Chapter Text
Chapter One: A Festive Reprieve
Ayaka alights from the rickshaw with a kind smile, bowing graciously at the gawping passersby as she approaches the cluttered entrance of Naganohara Fireworks. When the rickshaw driver notices her path of travel he hastens to her side, offering to enter the shop to summon someone to attend to her.
“No, please. Thank you, but there is no need. My friend is inside. Please take this,” she says delicately as she pays him her fair with a sweet smile.
“Of course, hime!” The rickshaw driver exclaims with a deep bow, blushing slightly as he retreats to his rickshaw. “Sh-shall I wait for you here my lady?”
“Oh no, please. There is no need. I shall be here a while,” Ayaka replies, her expression softening at the kind offer. “Please continue about your day. And thank you very much for such a wonderful ride. It was quite lovely.”
“Of course, hime!” The driver replies, bowing yet again. “Take care, hime!”
“Hime?” Naganohara Yoimiya calls out, poking her blonde head out of her shop to study the new arrivals.
Ayaka bows dutifully when she notices her friend and Naganohara patriarch emerging from the shop to welcome her.
“Good day to you—”
“Ayaka! Ugh! Finally! You’re here!” Yoimiya exclaims, tackling the Kamisato heiress with a wild hug that sends the cryo wielder reeling backward before sweeping her off her feet into a crushing hug. “Thank you! Bless you! Thank you! I didn’t think you would honestly get here so quickly.”
“Of course, Yoimiya-san. Your letter said that you were in dire straits and in desperate need of my assistance,” Ayaka replies dutifully. “So, I came straight away.”
“Letter? What letter?” Yoimiya asks, tilting her head with a confused frown.
“Di-did you—oh dear I!—” Ayaka sputters as she retrieves the note she had received that morning from the Kamisato clan’s head retainer.
But Yoimiya was already leading her inside as she followed her distracted father, desperately trying to get his attention.
“Hey, Papa, did you send—” Yoimiya’s eyes light up when she spots the note in Ayaka’s hand and her lips spread into a mischievous grin. “Oh! Hehehe! That letter?”
“Has there been some misunderstanding?” Ayaka wonders quietly.
“Oh, no, no, no! I just forgot that I actually gave Thoma a letter to deliver to you,” Yoimiya explains, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.
“Oh? Well, how could you forget you wrote a letter to me?” The clan heiress presses with a quizzical frown.
“Well, you see the Summer Festival starts tomorrow and I’ve been so swamped that I’ve fallen behind like crazy and now I’m drowning in last-minute custom orders and barely any materials left!” Yoimiya moans, shaking her head wildly with a loud groan. “The entire thing’s seriously stressing me out!”
“I see,” Ayaka notes, tapping her fan shut and stowing it away with a decisive nod of her head. “Then how may I be of service.”
“Will you please join me for a dip at the Aisha Bathhouse?” Yoimiya pleads, clasping her hands together as she falls to her knees.
Ayaka’s face flushes a deep crimson at the request as she hastily unfurls her fan to conceal her embarrassment.
The last time the pyrotechnician had invited Ayaka to the Aisha Bathhouse, the Kamisato heiress had naively accepted, under the mistaken belief that the popular hotspot offered private bathing areas. While Yoimiya had tried to assure her that the communal baths were segregated by the different genders, this had done precious little to put Ayaka’s mind at ease. While Kamisato clan servants often helped her bathe and dress for important events and ceremonies, Ayaka was always so deeply embarrassed to expose herself to others.
“Well? Whatcha say, huh?!”
“Yo-Yoimiya-san! My apologies! But I can’t j-join you—”
“Oh, right! I almost forgot! Public bathhouses aren’t your thing!” Yoimiya exclaims, slapping her palm to her sweaty forehead. “Ugh! I was going to ask Thoma to join me—”
The heat in Ayaka’s cheeks burns the flushing heiress right down to her neck as she imagines the Kamisato clan retainer soaking languidly in a steaming bath, his bare chest pressed indecently against Yoimiya’s. Ayaka reaches out to steady herself, trying to ignore the sudden weakness in her knees.
“—but he’s a guy so we wouldn’t be able to bathe together and I’m pretty sure a few of my last-minute customers will be there and I can’t have them hounding me about their orders right now,” Yoimiya chatters away as she enters a dimly lit office to rummage through a messy drawer. Completely oblivious to her friend’s plight.
