urge bubbled up inside the god, one he wasn’t proud of. He wanted to fold the construct and throw them into a random direction. Of course, he wouldn’t do it. Not in front of Cloud Retainer and Guizhong, at least. It would have to wait until the training, and Yìchén would see it as nothing more than a game. Morax sighed, sounding utterly exhausted.
Guizhong stared, her face sporting an open-mouthed grin. This was pure gold! Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clapped together. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t make a sound. She was almost hopping on the spot while she watched the disaster unfold.
Cloud Retainer adjusted her glasses, her eyes flickering to Morax’s chest for a fraction of a moment. No, she wouldn’t be so indecent. But she had to admit she never had thought about it, the possibility of measuring beauty. Of course, her curiosity came from a strictly scientific point of view.
Guizhong’s movement pulled Yìchén’s attention away. The construct lifted a sleeve, hiding the lower half of their face, mimicking Guizhong’s own behavior. The goddess stopped, looking at them fascinated.
“Oh my! How adorable!” Guizhong exclaimed.
Morax’s mind worked at full speed. He was a tactician, he was a warrior, he could clear battlefields, and he was very capable of cleaning up natural disasters, but this kind of chaos and social doom was outside his comfort zone.
“Visual data…” he repeated. “No tactile data?” He needed to make sure.
Yìchén’s focus returned to Morax. They lowered their sleeve. The god had just brought their attention back to their little mission.
“Master, this one is missing tactile data; please let go. Visual data is not a sufficient representation.”
“It is good enough,” Morax gave back, tightening his grip, his expression stern. “Do you understand?”
“Oh, dear. Are you suggesting our little Yìchén should stare at people’s chests?” Guizhong quipped, her voice colored in high amusement.
Morax turned his head slowly to Guizhong, who looked at him far too amused. “No…,” he said, drawn-out, almost threatening.
“Master, how is this one then meant to gather more data on the strength of the assembly?”
Cloud Retainer shook her head. There was so much wrong with Yìchén’s assessment that she didn’t even know where to start. That aside, Adepti didn’t normally bother with lesser natural mortal needs like the ones Morax’s servant had observed. But she had to admit, she was curious about how they had come to the conclusion in the first place.
She cleared her throat, drawing the attention of everyone.
“One suggests starting from the very beginning.”
Guizhong perked up, not immediately able to follow the Adeptus.
“We should give Yìchén the context they require,” Cloud Retainer clarified.
“No…,” Morax breathed, letting his head hang. He just wasn’t ready for what would follow.
“Oh? Dear friend,” Guizhong addressed the Lord of Geo, leaning playfully to the side, “are you suggesting we leave the poor little one in the dark? They will figure it out eventually.”
Yìchén looked from one to the other, noticing their Master shaking his head weakly. They weren’t quite sure what exactly was talked about. After all, they already had figured out the connection between chests, strengths, and superiority, and Morax stood — as always — on top of it.
“That is not my intention,” Morax muttered, his hands heavy on the construct’s shoulders, his eyes closed. He needed a moment and a strategy, a good one. How could he distract them? How to keep them from becoming a stalker of mortals' intimate lives? He doubted any explanation would avoid the fate he saw so clearly in front of his mental eye.
He couldn’t put Yìchén in his abode. They would throw one tantrum after the other, being so used to roaming and experiencing the world. Even Cloud Retainer’s puzzles for them wouldn’t last long enough to keep them occupied. He couldn’t just let them run around either. Who knows what other ‘big’ body part was best next? The god let out yet another exhausted sigh.
Both Cloud Retainer and Guizhong watched the god with curiosity. The goddess glanced at Cloud Retainer, who noticed her lingering gaze on her. An amused smile spread on Guizhong’s lips again. Cloud Retainer could see the mischievous cogs turn behind the bright and intelligent eyes.
Guizhong wouldn’t let Morax get away with an easy out. It had also been her first, who was determined to get it into Morax’s head that his little servant was their own person and the god had the responsibility to explain the world to them, outside of battle strategies or secret Adepti Arts. He had left it to Yìchén to observe the mortals, learning social rules from them like that, with limited success. The construct’s mind operated simply on a different level. They could copy movements to perfection and use words and inflections to lead others astray, believing they understood what they did, but this wasn’t always the case.
But despite his seemingly hands-off approach, Morax was surprisingly protective of Yìchén. His claim on his servant was well-known among the assembly members, even if only a few knew the truth about his servant. Having an ancient construct under his control was a matter best kept a secret. Not every unallied god had an interest in being respectful. Some would seek to steal the construct, seeing it as nothing more than an artifact of olden times.
Guizhong lowered herself, crouching down and looking up at the god. She hid her smile; her voice sounded slightly muffled: “Dear friend, it would indeed be safer to give them the context they need. More so, knowing the teaching would come from someone you trust.”
Morax opened his eyes, seeing her blink at him, attempting to look all innocent and supportive, but he knew her suggestion was for her own entertainment. His eyes remained locked onto hers. He saw a gleeful twinkle in them. The god had to face the truth: he wouldn’t be able to get out of this situation, nor could he put it off.
Yìchén was unable to follow the conversation fully, but they found something they latched onto: “Master will not leave this one in the dark again?” Their voice was light, hopeful.
Morax’s head snapped up. He knew exactly what they were referring to, something he still hadn’t quite forgiven himself for. Even if it had been ages since then. Even more so because Yìchén still had no concept of how wrong things had gone, but he knew, and he had also become aware of how useless punishments for them truly were.
“I understand,” the god finally conceded. “The context is needed, as well as a tighter leash.”
Cloud Retainer raised a brow. “Beg your pardon?”
“I presume he means it figuratively,” Guizhong helped Morax out for once. “You know how our little one is. He is afraid they will wander around, looking for more data of a specific kind. I bet you will be able to imagine how this would go down.”
Cloud Retainer’s eyes widened, understanding immediately.
“Is this a new game, Master?”
Yìchén didn’t break their focus on Morax, their face brightening up with excitement.
Before the god could answer, Guizhong jumped up and hopped closer, patting the construct on the head.
“Something like that. You want to learn, do you not?” Yìchén nodded. “So, you will accompany us more often. More time with your Master, more time with myself, perhaps even Cloud Retainer would feel inclined, considering you like to play with her adoptive daughter.”
Yìchén’s head snapped around. Cloud Retainer stood there, her face frozen. She still remembered the ‘kidnapping’ incident far too clearly, when the construct had taken Ganyu out to play but had forgotten to leave a message. She had gone down to the mortals and had scared them, trying to find the half-qilin, only to hear from Streetward Rambler that Yìchén was playing with Ganyu down by the river.
“One will have to consider it.” She paused. “At another time.”