Mondstadt was enjoying a peaceful day, with the sun shining down on the city and the sound of gentle breezes rustling the leaves of the trees. Kaeya, usually busy with his duties as Cavalry Captain, had somehow found himself with a rare day off. Jean had insisted that he take some time to relax, and while Kaeya wasn't entirely sure what to do with a free day, he decided to take her advice.
Kaeya was strolling through Mondstadt's streets, Zorua trotting along at his side. the two had quickly formed a bond, particularly since Zorua seemed to share Kaeya's penchant for mischief. Today, Kaeya figured, would be a good opportunity to get to know Zorua a little better while exploring Mondstadt from a more leisurely perspective.
"So, Zorua," Kaeya began, glancing down at his partner, "how about we see just how good you are at disguises? I bet we could have some fun with the folks here in Mondstadt."
Zorua looked up at Kaeya, its eyes twinkling with mischief as it let out a small bark. With a shimmer, Zorua transformed into a near-perfect replica of Kaeya, albeit in miniature size. Kaeya chuckled, amused by how convincing the illusion was.
"Not bad, not bad at all," Kaeya said, giving his doppelgänger a thumbs-up. "Let's see if anyone falls for it."
As they made their way through the city, Kaeya couldn't help but grin as Zorua—still disguised as him—began to mimic his stride, puffing out its chest and giving a sly smile to the passersby. The citizens of Mondstadt were thoroughly confused, with some doing a double-take as they saw not one but two Kaeyas walking through the city.
One such person was Diluc, who had just left Angel's Share and was heading towards the marketplace. He stopped in his tracks as he saw the two Kaeyas approaching, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Kaeya," Diluc called out, his tone flat, "what exactly are you up to now?"
Kaeya grinned, giving Diluc a lazy wave. "Why, dear brother, I'm just taking a stroll. Surely you're not suggesting that I'm up to something?"
Diluc's eyes flickered to the smaller Kaeya standing beside him, who was now attempting to mimic Kaeya's lazy expression. "And that?" Diluc asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kaeya laughed, patting Zorua—still in disguise—on the head. "Meet Zorua, my new partner. Pretty convincing, isn't it?"
Diluc's expression softened slightly, though he still looked unimpressed. "Hmph. I should've known. Leave it to you to turn a simple walk into a spectacle."
Zorua dispelled its illusion, returning to its original form and giving a satisfied bark. Kaeya knelt down, scratching behind Zorua's ears. "You did great, Zorua. I think Diluc might actually be impressed."
Diluc crossed his arms, though there was a small, almost imperceptible smile on his lips. "Hardly. But I suppose it's good to see you spending time with your Pokémon. Just try not to cause too much trouble."
Kaeya stood up, giving Diluc a mock salute. "No promises, brother. Trouble just seems to follow me."
Diluc rolled his eyes but turned to leave, clearly unwilling to get caught up in whatever Kaeya had planned for the day. Kaeya watched him go, a playful glint in his eyes before turning back to Zorua. "Alright, partner. Let's see who else we can surprise."
---
Their next stop was the Knights of Favonius headquarters, where Kaeya thought it might be amusing to see how some of his fellow knights reacted to Zorua's disguises. As they entered the building, Kaeya immediately spotted Noelle, who was busy organizing some supplies with Geodude helping her out.
Kaeya nudged Zorua, who instantly transformed into a tiny version of Noelle. The illusion was flawless, down to the armored attire and even Geodude mimicking expressions. Kaeya struggled to contain his laughter as Zorua mimicked Noelle's diligent mannerisms, arranging invisible supplies with a serious expression.
Noelle looked up, her eyes widening in shock as she saw what appeared to be herself standing beside Kaeya. She blinked, clearly confused. "Captain Kaeya... why is there... another me?"
Kaeya leaned against the wall, a smirk playing on his lips. "Noelle, meet Zorua. It seems you've made quite the impression on my partner—it wanted to be just like you."
Noelle's expression softened, and she knelt down to get a better look at Zorua. "Oh, you're so cute!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with delight. "You look just like me!"
Geodude floated over, tilting its body as if trying to understand what was going on. Zorua dispelled its illusion, returning to its usual form and giving Noelle a happy bark. Noelle giggled, reaching out to pat Zorua on the head. "You're very talented, Zorua. I think you and Captain Kaeya make a great team."
Kaeya winked at Noelle. "Why, thank you, Noelle. I think we do too. Though I must say, Zorua's got a knack for charm, just like me."
Noelle smiled, shaking her head. "Well, just don't use that charm to get into too much trouble, Captain."
Kaeya gave a mock gasp, placing a hand over his heart. "Me? Trouble? Perish the thought."
---
As the day went on, Kaeya and Zorua continued their stroll through Mondstadt, occasionally stopping to play small pranks—always harmless, always in good fun. They ran into Venti near the statue of Barbatos, the bard strumming his lyre while Chatot perched on his shoulder, bobbing along to the music.
"Oh, Kaeya! And Zorua, too! What a pleasant surprise!" Venti greeted them, his eyes twinkling with mischief of their own. "Out causing trouble, I see?"
Kaeya smirked. "Only the harmless kind, I assure you. Zorua's got quite the talent for disguise. Care for a demonstration?"
Venti's eyes lit up, his interest piqued. "Oh, absolutely! Show me what you've got, little Zorua!"
Zorua looked at Kaeya, who nodded, and then transformed into a miniature version of Venti, complete with a tiny lyre and wind-blown hair. Chatot squawked in surprise, hopping off Venti's shoulder to get a closer look.
Venti burst into laughter, clapping his hands in delight. "Amazing! You even got the hat right! I think I've found my doppelgänger. What do you say, Chatot?"
Chatot mimicked Venti's laughter, clearly amused by the display. Kaeya crossed his arms, a satisfied smile on his face. "Zorua's full of surprises, that's for sure. Maybe we'll join you in a song, Venti—though I doubt I could keep up with your musical talents."
Venti grinned, strumming his lyre. "Oh, I think you'd do just fine, Kaeya. And with Zorua adding to the performance, I'd say we'd be the best act in all of Mondstadt!"
Kaeya chuckled. "Perhaps another time, then. For now, we're just enjoying our day off—something Jean practically insisted upon."
Venti gave an exaggerated nod of understanding. "Ah, yes, the importance of rest! Even the most diligent of knights need time to unwind. And what better way than with a bit of fun and a lot of mischief?"
Kaeya smiled, looking down at Zorua, who had returned to its original form. "Exactly. It's been a good day, thanks to Zorua here."
---
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Kaeya and Zorua found themselves sitting by the edge of the plaza, watching the people of Mondstadt go about their evening routines. The day had been full of laughter and surprises, and Kaeya couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment.
He looked down at Zorua, who was now curled up beside him, its eyes half-closed as it let out a contented sigh. Kaeya reached out, gently scratching behind Zorua's ears. "You know, Zorua, I never thought I'd find myself enjoying something as simple as a day off. But you made it worthwhile."
Zorua looked up at him, its eyes filled with affection as it nuzzled against his hand. Kaeya smiled, his usually guarded expression softening. "We make a pretty good team, don't we?"
Zorua barked softly in agreement, and Kaeya leaned back, his eyes drifting up to the sky as the first stars began to appear. It wasn't often that he got the chance to simply relax and enjoy the moment, but today had been different. Today had been about laughter, about friends, and about the simple joy of being with his Pokémon partner.
And as the city lights began to twinkle, Kaeya knew that this was just the beginning of his adventures with Zorua. There would be more days like this—days filled with fun, with surprises, and with the bonds that made every moment worthwhile.