Welcome, Travelers! It is me, Neru-san with yet a new work! As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to start writing a Genshin Impact fic. If the description of this work isn't enough to explain myself, I'll say it. I lov i! So, I decided to go with one of my favorite crack pairings, Lumine and Fischl. I don't have much to say about this one besides how hard I worked on it (this first chapter), so please enjoy with me this brand new adventure!
Wait, before we move onto the actual goods, you may be thinking, "What's gonna happen to True Five Equal Brides?" Well, nothing, duh. As simple as that. TFEB will not change it's weekly release date for Mondays (or Sundays if you're in my discord channel ⌒(≧▽ ° )!). And as for this new fic, I'm still thinking about it, but I think I'll go with a mid-week schedule, or maybe a two-week update, heck, I could even go one week for TFEB and one week for this new one, but that wouldn't be fair for my readers, right? I'm sure not everyone likes Genshin or QQ.
So, without further delay, let's start with this story called: "The Princess and the Traveler".
"Ohh! Look, I can see Mondstadt already!" An excited and high pitched voice could be heard at the stone gate. Surely, such an ecstatic tone could be heard even from the top of the Dragonspine.
"Haha... Yes, Paimon, I know." Lumine couldn't help but to scratch her cheek at her companion's joyful attitude. After the events of the battle for Liyue Harbor, the Traveler decided to rest a couple of days more in the city, as per the request of the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing herself, Lady Ningguang. Although being the serious and calculating person she is, she understood that what the Traveler did for Liyue Harbor was no small deal by far. Truth be said, Lumine thinks that they were able to save the harbor because everyone worked together.
"Hey, hey. Do you know already who are you going to choose to accompany you?" After those words left the flying pixie's mouth, the Traveler's face frowned.
"No... I still think Lady Ningguang is making such a big deal out of this." She sighed and shook her head lightly.
The truth is that, as a thanks for helping save the city, Ningguang ordered a small festivity in the name of the Traveler, which was scheduled to happen in 7 days. The Tianquan also asked Lumine to bring another person with her, someone of her choosing.
"No way! You just saved Liyue Harbor from that Osial god thing!"
"We saved Liyue harbor. Not just me, but the adepti and the Qixing. That's what I'm telling you, this is—" Before she could even finish, Paimon interrupted her.
"Ah, geez! Paimon thinks you should learn to accept other people's grattitude!" As if fed up with her, the pixie dissapeared as she usually do, nowhere to be seen, leaving Lumine alone with her own thoughts.
"..." She decided to ignore it, as her flying companion usually just talks without thinking first. Even though, she couldn't help but to repeat her words in her mind.
'Other's grattitude, huh...' She stopped walking, and took a chance to look at the sky, as if trying to reach for an answer in the vast blue of the horizon. Slowly, she started raising her open palm, as if trying to catch one of the traveling clouds. Needless to say, when she closed her hand, and opened again, she grasped nothing but air.
"Haa~ what am I even doing...?" Deciding to just focus on the road, the Traveler was met with a comfortable silence. The only sounds she could hear as she passed below the great arc of stone, the Stone Gate, were those of the wild life. Birds, boars, squirrels, she could even hear some of the hilichurls communicating in their weird language on the distance.
'It's nice to be back.' After many days outside of the city that welcomed her to this world, the Traveler found her way back to the city of freedom, Mondstadt.
"Are my eyes deceiving me!" A girly but energetic voice brought Lumine back from her deep thoughts.
"Amber, it's nice to see you again." With a gentle smile, the Traveler, greteed her friend, Mondstadt's one and only Outrider, Amber. After hearing the blonde girl's greeting, the brunette's face lightened up. Amber starting running towards her.
"It is you, Lumine! I'm glad to see you once more." Once the Outrider reached her, Lumine was caught in a strong embrance. She could feel how much she really missed her.
"I'm back." Right after saying that, Paimon made her appearance from nowhere.
"Not just her, but Paimon too!" The small pixie put her hands on her hips, sticking her chest up with pride. Amber couldn't help but to giggle at such sight.
"It's good to see you too, Paimon! I'm glad to know you haven't been used as emergency food for travelers." Paimon flinched and started wailing her arms in disagreement.
"That joke isn't funny anymore! Try to be more original!"
