Author's Note:
Let's start with something nice. I had a blast with Genshin Impact's Summer Event! You know, I feel a sort of personal pride in writing this story; with it, I've written a separate chapter/story for each (currently available) nation of Teyvat.
Obviously I haven't written a complete story for all the Side Quests dedicated to Vision Users, but I have created a foundation, and that's enough for me to feel proud of my work.
Let's move on to the negative.
I had imagined publishing this story when I obtained the warrior queen of Natlan, Mavuika, the Pyro Archon.
Unfortunately it didn't happen, I saved up a lot of Gems, but I got Diluc... I like his character, but he's not what I wanted.
When I ran out of Gems, I did everything to get more except using the credit card, everything I collected from Side Quests and Daily Assignments I used for Mavuika, but in the end she is not in my hands.
But if I can't have Mavuika in real life, I can get Mavuika in the story world. Does that sound like a Yandere word?
Let's end on a positive note.
In exchange for my bad luck with Genshin Impact, I've had some good luck with Honkai: Star Rail; Fate Grand Order; and Arknight.
I got Saber (Artoria Pendragon) in Honkai Star Rail.
While in FGO I got the Summer versions of the Three Fairy Knights.
I admit to being a stingy, rather unlucky man who loves to collect Waifu/Husbands.
But I'm sure I'm not the only one with this hobby.
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Story Title: The Archon House - Adventures in Natlan
Plot: Before leaving for Snezhnaya, the Traveler and Paimon stayed in Natlan for some time, during that time they had many adventures with the inhabitants of Natlan, such as Mavuika, Mualani, Citlali, Varesa, Xilonen. An archive of stories about the secondary missions of the Natlan characters.
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Story Arc: Mavuika - Sol Invictus
Episode 1: After the Peace
Chapter 1: Shuja - The One True Hero
Plot: Paimon and the Traveler spent the entire day in the People of the Springs territory, accompanied by Mualani. As night fell, the three of them went to sleep. As the sun rose, Paimon and the Traveler were awakened by Citlali...
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POV Narrator
Night has fallen in Natlan, most of the inhabitants are sleeping or going to sleep.
But some people are enjoying the moonlight and the starlight.
In the territory of the People of the Springs tribe, three important figures for Natlan are walking on a beach.
The first person is Mualani, Ancient Name Umoja, meaning Unity.
Mualani is a young, tanned woman with blue eyes that fade to a red-orange with fish-shaped pupils, white hair that fades to a light blue, with two long, thin braids starting from the bottom of her hair and a ponytail with a blue streak.
Mualani wears a halter wrap top with light blue and white patterns and has a light copper fish emblem placed on the middle of her chest.
She has dark blue shorts which are covered by a short whiteish-light blue skirt, a light blue ribbon on her right side, a large blue ribbon on her back where her Hydro Vision rests, a blue bandana with golden patterns that she wears on her head, and dark blue fingerless gloves with a white accessory over that covers them.
For her footwear, she has calf-high blue stirrups that are patterned with fish and platform sandals that are adorned with what resemble seal flippers.
She also has lighter skin patterns on her right thigh, knees, waist, midriff, and arms, and has blue and yellow nail polish adorning her fingers and toes.
The second person on the beach is Paimon, the Fairy considered by all the inhabitants of Natlan to be an expert in flight and the faithful companion of the Traveler, some consider her to be the Voice of the Traveler.
Paimon, she physically has a small and graceful body, which gives her the appearance of a fairy.
She has thick white hair cut just above her shoulders, dark purple eyes, and pale skin.
He wears a white long-sleeved sweater, a midnight blue cape dotted with stars, white socks and white boots.
Rose gold embroidery and decorative cuffs are attached to the sweater, boots and sleeves. A gold triquetra is embroidered on the front of the sweater.
Paimon's accessories are a dark blue star-shaped hairpin and a rose gold tiara that levitates above her head like a halo.
As it moves, you can see a trail of small floating constellations.
The third person is Bruce Belmont, aka Traveler, who received the Ancient Name Shuja, which means One True Hero.
[Author's Note: The Traveler in this story is not Aether/Lumine, so he receives a different name.]
Finally, there is Paimon, the Traveler's best friend and traveling companion.
The Traveler has the appearance of an effeminate boy in late puberty.
