WELL I GOT TOO EXCITED FOR THE CONCEPT SO YEAH I have a small chapter. I'll probably continue writing this but I'm gonna be busy for Artfight for the next few weeks so aaaaaaaa. Anyways here is the prologue.
- [Name] is obviously you.
- [F1/N], [F2/N], and [F3/N] is "Friend Name" but is organized by number order.
(GIF Credit: @whitefoxinthemoonlight)
The memories of that day...are fuzzy at best.
You don't remember exactly how it happened, all that is clear is that one moment-- you were sitting on your stomach on the hard floor of your room, surrounded by friends while chatting and looking at your screens...the next, you were falling.
So many things had flashed before your eyes, colors you didn't even know existed, memories you swore that didn't belong to you...it almost became a blur. The fall had to have been less than 15 seconds, yet it felt like an eternity due to the growing gnawing pit of fear in your stomach. Soon, the red and yellow gradient of a sky in sunset greeted your eyes yet that was view was short lived as you finally landed in the water. You didn't even have a second to react to cover your nose.
Everything went black, just like that, but the void wasn't there forever. As soon as it came, it also left. When you opened your eyes you could feel a crustiness growing around the corners, either from tears or the sand that was below you. The sound of water laping at the ground had also finally hit you though it took longer to notice due to the incoming pounding headache. Looking around the location didn't give many clues, if any at all for the first few moments. Only a feeling of familiarity laid beneath the surface. Two cliffsides were at either side of the beach and only a couple of trees and other bits of greenery were further inland. It was only after you looked down at yourself did you realize why that was the case.
Your hands...they didn't look like your hands anymore.
Atleast not in the way you were used to.
Your hands looked smooth...almost in that cartoonish way that stripped away bits of realism. No hair at the knuckles, barely any wrinkles or crevices when you bent the fingers, the fingernails were there but it wasn't that obvious. But your hand didn't look 2D, it was clearly 3D.
In that moment did it finally click to you why everything looked familiar. Somehow, you were in Genshin.
The place you were in...the same one where the Traveler first woke up in at the start of the game.
The sudden nudge at your calf almost made you scream, sending your head over your shoulder to see what it was. To your surprise you could already recognize who it was. It was one of your friends, [F1/N], even in the rendering of this world you could clearly tell it was them.
Atleast you weren't alone here.
You painstakingly crawled over to them, calling out to them as you hovered a hand over their shoulder. Their groans were becoming more audible as you closed the gap. Whether you said something to [F1/N] or not wasn't clear but afterwards you heard another familiar voice.
"[Name]?! [F1/N]??! [F3/N]!? Guys?!??"
They had clearly woke up before you, how long ago...you didn't know. Shooting your head up, your eyes locked with [F2/N]'s. One of their hands was over their forehead and the other was on the back of their neck. Noticing you and [F1/N] were finally awake, they ran over, the wet sand getting stuck to their feet as they came. Soon, you both were back on your feet. As you looked further out to the stretching sand, you could finally see [F3/N] albeit they were still unresponsive.
None of you could have really done much that night. The last you remember was all of you went into a small cave that was embedded in the cliffside, the entrance surrounded by shrubs. [F3/N] had finally woke up and only then did it sink for everyone that they were all in another world. One that was far from home.
But atleast you weren't alone here.
Unsurprisingly the first few months were that of joy. You all went everywhere, scattering yourselves like ants while being excited at the thought of being in a fictional universe. Your favorite characters were all real and could technically talk to you.
Technically in the sense you could walk up to them, that didn't mean they could understand you however. That was the first roadblock. No one could speak English at all so everytime you and the group spoke in public, people gave glances.
It took time to really begin to understand how to speak to everyone, you all would catch words and eventually realize what they meant days later. Soon everyone, including you, could speak the language of Mondstadt albeit it was a bit clunky. Anytime someone asked you or your friends about the accent or where did you all come from, everyone had to pretend to be from outside of Teyvat. It always felt like an interrogation whenever someone asked but it never ended badly.
Still didn't make your embarrassment or second hand embarrassment feel any less when the time came.
The second hurdle was the clothes. Everyone was playing games in your house, late at night too...so the only clothes you all had were the ones on your back. And it especially didn't help that everyone was in sleepwear.
So many hurdles came, one after another. Next came how would you even earn mora? Or where to even get shelter. Or get anything at all. It was stressful every time, almost made you regret playing Genshin at all.
If you didn't play the game you wouldn't be here obviously.
Yet your friends always made it better. Everyone was suffering together, sometimes you could even forget about the stress and just let loose.
Your friends were always here, alongside you.
3 months has now passed. Things were getting a bit more settled in. You all had mora, you all had clothes, you all could speak certain languages of Teyvat, hell some of you even were getting the hang of using weapons without having visions.
