"Are you sure?" asked Barbatos, still with an incredulous gaze.
"For the last time, yes" Kenshin replied tiredly.
"It's just that amazing" Barbatos replied, looking ahead with a distant gaze. "To think Morax would have a son...."
"Or daughter" noted Kenshin. The baby's soul was way stronger than any normal child, obviously. Morax was well, Morax, and Guizhong was still a God, a weak one, but her soul had the quality of one.
"Haahhh" Barbatos sighed in melancholy. "Things are changing too fast".
"Well, they met 2 years ago" Kenshin shrugged. "And they had some weird mood between them 2000 years ago, it was a matter of time".
"Still, Morax lives at a different rhythm" replied Barbatos.
"Guizhong lived by my side for 7 years, I think it affected her. I also can't imagine Morax being the proactive one, so probably Guizhong was pushing all the time" Kenshin shrugged. "Anyway, why are we walking? Just take me to Mondstadt".
"No way, I shouldn't fly while I'm drunk" Barbatos shook his head.
"What a weird moment to grow some responsibility".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So, how did everything go in Mondstadt these last years? I think it's been 6 or 7 years now" mused Kneshin, looking at the approaching forest, one that had previously scared him. Wolves and that.
"As it ever went" Barbatos excitedly said, gently caressing the bottle of wine in his hands. "Good, people are free and enjoying their life".
"Maybe a bit too much" Kenshin scoffed. "Jean didn't even have the time to write with how busy she was trying to fix all the problems your people caused".
"My people are free people, it's expected for some problems to happen" Barbatos shrugged.
"Trying to set a date for everyone to go naked in the name of 'art' seems something only 'free' people would do" remarked Kenshin with a look at Barbatos.
"That was a bit too much" Barbatos admitted.
"And yet" Kenshin said with a narrowed gaze. "Jean told me that the whole idea started when a drunk bard in a bar suggested it after drinking a little too much".
"Tehe!"
"Tehe indeed" Kenshin sighed. He had calmed down, and maybe at another time he would have doubled up, but now he wanted to see Jean.
Then they sensed a huge shadow cover them, and looking upwards they saw a greenish dragon with 3 pairs of wings.
"Dvalin...." Barbatos said, and started running.
"Why the hell are you running?" Kenshin couldn't think of a reason a wind spirit would ever run.
He followed from a distance, and stopped when he was in range of the huge soul of the dragon and Barbatos. Despite the size difference, Barbatos' soul was a lot stronger than the dragon's.
Kenshin sat on the ground to wait for those 2 to solve their things, but upon seeing 2 new souls approaching, he stood up in shock.
One of them looked like a revolving sphere with a lot of different colors, but some areas were grey, maybe some kind of seal. His inner seal master wanted to start dabbling with it, but he wouldn't touch anything until he could confirm what it was doing. This soul was sealed so he didn't know if Ei or even himself would be able to defeat this being in its recovered state. This soul was extremely strong.
And the other was simply ominous. Kenshin thought this was a soul only because he could see it, but it didn't look like one. It was almost like a black and red portal, receiving some kind of signal from a place Kenshin had no idea how to locate. Even if he didn't know what to make of this, he wasn't going to stay near this thing more than necessary.
"Dammit" Kenshin muttered when he saw the dragon get suspicious, and then alarmed. Judging by Barbatos' surprise and the other 2 thing's tense state, they had somehow alarmed the dragon, that chose to leave.
Kenshin sighed, seeing how a possible solution was getting far, and approached the area where Barbatos was, only to suddenly feel him fly away.
"Why are you flying away now...." Kenshin could only sigh in exasperation, and sensing that the dragon had left something behind, went to retrieve it. It was something dark, but he sensed that there was a curse of some kind inside it, so studying it may help him understand what was happening to the dragon. Even if it meant approaching these 2 things.
"Who's there?" Kenshin saw how the 'luminous' soul belonged to a girl with blonde hair and a white dress, and the scary soul to a floating 'child'.
"It's me, Kenshin" Kenshin introduced himself.
"I don't know anyone called Kenshin" the girl said with narrowed eyes, thinking that this man was suspicious. Appearing just after the dragon left was too much of a coincidence.
"And what a tragedy it is" replied Kenshin, approaching more without minding the girl's sword.
"Stop right there!" the floating white thing said with an arrogant expression. "Or Lumine will beat you!"
"Paimon!" Lumine shouted in alarm. She didn't want trouble, and the man exuded an air of confidence that was making her uneasy.
"What a feisty baby" uttered Kenshin with a curious look. He had no idea of what this white thing was, but a baby is not one of them.
"Paimon is not a baby!" Paimon said with an indignant expression. "Paimon is Paimon!"
"That doesn't explain anything" said Kenshin stopping just before entering Lumine's range. "Even if you are not a baby, you are as stupid as one".
"Paimon is not stupid!" she said stomping in the air.
