Work Text:
The trio finally came to Tiameaus, to check on his homework. A hilarious last-minute addition to Venti’s love poetry course, kudos to Kaeya. Venti had gotten there first. How? Lumine really doesn’t know. Maybe something to do with being the Anemo Archon.
Tiameaus was at his store as usual. He was focusing on some notes before whipping his head around at their approach, or at Paimon’s loud voice, “We’re here! Tiameaus’ alchemy store.” Paimon floated around with her usual zeal which made Lumine smile.
“O-Oh, did you say my name?” Tiameaus asked.
Venti grinned, resting a hand on his hip, “Looks like I beat you here.”
Lumine rolled her eyes at the bard before placing both hands on her hip. Venti’s smile only grew wider as he giggled at his little victory. Paimon went straight to the point of their visit, “Soooo, did you do your homework, Tiameaus? Hehehe, Paimon wants to hear it!”
Tiameaus sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, “Uh… So sorry, I haven’t gotten around to it yet…”
Before Lumine could reply a voice soft and lovely as honey approached them, “Tiameaus! Might I ask how you’re progressing?” Lumine was frozen in time as the mint-haired Alchemist walked over. Her radiant amber eyes widened in surprise as she finally noticed their presence, “Huh? Traveler and friends! Oh, nice to see you again!” She waved happily back at Paimon, tugging greatly at Lumine’s poor lovestruck heart.
That smile could kill me, Lumine thought as she was unable to move a single limb. She couldn’t even wave or smile back and regretfully walked closer to everyone with Paimon. “Sucrose has me deciphering an alchemical recipe, but my brain is doing backflips. I-I just don’t understand it!”
Sucrose frowned, her ears flattening against her head, which was like an arrow stabbing Lumine’s heart, “So, in other words… no progress?”
Timaeus sighed, “No.”
Sucrose held her arms behind her, looking despondent, “Ohh… Now that you mention it, I can’t figure it out either.”
Lumine felt that more arrows pierced her heart. All she wanted to do was comfort Sucrose, encourage her. Anything to see that luminous smile of hers again. Before she could do anything Paimon spoke up with a confused look, “Eh? Is alchemy really that mysterious?”
“But of course! Alchemy is an ancient and mystical discipline. Yet with the passage of time, those that can be said to have mastered its secrets grow fewer and further between,” Venti answered with his rare bouts of wisdom.
Lumine finally spoke for the first time since reaching the store, a bit annoyed by the fact she hadn’t had the chance to speak a single word to anyone. She looked straight at Sucrose, her heartbeat racing a little, “Why not just ask the amazing Albedo?”
She was a bit worried that her annoyance had seeped through her words only for the warmth in her chest to grow at the sound of Sucrose’s enthusiastic voice, “Yes! That was my thinking too, but I believe that Mr Albedo is still painting on the mountain, and we’ve got lots of research to do…” Sucrose sighed, “There’s no getting around it.”
Lumine’s eyes twitched at Timaeus butted into their conversation, “If you want my opinion, if Mr Albedo can’t figure out this recipe, nobody in Teyvat can.” He also sighed defeatedly, “Sucrose, what exactly is this recipe, anyway?”
“It’s a Windblume recipe I transcribed from an ancient book.”
“Ooh! What if the Windblume isn’t a naturally occurring plant after all, but an alchemical creation?!” Paimon excitedly hovered around.
“Oh! Now that’s an interesting take on the Windblume conundrum.” Venti smiled knowingly but played it off as simple innocence. Timaeus and Sucrose wouldn't know any better of the bard’s archon status. They probably wouldn’t believe it even if he shouted it at the top of his statue.
Sucrose waved her hands around, “You misunderstand, the book doesn’t say anything about it being a recipe for a Windblume! The book…” She sighed again, “Well, actually… it doesn’t have the appearance of a book anymore. It’s badly damaged and lots of information is missing. Only a few pages of scattered notes from the original volume have survived. That and a recipe written in some unknown language.”
She continued as Lumine listened with avid focus to every word, “The author mentioned in the notes that the recipe was extremely precious. Timaeus and I are completely unable to decipher the content. I know it might seem inconceivable, but… something about it being ‘extremely precious’ made me think of Windblumes.”
“Huh? But…” Timaeus looked utterly at a loss for words as he struggled to form a sentence.
Venti laughed as he crossed his arms, “Haha, that’s an active imagination.”
“Traveler, if I may be so bold…” Sucrose’s sudden address to Lumine made her heart almost burst out of her chest. “Could you take this recipe to Mr Albedo?” Lumine knew she could not say no to that face, to those eyes.
“Mr Albedo should be at the camp at the foot of the mountain,” Timaeus informed her.
Lumine firmly nodded, determination exuding from her as Venti commented with his usual dramatic flair, “Ahh, the mountain. Now there’s a romantic location!”
“Windblume, the flower that alchemy made… Sounds exciting! Paimon needs to know the truth!” Lumine affectionately snorted at her flying companion. Paimon turned to Lumine, bursting with energy, “Let’s get going! Albedo, here we come!”