“My apologies,” Ayaka mutters bowing her head meekly, pausing as she waits for her friend to finally notice her.
“Aha! There they are!” Yoimiya exclaims as she snatches up a pair of vials from an overflowing desk drawer before nudging the drawer shut and turning to face Ayaka.
The clan heiress inspects the golden liquid shimmering within the clear vials with an inquisitive frown as she awaits some sort of explanation from the Queen of the Summer Festival.
“Pardon me, Yoimiya-san but what is this?” Ayaka asks as her friend places the vials in the Kamisato heiress’ hand.
“Oh, they’re potions I got from a Sumerunian scholar I sold some fireworks to,” Yoimiya explains breathlessly. “They can change a person’s hair and eye colors to anything they want.”
Ayaka blinks rapidly at this before returning her gaze to study the vials in her palms.
Oh, how wonderful! But could this really be true? The vials look so plain and normal. Ayaka muses with a contemplative frown.
“I see,” she mutters distractedly as she quietly considers the implications and possibilities she could achieve with this newfound information.
If I had potions like these, I could watch the fireworks at the festival tomorrow like everyone else! Nii-sama’s still away on business so I could definitely join Thoma and Yoimiya to watch the fireworks tomorrow!
“Well, whaddya say? Wanna use these to go incognito and join me at the bathhouse?” Yoimiya asks hopefully, nudging her friend with an excited wink.
Ayaka’s breath hitches at the proposal and she nearly drops the vials in shock. Yoimiya stumbles forward to catch them in time, landing at the apologetic heiress’ feet.
“Oh, my! Pardon my indiscretion!” Ayaka moans, sinking to her knees to help her friend. “A-are you hurt?”
“Nah! I’m fine,” Yoimiya assures her with a breezy smile. “It happens. So? Whaddya say? Wanna give it a go?”
“Well, thank you very much but I—” Ayaka says, flushing deeply. Her words catch in her throat.
As much as she longs to escape the pressures and expectations that came with her identity and clan’s status, the heiress was far too polite to accept such a marvelous gift without anything of equal or greater value to offer in return. She parts her lips and lowers her head into a deep bow as she prepares to offer a deeply solemn apology but freezes when she notices the black-armored headdress securing her pale white-blue hair in Yoimiya’s hand.
She gasps as her hair falls loosely around her shoulders, framing her features elegantly. Before she can offer any words of protest, Yoimiya uncorks the first vial and slathers the flowery-smelling potion within on her palms before leaning forward to rub the potion into Ayaka’s hair.
Ayaka cries out in shock as she reaches out to wave Yoimiya away, sputtering wildly when the pyrotechnician doesn’t immediately release her.
“Oh, sorry!” Yoimiya chuckles sheepishly when she finally notices the struggling heiress. “Did you want to rub it in yourself?”
“No! I—” Ayaka’s words catch in her throat as a pleasant tingling rises from the roots of her hair.
Her white-blue hair darkens to a rich obsidian hue before her very eyes, sending a wave of shock coursing through her. From the corner of her eyes, she spies a mirror’s surface glinting against the mid-afternoon sun and hastens to inspect her reflection within it.
“Oh, did Lady Ayaka already leave?” Naganohara Ryuunosuke wonders dimly as he reenters the workshop. When he notices Ayaka standing there he turns to greet her with a clueless smile. “Good afternoon, young lady. How may we help you? I’m afraid we can’t take any new fireworks orders seeing as the Summer Festival starts tomorrow. But if there’s anything else you need don’t be afraid to ask.”
“Papa, don’t you recognize Ayaka?” Yoimiya asks, flailing wildly to get her father’s attention. But the fireworks maker merely smiles at his daughter sweetly before ruffling her hair and walking away to continue with his errands.
“It worked?!” Ayaka gasps, her excitement rising.
“See? Told ya it would work!” Yoimiya exclaims with a jubilant leap.
Ayaka lifts the mirror to her face, entranced by the striking change in her appearance. While her face and eyebrows remained unchanged, their striking contrast between her pale skin and pitch-black hair was jarring enough to disguise her appearance. Yoimiya steps in front of her and lifts a glistening finger hopefully to Ayaka’s forehead, prompting the heiress to nod and close her eyes.
Her friend rubs the flowery-smelling potion into her eyebrows, triggering the same tingling sensation that had preceded the sudden transformation on her hair. Ayaka reopens her eyes to examine her appearance once more and is struck yet again by the jarring change. Yoimiya leans forward to untie the strings binding the bangs that frame Ayaka’s face, completing the heiress’ transformation.
