𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐨 ―𝐠. 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

Prologue

"Good evening." A calm, refined voice. Standing outside was a young figure with only a large bamboo hat to keep them from getting drenched in the pouring rain. "Could I ask for you to kindly let me in for the night?"

"Aye," gasped an elderly woman. She quickly opened the door for the individual and ushered them in. The stranger took off their hat and gave a curt bow as they walked inside the cozy home. Not wanting to dirty the house, they took off their large, wet robe, which exposed their slender figure wearing nothing but a thin turtleneck and baggy pants. Nonetheless, even with the clear sight of them, no one--not even the wise grandma--could ever seem to understand what gender they were. No one minded. They were quite attractive either way. 

This enigmatic figure was you.

"Aye," she muttered again. "The rain is hard tonight. Tell me, beautiful child, what is your name? You can simply call me Lao."

"Thank you, Madame Lao," you smiled modestly. "I go by (y/n), and I am a traveling doctor. In return for letting me stay the night, I offer any help medicine can bring."

"Oooh, what a handsome young doctor you are. And, I don't need anything in return. Anyone would let in a stranger during a storming night," replied the elder. Because she was hunched, she appeared smaller than you, but you could see that she was still strong and independent.

With a grateful nod, you went into the room she prepared for you. It was a storage room, but it was enough for you that it had a comfortable, thick blanket laid out. Sleeping on grass for the last couple of days added to your appreciation of soft blankets.

You sat down and looked inside your bag, effortlessly identifying the things you need within the mess. An old friend of yours always scrunched her nose when you asked for her to find something in it, saying that "it is messier than the aftermath of the Archon War."

As you laughed quietly at the thought of that friend, you ground some herbs in a stone bowl and combined other serums to add the finishing touch. After squeezing out the essence, you put it in a small container and set it to the side in the dark. It was a cooling agent for lower back pain--common for the elderly like the woman that took you in. Despite her claims of needing nothing, you weren't one to leave without a token of appreciation. The salve would help cool down the pain in applied areas.

"That old geezer could probably use some," you thought out loud, chuckling. "I seem to be thinking of her a lot. I suppose I should pay her a visit there."

A large, relaxing sigh escaped your lips as you laid down, thinking of the long journey required to get to that certain place. You considered buying a blanket like the one you were laying on, only to realize that you had no mora or a way to carry it with you on your travels. Sometimes, the merits of being a vagrant were far outweighed by the comforts of a good blanket. But what could you do? You had already settled on voyaging all of Teyvat to offer your help as a "doctor" to anyone in need. 

You closed your eyes and listened to the pitter-pattering of the rain outside. The quiet humming of the grandmother filled the house, and for a while, you wondered if this was what it felt like to have a home. A cozy bed, a warm house, a person waiting for you inside. All sounded good to you, even if you were used to the beauty of wandering the world. Regardless, for tonight, at least, you'll appreciate the comforts of having a bed.

"Will I ever have a place to call home?" you mused, slinking into the depths of night. With a chuckle, you dismissed the thought as a mortal's dream.

To think that you would find such a place soon after uttering those words.