Chapter Text
It’s a bright morning in Inazuma.
“Woah… I’ve never seen this place before. It’s amazing!” Khariji leans so far out of the boat that Dottore has to keep a firm grip on the back of his shirt, so his reckless boy doesn’t tip over.
When the boat hits Inazuma soil, Dottore makes the mistake of letting go. Khariji clamors over the railing and lands on his feet.
“Don’t run off too far!” Dottore yells over the deck, as two Fatui agents leap out after Khariji to chase him.
“Heh,” says Wanderer, who hasn’t moved from his vantage point on the crow’s nest of the ship.
Dottore squints at his wayward co-parent against the silhouette of the rising sun, and relaxes minutely knowing that Khariji (now kicking up a spray of seawater as he trips over a fishing net) is still within his sightline.
There’s a sizeable crowd gathered around the ship, pointing and whispering. The Fatui are not welcome after the events of the Vision Hunt Decree. While the finer details of the Fatui’s involvement had been kept under wraps, the people knew the facts - a Harbinger was killed by the Raiden Shogun herself, and then the Decree was lifted. It is not hard to point fingers.
Wanderer lands next to Dottore. “I’m going to make a courtesy stop.”
Dottore nods. Out of curiosity, he asks, “were you ever involved in the Inazuma phase of the Fatui’s plans?”
“Die wondering,” Wanderer says to him, and flies off.
Lady Chisato of the Kanjou Commission meets Dottore at Ritou Port.
It’s hard to justify a visit to Inazuma from his current station in Sumeru, given that the real reason - Wanderer’s existence - must be kept concealed from the public. Dottore is hence visiting under the guise of repairing relations after the demise of Signora. It’s not a good excuse because Dottore doesn’t care about Signora, and Pierro had managed to convey great disbelief through his letter. He had approved it anyway.
His letter wrote: If you fuck up the Inazuma Company too, you’re staying there to make up for it.
Dottore considers the threat offer. Pros: more opportunity to investigate Wanderer’s history, and Khariji likes the place.
Cons: It’s too warm. He may have been born in the humid rainforest, but centuries of acclimating to the tundra did not do well for his adaptability to the beach.
He spends an hour pretending to care about Signora’s death until the Kanjou Commission Head agreed to comp tariffs for Snezhnayan goods for the next five years. Then he meanders off to look for his wayward son (and even more elusive partner.)
Khariji pops a piece of dango into his mouth, chews, swallows, and scowls at it. It tastes familiar. Is that a holdover from Wanderer’s Inazuma origins? This was so weird.
“Young master,” Alekandra says, “your Father’s meeting has concluded.”
“Which one?” Khariji says.
“The one with the Kanjou Commission Head,” Alekandra says, misinterpreting the question. It was still an answer. Khariji nods.
They find Dottore idly walking around the town marketplace, with other marketgoers gawking and vendors debating whether to call out to him. Khariji collides with his knees.
Dottore pats his head. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
Khariji nods. “Do you want some of my dango?”
“No thank you,” Dottore says. “Now, have you seen Wanderer anywhere?”
As if on cue, Wanderer drops from the sky. The Fatui flanking them startle and whip out their weapons, and then sheepishly put them away.
Khariji tugs at his sleeve. “Where did you go?”
“None of your business,” Wanderer says pleasantly to the both of them.
Khariji shakes his dango stick at him. “I remember what this tastes like!”
Wanderer ruffles his hair. “Maybe I ate a lot of it when I was carrying you.”
Dottore tells Khariji, “That is not how the transmission of genetic memory works.”
“Psh,” says Wanderer. “Stop dwalding. Let’s get this reunion over with.” With that, he pivots on his heel and begins stomping towards the mainland.
“We’re not going to walk all the way to Inazuma City, are we?” Khariji mumbles.
Dottore says, “It’d be good for you. You sit in your room all day-”
“Ugh…”
“Always reading-”
“I’m studying!”
“-Light novels! How will that help with your studies?”
“Uggghhhh……”
(Khariji manages to convince Dottore to pick him up partway through the trip.
“Are we there yet…”
Dottore rolls his eyes. “Name and describe the principles of an alchemical reaction.”
“Um, um, yawn, I’m so tired…”
Wanderer, floats alongside them. “There’s a reality where Dottore pampered him too much,” he muttered, low enough only for Khariji to catch, but not to understand - the kid lifted his head from Dottore’s shoulder to gaze at Wanderer’s silhouette, fitting in the pieces of the countryside.)
They reach Inazuma City by noon. General Kujou Sara of the Tenyrou Commission arrives to fetch them, and stalks them, very displeased, all the way to Tenshukaku.