"A-Ahaha..." The Traveler couldn't say anything to this exchange between her two friends. Amber cleared er throat.
"Ahem. As a part of the Knights of Favonius, I welcome you on your return, Honorary Knight Lumine!" She raised her voice, making other passersby notice the return of the hero that helped Mondstadt during Stormterror's incident.
Before Lumine could even think, a wave of cheers and applauses filled the ever-cozy city of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. Amber just laughed mischievously, as if saying 'I'm sorry~'. Paimon didn't minded being surrounded by such atmosphere, on the contrary, she enjoyed it quite a bit.
"Ehem! Paimon does not dislike this kind of welcome, definitely!" The blonde Traveler just held her head with one hand and sighed heavily.
"Honorary Knight, welcome back!"
"Ms. Honorary Knight, I'm your fan!"
"Mom, look! It's the Traveler!"
"Fufu~ That's right my dear, come on, say hi to Ms. Traveler."
Not being used to this kind of treatment, Lumine felt an alien sensation on her chest. Both she and her brother have been traveling for so long, never staying long enough to interact with the inhabitants of the worlds they've visited. Even though she knows the citizens of Mondstadt have taken a liking to her, she can't help wanting to avoid all of this attention. But that'll have to wait.
"Come, Traveler. Grand Master Jean will surely be happy when she hears of your return!" Right after, Amber started walking towards the HQ of the Knights of Favonius.
"..." Deciding it was wiser to stay silent, Lumine just waved back at all the people cheering on her and followed Amber.
"Welcome back, Traveler." Jean stated with a gentle but courteous smile. Full of grace and elegance typical of Jean Gunnhildr, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius.
"It's nice to see you once more, Master Jean." Lumine replied with a polite greeting. Jean nodded.
"Likewise. Although..."
"?" The blonde girl tilted her head in confusion.
"You can just call me Jean. There's no need for being overpolite." Jean stood up from her chair, making her way towards the Traveler.
"If you say so, Ma—" Interrupting her mid-sentence, Jean crossed her arms.
"—Jean..." After hearing what she wanted, Jean smiled and nodded once more.
"That's much better. Now—" This time, it was Jean's turn to be interrupted.
"Miss Honorary Knight!" It was none other than the Spark Knight, Klee.
"—!" But Klee stopped dead on her tracks when she saw Jean looking at her.
"Klee. What have I told you to knock before entering? Also, don't run indoors, you could harm yourself." Without missing a beat, Jean scolded Klee. Lumine couldn't help giggling a bit at this sight.
'No matter how many times I see this, they look like parent and child.' Not wanting to leave the little girl hanging, the Traveler made her way towards her.
"Hello, Klee. I'm happy to see you too." She patted her head. Klee just smiled, completely forgetting that she was just getting scolded by Jean.
"Good grief, you shouldn't spoil her too much, Traveler." Lumine just raised a hand as if saying 'my bad'.
"Ara~? I heard Klee running around the place and what do we have here?" This time, the Librarian, Lisa Minci, entered through the now open door of the Grand Master office. Lumine smiled when she saw her.
"I'm back, Lisa." Lisa giggled, and gave Lumine a bone-crushing hug, as strong as Amber's.
"Welcome back, my darling~!" Lumine just tapped the woman's arm in a sign of surrender and need for air.
"Klee! Are you here?" Yet, a new face appeared at the office.
"Master Jean!" This time, it was the one and only Maid of Favonius, Noelle.
"Ah! Miss Lumine! I'm glad to see you around." She bowed at the sight of the blonde Traveler. Lumine just waved back and asked her to not bow.
"I hate to interrupt your emotional reunion but—" All of a sudden, Jean talked with a serious expression. Lumine knew it was no time for jokes. Noelle instantly knew what she had to do.
"Come on, Klee. We'll have time to catch up with Miss Lumine. Let's go." With a sorrowful 'Aww!' the Spark Knight was taken out of the Grand Master office, not before shutting the door when leaving.
"—what are you going to do next, Traveler?" Lumine knew this was coming sooner or later. She replied honestly.
"According to... what I've heard during my stay at Liyue Harbor, my next move should be Inazuma." Jean's eyes widened a little at the mention of said nation.
"The nation ruled by the Raiden Shogun and Electro Archon, Baal. Lisa?" Jean turned to look at her trustworthy friend. Lisa nodded with a serious expression of her own.
