Chapter Text
The papers praised her for her stony face. They told her she was “something chiseled out of a marble statue,” the very face of Elegance herself. Lynette only silently laughed at their praise. How none of them understood that tricks onstage work just as well offstage. How none of them knew that Lynette’s blank face was because her heart wasn’t really in it. Her mind drifts back to a time when another person stood beside her, when the heat of the stage lights felt like the warmth of the sun on her face. When magic wasn’t just something she did on autopilot.
Tonight wasn’t any different. Lynette spilled cards from her arms and doves from hats and yet she felt nothing as the crowd roared their applause. Backstage, she wiped off her makeup and undid the pins on her costume. “Have you found an assistant yet?” one of the stage hands asked. “Jacques says he knows a wonderful magician down by—”
“I’m not interested in having an assistant,” Lynette said coolly. She passed the stage hand the last prop on her. The stage hand sighed, and muttered something about ‘difficult celebrities.’ Lynette was feeling generous today. She pretended she didn’t hear it. “Please inform the others that I am only a solo magic act. I do not work with others.”
The stage hand bowed, properly ashamed. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just think it would make things easier.”
“Things?” Lynette repeated. “Such as what.” The stage hand was silent. “Unless you have an actual complaint or issue, please do not speak to me about such matters again.”
-
Exiting the theatre revealed a horde of her waiting fans. Lynette signed a few papers, posed for a few pictures, and then took off, leaving the majority unattended to. She simply did not desire to spend all of her free time catering to their whims. Lynette had other priorities.
“Wait!” someone called out. Lynette’s tail lashed in annoyance. She turned around. A blonde girl was jogging to catch up with her. “Great show tonight!” she said cheerfully.
“Thank you. Was there something you needed?”
“Oh! I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I guess.” The girl rubbed her neck. “You looked a little sad while performing.”
Lynette’s tail twitched in surprise. This girl was the first to catch that. “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern,” Lynette said.
The blonde girl was followings her, Lynette realized. She was quiet enough that a regular person would not have picked up on it. But Lynette’s ears could the beat of a bug’s wings against the air. Hearing this girl’s shoes on the ground was no feat for her. She cloaked herself in shadow and darted away. She imagined the look of alarm on the girl’s face as she would have seemingly disappeared in plain sight. Lynette felt a small smile flicker across her features as the small thrill of having escaped her pursuer shot through her.
-
The girl was at her show the next night too. “I promise I’m not some sort of super stalker or anything,” she laughed nervously, after Lynette had cornered her. “I’m Lumine.”
“Hello again, Lumine,” Lynette said. “Attending more than one of my shows is no crime.” Otherwise, half her fanbase would be arrested. Lynette’s instincts told her that Lumine’s interest was not solely in magic. Besides, she was the first to catch onto Lynette’s melancholy while on stage. Her interest was piqued.
“I know!” Lumine said. “I just meant after chasing you down last night, it’s not a good look on me to be here again.”
Lynette shook her head. “I’ve had far worse fans than you.”
Lumine blinked. “That’s—not a good thing.” Lumine looked so alarmed on her behalf that Lynette stifled back a chuckle.
“I assure you, I have come to no harm,” Lynette said. “Though it is not every day that foreigners as famous as yourself attend my shows.”
Lumine stiffened. Lynette smiled internally. She had done her research. After last night’s show she had confirmed with Father that the infamous “Traveler” had, in fact, arrived in Fontaine. “So you know who I am,” Lumine said.
“I know of your actions,” Lynette corrected. “That does not necessarily mean I know you.”
“Well,” Lumine said, “I suppose I could say the same for you. I know Lynette, the stage magician, but who is Lynette?”
Lynette spared her a small smile. “Stay around and find out, Traveler,” she said.
-
Lynette dispatched a group of Fatui to tail Lumine and her actions when she wasn’t attending Lynette’s shows. Lumine knocked them out and left them tied to a lamppost. Lynette sent better spies, who reported that Lumine mostly stayed inside the hotel and only strayed outside the city to explore underwater. Spies gave her a note which Lumine handed to them herself.
Come speak to me, it said.