“Marvelous!” Ayaka exclaims with a breathless gasp.
“I know right?! Oh boy! This is going to be so exciting! Once we get you out of those clothes, you’ll be able to come and go as you please and no one will be the wiser! Do you want me to do your eyes next?”
“Oh no,” Ayaka declines politely. Not wanting to trouble her friend any further.
“You’re right. The hair color change and some new clothes oughtta do the trick! Now, I just gotta get you some new clothes,” Yoimiya mutters distractedly as she opens a nearby room where she stored spare kimonos, yukatas, and sarashi. “Working with fireworks all day can get pretty messy, so I keep these on hand just in case my clothes get dirty or singed. Come on, try these on!”
Ayaka follows her meekly into the room, shutting the door quietly behind them as she watches her friend pull out various articles of clothing from the surrounding boxes and drawers. When she is done, she lays out the assortment of clothes on a clean workbench, allowing the blushing heiress to pick out her preferred disguise. Ayaka quickly selects a simple caramel kimono adorned with a delicate floral pattern adorning the bodice and sleeves. Yoimiya commends her selection with a cheerful clap before selecting a striped, green obi with matching floral patterns to pair it with.
Satisfied with their selection, Ayaka excuses herself to the nearby bathroom to change, handing Yoimiya pieces of her clothes for safekeeping as she stripped them off. When she is done, she emerges from the bathroom with a shy shuffle, leaving Yoimiya giddy with excitement.
“You! Look! Am-ah-zing!” The Queen of the Summer Festival exclaims, bouncing and clapping excitedly before handing her friend the mirror to inspect her appearance.
Ayaka’s eyes swim with tears when she catches sight of her reflection and she breaks down with the weight of her emotions.
Oh! How marvelous! Just like a dream! She muses, wiping her eyes as she angles the mirror away from her face to inspect her appearance thoroughly. I feel just like that girl in the fairytale Thoma once told me. The one who receives a lovely ball gown and magical slippers to dance the night away with the handsome prince! Just as she had dreamed! Just like I had always dreamed!
But just then her expression falls slightly as she recalls the fairy godmother’s warning to the fair maiden.
“Yoimiya-san, how long does this—?”
“No, no, no! No more 'Yoimiya-san'. You’re not Ayaka anymore so you’re gonna call me Yoimiya! Just Yoimiya,” Yoimiya protests, flailing exasperatedly. “It ruins the illusion if you still talk like yourself, ya know?!”
“Oh, ri-right! So-sorry,” Ayaka apologizes with a small bow.
“Stop apologizing already!” Yoimiya groans, leaning forward to slide her arm into the crook of Ayaka’s elbow. “You’re Chihiro-chan now!”
“Chihiro-chan?” Ayaka repeats her so-called alias feeling quite foolish.
“Or just Chihiro! You’re right it sounds way better! Alright! Now that you’re all set, I’ll put my tools away and join you outside so we can head off, alright?”
“Yoimiya-s—I mean, the spell,” Ayaka interjects, clearing her throat loudly. “How long does it last for?”
“Until you fall asleep,” Yoimiya replies. “The scholar said the potion changes your hair color based on your appearance so I’m guessing you’ve always wanted your hair that color?”
“Y-yes,” Ayaka confesses sheepishly.
“Well, it suits ya,” Yoimiya commends her with a playful wink. “I mean you’re still gorgeous, but you don’t seem so distant anymore! Anyways, like I said, the potion’s effects will wear off once you fall asleep so let me know if you start to get drowsy while we’re in the bathhouse, okay?”
Ayaka blinks at this, slightly taken aback, but nods quietly all the same before shuffling outside to wait for her friend. She had almost forgotten the entire reason for her disguise in the first place. While the thought of visiting a public bathhouse still terrifies her, she would never dream of declining her dear friend’s request after the magical gift she had just bestowed upon her. Eager to distract herself from the butterflies stirring within her, Ayaka directs her attention to study the passersby milling around in the street.
“Excuse me miss,” the rickshaw driver from earlier greets with a nervous bow.
Ayaka’s face falls as she turns to face him.
Oh no! Has he been waiting here all this time?! She wonders, thoroughly mortified.
“I dropped Lady Ayaka off here a little while ago but stepped away to relieve myself while she was still inside,” the man informs her sheepishly. “Do you know if she’s still inside?”
