Wandering through the shrine grounds, Hanachirusato soon found Qiqi playing games with Fischl.
As she approached, both of them looked up at once.
The two already possessed Magical Girl transformation items, and instantly recognized the same faint aura surrounding Hanachirusato.
Fischl smiled. "Hanachirusato—welcome to the team."
Hanachirusato could sense their energy too and nodded softly. "Please take care of me from now on."
"Of course!" Fischl said proudly, her tone that of a seasoned senior. "We'll look after you. Tonight, we'll all go out together."
Hanachirusato hesitated, embarrassed. "Actually, tonight… I have something to do."
"Oh? What is it?"
"I'm heading to Chinju Forest. There's something there related to Kitsune Saiguu that I need to take care of."
Qiqi tilted her head. "Do you need help?"
"I'm not sure yet," Hanachirusato admitted. "I'm going there to find a tanuki spirit."
Fischl exchanged a glance with Oz perched on her shoulder. "A search, huh? Oz is good at that! Chinju Forest's huge—you'll waste time alone. Why don't we come with you? We're free anyway."
Hanachirusato hesitated, then nodded gratefully. "Thank you, both."
Fischl waved a hand. "We're Magical Girls—helping each other's part of the job! There are enough of us now, too. Maybe we should start a group chat?"
Qiqi thought for a moment. "Good idea."
She took out her phone and created a group, adding Fischl, Noelle, Amber, Collei, Yaoyao, and Hanachirusato.
---
Mondstadt.
Amber was out on a scouting mission, bored out of her mind, when her phone buzzed with a new group invitation. She accepted immediately.
[Amber]: Huh? Hanachirusato? A newbie? Send a pic, quick!
Then, a private message popped up from Collei.
[Collei]: Amber, I heard you're close with the Traveler.
Could you tell me a bit about her?
---
Inazuma, Grand Narukami Shrine.
Yaoyao, Klee, and Xia Lin were busy chasing after drifting Sakura Blooms.
It was a unique sight of the shrine.
Because of the divine power radiating from the Sacred Sakura Tree, Electro energy was highly active throughout all of Inazuma. The cherry blossom petals that fell from the tree didn't all settle on the ground—some floated lightly in the air, suspended by the ambient Electro currents.
If someone happened to stimulate these petals with even more active Electro energy, they would curl up into glowing spheres on their own.
These spherical blossoms, called Sakura Blooms, carried mysterious properties—they could be used as alchemical ingredients or in sacred rituals.
The shrine even had special collection tools for them: long-handled nets that the shrine maidens used every day to gather the floating blooms around the area.
The three girls had followed the shrine maidens, watching them work with fascination. Eventually, they couldn't resist volunteering to help.
The maidens, charmed by their enthusiasm, laughed and handed each of them a net, letting them play on their own nearby.
Collecting as they went, the girls gradually wandered toward a cliffside.
From this height, the sakura below Mt. Yougou stretched endlessly—a sea of pink, dreamlike and breathtaking.
"Wow! It's so pretty!"
"Klee wants to take a picture!"
"Mm-hmm!"
Klee snapped a photo and sent it to the group chat.
Moments later, Charlotte called. She wanted to know their location.
Before long, she arrived with her kamera, instantly entering professional mode—click click click—capturing angles only a seasoned reporter would think to frame. The photos she took were miles better than the ones the girls had just shared.
"Charlotte, you're amazing!"
"Haha, basic stuff! But no matter how good the photographer, you still need a good view. Thanks to you three, I found a perfect spot!"
"Hehe! Klee's great too, right?"
"Of course, Klee's amazing."
Charlotte laughed, patting Klee's head. She lifted her Kamera again, ready to take a few more shots.
The view here was incredible—a sweeping panorama of the mountains below.
Though the ground was far away, her Kamera had been specially modified by Xia Zhi. It could zoom in like a telescope, clear enough to count pebbles on the road.
As she slowly panned across the landscape, Charlotte suddenly let out a surprised "Huh?"
Yaoyao tilted her head. "What's wrong, Charlotte?"
Adjusting the focus, Charlotte frowned slightly at something in the distance. "I think I just spotted… a giant Ruin Machine down there."
The three girls blinked. "A Ruin Machine?"
Charlotte nodded and began to explain, her reporter's instinct kicking in. "They say they're remnants of Khaenri'ah—ancient mechanical constructs scattered all across Teyvat. There are all kinds of models, some humanoid, others not, and they're incredibly powerful."
Klee's eyes sparkled. "Wow! That sounds awesome!"
Charlotte chuckled. "It is awesome. But most of them have long been abandoned—no power left, no energy source. They can't move anymore. Just empty husks."
Yaoyao looked up at her in admiration. "Charlotte, you know so much!"
"Well, being a reporter means seeing a lot of things. Fontaine's Academy of Sciences has been researching clockwork automatons for years. I've even gone there to interview the researchers on behalf of The Steambird. I saw some of those ancient Ruin Machines up close, so I remember them vividly."