The more Lynette learns, the more she comes to understand that it is neither Lynette the magician nor Lynette herself Lumine is interested in, but Lynette the Fatuus, second only to of the Knave herself in the House of Hearth.
Lynette wrote Lumine back, had another Fatuus leave it inside her hotel room.
-
When Lumine approached her, Lumine had her sword out already. Lynette sighed. Would this merely be another duel?
“Lumine,” Lynette said softly, “I thought we were friends.”
To her surprise, Lumine sheathed her weapon quickly. “Sorry. I didn’t know it was you,” she said. “Could’ve been anyone who left a mysterious note on my bed.” Lynette tilted her head. Did Lumine not realize the Fatuus she was pursuing and Lynette were one and the same?
“That does sound dangerous,” she commented. “Tell me. What is your business in Fontaine?”
“I’m just—Why are you asking?” Lumine said.
“I’ve heard of your encounters with the Fatui,” Lynette said. “What is it you intended to do? Coming to my shows. Attempting to gain my trust.”
A pause. “My quarrel is not with individuals.”
“The individuals are what make the whole.” Lynette chuckled darkly. “Do you intend to arrest me?”
Lumine narrowed her eyes. “I intend to stop whatever the Fatui’s plot is in Fontaine,” she said.
“And I intend to find my brother,” Lynette replied. “Tell me, what could you offer that the Fatui do not have?” Lumine inhaled sharply. Lynette did not understand why she was suddenly looking at her like that. Like she was a drowned kitten instead of the predator she was. “I must do whatever it takes to find him. Because… Because it was supposed to be me that night.” Lynette wiped at a stray tear that had dared to form upon her face. Her mask, her perfectly still face, was cracking. “We’re twins. It was supposed to be me. But Lyney—“ Lynette shook her head. “He wouldn’t let them take me. He told me he’d take my place, and be right back in the morning.” Those last words from her brother would never stop echoing in her mind. “I should have never let him go.” Lynette undid her hair and clasped the Anemo vision in her first. “That is how I got this,” she spat. Then, calmer: “It’s all I ever think of. If you must stop me,” Lynette drew her sword, “then fight me here and now.”
Lumine felt her heart pang. She thinks of her own twin, Aether, and her own relentless search for him. Lynette is her, on another side. In a rush of desperation to convey her feelings, that she understands, she drops her sword and grabs Lynette’s hand in her own. “I have a twin too,” Lumine said. “His name is Aether. I haven’t seen him in a long time either.” Lynette’s eyes widen. “But I think I can help you find yours.”
“How?” Lynette spat. She wrenched her hand free.
“Erm, I assume Lyney looks like you, right?” Lumine said. Lynette just stared at her. “Yeah, um. I might’ve seen? Him? I think?”
“If you are lying to me,” Lynette said, “I will—”
“I promise I’m not lying! Not intentionally,” Lumine said. “But I saw this person, who looked like you. And at first, I thought it was you, but they had no cat ears or tail.” For the first time in a long, long time, Lynette felt her heart rise. Lumine could not have known that the genetics which had given her cat features had skipped Lyney. Not unless…
“Where was this?”
-
Lumine led her to a small forest on the edge of Elynas. “It was around here,” she said, scanning the nearby area, as if Lyney would magically pop out from behind a tree again. Perhaps Lumine had just led her here to kill her. Perhaps Lynette could do the same. It was quiet. Far enough from people that no one would hear a scream.
Lumine frowned. “He must’ve left by now. But he might come back,” she said. Lynette wanted to scold her for her foolish hope. Whether she saw Lyney or not, the chances of him reappearing here were low. And yet…
“When you saw him…” she said quietly. “Did he look okay?”
Lumine pressed her lips together. “Honestly? I’m not sure. He looked a little… confused. And he was quite thin,” she said. “I was going to ask if he was okay but he ran off before I got the chance to.”
“Was he… injured?”
“Nothing visible,” Lumine said tersely. The implications that her brother likely suffered a more invisible abuse did not go unnoticed by her.
Lynette closed her eyes. She forced herself to inhale and exhale deeply. Twice. “Thank you for your help tonight,” Lynette said, “But if that is all, I should be going. I need to get some rest before tomorrow night’s show.”
Lumine stepped back like she had been burned. “Right,” she said. “Um. I guess then—”
“Goodbye, Lumine,” Lynette said.
