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Ajax strode slowly to the rhythm of the waves. In front of him was a picture of the blue sky, with clouds lazily floating on the horizon. At the heart of the picture was the girl with blonde hair blowing in the breeze.
Lumine bent down to pick up something in the sand. A lost starconch. Lumine gazed at it for a long while, and Ajax watched her from afar. Lumine remained the same, still the Traveler he had met in Liyue; the difference was that her hair was longer than before, she was more mature than before, and carrying a new life inside her.
Lumine cherished the starconch in her hands. She did not know where this strange feeling came from. It was like she had forgotten something precious.
“Ajax. What was the color of the first starconch I found?”
Ajax hesitated, then stepped forward to Lumine. He was afraid to say it, afraid to admit that there was one more thing Lumine had forgotten.
“Blue, my ojou-chan. The color of the ocean, and the starconch you’re holding in your hands.”
Lumine gazed down at the object in her hands, then gazed up again.
“Blue. Just like the color of your eyes.”
“Yes. You have told me that before too.” Ajax smiled.
“What if I… if I forget the color…”
“You won’t.” Ajax interrupted her words. “We will bring it home and place it on the night stand. Every morning when you wake up, you will remember its color; my blue. Is that alright?”
Lumine nodded softly. Her heart was full of insecurity like waves in stormy winds at sea far away, far from this place. She was afraid of something she could not even remember. Too many memories had been swept away. What she remembered was this coastline, home to her cottage and Ajax. And what she’d forgotten was like the ocean of immensity, darkness and fear.
In the middle of that ocean, Ajax's hand gently held hers, and Lumine no longer felt fear.
They returned to their little house by the sea. In front of the porch hung a lot of colorful seashells. As Lumine steps up to the three step staircase decorated with starconch on both sides, she remembered their wedding day. On both sides of the ceremony, there were so many glittering starconch like that.
Their house was airy and filled with sea scent. From the living room to the kitchen, to their bedroom there were keepsakes that both of them had collected from their travels. Ajax's mask when he was still known as one of the Fatui Harbingers; the never-so-devastating flower Lumine used to put on her hair; the dusty and broken kamera from Fontaine capturing memorable moments; gifts from friends across the kingdoms... Or the old vision and delusion no longer lit up in a corner... They all carried a great value from the past.
Since their marriage, Lumine had not often traveled far and Ajax had received fewer commissions. They lived together peacefully in a small coastal house. Though having passed through many lands, Liyue is still the most special, for it was where Ajax and Lumine first met. So they decided to build a home there. Occasionally, they would enter the Liyue Harbor to exchange goods, or shopping for essentials.
Once in a while, they came to the port on the occasion of the bustling Lantern Rite. Looking at the xiao lanterns floating in the sky, Lumine felt her heart throbbing. She had released one like that a long time ago.
“What was my wish back then, Ajax?”
She asked when Ajax brought a xiao lantern to her.
“You wished to see your family again. Your twin brother.”
“Ah… That’s right…” Lumine spoke, more to the lantern than to him. “How could I forget that? I don’t even remember his face anymore…”
As Ajax looked into Lumine’s eyes, he saw part of her light was gone.
“That’s not a problem.” He responded. “I’m sure if we fix the old kamera, we will be able to find pictures of Aether… and everyone…”
“There are things that can never be fixed.” Lumine looked like she was about to burst into tears, gripping on the lantern in regret. “Just like… Just like my memories…”
Ajax did not know what to say. He always smiled at every ironic situation of life, because he had a solution for everything. But now, as Lumine was slowly forgetting the things that had happened, he could not deny the truth anymore.
Every day, something slipped Lumine’s mind. It could be the scent of sweet flowers, or the adventures they had been on together... Perhaps Lumine could not recognize a friend she once knew... But Ajax lied to himself and Lumine that she would not forget, as long as he was here. He helped her document everything they had done, where they had been to and whom they had met in the diaries. He keeps special items from all over the world in their homes. And day by day, he reminded Lumine how much he loved her, since the day he helped her escape the Millelith so, so long ago.
How painful it is to wake up every early morning and realize the person you love more than anything may already forget you. He often heard Lumine crying next to him, struggling in the nightmare with an island in the clouds which had disappeared many moons ago. Somewhere deep inside Ajax was a voice; Let Lumine go. But he could not live without her. Therefore, no matter how miserable he might be, he would hold on to Lumine. He would remind her of her own beautiful memories on this continent.
As long as she remembers, Lumine will not disappear. Someone once said that the world was a lie. So what? As long as Lumine is still here, their small family is the only “real” thing Ajax has ever known.
“You will be fine, ojou-chan,” said Ajax. His hands cupped her face and made her look into his eyes. “When the old memories are gone, we shall create new ones.”
Lumine's smile was as faint as her own existence in this world. There were countless things Lumine had forgotten, but she never forgot her red-haired man, and eyes ever blue like the sea; the man she loved.
That year, it was Lumine’s wish that she could make many more memories with Ajax.
