Chapter Text
The grass was green. Yellow butterflies fluttered delicately around sweet flowers, the scene but a blur of gold to non-observant eyes. That was much more than what she was used to; after all, the last time she had seen such vibrant colors was before. Before she woke up, before she was violently torn from her other half, before she made the choice that was the root of every one of her current problems.
Lumine strolled across the field at a leisurely pace, quietly humming a tune to herself. It was these times that she missed her brother and their home, although she couldn't quite remember either. It had been quite some time since the two of them had bothered to visit the place that stained their childhood.
"Stop humming! You're so bad at singing," Paimon whined by her side for the thirteenth time that day (it was noon). "And walk faster! Childe is probably plotting something. Childe was probably plotting something all along! That nasty jerkface. Paimon still can't believe he tricked us! We'll get him good..."
Paimon never shut up. Still, Lumine was more-or-less grateful to the elfish creature, who had been here in place of her heartbreakingly absent brother. It was only with her that Lumine, who rarely spoke, felt comfortable enough to converse. Now, she said, "I can't walk faster, Paimon. I have to save my stamina for whatever monster might pop up any minute. And even though you're the one who can fly, or float, or whatever, you are simply a burden when it comes to fighting. I only keep you around in case I run out of food."
"Paimon is not emergency food!" Paimon screeched, trying to be intimidating in her cute, tiny way.
"Sure, of course not," Lumine dismissed, chuckling to herself. Paimon huffed and went back to exclaiming enthusiastically about the preservation period of Sticky Honey Roast. Lumine stifled a sigh; even if Paimon was an acceptably decent companion, it was always food with her. Perhaps there was a different side of Paimon that Lumine had yet to understand. Surely, gluttony can't be her sole personality trait. For a second, she thought what it would be like to have someone else as her guide through the marvelous lands of Teyvat.
Paimon went on, and Lumine let her own mind wander.
"Hey, Lumi, what have you been up to lately?"
Lumine couldn't help but startle at the unexpected voice, and Paimon voiced Lumine's thoughts for her. "Hey, where did you come from?"
Childe pointedly dodged the question and fell into step with Lumine. "Either way, I hope you're not keeping so busy that you don't have time to chat with me along the way. I'd like you get to know you, The Mysterious Traveler, also known as Ojou-chan."
Lumine almost laughed in surprise at Childe's horrid attempt at Japanese in his stupid Russian accent. Even Paimon could've done better, and Paimon was...well, Paimon. Instead, Lumine said, "Please don't call me that."
"Why not?" Childe asked, seemingly unfazed by Lumine's cold demeanor. "I think it's a cute nickname. Almost as cute as you~"
"Ew, Childe! Stop hitting on Lumine!" Paimon answered for her, trying to push him away, to no avail. Much to Paimon's chagrin, it only earned a laugh from Childe.
Lumine, on the other hand, didn't mind quite as much. She thought it was amusing, at worst. Aside from her brother, she had never experienced feelings of genuine companionship, platonic or romantic. Maybe that was why she was growing so attached to Teyvat: people seemed to want to know her and care for her, and that was much more than she could say for any other strangers she'd met.
"Anyway, I thought I would accompany you on your journey, at least for a little bit. We Fatui Harbingers are busy, you know, but I'll always make time for you," Childe continued amid Paimon's futile attempts at kicking him away.
Despite how entertaining the conversation should prove to be, Lumine ignored him.
Lumine was interrupted from her thoughts by an unnecessarily loud shriek from Paimon. Materializing her sword, Lumine swirled around, the leaves dancing around her as she felt the unfamiliar feelings of Anemo and Geo flow through her blood and nerves, settling behind her eyes and at her fingertips, only to find that it was just a boar that had mistaken Lumine for a hunter. Still, to protect herself (and Paimon, although less so), she slashed her sword a little more carelessly than intended. Yet, if only as proof of what a talented swordsman she was, the boar was neatly decapitated, and it fell into a heap of raw meat.
"Oh. The monster just turned...into...dinner..." Paimon said, already drooling. "Can you make some Sticky Honey Roast for Paimon? Please? Please?"
Lumine sighed. The sun was setting, and it was time for dinner, and she just recently processed two jars of sugar from sweet flowers. And she was in a good mood, although from what, she couldn't admit. "Okay, but we'll have to go find some carrots. I'm one short." Paimon nodded vigorously, as if Lumine could only conjure the best ideas.
And so, Lumine walked on.