[Name], Aether, and Paimon stood at the entrance to Whispering Woods, the dense forest alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant bird, monsters, and Pokemon calls. The trio's eyes darted around, scanning for any sign of the informant they were supposed to meet.

"Do you think something happened to them?" [Name] asked aloud, the concern evident in their voice. Aether and Paimon exchanged uneasy glances, both equally worried about their only lead potentially being in danger. Would the group have to wait a while and the informant never shows up? What happens after?

Before anyone could discuss further, a sudden scream pierced the air, drawing the group's attention. They turned swiftly to see a young woman sprinting toward them, pursued by a group of hilichurls brandishing makeshift weapons.

"Look, [Name], Aether!" Paimon pointed emphatically, as if the others might have missed the obvious commotion. "She's in trouble."

"You jinxed us, [Name]," Aether remarked with a wry smile, summoning his sword in a flash of shimmery gold. He looked poised and ready for action, despite the gravity of the situation.

[Name] chuckled nervously, their hand already moving to the Pokéball on their belt while securely holding the incubator in their other arm. "Guess I did. Let's help her out." Without another word, Aether charged forward, his blade glinting in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.

"Go, Raboot! Use Double Kick!" [Name] commanded, their voice clear and authoritative as they threw a Pokéball into the air. The ball opened with a burst of blue light, revealing Raboot mid-leap. The agile Pokémon delivered a swift Double Kick, sending two hilichurls hurtling towards Aether's blade.

The woman stumbled, clearly exhausted from the chase, but her eyes widened in relief as she saw her rescuers. She ran to stand behind the group with Paimon fluttering in front of her as the last line of defense, but the fairy knew that her friends could handle a couple of monsters with ease. "Don't worry, miss!" She exclaimed to the lady, reassuring her.

"Ra!" Raboot smirked, clearly pleased with his performance. His training with the blond-haired traveler was paying off. The two hilichurls cried out in pain as Aether's sword cut through them, reducing their forms to dust. Only one hilichurl remained.

[Name] raised an eyebrow, impressed by the unspoken coordination between Raboot and Aether. They didn't question it, instead appreciating Raboot's energetic landing as he bounced back, ready for more.

A familiar chime echoed in their mind, accompanied by a notification: [Ding! Raboot earned 556 exp! He needs 2,867 exp left to level 34! Keep it up, trainer.]

[Name] quickly glanced at the screen, relief washing over them as they saw that Aether and Raboot had taken care of the last hilichurl with ease. They knew that reaching level 34 would take some time, but they were determined to help Raboot get there. They would ensure his continued growth and success.

[Ding! Raboot earned 278 exp! He needs 2,589 exp left to level 34!]

The woman they had rescued approached cautiously, her eyes wide with awe and gratitude. "Thank you so much," she said, her voice trembling. "I thought I was done for."

Aether sheathed his sword, giving her a reassuring smile. "You're safe now. We're just glad we got here in time."

"Good job, guys," [Name] praised the two, reaching into their bag and pulling out a poffin. Raboot's eyes lit up as soon as he saw the treat, and he quickly bounded over to his trainer, paws outstretched eagerly. [Name] giggled at the sight of their enthusiastic Pokémon and carefully placed the poffin in Raboot's waiting hands, ensuring he didn't drop it even though they had plenty more. They could easily afford a lifetime supply of poffins.

Raboot nodded in thanks and began munching on his treat, a happy hum escaping him as he savored each bite. He placed a hand on his cheek, swaying with delight. [Name]'s eyes softened at the sight of their Pokémon enjoying his reward and they gently patted his head. Raboot, caught off guard, opened his eyes and looked up with a questioning glint, but then leaned into the touch, continuing to eat his snack.

Aether watched the scene, feeling a warmth spread through him. He couldn't help but place a hand over his cheeks, which had turned slightly red. The bond between [Name] and Raboot was heartwarming, and he found the pair incredibly adorable.

Paimon floated nearby, her eyes sparkling as she took in the scene. "Aww, look at you two! So sweet," she chimed in, her voice light and cheerful.

