Chapter Text
Guiding Light
The cool wind blows in his ears as he watches a flock of birds soar overhead. His leg dangles in the air as his gaze sweeps across the crystal clear waters and the fluffy wisps of clouds above from where he is perched at the top of the mast. He follows the flock of birds as they fly towards the rising sun, subconsciously lowering his hands, the leaf he’d been blowing on forgotten, being held down to his lap with his bandaged hand.
A chuckle floats up to his ears from the deck below. The voice belonging to that of a tall young woman, dressed in red and black. Her back is turned to him as she waves away one of the crew before turning to face him. She tilts her head up, using her hand to shield her eye from the glare of the afternoon sun. Kazuha catches her eye, and noticing this, the woman shakes her head, a fond smile surely on her face.
“Of course you’re all the way up there,” she calls out.
“Get down here! We’ll be docking at Ritou pretty soon.”
The young man perks up at the news. In less than a second he leaps off his perch to the deck below. One would expect him to injure himself, jumping off from such a great height. The Crux crew however, had gotten used to his bizarre habit as the young samurai can control the winds, able to jump to and from great heights with ease.
“Of course, Captain Beidou,” he replies, his voice as soft and gentle as the wind’s caress.
There’s no mistaking the sparkle in his eye upon hearing this piece of news. Beidou takes notice of this, her lips morphing to that of a mischievous smirk.
“I wonder what has you so excited to return to the very place you once ran away from, hmm Kazuha?”
“Just anticipating seeing the familiar sights of home, captain,” he replies cooly, an expression of calm now on his face.
“Oh, is that so?” Beidou places a finger on her chin, her smile growing wider.
“Am I wrong in assuming it has nothing to do with a certain blonde, short haired traveler and her… floating pixie… child… thing that follows her everywhere waiting for us at the docks?”
“I doubt Paimon would appreciate you calling her that,” he replies, with a shake of his head, and his arms crossed over his chest. His disapproving stance is betrayed by an amused smirk.
“Changing the subject, I see. No matter. Enjoy your time with Lumine.” she laughs as she goes to the front of the ship, the wind whipping her hair behind her.
Kazuha looks to the horizon and he can just make out the tall mountains of Inazuma and the eerie and mystifying glow coming from the Grand Narukami Shrine. He finds himself smiling, looking forward to seeing the blond haired outlander with the scent of the stars once more.
The air tastes of salt and the hustle and bustle of the Ritou docks greets the Alcor as they lower the anchor and step foot into Ritou. The sun has just dipped into the ocean, painting the water with hues of orange and red. Fallen leaves flutter in the wind as Kazuha takes in this sight. He hadn’t been here since the Iridori Festival a few months back. Being able to go back to his home without the threat of arrest has him in good spirits.
The flurry of activity of the crowd slowly dwindles, as shop owners begin closing down for the day. Only the guards on patrol walk through the streets.
“Kazuha!”
A most familiar voice calls out his name, her footsteps pounding on the wooden floors that make up the docks as she runs to him, arms outstretched. Her companion not far behind her, a frown on her face as she floats in the air trying to catch up to her. The blonde girl launches herself at Kazuha and wraps him in a hug which he returns after a moment’s surprise.
The floating pixie that follows her everywhere finally catches up to them, hyperventilating.
“Slow down, will you Lumine? Paimon’s tired from catching up to you!” she exclaims, arms crossed over her chest, chin raised, pouting.
Lumine giggles as she shakes her head fondly at her companion.
“You literally float, Paimon..”
“W-well, it takes a lot of energy okay! Hmph! You’ve never ditched Paimon for our other friends before. Paimon’s… peeved. What’s so special about Kazuha anyway?” she exclaims as she looks at the white haired wanderer.
Lumine takes a step back when she sees Paimon stare at her inquisitively. She frigidly sticks her arms to her sides as she looks at the floor. Her cheeks turn pink as she toes the ground.
Paimon continues to look at her, both suspicion and worry written over her face. Lumine sighs and shakes her head before smiling fondly at her travel partner.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry, Paimon. I’ll treat you to Uyuu Restaurant today. Will that make you feel better?”
