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[ If Guizhong can tell, she doesn't show it. She treats Jun like any other human who came for her counsel. ]

I see... there is a house here for children your age. You can go to school with them, if you like.

[ Again, it seems that orphans aren't uncommon in this time and place. She's talking about a youth home. There's also a basic school taught by the priestesses, who try to equip children with skills and knowledge for their life ahead. That school doesn't discriminate between parentage, though.

Guizhong's smile turns slightly amused; ]

But I believe you are here seeking someone else, yes?

[An orphanage and a school, in other words. Jun isn't planning to stay in this vision long enough to need a place like that, but he can play along]

Really? That sounds nice.

[He does mean that sincerely. Actually looking after orphans in this village is really nice, considering the time period this was in

But...ah. Could she tell that much, or was it just a memory?]

Well...I was hoping to find someone I know, but I haven't had any luck yet.

[ Guizhong nods, rising from her seat. She looks human from the waist down as well, wearing a blue robe tied with a ribbon at her back. The only decoration she wears is that hairpin with a Glaze Lily - very simple, especially considering that she is a god. ]

You must be from one of the mountain villages then... I will ask Morax if he remembers seeing your face.

[ Jun might get the impression that this isn't the first time someone has asked her to locate their relatives. It seems like this place might also be a refuge for those who have lost their homes, which explains why the orphanage's existence is common knowledge. ]

He went out a while ago. If you wait, he will return.

[ She leads Jun to the open courtyard. The sky is a clear light blue above them, with a few clouds shading the ground from the bright sunlight. This memory is almost like some sort of fable; an ideal world. Jun can ask her questions while they wait. ]

Edited (me seeing repeated words i the same sentence:) 2021-03-05 03:03 (UTC)

[Morax ... that name felt familiar but he couldn't place from where just yet. Maybe it'll come to him eventually. Or he'll find out who this Morax was. ]

Alright...thank you.

[He follows her to the courtyard. Like the rest of this land, this place is also picturesque and beautiful. And he has noticed how modestly she dressed for a god. There were a few that were portrayed that way on Earth, especially with the ones more often worshipped in the modern era, but it was still curious]

This place is really beautiful ... is everyone in the town your followers?

[ There's no need to display any grandeur when she only wanted to be a protector of these little people. She didn't have great power, only her wits, much like how humans were frail and wished to survive in a hostile world. She didn't need to elevate herself above them. ]

You could say that. I try to guide them the best I can.

[ Those who flock to this town are all grateful for her guidance and Morax's protection. They live a simple life without much worries, as befit the newly-matured human race. Much of the complexity of Teyvat came much later. ]

I see...

[yeah, that lines up. he glances around the place again. It really is beautiful here.]

You do a good job. The people seem very happy here. [It's a simple yet happy life. So different from the one he was attached to on Earth, but he could appreciate it all the same]

Thank you.

[ Her smile is warm and genuine, like the gentle afternoon sky. Though, their conversation is cut short by the wind picking up - not out of Anemo magic, but as a sign of arrival. Something threads through the sparse clouds, heading straight for the town; for this courtyard specifically. A brown dragon circles above the temple before landing on the ground - it's not very big, but certainly a familiar form to Jun who has seen it before.

The dragon's head turns to regard Jun, and for a moment the teen has the same feeling of being examined from the inside - but this gaze is devoid of Guizhong's gentleness, instead giving Jun the impression of being eyed by a predator.

Then the dragon's form dissolves into golden light, and a tall man steps out from the space where it occupied. His face is familiar to Jun, but his manner isn't - stern, cold, and unfeeling. ]

Who is this?

[Jun wasn't the best at making small talk, especially when he didn't know what to say that'd make this memory go off the rails. Even so, he was at least about to ask about the flowers ... only to trail off when the wind unnaturally picks up. He looks up to see the dragon circling and coming to land. That's not a sight you see every day ... especially when you realize you've seen a dragon like that somewhere before.

This must be...

As the dots start to connect in Jun's head, the dragon lands and gazes through him once more - the feeling is even more unsettling than when the Lord of Dust did it. While she'd been trying to learn more of him, this gaze gave the impression that this god was trying to decide if he should be ripped to shreds.

It's both unsurprising and startling when the dragon morphs into a humanoid form, confirming Jun's rapidly growing theory. This was one of Zhongli's memories- no, Morax as he was known in this era. And there's no mistaking the change of mannerism, absent was the gentle warmth and aged wisdom that he was familiar with in his time period. Perhaps later he'll realize the similarities to himself before he started changing. But right now...a much more alarming realization pops in his mind:

Oh no, Zhongli had an Old Testament phase, didn't he. And now he was having to witness it firsthand. Fuck. Fuck this could be real bad. For a boy who was raised on holy scripture, this vision had quickly gone from lovely to potentially terrifying.

Looking between the two gods, knowing he should answer, he can only pray this will remain a lovely memory and not a "and then Morax turned the heretic into ash" memory. ]

Ah, Jun...sir.

