I opened a shop on the Astral Train

The dreamscape that everybody was in at once...was shattered.

Yuri woke up.

Yuri's eyes opened as he took a glance at his surroundings and realized he was lying back on a chair. A slow grogginess fogged his thoughts, as though the dreams he had just experienced hadn't quite let go of him yet. The room around him was quiet, still, and somehow familiar. It took him a moment to register he was in his shop. His quaint, humble little establishment filled with trinkets, scrolls, and faint glimmers of magic. The place smelled faintly of incense and old wood.

He looked around again. Nobody else was there, but his eyes soon landed on a worn-out magazine lying askew on the counter nearby. It was open to an article about alternate realities.

"Did I fall asleep on the job...?" he muttered aloud.

"You did actually!"

The cheerful voice came out of nowhere, and Yuri nearly jumped out of his chair. Spinning around, he found the bright and excitable figure of Firefly bouncing into view.

"Firefly..?" Yuri asked, blinking in surprise.

Firefly giggled as she gave him a playful salute. "It is I! Firefly! I'm here to help out with anything you need today, Yuri!"

He sighed, brushing a hand through his disheveled hair. "Alright... Let's get to work then..."

Firefly clapped her hands together, eyes twinkling with excitement. "Yes! Let's make it a productive day!"

Elsewhere, in a different slice of reality altogether, March 7th and Kevin sat side by side at a tiny ramen stall tucked between two neon-lit buildings. Steam rose from their bowls, swirling around in lazy spirals. The warmth of the meal was comforting, a quiet moment of peace after what felt like... chaos.

"I feel like we were in some messy situation involving some psychotic cowboy recently, March..." Kevin muttered as he slurped some noodles, his brow furrowed slightly.

March chuckled, resting her chin in her hand as she stirred her broth. "I'm not sure what happened myself, but... maybe we should just be careful with crazy cowboys in the future, Kevin?"

Kevin laughed in return, a hearty sound that echoed slightly in the alley. "At least we're here now... eating some delicious ramen... and just..."

Before he could finish, a blur of energy zipped past them.

"Klee!~ Come back! We need to try the breadsticks!" Clara called out, racing after a small figure.

"I want candy instead!" Klee's tiny voice rang out as she bolted past, giggling uncontrollably.

March turned to look, barely holding in her laughter as Clara dashed after Klee with all the determination of someone chasing a very mischievous spark.

"Try the breadsticks!~" Clara's voice echoed behind them.

Kevin and March shared a look, then laughed together.

"Some things just never change, huh..."

In the peaceful region of Inazuma, Ayato and Ayaka walked together down a path lined with tall, blooming sakura trees. Petals drifted lazily through the air like tiny pink snowflakes. The air was crisp and filled with the soft chirping of distant birds.

Ayaka looked to her brother, smiling softly. "I'm glad that... we could have time again to just speak for ourselves, Ayato."

He returned her smile with a calm nod. "As am I. It's reassuring that we can have these talks once more. I've missed this time—being able to just chat and talk about the many things that go around life with you."

Ayaka laughed lightly, spinning once beneath the sakura trees. Her kimono fluttered with the motion. "It's reinvigorating! I'm just glad nothing has popped up that could possibly ruin this very day in any way, Ayato..."

She barely had time to finish her sentence before two figures stepped forward from behind a tree. Keqing and Ningguang, dressed not in formal attire but battle-ready gear, stood in front of them with steely eyes.

"We want to have a duel with you two... right now," Keqing declared, her sword already at the ready.

Ayato and Ayaka exchanged a brief glance, sighed in perfect unison, and stepped forward.

"I suppose a peaceful walk was too much to ask for," Ayato murmured.

"Indeed," Ayaka replied. "Shall we?"

The siblings drew their weapons, ice and water flickering into form as the battle commenced.

Back in the shop, Yuri and Firefly were busy organizing items and cataloging new deliveries from travelers who passed by. Firefly picked up a curious orb that shimmered like starlight and tilted her head.

"Hey Yuri... this orb—it feels familiar. Like... dream stuff."

Yuri turned to her, squinting. The orb pulsed softly.

"It's from the dreamscape," he whispered, almost in disbelief. "It didn't vanish when we woke up..."

"Maybe it means something's still out there. Maybe not everyone woke up yet?" Firefly said, the excitement replaced with a flicker of concern.

Yuri's eyes narrowed. "If that's true... we might have to go back. We might need to find a way in again."

Meanwhile, March and Kevin wandered into a nearby plaza, where Klee was now standing atop a table, holding candy triumphantly above her head.

"Victory!" she declared.

Clara finally reached her, panting. "Now... we try the breadsticks. No escape!"

Klee laughed, then nodded. "Okay... just a few. Then candy again!"

Kevin shook his head with amusement. "So, March... what do you think all that dream stuff really was? You think it meant anything?"

March grew quiet for a moment. "I think... maybe it was more than just a dream. Something deep down inside us all. A shared vision. A call for something greater—or a warning."

Kevin nodded slowly. "Well... I guess we'll find out if it comes back."

Inazuma's skies began to darken as Ayato and Ayaka clashed swords with Keqing and Ningguang. The duel had drawn a small crowd, curious onlookers watching as elemental energy clashed in brilliant displays.

Ayaka twirled with icy grace, parrying Keqing's fast strikes, while Ayato faced Ningguang's powerful geo constructs with calculated precision.

"You're both strong... but why the sudden challenge?" Ayato asked between strikes.

Keqing's eyes narrowed. "Because there's something coming. Something big. And we need to make sure the strongest among us are ready."

Ningguang followed up. "The dreamscape was only the beginning. There are rifts forming. Worlds bleeding into each other."

Ayaka's breath hitched. "You mean... this peace might not last?"

Keqing nodded solemnly.

"Then we must prepare together," Ayato said. "Not as rivals, but as allies."

The fight slowed, then stopped, tension replaced with mutual understanding.

Ayaka stepped forward, offering her hand to Keqing. "Then let's stand together."

Keqing grasped it firmly. "Together."

Ayato and Ayaka walked down a path that held many Sakura tree's.

"I'm glad that...we could have time again to just speak for ourselves Ayato." Ayaka smiled as she spoke.

"As am I. It truly is reassuring that we can have these talk's once more since...I've missed this time being able to just chat and talk about the many things that go around life with you." Ayato responded back with a smile.

Ayaka laughed before speaking "It's reinvigorating! I'm just glad nothing has popped up that could possibly ruin this very day in any way Ayato..."

Suddenly, Keqing and Ningguang emerged out of nowhere in front of the pair.

"We want to have a duel with you two...Right now." Keqing asked abruptly.

Both Ayato and Ayaka looked at each other briefly before sighing as they readied themselves.

Meanwhile...

Zhongli clocked into the internet cafe as he sat down at the table and prepared himself for the day ahead.

"I should never have taken this job..."