Chapter Text
AETHER~☆
♪Sneakers by ITZY
Let me start by explaining how I got here.
My sister Lumine is pretty much the next big upcoming actress and the muse of the top movie producer Xavier. She stars in every one of his films, and that landed us in the heart of the movie capital of Teyvat known as The Chasm.
The Chasm was an Indie film that beat out everything in the box office and remade what the ideal was for live action films. It held on to that top spot for nearly a decade and the man behind it all rose to the top.
Xavier was a cunning producer and had a pulse on what the audience would want to see over all else. Because of this the area where that movie had been shot was reconstructed into the glossy star filled metropolis that stood today.
Lumine and I had decided to attend one of the local high schools and Xavier's people had found us the best. The school itself was conveniently located relatively close to The Chasm and from what we learned was a prestigious school that only accepted the elite.
That information sat fine with Lumine. She had problems in the past trying to attend any of the regular schools we've enlisted in along her movie career. Issues with boys, bullies, jealousy and the like.
I on the other hand was nervous. I only got bit roles in the films and depending on Lumine's parts would stand in for her during stunts. Yes, I know, I wore that long purple dress and jumped through fire. I also was the one scaling that building after getting pushed off.
In case you were wondering I also played her sister who died of an unknown illness in the film with the legendary Xinyan. And that wasn't a wig in case you were wondering. That's my hair.
Cinnabar Peak's School for the Gifted honestly didn't sound too bad on paper. They matched the curriculum Lumine and I were used to.
The only thing that worried me were the electives. They didn't have a swim team. I left my team in Mondstadt and my cocaptain Mona hoping I'd be able to join one in Liyue, but none of them on that side of The Chasm offered it and it wasn't a big enough concern for us to seek out a different school.
By the end of our enlisting Lumine had talked me into joining the track team and I often times wonder if I should have said no.
It's not that I can't run or that I lack stamina. Its just...well, I didn't fit in is all. I'll get to that later though. I don't even want to get into it right now.
Everything went according to plan. Our luggage was picked up, our flight and the lift to the school went just as expected and our hopes for an easy transition were at the forethought as we walked onto the campus.
Lumine, of course got loads of attention. I mean, how can you not notice a cute beaming blond that's been in multiple movies, on billboards and trailers that I know have aired on any screen available.
As I look over to my sister who's thanking the crowd that had gathered she had started move away. Turning to match her trajectory towards the main entrance I see what I should have expected.
Don't worry, I'll most likely ramble on about this later...so hang tight.
The sea of students on the front walk and lawn of the academy seemed to part before us. Barreling on us was an attractive girl with her purple hair half down and half up in space buns. Following her in hot pursuit was another really cute girl with her pale pink hair perfectly fringe cut to frame her smiling face.
"Wait. You are aren't you?" The lavender haired girl spoke up with a hand moving to rest over her heart and her perfectly knotted uniform tie,"The names Keqing. I'm the Student Body President and this is Yanfei, the Vice President and the Debate Club Captain."
Watching the two of them whisk off with my sister I wished her the best. I honestly didn't want anything to do with being stuck in the middle of their conversation feeling completely out of place.
I took my time with following them into the school. Close enough to keep my eye on my sister, but far enough away so that I could scope out the rest of the kids that moved to pay attention.
This was definitely a school of the populations elite. Even in their matching pristine uniforms you could see how well tailored each of them were.
Yet another reason I feared I wasn't going to fit in even if I tried...
LUMINE~♡
♪Super Board by Stray Kids
Home is where my brother is.
That's the motto I live by.
We've been together since birth quite literally and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Our fate planted us in The Chasm and just like the movie it was up to us to either stand up and fight or lose that piece of us that makes us human.
I wasn't about to wait for eternity to begin to unravel the inner workings of who I am until I was nothing. And neither was Aether. And it wasn't happening without him by my side.
Everything happened like a dream. We were flown out to close to where we'd attend school with an amazing breakfast. We had incredible company while we rode to the school and once there were welcomed with open arms.
It was so amazing to be escorted by the President and Vice President of the student body itself! Keqing and Yanfei were some of the nicest individuals I had met and we hit it off in no time.
Aether was playing shadow, and I know what his issue was now, but then I just kept it in the back of my mind because I wanted to make sure to accept their welcoming. I wanted to make sure they understood how greatful I was, not to mention it was the highlight of our arrival.
I learned so much about my fellow classmates and some of the teachers I encountered and about the community I was going to have to survive in.
Keqing introduced me to the need to know individuals and informed me on the rest. Yanfei passed witty judgment on them all and weighed in with her opinion as often as she could just to give found reasoning so that I could form my own.
Thankfully both of them were in most of my classes. Including the required course Visions that focused on elemental studies. The rest of the school that could not control them as we could took a course called Ubderstanding the Elements.
Of course using said elements outside of when directed could land you in a host of trouble, the worst of which would be expulsion. The physical visions themselves were also forbidden to be visible until the teacher directed you to pull them out at the start of class and from what Yanfei had said they were more strict with that than the cell phone policy.
In Mondstadt they were a little more lenient on a case to case basis. Fischl was permitted to keep Oz at her side, for instance, as a means to translate. There are others, but that's the best example that I have.
I was really worried about not actually having a vision. Just as I am every time we enroll into a new school.
Our time in Inazuma was littered with being detained until the Tenryou Commission deemed us worthy of returning to class and our unique form of containing an element is still under scrutiny to this very day.
When I decided to explain that in the hallway Keqing cut me off and moved us into the girls washroom.
In the largest stall the three of us stood there in hushed tones talking, mainly it was the two of them trying to understand. To speed up the process I decided to bring up my wrist and focus, allowing the element I had mastered abd chose to carry to shine from the stone bracelet I wore.
"That's....that's not possible." Keqing uttered staring at it.
"But it is," Yanfei counted with her brow raised."I've seen stuff kinda like this before. You know about my family. "
"Oh yeah...."Keqing released leaving me in the dark then,"Okay, put that away and let's get back."
I returned to find Aether looking utterly out of place with his arms crossed awkwardly leaning against the wall.
Moving to walk with him I was greatful for a chance to talk.
"You holding up okay?" I asked meeting his amber eyes that reflect the same warmth as mine.
"Yeah," my twin nearly spat in a tone telling me he was holding back,"I'm fine."
"Nervous about Visions?" I offered and got a quick nod in response. "Yeah. I am too..."