He is 175 centimeters tall and has an androgynous build, which makes it very difficult to determine his gender.
The Traveler's face has soft, delicate features, thin eyelashes, and facial features reminiscent of Artoria Pendragon or Morgan Le Fay, some of her ancestors through her maternal grandmother.
Her skin color is bright, milky white, smooth and free from imperfections.
The Traveler has beautiful, very long, inky black hair, kept in a variation of the Hime cut with the addition of a couple of braids.
The hairstyle consists of a front fringe, straight side locks, long up to the cheeks that hide the ears.
The Traveler's long hair is held in two braids: a front braid that covers the left side of his face and a back braid that falls behind his head, past his shoulders.
The back braid is thick and intricate, as if the Traveler were a relative of Rapunzel; the braid reaches knee height.
This braid is decorated with seven long red threads made of an unknown material.
At the end of the braid is a large, thick, ring-shaped silver accessory, decorated with runes of an alphabet unknown to Teyvat.
The back braid is simple and elegant: it covers the Traveler's left eye, then becomes thinner and continues until it reaches the heart area.
This braid is decorated with a purple ribbon and at the end there are four silver beads.
The right eye is visible and shows a light gray coloration, although it can appear silver in the right light; the pupil is amethyst purple.
He wears a black and purple suit with several silver accessories, such as rings, bracelets, tie clips, and brooches.
Around the Traveler's multifunctional belt is an imitation of a Vision Electro.
The most eye-catching piece of clothing is his leather coat, which looks like it came straight out of a cyberpunk world, colored mostly black with neon purple stripes and topped with a hood trimmed with silver feathers.
On the back of the coat is a False Delusion.
This accessory, along with the False Vision, serves to explain to the masses why the Traveler can use multiple elements.
Mualani, Paimon, and Traveler, the three of them spent the whole day together, something that has happened quite often lately.
Although Paimon and Traveler have a room reserved in their names in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, the two of them end up spending the night in the People of the Springs' tourist cabins.
"It was a beautiful day filled with fun and joy! The only bad thing was that the sun set too early," Mualani said, her voice energetic.
The blue-haired girl is still eager to have fun with her friends.
Unfortunately, not all of Mualani's friends share his seemingly endless supply of energy when it comes to fun.
"Mualani, don't you ever get tired?" Paimon asks, his voice tired.
The Little Fairy ran out of energy shortly after tonight's large dinner.
"The Traveler isn't tired either." Mualani replies, looking towards his black-haired friend.
Natlan's hero, despite spending the whole day with Mualani through numerous activities, remained as fresh as a daisy.
"Unless he faces an Archon, an Evil Deity, a Powerful Abyss Monster, a Dragon, or a Harbinger, he doesn't tire." Paimon said, pointing his finger at the Traveler as if he were a freak show.
A description not far from reality, after all, the Traveler in this story is a Planeswalker from a world much crazier than Teyvat.
"Paimon is right this time. I have monstrous physical resistance, but nothing compares to my mental resistance," the Traveler said in a stoic voice, touching his temple with two fingers.
"Yes, I know, you're the world's greatest brainiac." Paimon replies with a slightly irritable voice, clearly tiredness not helping his mood.
Mualani raises an eyebrow at the White Fairy's words.
"I get that Traveler is intelligent, but aren't you exaggerating when you say he's the smartest man alive?" Mualani asks, having a good opinion of Traveler; after all, he was an essential part of saving Pyro Nation, not to mention his many good deeds.
But the title of the supreme intelligence of the world seems a bit exaggerated, Mualani never saw anything in the Journey that made him deserve such a title.
"A mistake of my own success, many dwell on my warrior side who has saved nation after nation, but few remember that I also have a scholarly side." Said the Traveler accustomed to being known for his strength and not his mind when it comes to Teyvat.
"If you're so smart, can you do something about the darkness? Soon I won't be able to see my nose anymore." Mualani said jokingly, not wanting to argue about the Traveler's level of intelligence.
The Traveler didn't respond, he simply smiled, as his long hair turned to fire, becoming a living hearth.
"Exhibitionist." said the Little Fairy, crossing her arms, confident that the Traveler could create light in a less dramatic way.
