It's been a few days since our trio of protagonists, or should I say quartet now that Lumine had joined, ended the threat that plagued three of the Four Winds temples and freed Mondstadt from the perpetual storm set upon by Stormterror. Things had calmed down a bit in Mondstadt since then as the people were somewhat relieved, but still weary of Stormterror's wrath.

Our heroes, on the other hand, decided to take a small break from all the excitement. Thankfully, they didn't need to camp outside like Lumine and Paimon said they were doing for months as the Knights of Favonius offered them a place in Mondstadt to stay for as long as they wanted as a reward for their heroic deeds. Their maid, Noelle, made sure that they were able to enjoy their hospitality as she made sure that all four of them were satisfied.

A new day has started for the team as they all decided that they would split up and enjoy Mondstadt in their own way in order to get to know both the nation and the people that live in the city as well. After all, they made that promise to protect the people of Teyvat, so what better way than to know them on a personal level. Jordan was seen walking past the Anemo Archon statue as he looks up at it with amazement once more as it was hard to not admire a statue and yet Mondstadt's god is always walking among them.

Jordanwolfboy9743: (Hmm, wonder if there's other statues like this in Teyvat. *sigh* Wait, I already know the answer to that. I'm starting to think playing dumb for so long is actually making me dumb.)

As he was taking in the sight, the voice of a certain Outrider caught his attention.

Amber: Hey, Jordan!

He looks over to see Amber energetically running over towards him while waving to greet him.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Oh, hey! What's up, Amber?

Amber: I've been looking for you everywhere! How's that Wind Glider that I gave you last time?

Her question was answered by a smirk from Jordan as he opened his Wind Glider with pride.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Pretty good, actually. There have been some moments where I keep getting carried away and gliding too high, but it's been smooth for the most part.

Amber: *giggles* Seems like it's really growing on you.

However, a sudden thought came to her which made her feel a little concerned.

Amber: But then again, you don't have a gliding license, do you?

Jordanwolfboy9743: A... gliding license? Hmm... What's that?

Amber: Isn't it obvious? You gotta have a gliding license to legally glide in Mondstadt.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Wait, so... technically speaking... I've been breaking the law this whole time? B-But my friends and I have been gliding for the past few days now, so how come we haven't been told this on day one?

Amber sheepishly chuckles and rubs the back of her neck.

Amber: That... would be my doing. Sorry. There was just so much going on and I was about to tell you guys about it, but then Stormterror attacked and I completely forgot.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well, better late than never I suppose. Is that why you were looking for me? To give me a gliding license?

Amber: No way! The Knights of Favonius have strict rules. You need to pass an exam, and only then will the Knights issue your license. Today I'm not just here as Outrider Amber, but also as an examiner, to oversee your official gliding exam!

Jordan started to sweat a little while rubbing one of his arms.

Jordanwolfboy9743: This... isn't going to be a written exam, right? I haven't exactly been studying how gliding is supposed to be done.

Amber: *giggles* Don't worry. This isn't a written exam. I'm just gonna take you around Mondstadt to do some exercises to see if you have what it takes to legally glide. I gave you your Wind Glider, so this is my responsibility - at least, that's what Acting Grand Master Jean would say.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well, I'd rather not get on the Knights of Favonius' bad side by turning you down, so I'll take this exam of yours.

The girl smiles and puts her fists on her hips.

Amber: Awesome! I mean... The whole city saw how well you and your friends flew that day Stormterror attacked, so I'm sure you'll have no problems! But we do need to respect the rules and glide properly.

Amber then takes out what looks to be a giant book of some sorts as she hands it over to Jordan.

Amber: Here. Take this gliding manual. No need to memorize it, just be familiar with everything in there. For example, only one person per wind glider, no carrying anything over the set weight limit, no taking off using an Anemo Slime, and so on and so forth.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Wait... People have actually tried using Anemo Slimes to use their Wind Glider?

Amber: *sighs* Unfortunately, yeah. Last person who actually tried that had a little... "accident."

She shudders a bit upon using that last word as that must've brought back some memories for her which made Jordan nervous as while he was a little curious about this accident, it sounded pretty painful the way that Amber interpreted it.

Amber: Anyway, be sure to read it, okay? I had to read a load of big, thick books too when Lisa was teaching me magic... Oh! Speaking of Lisa, how have things been with you since you became her new personal assistant?

Jordanwolfboy9743: It's been challenging in a few aspects, but I've actually found myself having fun working for her. She really knows her stuff when it comes to magic and she's even been teaching me some of it too. (Of course... this is all occurring when she's not teasing or flirting with me.)

He blushed slightly at a few of the memories, but he quickly got rid of it. Even though she'd be happy for anyone else, Amber felt an odd sense of envy when she heard how well Jordan was getting along with Mondstadt's resident librarian. She tried to hide it, but the tone in her voice wanted to make it known without actually saying it.

Amber: G-Great... Anyways, um, come find me when you're done, I'll meet you over at Windrise.

She runs off as Jordan sees her disappear out of his sight before looking back down at the giant book that Amber just gave him. The mere size of it made him sweat from how this could even be classified as a manual for gliding in the first place.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *sigh* Well, I can't disappoint Amber by backing out. I might as well try and absorb as much as I can.

With some level of reluctance, he opened the book and scanned the first few pages. However, when he got a good look at the contents, one of his eyebrows raised in puzzlement. Where there should have been a set of gliding instructions was instead a... story. A children's fairytale story, as it appeared. The words then flow through his mind as he reads each sentence in the book.

Jordanwolfboy9743: ("When the first wisp of wind brushed across the land, birds that yearned for the sky had wings, but no way to fly. They asked the Anemo God: 'How can we reach the heavens?' To which the Anemo God replied: 'You have yet to find that which is most important.' As the God spoke, the wind thrust the seeds of a dandelion high into the sky. The birds thrust out their wings, but the breeze was all too mild leaving them to stumble across the earth. So they went to the gorge where the wind showed off its wild and incomparable strength. They threw themselves off the cliff and flapped their wings amongst the howling winds until they were able to fly freely in the sky. To the Anemo God they went, to gleefully say: 'We understand now! All we needed was a stronger wind to fly.' In reply the Anemo God said: 'What you lacked was not wind, but courage. It is courage that has allowed you to become the first flying birds of this world.'")

The passage finally ended as Jordan was left, more bewildered than ever. He stares for another few seconds before closing the book with a clap.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Okay... either this is the most elaborate, confusing way of relaying gliding instructions to someone or... this is not the intended book Amber wanted to give me. Based on what I've seen in this thing, leads me to think that it may be the latter.

He immediately then turns to take his leave from the city to go meet up with Amber, but as he did one more thought crossed his mind.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Then again... I wonder if Venti did actually say all of that stuff... Nah, he's way too carefree to sound like some wise old man.

A short trip outside of Mondstadt takes Jordan straight to Windrise where he meets up with Amber near the same cliffside where the temple he visited with Lisa resided. He sees her sitting on the cliff as one of the ribbons on Amber's head twitch like actual bunny ears, making her turn around and the moment she notices Jordan, she quickly stands up feeling excited.

Amber: Great, you're here! Did you have a good read-through of the gliding manual? Got all the rules down?

Jordan didn't know how to answer that as he held the book in his hands still, gazing back and forth from it and Amber.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Uhh... well... I did read it, but...

Amber spoke up again before he could even try to answer her earlier question.

Amber: Sounds like a real drag. I would know, I've been there...

She admitted, rubbing her forehead and sighing.

Amber: The gliding manual is super dry... I couldn't get into it at all. Don't tell Jean though...

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* These lips are sealed. But... this is quite possibly the weirdest gliding manual I've seen.

Amber: Huh? Why's that?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well, I assume it's got both instructions and some compelling stories too.

Amber: Compelling stories? Oh, you must mean the example cases in the Appendix. Some of them I like. My favorite one is about the illegal Anemo Slime take-off. Apparently, if you pop an Anemo Slime and take off in the burst of wind, it shoots you up really, really high... I really wanna try it! ...But, I can't for obvious reasons.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Uhh... I hate to break it to you, but I saw no such story like that in this book. In fact, the one that stood out was this tale of two little birds that wanted to fly.