"Pardon me! I'm terribly sorry that you've been waiting for me all this time but I was under the impression that we agreed—”
“So sorry!” Yoimiya interjects cheerily cutting the disguised heiress off. “But I’m afraid Lady Ayaka already returned back to the Kamisato clan estate. She forgot her wallet and needed to go fetch it.”
“Huh? But that doesn’t make any sense!” The rickshaw driver protests as he scurries back to his rickshaw. “She just paid me when I dropped her! Wait hime! I’m coming! Almighty Shogun! I hope she hasn’t had to walk very far!”
“And he’s off!” Yoimiya observes with a triumphant cackle as the rickshaw driver sprints off towards the city entrance, intent on intercepting the Kamisato heiress before she reaches home.
Ayaka heaves a relieved sigh as she turns to thank her friend for rescuing her. But Yoimiya grabs her by the hand and lunges away in the opposite direction, pulling her along to the bustling center of the city.
Ayaka gasps and blushes happily as they pick their way through the crowd of haggling shoppers and calling vendors, waving and smiling at Yoimiya’s many friends and acquaintances as they hurried past.
“Hey, hey, hey! Yoimiya! How’s about an arm-wrestling contest before the festival tomorrow?” Arataki Itto calls excitedly from the back of a winding line forming around the Yae Publishing House headquarters.
“Can’t, Itto. I’ve still got a couple more orders to finish up tonight,” Yoimiya calls back as she stops to chat with the playful behemoth. “What’s going on? Whatcha standing in line for?”
“Oh, this?! That fox lady mustta felt bad for almost killing me during our eating contest so she told me the amazing Miss Hina will be appearing here for a fan meet and greet before the Summer Festival,” he replies rubbing his large hands excitedly. “So, I sent the boys out to find us a kamera to commemorate this glorious moment while I hold our spot in line. Even little Ushi’s really excited. Aren’t ya, little man?!”
Ayaka blinks up at the oni, thoroughly bewildered. She had heard about the leader of the Arataki Gang and his persistent campaign of harassment against General Kujou Sara from Thoma and her older brother. And while his wild appearance matched her expectations, she had never imagined him to be so childishly animated.
Beside her, Yoimiya is studying the cut out the boisterous gang leader had pointed out, mildly intrigued.
“Hmm, Ms. Hina huh? This is the first time I’ve ever heard of her, but now that I’ve seen her I can’t help but feel like I’ve met before,” Yoimiya mutters distractedly to herself.
“You have?!” Itto exclaims. “Are you guys close pals? Think you’d introduce me?! I’ll chop as much lumber as you want for a year! Free of charge!”
“Er, that sounds great but like I said, I’ve never even heard of her. Tell ya what, Chihiro and I are on our way to the Aisha bathhouse for a bit. If she’s here when we get back, I’ll take a look at her and introduce you to her if I recognize her. Sounds good?”
“Oh, boy! You’ve got it!” The gang leader agrees with a toothy grin.
They exchange a few pleasantries before waving goodbye and continuing on to the Aisha bathhouse where the owner greets them happily, waving them inside with a broad smile that Ayaka returns politely. Yoimiya leads her towards the front desk where she converses briefly with the attendant before receiving their bath tokens and leading Ayaka towards the crowded dressing room.
Ayaka flushes as she is confronted with the sea of bodies in various stages of undress. Blinking shyly, she reaches for her fan to hide her face but feels her expression fall when she remembers that she had left it back at Yoimiya’s shop. The blonde leads her towards their assigned locker as she unceremoniously begins to strip off her own clothes.
“Relax,” Yoimiya assures Ayaka with an encouraging nudge as she loosens the binds securing her breasts. “Trust me, no one’s staring at you in here. People come here to hang out and let loose so no one’s going to be looking at you. I promise. And even if they did, they wouldn't remember or even know it was you they saw.”
“R-right!” Ayaka mutters as she lowers her trembling hands to untie her obi.
When the blonde notices her friend struggling, she kindly nudges her hands away and pulls the string securing her obi before unraveling it. Ayaka’s hands fly to snatch the collars of her kimono, hugging it self-consciously around her body as she sneaks a nervous glance at the crowd of naked girls behind them.
Just as Yoimiya had said the ladies around them continue about their business, paying no heed to the trembling heiress.