-
Lynette left Lumine on the side of the hill. She did not feel guilty about the look on Lumine’s face as she turned round and left without another word. She did not care how it began to rain on her way home and dampened her clothes.
Freminet was waiting for her when she returned to the home. He fretted over her with a towel in hand. “You were out so late,” he commented.
“Another dead end,” she said simply. Freminet had never met Lyney personally, but Lynette’s told him enough about him that he understands.
“I’m sorry,” he says. It’s quiet and sincere. Lynette doesn’t know how to reply.
-
Lumine did not attend her show. Lynette should have expected this. So why did she feel a pang of disappointment when she scanned the crowd and did not find a shock of blonde hair? Lynette was the one who told her goodbye, after all.
-
The more Lynette thought about it, the more Lynette regretted her decision. Father had always been understanding. Freminet was understanding. But neither of them knew what it was to lose someone who was so intrinsically part of you that you might have been cut in half. Lyney was not just her brother, or her twin. Words would not do it justice.
But Lumine. Lumine said she had a twin too. Lumine had known. And Lynette had left her. She tugged at a strand of hair as her tail lashed behind her. Lynette had squandered her one chance at speaking with someone who truly knew because she was scared. She was scared of the fact that Lumine had seen through her. That Lumine was more like herself than she liked to admit. And perhaps it was the same for Lumine. Lumine looked at Lynette and she saw a dark mirror of herself. One where she was not painted the hero of every nation.
Lynette stood. She knew what she had to do.
-
Lumine was not inside her hotel room. So Lynette slipped in through the window and quietly waited on the bed. Her joints had only stiffened slightly by the time Lumine cracked open the door and stepped inside.
Lumine sighed as she flicked on the lights and caught sight of her. “Lynette,” Lumine greeted.
“Lumine,” Lynette replied, “May I tell you a story?”
-
That Night, many years ago
“H-he said that he sold me as a gift,” Lynette murmured into Lyney’s chest. Their adoptive father had only just told her, then sent her upstairs to “freshen up” before being sent over.
Lyney paled. “What?” he said.
Lynette gripped the hem of her dress. “Lyney,” she cried, quiet tears flowing down her face, “I don’t want to go.”
Immediately Lyney was by her side, shushing her and smoothing a hand over her head. “Don’t worry,” he said, a smile on his face, “Everything will be okay.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll go.”
Lynette did not understand at first.
“They’ll never know!” Lyney removed his hat. “We’re twins, and we’ve done this before.” Lyney paused, as he began unbuttoning his shirt. “Although usually the other way. But don’t worry! I can charm my way out of it.” It was only when he began rummaging through her closet that she understood. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
And Lynette just stared as her brother donned a dress and hat. She didn’t want to go, but she also didn’t want him to go. “Wait!” she cried, grabbing his arm. Please, she wanted to beg. Don’t leave me.
Lyney softened, and Lynette still didn’t understand how he could smile right now. “I’m going to come back,” he said. “I promise.” Then he stepped away and Lynette had lost her chance. “Now, if he comes upstairs for some reason just get under the covers and pretend to be asleep.” Lynette nodded. Lyney just looked at her, as if he was afraid that this would be the last time he would see her. But why would that be? He said he would come back. Neither of them said goodbye; merely hugged before Lyney left to take her place.
And Lynette waited. She waited under the covers, watching the window as the moon rose and fell in the sky. Each second that ticket by that Lyney did not return felt like a hammer striking nails into her heart. Where was he? Her mind raced with all the things that could have gone wrong. Perhaps his carriage had been attacked by hilichurls. Perhaps the noble discovered it was not her and killed Lyney. Perhaps—
Her ears pricked. Someone was coming upstairs. But it was not their adoptive father. Lynette shifted. They opened the door. Lynette couldn’t help herself. She turned around to see who it was.
It was a tall woman, with fingers dripping some sort of dark substance. “Hello there,” she said. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”
Safe? Where was her brother? “Did you see my brother?” Lynette asked desperately.
The woman merely looked confused. “Brother?” And Lynette explained, how Lyney had taken her place and had been taken off to some strange man’s home, and how she needed to go save him! Not her! But the woman merely extended a hand and in a calm voice said, “I will go look for him, but first let’s get you somewhere safer.”