Amber raises an eyebrow in complete confusion as even she can agree that doesn't sound like something that would be in a manual.

Amber: Ah... What...? Lemme take a look.

Jordan hands her the book and she flips through the pages and as she did, she soon realizes that she may have made a blunder in handing Jordan the wrong book.

Amber: Aw, shoot! This is the storybook I used to read as a kid!

She puts it away and sheepishly smiles at Jordan.

Amber: Oops, sorry! I put both books in the same pile and must have grabbed the wrong one when I was leaving.

Jordan waves a dismissive hand to her.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Eh, it's not a big deal to me. Besides, I'm pretty sure there's a distinct difference between a storybook and a manual.

Despite his reassurance, Amber was still quite embarrassed by her mixup and she placed her arms behind her while looking at the floor to hide her blushing face.

Amber: Ahh... this is so embarrassing...

Jordanwolfboy9743: Amber, really, it's okay. It was a simple mistake. I assume there's a good reason why you put this with the manual, right?

Amber looks up at Jordan and away for a second before her blush disappears and she explains the reasoning.

Amber: Well, it's really because... Deep down inside, that fairytale is the thing that truly taught me how to glide... "What you lacked was not wind. It's courage that's allowed you to become the first flying birds of this world." Reading that gave me the courage to glide, to become an Outrider, and to become the Gliding Champion of Mondstadt.

She then sighs again before going back over to the cliff and taking a seat at it.

Amber: You... probably think it's really silly that I got inspiration from a simple children's story, don't you?

Jordan walks over and sits beside her at the cliff, shaking his head afterwards.

Jordanwolfboy9743: No, of course not. I don't think it's silly at all. In fact, I think it's pretty cool. I mean everyone has their childhood dreams, right? And sometimes, those dreams can help us achieve the goals we set for ourselves in life. Based on what you've said, I can make an educated guess and that this story really did help you out.

He then put a finger to his chin thinking that he should've rephrased something in that sentence.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Actually... not even a guess as it came true here and now, right? So, what I'm saying is, don't feel ashamed of that, Amber. You know, there's this quote that I heard before that may or may not sum up your situation. "Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere." What that means is, anyone can find inspiration from even the simplest things and for you, it was a fairytale of some birds learning to fly.

He then gives her a warm smile.

Jordanwolfboy9743: And you know what? That "simple children's story" as you put it, turned out to be a lot more helpful than you give it credit for. I mean, it's as you said. You're the Gliding champion of Mondsadt, so that is something to be proud of no matter how or what you used to achieve it.

Amber turned to Jordan with a surprised look and his words quickly made her smile as now she had no idea what she was thinking when she thought someone like Jordan would think that inspiration from a children's book is out of the ordinary for someone like her.

Amber: Yeah, you're right. Thanks Jordan. I don't why or how I got so embarrassed easily over something like that.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* It's fine. Sometimes, we forget how good we have it, so we just need to be reminded. Plus, if it helps... just know that you'll always be better than me when it comes to gliding.

A hearty laugh escapes Amber and she gives Jordan's shoulder a playful slug as he smiles at her.

Amber: Oh, shush! You're pretty good at gliding too, you know! You just need a little more training.

She then quickly remembered the main reason why they were here in the first place as she stood up to her feet.

Amber: ...But anyway, let's get back to the exam!

Jordan then looks down from the cliff that he was sitting on as this was on a whole another level than what Amber taught him, Nintega, Shadow, and Lumine back in Mondstadt. The mere thought of becoming a pancake if he fails this one made his eyes shrink and he sweats profusely. However, Amber pats him on the back with a bright, reassuring smile.

Amber: Don't be nervous, just glide like you're used to.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Easier said than done... Last time I checked, the wind was on my side merely because I used Anemo magic to manipulate my glide direction.

Amber: So? Why not do it again? The Knights of Favonius aren't strict on people using their Visions to glide... Though from what I heard, you don't have a Vision, so that expression is useless in your case...

She then wraps an arm around Jordan, making him blush in surprise before Amber points outwards over the cliff.

Amber: Anyways, all you need to do is follow the marked route to the finish. Just pay attention to how I do it.

She removes her arm from around Jordan as he looks to the camera with a nervous look. 

https://youtu.be/49J_LBSjB2E

Amber first demonstrates by gliding effortlessly towards the large tree that stood by another one of the Statues of the Seven as she uses a wind current to gain some altitude and also allow her to easily pass through some of the markers she mentioned before. She stops on a branch at the top of the tree and motions for Jordan to take his turn next. He gulps down the nervous lump in his throat before he takes off after her. It goes pretty well as he passes through some of the markers and heads towards the wind gust that would carry him up. Unfortunately, a random gust of wind from the side blows him off course much to his shock and he plummets straight down into the water below, soaking both him and his Wind Glider. Amber's reaction to this was to cringe from the unlucky fail as even she didn't see that coming.

Amber: *nervously chuckles* Well, I... never said it was going to be easy...

A moment later, we see Jordan's second attempt as he goes through the first set of markers again and this time, makes sure that he reaches the upward gust. He enters gracefully, but he ends up leaving it too early and thus, doesn't get enough altitude to reach the top. With a panicked scream, he glides straight into the heart of the tree, getting whipped by the countless branches before smacking right into a large one with his gut, eliciting a pained, high pitched groan from Jordan as he slid off slowly and comically.

Time to see if third time was apparently the charm for him as he jumps off the cliff again to glide and this time tries using some Anemo magic to help out as both of his hands glow green as he shoots wind downwards to propel him upwards, but instead he actually does a loop-de-loop before getting shot straight back downwards towards the water as another huge splash was heard.

Many more attempts took place as one instance, one of the wings on the Wind Glider flies off, causing Jordan to go flying wildly in the air. Another instance, he didn't even get an attempt as he tripped right over the cliff sending himself straight downwards. Finally, he actually made it over the tree, but celebrated way too soon as it got caught on a tree branch, pulling him backwards and leaving him helpless for a minute in the air.

One last attempt was hoping the moment to where Jordan would actually get it right this time as he takes a deep breath before stepping back, getting a running start, and he jumps off of the cliff to glide towards the tree. The wind current there, helped him upwards over it and a gust of wind tried blowing him off course again, but this time he used some Anemo magic to keep himself and the wind stable so that he wouldn't go flying in insanely weird directions.

He finally made it over the tree which was a huge weight off of his shoulders, but that wasn't all that was done as there were more markers ahead of him that were placed in order to make him glide in a zig-zag direction. Jordan didn't let this make him nervous as he uses some Anemo magic to glide himself towards one of the markers ahead of him. He goes through it before making a hard left, turning around backwards and blasting some wind in front of him to push him backwards towards the next marker. 

Using this momentum, he turns back straight before doing a quick side loop in the air and he glides himself towards the right where the last marker was before finally going through it and he was even able to make a steady landing to the grass. Seeing how he finally got past this part of the exam, Jordan cheers to himself that he finally got the hang of Wind Gliding. Amber goes over and cheers for him before giving him a high five.

The next part of the test took place in Mondstadt city this time as they were just outside the cathedral that sat at the very top of the city. Amber once again takes lead as she glides towards the Anemo God statue and just like before, a gust carries her to the top and she passes through some more markers. She stops at the top and gestures for Jordan to follow as she heads to the right and to the top of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.

With newfound confidence, Jordan takes a leap and glides. He passes through some markers and heads into the gust to take him up to the head of the statue where he flies through three more markers. He stops at the statue's head and turns to his right before jumping off and heading over towards the Headquarters, making sure to pass through the markers as he went. 

He glides to the top of the building where he sees Amber at the bottom as she waves to him with a bright grin. He waves to her with the same smile, but in doing so, he briefly distracts himself and he faceplants right into one of the towers of the Headquarters. Amber cringes from the impact as Jordan comically slides down the wall.

(End Song) 

A moment or two later, Jordan and Amber are seen sitting together at the steps to the entrance of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters as Amber helps hold up an ice pack to Jordan's bruised, throbbing forehead as he winces in pain once it makes contact.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Ah!

Amber: Sorry.

This time, she gently places the ice pack against Jordan's head.

Amber: Is that better?

Jordanwolfboy9743: A little. You make it look so easy.