"I thought only Mavuika could do something like that." Mualani said, approaching the Traveler, tempted to reach out and touch the flaming mane of hair.
"Mualani, you still haven't realized that I'm full of surprises." replies the Traveler, with a ghost of a smile on his face.
"It will certainly be easier to roast marshmallows, we won't have to gather wood and light a fire like everyone else," said the White Fairy, pondering how to use this new trick of the Traveler to her advantage.
"First of all, don't use me as if I were your personal hearth." The Traveler said, poking the Fairy in the stomach with a finger.
"Second, the two of us have never gathered wood to build a fire; my artifacts did a better job of warming us than the common fire." The Traveler said, poking the White Fairy a second time with his finger, but this time on the forehead.
"I was just saying that." Paimon mutters, covering his forehead with both hands.
Mualani raises a hand and runs it delicately over the Traveler's flaming mane of hair.
"You're as warm as a candle," Mualani exclaims, with a tender smile, feeling a different kind of joy in her actions.
Paimon, despite his tiredness, can't help but blush when he sees what Mualani is doing.
'Is Mualani too affectionate for her own good, or is the Traveler's charm finally working on her?' Paimon thinks, trying not to have any strange thoughts.
Traveling far and wide constantly alongside the Traveler has exposed Paimon to many things, some beautiful, some horrific, some inappropriate.
The White Fairy remains naive, but she is no longer completely innocent.
The Traveler, with a quick and precise movement, grabs the blue-haired girl's wrist.
"You're lucky I like you and have a vague feeling of affection for you, Mualani, otherwise, your hands would be burned," the Traveler said, before releasing his grip on Mualani's wrist.
The blue-haired girl blushes a little when the Traveler said he feels affection towards her.
"I've grown fond of you too, Traveler." Mualani said, taking Traveler's hand with both hands.
'Now I'm sure, another woman is being burned by the Traveler's charm, at least I like Mualani, not like that Off-key Bard.' The White Fairy thinks, having no problem if Mualani tries to become more affectionate than usual with the Traveler.
"BB, could you brighten the light or hold my hand, it's getting really dark in here." Paimon said, using his affectionate nickname for the Traveler.
Whether Paimon's request is due to a fear of the dark or a slight jealousy is something even Paimon herself cannot say.
The Traveler raises his free hand to the sky, in the palm of his hand a crimson flame appears which soon turns into something resembling a small, harmless sun.
The miniature sun rises a couple of meters, then small spheres the size of marbles rain down from it. These tiny star-like constructs scatter around, pleasantly illuminating the beach.
"I almost wish I had Pyro Vision instead of Hydro Vision," Mualani mutters under his breath, his eyes widening at the light show.
"You can be as show-off as you want," Paimon comments, impressed by the spectacle the Traveler put on.
"This is truly a surprise. I wish I had my camera with me, I'd definitely take some beautiful photos." Mualani said, wishing he could immortalize this moment, but for now he's relying on his memory.
"If you want, I can do my magic trick again next night," the Traveler suggests, having no significant commitments in the next few days.
"Thank you so much, Traveler," Mualani exclaims, with a big smile.
"But you'd need a night vision camera if you wanted quality photos." comments the Traveler, knowing that Teyvat's current cameras are primitive.
"You mean like night vision for animals, but for cameras? Is there such a thing?" Mualani asks, having never heard of anything like that.
"Mualani, I could talk all day about the many inventions that exist outside of Natlan. You know what? Give me a few days and I'll make you the best camera in Teyvat from scratch." The Traveler said, feeling generous and in the mood to put his inventor/artisanal side to use.
"I don't need you to give me the best camera in the world," Mualani replies, not wanting to receive an extravagant gift in exchange for his friendship.
"Traveler, Mualani, I don't think I can stay awake much longer, it's getting late." Paimon said, before letting out a huge yawn.
"I think Paimon is right, if we stay out much longer, you two will lose sleep." said the Traveler, convinced that the two girls need their sleep.
Mualani is about to say something like, "Can we stay another five minutes?"
But she started yawning too.
"Sleeptime has come, don't try to deny it." The Traveler said in the voice of someone who is right and knows it.
"Well, friends, the fun's over for today, let's head back," Mualani said in a tired, resigned voice.
The Traveler still holding Mualani's hand, they walk towards the inhabited area of the People of the Springs, Paimon floating behind them.