Focus Ayaka! You can do this! Just like the princess from Thoma’s story riding to the castle in a carriage of pumpkin pulled by mice. Oh no, oh no! This is ridiculous! I can’t do this!
“Ayaka, are you alright?” Yoimiya asks quietly, watching her friend with a concerned frown.
The frightened heiress shakes her head as she finally loses her nerve and turns to flee. But she promptly crashes face-first into something warm, large, and distractingly soft.
“Look out, Captain!” Someone calls out.
“Oh, hello!” A tall, muscular lady with an eyepatch greets Ayaka as the heiress crashes into her.
“Captain Beidou! Are you alright?!” A slender lady calls out in concern.
Captain Beidou? As in the famous Captain Beidou?! Captain of the Crux fleet? The one Yoimiya and Thoma are always telling me about?!
“I’m fine Mora-Grubber,” the muscular lady assures her with a hearty laugh. “She just bumped my breast, that’s all.”
Ayaka leaps back with a mortified shriek, throwing herself down at the imposing privateer’s feet.
“P-pa-pardon my in-indiscretion!” Ayaka cries out, trembling visibly as the heat of shame threatens to overwhelm her.
A few ladies passing by point at them and chuckle to themselves before continuing to the showers.
“It’s alright, trust me, no harm done,” Captain Beidou insists with a kind smile, as her visible eye crinkles warmly. “I’m Captain Beidou.”
“Heya Cap!” Yoimiya greets cheerily. “This is my friend Chihiro. She’s visiting Inazuma City for the first time, so I decided to show her around and take her to the baths. It’s a bit overwhelming for her so sorry about that.”
“Ah, that explains it. Well, have fun girls,” the Crux fleet commander calls as she and her posse continue on.
Ayaka rises slowly to her feet as she turns to watch Beidou stride away, laughing and chatting happily with her crewmates. Completely unbothered by Ayaka's behavior
So that’s Captain Beidou! She’s a lot prettier than I imagined. And tall. Way taller than Thoma and Yoimiya described her. Ayaka muses as Yoimiya quietly undresses her. Oh my. Today’s really been a day of amazing first impressions. I wonder what other amazing people I’ll meet today!
When Yoimiya is done undressing Ayaka, she folds their clothes haphazardly and tosses them into their locker, retrieving their bath tokens before slamming it shut. Bath tokens in hand, they head out towards the communal baths. Smiling attendants are waiting to greet and guide them towards the waiting showers where they quickly wash themselves before proceeding to the communal bath bearing the corresponding symbol for their tokens.
“Oi, Yoimiya, you girls in here too?!” Captain Beidou calls cheerily from her corner of the steaming stone bath as the pair of them enter.
“Yeah,” Yoimiya confirms as she leads Ayaka towards the charming captain and her adoring crew. “I told Thoma last week that I was getting a little overwhelmed by all the last-minute fireworks orders, so he gave me a pair of tokens for my father and I to relax at the bathhouse. But Papa always gets lightheaded whenever he visits the bathhouse, so I decided to bring Aya—I mean Chihiro along instead.”
“That Thoma,” the eye-patched Captain chuckles warmly, shaking her head. “Always the charmer huh? He’s quite the smooth operator too so don’t let your guard down around him or he might get ya too. Half my crew’s already hopelessly smitten.”
“Smooth operator?” Ayaka repeats cluelessly as she hugs her sides self-consciously, doing her best to conceal as much of her cleavage from view behind her long hair.
“Means he’s great with the ladies,” the lady called Money-Grubber clarifies with a suggestive wink. “Pretty easy on the eyes too now that I think about it. Anyways, I always keep an eye on Kazuha whenever that one comes around. Don’t want him learning any flowery phrases or verbose declarations to seduce some unsuspecting poor maiden.”
Ayaka tries to hide her discomfort behind a forced smile as she slowly joins them in the expansive stone bath. As a foreigner in one of the most isolated nations in Teyvat and one of the few who were allowed beyond Ritou, Thoma drew more than his fair share of attention and suspicious stares, making him the subject of several salacious stories and rumors. While Ayaka had sometimes overheard portions of the Yashiro commission officers’ whispered exchanges about the chief retainer, they often ceased whenever the speakers noticed her drawing near. Making this the first time she had ever experienced the unkind gossip firsthand.