Amber: Well, you actually nailed both parts... Just barely that is. I'm pretty surprised considering you looked like you had the hang of it when you went up against Stormterror with the others.

Jordanwolfboy9743: (*sarcasm* Yeah... Thanks for the training wheels, Venti...) I... probably just got a case of beginner's luck when that happened. I bet you struggled a lot with those courses on your first few attempts, didn't you?

Amber: O-Of course! In fact, I struggled way worse than you!

She chuckles, nervously rubbing an arm which made Jordan give her a deadpan look.

Jordanwolfboy9743: You did it in less attempts, didn't you?

She then sheepishly smiles while touching two of her finger tips together nervously.

Amber: Maybe just a little bit fewer than yours...

She only said that to try and make him feel better, but Jordan wasn't convinced as out came the truth.

Amber: Okay, a lot fewer than yours... But hey, practice makes perfect.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Or in my case... *sigh* a lot of practice.

Amber rubs his shoulder to ease some of his doubt.

Amber: Hey, don't look so down, Jordan. You just gotta keep it up and you'll be a master glider in no time. But hey...

She stands up and proudly places her fists on her hips while looking down on him.

Amber: With what you accomplished today, I'd say that's good enough for you to earn your gliding license.

Jordanwolfboy9743: You think so? Because I'd say I'm still at least C minus level gliding compared to how you do it...

Amber: That seems average enough to me. Just keep practicing and who knows? Maybe you'll be competing with me as the Gliding Champion of Mondstadt.

Hearing that cheered Jordan up a bit as all he could reciprocate with was a quiet smile.

Amber: You wait here for a minute. I'll go see if I can fetch your new gliding license somewhere in the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

She turns to run inside, but as she does Jordan couldn't help but look back outwards towards the path to where he glided as something kept telling that he could've done a lot better if he wasn't so distracted by Amber earlier. He looks back at the entrance to the headquarters as he assumes that Amber won't be back for some time... so he decides to give it one more go on his own.

He puts down the ice pack before putting on his Wind Glider and he gets down into a ready position before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath once more before sprinting and jumping off of the steps to glide up into the air. He easily made it past the statue before gliding back over the headquarters. He smiles at his accomplishment before he makes a sharp U-turn and flies back to the entrance. Just as he was about to land though, he heard a voice calling to him from down below.

???: Windborne traveler! You are required to land at once by the order of the Knights of Favonius!

Nervousness hit Jordan right away as he dropped to the ground just in time for a taller man clad in armor to approach him as it was revealed that he was the one calling to him.

Otto: I am Otto of the Knights of Favonius.

Jordanwolfboy9743: U-Uhh... hi there. Is something wrong?

He asked, even though deep down, he knew what the problem was.

Otto: Please show me your gliding license.

Jordan's nervousness gave way to full-blown anxiety as he twiddled his fingers while letting out a nervous chuckle.

Jordanwolfboy9743: U-Uhh... y-you see, I... I don't exactly... have one on me at the moment, b-but if you just wait here for a second, then-

However, that was apparently all the knight needed to hear as he easily cuts him off mid-sentence.

Otto: It is against the law to glide without a license! I am arresting you under Section 7, Article 12 of the Mondstadt Penal Code.

He pulls out a pair of chain cuffs before approaching Jordan and pulling his arms behind his back, cuffing him with a click.

Jordanwolfboy9743: W-Wait! I-If you just hold on a second, you'll see that-

Otto: You have the right to remain silent! Anything you say will forever carry on the wind.

Jordan thought that he was about to actually get arrested in Teyvat and yet he's only been here for a few days which made this quite the unlucky trip for him. However, his worries quickly disappeared as Amber showed up just as quickly and tries to dismiss the misunderstanding.

Amber: Wait... I'm an instructor! This is a gliding exam!

Seeing how Amber was a member of the Knights of Favonius and they were quite familiar with her, Otto didn't see any reason to doubt her as her explanation was vague, but made sense.

Otto: Oh... I see.

He then uncuffs Jordan who sighs in relief that Amber came to his save just in time as he mouths a thank you to her to which she nods at.

Otto: Well, you picked a bad time to hold your gliding exam.

Amber: Really? Why?

Otto: The Knights of Favonius received a report from a Sister at the Cathedral claiming she saw Raptor gliding around these parts. I thought your student here must have been his partner in crime.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *whisper* This... this guy knows who I am, right? You've told all the knights about my friends and me, haven't you?

He whispers to Amber.

Amber: *whisper* Ehe... Did I say all of them? I-I didn't exactly mean "all of them." *nervously chuckles*

Jordan just shook his head and faced back to Otto.

Jordanwolfboy9743: So, who exactly is this Raptor guy you're looking for?

Otto: A known criminal in Mondstadt. He always uses a wind glider to commit his crimes, so people started calling him Raptor.

Amber: Wow. He flies fast, then?

Otto: So far we haven't managed to catch him... Our plan this time was to draw him into the Cathedral with a precious artifact, and ambush inside... but he escaped with the artifact. Fortunately, one of the Sisters put some secret markings on the artifact using elemental magic! ...But he was too fast, and we couldn't even keep up with the trail the markings left behind.

Amber: Well, if you need help chasing down a gliding criminal, I'm the one for the job!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Don't count me out! I'm going to help find this criminal too!

Amber turned towards Jordan, surprised.

Amber: Wait! Jordan, are you serious? You were listening, right? This guy is a fast glider and pretty resilient. From what we discussed, you're still pretty much a rookie at wind gliding.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I might be a rookie at gliding, but when it comes to combat?

He pulls out his bow with a smirk.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I've got that department covered.

Amber: Well... alright then. I'll take any extra help that I can to track this Raptor guy down.

She smiles at Jordan before turning back towards Otto with a serious look.

Amber: So tell us, which way did he go?

Otto: As far as I know, he was last seen near Springvale, but that was some time ago.

Amber: Leave it to me! With me and Jordan chasing him down together, he doesn't stand a chance!

She says this as both her and Jordan smirk at each other confidently.

Jordanwolfboy9743: This guy had better be prepared to have his wings clipped because we're coming for him!

Amber: And we'll show him that two pairs of wings are no match for even an expert with only one! Once we've got this Raptor guy, we'll pick up where we left off. But no need to worry... I'll be sure to have a word with Jean.

Jordan nods and the two of them begin to rush out of Mondstadt together in order to investigate on finding the criminal known as Raptor as they head towards Springvale.

The small village to the south of Mondstadt only took a few minutes to get to for the two as they arrived in a short time. Springvale was a small, quiet village just beside Mondstadt as if anyone preferred a more silent home out near the wild, then Springvale was definitely somewhere that they could visit.

Amber: This is Springvale. There must be some clues about Raptor 'round here. The Sister from the Cathedral put some secret Anemo markings on the artifact he took.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Got it.

He turned and was about to begin his search until one crucial detail hammered its way into his head. He... didn't have Lumine's Elemental Sight ability. Just the mere realization made him regret not going to find the blonde haired traveler herself and ask her for help. The only thing he could come up with was to think real deep and remember what it was he had to find and in what order. It was hard, but slowly, it was coming back to him.

Jordanwolfboy9743: (Wasn't there a tree branch that was actually part of a Wind Glider around here? ...Along with some cloth... and... tracks that it looked like it from an Anemo Slime?)

It then clicked into Jordan's mind that since he actually comes from a world where he plays Genshin Impact, maybe he doesn't even need Lumine's Elemental Sight in the first place. He just needs to find those objects.

Jordanwolfboy9743: (One of those things should be around here somewhere... In fact, I think one was actually right beside me...)

He said this before walking a little bit in the direction of the trail before he looked down and found a strange looking branch. He picks it up with curiosity before calling out to Amber and gesturing her over.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hey, Amber! Think you might want to see this!

Amber quickly runs over to him and looks to see what was in his hand as she looks at the strange branch with a raised eyebrow.

Amber: That... looks like a broken tree branch.

Jordan shakes his head and explains more on what he found.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Not just a tree branch. I may have studied our Wind Gliders a lot more closely than you think... mainly because I failed so much when trying to glide... Anyways, this looks like part of a frame from a Wind Glider. Therefore...

Amber's eyes widened before getting the picture as a bright smile slowly came to her face, but after looking closer, she realized something else.

