The trip towards Inazuma as Paimon so proudly declared wasn't much of an issue at all. No, the funny thing was that just like back on Earth storm clouds were only so high in the air... So, we literally just flew over the whole damned storm like it was nothing until we saw the eye of the storm and entered the calmer area surrounding the islands chain of Inazuma.
Only with my Anemo Hypostasis creating a sealed environment similar to a normal airplane so we could breathe, and not freeze to death at our super high altitude and speed allowed us to bypass the Electro Archon's storm. And I bet that Cloud Retainer couldn't do the same because in the end, she was still a living being and as far as I knew she didn't actually have a vision to elementally defend herself.
"Wow Inazuma is so pretty." Paimon gasped as she saw the islands of Inazuma with their various topography's. and very special appearances as there was one island that was being rained down upon by constant lightning, the one that held the Fire Hypostasis I think may have been an inactive volcano or something. And of course, as we kept heading south we eventually came within view of Watatsumi Island the island we were supposed to deliver the packages we were supposed to.
"Do these people only eat fish and rice?" Paimon asked curiously as Lumine, and I just silently watched the Inazuma islands pass us by and as we approached Watatsumi island I kinda understood what she meant as all the farms in the weird as hell island that consisted of a large ring of land surrounding a massive pit with villages built onto the sides of the pit's walls that led to the ground with many large waterfalls of ocean water crashing down into the central pit of the island.
And in the middle of the picturesque island was a large temple seemingly built upon one of the massive seashells that were scattered across the island, and boy were the seashells utterly massive with most of them being larger the Knights of Favonius building back in Mondstadt.
"Hey Jake think we could find the clams or whatever that made those seashells and see what kind of pearls they have if we get Hydro powers, so we dive into the ocean?" Lumine asked softly as she snuggled up against me.
I gave her a dry look as I looked at the massive clams. "Yeah... Fuck deep oceans especially in a world infested with monsters Lumine. Just think of meeting a giant tentacle monster down in the pitch-black crushing depths of the deep sea." I spoke and Paimon shuddered at hearing my words.
"Paimon suggests we keep our underwater adventure's to only the fish we can catch on the shore. Paimon cannot swim at all after all!" Paimon firmly agreed with me making Lumine huff as she rolled her eyes.
"Well anyway that shrine is supposed to be where we land anyway." I said changing the subject as I had my Anemo Hypostasis bank sideways slightly so we were clearly being seen by the temples many guards as we can to land in front of the temples large gate.
As our party got off our ride I noticed now that we weren't flying at high speeds that the air was filled with tiny flying bubbles that were gently gliding around on the clean ocean smelling winds.
Soon enough a minute later a trio of guards came striding down the stairs leading towards the temple and seeing the large crate beside us adorned with glowing Adepti seals, the leading man smiled as he bowed lightly to us with a hand at his stomach. "Hail friends from Liyue. We were worried at seeing Lady Cloud Retainer wasn't the one delivering the package. Would you mind if we took the package off your hands, or do you have orders to do something specific with it?" The leading guard asked me respectfully and I realized the man must think we were Adepti or something.
Which made sense as we have clearly flew in on some kind of magical construct and Paimon was most obviously not human... So, getting some respect and not suspicion was nice.
But nevertheless, I shook my head. "We were merely requested to deliver the Adepti machine parts to the Temple of Watatsumi Island. If you are willing to take responsibility for them now that's fine." I offered and the guards took a couple looks at the clearly magically glowing crate and shook their heads.
"Honored guests we would appreciate you moving the crate to the temple where Lady Sangonomiya Kokomi may open it safely as she has the knowledge of how to operate these... Adepti machines." The man said trying to be respectful but it was obvious the man was out of his depths and didn't want to touch the magical crates so I just shrugged and had the Anemo Hypostasis gently life the craft up into the air so it could glide behind us as we followed the guards, who led us into the temple.
"We are new to Inazuma and more particularly Watatsumi Island. Is there any social taboos or anything we as foreigners should know?" I asked the leading guard and the man snorting shaking his head.
"We only ask for common decency... Here in Watatsumi island we do not have the time and resources to be like the frivolous mainland of Narukami Island with how many of our inports and exports are lost in the damned storm that surrounds the seas of Inazuma. So just treat Lady Kokomi with respect as our leader, and we will welcome our Liyue friends that have supported us as our own brothers." The man spoke giving me a nod of respect as Paimon giggled shyly as we hadn't gotten such a warm welcome yet before anywhere, we had been.
No literally Mondstadt treated us like interlopers at first with Amber first calling us criminals or whatever. With several people saying I was obviously from Snezhnaya due to my clothes and hair being ice themed. And Liyue... They immediately saw us as an asset and put us to work.
A minute later we arrived in front of the large temple and as we approached from out of the temple walked out the woman of the hour.
Sangonomiya Kokomi was by all measurements beautiful, as she was a softer beauty than Eula or even Lumine with her very light soft pink long hair trailing down to her waist along with herself not being as muscularly toned as they were seeing as she was a catalyst user who hadn't spent years training to swing a weapon around. And along with her gentle smiling face she had lavender eyes with no pupils which gave her face an exotic appearance.