Her companion’s frown melts into a smile as she bounces in the air excitedly before settling to sit on her shoulder and looking at her with a big smile.
Kazuha observes this interaction with joy. Their friendship is a heartwarming sight and it brings back memories of the friend he’s lost the year before. If only you could see Inazuma now, old friend. I have no doubt the state of the city has brought you peace. He ought to visit his resting place while he’s here. His internal musings are interrupted by Lumine’s voice.
“So, let’s head to Uyuu Restaurant, shall we?” she asks the group.
Paimon races off without bothering to wait for his response. Lumine sighs as she looks at him. They walk side by side through the streets of Ritou in the direction Paimon took off to.
They walk together in silence, yet he feels unsettled. Usually he welcomes quiet as he listens to the sounds of the world; but this doesn’t seem to be the case right now.
He glances beside him and sees Lumine wringing her hands together. He debates it for a moment before holding out his hand toward her which she hesitantly takes. He gives her a smile and she reciprocates with one of her own.
As they step onto the sand outside of Ritou, the wind blows once more, the rustle of their clothes, the flapping of birds overhead, and their footsteps crunching in the sand are the only things that can be heard. Her split cape flaps in the calm wind, the purple glow of its gems sparkling against the backdrop of the sunset.
“What is it?” he asks.
She jolts in surprise, which worries him. She seems out of it today.
“You’ve been uncharacteristically quiet. Is there something on your mind?”
She puffs up her cheeks in response and her free hand clenches her dress. She lowers her gaze and looks off to the water. It washes over the sand before ebbing. He decides not to pry and looks toward the direction of the path they’re taking. The destination. Tenshukaku seems to get taller the closer they get.
They walk in silence, hands still clasped together, though the returning awkwardness between them starts to make him uncomfortable. He’s not quite sure what to do with himself right now.
After what feels like an eternity, yet at the same time, less than a minute, she lifts her head and turns to him. He meets her gaze, which seems to focus on his eyes for a moment, before her gaze travels higher and rests on the red streak which stands out from the rest of his white hair before her golden eyes look into his own once more.
He raises his brow, asking a silent question to his companion. He has never seen the young outlander like this before. In the short time he’s known her, she’s always been direct, outspoken, and confident. The girl walking right next to him is quiet, shy and unsure and it causes him worry.
“I’m fine, Kazuha,” she declares, surety in her voice, her eyes sparking with the very same drive and conviction he’s so used to seeing in her.
“Your breathing and the steps you take say otherwise. You may hide what you feel from the people, but the forces of nature know all. I am attuned to the world, so you cannot hide from me either.”
He squeezes her hand in what he can only hope is comforting, smiling at her gently.
“Tell me.”
She laughs disbelievingly, shaking her head.
"I promise, nothing’s troubling me at the moment. Just…” she trails off. He keeps his gaze on her, willing her to continue.
“Your eyes are quite lovely.”
She then turns away, gaze glued to a crab digging into the sand as they approach. He turns silent for a moment before bursting out in surprised laughter. He hadn’t expected that comment. It seemed to come out of nowhere for him, yet he finds himself pleased with what he had just heard. Lumine groans beside him, her gaze still glued to the sand.
“Really?” he asks, careful to keep his tone calm, and cool. He notices the tips of her ears turn red before shaking his head fondly.
“I’m not making fun of you, don’t worry. But I am curious. That came out of the blue.”
“They remind me of the sunset sky of my hometown. And the color of the leaves that drift in the cool winds during the autumn,” she looks up at the sky, now being tinted with a light shade of purple as the sun gets closer to disappearing behind the buildings of the city. Her eyes have a twinge of sadness and longing as they fall silent once more.
“We better hurry or else Paimon will surely order the whole menu twice over,” they both laugh at the thought as they quicken their pace, close to the borders of the city.
The door clicks shut behind them as the light of the many lanterns in the building welcome them as warmly as their glow. An old man lifts his head from behind the counter at the sound. He gestures for the pair to come closer and they step up to the counter.
“Ah, hello Lumine! I was wondering when you would show up.”
“Good evening, Mr. Okazaki. Did Paimon come in already?”