[ Luckily for Jun and all the individuals involved, Morax shared Guizhong's acceptance of all who came to their town seeking shelter. There's no need to harm Jun if he didn't pose a threat to this place - that was what he was most concerned about. Jun had divine power in him, but it was nowhere as strong or contestable as the raw power that Morax held, and so he will give the child the benefit of the doubt. ]

Hm.

[ Is all he says before he folds his arms - a familiar posture, no doubt. He wears a hood and a white coat, much like Jun himself, a strange twist of parallels. Guizhong takes this opportunity to speak up and try to dissipate the tension: ]

Dear, have you seen this boy before? He's looking for his family.

[ To that, he returns his attention to Jun again, peering at his face. His answer is unsurprising, given that Jun isn't actually from here. ]

I have not.

[ Guizhong hums, putting a hand to her chin in thought. ]

Oh... I am sorry, Jun. But we will give you a place to stay, worry not.

[Okay, it's been several seconds and he's not dead. So that's got to be a good sign, right? Either this memory of Morax can't see him for what he is, or he doesn't care.

Feeling that his smiting is not imminent, he'll take in what's in front of him even more. That white hood look, while it's not exactly the same, is familiar enough to Jun that the parallel isn't lost on him. And so was...the terse and emotionless attitude.

...

Wait is this how he comes across to people? --No, surely not. He can't possibly be anywhere near this intimidating, he's just a mortal.

Dismissing THAT important thought of self reflection, he notes the "dear". Did she just call him that? Were they together? Zhongli never mentioned another god he was close to before.

...He should probably respond]

Ah, that's alright. I thought it was a long shot anyway...thanks. I appreciate your kindness.

Edited 2021-03-05 15:01 (UTC)

[ Guizhong nods, her mind already moving on to the next logical step. ]

I can show you to the school if you like. The people there will take care of you. [ To Morax, her countenance turns more serious. ] Could you go inspect the dam later? I feel the rains will come soon.

[ He nods, and immediately heads out of the temple. Jun could go with Guizhong's suggestion, or... something prompts him that he could follow Morax if he wanted to. ]

[Well, the sane answer would be to stick near Guizhong and go wherever she's planning to take him. Clearly Morax isn't interested in company and is not someone you want to annoy.

Fortunately, Jun is hardly what most would call "sane". He's much more interested in what the guy he knows is doing than a school he'll never actually attend.

He watches as Morax leaves, before asking Guizhong curiously]

Has there been problems with the dam?

[ Guizhong doesn't take offense to her suggestion being declined - she's gentle and adaptable, of which the former might remind Jun of the current Zhongli a little. ]

Hm... heavy rains come around this time of the year. We built a dam here to contain the river into a lake, and we have taught the humans how to upkeep it over the past decade. I ask Morax to proof the dam every time they are finished with maintenance, though. He can catch structural flaws like no one else.

[ Naturally. He's attuned to Geo, after all - at this time, the title of Archon had not yet been bestowed, but his innate abilities pertaining to the element have always been strong. ]

I see... you two must make quite a team.

[It makes sense that Morax would be good at those things. And so very like them to check the human's work once they're done. Even the older, gentler Zhongli he knew had a tendency to get involved with human affairs more than other gods. ]

Would it be alright if I took a look...?

[He didn't want to be rude to this god. She's gentle, but she was still a god]

I am sure he would not mind.

[ Guizhong smiles, starting to walk out of the temple after Morax's already vanishing silhouette. Maybe she thinks that Jun just has an interest in civil engineering. It's not a bad thing, because kids who grow up learning what they're curious about would become great engineers and planners. ]

The lake helps fish and other animals thrive. Keeping it clean gives the town an accessible source of water and a source for irrigation systems.

[ Guizhong starts to tell Jun about why they built the dam. She doesn't lecture as much as Zhongli, but their way of speaking are a little similar. Their path brings them through the fields, and the workers all pause in their harvesting to greet her.

The dam comes into view, its banks decorated with greenery and patches of Glaze Lilies. The blue of their petals reflects the sky and the waters of the lake, clear enough to see the fish swimming in it. Guizhong stops by the bank, far enough from the dam wall to be out of earshot, and close enough so Jun can see what Morax is doing. He appears to be examining the walls, and brief flashes of golden light hint at the movement of elements within. ]

[he can't say he's ever had an interest in civil engineering, but he won't be correcting her on the assumption. Better than explaining what was actually going on. So he listens politely as she lectures. The talk does make him think of one of Zhongli's, but with much more brevity.

The sight of the dam, while nothing compared to modern dams of earth, was still impressive on its own. As well as all the fields of glaze lillies. They seem to be really popular in this town. He can see Morax working on the dam in the distance, he's observed Zhongli enough to have a good sense of what that golden light means. ]

It's impressive...

[He says, since it really is. He does kneel down a little to get a closer look at one of the glaze lily]

These flowers seem to be everywhere...what are they?

