Having tested his regeneration, Henry didn't bother changing clothes, checking his messages, or even turning on the lights properly. He dropped onto the bed and let his eyes close, the weight of the day pressing him down into the mattress and sleep claimed him almost immediately.
When morning arrived, Henry stirred and stretched slightly, his hand brushing against the blanket as he turned his head and took in his surroundings—the ceiling fan above, the desk near the wall, and the PC resting quietly on the table exactly where he had left it.
He was still on Earth.
Henry sat up slowly and rubbed his face as he exhaled.
He remained seated on the edge of the bed, spine straight, legs folded into a lotus position, and hands resting loosely on his knees as he closed his eyes.
He slowed his breathing deliberately, until the noise of the world dulled. The sounds outside faded first, followed by the lingering tension in his body, until only stillness remained.
He allowed only one thought to stay in his mind.
Just Mondstadt.
He focused on it—the city, the air, the feeling of being there—and let the image settle firmly, anchoring itself deep within his thoughts. His breath caught the next second as the air around him changed suddenly, growing cleaner and cooler, carrying a faint scent he recognized immediately: wine, fresh air, and something old and familiar.
Mondstadt.
The mattress beneath him no longer felt the same. It was harder and smaller, lacking the familiar softness of his own bed. The difference registered slowly as his senses caught up, unease creeping in with the realization.
Then he heard it.
A sharp intake of breath, close by.
Henry's eyes snapped open.
He was not in his room.
He was sitting on a bed he recognized instantly—and very much should not have been sitting on.
For a split second, his mind refused to process what he was seeing.
Alina stood a few steps away, frozen in place, halfway through changing out her nightwear. One sleeve hung loose from her arm, her hair still tied up with a few strands slipping free. She stood there in her innerwear, staring at him with eyes wide enough to rival saucers.
"Would you believe me if I said I came here by mistake—"
Henry barely got the words out before a scream tore through the room, followed by a surge of electro.
"AAAAAAAA—!" Alina screamed as power burst from her palms on pure instinct, arcing straight into him before she even realized what she'd done.
Henry flinched violently as the shock tore through his body, muscles locking up while the electro coursed over him. The force sent him jerking backward so hard he nearly tumbled off the bed.
"WAIT—WAIT—WAIT—DON'T ATTACK—!"
Fuck, that hurt. Girls were terrifying here in Teyvat—and unlike back home, they came with elemental powers. Regeneration or not, pain was still pain.
A pillow flew straight at his face.
It hit with a dull whump, knocking his head slightly back.
"WHY ARE YOU IN MY ROOM?!"
"I DON'T KNOW," Henry shot back instinctively as he grabbed the pillow and held it up like a shield. "ONE SECOND I WAS ON MY BED—NEXT SECOND I'M—HERE—!"
Another pillow came flying.
He twisted just in time, the fabric slamming into the wall behind him.
Alina scrambled backward and yanked a blanket around herself as faint arcs of electro energy crackled around her palms. Her face was slightly red, and her eyes stayed locked on him as if he were a particularly confusing enemy.
"YOU—YOU JUST APPEARED!"
Henry winced. "I swear I didn't plan this. I swear in the name of Barbados."
His mind immediately conjured the image of a drunk hobo bard wandering the streets with a bottle of wine in hand, and the thought nearly broke his focus.
They stared at each other, both breathing hard. The initial shock drained away, replaced by something far more uncomfortable.
Henry slowly raised both hands, palms open in surrender. "Okay. Okay. Deep breaths. I'm sorry. And I'm very, very aware that I shouldn't be here."
Alina didn't lower her guard completely, but the electro sparks dimmed slightly.
"…You're serious."
"Yes."
"…You didn't teleport on purpose."
"No."
"…And you have an explanation."
Henry swallowed.
I guess Alina will be the fourth person I tell my secret to.
The thought crossed his mind as his gaze flicked briefly to the electro energy swirling around her hands.
"Alina," he said carefully, "I'm actually not from this world."
Her expression remained unreadable.
"I come from a world called Earth," he continued. "It's similar to Teyvat in some ways, but also very different."
She stayed silent, so he kept going.
He explained Earth—cities built of steel and glass, machines powered by logic instead of elements, and a world without Visions but full of systems just as complex. He told her how he had woken up there that morning, convinced his time in Mondstadt had been nothing more than an elaborate dream.
"And this morning," he finished, gesturing vaguely around them, "I tried to come back by focusing deeply on Mondstadt. Instead of my own bed… I ended up here."
The room fell quiet.
Alina stared at him, processing his words slowly. Then her gaze dropped to his hands before returning to his face.
Trying to ease the tension, Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out a cold can of Coke, popping it open and holding it out toward her.
"Here."
She blinked. "What?"
"Just try it."
Suspicion flickered across her face, but curiosity won out. She took the can and sipped cautiously.
"…Whoa."
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"That's good," she said, taking another sip. "What is this?"
"Fizzy soda. It's a special drink from my world"
She considered it for a moment, then glanced back at him with a genuinely apologetic expression. "If what you said is really true, then I'm really sorry for zapping you."
Henry reached into his system space and produced an entire pack of cans, handing it to her.
"Here."
She stared at the pack, then at him. "Thank you."
Realizing she had zapped him unjustly, Alina's lips curved into a mischievous smile as an idea formed. She dropped the blanket covering her and walked toward the door.
Henry couldn't help but stare, momentarily dumbfounded by the way her innerwear outlined her figure.
Before stepping aside, she glanced back at him, smirking as she noticed his reaction. "Are you going to keep staring, or are you going to let me change? Hmm?"
Both of them were unaware that there was already someone else in the hallway who had heard the shouting from downstairs and had come up to investigate.
Mona.
She blinked once. Then again.
Her eyes shifted past Alina—still in her innerwear—and landed squarely on Henry, who was sitting on Alina's bed.
Her face went red instantly.
"I—! SORRY—!"
She turned and bolted down the hallway without waiting for a response.
Alina closed the door slowly and looked back at Henry, her mood noticeably brighter. "You might want to clear that up," she said playfully with a wink. "Only if you want to."
Henry didn't respond to the flirting. He was already halfway out the door realizing he was caught staring.
Downstairs, he caught up to Mona quickly, hands raised. "WAIT—It's not what it looks like."
She turned with her arms crossed, cheeks still flushed.
"It was a roach," Henry said without missing a beat. "Alina found a roach on her bed. I ran in to help."
Mona stared at him for a long moment.
"…A roach."
"Yes."
She sighed and rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. "So I misunderstood."
Henry nodded. "Yes."
Mona still looked a little unconvinced, but she let it drop.
---
I will release one additional chapter this week if Stones surpass 100.
Also if stones reach goal, expect 2 chapters per week from now on.
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