She smiled. "But the one I just saw below—it's huge. Looks like a rare model called a Ruin Grader. Even in Fontaine's Academy, you'd hardly see one that big or intact. They almost never show them to the public."
Charlotte's eyes gleamed with intrigue.
Back when she'd visited the Academy, she'd only caught distant glimpses of the constructs, listening to researchers explain their functions from behind glass. Her curiosity had never truly been satisfied.
Now that she'd spotted one in person, she could barely resist the urge to get closer—to study it properly, maybe even take detailed photos.
And if she could turn it into a feature piece on ancient Ruin Machines? Even better.
Charlotte wasn't one to hesitate once she'd made up her mind. After a brief moment of thought, she put her Kamera away, pulled a set of Wind Gliders from her Ring, and said, "You three stay here and play. I'm going down to check it out."
"You're flying down there?" Yaoyao asked.
"Mm-hm. I want to get a closer look at that big guy."
"Klee wants to come too!"
"Yaoyao too!"
Charlotte hesitated, glancing between their eager faces. "You both want to come? My glider can only carry one of you…"
Yaoyao quickly raised her hand. "It's okay, Charlotte! I have my own Wind Glider—Aunt Cloud Retainer gave it to me!"
"And Klee has one too! Mommy gave it to me!"
Both of them pulled out their gliders proudly. Having lived in Mondstadt, they'd already flown many times, so Charlotte didn't need to worry about their skills.
She smiled and turned toward the quiet Xia Lin. "And you? Want to come too?"
Xia Lin hesitated. She wasn't that interested in Ruin Machines—whether she went or not didn't matter—but seeing her friends so excited, she gave a small nod. "Alright."
"I'll carry you, then."
"Okay, Charlotte."
"Alright, everyone ready? Don't fly off on your own—stick behind me!"
"Okay!"
"Got it!"
Charlotte held Xia Lin close and jumped from the cliff.
The other two girls followed right after her.
They glided smoothly down, landing moments later on the rocky ground below.
They'd entered the outer region of Araumi now—abandoned ruins and stone remnants scattered everywhere, cherry blossoms blooming among the rubble. The air felt heavy, deserted, silent.
The Ruin Grader Charlotte had seen was there—sitting motionless beside a massive cherry tree, blanketed in pink petals like an ancient warrior long fallen into eternal slumber.
Charlotte approached with the girls.
Klee and Yaoyao craned their necks upward, awestruck by the enormous construct towering over them.
Xia Lin only glanced at it briefly—it wasn't even as big as one of her real body's claws.
Charlotte began taking photos from multiple angles, checking the shots with satisfaction.
Still… she wanted something more dynamic.
When would she ever get another chance to photograph one up close?
So, she decided to climb.
At first, everything was fine. She stepped onto the Grader's chest, collecting visual data and snapping reference shots.
Then—
The construct's single eye flickered red.
Its ancient frame shuddered.
"...What?"
Her heart stopped.
It's… activating?
Charlotte's eyes widened in shock, and she leapt down instantly.
This wasn't supposed to happen!
It had been dormant for centuries—rusted, powerless, nothing but scrap metal!
But now wasn't the time to ask questions.
Because this thing—was built for war.
According to Fontaine's research notes, once reactivated, these machines defaulted to one order: eliminate all nearby lifeforms.
"Run!" Charlotte shouted.
The three girls froze, eyes wide as the Ruin Grader's body began to move.
"Charlotte?" Yaoyao blinked.
"No time! Get somewhere safe! Call Mr. Xia and tell him what's happening! I'll distract it!"
Without hesitation, Charlotte summoned her Cryo Vision. Frost bloomed around her as she unleashed a barrage of icy blasts.
Cryo energy could slow enemies down—it should buy them some time.
It'll be fine, she thought. It's been asleep for centuries—its power reserves can't be full. Maybe it'll just burn out again soon.
Her thoughts raced calmly, logically—until the Grader fully rose to its feet, its red eye locking onto her.
A split second later, its arm swung down like a hammer.
Charlotte kicked off the ground and barely dodged the strike.
But as she hung in midair, the Grader's eye began to glow brighter—then fired a concentrated beam straight at her.
What the—?! It has a laser attack too?!
Her stomach dropped. The beam was already upon her—too fast, too close, impossible to dodge.
She grimaced. Guess journalism really is a high-risk profession…
In that frozen instant, she accepted it—ready to die in a blaze of light.
But the light never burned her.
A white radiance enveloped her instead—a shimmering shield of light that absorbed the blast completely.
"...Huh?"
What just—?
Who—?
She turned her head and saw a little girl in a new outfit standing behind her, face serious and eyes glowing with calm determination.
"Yaoyao?"
"Charlotte, are you okay?"
"I—I'm fine, but you—"
"Charlotte! Klee's here too! Jumpy Dumpty!"
BOOM!
Explosions filled the air.
The Ruin Grader's laser flickered out mid-charge, disrupted by Klee's bombardment.
Charlotte stood there in stunned silence as the shockwaves hit the light shield around her.
Klee… helped me?
If it weren't for this shield, I'd have been blown to bits already!
----
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