"Inazuma is ruled by the Inazuma Bakufu, Baal being the head of course. She has closed all of the borders to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the island." Lisa stated while holding her chin with her right hand.
"Indeed. Baal enacted something called 'Vision Hunt Decree', taking all of the Visions in Inazuma and inlay them on some kind of statue. Her search for eternity have turned the nation into isolationism." Jean concluded while sitting on her chair once more, resting her head on her clasped hands.
"There's little we know since we don't have much information aside from what we currently know." Lisa sighed, clearly feeling dissatisfied of being left in the dark.
"Hmm..." Lumine was in deep thought. 'Zhongli told me everything Jean and Lisa just told me and more.'
"Did you learnt something new while staying on Liyue Harbor, Traveler?" Suddenly, Jean turned the conversation to Lumine.
"Certainly, Liyue Harbor is the closest place to Inazuma in all Teyvat." Lisa nodded in agreement to Jean's words.
"Yes. I heard some stuff from Liyue citizens. I met an Inazuman woman called Atsuko, she fled the country." Lumine said. Jean and Lisa didn't said anything, encouraging her to continue.
"She said that the country has a tense and dangerous envirorment. She also does not recommend traveling to Inazuma as it is. Well, not like we possibly can even if we wanted to."
"How did she fled the country?" Jean asked with curiosity.
"She had to build a raft and escape from the country. The Kanjobugyo, are the ones in charge of the Inazuman border. Ms. Atsuko said that they conduct extremely difficult assessments to the citizens who wish to leave the island. Another man I met at Liyue said that the Inazuma border is 'simply impenetrable'." She concluded telling her findings, not revealing that she learnt it from Rex Lapis himself.
"Interesting... Thank you, Lumine. We will make sure to take notes of this little insight you have given us." Jean nodded and thanked the Traveler.
"Do you have anything in mind?" Lisa asked her, wanting to know how did she planned to go to Inazuma.
"Well... I can't say I have anything planned yet but, I have something in mind." Lumine replied. Lisa nodded with a smile.
"I see. Then, don't hesitate to ask for help, my dear. I'll do anything inside my capabilities to help you. Isn't that right, Jean?" Lisa turned the conversation to her old friend. Jean smiled back.
"Yes, I promise the Knights of Favonius will help you, as long as it is not too unreasonable." This was Jean's way of saying 'There is so much we can do.'
"I... appreciate it. I'll have it in mind." Lumine agreed, knowing that she couldn't ask for too much. For she, is an Outlander.
"Okay~! Now with that out of the way, we can move on onto the next topic." Lisa stated with a devilish smile on her face. Jean and Lumine tilted their heads in sync.
"Lisa, what are you...?" Jean had no idea what her friend was talking about.
"Why, the welcome party of Mondstadt's hero and people's favorite Honorary Knight!" The Librarian replied with glee. Jean giggled and nodded.
"Fair enough. You deserve that much at the very least. Lisa, can you help me with these documents? The faster we finish, the sooner we can begin with the preparations." Jean, to Lumine's surprise, actually asked for help.
After the Traveler and the rest of the adventurers and members of the Knighrs of Favonius gave Jean a surprise "Thank you party", Jean started changing her own viewpoints over what she once called "unnecesary" things. Lumine could notice that and, sadly for her, this time she will be the victim of such attention.
"So there you have it, Lumine. We'll call you once everything is ready. On the meantime, why don't you go and say hi to the other adventurers? I'm sure they'll be delighted to see you, fufu~" Lisa concluded before pushing Lumine out of Jean's office. Once the door was shut, the blonde girl was left in the hallways of the HQ. 'Nothing I can do about it. May as well take Lisa's advice.' Deciding to let whatever was coming happen, she got out of the building.
"So long! Paimon was waiting here all the time!" Once outside, Lumine was met with an angry Paimon who was tired of waiting for her traveling partner. Amber gave her an amusing look.
"Hey! I was with you the whole time. How rude." Paimon shook her head and turned back to Lumine.
"Paimon feels like she'll starve to death. Let's go get something to eat!" As if dragging the Traveler, Paimon took hold of her sleeve.
"Good idea, Paimon! I'm craving some Fisherman's toast myself." Amber nodded to herself with her eyes closed. Paimon just ignored her.