"Ah, thank you, Paimon." [Name]'s cheeks turned slightly red as Raboot ignored the conversation, immersed in his treat.

"Why is this happening to me?" the informant groaned, placing a hand on her temple. "I shouldn't have helped him..."

"Him?" Paimon questioned, then it clicked for her. "Oh, you mean Kaeya!"

The woman nodded sadly, placing a hand on her chest. Despite her weariness, she managed a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for saving me! You're far more reliable than those Favonius guys."

[Name] raised an eyebrow at her statement, glancing at Raboot who was busy dusting off his paws to be free of crumbs. Raboot chirped, standing next to [Name] now. They absentmindedly placed a hand on his head and scratched. Raboot hummed in relaxation, his ears drooping as he leaned into their touch. They wondered if all the citizens felt the same as the lady, and what has the Knights done to be known for that.

Paimon smiled brightly. "It's nothing. These two are my companions, Aether." She gestured to the blonde male, who waved in greeting.

"Nice to meet you," Aether said with a warm smile. The woman inclined her head in response.

"I wish it were under better circumstances," she offered with an awkward smile.

"And this is [Name] with Raboot!" Paimon introduced, making sure to highlight each of them respectively.

"Hi," [Name] greeted, smiling as their hands were full—one scratching Raboot's head and the other holding the incubator.

The woman noticed the bunny Pokémon and cooed, "This must be the Pokémon the knight captain was telling me about. Very cute." Raboot turned flustered at the attention, shyly turning his head, causing everyone to giggle.

"Thank you," [Name] said, patting Raboot's head as he crooned, hiding his face in their leg.

The woman placed her hands on her hips. "I've heard stories about you guys. I didn't think I'd be saved by the ones I'm here to meet."

"So you're the informant," Aether concluded, and she nodded.

The lady laughed, waving her hand dismissively. "I didn't know how I could pay you back initially, but now, I think I'll just give you the intel for free."

Paimon's eyes widened with excitement. "Really? That's great news!" It didn't click quickly for her what the lady meant as it did for the others.

"Sounds like Kaeya was going to make us foot the bill," [Name] pointed out, leading the other two to agree.

"Man... knew he was a scammer," Paimon huffed, crossing her arms tightly.

The woman looked amused but didn't bother correcting them, firmly believing it was the Knights of Favonius's fault for her near miss. If the group in front of her had been a few minutes later, she might not have been so lucky.

"We can tell him something later. We're here for a different reason," Aether reminded the two, who looked a bit sheepish.

The woman nodded in agreement. "People in our circle know how important the network is..." She took a moment to compose herself before continuing. "In the world of intelligence, trust and timely information are everything.

Aether nodded in understanding. "Really? Is that okay, offering it for free though?"

"Well, you did save my life," the woman responded with a grateful smile.

[Name] chimed in, "We don't even know your name."

"Oh!" The woman made a sound as she realized [Name] was right. "My name is Vile. It's very nice to meet you all." In return, the trio gave their own greetings to the now newly-named informant.

"Lucky for us it's free," Paimon nodded sagely, but it took her a moment to realize something. "But... it is more lucky for Kaeya, isn't it? He's supposed to pay for the intel..."

"Which was going to come from our pockets," [Name] deadpanned.

"Makes it even worse," Aether shook his head.

Vile chuckled. "Listen well then, the intel on the Arcadian Ruins... 'There six-armed giants reside in the city in the lake. Two guard the statue, one, the treasure.'"

She finished, leaving the group looking puzzled.

"Is that really all of it?" [Name] questioned, sensing that Vile might have more to offer.

"That isn't much," Paimon muttered in annoyance, crossing her arms.

Vile shook her head and reached into her pocket, pulling out a worn piece of parchment. The group's eyes lit up, realizing this wasn't just another wild goose chase. "There's also this map that came with it," she said, handing it to Aether, who made sure the other two could clearly see it.

"That's Mondstadt," [Name] pointed out, recognizing the layout immediately.

"Which means we don't have to go far," Aether exhaled, relieved.