The Guuji Yae is waiting for them, arms crossed, one foot tapping on the floor. “Oh, you three have finally arrived. Ei has been waiting.”
“What does she have but time?” Wanderer said, sounding displeased, and he stared at the Guuji Yae, who stared back in stony silence.
The Guuji Yae acquiesced, and took a step back. “The both of you,” she lamented, “Are so alike.” At her assent, the doors to Tenshukashu open.
“I don’t remember you.” The Raiden Shogun looks just like Wanderer. She wears his expression.
“I didn’t think you would,” Wanderer answers her. “I vowed to be forgotten by the world, for a reason.”
The Raiden Shogun frowns. “Then how did Miko recognize you?”
“Guess I didn’t cover all my bases,” Wanderer says, and then gestures to Khariji. Dottore continues to hold his hand - they step forward together. The Raiden Shogun’s gaze narrows on the feather ornament that Khariji has clipped to his scarf.
“Oh,” she says.
Wanderer says, “The boy is mine.”
The Raiden Shogun says, “And the Harbinger?”
Wanderer makes a face. “He’s whatever.”
She looks dissatisfied with the answer. “This body was built to withstand erosion.” She shakes her head. “I should not have forgotten.”
Wanderer seems to hesitate with something. “I’ll set you up with Kusanali,” he says.
The Raiden Shogun nods. Then she says, full of judgment, “the Harbinger?”
“Oh Barbatos , I’m not saying anything about you and Miko, am I?” Wanderer snaps at her, and Khariji bursts out into a fit of giggles.
He abruptly quietens when the Raiden Shogun takes a step forward. He tries to stand up straight and be brave. His parents are here. Dottore squeezes his palm.
The Raiden Shogun places a hand on Khariji’s forehead. She murmurs, “Ah. I see. I sense within you… the residue of a God.”
Khariji’s eyes widen. “Really?”
The Raiden Shogun nods. “You are unmistakably tied to me.” Her hand falls to the feather ornament - Khariji tries not to fidget. “And this… is proof of your affiliation to me. I will allow you to keep it.”
“Thanks,” Khariji says, vibrating. “Can… can I call you Grandma?”
Yae Miko bursts into guffaws.
The Raiden Shogun looks startled. “Grandma…?”
“Um, um, because you’re Dad’s Mom, and-”
“That’s enough out of you,” Wanderer says calmly, throwing Khariji over his shoulder and heading towards the exit. Dottore bows and continues after them, snickering under his mask.
“Having an Archon for an in-law is certainly interesting,” Dottore says.
Wanderer says to Dottore, “I don’t want to hear anything from you, of all people.” To Khariji, “Don’t call her Grandma. I’m disowning her as my mother.”
“Oh…” Khariji says. “Because… she forgot you? But I forgot you, too…” He sniffles. “Are you getting rid of me, too?”
“Do not emotionally manipulate me!” Wanderer says. “Who did you learn it from-”
Khariji blinks large, guileless eyes at him.
“Right,” Wanderer says, shaking his head. He sighs. “I’ll think about it.”
“What about Lesser Lord Kusanali? Can I call her Grandma?”
“That one I can tell you, absolutely not, for sure,” Wanderer rolls his eyes. “She’s younger than me.”
“Auntie, then?”
“Not to her face. Her ego is big enough as it is.”
The rest of their time in Inazuma is uneventful. It’s more of a vacation, than anything - for Khariji, that is. Dottore spends this time doing his reading, sorting through his unreliable memory, and piecing together a rough timeline of things. He casually speculates, “You know, I was in Inazuma, a few centuries ago.”
From the couch, Wanderer scoffs, “Get to the point or stop wasting my time.”
“I arrived to investigate the potential uses of Tartarasuna,” Dottore says, and quietly observes for Wanderer’s reactions. “About four centuries ago. Were you around, at the time?”
Wanderer says, “That’s none of your business.”
“Ah, so you were,” Dottore says, pleased. “I assume that was how we met. May I ask a follow up question?”
Khariji returns to the temporary Fatui base, arms laden with packages of sweets, and opens the door to-
“Don’t look, young master!” Alekandra yanks him by the arm and spins him around to face her instead, and quickly slams the door shut.
Khariji blinks. “What’s wrong?”
Alekandra says, “Your parents are getting along. We should leave.”
“Oh, okay,” Khariji says.
Wanderer pauses at the sheer audacity of the Fatui subordinate, and is surprised enough to sit back on his haunches and release his hands from Dottore’s throat. “In what world does this look like us getting along?!”
Dottore says, “Well, you are on top of me.”
Wanderer seethes, “I’m trying to kill you!”
“Well, Khariji doesn’t know that,” Dottore simpers.
“You’ll never be as cute as him, so don’t even try.”