"I'm sick of Fisherman's toast, Paimon will just order anything else..." Before they arrived to the Good Hunter, Amber suddenly yelled.
"Oh shoot! I forgot I had to patrol the Whispering Woods!" Without even letting the blonde Traveler reply, Amber started running towards the city entrance.
"I'm sorry, we'll go to have a meal some other time, take care!" And with that, Mondstadt's Outrider dissapeared.
"She's so energetic, haha..." Paimon agreed to Lumine's statement.
"To be honest, Amber kept asking Paimon a lot of questions regarding our journey to Liyue Harbor. She's just so overwhelming! Thinking about it again makes Paimon's belly grumble even louder!" Giggling at her partner's usual display, she ketp walking towards the Good Hunter, hoping to have a taste of the classic Mondstadt cuisine.
Once they arrived, Sara greeted both of them with the brightest of smiles. They placed an order, Lumine ordered some Mondstadt Grilled Fish while Paimon had a Sweet Madam. As they waited for her orders to be brought, both partners decided to take a seat on a somewhat hidden table. Lumine took the chance as Paimon was silently waiting for her food to arrive, to catch her breath. It's been a hectic day since she returned to the city of freedom. 'Everybody is making such a big deal...' Those were the kind of thoughts that raced through the head of the blonde girl. As she still feels awkward of receiving so much attention from the people of this world.
'Brother...' She couldn't help thinking about her dearest brother, her other half. They have been separated from one another for who knows how much time. From time to time, when Lumine feels melancholic, horrible thoughts start racing through her head. 'What if something happened to him? What if he was in trouble? What if he is already de—'
"—!" Lumine shook her head violently, her eyes widened and her own pulse started accelerating. She tried taking deep breaths but she just won't calm down. The thought of losing her only family, her missing half, it was too much to bear. After a couple of seconds having a hard time breathing, she was finally able to stabilize herself. She gave a look to Paimon, who apparently didn't noticed anything. She sighed. 'What am I doing...? I can't become like this everytime I think of Aether, I just need to keep looking for him.' With renewed resolved, she clenched her fists under the table. 'I'll find you no matter what, brother.'
As if the Gods of Celestia have heard her, she noticed some voices coming from other people near her. One of them had a very peculiar pattern of speech.
"That was so tiring~!"
"You bet... and here I thought that a quick investigation at Dadaupa Gorge was easy stuff!" Lumine could hear a pair of young men, most likely adventurers, complaining towards each other. Nothing out of the place until the blonde girl heard it. Her.
"Even though I, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, Sovereign of Immernachtreich and Ruler of the Ashen Darknes, Fischl, am truly an erudite when it comes to that related to the darkness kingdom—"
"Oh for the love of Barbatos! There she goes again!" One of the man clutched his head in despair while the other one just covered his ears.
"—surely you would not fret about such mundane matters, although, if required of I, such assistance can be granted as my benevolence knows no limits!"
"What mein Fräulein wants to say is, I'm willing to listen to your problems."
There was no mistaking it, Lumine could never forget that way of talking. It was the girl who claimed to be a traveler from a world full of darkness. Princess Fischl.
"Ah, I just received a divine revelation, as expected of myself, who has infinite knowledge and the greatest capabilities of comprehension. As a token of the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, I, Fischl, hereby declare that you are worthy of sharing a moment for nutritious acquisition. Fret not, loyal companions of mine, as I have on my possesion the full requirements to grant our bodies with it!" Fischl laughed while striking an exotic pose, while the men just looked at her dumbfounded.
"Uh... what?" One of them simply gave up. The other voice that accompanied the blonde girl talked once more.
"Mein Fräulein is basically saying that she will treat you to lunch as thanks for doing this commission with her." The deep and manly voice concluded, earning a triumphal "Hmph!" from Fischl.
"As expected of you, Oz, oh loyal partner of mine, haha!" With a gleeful laugh, she looked at the pair of men and extended her hand, expectant for their answer.
"Huh...? Hey, Lumine, isn't that...?" Before Paimon could finish her sentence, Fischl got a reply.
"Yeah, no thank you. I really need to relax after this whole ordeal. I'm off."
"I-I'll go with you, wait for me!" Leaving those words behind, the men left without even sparing a look to Fischl, leaving her alone with her hand stretched.