XXX
The trio is walking towards the cabin where Paimon and the Traveler live/sleep during their stay with the People of the Springs.
The Traveler's flaming hair and created lights illuminate the way, making it easy to walk in the night without fear of tripping or stepping on something.
"You know, Traveler, you're quite talented at using Pyro, I'd say you've been doing it for years, rather than just a few months." Mualani said, starting to lean on Traveler to walk straight or else freeze to death.
After yawning, the blue-haired girl's brain finally received information from her body, mainly that she was tired and walking at night in her dress (a fancy swimsuit) made her feel cold quickly, despite the warm climate in the area.
"Fire is one of the elements I'm most in tune with, the other being water and ice." The Traveler said, creating a globe of water in his free hand.
The globe's surface shows a geographical map of the territories of Teyvat that have been explored so far.
"I believe you, after all, I saw you riding the waves using the Hydro to give you an extra boost. You absolutely have to participate in the next surfing competition," Mualani said, able to think of fun and joy even when her body longs to lie down on a bed.
"If you think my use of Pyro and Hydro is impressive, just wait until you see me use Cryo, then I'll be able to do real wonders." The Traveler said with a small smile, as he made the water globe disappear.
"You know what, Traveler, your smile is so cute, you should smile more," Mualani said without thinking twice.
For a second, the Traveler pauses, his gaze seemingly wandering into the distance, as if something important had come crashing back to life.
"Your smile is beautiful, you need to smile more."
This phrase resonates in the Traveler's head, each time with a different voice, sometimes a woman's, sometimes a man's, but the feeling is more or less the same.
"Is everything okay?" Mualani asks, looking slightly worried.
"Nothing big, just that at home many people close to me have told me to smile more, unfortunately it's not that easy for me." replies the Traveler, returning to his usual self.
"You know, I've always wondered how you manage all the elements, even the Archons can't do it." Mualani asks, expressing a curiosity she's had for a long time.
"Simply put, I'm Shuja, the hero who makes the impossible possible." The Traveler replies with a smug expression, as if he knows a secret that only he knows.
"That's not an answer," Mualani said, with a little pout.
"But if I told you the answer directly, where would the fun be?" replies the Traveler, clearly in good humor if he wants to joke with Mualani.
"True, no one likes spoilers," Mualani comments, wanting to enjoy the entire journey, not just the destination.
"We've arrived at our cabin." Paimon declares, stopping in front of the front door.
The Traveler snapped the fingers of his free hand, his flaming hair extinguished, returning to its normal shape.
The numerous star-like lights and a miniature sun have gone out, leaving no trace of their existence; only a handful of "little stars" remain alight, floating around Mualani.
"And the light show is over too." Mualani mutters under her breath, clearly disappointed at the disappearance of the lights created by the Traveler's magic.
Paimon floats towards the door handle, grabs the handle, but can't open it.
"Traveler!" exclaims the White Fairy, sounding like a younger sister asking for her older brother's help.
The Traveler waves his hand, and in an instant the door lock opens, and the door swings open.
"Paimon loves magic. It makes everything easier." Paimon mutters, appreciating having a magical friend.
"You see how you make locks useless, it makes me wonder if we should invent magic-proof locks and keys," Mualani mutters, as he releases his grip on the Traveler.
"It would be a waste of time and resources, only a wizard can defeat another wizard." The Traveler said, confident in his words.
"I'm going to lie down." said the White Fairy before flying into the house, towards the bed.
"There's only the two of us left," the Traveler declares, remaining alone with Mualani in front of the door.
"That means I'll have to walk home alone," Mualani said, wishing to stay with Traveler and Paimon, but knowing her free and fun-filled day is over.
"Reason tells me I should accompany a woman who has to return home at night, especially when that woman is beautiful and tired," said the Traveler, having been more or less well raised by his human mother, though his witch mother gave him a street education.
'Does the Traveler think I'm beautiful?' thinks the blue-haired girl, feeling her heart start to pound, as if she were on the dance floor or surfing a nice wave.
"But we are in the People of the Springs tribe, the friendliest tribe in Natlan; there are almost no bad people here. And you are Mualani, the strongest woman in her tribe and one of the Six Heroes of Natlan. You can walk home alone at night," said the Traveler, seeing no reason to accompany Mualani; she is not a helpless princess.
