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Finding myself dead was an experience. Waking up in a void with floating whales, bobbing buildings and hectic scenes of my life was so much more. I did not panic however, knowing of where I was and who exactly I was going to meet. I climbed some buildings, passing by scenes frozen in time. I did not pay it any mind however, intent on pushing on. Eventually, I arrived at my destination and there, a young man in brown stood there, patience on his body. He looked up as I approached, jet black irises taking note of me.

"You're the Outsider," I began, looking at the...thing standing before me.

He perked up, amused. "You know of me?"

"I'm pretty sure you can read my mind or something," I replied, crossing my arms. "So, what gives?"

"I admit, it was a surprise to know that I was an invention and so was the plane I inhabited," admitted the Outsider, wonder in his eyes. "It was a revelation, to be sure. But as much as it was a surprise, it too serves as an opportunity."

I stood there, listening. What else was there to do but listen?

"A new world, entirely open to me. An interesting new ground for discovery, is it not?" he ended his musings. "I must thank you. Your dreams gave me the opening to enter your plane."

So I must have dreamt about Dishonored before I went to bed. Then again, I was watching my friend stream the game.

"Eh, think nothing of it?" I said, not entirely sure how to talk with the eldritch being.

He watched me, amused at my words or at me, I did not know. I continued to speak. "So er, is this the part where you tear me to shreds or give me powers to cause chaos along the way?"

I got my answer as I felt my hand burn. The pain was gone just as it arrived though. I held my right hand up and saw the Outsider's Mark tattooed onto me. "As you know, this is my Mark. With it, you are granted powers beyond those of mortal men. Find my runes in hidden places and you shall increase your power tenfold."

I looked up back at the Outsider. "You do realize I'm not an assassin like Corvo. How on earth will I give you the entertainment you want?"

"You are interesting, not because of who you are but because of what you can and will do," The Outsider said enigmatically. "Even then, consider this an even trade. You have allowed me free reign to explore the other planes, I offer you my Mark to do with as you wish."

That's fair, I suppose. "For an eldritch being, you ain't so bad." That was true. Unlike other powerful guys, the Outsider was fairly benign.

The Outsider seemed to confirm it himself. "I have no designs on the mortal world, I have no need to. I only watch and observe."

"So, now what?"

"You begin your work in the waking world," he said with a click of his finger.

Before I could remark that was a Bloodborne reference, darkness had claimed me.

I did not rise to my old world. Instead, I arose in a new world entire.

To be much more specific, I woke up in Genshin Impact. To be frank, it was a nauseating thing to stomach. I remembered the endless rolls, the failure to pull for my desired characters. The unhealthy amount of time I spent looking at the lore of the game. Lore was my main thing to rave about after all, with the waifus coming in second. If anything, the idea to pretty much bang Lisa, Jean, and my desired waifus was enough to push me on.

And so, I dusted myself off and buggered off to the direction where I remembered Mondstadt was. As I walked, I thought about the circumstances that had got me here in the first place. The Outsider as an entity was benign, preferring to give people his powers and watch what they did with it. I had to admit a certain curiosity to what I had in me. Corvo had his assassin-type powers, Daud had his and in the later games, Emily had her demonic-styled ones. I remembered reading a theory that the whole point to the Outsider's powers was that they manifested as a complete opposite to the user's entire shtick. For example, Corvo was a sneaky fucker but he had those rat summoning powers and windblast one, high-profile powers that would attract a lot of attention. Daud was a anti-social loner but his tended on cooperation and leadership. Granny Rags was a noblewoman who prided on her nobleness but was disgusting, figuratively and literally.

Psychoanalysis aside, the amusement of the Outsider came from watching if the people he buffed would fall into the temptations of using their powers. It would be easy to do, but they would lose pieces of themselves the more they used it.

I halted my train of thought. Now the more I thought about it, it did make sense that the Outsider did that considering how surprised and taken aback he was when Corvo would spare Daud instead of killing him. Now, if the Outsider thinks I was going to degenerate into a murderous bastard, he was mistaken. The only tune I dance to is mine and as much as I don't mind to be cordial with the eldritch thing, I was no one's puppet.