"What do you want?" Lumine let down her guard a bit but was still wary of this man with beautiful purple eyes.
"That" Kenshin pointed at the red droplet.
"Humpf!" Paimon crossed her arms in the air with an arrogant look on her face. "It's ours now!"
"Is it?" Kenshin asked with a pointed look at Lumine. "I could have sworn the dragon left it behind, and I need it. So hand it over".
"Even if the dragon left it" insisted Paimon with a frown "that wouldn't make it yours".
"Well, that's true" mused Kenshin. He couldn't say he knew the 'green clothed guy', because he would need to reveal Barbatos' identity. "What about an exchange? You give me that thing you have no idea of what it is or how to use it, and I give you a meal my lover made me. She is starting, but the materials are top-notch".
"Food!" Paimon suddenly turned into a ravenous beast. "Ehem, no deal!"
"May I ask why?" Kenshin was trying to be very civil, just because these 2 were special. But his already limited patience was reaching his limit.
"This thing may be more valuable than a single meal. You are a bit stupid, aren't you?". Paimon said with a proud look.
"Oi, you" Kenshin looked at Lumine with a dark face. "I'm getting that thing one way or another. I already made some concessions, you choose now".
Lumine thought for a while. This thing was useless to her, but it was probably very valuable, considering it came from a dragon.
But this man wanted it, and even if his temper was not the best, he had tried to negotiate.
"Take it" Lumine said under the disbelieving stare of Paimon, and a grateful nod from Kenshin, who received it. "But you need to take us to Mondstadt".
"Fine, I was going to Mondstadt anyway" Kenshin shrugged and gestured for Lumine to walk beside him.
"Fine then!" Paimon shouted with a fed-up expression. "But give me the food!"
"What are you anyway?" asked Kenshiin curiously, trying to touch her, but Paimon chose to start shadowboxing against his hand.
"Emergency rations" Lumine said with a teasing smile.
"Paimon is not emergency rations!" the thing in question disagreed.
"Lumine, how can Paimon be food?" Kenshin said with a reprobing look.
"Oooh, you are on Paimon's side?" someone was looking at Kenshin with a gaze full of admiration. "I will give you a nice nickname. Uhmmmmm, yes, Shiny Eyes!"
"If you ate her, you will be hungry again in an hour" said Kenshin, grabbing the betrayed Paimon by the scruff of her neck. "This thing is bait for us to catch a boar".
"Traitor!!" Paimon struggled to break free under the amused look of Lumine. "I won't give you a nice nickname then. Ooh, fear my intellect human, I will give you a bad nickname!"
"A weird personality appeared in the middle there" Lumine commented seeing Paimon trashing around.
"Lothario! That's your nickname" Paimon proudly said, still on Kenshin's hand.
"It's amazing that you know that word" mused Kenshin, releasing her.
Paimon hid behind Lumine, and Kenshin could swear she was hissing at him.
"But why are you saying that?" asked curiously Kenshin. It was indeed true he could be considered one, but still.
"You said you have a lover" explained Paimon, clearly thinking Kenshin was stupid by not realizing it himself.
"And?" Kenshin prompted her to continue. That was hardly a reason after all.
"And Paimon sense's are telling Paimon that Paimon will know more women that have fallen into your clutches. Paimon has spoken" Paimon said with narrowed eyes.
"Paimon, be respectful" Lumine chided her traveling companion. Kenshin was guiding them to Mondstadt, and she feared that his short temper would make him abandon them.
"Nah, it's okay" Kenshin shrugged but sensed something in the corner of his eye. "Bunny girl incoming".
"Bunn-"
"Stop there" Amber jumped from a rock and looked at the group of 2 and a half with a serious face. "Wait, Kenshin?"
"It is me" Kenshin opened his arms and grandiosely said. "Kenshin, the author of 'The Radiant Knight', Kenshin, the author of 'The Miko and her God', and Kenshin, the founder of the JRK!"
"You did all that?" asked a shocked Paimon. "No wait, are you telling me that you know how to write?"
"Maybe if I write stupid in your face you will know" Kenshin said waving his hand to Amber. "Now my dear bunny girl, tell me what ails my Radiant Knight. Other than the murderous dragon of course".
"I'm not a bunny girl" Amber obviously focused on the most important thing first.
"Obviously no" Kenshin said looking at her with an appraising gaze. "There are 2 requisites to be a bunny girl. One, big boobs, which you don't seem to have. And 2, long legs, which you also don't seem to have".
"Hey!" Amber said with a red face.
"Don't worry, your ass is great" Kenshin said looking at the blushing Amber. "I will show you what a bunny girl looks like during my stay here".
"Oh, that's right" Amber quickly forgot about the bunny thing and looked at Kenshin with a serious gaze. "Did you come to help Mondstadt?".
"Of course, and I have an assistant" Kenshin wrapped his arm over the surprised Lumine's shoulders. "I present you Lumine, the intrepid and generous soul who will help me help the Radiant Knight slay the evil dragon!"