“Why yes, she did. On slow days like this, it's always nice to have customers like you to help keep us in business,” he chuckles warmly. Lumine’s expression however darkens at the statement.
“May I know just how much we have on our tab currently, Mr. Okazaki?”
He nods and gives her the bill. Kazuha watches as her eyes go wide. She sighs in exasperation, giving the bill back to the old man.
“Archons have mercy on me…” she mutters under her breath.
“What’s the matter?”
She pinches the bridge of her nose and groans before turning towards him
“I may need to do a bounty right after our meal. I’m about to blow most of the Mora I have tonight…”
He steps closer to her and gives her a pat on the shoulder. She smiles at him before releasing a breath. She had told him she will be treating him tonight but it seems her companion’s expenses put a wrench in their plans.
“It’s alright, I’ll pay for my own food.”
“No, no, no. It’s fine. I don’t intend to go back on my word. Order what you like, and I’ll pay for it. No trouble.
He eyes her hand on top of his, and a feeling of both familiar and unfamiliar warmth surfaces. Now knowing about her financial situation, he doesn’t want to burden her by paying for his food. However, her eyes emanate confidence and he comes to realize there’s no winning in this situation.
“If you wish… but I am coming with you to help complete your bounty.”
She opens her mouth to refuse, but he raises his bandaged hand and puts a finger to her lips.
“Ssh, I’m coming with you whether you like it or not,” he says firmly, bringing their discussion to an end as she nods.
A cough from behind startles them both, and they step away from each other as they realize they had a one man audience watching them with rapt attention, a smirk on his face.
She wrings her hands together once more, a habit he’s quickly noticed she does whenever she starts to feel uncomfortable.
“How about you meet with Paimon upstairs and I’ll order for us?”
Relief washes over her face and she scurries upstairs after giving Mr. Okazaki a nod. Now left alone to face the music, Kazuha turns to the still smirking old man. Ignoring the heat rising to his cheeks.
“I’ll have a serving of Dry-Braised Salted Fish, please. And as for Lumine…” he trails off realizing that in her hurry to escape the situation, he didn’t get to ask her what she wanted. Mr. Okazaki gives him a patient smile as he continues to mull over what to order for his friend.
“... Sakura Tempura.” he finishes. The old man nods with a smile and turns to a woman who had been tending to a stove the whole time before moving to join Lumine and Paimon upstairs.
He’s greeted by 2 large paintings on the wall of familiar seafoods. At the end of the hall is a room lit by a lamp on each side of the doorframe, with 2 purple banners hanging over it.
He steps into the room and finds Paimon devouring a bowl of ramen. On the table, a stack of empty bowls put to the side, all eaten by the tiny white and pink clad figure. Lumine is watching the said figure finish her Tri-Colored Dango before releasing a burp.
He settles down on the floor beside her with a startled chuckle.
“My, I am surprised at just how much you can eat, Paimon. Won’t you be unable to fly if you grow too much?”
She shakes her head vigorously, floating up to the air. She lands on top of Lumine’s golden hair and lets out a long yawn
“Tired already, are you?” she asks to the little figure laying on top of her head.
“Mmhmmmm…”
She turns to face him as Paimon’s soft snores fill the room.
“Seems she’s down for the count,” he chuckles lightly.
She giggles in response.
“You won’t believe just how much I spend on her food expenditures…” she groans. Though her play at frustration is betrayed by a fond smile as her gaze moves to the top of her head. Paimon’s hand is dangling in front of her forehead, unresponsive to the world
“I’m certain I don’t need to, looking at all the empty dishes.”
They both laugh at the comment.
“So, what did you order for us?”
He recalls his order to her and her eyes seem to sparkle at the mention of Sakura Tempura. They remind him of the sun's light reflecting in the water of the sea. He keeps this thought to himself as a young woman in a maroon dress places their respective dishes in front of them with a smile before promptly leaving the room.
“Oooh, these look delicious!” she exclaims with excitement.
She wastes no time biting into the deep fried shrimp, a satisfying crunch filling the room. She happy-dances before taking another bite. The sight brings a smile to his face, glad his choice is well-received. Leaving her to enjoy her food, he turns to his own.