And so, I continued on in my journey, intent to find Mondstadt. It would have been a tad difficult to go there if I had spawned buck naked but the Outsider had seen fit to be generous enough to give me some basic necessities to survive. Clothes from Dishonored, there was no mistaking it as well as a satchel with some five-hundred Mora inside, as well as a Dunwall Officer's Sword and Pistol. The satchel had to be made of fucking magic considering it held all that. Strapping the sword and pistol on my belt, I considered on my next goal.

Now, what to do in Mondstadt?

My options were to join in the Adventurer's Guild, or perhaps the Knights. Or maybe even join the Traveller's adventures as they go around making a harem out of every single nation in Teyvat. Those options seemed...tame. To be frank, those options were the ones that made sense to me as of the moment. I may have had the Outsider's Mark but I was a nobody here and I was still unsure what powers the Outsider gave me. And so, I figured I could join the Knights first. If that wasn't possible then the Adventurer's Guild. With options now given to me, I increased my pace. The sooner I was in Mond, the better. 

Now, before the Traveller would find Mondstadt, Amber would be there to greet them, considering her line of work included doing Outrider work. To be honest, I was expecting the bunny girl to hop out at any second the more steps I made but no, there was no Amber there to greet me. I did not think too much of it though. It was an inconsequential thing to me and Amber wasn't really my type. 

Eventually, the path to Mondstadt became clearer as I found the road that led to the city proper. It was a piss poor dirt track but a road nonetheless. It was a welcome sight since I had something else to look at other than the trees, the grass, and the sky. 

My ears perked however as the signature sounds of battle echoed in the far distance. I thought of avoiding the battle in the first place but then I realized, it was the perfect chance to test out my powers. I marched forward, but cautiously. I didn't want to get clapped if it was too much after all. 

The closer I got, the more pronounced the battle became. Whoever was fighting was alone and a woman, by the sounds of it. Then, I saw it, the battle. A dozen or so Hilichurls, the lovely monke boys of Genshin who also incidentally were the forcibly cursed and de-evolved people of Khaenri'ah. It was pretty dark knowing about that lore snippet and to be honest, it filled me with a healthy suspicion on the so-called Gods of Teyvat. But my paranoia would have to wait until later, as I turned my attention from the hilichurls to the woman that was fighting them. 

I blinked as I took note of a familiar looking girl. She had light blue hair and eyes. Her clothing was white and black, a dark cloak with a hood worn over her. As much as I saw her, she too also saw me. Her eyes widened as she tightened the grip on her sword, a thing made of pure ice. "Keep away! These Hilichurls are dangerous!" she yelled out to warn me. Said hilichurls then turned to face me, their facials masks glinting in the sun. 

Well. 

Shit. 

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Eula grit her teeth as the hilichurls approached her. It was supposed to be a normal day of visiting one of her favored spots for foraging for food but just as she had found a wonderful patch full of mushrooms, the hilichurls had attacked out of nowhere. 

The damned things had ruined the mushrooms with their trampling and at that moment, she despaired at the though of having no mushroom soup for the day. And so, she had unsheathed her blade in preparation to deliver vengeance on the vile creatures. Ruin her food, why don't they?

Then just as she was about to fight them, some damned fool just happened to wander upon them. The fool had brown skin and black hair and eyes. He was dressed in a fashion close to what someone from Fontaine would wear. An amalgamation of a military style great coat and a tail coat. It had a golden trim all worn over  a vest under the coat, pants of some quality and boots. He looked older than her but considering the general youth on his face, he could actually be younger. For a moment, Eula thought that the man's eyes brightened in recognition of her before he shook his head and unsheathed his sword. 

As Eula was about to warn him that the hilichurls could hurt him, he vanished in the blink of an eye. Her jaw threatened to drop as he would appear in a cloud of shadows to dispatch the hilichurls one after the other. When it was over, the churls were all dead and the man's blade dripped with their blood. For a moment, he stared at his left arm, covered by a dark glove. "So that's how it feels," he murmured to himself, marveling at his gloved arm.

Eula on the other hand was not pleased. She rounded on the stranger; anger, curiosity and a little bit of wariness coursing through her. Anger for having those hilichurls that was her rightful targets stolen from her, curiosity at what sort of man could do the things he did, what sort of vision did he have? And of course, wariness for what if he would turn on her? Still, she would give him a piece of her mind.

