''Gods, Adaptus' and Organisations'' a xiaoven fanfiction 🍃

Chapter 11

"Mr. Zhongli? What are you doing here? Are you here for your paym-.. Oh, you brought someone with you."

"I am not here for any more payments. I am here for some explanation." Zhongli approached Childe, going futher in the bank. Before they entered they saw Childe talking to a lady who was standing by a counter. Zhongli looked at her for a moment, gave her a nod and continued to talk to Childe while Venti looked at them from a distance, mumbling to himself.

"I don't know! You tell me! I have no business with Scaramouche whatsoever. He and I made a contract we won't be in eachother's business anymore. And by all means, I'm pretty sure YOU know how heavy a contract weighs." Childe glared over to Venti, inspecting the bard.

"Anyway, why'd you ask?"

"It is for a friend of mine, Venti. He needs help with finding another friend of mine. Which he says got taken away by a certain Scaramouche." Zhongli crossed his arms, sighing.
"I shall pay off any depts for breaking a contract. You see, the person we're talking about means a lot to me, too. He's an old friend of mine, let's say. And, of course, you will be rewarded as well." Zhongli looked at Childe, Childe crossing his arms too.

"Depends on what, of course. But sure, this once, I'll help-" Childe stretched himself out. "It's good to move your muscles in a while, too, don't you agree?"

Zhongli turned around without saying anything, and talking up to Venti, calming him down by a back pat. Venti seemed to calm down again after he told about Childe helping them out.

And so, they went on their way, Childe thinking about where they could be, as Venti told what happened when walking on their way there.

"So.. we were here.. walking and suddenly the Fatui joined us, they were attacking us and-"

"They're in Inazuma." Childe suddenly said, looking at the paper. "It's quite clear.. the letters even are purple and it has electro elemental circle around it." He handed it over to Zhongli and nodded.

"O-Oh.. I didn't even notice that.. I guess is as really worked up with.. him leaving me.." Venti said, trying to keep his head up.

"Oh, no problem! I told you I was gonna help!" Childe did a little pointy fingers towards Venti, and shot him in his heart. Venti giggled and smiled at him. Zhongli getting slightly jealous.

"Let's get going to Inazuma now. I'm pretty sure that--"

"Wait! I know a certain Inazuma boy who has a friend as Captain.. maybe we can ask him for help!" 

"Oh, alright then. Let's get to the Harbor."

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After a long road to the Harbor, they saw Beidou and Kazuha, Venti talked with him and told him about what happened. Kazuha nod and asked Beidou for permission to be travelling with them, which she replied with:
"A friend of Kazuha is a friend of me! Surely this fellow knows what type of friends he makes." And she patted his back.

And so, they went on their way to Inazuma, the way on the Crux was pleasant, although, Childe was sea sick. And he was sitting with Zhongli on the ranch of the boat. Zhongli patting his back as he was puking against the ship, Kazuha and Venti exchanged some songs and poems and laughed about some.

And after a long road, they were there. Everyone thanked the shippers and went off on their way looking for.. a certain someone. Zhongli has been here before apparently, and lead the way all the way up to the Shogun's statue. Once of three of them collected, Zhongli looked back at Venti, who looked quite nervous. He walked over to Childe, grabbed him by his pulse and left Venti alone with the statue.

Now only alone Venti standing in front of it, he looked back, seeing no one and entering the realm of the Shogun.

On the other side, with Childe and Zhongli, both of them were talking about what was happening.

"So.. what actually IS happening right now, and who is actually the one we're looking for? You never told me it!"

"Easy now. I shall tell you when you're ready. We wouldn't want you to just leave, now do we?" Zhongli crossed his arms, and Childe sighed.

"I guess so, Mr. Zhongli." Childe smirked, came a bit closer to him, but as soon as he even tried to, Zhongli already pushed him away.

"No, Childe. Let's not get too hasty now. We should just wait for Venti to be back."

"But that will take agessss.. please Mr. Zhongli? I can buy you some Inazuma specialties if you'd like!"

".. Childe." Zhongli glared at him. Childe chuckled nervously and backed away from him. And after a short while, Venti got back. He approached Zhongli and whispered in his ear about what happened.

Childe obviously wanted to know, but Zhongli told him to stay away, which, he quietly did. And after a long while of searching for places, Childe started to feel like he was getting used.

"Hey uhm, guys?" Childe walked behind the two gods, which only one of them replied:
"Yeah, Childe?" It was Venti.

"I kinda helped you through a lot already, and I can go really far with this, but I wanted to ask, who are we--"

"Adeptus Xiao." Zhongli said loud enough for every person around them to hear.

"O-Oh.. right.. thank you, Mr. Zhongli.." Childe looked sad about how Zhongli said that just now. As if he was nothing more than just cold, hard stone.

"Look, Over there is the same kind of electro energy we saw earlier on the card, we should follow it!" Childe said, his voice being quite hoarse voice. He coughed and said;
"I'm pretty sure we'll be able to find it if we do!"

"Good idea, Childe! Let's do so!" Venti excitedly, and even a bit happily started to follow the trail of electro. Which Zhongli did too, not too surprised. Childe felt really stupid. Did he do something wrong? Should he apologize? But what for?

And indeed, after following the long trail, they found an old domain, all around it was covered with electro. Childe seemed proud of himself.

"I told you! Alright, now time to safe--"

"No need to. We'll do it. As said, we wouldn't want you to be looking like you broke your contact, right?"

"Yeah but- I want to help.."

"You already helped enough. Thank you. I truly appreciate it." Zhongli looked back at Childe, and smiled. Childe smiled back, he give him a small smile but in truth he was screaming inside. He does care about him!

"So.. what are we waiting for? We NEED to safe Xiao!" Venti looked at the two, Zhongli looked back at him and nod. He gave Childe another small smile before entering the domain with Venti.

Childe now standing alone outside the domain, he choose to stay at the entrance of the domain in chase they do need help from him, and after a while, he even fell asleep.

But God might know what was happening inside at that point..

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1203 words! Oh my god I'm sorry for not posting!! I have/had some tests and I'll try to write more in classes I understand already! I promise
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