|| Meetings in Tevyat || - Genshin Impact Oneshots

|| The Wanderer - Part 1 ||

You sit by the riverside in Sumeru, watching the sky in the reflection of the water. You had been fishing for most of the day, but didn't expect it to be anything other than sunny. Still, the clouds are darkening, and the smell of rain is undeniable. The sun is already setting, so you don't have much time to waste. You look into the water for a moment longer then you should, knowing you'll have to take shelter in the forest. Everywhere else is too far away. You grumble to yourself, not in the mood for this.

You stand up and scan around the riverside, holding out your hand to feel a small droplet landing on your palm. You fight the urge to stick your tongue out to catch some more, and instead watch as ripples begin to form in the water. They fade as quickly as they are made. You stand still as you feel the rain prick your skin, for a moment longer than you should.

You sigh, turning away and walking towards the forest as the rain begins to build. The trees sway as you walk underneath them, and you pray that there won't be a thunderstorm. You still struggled to sleep through them. The trees above were thick enough to provide a little shelter from the rain. You find a spot where the trees are dense above you, and where animals would find it hard to ambush you. Now came the hard part— setting up camp.

You go through the motions of setting up a tent as the rain picks up. You've done this so many time's you've lost count, and each step is engraved into your mind. The fabric you use has been worn from hundreds of uses, yet it works just as well as it did the first time. Had it really been a hundred times since then? It felt like only yesterday.

Your focus is interrupted by a humanoid figure in the distance.

You pause, looking up to have a closer look. You notice that he has a hand lowering his hat over his eyes, and it reminds you of the type you'd see in Inazuma. This one has far more details put into it, with a golden rim and the blue shape of a lotus over it. He holds a basket full of fruits in his other arm. The rest of his attire seems like it's from Inazuma, but it's strangely unique. You had never seen anything like it— almost.

He scans the area around him, his eyes wide with curiosity. His eyes land on you, and his face turns into a subtle look of surprise. The recognition you have gives you an uneasy feeling, but this person in front of you seems... harmless. You're not sure where exactly you had seen someone like him before.

"Hello?" he greets, hesitantly approaching you.

His voice is young, and soft. You stand up, quickly glancing at your finished tent. You look back at him, and find him already a few paces away. You jump a little.

"Oh, sorry," he adds, reaching into his basket slowly. "Would you like some fruit?"

You give him a puzzled look. "Who are you?"

He pauses. "Don't worry about that. Here, just take it."

He offers a peach out to you, and you can feel your stomach grumble. You hesitate, and then take it from him, feeling it in your palm. You give him a questioning look as he takes a step away. You're not sure what questions you should start with.

"I'm just a wanderer," he mumbles, answering one of them.

You take a small bite out of the peach. It's soft, with just the right amount of sweetness. He notices, and his eyes light up a little at your satisfaction. Your eyes quickly wander over his face. You notice the red streaks lining his eyes. How his dark violet hair matches those eyes. There is something about him that seems unnatural, as if his features are too perfected to be human. Even his breathes seem inhumane. Forced, even.

"So you don't have a name or something?" you ask.

He glances at the peach. "In all honesty, I'm not sure. Will you tell me yours?"