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Title: Gongzi in Inazuma ft semi-deep discussions
Rating: G
Fandom: Genshin Impact
Characters: Tartaglia, Kazuha
Summary: Gongzi uses Zhongli's new retirement to go visit his fellow weapons in Teyvat. He goes to Inazuma to visit Kazuha, where they discuss recent changes, a bit of Kazuha's struggles, and this weird peace time they are slowly easing into.
Warning(s): None
Inazuma is not as Gongzi remembers it.
Of course, last time he was here, there were important figures still alive and kicking. He remembers Tomo’s raucous laughter mixing with Makoto’s gentle giggles, he remembers the taste of ozone and the smell of sakura. More importantly, he remembers the land thriving. This was, of course, before Celestia had called upon the archons. This was before the darkness invaded and tore at Inazuma bit by bit until very little remained.
Now, there is only Ei.
Now, there is only Kazuha.
“I was not expecting you to come and visit so suddenly, Gongzi,” Kazuha says. The two are sitting in one of the imperial gardens, servants and guards bustling about. “Did Morax come and join you?”
“No, he’s too busy with work right now.” Gongzi tries not to sound like a petulant child but with the way Kazuha laughs, it seems he’s failed. Though, Gongzi had decided from the beginning to not drag Zhongli with him. The man has been busy with work now that he is enjoying his retirement. Miss Hu is an almost brutal taskmaster and Gongzi’s master is almost always following her to clean up any mess she’s made in her attempts to advertise the funeral parlor. “But it’s good for him,” Gongzi adds. “He’s no longer as…sad.”
“Mmm, that’s good.”
Though Gongzi couldn’t really call the Zhongli before his intricate plan “sad.” He thinks “tired” is the more appropriate term. But he’s already said his piece and it’s too late to take those words back.
“How are you holding up?” Gongzi asks. “You’ve been stuck here for so long with Ei.”
Kazuha’s smile turns wistful. Gongzi hopes he has not overstepped his boundaries.
“I…have been used to cut down many of Ei’s enemies,” Kazuha says, slowly. “But I have always rejected the Raiden Shogun’s attempts to use me. It is only Ei, and it has always only been Ei. But to keep running away, to keep fighting back against Ei’s beliefs, it hurt part of me.”
Gongzi understands. He thinks of Morax during the war, he thinks of Morax after Guizhong’s death, and he thinks of Zhongli now. He’s been there every step of the way, helping Morax clear a path through his enemies. Any dirty job Celestia asked of the Geo Archon, Gongzi was always there. If Morax had suddenly changed and Gongzi was forced to go against him for Liyue’s greater good, he would do it, but a part of him would ache every time.
He understands.
“We both dealt with loss in different ways,” Kazuha continues. “To lose Tomo, my partner blade, and to lose Makoto, it was almost too much to bear. But I had to be strong for their last wishes, for the peace that we wanted Inazuma to see.”
And Ei kept losing more and more and more.
“Inazuma is filled with wonderful people now. Ei has not only me, but Yae, and I think she’s starting to see that again.”
“You still sound sad,” Gongzi says.
Kazuha’s laugh is a little bitter, “I just wish that we did not have to drag the Traveler into our problems.”
“...I agree.”
But they, as weapons, know they cannot defy fate. Gongzi picks up his teacup and takes a sip. The green tea in it has long since gone cold but he doesn’t bring himself to care. “Ah, right, Jean’s coming to visit as well,” Gongzi says. “Along with Barbara. I think Barbatos finally managed to convince her to take a break.”
“How wondrous. To have us weapons gathered again should call for a celebration.”
“Or at least a good place to eat.”
Teyvat is changing and Inazuma is just a small sliver of that change. So is Liyue and so is Mondstadt. Gongzi wonders if they, as the living weapons of the Archons, can keep up with this change. This era of peace they are slowly being eased into is strange, and he’s still not adjusted.
“I miss it, too,” Kazuha suddenly says. “The battlefield still calls my name.”
“But will you listen to it?”
“Do you?”
“No.”