You all had essentially turned into wandering travelers. Everyone would go on a trip to see favorite characters or take pictures at certain places.
Yet...everyone had a mutual agreement, one rule;
No one gets involved in the main story, not before the Traveler comes along.
None of you wanted to ruin the timeline of events that was meant to happen...and definitely no one wanted to be in the Traveler's place before they came. Violence was guaranteed for that journey and certainly no one was ready.
Physically or mentally prepared.
As a result because of this rule, this meant that no one could try to be friends with anyone in the main cast...or anyone who would be big to the Archon Quests.
Still that didn't stop some of you from staring at said characters from afar, giggling like schoolgirls...
Walking around for the entire day was definitely not something your feet were used to. Only now that the sun had set did everyone start feeling hungry. Your feet were practically killing you right now...all you wanted was just to sit down and eat. The line at Wanmin Restaurant was finally beginning to die down as you got closer to the front, [F2/N] impatiently moved around, not being able to stay still.
While you, [F2/N] and [F3/N] had promised to stay in line for the Wanmin Restaurant-- [F1/N] was busy running off to Bubu Pharmacy to get more painkilling medicine for the road.
"Shame that there is no ibuprofen here." You jokingly whispered in English to [F2/N], god your stomach and your feet are killing you right now. Your friend snorted as they leaned down, also trying to whisper, "or a CVS Pharmacy..."
"OKAY-" You raised your voice in sharp annoyance, immediately catching yourself as you realized not only how loud you got...but also you were speaking your native tongue. [F2/N] already had their face buried in their palm, clearly trying to not look obvious while trying so hard not to laugh. Quickly you switched to Liyue's language.
"Don't even start going there, you're making me remember I have a home somewhere else." You ended the sentence with a small laugh, trying to hide your embarrassment from the looks people gave you just now. "I thought you started it though..." You could practically hear the smile in [F2/N]'s voice.
You could really only sigh in response.
Yet...when you turned your head over once again to continue talking to [F2/N]...you noticed something.
[F3/N]...they weren't in the line with you and [F2/N] anymore.
"Wait...[F2/N], where is [F3/N]?" Soon the both of you were left in bewilderment, trying to see if [F3/N] had ran off somewhere due to impatience or boredom. As your head quickly scanned over the roads and nearby stores...you spotted them.
They were walking further and further away yet it was slow, as if they were attempting to be sneaky. Going up the slope, it dawns upon you what they're trying to do. All you can do is put a hand over your forehead.
"Hold on [F2/N], I see them...just wait here."
You left the line, dashing over the tiled path just to follow behind your not-so-sneaky friend...even almost accidentally run into a civilian. As you continued to follow [F3/N] from behind...sure enough your assumptions were beginning to look likely as they slowly began to inch to where the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would be. As they reached the corner and hid themselves behind a building, only then in that moment did you run over and tap your friend on the shoulder.
With a yelp, they swiftly turned around to face you-- the surprise on their face melting away into annoyance as they saw you.
"[Name]??? Why are you here? Why aren't you with [F2/N]?"
"I could ask the same for you...? Where are you going?"
The most that [F3/N] could do was point to the Parlor behind the corner. As you gazed upon their shoulder, your lips moved upwards to a grin as you realized you were absolutely right. In front of the Parlor you could clearly see Hu Tao having a private discussion with Zhongli. With the Geo Archon's back was towards you both...it was obvious that [F3/N] thought it was a good idea to observe him from afar. After all if he didn't notice then [F3/N] wasn't there.
If it isn't there then it isn't happening...so they say.
"[F3/N]...remember we can't get involved yet, unless you want the Fatui on our asses." They could only roll their eyes, "It's not like he noticed...plus it was only going to be a minute or two."
"Sure buddy...sure...annnnnnd time to go." With that, you grabbed your friend by the jacket and began to drag them back to Wanmin. You could have sworn your friend said "I know who you really are Geo man..." under their breath but you didn't bother asking as you both began to return to the main plaza.
The best of your years. The absolute best of them.
That moment was 4 years ago, almost 5.
It feels almost bittersweet now as you clutched the pillow tighter, closer to your chest. Your head laid on the wooden floor as if it carried the weight of everything gone wrong from the previous years. The entire room was saturated in darkness from the curtains and your knees were getting raw from kneeling on them for too long.
Who are you even kneeling to...? It's not like the Archons can help you.
No one can help you like this.
Not that you are this alone now.
AAAAAAAA this is my first fanfic idk if it's written good. Y'all let me know. Constructive criticism is appreciated! Idk when I'll write the next chapter but it will come eventually.
Anyways gotta go for Artfight byeee
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