Thank you all so much for your patience, it means a lot. For those of you who played the game know what Sea Gazer's actual form is, but in this AU I would like to share with you my interpretation of Sea Gazer. Please enjoy.

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~ A new season has come and gone ~

"Master Sea Gazer, what are we working on today?"

"Ah if it isn't my favorite apprentice~, come. I'll show you."

"I'm your only apprentice," Jian states as he crosses his arms.

"And should that make you my favorite?" the adeptus queried as he gracefully collected his tools.

Jianyu shrugged with a cheeky smile before finding a place for himself to sit in preparation.

"This my boy, will change the world."

The extraordinary craftsman, held in his arms and brought forward the object of obsession.... in parts. Jian couldn't help but deflate, he couldn't make heads or tails of this newest masterpiece was even supposed to resemble.

"Oh don't look so down! A work of art is not made in a day."

°•°•°

Time lulled as Jianyu sat watching the Adeptus work; occasionally handing him components and tools. But so far he's been watching the master work. Jianyu' s mind began to drift as curiosity began to eat at him.

"Um, Master Sea Gazer, if you don't mind me asking, what are you?"

"Hm?" A halfhearted hum tuned in the tranquil cove.

"A-ah respectfully of course. Adeptus are revered beasts as mortals would say... I was just curious... what yours is?" Jianyu sat forward with prodding curiosity. He was comfortable in the Adeptus' presence and the Adeptus in him, yet the revered being in front of him has only ever been 'Human' in his presence; finding the human form more efficient when it comes to working on inventions. Opposable thumbs, over hooves. He was quite the hands-on inventor as you can see.

Turning from his work Sea Gazer smiles understanding, "Ah. Curiosity is a good thing~ young ones should always be curious— safely of course," he humors. "You already know then our prime; the dragon, the cranes, the deer, and our vigilant Yaksha; the bird. I am Longma, a dragon horse for lack of a more graceful term. . . quite rare we are..." he hums continuing his tinker. "I could very well be the last one."

His words were far too calm as still water and his voice; too soft like shaded moss in spring. Jian was astounded at the revelation.

"The last? Doesn't that scare you? Have you ever tried looking for another?" It felt foreign that Jianyu was more concerned by this insight than the beast in front of him. Who took this with a copious amount of nonchalance.

"Young one, how can I let something out of my control concern me? Longma as they are elusive we are secretive. Like Qilin, we do not meddle in each other businesses. But unlike Qilin we do not herd, well at least... I never did," he chuckles to himself, "Hm, I was somewhat the odd one in my youth. I always felt there was more to be seen than our migration path— I guess you can say that is why I am where I am today. But I appreciate your concern for me."

"You're not afraid of being alone?— left alone," the thought of such isolating fate tugged at Jianyu's core.

The water-attuned Adeptus reached over and pat Jianyu on the head, "You have a good spirit. It's in the right place," his otherworldly eyes graced Jian with tender empathy, "Water connects all things. There, I was born by its reach and so will I return to its arms. Do not waste your tears for me Jian," Sea Gazer wiped a trickling tear from the doll's eye much to the latter's surprise; leaving the living machine stunned.

The artisan returned to his work, silent.

Jianyu lifted a hand to his face, what was that? He didn't think he could cry anymore. He had his moments of deep remorse, yes, but to cry? He hasn't cried from a stirred pain deep within since his mother—.  He hasn't cried for a long time.

A puzzled look crossed his brows.

Tilting his head, his mind wandering, he wanted to say more but silenced his tongue. Sea Gazer was at peace with this.. for one reason or another that upset Jianyu greatly. A welling denial ebbed at his subconsciousness. He wouldn't think of it.

Not wanting to steep in his thoughts any longer and breathe the air heavily saturating with forebode. The apprentice watched as Sea Gazer continued to work on his latest invention with a little more tempered fervor.

"So... about Longma? Can you tell me more about you? —them?"

"Hmm, I suppose," setting down his tools, "We are primarily weather shifters. Though that wasn't my forte, I can do a little of that. But what I can do, my curious apprentice: redirect rivers. That is what I do best," Sea Gazer hummed with confidence.  "I'm sure on your patrols you have seen with thy own eyes and can appreciate the ingenuity of some of my works~ a few of these waterfalls I've carved out myself, directing river over them... over hundreds of years past," Sea Gazer thought wistfully, "It was greatly needed for the people of Liyue. I had found my home in these mountains a millennia ago, after all. Roaming a distant land for centuries, seeing the same thing became a little stale. So I wandered from the herd and found my way here. I can say the world was a lot different then. More rugged, more untamed. But it was home and—"

He looked at Jianyu, "Our Prime, wasn't as he is now. He did not know mercy. Of course, even then I stayed out of his way, keeping to my abode where I've been since."

Sea Gazer returned to tinkering on another component of the same device.

"You've been here that long... you've seen so much change. You've lived history," the apprentice awed. He hasn't been alive long enough to see major changes documented in history take place. Unless you considered his own awakening and the havoc that he caused...

The adeptus hummed thoughtfully, "I suppose. I've never thought about it that way."

"Because you're always working," Jianyu teased.

"I do not always work, boy. I also admire beauty! And water is beautiful. It is my muse and inspiration."

The apprentice nods along, listening with finite interest. When this masterful engineer got to talking about how water works and how it inspired him, good stories and some bouts of wisdom would come of it by the end of the tale but he could also get off topic...

". . .Have you ever taken the time to sit and listen; hear what it has to say?"

Before Sea Gazer could go on in a grandiose fashion, he paused expressively with his hands up and his arms raised. He looked to Jianyu and collected himself with a warm smile.

" Alright, I hear you— but that is what I will teach you next! Now, come Jian. Help me with this one."

