Hu Tao x Reader - A Morbid Curiosity

Chapter 42: Irodori Festival: Farewells

Hu Tao: "Huuuuu... I can't believe it's the last day of the festival already..."

Y/N: "Time sure flies when you're spending it in good company, I suppose! But it's been fun, right?"

Hu Tao: "Well, of course it's been fun! I've been by your side throughout it all after all! Oh! And Qiqi too, of course!"

Y/N: "Right! This festival wouldn't have been anywhere near as fun without my two best friends beside me!"

Qiqi: "Y/N, Hu Tao...? I have... finished my stretches."

Hu Tao: "Oh, good! Well, there's still a good half-a-day before we have to get on board the boat that takes us back to Liyue. So why don't we have one last day full of fun, hmm?!"

Y/N: "Sounds like a good idea to me! But, hmm... what to do though...?"

Qiqi: "Y/N? Can I say goodbye... to big sister Sara?"

Hu Tao: "Of course we can! That Sara is good people, right Y/N?"

Y/N: "Right! Sara's a good person for sure, and we said we'd come find her before we went back to Liyue anyways!"

Qiqi: "Oh... Thank you."

Y/N: "Well, time's a wastin'! Let's go and get the most we can out of this last day in Inazuma, shall we?"

With us all in agreement, we did one last check of our things – making sure we were all packed up and ready to leave without having to worry about leaving anything behind. Leaving our bags by the door ready to just grab and take with us as we leave later.

Now with everything all in order, and nothing more to worry about until departure time, the three of us make our way out of our room in search of one last adventure together here in Inazuma. And yet, Hu Tao was trailing slightly behind, and I heard her mutter a little something to herself...

Hu Tao: *sigh* (Why doesn't she call me something cute like she does that Sara?)

* * *

Over the past week, we had managed to get up to a whole bunch of fun as a trio. There were many activities to interact with during this festival – such as the Floral Courtyard event, of which Qiqi reminded me about every single day, and it was the first thing that we did every morning. And from this I learnt that Hu Tao is also quite fond of flower arranging too.

And just like the floral event's overseer, Fushizome, had promised to us, with each of her gardens that we were able to successfully replicate were we rewarded with the flowerpots blueprints to craft alongside several packets of the relevant flower seeds – allowing us to bring the art of Ikebana back with us to whence we came... and Qiqi seemed elated with such a reward every time we received it.

There was another interesting event that we stumbled upon, one that Hu Tao had some experience with back in Liyue: Theatre Mechanicus. It was an interesting little board game that apparently had apparently appeared in Liyue a couple of times in the past. The attendant in charge of the event described it as a tower defence game, where you place these towers onto the board in pre-determined spots and then a theoretical wave of monsters has to make its way from one side of the map to the other without getting gunned down by these towers you placed.

It was quite the intricate system, and the attendant was really good at staying on top of how much health each of these monsters would have, and it was quite an entertaining time. Of course, Hu Tao absolutely crushed it, but I'm pinning that on her having prior experience – I'll best her high score next time for sure!