Her attire consisted of an off-the-shoulder navy-blue kimono-like coat with paler blue swirling accents that resemble waves at the bottom of her fish like styled sleeves. She wore a low-cut white-lilac bodysuit under her coat ending with shorts with a scalloped hem that exposed a bit of her top cleavage and the sides of her breasts. Attached on her chest is a large indigo bow with her Hydro Vision mounted at the center alongside two purple ribbons.
Her footwear consisted of geta sandals. Her accessories consisted of white-lilac half gloves with scalloped edges and a navy-blue and light lilac choker with turquoise gemstones hanging from the bottom.
"Lady Kokomi, we have come to deliver your Adepti parts. It's also a pleasure to meet the leader of the Watatasumi Resistance army." I spoke respectfully to Kokomi who nodded and dipped into a courtesy as she placed a hand over chest and inclined her head towards us while I had the Anemo Hypostasis gently set the crate on the ground.
"Welcome Honorary Knights of Favonius... It's an honor to have people who fought alongside a god to defeat a dragon and even lay low Fatui Harbingers upon our island helping bring aid to my people." She spoke loudly and my eye twitched at the slight power game she played.
For one she separated us from Liyue and made a subtle mention of our estranged relationship with Mondstadt, while still publicly and honestly complimented us on our prior accomplishments.
'These ultra intelligent ladies are troublesome...' I thought wryly as I compared Kokomi to Ningguang and found them both rather familiar.
Even Lumine raised an eyebrow at how Kokomi introduced us with Paimon verbally speaking our unspoken thought. "Wow Paimon didn't think we would be famous all the way in Inazuma already?"
Kokomi only politely smiled as she sent a glance at me before she spoke. "Well when someone can summon ghosts of machines and elemental spirits that can lay waste to cities word of such typically travels via the worlds many information channels." Then Kokomi smiled more genuinely as she clasped her gloved hands together as she continued to speak. "Now I am sure after your long trip from Liyue that you are famished and not only myself but the people of Watatsumi welcome you to sup and refresh yourself after your long journey." She said gently as her hydro vision glowed briefly with power as dark water surrounded the crate and lifted it off the ground to follow the priestess into the temple.
"Uhm Paimon is confused... It only took us like an hour and a half to get here form Liyue. it wasn't even much trouble as we just flew over the storm?" Paimon answered guilelessly as we were escorted into the temple and hearing Paimon's words, Kokomi staggered almost tripping on the steps as she walked up them in high heels.
Slowly Kokomi looked over her shoulder and seeing our wry expressions she just closed her eyes and visibly counted to ten before she put on a smile and shrugged. "Either way you are our guests... Regardless of how trivial you may have made the trip. In any case it is lunch time, and I would enjoy speaking of you three in a more private setting about the affairs of Liyue and Inazuma." Kokomi said in a friendly way.
After a couple minutes after Kokomi left us to sit in a large sitting room with short tables placed in front of the cushions placed on the ground for us to sit upon, we were rejoined by Kokomi sans the guards and the large crate she obviously dropped off somewhere.
"Well let's make proper introductions I suppose. I am Sangonomiya Kokomi, the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island and leader of the Watatsumi Resistance Army and my goal in life is to provide a better life for my people of Watatsumi and the surrounding islands that do not worship the Raiden Shogun... Would you care to introduce yourselves and a bit about yourself?" She spoke with a soft smile, and I wondered what her game was. She was a nice person, as much as she could anyway. Being a resistance leader standing up to a god and all wasn't a job that allowed to many mercies.
"Oh Paimon is Paimon and Paimon loves to try new foods and travel along with Jake and Lumine!" Paimon volunteered excitedly.
Kokomi graced Paimon with a soft smile as she responded. "Thats lovely and I imagine you three must have seen so much. Me however I remained on the Islands of Inazuma my whole life but maybe one day I can join you three on a trip to Liyue at some point when the revolution is over... Perhaps during a Lantern Rite in Liyue I could set aside some time however Hehe." She pondered before giggling lightly before she looked to me and Lumine for our 'introductions'.
Lumine sighed shrugging as she sent me a look as she began to speak and in Lumine fashion it wasn't anything grand as she wasn't the most talkative person. "I am a traveler... Paimon and Jake are my trusted and loved companions and that's about it." Lumine shrugged uncaring as Kokomi's smile twitched at Lumine's weak response.
I just face palmed and subtly pinched Lumine's behind making her jolt in place sending me a warning glare filled with heat as a small blush crossed her face at the abrupt pinch. "Anyway, my name is Jake Barris, no I am not a citizen of Snezhnaya nor have I ever even been there. I like Lumine and Paimon is alright too." I joked making Paimon fly over to me furiously but before she could get into a yelling fit about how I was bully and how she was going to be calling me 'Stupid Snowflake Jake,' or something equally dumb as hell. I just stuffed a chicken skewer into her mouth to shut her as Paimon's natural instincts were to shut down monke brain and eat silently.
"Well yeah I like Paimon as well but anyway I didn't imagine such a... Welcome to your island, So Kokomi would you care to tell us what you want plainly?" I asked straightforwardly with Kokomi's smile turning neutral as she sighed.
"I came on too strong and so did my people didn't they?" She spoke dully and I nodded as she sighed biting her lip in thought as she constructed whatever speech was forming in her mind.