The sun had barely risen above the horizon, casting a soft golden glow over Mondstadt, when Kaeya Alberich walked leisurely through the city's bustling market square. His partner, Zorua, followed close behind, blending in effortlessly with the morning shadows. The young knight was enjoying the tranquility of the early hours, his usual smirk in place as he observed the busy vendors setting up their stalls.
Kaeya had grown fond of his mischievous Zorua, whose illusion abilities were a source of endless amusement for him. They had already pulled a number of harmless pranks on the Knights of Favonius, and today, Kaeya was feeling particularly playful. He was determined to find a new target for some lighthearted fun.
"Zorua," Kaeya said, glancing down at his partner, "I think it's time we had a little fun, don't you?"
Zorua looked up at Kaeya, its eyes gleaming with excitement. It gave an enthusiastic nod, its fluffy tail twitching in anticipation. Kaeya chuckled, reaching down to pat Zorua on the head. "Let's see who we can find today. How about Jean? I hear she's been rather busy lately. Perhaps we can help her—in our own special way."
With that, Kaeya and Zorua made their way towards the Knights of Favonius headquarters, Kaeya whistling a cheerful tune as they walked. As they approached the building, they saw Jean speaking with a group of knights in the courtyard. She looked as composed as always, but there was a hint of exhaustion in her eyes.
Kaeya smiled to himself, glancing down at Zorua. "Ready, partner? Let's give her a little surprise." Zorua nodded, its form shimmering for a moment before it transformed into a perfect replica of Jean. Kaeya had to stifle a laugh at how accurate the illusion was—from the flowing hair to the determined expression, Zorua had nailed it.
Kaeya strolled up to the group, his expression casual. "Ah, Acting Grand Master," he said, addressing the real Jean, "it seems you're in two places at once today. Quite the impressive feat, if I do say so myself."
Jean turned to look at him, confusion briefly crossing her face before she spotted the illusionary version of herself standing beside Kaeya. Her eyes widened, and she let out a sigh, clearly recognizing Kaeya's handiwork. "Kaeya, what is this?"
Kaeya put on his best innocent smile. "Why, Jean, I thought you could use an extra set of hands today. Zorua here has graciously offered to assist you with your duties." He gestured to the illusionary Jean, who gave a mock salute, looking as serious as the real Jean would.
The knights standing nearby tried to suppress their laughter, their eyes shifting between the real Jean and Zorua's illusion. Jean sighed again, though there was a small smile tugging at her lips. "Kaeya, you know this isn't exactly helpful," she said, though her tone was more amused than annoyed.
Kaeya chuckled, giving her a playful bow. "Consider it a little morale boost, Acting Grand Master. You work so hard, I thought a bit of humor might lighten the mood."
Jean shook her head, her expression softening. "Alright, alright. I suppose a little humor doesn't hurt. But do try to keep your pranks harmless, Kaeya." She looked down at Zorua, who had now reverted back to its original form, looking rather proud of itself.
Kaeya gave her a wink. "Of course, Jean. You know I'd never cause any real trouble." He looked at Zorua, his smile widening. "Come on, partner. Let's see who else might need a little 'help' today."
---
Kaeya and Zorua wandered through the city, their next target in mind—Diluc. Kaeya had always enjoyed teasing his adoptive brother, and with Zorua's illusion abilities, he felt that today could be particularly entertaining.
They arrived at the Dawn Winery just as Diluc was overseeing the workers unloading barrels of freshly harvested grapes. Kaeya leaned against the entrance gate, watching for a moment before giving Zorua a sly grin.
"Alright, Zorua," Kaeya whispered, "let's make this interesting." Zorua's form shimmered again, and this time it transformed into a perfect replica of Diluc—complete with the serious expression and flowing red hair.
Kaeya strolled up to the group of workers, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Master Diluc," he said, addressing the real Diluc, who turned to face him with a questioning look. "It seems you've decided to double your productivity today. Very impressive."
Diluc's eyes narrowed as he looked at Kaeya, then at the illusionary version of himself standing beside Zorua. He let out a sigh, his expression one of exasperation. "Kaeya, what are you up to now?"
Kaeya shrugged, his smile never wavering. "Just thought you could use an extra set of hands, dear brother. Zorua here is more than happy to lend a helping hand—or, should I say, lend your helping hand."
Diluc crossed his arms, giving Kaeya a flat stare. "Very amusing. But perhaps you'd like to put that energy to better use and actually help with the work, rather than creating distractions."
Kaeya laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, come now, Diluc. You know manual labor isn't exactly my forte. But I do appreciate the offer." He patted Zorua on the head, and the illusion dissipated, leaving Zorua grinning mischievously.
The workers chuckled, and even Diluc couldn't help the slight twitch of his lips, though he quickly suppressed it. "Just don't get in the way," Diluc said, turning back to the barrels.
Kaeya gave a mock salute. "Wouldn't dream of it." He looked down at Zorua, who seemed to be enjoying itself immensely. "Come, partner, let's not overstay our welcome. We've got more people to 'help' today."
---
As the day went on, Kaeya and Zorua made their way through Mondstadt, pulling harmless pranks and spreading laughter wherever they went. They stopped by Good Hunter, where Zorua turned into a perfect copy of Sara, much to the amusement of the customers. Sara, who had initially been startled, ended up laughing along with everyone else, especially when Zorua attempted to take orders and ended up confusing itself with the menu.
Their next stop was the Knights of Favonius library, where Lisa was busy organizing a new shipment of books. Kaeya entered quietly, Zorua once again taking on an illusion—this time as Lisa herself. Kaeya watched from a distance as Zorua mimicked Lisa's mannerisms, lazily flipping through a book and giving an exaggerated yawn.
Lisa looked up from her work, her eyes narrowing slightly as she saw the replica of herself lounging nearby. She sighed, her lips curving into an amused smile. "Kaeya, darling, I know you're behind this," she called out without even looking in his direction.
Kaeya stepped out from behind a bookshelf, his grin widening. "You caught me, Lisa. I thought Zorua might lend you a hand—or at least keep you entertained."
Lisa chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, it's certainly not the worst company I've had in the library. Just make sure Zorua doesn't knock anything over, alright? Some of these books are irreplaceable."
Zorua reverted to its original form, giving Lisa a playful grin before trotting over to Kaeya. Kaeya gave Lisa a small bow. "As you wish, my dear librarian. We'll be on our way before any damage is done."
Lisa waved them off, her smile soft. "Take care, Kaeya. And try not to get into too much trouble."
---
As the sun began to set, Kaeya and Zorua made their way to Windrise, the day's excitement finally winding down. They sat beneath the great tree, the breeze rustling through the leaves above them. Zorua curled up beside Kaeya, its tail flicking contentedly.
Kaeya looked down at his partner, a rare, genuine smile crossing his face. "You did well today, Zorua. I think we managed to spread a little cheer around Mondstadt." He leaned back against the tree trunk, his gaze shifting to the horizon. "It's not always easy being the one people expect to be serious, you know. But with you by my side, I think we can keep things interesting."
Zorua looked up at Kaeya, its eyes softening as it let out a gentle cry of agreement. Kaeya reached down, patting Zorua on the head. "Here's to more adventures, partner. We'll keep everyone on their toes—just as it should be."
As the stars began to twinkle in the evening sky, Kaeya closed his eyes, a sense of contentment settling over him. He knew that with Zorua by his side, the days ahead would be filled with laughter, camaraderie, and perhaps a bit of mischief. And that, he thought, was exactly how he liked it.