Amber: There are no elemental traces on it.

She sighs and turns the item over a few times before throwing it away.

Amber: It looks just like a plain old tree branch.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *sigh* Sorry, Amber.

Amber shakes her head and regains her smile.

Amber: It's okay, let's just keep looking. We're bound to find something else.

They split up again before Jordan focused on remembering what the next piece was along with where to find it. He travels a bit of a ways from where the glider piece was and onto a small hill. He looks around until he makes out a peculiar shape on the grassy plane. He examines it and sees that it was a cloth with Anemo markings. Once again, he calls Amber who comes over and inspects it.

Amber: Hmm... a strip of cloth with Anemo markings on it. Looking at the way it's designed and how it's woven, there's a good chance it came from a Wind Glider.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I thought so too... Wow, I'm now having trouble wondering if we're either on a mission to hunt down a criminal or be textile experts...

Amber: *chuckles* That's sort of a requirement for the job of Outrider. You need to know what you're looking at no matter what it is, and yes, that includes different types of textures too.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *smiles* Knowing how long you've been doing this, you've probably got photographic memory of all of Mondstadt at this point.

Amber: *chuckles* If it were only that easy. Come on, one more clue or even two should be more than enough as evidence that Raptor was here.

Jordan nods and he looks over by the lake as he knows that that's where the last clue was. He eyes Amber who was looking over in a similar area, but he just walked into the direction beside her pretending to be aimlessly wandering around before he felt someone on his shoe. He looks down to see some goo that was likely from an Anemo Slime.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Ugh! Hey, Amber... I think I stepped on our last clue...

Amber comes over and she sees the goo that Jordan stepped on as her eyes widen before getting a confused look.

Amber: Not possible... This was definitely Raptor's doing!

Jordanwolfboy9743: How can you be so sure?

Amber: Anemo Slimes are airborne creatures. They don't leave marks on the ground unless someone stomped on one to take-off.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Clearly dangerous from even thinking about how he even did that along with how you described the risks too.

Amber: Either way, let's make a mental note of these markings. They're very clear.

She then points a finger down before following the trail of where the Anemo Slime goo was going and points in a direction ahead of them.

Amber: It appears that the element markings point this way.

Jordanwolfboy9743: The coward probably realized we were onto him and took off.

Amber: There's only one way to find out! C'mon Jordan, we should keep following the markings.

Just as they were about to follow said marking, they heard off in the distance the sounds of a struggle as Jordan and Amber turned in its direction.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Sounds like someone's in trouble over there.

Amber: Could it involve Raptor? Quick, let's keep going!

She quickly runs off with Jordan taking off after her.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hey! Wait up!

He sprints in order to catch up to Amber and once he does, she looks back at him.

Amber: If all of these really belong to Raptor, it must mean his wind glider is broken! That must be who we heard just now!

They follow the sound until it got louder as it led them down a dirt road that led out of Springvale. They kept going until they found a man who was on the verge of being clubbed by some Hilichurls. Jordan and Amber acted on instinct and pulled out their bows, took aim, and shot their arrows. They both stabbed through the heads of the Hilichurls and made them drop dead on the floor and disappear into dust. The following silence made the man look up and he breathed a sigh of relief that he got to live another day before the two archers went up to him.

Jordanwolfboy9743: You alright?

Farrah: Y-Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you two. Looks like the Knights of Favonius have arrived. The Hilichurls won't dare pursue me any longer.

Amber: What happened?

Farrah: I can't believe it but... the hilichurls attacked our carts. Luckily, I outran them.

Amber: Hilichurls? But I thought the Knights of Favonius had cleared out most of the Hilichurl camps around these parts?

Farrah: It's a small camp not too far from the village. The route I take on my delivery runs ensures I steer clear of it. But today... some crazy fellow suddenly fell out of the sky and landed right in the camp!

Jordan and Amber looked at each other as they can both guess who was responsible for that.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Wanna bet that it's our gliding criminal on the loose?

Amber: No question about it.

They then turned back to Farrah.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Tell us more.

Farrah: It really riled them up. They chased the funny-looking fellow as he fled, which brought them out into the open. I managed to get away, but they smashed my fruit carts to smithereens. I don't know what I'm gonna do when the merchant caravan gets here tomorrow-

Amber: ...Funny-looking? In what way?

Farrah: He was holding onto something. Must've been heavy because he couldn't glide in a straight line to save his life... Maybe that's why he fell. Honestly, people like that shouldn't be allowed in the skies. It doesn't take a genius to know that you're not supposed to carry heavy objects while gliding! I'm gonna report that idiot and make sure that he gets his license revoked!

Amber: Heavy object... The artifact?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Yeah, this is definitely our guy. Don't worry about reporting anything, you pretty much just did by telling your whole story to us.

Amber: Tell us, did you see which way he went?

Farrah: I managed to catch a glimpse as I ran from the hilichurls. I think he went...

He points to a direction across the trail that were already walking on.

Farrah: That way.

Amber: Seems like a strong lead.

She then turns to Jordan with a determined look.

Amber: Jordan, on with the chase!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Gladly!

He immediately then runs off in the direction that Farrah told them to go and Amber was about to follow before telling the rescued man one last thing.

Amber: Oh, and don't worry - as soon as I get back I'll tell the Knights to mop up the rest of the hilichurls as soon as possible.

The man's nod was all she needed as she took off after Jordan.

Amber: Jordan, wait up!

Jordan slows down to allow Amber to catch up as they traveled the road together. As they do, the sound of a twig snapping immediately caused them both to stop in their tracks and look around.

Jordanwolfboy9743: ...I don't think we're alone.

He was indeed right as some funny looking people that looked a lot like bandits came out of hiding spots from trees or large rocks. They immediately surround Jordan and Amber while holding up weapons such as shovels or bows. These were Treasure Hoarders, greedy hunters who work in gangs to try and find any sort of valuable items that they could find even if it meant getting rid of others who get in their way. Jordan and Amber stood back to back surprised from this ambush before Amber noticed that all of them had Wind Gliders with them.

Amber: A group of treasure hoarders with wind gliders too?!

Seeing no way out of this, both of them pulled out their weapons and drawed their bows with arrows, ready to fight. One of the Treasure Hoarders just threw a rock at Jordan's head which made him turn towards where it came from with a deadpan look. However, this was a distraction as they all immediately rushed in to attack.

A Treasure Hoarder swings its shovel at Jordan who backs out of the way and blocks it with his bow before kicking it away. Another then tries to attack him from behind as he ducks before kicking them away and shooting an Anemo-infused arrow to blow some more of them back. However, one of them got a hit on him as they kicked his kneecap before a shovel hit him in the stomach and he got kicked back.

Amber was having just as much of a minor struggle as she jumps away and blocks a couple of strikes before shooting a Pyro-infused arrow towards the ground which spreads across the grass. This kept her distance from the Treasure Hoarders as Jordan comes in with an Anemo arrow and with the combination of Amber's Pyro arrow, it caused a Swirl reaction that blasted fire among all of the Treasure Hoarders causing them to not only run away to retreat, but they abandoned their Wind Gliders too as they were getting burnt as well.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I feel like Nintega is going to be jealous of the fact that I'm the first one who finally gets to fight something besides Hilichurls and Slimes.

Amber: *chuckles* I'd like to see his reaction to that.

She walks over to where the Treasure Hoarders were and examines their Wind Gliders.

Amber: Judging from the type of Wind Gliders they've got, I'd say this lot is with Raptor.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Heh! Using others to protect him as he runs? Definitely proves my coward theory about him.

Amber: Well, regardless of why they were there, they didn't slow us down one bit!

Jordan nods, sharing some of Amber's enthusiasm before looking in the direction that they were supposed to go and something caught his eye.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hey, Amber! Look!

He points over somewhere else to which Amber follows as they noticed that the tracks that Raptor left behind from before end up ahead. They immediately walk up to investigate.

Jordanwolfboy9743: No more elemental tracks here...

Amber: The elemental power on the artifact must have worn off. Guess that proves your theory, Jordan. Raptor sent those minions of his to slow us down because he knew that these markings would give him away. That way, when the effect wears off, he can make his escape.

She slams the side of her fist into the other with a determined frown.

Amber: He won't get away with this! After him, Jordan!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Right behind ya!