Seeing a spark of enthusiasm cross those purple hues, the adeptus walked from one workspace to another.

The vagrant outsider follows in toe.

"Master Sea Gazer, just what are you working on?" The violet-haired doll asks again. It still doesn't look like much.

"Ah ah. You will see soon enough. Your enthusiasm is appreciated, but also patience."

Jianyu huffed rolling his eyes, "I am patient. I waited a whole two seconds for Mountain Shaper to apologize before I pulled his feathers again."

With furrowed brows, "And you were once again trapped in amber! For the two of you's foolishness, Rex Lapis forbid you two make a scene in his presence," Sea Gazer heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose from a sudden growing headache. It still puzzled him how he was a close friend to one and a mentor to the other.

Jianyu shrugged with a cheeky smile.

"Well it was through him I met you so... I guess I got to thank him one day... not really though."

°•°•° A moment later °•°•°

Sea Gazer kneels, reaching to the meandering stream aside his second station, guiding the enchanted water, putting on a bit of a show; a humbled and fanciful display if you ask him. How could he not with his dear pupil watching so enthralled.

His hands manipulated the water in such a way that could only describe his presence itself. Regal gracefulness.

With a gentle smile, he looked at Jianyu, "Hold this device for me."

Nodding the apprentice picked up the compact and weighted machinery. Its ideal finally coming together. The doll admired with an awe-inspired look witnessing such abilities on display. Even within Cloud Retainer's abode, she's never invited him to observe her work until it was done and he respected her privacy, and how she chose to do so. It was just so awing to witness an adeptus in practice bring together such a feat.

"What is it?"

"I call it a compass, it will never lead you wrong."

He threads a silk of water, pulling it thin with a concentrated look.

"But also seals away evil."

He guided the water, now enchanted by his will, encapsulating it in the shell of the device.

Jianyu grimaced...  Was this meant for him?

As if his concern was heard, "No this was not for you. There are greater evils in this world that you cannot begin to compare."

Jianyu scowled was that suppose to make him feel better or insulted? Though Sea Gazer thought nothing of it. The water-attuned beast was simply speaking the truth. Having dealt with the wrath of Osial. There were greater threats than a puppet, though he was no longer such thing.

"Rex Lapis would have killed you himself. Need I remind you?" Opaque eyes fluidly linger on the living doll.

"Yeah yeah... that's held over my head enough."

Sea Gazer hums, "Indeed, but this device will one day unify both man and Adepti."

"Why?"

Sea Gazer turns hearing a different ring in the apprentice's tone. Something sharp, disgust even. There was a personal distaste here. "Why?" He repeats, setting the device down.

Jianyu shrugs, "Why include mortals? What could they possibly bring to the table adepti don't already have? Why do the adepti bother protecting them?"

"Jianyu... it is our responsibility to protect Liyue and its inhabitants. And those very inhabitants are mortal."

"They are weak-"

"We are connected," Sea Gazer interjects sharply. "We share these lands with them, we coexist. That is of great importance to our way of life that predates even your existence. Rex Lapis himself has said it so. He protects them with his life and so must we... And so will you."

A sharp gaze Jianyu feels from his mentor sets him straight, adjusting his poise a little as he says nothing, yet still with an attitude.

"It is by contract we continue to keep this order of life. This must not, and cannot ever be broken."

"So.. all of you are a prisoner to it?"

Sea Gazer sighs, the younger missing the point, "Life is far greater lived when it is not just yourself it is you look after. I understand you are not without your scars of the past. I am sorry you were not treated kindly in your youth to have hurt you this way, but do not bring your resentment here. Am I understood?"

Jianyu took a breath before nodding, "Yes."

Sea Gazer nods, and a gentle look washes over him like rain as he holds his apprentice by the shoulders.

"In time you will also protect these lands and those within it. They will stumble, you must be patient with them. They will fall, you must be ready to help them up."

"Babysitting?" Jianyu scrunched his nose.

"No, observe, help where you can, because we have capabilities that outmatch mortal comprehension. We cannot let that rift us apart. There is much to be done together."

Walking Jianyu out of his abode, he speaks as they travel a short walk to look out over the harbor below.

"Our lives are long, we are much older than them and at times in our long life, isolation has become our friend. But there will come a time our protection is not needed as closely as it once was. Like a parent to their children, they need room to grow on their own. It is important we maintain a relationship, it is important we do not fall behind being so far ahead."

Jianyu listened, he was intrigued by the passion in Sea Gazer's voice and how much he cared for the outside world, even though he tended to hang back and work on his inventions with little indication he was far more in touch with the mortal world than let on.

"You are not from here which may be a good thing for us. You can be more flexible than we could ever be," Jianyu subtly tilts his head as his mentor spoke.

"I will teach you what I know. From there you will have to journey on your own...."

It was a bittersweet look in his eye yet his tone of voice was contented. Jianyu couldn't help but feel a solemn tug at the proverbial heart in his chest. He would do his best. Sea Gazer trusted him. So he would learn as much as he can.

°•°•°

The water glistened, charmed, and changed within the object imbued by adeptal energy. The master and apprentice duo gazed keenly at the device resting on the table.

"What did you call this again?" Jianyu asks.

"A compass, Jian," Sea Gazer nods admiring the finished work; an object no bigger than a handheld sundial. "A fantastic, compass."

And a fantastic device it had been... 

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Thank you, thank you so much for reading!

And for those of you who don't know about the fantastic compass story, well, I won't spoil it. It is an interesting side story I'd recommend giving it a watch.  

I do have a bit more to say and writing it here would be too long. If you are curious about my thought process and for more info about how I portray Sea Gazer and the fantastic compass in this chapter, that will be shared in my next post.

Be seeing ya!