After all, this world does not need archons and their weapons anymore.
Rating: G
Fandom: Genshin Impact
Characters: Tartaglia, Kazuha
Summary: Gongzi uses Zhongli's new retirement to go visit his fellow weapons in Teyvat. He goes to Inazuma to visit Kazuha, where they discuss recent changes, a bit of Kazuha's struggles, and this weird peace time they are slowly easing into.
Warning(s): None
Inazuma is not as Gongzi remembers it.
Of course, last time he was here, there were important figures still alive and kicking. He remembers Tomo’s raucous laughter mixing with Makoto’s gentle giggles, he remembers the taste of ozone and the smell of sakura. More importantly, he remembers the land thriving. This was, of course, before Celestia had called upon the archons. This was before the darkness invaded and tore at Inazuma bit by bit until very little remained.
Now, there is only Ei.
Now, there is only Kazuha.
“I was not expecting you to come and visit so suddenly, Gongzi,” Kazuha says. The two are sitting in one of the imperial gardens, servants and guards bustling about. “Did Morax come and join you?”
“No, he’s too busy with work right now.” Gongzi tries not to sound like a petulant child but with the way Kazuha laughs, it seems he’s failed. Though, Gongzi had decided from the beginning to not drag Zhongli with him. The man has been busy with work now that he is enjoying his retirement. Miss Hu is an almost brutal taskmaster and Gongzi’s master is almost always following her to clean up any mess she’s made in her attempts to advertise the funeral parlor. “But it’s good for him,” Gongzi adds. “He’s no longer as…sad.”
“Mmm, that’s good.”
Though Gongzi couldn’t really call the Zhongli before his intricate plan “sad.” He thinks “tired” is the more appropriate term. But he’s already said his piece and it’s too late to take those words back.
“How are you holding up?” Gongzi asks. “You’ve been stuck here for so long with Ei.”
Kazuha’s smile turns wistful. Gongzi hopes he has not overstepped his boundaries.
“I…have been used to cut down many of Ei’s enemies,” Kazuha says, slowly. “But I have always rejected the Raiden Shogun’s attempts to use me. It is only Ei, and it has always only been Ei. But to keep running away, to keep fighting back against Ei’s beliefs, it hurt part of me.”
Gongzi understands. He thinks of Morax during the war, he thinks of Morax after Guizhong’s death, and he thinks of Zhongli now. He’s been there every step of the way, helping Morax clear a path through his enemies. Any dirty job Celestia asked of the Geo Archon, Gongzi was always there. If Morax had suddenly changed and Gongzi was forced to go against him for Liyue’s greater good, he would do it, but a part of him would ache every time.
He understands.
“We both dealt with loss in different ways,” Kazuha continues. “To lose Tomo, my partner blade, and to lose Makoto, it was almost too much to bear. But I had to be strong for their last wishes, for the peace that we wanted Inazuma to see.”
And Ei kept losing more and more and more.
“Inazuma is filled with wonderful people now. Ei has not only me, but Yae, and I think she’s starting to see that again.”
“You still sound sad,” Gongzi says.
Kazuha’s laugh is a little bitter, “I just wish that we did not have to drag the Traveler into our problems.”
“...I agree.”
But they, as weapons, know they cannot defy fate. Gongzi picks up his teacup and takes a sip. The green tea in it has long since gone cold but he doesn’t bring himself to care. “Ah, right, Jean’s coming to visit as well,” Gongzi says. “Along with Barbara. I think Barbatos finally managed to convince her to take a break.”
“How wondrous. To have us weapons gathered again should call for a celebration.”
“Or at least a good place to eat.”
Teyvat is changing and Inazuma is just a small sliver of that change. So is Liyue and so is Mondstadt. Gongzi wonders if they, as the living weapons of the Archons, can keep up with this change. This era of peace they are slowly being eased into is strange, and he’s still not adjusted.
“I miss it, too,” Kazuha suddenly says. “The battlefield still calls my name.”
“But will you listen to it?”
“Do you?”
“No.”
After all, this world does not need archons and their weapons anymore.