"You! How dare you interrupt?" Eula said in a accusing tone. The man turned to her, expression confounded which only served to infuriate her even more. "Those hilichurls were mine. I will remember this, thief. Know that you have made an enemy for life!" She huffed, letting her anger subside as she crossed her arms. "I suppose still, you must be thanked. I did not need your assistance however, I could have managed those."

"You were surrounded," he spoke, his voice accented. "What sort of man would I be if I left you to fend for yourself?"

Eula regarded the man carefully. As a native to Mondstadt, she was familiar with most citizens of the city. The one in front of her, she had never seen before. A Traveller from the outside, she decided. From where, she had no clue. His accent hinted to her that he could be from Natlan but she could be wrong. At this point, the man had sheathed his sword. Eula decided to follow his example and her weapon was quickly discarded.

"I suppose so," said Eula. He was a traveller from another nation, as far as she saw and had no prejudice to her compared to her fellow Mondstadters. It wouldn't hurt her to be at least polite. "I am Eula Lawrence, of the Lawrence Clan." she introduced herself. She watched carefully for any negative reaction the man had to her name but there was none of it. In fact, he was politely listening to her. To be honest, she found it a little refreshing that she was able to have a normal conversation with someone and not get glares of death every now and then.

"Maximillian," the man identified himself. "Maximillian Roist." Eula lifted an eyebrow at that. Now that was a Mondstadter name if she heard one. Her earlier suspicions returned, perhaps he was simply hiding his dislike for her under a thin veneer of politness?

"And what brings you to Mondstadt, Max?" Eula asked, a hint of challenge in her tone.  

"Oh, just travelling. I plan to join either the Knights of Favonius or the Adventurer's Guild," said Max, absent-mindedly walking off to the fallen hilichurls. She watched as he pawed the corpses, no doubt looking for loot. "And how about you, hm? You gonna join em?"

"I would rather have those hilichurls beat me rather than joining the Knights," Eula spat, a frown on her face. "And besides, they would not let me. I am a filthy Lawrence after all. No such room for me in their illustrious ranks." She remembered their sneers, their gazes at her when she would near them. Some would even peacock their status at her, to mock her with the fact that they now ruled Mondstadt and not her family.

Maximillian looked up at her, eyes curious. "Really? And what sort of outrage would justify keeping you from them?"

Eula turned to him as if she was addressing a dolt. "Do you not know? I am of the Lawrence Clan, the former tyrannical rulers of Mondstadt. Perhaps they are aware of my devious plans to return the city to its rightful rulers and prevent it by alienating me."

To her surprise, he shook it off. "I know you are a Lawrence and what it means, I don't really give a rats ass about that though. So, what do you think is the real reason?"

Now Maximillian had her attention. Well, his potty mouth needed some cleaning and to use such vulgar words around her was rather scandalous. But was that true, what he said? He did not care that she was a Lawrence? To Eula, it sounded like he was just saying that only to reveal his true colors at the end. This needed investigating and for her to pay careful attention to him. After all, a man would be capable of lying to her could have ill-intentions for Mondstadt. While she was no knight, she still loved the people in the city even if they did not love her.

"I've given the reasoning," she replied. Once more, the man shook his head as he held out a shiny piece of mora from one of the hilichurls. "And that's a ridiculous reasoning. To ostracize you is shitty. You may be a Lawrence but you aren't responsible for the shit that happened in the past. If anything, you have my sympathies."

"I do not need your sympathy," she bit back automatically, her natural defenses acting before she could control herself. For a moment, she dreaded the man would take offense and wander off but he simply shrugged his shoulders and continued his looting.

He really did not care that she was a Lawrence did he? Eula almost laughed. Here she was, having a cordial conversation with a literal stranger from lands afar instead of having it with her literal country-men. He continued to speak. "Really, I don't give a rat's ass if you were a Lawrence, Borgjigin, or the Pope. What's important to me is how you act and as far as I know, you look like a good person."

Once more, her suspicions returned. Where was this flattery coming from? "And what gives you that judgement?"

Their eyes met. "You warned me not to come close to those hilichurls, remember? You sounded pretty worried that I would get hurt there. That makes you a good person in my books."

Ah, that. She cursed herself for letting the traveller have an insight to who she really was. She would take note to control herself better lest the man have strange ideas or notions about her. "So? I could have been doing all that to invite you to a trap," she reasoned, trying to recover a little bit of her dignity.

Strangely, he whistled. "Damn, so you were going to trap me and have me all to yourself? We just met, Eula. Wait until dinner first at least."