Occasionally, Ajax would take Lumine away. Returning to his hometown in Snezhnaya to visit his family, or to Fontaine on their wedding anniversary... Lumine particularly enjoyed festivals in Mondtstadt, so they often stayed there a little longer. They only postponed their travels when Lumine entered the last months of pregnancy and moving became more difficult.
There was indeed a lot to prepare for the baby that's about to be born. Ajax embarked on making a baby cot, along with many toys Lumine said the baby could not play yet in a few more years. But Ajax could not stop. Smiles were always present on his lips when he thought of the new little member of their family.
As Ajax sat on the floor finishing the toys, Lumine sat on the porch, sewing. She had sewn some clothes for their baby, and a lovely stuffed doll. Lumine fingers traced each line; this was the doll’s white hair, these were her mischievous dark purple eyes... There was a pain in her heart; it hurt more than ever.
“I can’t recall what her name was…”
Ajax stopped what he was doing, putting Mr. Cyclops model on the floor. He went to Lumine’s side and knelt down one knee next to her chair. His hands were full of scratches. But they always reassured her whenever he took her hand.
“Her name was Paimon, oujo-chan.”
“Paimon… She was my companion, wasn’t she?”
Ajax nodded.
“Then… where is she? Why isn’t she here by my side?”
Ajax caressed Lumine’s cheek.
“Paimon is still here, in your heart.”
A burning tear rolled down Lumine’s face. She was choked with emotions.
“I can’t remember anything. I can’t remember why I am here… why Paimon disappeared… And… I can’t find my brother… though I barely remember who he was…”
Ajax leaned forward to hold Lumine’s teary face in his hands. He said:
“It’s a nightmare of which I never want to remind you, ojou-chan. But I know that if you forget it, you will soon leave this world as well.”
“What are you talking about, Ajax? Why would I leave this world?”
Ajax gazed at Lumine. In his blue eyes were waves like the ones crashing outside their home. His fingers cherished her face like she was the thing he needed most in this life.
And Ajax started to tell Lumine a story.
In the old days, there was a mysterious island where gods lived floating in the sky. Only those who were chosen could go up there. There was a Traveler who had come here from another world. She met a flying companion and they traveled the lands together to find her lost twin brother. Many years had passed, she found her brother and the two opened the gate up to the island in the air. It was then that they realized it was all an illusion. The gods wanted to destroy this world again. But the Traveler had loved everything here. She wanted to save this world. With the aid of their friends, the twin Travelers fought against the supreme gods. Fierce battles had been fought throughout the day and night, in the clouds and on the ground, even at sea,...
Eventually, the floating island was destroyed. Its debris fell all over the continent. The gods gradually disappeared. The Traveler and her brother must also go because they did not belong in this world. However, because of her brother's final wish and the magic of her little companion, the Traveler was given another chance. As long as she did not forget this world, her existence here would not be erased...
***
Lumine sat alone on the porch. She smiled contentedly at the tiny blue unicorn embroidered shirt she had just completed. Ajax had returned from a visit to Liyue Harbor as well. There was quite a lot to prepare for the baby that's about to be born. This time, the two hoped it would be a boy.
Ajax placed a sweet kiss on Lumine’s lips. “It’s dinner time. I should go and call her back.”
Lumine held onto his hand and said: “Let me.”
She kissed him again before walking to the ocean. The sunset covered the sky with sweet pink clouds like candy and the sun was a big cake slowly falling into the mouth of the sea. Lumine squinted her eyes, to where there was a tiny figure struggling with a pile of starconch.
“Alina!”
She called. Immediately the child looked up, waving her chubby hand towards her. The girl quickly gathered all the starconch in the basket with a canvas doll named Little Paimon, and ran towards Lumine.
“Mom! Look! Starconch! So many of them!”
The child beamed. Sand and mud filled her limbs, covering the red hair inherited from her father. But her eyes were golden and sparkling, just like her mother’s. Lumine rubbed her head, smiled tenderly.
“My Alina is very good at catching starconch. Let’s go inside and tell papa.”
The small girl nodded and held her mother’s hand. Then, she suddenly gazed up at the sky and said:
“Mom? Today, the children from the village told me something…”
“What is it?”
“Well… They said that many years ago, there was an island, floating in the sky… Only the chosen ones could go there…”
Lumine slowed her steps. Both of them looked up at the same time.
“Is it true, mommy?”
“I can’t recall…” replied Lumine. “But that’s okay. This world is enormous and it has so many things for you to discover, still.”
“Can I just discover them later? I’m very hungry!”
Alina showed her pouty face. Lumine pinched her cheeks gently and smiled. “We must tell papa to cook faster then.”
“I’ll go right now!” Alina ran up, yet she still kept the pace slow enough so that she did not leave her mother behind.
Lumine turned to the sky again. What she had forgotten, perhaps the ocean could not compare. She was once terrified that she would forget everything, forget about her old journeys, or the people she held dear. But now she had come to realize one thing. Even if she forgets, those memories will not go away. They would still be there, somewhere in their cottage by the sea, waiting to be found again. With every day that passed, she shared new memories with her family. Ajax, Alina and their soon-to-be-born child. They were all living "mementos", reminding her of how memorable this life was.
-The End-