[ Guizhong crouches down as well, elegantly of course, and she smiles when Jun asks about the flowers. ]

These are Glaze Lilies. They are my favourite flowers. They listen to the words of those around them, thriving in places of peace. They will bloom if you sing to them.

[ There's a Glaze Lily on her hairpin, too. The flower blooms in large swathes around the town, which would comply with the impression that life here was peaceful. ]

[Her favorite flower...that'd explain why they were so plentiful, and why they were her hairpin. He makes a mental note of the name, Glaze Lily. They were a pretty flower. He reaches out to gently touch the petals of one near him.

Though when she mentions the singing part? He will give an owlish blink and stare at her. Did he hear that right? That can't be serious- what flower responds to singing?

Jun doesn't think to try it himself, he's never really been the type to just willingly break out into song, instead he's just...going to stare in a confused manner as he tries to figure out if she's pulling his leg.

???? ]

[ As they say, seeing is easiest for believing. Guizhong chuckles, moving to sit near one patch of lilies that were still closed. She starts to sing a gentle lullaby, and the few lilies begin to slowly open, until they too are in full bloom like the other flowers around them. ]

Glaze Lilies are perceptive of people's hearts, only thriving in places of peace. They are fragile, so they can only survive here.

[ They're much like humans, really. And when the Archon Wars began, they too would vanish from the land... ]

[Oh thank God she's demonstrating herself, that's a relief. He watches with a bit of awe as the flowers open up to her song. It's really something to see.]

They are? That's too bad. I know someone who'd love them, but she's really far away.

[He just knows Kugayama would enjoy them. He could picture her getting excited because they were the same color as her trademark idol costume. "See? Even the flowers are SPiKA fans!", he could just hear her saying as they opened to her singing.

But, she'll never get to see them, will she? She's not in Teyvat, and these flowers might not even exist in modern Teyvat if they're that fragile. Just like this city, or this gentle god speaking to him. They were just a temporary vision of a moment in Zhongli's past, long gone. While the other memories he's witnessed he was glad for their ending, the thought of this one eventually ending felt...sad.

...]

Hey, does the name Liyue Harbor mean anything to you?

You should tell her when you see her again. She would love to hear about it.

[ Guizhong says this gently, but to her Jun is speaking about a lost friend, one that she assumes was lost during whatever disaster that took his home village. She's trying to console him.

However, there's no recognition in her eyes when he brings up Liyue's name. ]

I have not heard of that place. Is that where you traveled from?

Mm, I will.

[He nods. Lucky for all, Rion is alive and well, just in Japan. And at the lack of recognition, he pauses...debating how to do this. It's not like anything he says would actually change history, right? People interfering with his memories didn't rewrite his memories. Chances are, he's talking to nothing more than a projection.

But...just like with Crow, if this can reach her, then maybe..]

Not exactly, but I have a friend from there - Zhongli. Or will be from there...it doesn't quite exist yet. But when it does, it'll have people who are descended from the ones here living there. And not only are they happy like they are now, but they're also more capable of looking after themselves. So much that their god is considering finally taking a much needed rest.

[He sighs]

Sorry, that probably doesn't make any sense. I just ... thought you'd like to know.

[ Guizhong gazes at him for a few moments, then her expression relaxes into a wistful smile. This is just a memory, after all - this moment will never return again. Such is the fate of all that have passed on. ]

I see. Thank you, young one.

[ This she accepts with grace, and reality begins to catch up to them, her form dissolving into the finest dust. Morax seems to have disappeared while they were talking, the landscape fading away as if in a dream. ]

Then my work was not in vain....

[ When the memory ends, Jun is left standing on a rather large rock, but still one he can hop down with ease. As for Zhongli himself - he's not in Jun's immediate area, but it's not hard to see him standing on a nearby cliff and looking down at the scenery. ]

[She seemed to take the news well. Was it proof that her spirit heard it? Or was it just the vision responding how it thinks it would. Either way...she's gone, along with that beautiful scenery, both lost to time. He's back to the windy hills of Mondstadt.

Knowing how these things go by now, he looks around and...sure enough, there's Zhongli in the distance. There's part of him that really wants to slink away, pretend he didn't accidentally invade their private memories and pray it never gets brought up. Were it anyone else, he'd probably do just that.

But mm, he doesn't see that working with Zhongli. It'd probably be more likely to backfire. Better to face the music now. So he'll jump off that rock and make the trek over to where he's standing. ]

...Hey Zhongli.

[He's not trying, but he's sure got something like that guilty look pets get when they knew they did something bad. Sorry he invaded your memories grandpa.]

[ It's difficult to tell if Zhongli already knew what Jun saw, given that he has earth sensei and probably noticed the teen approaching from a long distance away. Nevertheless, he plays the part of a human, turning around only when spoken to. His countenance is calm as always, but he looks a little wistful, as if he had been reminiscing. ]

Hello. What brings you here?

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