His eyes then went off to the left and spotted a cave entrance and he gestures to it.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I'm willing to bet that he fled into that cave over there.

Amber: Only one way to find out. Let's go!

With no hesitation, the both of them headed into the mouth of the cave. They squeezed through until they breached the other side, but when they did, they were surprised to discover that the inside was very similar to the interior of the temples they visited before.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Woah. I guess these kinds of places also like to hide in plain sight. Or should I say... "plane" sight?

He smiles cheekily at his own joke. Amber didn't get it at first, but after a few seconds, it clicked in her head and she giggled while shaking her head.

Amber: Okay... You're just making this a lot more exciting and fun than it should be.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *jokingly* *chuckles* Why, thank you. I'm here all week.

They share a quick laugh before focusing back on the mission at hand. They head further in and find a short drop to the floor inside more ruins. Inside were a few Hilichurls, ones with crossbows at that.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hmm, these guys will be a bit more challenging to go up against, won't they?

Amber: A little, but there's only one way over there, Raptor must be up ahead. There may be a ton of enemies down below, but if we're gonna do this, we'll have to glide and defeat them in one fell swoop...

Jordanwolfboy9743: Got any ideas, Amber?

She responds to his question with a smile along with her signature fists on hips stance.

Amber: As a matter of fact, I do. But first, you still had one last stage in your exam, didn't you Jordan?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Huh? I... I did? I thought I was done.

Amber: *giggles* Not quite yet. I was thinking, how about we make this the third and final stage of your gliding exam?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Um... while doing a mission? Is that even legal for gliding exams?

Amber: *chuckles* Let's just say that this is a custom version just for you, designed by yours truly! Besides, the normal version of the exam wouldn't be fit for one of our great heroes of Mondstadt!

Jordan couldn't help but feel a blush come onto his cheeks from her compliment as he gives the back of his head a rub.

Jordanwolfboy9743: W-Well uhh... I-I'm honored, Amber. In that case, check me out as I ace this test!

Amber hops up and down cheerfully hearing that.

Amber: Woohoo! Good answer!

They way that she did reminded Jordan of a certain pink-colored friend of his as he imagines that if she were here then her and Amber would get along super well.

Amber: Alright Jordan, prepare for take-off! Raptor awaits you once you defeat all these enemies, then that gliding license is yours!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Can't wait! Okay, let's do this!

And off into the air they went as the Hilichurls saw them coming and immediately opened fire on them. They weaved and dodged with some level of ease before Amber threw some small objects over to Jordan who caught them with a bit of a fumble.

Jordanwolfboy9743: What are these?

Amber: They're a special kind of bomb I had made specifically for Baron Bunny. After I ran out when we were traveling through the temples, I thought about packing some extra ones and they should be more than useful in this situation! Just toss 'em down below and watch from a distance!

As they fly over the air, they were now right above the squad of Hilichurls earlier as Jordan smirks as even he feels like that this is going to be fun for him as well.

Jordanwolfboy9743: In that case... BOMBS AWAY!

He yelled as both him and Amber started tossing or throwing bombs downwards from the air as when they made contact with the ground, they explode causing all of the Hilichurls that were in the explosion to get incinerated upon the blasts.

They used wind currents to keep themselves airborne as they were both throwing down bombs wildly with huge grins on their faces, blowing up everything in their path. Even some of the Hilichurls who see this start fleeing in fear, but it was all for naught as they too faced an explosive end. The two of them kept this up as they headed further and further into the ruins, blowing up Hilichurls and occasionally sending taunts at them. It all concluded when they reached a door just as the last of the Hilichurls was dealt with and they landed with Amber doing a normal one while Jordan tried doing a superhero landing. He felt a twinge of pain in his knees when he did though as he tried to shake it off.

Jordanwolfboy9743: (Dang, Deadpool was right. It really is hard on the knees.)

Amber however giggled as she walked over and helped him stand up as she gave Jordan a bright smile.

Amber: *giggles* You're a natural, Jordan. I knew you'd be fine.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Heh, well, I learned from the best, didn't I?

His attempt at flattery earned a smile and a small blush from Amber as she turned her head away to hide it.

Amber: Aww, s-stop already! *giggles* You're gonna make me blush!

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* Well, I'm speaking the truth, aren't I? There's only one Outrider and one Gliding Champion of Mondstadt capable of teaching these things to rookies like me.

Amber finally rid herself of the blush and she smirks at him.

Amber: I don't know. Keep up the good work and you might not be a rookie for long.

She snaps back to it after realizing they were getting off track.

Amber: Anyways, all that's left to do is grab ourselves a Raptor - let's go!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Let's bag 'em and tag 'em!

They both then rush through the doorway together as they could feel that they were getting closer and closer to their target.

It didn't take long before they were finally at the second part of this temple that they found in a cave as they see a bridge cuts off in front of them, but down below was a doorway that meant that's where Raptor would go if he had a Wind Glider. They both glide down before traveling through this doorway and they were immediately blocked by a cage that was guarded by a Hilichurl standing on a platform. It tries shooting at the two, but they duck for cover before Amber summons out her bow and just as quickly, comes out of their quick hiding spot to shoot a precise shot at the Hilichurl which falls off of the platform and into the void before itself.

The bars to this cage then open up as Jordan and Amber continue to jog through the place in order to catch up and apprehend Raptor. After a few more puzzles and countless more fights with hordes of Hilichurls, they eventually reached the inner sanctum where they found a ruin that looked to be the place where Raptor was hiding. However, a large gorge stood between them and their location as Amber looked down into it.

Amber: It looks like there's no way across... Ugh, he must be around here somewhere.

She groaned in irritation. Looking around, Jordan tried finding a way across, but when he looked across the chasm, he spotted a man standing on the other side.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Amber... I think we found our guy.

Amber: Huh?

She looks and sees the man as well as he called out to them in a taunting manner. There was no doubt about it now. This was Raptor.

Raptor: If you insist on chasing me, so be it!

He takes notice of Amber and gives her a cocky smirk.

Raptor: Huh? Who brought the little girl?

Amber and Jordan could hear him very clear as they both glare at him from afar.

Amber: You must be Raptor! You can't escape!

Raptor: Haha, I don't need to escape! There's no way you can make it over here.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well, you obviously found a way, otherwise, you wouldn't be hiding over there like a coward!

Raptor: C-Coward?! For your information, it's called a tactical retreat!

Jordanwolfboy9743: *deadpans* Running from the law, erasing your own tracks, and using lackeys to slow us down...? That's obvious signs of a coward there if you ask me...

Raptor: Pfft! Call me whatever you like, boy! It doesn't erase the fact that you'll never figure out how to cross the gorge!

Amber then takes a look over the gorge to see absolutely nothing below them before looking up back at Raptor as no one could have made it through there even with a Wind Glider.

Amber: Oh... It is pretty high... and quite far...

Raptor: *taunting* Oh, little girl, why don't you and your little boyfriend run along home now and let your leader deal with this? Don't worry, I promise that once the Grand Master gets here, I'll surrender immediately! Haha!

The both of them simultaneously blushed when he said the word "boyfriend."

Jordanwolfboy9743: I-I'm not her boyfriend! I-If anything, I'm her partner! (...That sounded more convincing in my head.)

Amber: A-And watch it! You're talking to a Knights of Favonius Outrider AND a hero of Mondstadt! You'll be sorry when I arrest you!

She shouted, getting angrier by the second. Jordan sees this and puts a hand on her shoulder, garnering her attention.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Calm down, Amber. He's just trying to get a rise out of you.

She looked at Jordan and could easily tell that he was right as she took a deep breath before calming down.

Amber: *sighs* ...You're right. Ugh... He's right there in front of us... If only we could glide across. The question is, how did he do it?

Jordanwolfboy9743: It's possible that he may have used an Anemo Slime to gain some height.

Amber: Hmm, maybe. The problem is, there's no Anemo Slime goo anywhere, so it's possible that that's not it.

Raptor: Bye-bye, kiddos...

He taunted, trying to turn around and see if he can open the door behind himself which alerted the two that they need to act fast.

Jordanwolfboy9743: If he finds a way through there, it'll be a wild goose chase all over again!

Amber: We can't hesitate any longer. The only way to get across is to glide there.