"Humm, I am not?" said Lumine with an unsure face.
"There is going to be a lot of money involved" Kenshin said with a pointed look at Paimon.
"Mora!!" Paimon started salivating thinking of the food she would be able to buy with said money. "We are in!"
"Paimon!" Lumine shouted, but Kenshin covered her mouth.
"Votation!" he shouted. "In favour of getting a shit ton of money".
"Me me me!" Paimon flew a bit higher to make her vote count more.
"See?" Kenshin said to the struggling Lumine. "2 against one. Lumine is now our collaborator in our mission!"
"I'm not!" Lumine said taking a step back. "I am here to speak to the Anemo Archon to ask him about my brother".
"The same Anemo Archon that has disappeared for centuries?" Kenshin said with a disbelieving look. "Can you imitate an exotic bird or something to call him?".
"Uuhhh" Lumine got stumped hearing that. Paimon told her that the Anemo Archon was from Mondstadt, she didn't know he had disappeared that long ago.
"But be assured!" Kenshin patted his chest with a proud expression. "I personally know him!"
"You?" Paimon looked at Kenshin with a gaze that expressed how much distrust she had for that statement.
"You do?" asked a shocked Amber. She knew Kenshin was special, but she didn't know he was THAT special.
"Yes, I do. He helped me when I lost my sight" Kenshin said pointing at his eyes.
"You are blind?" asked stunned Lumine.
"I am" Kenshin nodded, releasing his 'glasses' and approaching Lumine. "I am using a special technique to see, but if I stop using it, I can only see some special things, but I will collide with everything in my path".
"He is saying the truth" Amber said, remembering how distraught Kenshin was the days after. "I personally saw him fall face first in a god's shit".
"Pupupu" Paimon said covering her mouth and pointing at Kenshin. "Shit breath".
"You should be thankful" said Kenshin turning to Amber, who looked nervous. "You look like a child, and that's what will save you from my 'love touch'".
"That sounds lewd" replied Amber with a frown taking a step back.
"Anyway" Kenshin said looking at Lumine after 'seeing' again. "You help us, and I help you. I won't promise to present Barbatos to you, but I can ask him in your stead".
"Thank you, that will be incredibly helpful" Lumine nodded gratefully. "But why are you helping me this much?"
"I am not helping you, just making a deal" Kenshin shrugged and continued before Lumine could talk again. "But it's mainly because I know you are hiding something". Kenshin wouldn't tell her of his special ability, not without knowing who she was, and obviously in a place Paimon wouldn't hear. He could probably get an explanation about Lumine, but Paimon was another thing.
Lumine nodded, grateful that Kenshin was not trying to pry. She wasn't hiding her origins, but she preferred to wait for the reveal until she knew a bit more about the world she was in.
"And food" Paimon chimed, her hands trying to grab an invisible piece of food in front of her.
"And food" Lumine agreed with a fond smile.
"Then let's go, I need to clean a hilichurl camp first" Amber said, but Kenshin grabbed her before she could leave.
"Take Lumine with you, I will go to Mondstadt first" said Kenshin.
"Ohh, I understand" replied Amber with a teasing smile.
"I am sure you do non-bunny girl" Kenshin said and started walking to Mondstadt, waving at them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"That guy...." Amber shook her head in exasperation.
"Is he a bad guy?" asked Paimon curiously. "He is going to give me, ehem, us a lot of food".
"Paimon....." Lumine sighed.
"Ah, now that Paimon remembers it" Paimon quickly had a frown on her face. "He threatened us at first. Lumine, you should have smashed his head like an egg with your sword".
"Do that, and you won't leave Mondstadt alive" Amber's offhand comment made Lumine and Paimon look at her with shock. "He has done a lot for Mondstadt, and you really don't want to mess with him, everyone here loves him".
"Do you love him too?" Paimon asked with a suggestive smile.
"Not as a lover" Amber shook her head. "But he helped a close friend survive a huge ordeal, so in that sense, I would also fight for him. And he is married to the Acting Grand Master".
"He is indeed a Lothario" grumbled Paimon. "He told us his lover had made him a meal, one I couldn't taste. He hid that he was married".
"Well....." Amber knew a bit more of what happened between Jean and Kenshin. She spoke a bit with his parents and Jean herself, so she was aware of the 'misunderstanding', and she had been in the boat where Jean and her mother were while returning from the festival in Inazuma, where the 'Contract' was made.
The complexity of the situation made her head hurt.
"Anyway, don't try to attack him. If he has his sight now, he should be pretty strong" said Amber, remembering the ease he had sealed what was giving her, Kaeya, Diluc and the strong guy from Sumeru so much trouble that they were bound to lose.
"Are you sure?" asked Paimon, not convinced at all.
But Lumine knew that the confidence he showed was the real deal, and it made her thank whoever was watching over her that things between them didn't escalate.
'But why did he have that sad face when he heard about the hilichurls?'