Lynette was shuttled off to another home, this time with other children. She was given clean clothes, and there was a warm large fireplace here. Lynette thought it was nicer than the last place, even though it was smaller. But she wanted Lyney here with her. She waited with anticipation for the strange woman to return.
But when she did, it was not with good news.
The woman’s face was serious as she knelt down and explained. “I’m sorry, Lynette,” she said. “But I couldn’t find your brother.” Lynette shook her head. She refused to believe that. She merely didn’t look hard enough. Lynette gave her the address again. Maybe she had gone to the wrong place.
The woman had sighed. “I will show you then.”
And when Lynette and the woman, Father, arrived back at that man’s house the only thing left was girls being cared for.
“I found them all in Garrick’s basement,” Father had explained. “But your brother was not among them. Garrick must have taken him and fled.” Lynette wanted to open her mouth and protest. Why hadn’t she searched elsewhere then? “I’ve done all I can tonight,” she said. “We must focus on taking care of those here now.”
And that had been that. Grief had torn through Lynette so wild and primal that she had expected her body to be torn to pieces. She fell to her knees. Tears streamed down her face. Lyney was gone. With a final cry of anguish, Lynette lashed out and her call was answered by the wind.
Violent gusts of wind burst forth, sending Father stumbling backwards and ruffling her hair. Lynette didn’t understand at the time why Father had begun smiling at the sight of Lynette’s new Anemo vision, glowing brightly on her lap as she wept.
Present day
Lumine was silent. Lynette’s own story resonated so deeply inside her Lumine was afraid of what murky feelings was stirring inside her. So long she had repressed the reality of her own situation. Her twin, torn away from her by an unknown force, and the inability to return them to her side. “Lynette…” Lumine said quietly.
Lynette just smiled, thin and pressed. “I know,” she said back.
Lumine willed herself not to cry. If not for Lynette’s sake, for her own pride. “I was investigating you,” she forced herself to admit. “I already knew you were connected with the Fatui. When I approached you… It wasn’t only out of pure concern.” She looked up at Lynette, eyes glistening. “So you haven’t been the only one here pretending.” Lumine wiped at her eyes. “I won’t say that I understand what the Fatui are doing. But I can at least understand why you chose them.”
Chose? There had never been any choice. Father had been her savior, and at times her tormentor. Father was the one who kept Lynette up countless nights, honing her skills to perfection. Father was the one who held her in her arms when Lynette found herself sobbing after nightmares.
“I can’t make me tell you,” Lumine said, “but people are… concerned. About the Fatui’s plan for Fontaine. A lot of women have gone missing and they think it’s you.” Lynette could not admit to knowing this. It has been so long since she has focused on anything but her relentless pursuit of her missing twin.
Lynette shook her head. “I know nothing of this,” she said. “Only that Father’s plans for Fontaine will never harm it.”
Lumine frowned. “Who is this ‘Father’?” she asked.
“Her true name is Arlecchino. The Knave. The Fourth of the Eleven Harbringers.” Lynette rattled off Father’s many titles. Lumine was silent for a while, and Lynette started to fear she had made the wrong move in revealing her cards.
But all Lumine said was, “So! I’m glad we cleared all that up.”
“And now?” Lynette asked.
“Now?” Lumine smiled, “I think we can start looking for your brother.” Lynette felt the seedlings of hope begin to implant themselves into her heart. “What did you say that man’s name was?”
“Garrick,” Lynette spat. She could never forget it. “Garrick Dumonde. I can show you the exact place that night happened. After Garrick and my brother’s disappearance, Father acquired it so we could comb through it for any more clues.”
“Well, maybe a fresh set of eyes could help,” Lumine said. Lynette began to ready herself to go, but Lumine held up her hands and laughed. “In the morning. Neither of us will be any good with no sleep.”
Lynette had gone longer without sleep. “Very well,” she said. “I will see you in the morning.”
Lumine smiled and waved, as if Lynette stepping back out of her window was a perfectly normal thing. “Goodnight Lynette,” she said.
Very quietly, Lynette replied, “Goodnight, Lumine.”