Jordan gives her a surprised, wide eyed glance.

Jordanwolfboy9743: You sure about that? It looks way too far.

Amber: Don't worry - I'm the Gliding Champion of Mondstadt, remember! If Raptor can do it, I can do it too.

Raptor then taunts Amber again as she heard her confidence.

Raptor: Oi, Outrider! You have less chance of surviving this than jumping off the Anemo God statue in Mondstadt without your wind glider! Haha!

Amber frowns one final time before breathing in and out slowly and looking at Jordan who did the same.

Amber: Are you with me on this, Jordan?

She reaches a hand out to him, waiting for his response. His eyes dart back and forth for a second before nodding silently to himself and he grabs her outstretched hand with his own.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Go big or go home, right?

Amber: *nods* Jordan, remember that book I lent you? The one I thought was the gliding manual, but wasn't?

Jordan gives her a smirk.

Jordanwolfboy9743: How could I forget? All those birds needed was courage and off into the skies they went.

Amber: That's right! Flight was their reward for their courage to plunge into the canyon. The two of us going over this gorge is exactly like that situation. Now, what do you say we show him what an Outrider and a Hero of Mondstadt can do?

Jordan's smirk widened in response as Raptor started growing a little worried which they could tell from the tone of his voice.

Raptor: W-Wait... stop! You'll never make it! Come on, off you go now, back home like good little kids!

Jordanwolfboy9743: (Normally someone fleeing from the authority wouldn't care about what happens to the people chasing them... but if he's worried then there's clearly something over this gorge that he doesn't want to tell us.)

Amber: Raptor says we'll never make it. But if you listen carefully...

She closed her eyes and let her hearing take over. Jordan did that as well and he could feel something... something that told them that they'd be okay. Amber felt the same as Jordan could feel her grip on his hand tighten a little before her eyes shot open, filled with determination.

Amber: The wind! The wind says I WILL make it, and that's good enough for me!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well then... shall we?

He moves his head in the gorge's direction as Amber responds with a confident nod.

Amber: Let's...

Hand in hand, the two of them faced the forge, steeled their resolve, mustered up their inner courage, and sprinted for the edge. Jumping off, they wasted no time in opening their Wind Gliders as they flew towards the ruin. In response to this, Raptor got a scared look and ran inside. Despite the fact that they were going down, something told Amber and Jordan to keep going, and keep going they did as they didn't falter.

Right as they were about to plunge into the endless abyss below, the sudden appearance of an upwards wind current came just in time to lift them up, allowing them to reach the ruin where Raptor ran into.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Woohoo, yes! Just like in the story!

He cheered right before the two of them land together. Both smiled proudly at actually being able to glide across the huge gap before turning towards each other.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Now anyone else would just say that that was dumb luck, but it looks like the wind heard your words after all, Amber.

Amber: *giggles* Looks like it. I knew we'd be okay! Now, let's go get that cowardly Raptor!

Jordanwolfboy9743: With pleasure!

They both pulled out their weapons before heading through the door that Raptor went through before encountering him with three other Treasure Hoarders by his side.

Raptor: You two are crazy! You must have known about the wind current. There's no way you would have jumped otherwise!

Jordanwolfboy9743: I wouldn't say we knew, we just... had a little faith.

He smiles at Amber who smiles back.

Amber: The wind takes care of those who have courage. Now, sit still and await your arrest - like a good little boy!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Ohhhh! She got you there, son!

Hearing their taunts back at him caused Raptor to growl in anger before pointing at them.

Raptor: Get them!

The Treasure Hoarders then immediately ran to try and attack Jordan and Amber, but they were easily able to take care of each of them whether it was through close quarters or through range. Amber shoots an arrow in front of a Treasure Hoarder, making them trip to the ground. Jordan on the other hand blocked a shovel strike with his bow before using it along with an arrow that he had in his other hand to counterattack with a couple of strikes to its face before sweeping the Treasure Hoarder to floor and he uses an arrow connect its clothes into the ground to prevent them from trying to run.

Seeing how they took care of all of the Treasure Hoarders, all that was left was Raptor as he looked down at his fallen lackeys before trying to run himself like a coward... again. Amber and Jordan smirked at each other before they both shot arrows as Amber shot a normal one while Jordan's was Anemo-infused. The arrow that Amber shot, landed directly in front of Raptor as he clumsily falls over it before the arrow that Jordan shot caused a gust of wind to blow beneath Raptor, sending him into the air yelling before he ends back right in front of the Outrider and her partner as he fell on his stomach before looking up at the two who gave him serious glares.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Nighty night, pal.

A hard, swift kick to Raptor's face was all it took for Jordan to knock him out as he, along with Amber, put their weapons away and grinned at each other.

Amber: Alright! We got him! You probably noticed it too, but the wind current that carried us here was the only one there. It would be suicide to try and escape in the direction Raptor was going. In other words, the only way Raptor could have gotten out would be this way - past us.

Jordanwolfboy9743: That explains why he was so smug about it. He thought it would be enough to make us turn and leave. Sadly for him though, it didn't work in his favor. *chuckles*

Amber: It was all thanks to your sharp thinking, Jordan! Just like a wise man once said, "Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." At the end of the day, gliding is seven parts technique, three parts instinct - and then 90 parts courage.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Although, with you, it seemed more like it was 99 parts courage, especially with that daring jump we did.

Amber: Ah, it was just like in my first gliding exam... I was super nervous, but in the end, there was nothing to be afraid of and I passed no problem. I kinda missed that nervous rush in the exams I've done since then... It just wasn't the same.

Jordan looked at her with puzzlement when he heard something in that story she told.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hang on. "In the exams you've done since then?" I thought you said you passed with flying colors?

Amber sweats from that as she nervously chuckles while rubbing the back of her head.

Amber: Ah... Well you see, the thing is, Mondstadt is all "no glide zone" this, "no landing zone" that...

She then sighs while shaking her head.

Amber: *sigh* Every time I get my license, it keeps getting revoked. I must have taken the exam about 15 times altogether... But I always pass the first time. I guess my little gliding manual ain't so bad after all!

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* Remind me to get a copy later then. Anyways, let's get out of here. I'll drag this creep back with us and bring him to the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

Amber: Sounds good! Oh, and don't forget that afterwards, I'll get you your gliding license. Meet me at the Cathedral after you drop off Raptor to the knights, alright?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Sure thing.

The trip back to Mondstadt took a little while, especially considering that they were both carrying a person back with them. However, the Knights of Favonius were lucky enough to give them a hand as Raptor was arrested for illegal gliding around Mondstadt and of course, his license was revoked too. Speaking of licenses, Jordan stepped into the Cathedral which was as anyone would expect, a church area for the people of Mondstadt to pray to the Anemo Archon. Some of the Church Sisters were there as Jordan looked around for Amber before seeing her up ahead waving to him. He smiles before walking over and Amber pulls out a card to hand it over to Jordan.

Amber: Congratulations, Jordan! Here is your gliding license! You're officially legal now, yay!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Phew! Thank goodness! I guess that just leaves Nintega, Shadow, and Lumine then. *chuckles* I'd like to see how they'd handle the test.

Amber: *giggles* Well, hopefully it won't turn out to be as much of a hassle as this one was. Though it wasn't a bad thing. We ended up capturing a criminal together and now I'd say you're a natural at gliding.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Heh, well, if you say so.

Amber: Oh - and I'll sign you up for the next Wind Gliding Championship!

Jordan was hit with a wave of nervouness upon hearing that idea and he waved a hand at her.

Jordanwolfboy9743: U-Uhh, m-maybe I should get in just a little more practice before moving onto competitions.

Amber: Suit yourself. I always glide so fast that no-one can keep up - it's just me up there, on my own, gliding around... It's kinda boring.

She looked a little down when she said that which didn't go unnoticed by Jordan. He thought about what he'd do for a second before he silently sighed to himself and smirked at Amber.

Jordanwolfboy9743: You know what... I changed my mind. Sign me up for this competition the next chance you get. I can see myself beating you easily.

That certainly surprised Amber, but it didn't fail to put a smile on her face that turned into a smirk as well.

Amber: Ooh... Fighting talk! Heh. It seems you have no idea how terrifying the championship really is... Well, until I kick your butt in the championship, I wish you a happy, liberating, and above all law-abiding gliding experience.