After the reveal that the ancient alchemical flower was a very large, blue Sweet Flower, all Lumine could think about was how fitting it would be that type of flower. It was a flower that garnered Sucrose’s interest. Even if it wasn’t the legendary Windblume, she felt she would be satisfied with this finding and she couldn’t wait to see the smile that took a hold of her heart.
As Paimon reacted with a childish curiosity at Albedo’s brief history lesson on the long lineage of Sweet Flowers, Lumine muttered under her breath with a soft smile, her eyes solely on the large Sweet Flower, “Definitely something Sucrose would like…”
“Oh, Sucrose! We’ve got something for you,” Venti chirped as they all approached the alchemy store again. Sucrose waved at them with a growing smile, making Lumine’s chest warm again. She could not wait to see her sparkle and shine at the prospect of their new discovery.
“Oh! You’re back!” Timaeus exclaimed.
“Timaeus, How’s that homework coming along?” Venti queried, pretending to be a very serious teacher.
Timaeus nodded in satisfaction with his own work before Sucrose interrupted the conversation in an impatient excitement, “Did you get the Windblume? Let me see, let me see!” She was practically bouncing on the heels of her boots.
“Here’s the flower he created, but Albedo said it’s just—” Paimon started to explain before Sucrose squealed.
“Wah! It’s just like the Windblume in my dreams!”
“It’s just a Sweet Flower!” Paimon stated, albeit with clear annoyance at being interrupted. All Lumine could think was that her expectations were too low, she didn’t think she would be this enveloped by the warm sweetness that Sucrose brought out of her. She couldn’t help but gaze lovingly at the alchemist.
“No, no, hear me out! This is a perfect specimen from an ancient recipe. I saw it in my dreams… The Tetratanic Sweet Flower!”
“Uhhh, th-the what now?”
“The seeds of the Tetratanic Sweet Flower are four times bigger than those of ordinary Sweet Slowers, and the Sweet Flowers that grow from them are, well, Tetratanic Sweet Flowers. Bigger, stronger, sweeter, and more beautiful—a perfect Teyvat species! Oh—and not to mention that the recipe comes from remote antiquity. A perfect, magnificent flower from the far-flung past. Whatever people say, this is my Windblume!” Sucrose spoke with such zeal and love that Lumine didn’t dare tear her eyes away, paying attention to every single word.
“Sucrose is… consistently Sucrose,” Timaeus sighed.
Indeed she is, Lumine internally sighed, heavy in love with the bespeckled woman in front of her.
“I must go and source some nutrients for my Windblume. Bye for now!” Sucrose ran off before Lumine could say a single word to her. She sighed hopelessly.
“Haha, who knew alchemy could generate such enthusiasm,” Venti commented joyously before turning towards Timaeus, his hands on his hips, “Now Timaeus… Your homework?”
“Uh, just finished, Sir. Here.”
Paimon flapped her arms excitedly, “Ooooh, here we go! Paimon’s favourite part!” Lumine only smiled, her mind dwelling on the runaway alchemist. Sighing again in her mind.
“So we choose one type of flower, then offer it to the Anemo Archon, right?” Paimon reconfirms. Lumine, Paimon and Venti all met up at the statue where the ceremony will begin. Jean patiently waited for them with a smile.
Jean happily answered the simple question, “Exactly right. Please consider your choice carefully. Remember, you are representing the whole of Monstadt.”
Lumine nodded, her mind already twirling with thoughts of what flower would she offer. She turned towards Venti. He is the Anemo Archon after all. The flower will be for him. “Venti, what kind of flower do you like?”
“Eh? …Very cunning, trying to cheat are we?” Venti amusedly asked, a familiar glimmer in his eyes.
Jean cleared her throat before Paimon shouted, “Hey! Don’t you two go spilling secrets during an occasion like this!”
Venti simply laughed, “Haha, they told us!” He then turned towards Lumine, “Don’t worry about me, choose something you like! I trust your tastes.”
“So, Honorary Knight, what is your choice?” Jean asked, arms crossed. She was fully in her role and duty as the Acting Grandmaster. Lumine paused, thinking deeply at this important decision. There were many flowers that people considered to them as a Windblume. What was a Windblume to her?
All she could think of was the radiant smile and passionate love Sucrose had for her work. How the simple Sweet Flower would make her shine brighter than any of the stars in the night sky. How her Windblume was a really big Sweet Flower.
“A Sweet Flower,” Lumine said with a smile.
“Oh! Same idea as Sucrose, Sweet Flowers for Windblumes. A flower that has lasted through the ages!” Paimon flew around, making small loops in the air.
“Hoho, a Sweet Flower then?” Venti smirked with a knowing glance. Lumine ignored his comment with the heat rising in her cheeks. Jean smiled as well and Lumine had a feeling she understood the reason for her choice very well. She’s sure that Jean or Lisa might have some stories from previous Windblume festivals.
“On behalf of the people of Mondstadt, please offer your Windblume to the statue.” Jean gestured behind her, where the pedestal for the Windblume was. Lumine approached it, taking out a single Sweet Flower she always carried with her. She wondered how Sucrose would react to this year’s Windblume being her Windblume. Lumine knew that if she ever had the chance to be the Windblume Star again, she would pick that flower again. After all, it was her Windblume too.