"Yes, I'm a grown girl who can take care of herself," Mualani says, but with little enthusiasm. Clearly, she'd rather not be one of the Six Heroes of Natlan right now and be accompanied by the Traveler to her home.
The Traveler easily senses that Mualani doesn't want to leave; after all, he's a genius at dedication, even if certain human things still confuse him.
"If you want, you can stay with me for the night. We can share a bed. I'll take you home tomorrow." The Traveler declares, offering an option more in tune with Mualani's wishes.
The tiredness disappears from Mualani's body, being replaced by something else, his face turning as red as a Qucusaurus' feathers.
"Traveler, I don't know what to say. I like you, but it's not too sudden, we didn't even go somewhere alone without Paimon." Mualani replies, nervous as ever, not mentally or emotionally ready for what she's imagining.
The Traveler looks strangely at her for a moment, as if he doesn't understand Mualani's actions. But this only lasts a few seconds, before his mind flashes back to his previous experiences with women and their reactions to his words.
"It's not an invitation for a sexual encounter, just sleeping in the same bed. If that doesn't reassure you, Paimon will also be among us and we are in a hotel-like building," explains the Traveler, not wanting to do anything intimate with Mualani.
Mualani takes on the expression of a woman who has been suddenly hit with cold water.
"I understand how Paimon is a reassuring presence, but what does the rental cabin have to do with it?" Mualani mutters, looking down at the floor, feeling a little stupid or ashamed.
"I've never had sex in hotel rooms or rented spaces. It makes me feel dirty, and I think a woman deserves better conditions if she wants to physically connect with me." The Traveler explains, revealing his shameless side and his own ethics when it comes to intimate encounters.
Mualani remains silent for a moment, pondering whether to accept or refuse, to go home or to dig a hole and throw himself in.
"If it's just about sleeping, then I'll accept," Mualani said, her voice shy and slightly agitated.
"You know, this shy side of you that I've never seen before is really cute," said the Traveler, smiling faintly, having a weakness for teasing shy girls.
"Let's go to sleep." Mualani said, taking the Traveler's hand and entering the cabin.
The "stars" remained outside the cabin and slowly faded away.
XXX
Inside the cabin, the Little Fairy is lying on the large double bed.
"We've been sleeping well and eating even better lately... now that's the life!" Paimon exclaims, looking at the ceiling, waiting for the Traveler to arrive so he can sleep in peace.
"The People of the Springs know how to make your stay with them pleasant," comments the Traveler, entering the room flanked by the blue-haired girl.
"Exactly! Heheheh, look, Paimon's belly is so full, it's all round and plump now." said the White Fairy, stroking her stomach, as she lay on the bed, not seeing the Traveler and Mualani.
"Paimon, your belly is still round and plump. Even though you've gained more body mass lately," said the Traveler, using complex words to describe how the White Fairy is gaining weight.
For a moment, Paimon remains silent, reflecting on the Traveler's words, recalling snippets of the Traveler's scientific lessons during their long walks.
"BB, you're saying that Paimon has gotten fat!" exclaims the White Fairy, taking flight, looking towards the Traveler and... Mualani.
"I think a chubby friend is adorable and softer to hug," Mualani said, expressing her opinion.
"Mualani, what are you doing here?" Paimon asks aloud, forgetting the topic of his weight.
"He will sleep with us." The Traveler replies in a frank and direct tone.
The White Fairy remains silent for a few seconds to process the Traveler's statement.
"Sleep like a pajama party or sleep like two lovers?" Paimon asks, wanting to know if he should leave or stay with the two of them.
"Like a slumber party!" Mualani exclaims hastily, not wanting Paimon to get any weird ideas about her.
Paimon assumes an expression of tiredness and distrust, looking first at Mualani, then at the Traveler as if he were a dog that cannot give up his bad habit.
White Flour yawns loudly as she stops floating and sits on the bed.
"Mualani, be careful not to do anything strange or get any impossible expectations. Traveler is a harmless man." Paimon said, knowing Traveler and how he treats women.
To put it simply, the Planeswalker outside the home is a ferocious lion or a relentless hound, but inside the home he is a kitten who just wants to be in his bed or a puppy who wants to be cuddled.