Poor Thoma. It’s no wonder he mostly keeps his head down and doesn’t make a fuss. I can’t imagine having these things said about me! Then again, for all I know people could be saying even worse things about me behind my back. After all, the same people that praise and commend nii-sama publicly often say the most unkind things about his handling of the Yashiro commission whenever they think we can’t hear them.
“I actually don’t think he needs any help in that department,” Yoimiya chimes in with a nonchalant shrug. “He’s plenty charming already. Whenever I get in trouble with the Tenryou and Kanjou commissions, I’ve noticed that I always get lesser fines or simple warnings whenever I bring Thoma along.”
“That’s because all the female Kanjou and Tenryou commission officers have crushes on him,” a female crewmate with long hair replies with a suggestive cackle.
“Honestly, I’m actually surprised he hasn’t seduced some unsuspecting heiress already,” a second crewmate confesses with a wink.
“Well, even though he serves the Kamisato clan he’s still got a huge target on his back as a foreigner,” Beidou observes with a small frown. “He might be pretty but he ain’t stupid. And he’s definitely not about to do anything that would endanger his life.”
“Hmm, that makes sense,” Money-Grubber muses before adding distractedly. “Shame though. I’ve seen him and the Kamisato clan heiress—you know the one everyone’s always calling ‘princess’—anyways, I’ve seen them walking around together, and I always thought those two crazy kids made a pretty cute couple.”
Ayaka slips badly at this, splashing wildly as she flails to regain her balance. The Crux fleet captain and Yoimiya are there to steady her between them, guiding her towards the stone borders of the bath.
“Take it easy, alright?” Beidou chuckles kindly. “The bath’s not that deep but why don’t you stay here where it’s nice and shallow, alright?”
“Th-thank you, C-Captain,” Ayaka mutters meekly, her ears turning a bright crimson now.
“Please, just call me Beidou,” Captain Beidou replies before turning to address Yoimiya.
Ayaka nods shyly as she retreats into herself doing her best to distract herself from the stinging embarrassment of her blunder. She scans the steaming bath self-consciously and feels the tension in her shoulders ease when she notices that no one outside of their little group was paying them any attention.
That’s right. No one cares. No one knows who you are so who cares if you slipped a little just now. Just relax and enjoy the bath. Like the princess. When she arrived at the ball with her magical glass slippers and glittering gown. Just enjoy the ball and dance the night away.
Ayaka feels her muscles ease as the soothing heat of the bath seeps into her body, numbing away the awkwardness and anxiety that cling to her like a second skin.
As Chihiro, she feels blissfully invisible and unburdened. Unknown and decidedly unimportant. Free to do and say whatever she pleased. For the first time since her parents’ deaths, she was unshackled by the chains of aristocratic conventions and expectations. Free to frolic and mingle with the common folk, engaging in whatever mundane pastime caught her fancy. Without any fear of judgment, disappointment, or reprisal.
That’s right! With the Summer Festival almost here all the Yashiro commission staff and estate servants have returned to be with their own families. So, I don’t have to return to the manor until later this evening. Oh, how wonderful! I can join Yoimiya and her friend Arataki-san at the Yae Publishing House to meet that Ms. Hina he spoke of. I might even be able to get an autograph from her! I hear that’s what you’re supposed to do when you meet someone famous. Hmm, then afterward I can watch the children play or even join them for a change! Yoimiya’s always raving about all the fun activities they get up to. And when we get hungry, we can order some ramen from a street vendor or maybe even eat some watermelon under the trees! Thoma’s been complaining about how hot it’s been lately. I’m sure he’d love that!
Bubbling with excitement at her newfound freedom, Ayaka turns to inform Yoimiya of her plans for the remainder of the day. The Queen of Summer Festivals is delighted by her friend’s suggestions, beaming broadly as she agrees to accompany her to the Yae Publishing House once they were done at the bathhouse. Ayaka feels her smile broaden as she listens to Yoimiya’s increasingly animated conversation with Captain Beidou and the Crux fleet crewmates. Thrilled to finally be privy to a refreshingly informal conversation.
Her grayish-blue eyes are alight with wonder as Captain Beidou and her crewmates regale them with exciting tales of their daring adventures and impressive exploits, laughing and joking about their many dealings with the various port authorities of the seven great nations. While Ayaka was aware of the many dangers that came with sailing the high seas, she had never considered the exhilarating experiences and perks take accompanied such a rootless existence.
Oh, how marvelous it all is indeed! Lounging in the baths and catching up with such exciting friends. I hope this day never ends.