Midnight Oil

"Who is she?" Shenhe asked Aether while pointing at Paimon. Paimon who was munching on some skewered mushrooms looked at Shenhe. She smiled with food in her mouth.

"Hello pretty lady! Paimon's name is Paimon! Paimon is Aether's best friend and his traveling buddy. " Paimon introduced herself. Shenhe didn't know why but she raised her hand and gently ruffed Paimon's hair.

She smiled a little. "You're very small...." She muttered while ruffling her hair. Paimon giggled. Shenhe suddenly widened her eyes and tucked back her hand.

"Ehm! You saw nothing!" Shenhe said and ate all her food and left the dining table.

"Paimon has a lot of weird people surrounding her. One more doesn't do much. " Paimon muttered and kept eating.

Thirty minutes later, after Aether and Cloud Retainer were fed. They rested for a while and continued training after.

It was night time, and Cloud Retainer had let Aether go to sleep. But Aether wasn't tired at all. He was wandering around the stone table outdoors taking in the sights.

"Couldn't sleep?" Aether heard a female voice behind him and turned around to see Shenhe.

"Hello, Shenhe. Yes, I can't sleep. I could say the same for you. You look like you want to fight me." Aether commented. Shenhe shook her head.

"No I don't. It's not wise to fight in the middle of the night. We shouldn't wake up master." Shenhe said and kept quiet. She opened her mouth to continue.

" Listen, I think i overreacted a little when I saw you fighting against my master. I just couldn't believe that master has another disciple so soon after taking me in many years ago..... " Shenhe tried to apologize but Aether put up his hand telling her to stop.

"No need to apologize. It's a new and sudden change. There will be some discomfort for you but you'll adapt it. You are a member of an adepti after all. Are you? " Aether asked. Shenhe shook her head.

" I still consider myself human. But I have cut ties with mortality. My master told me to go to Liyue Harbor so that I can be with my kind again. But it doesn't feel right for me. I don't feel that same comfort here while I'm there. Wait why am I telling you this? " Shenhe asked herself. Aether chuckled lightly.

" Don't worry. I think that some people are not fit to live in the busy Harbor and it's okay if you feel that way. This is your home and it will always be. " Aether said while smiling. Shenhe smiled a little at his words, Aether could see her beautiful tricolored eyes shining under the moonlight.

"So, you know my name. But I don't know yours. Can you tell me?" Shenhe asked him.

"My name is Aether, Mondstadters call me Dragon Slayer, the citizens of Liyue call me The Guardian, the adepti call me Tabibito or mortal, the Yaksha Xiao calls me baka. The nuns from the Church call me Demon. And you can call me whichever nickname I just said." Aether introduced himself. Shenhe shook her head.

" Aether will do. No stupid nicknames. Now,I have a question for you, Aether. " Shenhe asked gaining Aether's attention again.

"I'll answer these to my best capabilities. " Aether said smiling.

" Do you have adeptal energy? " Shenhe asked him. Aether nodded.

" Does it hurt? " Shenhe continued to ask.

" It starts hurting when you pass the limits that you're supposed to use. I did that and I died when fighting Osial. " Aether answered smiling grimly.

" You don't seem so affected by it? How so? " Shenhe was curious now.

" Dying is part of the journey. And also you can't kill me that easily. The only ones who can kill me are gods, adepti, and myself. " Aether joked. Shenhe had a grim look on her face.

" Death is not a joke. Your life will be gone and there will be no second chances. " Shenhe said angrily. Aether smiled and ruffled her hair gently.

" That's the point. No second chances means that I will enjoy my life to the fullest and get one step closer to my ambition. " Aether replied.

" Wh-what is your ambition? Aether? " Shenhe asked while grabbing Aether's hand and pulling it away from her head.

" To become the strongest person in the world so that no one can hurt or take away my loved ones ever again. " Aether said with unbreakable determination. Shenhe raised her eyebrow at him.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Shenhe asked. Aether winced. Flashes of fighting the unknown god appeared in his head. Shenhe grimaced.

"Touchy subject? I will not push further if that's what you want." Shenhe reassured. Aether nodded weakly.

"Thanks beautiful." Aether thanked. Shenhe nodded a little thrown off at the compliment he gave her.

"You're welcome, I guess." Shenhe replied awkwardly.

"Get some sleep Shenhe. It's getting pretty late. Goodnight." Aether said and went inside the abode.

"Goodnight." Shenhe muttered and followed him in.

In a dark room, a lamp suddenly lit up and was put on a square table. Six people arrived in front of the table.

"Gosh. It's the middle of the night. Why are we here again?" A woman asked.

" We're here for the final meeting before we enact our plan. " Another woman replied calmly.

" Oh? But couldn't you do this tomorrow? " The same woman that asked asked again.

" Oh Amber. You always act like this when you're excited. " A woman answered.

" Oh yeah? Says the girl who blushed fifty shades of red whenever we mention him, Eula. " Amber mocked.

" Guys stop fighting. We wouldn't want another table destroyed do we?" A timid voice interrupted them.

" Ufufu. This is very fun. I'm glad we're doing this. " A woman said.

" You're here because you want to ride him till the sunset Lisa. " Amber said to the librarian.

" Ehm. Back to what we're here for please. " Another voice cut them off.

" Thank you Venti. We're gathering here because lately Aether is visiting Mondstadt lesser and lesser. So we decided to go to him. Does anyone have any objections to this idea? One last chance for you to leave. " Jean said. No one raised their hands in objection. Jean smiled.

" Good. We're moving out tomorrow. We're coming for you Aether....

To be coming...

(Sus chapter title.)