Eula blinked once, then twice. Then, her face turned red at the man's insinuation. He dare insinuate that she would so such a low thing? "Y-you! How dare you! I would never do such a wanton thing! I am no base lady!" To her fury and embarrassment, the man simply laughed. It was not mocking though, as she was used to hear from most people, but a laugh born out of amusement.

"Oh, so you would approach me with an offer of candle light dinner and a song?" he suggested. Eula nodded in affirmation. That sounded like something she would do. "Indeed so. There would be good food, a great atmosphere that would set th-" She stopped talking as realization fell on her. She glanced at Max and already found him giggling.

"Damn, what a lucky man I am. I accept, Eula Lawrence," he said light-heartedly.

She reddened, a uncomfortable shyness coming over her as she turned her attention away from his laughing face. "I-I-I n-never m-made such a proposition, s-sir!" she stammered openly, fiddling with her dress. For a moment, she worried if the dress she was wearing was accep-Oh for the love of Barbatos, why was she getting so conscious of a stranger she just met?

"Jeez, relax," Maximillian waved off after a good chuckle. "I was only teasing. Don't tell me you actually thought I was being serious?"

"N-no. O-of course not," Eula coughed, seeing the man offer an opening to regain her dignity and she took it. Despite her answer though, a part of her felt disappointed at her answer. No one had ever made her feel shy before, it was always hatred and anger for something she had never done. And so, Eula had no idea how to feel about Maximillian. She did however know he made her feel flustered and vulnerable. And it had made her unsure of herself. And making her unsure of herself infuriated Eula and so, she decided that if anyone was worthy of a grudge and her vengeance, it was Maximillian.

How dare he not know of her and the Lawrence clan? And the way he was treating her! Surely, that was a sign that he was up to no good. Eula made a promise to protect Mond and she would do it from foul-mouthed ruffians like him. "Whatever you are planning, it will be stopped. Vengeance shall be mine," Eula growled at him. At that moment, Maximillian had finished looting the hilichurls and was in the middle of stretching. He opened one closed eye at her. "Well, I'm planning to head over to Mondstadt and as I said, join the Knights or the Adventurer's Guild. Never really been here before so I could use a guide. Care to join me along the way?"

A guide, he says! Hah! Eula knew all the spots, roads, and little paths that most Mondstadters had no clue about. It was a necessity for her as she was often on the road since she wasn't really welcome most of the time in the city. That would be an easy thing for her. And besides, with her as his guide, she could keep a careful watch on the ruffian and deal with him if he did plan something nefarious.

"I shall be your guide to Mondstadt," Eula declared. The man's face lit up in excitement.

"Eyyyy," he cheered. Why was it she too was getting excited at his excitement? They were nothing more but strangers and she was his guide, no? He ended his cheer as he said, "Alrighty then. I look forward to exploring Mondstadt with you, Eula."

"Hmph!" She huffed as she crossed her arms, fighting the shy squirming girl that threatened to break out at his declaration. "Make no mistake, our feud is not yet settled. Remember that before you get silly ideas. I assure you, ve-"

"Vengeance will be mine," he interrupted, finishing her speech for her. "I know. But first, let's get to Mondstadt, know each other along the way, hopelessly fall in love with each other, live together for the next eighty years, then you can have your vengeance."

"We shall," she nodded along as she took a step forward. She blinked, realizing what she had just agreed to do. Fury filled her and the flustered feeling she was hiding broke out. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment as the man laughed tearfully, heading off before her. Oh, he was planning to run was he? Why she would show him!

Her legs moved as the man began to sprint, still quite laughing. She was supposed to feel quite offended at his remarks but why was it, despite chasing a man that had teased her and poked at her honor, she felt quite relieved and elated.

Why was she having true excitement and a genuine smile on her face after so long?

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A/N: An upcoming new fic with Genshin Impact in mind. And of course, it will feature seggs with waifus.

And aw, cutsey Eula. Not gonna lie, Genshin hooked me for many reasons but mostly because of the lore and waifus. As a connoisseur and a gentleman; Eula, Jean, Lisa, Beidou, and Nigguang make me feel things.

So, what do ya'll think?

Comments

russell marsh

I've never like Genshin Impact mainly because the very toxic fan community but ill stick around see were this goes good luck