At such sight, Lumine couldn't avoid giving a nasty glare to the retreating pair of men. That was way too rude even for declining. She almost wanted to drag them to where they were before so they could bow and apologize. The Traveler turned to look at Fischl, who was slowly retreating her hand. Then she saw it. Her expression.
"..."
"...mein Fräulein?" Oz voice was full of compassion, almost pitying her.
"Don't worry, Oz. It's okay." Replied Fischl with a sad smile, not using her usual speech pattern.
Lumine could see, even for a fraction of a second, the hurt expression on Fischl's face. Sadness. Such a deep sadness, to be able to make an expression like that. Lumine's lips trembled slightly, as she could felt some kind of bond. The Traveler felt that she and Fischl were not so different, as both harbored feelings of sorrow and sadness. That's why Lumine didn't thought twice about it, just acted.
"Ugh... That was very rude." Paimon muttered, until she noticed Lumine getting up from her seat.
"Lumine?" Ignoring Paimon's curious calling, Lumine made her ways towards Fischl.
"Hi, Fischl. It's nice to see you around!" She decided to hear her out. Not wanting her to be left unheard and ignored, she decided to lent her ear and listen to anything the girl wanted and needed to say, whatever she needed others to listen to.
"—!" Noticing the arrival of someone else, Fischl quickly got back to her usual persona.
"My! If it isn't thou, who wanderes through different realms as I, Fischl, the Prinzessin der Verurteilung. It is a pleasure to be able to make conversation with thou once more, Traveler." Fischl stated with her usual energy. Lumine's lips found themselves curving up into a smile without even noticing.
"What main Fräulein means to say is—" Before Oz could finish his translation job, Lumine continued.
"Hnn, I'm happy to see you Fischl." It all happened in a quick span of time. Fischl flinched a little when she saw the ecstatic expression on the blonde Traveler. But quickly replied.
"A-Ahem. Of course! As it is commonplace to rejoice while in sight of such royalty as myself! I accept thee appreciation thoughts, be grateful." She struck another fantasy-esque pose and happily declared.
"—it seems that you can comprehend mein Fräulein's better than most people." Oz picked up from before he was interrupted, but he sounded quite satisfied with this development.
"I guess so, haha... Say, Fischl?" This time, Lumine moved the conversation onto the other blonde, who just tilted her head in response.
"Do you want to have lunch together?" As soon as those words left Lumine's mouth, Fischl's eyes shone so bright you could even see yourself reflected in them. Lumine noticed this and felt a warm alien feeling on her chest.
"As the Sovereign of the Immernatchreich, omniscient and eminent judge of all the world's iniquity, I hereby bestow upon thou, the privilenge of sharing food with one as powerful and knowledgeable as myself, rejoice!" As a part of her fancy pose, Fischl extender her hand, as she did before when she was with those men. Lumine looked at her small hand, remembering what she just witnessed moments ago.
'If nobody is going to hear you, less acknowledge you—'
Before Oz could even start his usual translator act, the Traveler reached and grabbed Fischl's hand.
'—i'll be the one to grab your hand, and take you away, princess.'
Fischl was startled at first, but then relaxed and gripped Lumine's hand back, a slight crimson making its way to the investigator's cheeks. Oz decided to refrain from making a comment, letting the sight before his raven eyes develop.
When they reached the table where Paimon was waiting, they all enjoyed a good meal while Lumine shared her adventures in Liyue Harbor, while Fischl listened attentively, like a kid listening to fantasy tales. Lumine felt at peace for the first time in the day since she returned to Mondstadt and she was sure that said feeling was thanks to the girl who was listening to her stories with such glee. She wanted to protect this feeling, although unable to give it a name, nevertheless she will enjoy it for as long as she can.
For that, Lumine prayed to whoever could hear her.
Join my discord server now: www. discord .gg/yWrR89RMmy (Just remove the spaces before and after "discord") we have mudae bot, pre-releases of my goodies... and, well... J-Just join already!
That's it for today. I still need to think of the update schedule, but it shouldn't be a problem since I already have more than a half of the storyboard done. As always, thank you for reading and don't forget to join my discord server for any news about future or current works and, above anything else, pre releases one day before the update scheduled day! Also, remember to leave a review so I know you're liking my work and make sure to read my other stuff. _〆(￣ー￣ )
That said, I'm off. Peace.
~Neru-san