Steam wafts up to his nose, bringing with it the familiar aroma of salty ocean air. He takes the piece of lemon set to the side of the plate along with a small portion of rice, and he squeezes the juice out evenly on the fish. His spoon and fork in hand, he flattens the rice to spread it out, then cuts a small chunk off the fish.
He brings the spoonful of food to his mouth and is greeted with bliss. The familiar taste of ocean wind, along with the slight sourness from the lemon juice, the tender texture of the fish, and the soft rice, he’s simply in culinary heaven. Although he’s had this thousands of times, the added spices and flavor compared to the plain fish they have on the Alcor often make this special to him. He chews slowly, trying to savor it and make it last as long as possible- maybe even an eternity.
As he continues to eat, he starts to feel the unmistakable feeling of being watched. However, it doesn’t fill him with unease. In his peripheral vision, he catches Lumine looking at him. He turns to look at her, about to ask if something was wrong but she hurriedly looks away and resumes eating. They eat in silence until their plates are cleared.
“Paimon…,” Lumine gently nudged the sleeping little figure on her head with her pinky finger.
“Paimon, come on, wake up. Let’s go.”
With a yawn, Paimon rubs her eyes and slowly rises in the air. She stretches her arms out with another yawn as he and Lumine get up.
“You’ve cost me so much Mora tonight, Paimon…”
She just laughs and twirls in the air beside her.
"But the food was soooo good! We should go to Uyuu Restaurant more often!”
She sighs, but smiles fondly at her.
“We’ll have to tighten the purse strings for a bit, I think. This meal will probably cost me most of the Mora I have on hand. I’ll have to complete that bounty as soon as possible.”
He looks out the window, noting the quiet city streets and the street lamps illuminating the darkness.
“I’m afraid it might be too late for that. Why don’t we check the Kamisato Estate’s bulletin board tomorrow while we have daylight on our side?”
“Mhm! It’s much too late and Paimon’s tired!”
The pixie yawns once more. Defeated, Lumine sighs.
“You’re right. Let’s go pay Mr. Okazaki and go back to Ritou.”
hey descend the stairs together, and see the old man rise from the stool he’s been sitting on. He greets them with a warm smile.
“All finished, I see! That will be 23,000 Mora.”
Kazuha’s eyes must have bulged out of his head hearing the figures. Surely it must be some mistake. He gives Lumine a questioning look but she just sighs, reaches into her bag, and places a bag full of Mora on the counter.
“Thank you for your patronage!” he says with a wave as they head to the door.
“Take care, Mr. Okazaki.”
“Bye, Mr. Okazaki! Thanks for the delicious food!” Paimon calls out.
Kazuha holds the door open and gestures for the traveling duo to go first.
“Ladies first,” he says kindly. Lumine laughs lightly at his gesture.
“What a gentleman you are,” she gives an exaggerated curtsy before stepping through the door, Paimon following her. He shakes his head, amused before following after her, closing the door behind him.
The stars have long come out, and the night air is cold and refreshing. Paimon shivers in the cold and sits on Lumine’s shoulder while he takes in the cool night air. Few people are left loitering the streets of the city, closing up their shops or stalls, or going back home.
“We better get back to Ritou.”
He looks at the gold haired outlander, her golden eyes bright as the sun in the sky. He can’t help but be mesmerized with how her eyes seem to glow in the dark of night.
“Kazuha?”
“Oh, yes. Let’s get you back to your place of residence, hmm?”
The two nod, but neither of them set off for the city’s outskirts. He raises a questioning brow at their inaction. He gestures in the direction of the steps that lead to the Yae Publishing House. Beyond the store owned by Guji Yae, is the path that leads back to Ritou.
“Kazuha, where are you staying the night?” Paimon asks.
“Oh, I suppose I’ll have to apply for a residence permit along with you since my own family’s estate and property no longer belong to me.”
The two nod once more, and this time they set off for a night’s rest, chatting amongst themselves. Once they’ve reached the sandy path that leads back to the docks, he holds out his hand towards Lumine once more. She takes it with little hesitation, much to the curiosity and knowing smugness of Paimon.
By the time they’ve arrived at Ritou, the streets have been deserted, save for the guards on patrol. The trio stopped at the Outlander Affairs Agency.
