A Light To Call Home ☆Genshin Impact☆

Keres.

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3rd POV

Akemi let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping as she paced back and forth. "Ugh, why does everything have to be so complicated?" she mumbled to herself, running a hand through her hair. 

"Sumeru... How on Teyvat am I supposed to get in with Aether and Paimon when I'm literally banned from the place?"

She paused, biting her lip as she considered a few outrageous possibilities. "Maybe I could sneak in disguised as a scholar? No, no, they'd see right through that." She tapped her chin. "Or maybe... I could pretend to be a merchant selling... exotic cheeses? That could work, right?" She shook her head, laughing weakly. "Oh, Akemi, you're losing it. Exotic cheeses? Really?"

With a deep breath, Akemi tried to refocus. "Okay, okay. Maybe I can find a back entrance... or just bribe someone. No... there isn't a guarentee they won't snitch." She slumped again, groaning. "Why is life so hard?"

As she mulled over her options, something strange occurred to her. She glanced down and gasped. "Right, these are Ayaka's clothes I'm wearing!" She commented, mentally gushing over the quality and appearance of the clothes before snapping out of it. "I have to give this back to her soon, clean of course! As for my own set of clothing..."

Her troubled expression slowly brightened as another idea crossed her mind. She clapped her hands together, her face lighting up. "Oh! I know! I'll just write a letter to Diluc!"

The mage nodded to herself, a small grin forming. "He can send for a new set of clothes to be made in Fontaine. They've got all the good stuff there! Oh, I can already picture it—something cute, but practical. Maybe with a little bit of flair, something that screams 'Akemi, but cooler!'"

She twirled on the spot, laughing softly to herself, already imagining the fabric and patterns. "Yes, that would be perfect! Getting new clothes is just so—"

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as her knees suddenly gave out beneath her. Akemi gasped, her hand shooting out to catch herself, but the ground was quicker. She collapsed onto the dirt, her breath coming in shallow pants as a wave of weakness washed over her.

"What...?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why... now?" She blinked up at the sky, confusion and fear clouding her mind as she lay there, her body refusing to move.

"Clothes can wait, I guess..." Akemi managed to murmur softly before the world around her grew darker, her eyelids fluttering closed.

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1st POV

When I came to, I found myself back in that familiar, empty, white space I had just managed to escape from not too long ago.

Great... just great...

"Well... I didn't think I'd be back here so soon."

I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. This place, I suppose I should call it the dream realm or something, though I really wish it had a bit more flair. It's just so... bland and boring.

"Why am I back here?" I mused aloud, my curiosity piqued.

And then, I heard it—a voice that sent a shiver of recognition down my spine.

"So, are you done with everything? I'm starting to get impatient waiting for you."

Yep, that's definitely her... I knew exactly who it belonged to.

I turned around, slightly eager to see her again, and there she was, just as I expected. A meaner, grumpier, more arrogant version of me presented before me. Only this time, she was lounging on an armchair, sitting all wrong with both legs draped over the chair arms.