"Most people would disagree with your words, Paimon." The Traveler said, crossing his arms, not liking being called harmless, which in his mind, is too close to the word weak.
"The worst thing you'd do to a sleeping woman would be to put a blanket over her, or watch her sleep, or draw a sketch of her sleeping, or hold her close to you if there's an 'emotional connection' you speak of." Paimon said, knowing that the Traveler, despite his many flaws and inclinations toward violence, is a good guy.
"I'm not harmless or a good person, I just don't share the common people's impulses and desires." Said the Traveler, aware that he was deeply distorted and did not share humanity's vision of reality.
Something that caused him several difficulties in understanding people, even though his own distortion made him compatible with the Fairy, Gods and Aliens
"Tsundere." Paimon declares, before placing his head on the pillow.
The Traveler remains silent, but his gaze becomes harder.
'Paimon and the Traveler are arguing like brother and sister,' Mualani thinks, smiling at the scene before her.
'I'll put her on a strict diet.' The Traveler thinks, making a mental note to significantly reduce Paimon's snacks.
"And now it's time for a little rest. Traveler, pajamas!" Paimon said, raising his little hand and pointing to his dress.
The Traveler waves his hand in Paimon's direction, and in an instant Paimon's usual outfit has been replaced by a cute, pastel yellow pair of pajamas.
"Magic can do anything," Mualani mutters, surprised to see this new trick of the Traveler.
"Goodnight, Mualani and BB." Paimon declares, closing his eyes and immediately falling asleep.
White Flour has certainly perfected the art of sleeping on command during his "walk" across the world with the Traveler.
"Do you think it would be possible for me to learn this spell? It would be extremely useful and a lot of fun to change clothes in an instant." Mualani asks, turning to the Traveler, hoping to learn a single spell.
"It's more complicated than I make it sound," said the Traveler, ceasing to fold his arms.
Without saying or doing anything, most of his accessories, including his cyberpunk coat, promptly moved on their own, flying off the Planeswalker's body and into the room's locker.
The Traveler's remaining clothing has transformed into a sort of black jumpsuit made from a living slime, but only for a second, as it has become a rather tight-fitting pair of black pajamas.
"This is beautiful magic." Mualani said, tempted to get her hands on the Traveler's "pajamas" and see what they were made of.
"What I made for Paimon is called, Requip, it's an enchantment spell and a type of spatial magic related to the summoning of various types of equipment." The Traveler said, giving a brief explanation of the first spell.
Mualani nods, understanding the Traveler's words, though she wants to ask where he learned this specific spell.
"In my case, my dress is something special, a Klyntar," the Traveler said, with a small, mischievous smile, as if he were saying something only he could understand.
"You can think of it as an artifact in itself capable of changing shape according to the user's mental commands." said the Traveler, beginning to give a demonstration.
For a moment, the Traveler dons Venti's green bard attire; then Zhongli's elegant brown and gold dress; then Raiden Shogun's purple kimono; then Nahida's simple and pretty light green dress; then Furina's dramatic blue dress; and finally, a modified version of Mavuika's biker suit.
"Paimon wasn't kidding. You're a bit of an exhibitionist, Traveler." Mualani said, with an amused expression, trying not to think that the Traveler's androgynous beauty makes him cute in masculine, feminine, and neutral clothing.
The Traveler's "magical" outfit has returned to being cute black pajamas.
"I was just demonstrating my Klyntar's abilities." The Traveler said, as he lay down on the bed, next to Paimon, putting a hand around the Fairy and pulling her close to him.
"I hope I don't dirty the bed with my dress," Mualani said, not having a dress to sleep in.
The Traveler gestures with his hand in Mualani's direction, and in an instant Mualani's dress (swimsuit) has been replaced by blue pajamas, decorated with drawings of little fish.
"Thank you, Traveler, I like it." Mualani said, blushing at the gesture, or the fact that she was about to lie down on a bed with the Great Hero of Natlan.
"Goodnight, Mualani." said the Traveler, turning off the room lights with yet another magic trick.
"Goodnight, Traveler," Mualani said, making herself comfortable on the bed.
XXX
As the sun rose, a pink-haired woman began banging on the cabin door and yelling, "Traveler, wake up, we have problems!
Continues ...
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