“Good evening, Yurika!” Paimon waves at the inspector.
“Good evening to you both. I see you’ve brought a friend with you. Do you need anything?”
“Yes, I’d like to apply for a residence permit.”
The woman gives a curt nod.
“Do you have the required materials? Identification papers? Oh and of course, the handling fee.
“Wait, do you even have these on you, Kazuha? You’ve never had to apply for a permit before,” Paimon asks.
He gives her a small smile as he digs into a pocket and presents a stack of neatly folded papers to the dark haired woman.
“And how much is the handling fee?”
“Just 500 Mora.”
“500? I had thought it would be more expensive.”
“This is the official fee. If you don’t believe me, please check the latest regulations issued by the Kanjou Commission.”
That won’t be necessary Miss Yurika,” he gives the woman a small pouch that jingles with Mora.
“Please give me a moment to ensure everything is in order.”
As the woman disappears into the building, he shakes his head with bewilderment.
“It is a surreal feeling to be treated like an outlander in my homeland.”
“Paimon didn’t expect you to have documents already on you!”
He shrugs his shoulders casually.
“I thought it would be best if I had them on me just in case I needed to stay here for a while. I never had a need for them until now.”
“Do you regret leaving?” Lumine asks.
“Yeah, you’re from one of the Yashiro clans right? If Paimon were in some noble family, Paimon wouldn’t give it up so easily!”
“No. I much prefer to wander the land and seas than stay in one place for long. And with a blanket of sky and a bed of earth, nature has become my home. I wouldn’t trade the life I now have for anything else.”
“I guess Paimon can understand why! We’ve been to so many cool places and met lots of different and interesting people, haven’t we Lumine?”
She gives her friend a smile as she nods.
“Right. Home is… wherever we are together,” her face darkens as she falls silent.
Paimon takes it upon herself to perch on her shoulder once more and her tiny frame hugs her cheek.
“Don’t worry! You’ll be together again soon! Until then, Paimon will stay with you.”
“Your brother?”
The two nod.
“I am sure fortune will favor you. For the time being, enjoy and take in the world around you.”
Ms. Yurika comes back not long afterwards and hands him a key along with his papers. The key still in his bandaged hand, he neatly folds the papers and pockets them once again.
Your room is on the ground floor at the end of the hall on the left.”
“That’s right next to ours.”
“Then I shall continue to accompany you.”
The two enter the building and walk through the empty halls. Lanterns on the floor illuminate the paintings and works of calligraphy hung on the wall as they traverse the corridor. They stop in front of a door at the end of it.
“This is our room. That must be yours over there,” Lumine points to the door at the end of the hall.
“Then you shall go and rest. I will see you both in the morning. Goodnight, Lumine.” He says as he gives her a bright, gentle smile.
“Hey! What about Paimon?!”
He chuckles apologetically.
“Good night to you as well, Paimon.”
Satisfied, she flips in the air. The girls disappear into their room, the door clicking behind them. He hums a soft tune as he inserts the key to the door and it opens to reveal a bed to the left of a window, and a chair and table with a lamp on top of it.
Still not quite tired, he settles down on the chair. Crickets chirp outside, and the leaves rustle in the calm wind. Accompanied by the sounds of the world, he retrieves a slip of paper from his pockets along with a pen.
He gazes out the window, eyeing the multitude of stars that blanket the night sky. They sparkle like diamonds. Much like how her eyes lit up when he offered her his hand. Without much thought, he scribbles 3 lines on the slip of paper now laying on the table.
Twinkling little lights
Littered across the night sky
Guides the sailor home.
As he stares at what he wrote, he’s taken aback. He’s never written something like this before. Though he isn’t displeased in the slightest. As he reads over the haiku, an idea comes to fruition in his mind. Silently, he unlocks his door and peeks out. He grins at the deserted corridor, and silently approaches the door to Lumine and Paimon’s room.
He looks around once more to check for any tenants who might happen to witness his deed. After determining that there’s nary a soul in sight, he slips the paper under their door, and with a rustling of his clothes, slides through the small crack in his door, leaving no trace of his presence behind.