Jordanwolfboy9743: And I wish you an amazing, butt kicking time as an Outrider.

A laugh is shared between them before Jordan pockets his new license and looks back at Amber.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hey, Amber? Do you... maybe wanna go hangout together?

Amber smirks and raises an eyebrow.

Amber: *giggles* Didn't we do enough of that today?

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* That was just work. I'm talking about a real hangout. You know, the kind where we don't have to worry about chasing down criminals and such?

Amber then realized what he actually meant as she snorts while putting a hand to her face with a smile.

Amber: Oh, right. Tch. Obviously. There haven't been any more reports of runaway criminals or any other sort of problems, so I don't see why I shouldn't pass that up. Plus, I'm sure your squad must be a little embarrassed with having only one female in it, so where do you want all of us to meet up at?

Jordan should've guessed that he needed to be a lot more specific as he frowns while looking away just a little bit nervous.

Jordanwolfboy9743: S-Sorry. Let me rephrase that: would you want to hang out with just me?

He said this as a blush crawled onto his cheeks and Amber no doubtedbly got the exact same reaction as her eyes widened. As much as this surprised her, she tried to play it cool.

Amber: R-Right. Yeah. I-I knew that. I was just wanting to see if you know... A-Actually, what am I saying...? You don't know... b-but anyways, I'd love to hang out with you.

Jordan's demeanor changed on a dime as he went from timid anxiousness to surprise instantly. Just as quickly though, he found himself smiling again.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Great. Right this way then.

With a nod, Amber follows Jordan out of the cathedral and back into town. It was nearing sunset as the sky was painted a deep orange. They both see this as Jordan started to feel deflated.

Jordanwolfboy9743: O-Oh... I... didn't realize just how late in the day it got.

Amber was about to pout in despair as well, but she then got an idea as she quickly perked up.

Amber: I know! Come with me!

https://youtu.be/-gz5mco0L-I

Before he could question what she had in mind, Amber grabbed his wrist and eagerly pulled him along with her. Down the stairs and through the town square they went as Amber took Jordan to the top of the wall for the city that wrapped around. The spot she picked was in perfect view for the sunset as Amber took a seat at the edge before patting the spot next to her. Jordan didn't keep her waiting as he sat down next to her as their eyes pinpointed on the sunset as both Amber and Jordan stared with amazement.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I've seen the sunset many times where I come from and around when we were running across Mondstadt several times... but this view beats all of those sights by tens, hundreds, no! By a million times!

Amber: *chuckles* You think it's that neat, huh? I practically get to see this part of Mondstadt almost every day with my job as an Outrider.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *smirks* You're a lot more lucky than me in that case since this is my first time looking at the land like this.

Both of them share a small laugh together before Jordan feels like this is a good moment for him to say something important to Amber. Although, he was thinking of the best way to not make it too awkward as he starts it out slow.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hey, Amber?

He says, making her look at him.

Amber: Yeah?

Jordanwolfboy9743: I... I just wanted to say thanks, you know, for the save back when I was about to be arrested. I'm pretty sure that I'd be in prison right now if you hadn't stepped in.

Amber proudly smiles and rests her arms behind her on the wall.

Amber: No worries. There's no way that I was gonna let my new best friend spend the rest of his time in Mondstadt in a prison cell. Honestly, Jean already has someone younger than us going through that sometimes.

Jordan raised a playful eyebrow when he heard that.

Jordanwolfboy9743: "New best friend," huh? Didn't know that I was already at that stage with you.

Amber realizes what she actually just said out loud as her eyes widen and she tries her best to play that sentence off as no big deal.

Amber: I-I've just been teaching you a lot of gliding techniques for awhile and I-I've just never really had much of a gliding partner before... U-Until now that is, I guess...

Jordanwolfboy9743: Heh, I see. What about just a regular partner-partner?

Amber went silent for a second until Jordan heard her sigh.

Amber: I've... never really had a partner. Believe it or not, I'm not just an Outrider, I'm... I'm the only Outrider in Mondstadt.

Jordan knew this already, but once again, he pretended to act surprised.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Wait... really?

Amber: Yeah. You see, the title of Outrider used to belong to a division of soldiers for the Knights of Favonius and it was actually created by my grandpa long ago.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Huh... is that so?

Amber nodded before her lips went down into a sad frown and she looked ahead.

Amber: I really looked up to him. He was the only family I had since I have no idea what happened to my parents. One day though, one of the knights went to go check on him in his office and... he was gone. And I don't mean he passed away, he just... disappeared without a trace. He didn't leave a note or anything that could tell us where he went. All that he left was his coat and his sword.

Jordanwolfboy9743: So... that's why you looked a little sad when you heard about Lumine's brother.

Amber: Yes... The moment that he left, the Outrider division started to decline due to so many failed operations. People even started to either transfer their jobs or even just resign their Outrider positions and it was soon getting harder for Mondstadt to properly have people on patrol duties. Little by little, the Outrider division lessened until... it was practically gone.

Her eyes drifted back to Jordan.

Amber: Because of my grandpa's disappearance, I was constantly kept an eye on. I didn't like that though, so I sought to be the best I could be. I took on many responsibilities, grew more mature over the years, dealt with the pain of losing him, and eventually, I trained enough until I became an Outrider, or as many like to call me, the Crimson Knight.

Jordan listened intently as Amber came to the end of her story.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I'm also guessing that you became an Outrider in order to preserve your grandpa's memory, right?

Amber: Yeah. I wanted to show everyone that I can inherit the same determination that he had.

Jordan couldn't help but let his face turn into a warm smile as he leaned somewhat closer to her.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well... I think that's very admirable of you, Amber. You know, I have a feeling that if he were to see you as you are now, he'd be very proud of you. I mean... I got to see you and fight with you as an Outrider in action and you may be the first and best one that I've ever seen.

Amber looked at Jordan with a surprised blush before it went away as she smirks at him.

Amber: If I'm the first Outrider that you've ever seen then doesn't that mean that I'm the only one that you've ever met too?

Jordanwolfboy9743: All the more reason to say why you're the best one that I know here in all of Teyvat.

That gained a chuckle and a playful slug to his shoulder from her.

Amber: *chuckles* Oh, stop! Now, you're just being corny!

Jordanwolfboy9743: Hehe. Being corny is one of the best things that I'm good at being... but still, what I said is all true.

He smiled at the end. Amber gives him an appreciative smile regardless.

Amber: Well... thanks, Jordan. It... means a lot to hear that.

He nods to that as they both went back to watching the sunset for a minute or so. The silence was then broken when Amber decided to say something.

Amber: Jordan? Is... it okay if I ask what things were like back where you come from? And just how close are you with Nintega and Shadow?

The second that question was asked, Jordan felt his heart fall into his stomach. Nervously, he tried finding a way to answer that without giving away too much. A few more seconds passed until he finally thought of what his response would be.

(End Music Here)

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well... it's kind of a long story, but I can give you some of the highlights. Nintega, Shadow, and I? We've been best buds for years now. In fact, it's been so long since then that we're more than best friends. They've pretty much become brothers to me.

Amber: *chuckles* Yeah, I can tell.

Jordanwolfboy9743: If you were to look at one of us and ask which of us would be the brains, I'd say that honor goes to Nintega. He's incredibly smart, I mean, one of the smartest guys I know. You tell him to think of a plan and he comes up with one in a short period. It's gotten to the point where his creativity can be called one word. You know what that is?

Amber shakes her head.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well, I'll tell you. We call it "Nintevitus."

Right away, Amber burst out into laughter.

Amber: *laughs* Nintevitus?! Is it like a made up disease he has or something?

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* Pretty much, yeah. Every time Shadow and I bring it up, it always makes him smile and laugh. Still, he's an awesome guy to have as a friend and I'm sure you'll see soon enough.

Amber: *giggles* I think I already have. How about Shadow? What's your relationship with him?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Heh, Shadow. I actually met him before I met Nintega, believe it or not. At first, I wasn't too sure about him, but he and I got to talking one day, and since then, I've never regretted that. He may look like a cold dude, but deep down, he's pretty much the heart of our group. He's a kind guy, a good soul, and a great, supportive friend who has your back no matter what.

