Wandering Paws [genshin impact x cat!reader]

Chapter 17 - One Step Closer To Disaster Cat

'Thoughts'
"Speak"

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The weather in liyue was often either sunny and hot or stormy and humid, there was no in between. The fatui agents would have complained about it if not for the fact that they would probably receive a painful punishment for wasting the harbinger's time. The harbinger they worked under was an unforgiving and ruthless one, one that does not tolerate any mistakes. He views them as nothing but tools and couldn't care less about how he treats them, as long as he got what he wanted. They were supposed to follow him and obey his orders, but the fact that they were camping outside of wangshuu inn proved just how little he cared for them. Or he was just annoyed and wanted to be left alone like an angsty teenager.

Meanwhile with said harbinger, he was looking through a small pile of documents on a desk in wangshuu inn. He was more than aware of your existence. The other harbingers thought of you as nothing more than a cat who they can manipulate for their needs, especially Dottore. But he knew better than them. You were so much more than just a cat, something so much worse and so much more disgusting. You say you were nothing like your siblings, yet when he looks at you compared to them, you're even worse. His eyes widened as he looked at the picture his agents got of you, why were you so different all of a sudden? Where were those prominent golden veins that branched out of the birthmark on your forehead? Your eyes were a clear e/c instead of the cloudy gold that constantly leaked out elemental energy. Not to mention, you got smaller and had less fur. From the documents on you, you have only shown your control over geo and anemo. How curious. Did you genuinely loose your control over the other elements or were you just trying to deceive them? He guesses the latter, a cunning snake you were. Looks can be deceiving.

He gently caressed the scarf on his neck. "I wish you had died on that mountain." His harsh tone contrasted the way he held the scarf. He hated you, despised you. You were the worst thing to ever happen to him and he wishes he had never met you yet he still craves the heart he had when you were with him, something you took away along with you. He shook his head and continued to look through documents. He saw a report about dragonspine saying that the blood of Durin was suddenly being pumped and was flowing like a violent river. Was this your doing as well? He reads through the documents about how the abyss order has been more active lately. He handpicked this one himself. They know you're awake, and it's a race against the clock to find you.

He could feel eyes staring at him from the window, he snapped his head to the window only to see a quick flash of turquoise and black. As quick as it came it was gone. He stood up from the chair and made a beeline for the window. Looking out of it, he doesn't see anyone that could have been the person staring at him. He looked around for signs of anyone watching him but still couldn't find any. It can't be you either, you had no ability to teleport from what he knows. He closed the curtains and went back to looking through documents.

~~~~~

Xiao watched the curtains of the window that the harbinger had looked out of close. He heard him say "I wish you had died on that mountain." but who was he referring to? When he looked into the documents the harbinger was holding, the text was too far away to read but he saw a quick glimpse of a photo of Fluffy? Why did he want Fluffy dead? He was sure that a harbinger would not want a cat dead for no reason. Even then, you were a disadvantage to the fatui being on Aether's side, but you were a cat so they could easily manipulate you into turning sides, so why? "Does it have something to do with that myth rex lapis once told me...?" Xiao quietly muttered. "I need to investigate this. If Fluffy really is the cat from that myth then they are a dangerous threat to liyue harbour." Xiao said as he disappeared in a flash of turquoise and black smoke.

~~~~~

You made you way to find the guizhong ballista, you were carried in Aether's arms the whole way there. "It's huge! Paimon can totally believe it took an adeptus made this. But, how do you operate this thing? Just think how much strength you would need." Paimon said while looking at the ballista. "Currently, it seems to be inoperable. This device is broken." Zhongli said while you groomed yourself in Aether's arms. "Aw what? It broke?!" Paimon said frustrated. "After millennia of wear and tear, even adepti contraptions are hard to maintain." Zhongli said while looking at the broken ballista. "So what are we gonna do? Quick, Mr. Zhongli, use your unlimited high society knowledge powers!" Paimon said while pointing at the ballista. "Hmm. You almost make it sound like I'm some sort of... bourgeois parasite who's only utility lies on giving quaint pieces of trivia on demand." Zhongli said. "You cracked the case Sherlock!" You said sarcastically from Aether's arms.