"Could... this be the X-marks-the-spot?" Paimon asked, peeking over the edge of the map at Vile, who nodded in affirmation. "So the clue is more like a riddle..." She twirled to face her companions, a huge grin spreading across her face. "Well, it should be a piece of cake for ya, right Aether, [Name]? Paimon will leave it to you guys then!"

[Name] deadpanned at her. "Of course, you would say that."

"I hope so..." Aether trailed off, imagining all the ways this could go wrong.

"Well, if you can't solve it, we can ask Kaeya. He seems like a nerd too," Paimon added with a playful smirk.

[Name] stifled a snort behind their hand, picturing the stoic knight captain being called a nerd. It would definitely be funny if Kaeya heard Paimon's comment. First a scammer, now a nerd—Paimon was really on a roll.

Vile, observing the dynamic, looked very amused by the fairy. "I'll leave you the intel so you can review it at any time," she said, handing over the parchment.

"Thanks, Vile," Aether said, taking the map and folding it carefully. "We'll make sure to study it."

[Name] smiled gratefully at Vile. "Thank you for all your help."

"Hopefully we can solve this riddle," Aether sighed, nodding appreciatively at the woman.

"Thanks, Vile," Paimon chimed in before the informant departed. As soon as Vile was out of earshot, Paimon turned to the others. "There are six-armed giants reside in the city in the lake. Two guard the statue, one, the treasure. What does that even mean? If you don't want to ask Kaeya, we better figure it out ourselves!"

[Name] hummed thoughtfully, mulling over the words. "Let's break it down. 'There are six-armed giants reside in the city in the lake.'"

Aether's eyes lit up with realization. He pulled out the map and turned it towards [Name], who understood immediately. But Paimon still looked puzzled, tilting her head in confusion. Aether let out an exasperated sigh. "You're supposed to be our guide, Paimon. This part means Mondstadt."

"Mondstadt is actually a city built on an island in the middle of a lake," [Name] clarified patiently to Paimon.

"Ohhh!" Paimon exclaimed, her eyes widening in comprehension. "I get it now! But what about the six-armed giants?"

"Those might be something we only notice once we're back in the city," [Name] speculated, glancing down at Raboot, who looked puzzled by the concept.

"I agree," Aether chimed in, nodding thoughtfully. "Two guard the statue, and one guards the treasure."

"It's like a puzzle waiting to be solved!" Paimon said eagerly, her curiosity reignited now that the riddle was starting to make sense, slowly.

[Name] snapped their fingers in realization. "Maybe the statue refers to the huge one of the Anemo god in the plaza?"

"And the treasure must be wherever this riddle leads us," Paimon commented, earning nods of agreement from the others as they appreciated that she didn't need the explanation spelled out.

"Let's meet up with Kaeya and share our findings," [Name] suggested to the group. Aether nodded in agreement, and Paimon shrugged nonchalantly. They quickly returned Raboot to his pokeball as the group made their way back to Mondstadt, eager to discuss their discoveries with Kaeya.

Man, sorry for the long wait. i hope you guys like where this is going! this definitely won't be the last of Vile though! until next time~

My other works found through my profile:

Who You Are [MHA x Sakura Kinomoto!Reader]

Scarlet Vision [Twisted Wonderland x Scarlet Witch!Reader]

[Hiatus] Prince [Blue Lock x Akashi/Kuroko!Reader]

[Currently Reading] Roam [Genshin Impact x Pokemon Trainer!Reader]

Star [Jujustu Kaisen x Lucy Heartfilia!Reader]

Irregular Updates:

Story [AOT x KNY!Reader]

It Lives [HunterxHunter x Megumi Fushiguro!Reader]

Home [All Of Us Are Dead x KNY!Reader]

Don't Leave [Solo Leveling x Baam!Reader]

Story Ideas

Future books for Irregular Updates (as of now):

Curse Me! [Hazbin Hotel x Sakuna!Reader]

Kiss [Young Justice x Wendy Marvell!Reader]

Kitty Down [One Day, Suddenly, Seoul Is/One Day in Seoul x Lyney!Reader]

..and more!