He then remembers the other things about Shadow; the ones he told Lisa about before which made him change his tone a bit.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Which... is a real shame when you learn about how much he had to endure and still deal with to this day.

Amber heard this loud and clear as she frowned, feeling concerned for what Jordan meant by that.

Amber: What do you mean?

Jordan goes on to tell her of all the tribulations and struggles Shadow had to go through as well as how much it all affected him and as he did, Amber's frown worsened the more she heard.

Jordanwolfboy9743: ...and because of all that, he has a deep distrust for people sometimes.

He too frowns and looks at Amber whose frown worsened so much that it was now on the verge of a scowl.

Jordanwolfboy9743: So yeah, Shadow had to deal with all that heartache not just for trying to be a helpful friend, but all by himself.

Amber: That's just unbelievable! No one should be that unlucky when it comes to social interaction! Not even Shadow!

She sighs upon remembering to keep herself from getting too upset as she took a deep breath in and out.

Amber: Remind me to give him a big hug the next time I see him, will you?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Sure, but he's gonna be awfully confused by why you're doing that.

Amber: I know. I just want him to know that he has people that care for him.

Jordan stared for a second before his smile returned.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well... that's awfully sweet of you, Amber, but I think there's a part of him that already knows that. He was lucky enough to meet me and Nintega as he even said that it was one of the best things that happened to him.

Amber's smile returns to her as well.

Amber: Well, that's good. So... let me ask you this. Do you... ever get lonely?

Jordan stares ahead as his expression goes into a small frown.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Sometimes...

Amber: Really? Because... I find that a little hard to believe.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Why's that?

Amber: It's just... you're such a nice guy and all, so I don't think someone like you would ever be lonely. I mean, everyone seems to like you so much. Heck, I already do.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Heh, as much as I appreciate that, I... don't know about everyone.

Amber: Are you serious?! Who could possibly not like someone as funny and determined like you?

Jordan sighs and rests back onto his arms as well.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I don't know. It's probably just my way of being modest... or just... a way for me to cover up my own pain.

He looked away when he said that last part.

Amber: If I'm allowed to know... what kind of pain did you go through?

Jordan wasn't sure if he was comfortable with sharing his past with Amber, but after remembering her spill everything about what happened to her grandpa, he felt that it was only fair that he shared something about him with her as well. With that in mind, he sat up and turned to her.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well, for one... I was always usually the kid that was overlooked. I was nothing more than a face in the crowd, nothing special. Maybe I got an honorable mention here and there, but I was always pushed aside by those who did way better than me. I think there was always a part of me that was afraid that when that happened, that I'd be forgotten. Plus, there's also the fact that I got relentlessly picked on in school. You know how it is, I'm sure. Some unlucky kid gets targeted for the rest of his time in school, but for me, it's not just one. I've dealt with many bullies in my life. Because of that, my confidence was wrecked time and time again, my mental health went all over the place, and my self esteem... plummeted.

His eyes started to water slightly.

Jordanwolfboy9743: So... while I can be upbeat and happy to other people, sometimes... I question if that's just my way of masking my trauma. It's like the old saying goes: "The happiest people are usually the saddest people." And you know... it's right. I try so hard to be something important and try my best to say that I'm good enough in whatever I'm doing, but I just... I just have this inner voice in my head casting doubts and always making comparisons and always bringing me down! And I don't show this to others because I'm afraid if I do, that I'll just bring them down with me!

Soon, the sadness was really getting to him as his eyes now let out the tears they were storing. He didn't want Amber to see them right away though as he tried hiding his face in his knees.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *saddened* I-I'm... I'm sorry, Amber. I-I... I didn't mean for you to see me like this.

Just as he said that, he felt a pair of arms quickly wrap around him. His tear filled face popped up and he looked to his left to see Amber embracing him closely with her head resting on his shoulder.

Amber: Don't be sorry... I know how expressing your deep and tragic secrets to others can be... and you definitely already know that I understand what it's like to be lonely! You're not the only one sitting right here who went through something like that!

Jordan was frozen in shock for a minute as he couldn't believe that this energetic girl that he liked was actually hugging him. His mind went completely blank before his body slowly moved on its own and he wrapped his arms around Amber as well to return the affectionate embrace. He could even feel Amber hug him a little more tightly as he did that as this hug lasted for a minute before they both break apart and smile at each other.

Amber: And you're right... Sometimes the happiest people are the saddest people, but that doesn't mean that they should never feel happy. I mean, look at me. Look at you. Or even look at what we both did today. Nothing ever really slowed us down and we both were helping each other boost our morality! It ended with both of us back here having a great time now. And even if it did get really sentimental... I feel a lot better knowing just how similar things were with us in the past. How do you feel right now?

Jordan was unsure how to feel at first, but after seeing Amber's glowing smile, he too felt his own smile come back as he aimed it right back at her.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Maybe... just a little better, but... as long as I've got people like you to help me get back on my feet... I think I'll be okay.

Amber: I'll help you guys as much as I can! And that's a promise coming from the one and only, Outrider Amber!

She raises up one of her pinky fingers to him, meaning she wanted him to return it. He smiles again before taking his own pinky and wrapping it around hers.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Amber... thank you, really.

They both smiled at each other before Jordan had yet another idea come to him.

Jordanwolfboy9743: You know... there... might be a way for both of us to help each other.

Amber: Oh? What did you have in mind?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Well, what if... a-actually, nevermind.

Amber: What?

Jordanwolfboy9743: N-Nah, it's... it's silly.

Amber: Come on, tell me!

She urged, still smiling. Her stubbornness made Jordan chuckle a bit as he relented.

Jordanwolfboy9743: I-I mean, you don't have to agree to this, but after hearing about how you're the only Outrider and also seeing how good of a team we made today, what if... what if I... became your partner? For real, this time?

Amber recoiled in pure shock.

Amber: M-My... partner? Is... is this your way of saying that you... want to become an Outrider too?

Jordanwolfboy9743: Yeah. If... if that's okay with you, of course.

Amber stares surprised at Jordan for a second before she excitedly grabs both of his shoulders with a huge, excited grin on her face and stars twinkling in her eyes.

Amber: Are you kidding?! That would be just... beyond archons amazing!! Not only does this make things a lot easier for both of us, you're practically making the Outrider division slowly grow with you signing up for it now! Oh, boy! How should we get started with this?! What commission should we take first?! Should we change your outfit?! Nah! What am I saying? It's already adventurer material! Wait! Or maybe this can...

Jordan's eyes popped open in shock as he sweats as he was not expecting Amber to react to this decision while being so ecstatic that she was practically speaking sentences so fast that Jordan could barely comprehend them all. He sighs with a smile before covering Amber's mouth to make her stop talking.

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* I think all I need to confirm is a simple yes.

He says as he takes his hand down and Amber sheepishly rubs the back of her head.

Amber: Sorry... Got carried away there...

Jordanwolfboy9743: No worries... I've dealt with someone who does that quite a lot. You and her would get along like cupcakes and frosting.

Amber: *giggles* Anyways... I'd love to have you as my Outrider partner, Jordan!

Jordanwolfboy9743: *chuckles* I guess we'll need to discuss this with Jean the next chance we get, huh?

Amber: Yep! I should warn you though. It isn't easy becoming an Outrider. A lot like gliding, it takes tons of training. Then again, you have gone through vigorous amounts of it already, so your chances have likely gone up.

Jordanwolfboy9743: Works for me.

The last remnants of the sunset started to hide themselves and made way for the night to begin. They both see this as they decided to watch for just a little longer together as it was like no one wanted to leave quite yet.

Jordanwolfboy9743: You know... I'm glad I got to know you, Amber.

Amber: Me too, Jordan.

They both sat side by side and they both didn't notice their hands in between in each move closer and closer towards each other before eventually... Jordan's hand made its way on top of Amber's, so much so that their fingers intertwined as well. They both seemed to notice as they didn't look at one another, but a blush grew on each of their faces meaning that they were definitely enjoying this time with each other a lot.

Despite only being in Mondstadt for a few days, it seemed that the team was already making new special friendships or relationships with the people in this world. It makes them think if fate brought them here, then it was one thing that they'll possibly never forget or regret in their lives.

Chapter 3 End.