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“So, what’ll it be, Traveler?”
Said Traveler bites the inside of her cheek, thinking. “What do you think about Jiyu?
Nahida beams. “Oh yes! That's a lovely name! Don’t you think so, Wanderer?”
The Wanderer just stares at them. Expression unreadable.
Eventually, he nods. “Alright, if you say so.”
Jiyu has replayed the, albeit very recent, memory of being named over and over as he aimlessly walks the streets outside the palace of Surasthana.
He stands on a balcony overlooking the bustling city of Sumeru when Lumine finds him.
“Hey.” He jumps when her voice comes from behind him. She steps up beside him.
“Oh. It’s you.” Jiyu crosses his arms over the railing. “Here to make sure I don’t do anything I’m not supposed to?”
“Well,” The traveler looks like she’s trying to find an excuse; she promptly gives up. “Yeah, kinda. But I mostly wanted to see how you were doing. What you had to endure wasn’t easy”
“Don’t pity me, Traveler. It’s beneath you, and I don’t deserve it anyway.”
“I don’t pity you, Jiyu. I just know that was hard on you. It would be on anyone.”
He rolls his eyes. “Right.”
Silence.
“I didn’t know you knew Inazuman,” Jiyu says quietly.
“I…” Lumine laughs nervously. “I really don’t. I just picked some up while I was there. Most of what I know is from during the war”
Wanderer groans. Voice dripping with contempt. “When you were running around trying to stop that pointless war while the Shogun was blind to all except her eternity, you were also learning Inazuman”
“Hey,” The Traveler pouts at him, “You are the one who let me choose, remember? If you don’t like it, I can always pick something else.”
He laughs despite himself. “You already made your choice; best you stick with it. I didn’t think you to be so indecisive, Traveler.”
Jiyu thumbs the ornament that holds his vision. “Just- why, that? Why Jiyu?”
The Traveler rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet. She turns her gaze to the now setting sun. “I chose it purely because of what it means."
She takes one of the Intevyat flowers out of her hair. Staring at it intently like it'll tell her the world's secrets.
It's dendro-infused stamen stares back, unanswering. "From where I come from.. Some parents name their children after what they want their children’s lives to be like."
The Traveler sighs, putting the flower back in its proper place. "It’s not exactly the same, of course, but the principle applies, I think. You deserve to live your life with as much freedom as possible.”
She looks at him, smiling brightly. “So, why not something to reflect that?”
That stops him cold, and he just looks at her. Like he’s really seeing her for the first time instead of an obstacle to be stopped.
The Traveler turns to leave. “Also, it’s Lumine.”
He blinks. “Huh?”
“My name. I know your name, and now you know mine.” She waves him goodbye.
The sun sets as Jiyu watches her leave.
It doesn’t feel like a betrayal this time.