The weather could not be said to be perfect that day, as Zhongli made his way to Dihua Marsh. The skies were cloudy, and the wind was perhaps a bit too gusty. Rain did not appear to be threatening, but who could say what the next few hours would hold? Nevertheless, this was to be the day of his second date with Lumine, and so he continued on.
Most places in Liyue brought back innumerable memories, and this, once the place Guizhong called home, brought many of her. He had little doubt that was why Lumine had chosen this location.
"Zhongli! Over here!" he heard Lumine's clear voice ring out.
Zhongli turned in the direction of the voice, and his breath caught in his chest. Lumine had… dressed for the occasion. She was clad in a dusky grey hanfu with wide, billowing sleeves. The elegant gown was patterned with silver Glaze Lily designs. While her hair was not long enough to do the style true justice, she'd gathered what she could into a bun atop her head, held in place by a pair of long hairpins of the same color as the dress. Her fingernails, too, had been polished the same dusky grey.
It was very close to the same style Guizhong preferred. But how…?
"Do you like it?" Lumine asked with a mischievous grin. The expression helped to shake Zhongli out of his brief stupor. Guizhong's smiles had never been so impish, and it helped to remind him that this was a different woman completely.
"You look quite lovely," Zhongli admitted honestly. "But clothing of that sort has been out of style for nearly a thousand years. Where did you find it?"
Lumine rolled her eyes, hard. "You wouldn't believe the trouble I had to go through to get it. I started by asking Ganyu about what Guizhong used to wear, and while she could remember exactly, she didn't know how to make them herself. So she took me to Madame Ping. Turns out Ping's REALLY particular about the specific kinds of things you need to make the fabric and dyes. Apparently, you can't make a proper hanfu with silk from Silk Flowers – oh, no, you need RADIANT Silk Flowers, and Treasure Hoarders had stolen this year's harvest. After I'd tracked them down, I had to go raid Hillichurls for Dusky Lotus heads to make the dye since they'd built a settlement on the only good place to get them. It was pretty ridiculous. I don't know why all of my simple requests wind up spiraling into full-blown adventures."
"Anyway, I like how it turned out! It's surprisingly comfy. And I take it that it worked? Did it remind you of her?"
"Yes," Zhongli agreed. "Those clothes, and this setting. It was very nostalgic."
"Good!" Lumine beamed. "I wanted to get you in the proper mindset. Today, we're going to get to know each other! Only, you're kinda going to need to handle both sides of the conversation, since I'm supposed to be Guizhong, and you know more about her than I do… But first, let's eat!"
Lumine took Zhongli's hand in her own, and lead him off of the dirt road toward a rocky outcropping. It was unexpected and strangely intimate, the feeling of her hand in his. She could have simply bade him follow her, but had taken his hand, instead. More of this physicality, he guessed.
At the base of the outcropping, largely sheltered from the wind, a cloth had been laid out and weighed down with a variety of foods. Lumine released Zhongli's hand, and settled onto her knees on one side. Zhongli took his place on the other. "Help yourself," Lumine invited. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I made a few of my favorites. I'll pour us some tea."
There was something missing. "So, where is your little friend?" Zhongli asked.
In lieu of response, Lumine gestured with the thumb of her free hand as she poured. Following the direction indicated, Zhongli saw Paimon peeking around a boulder some distance away. Upon seeing she'd been noticed, Paimon pointed two fingers of one hand at her own eyes, and then pointed them at Zhongli, then back at her own, scowling all the while. Most peculiar.
The former Archon returned his attention to the spread Lumine had provided. A few of the items were Liyue cuisine, but Zhongli elected to try a sandwich, instead. It contained a slice of breaded fowl, shredded cabbage, and mayonnaise. He took a bite, and found it to be juicy and flavorful. The crisp greens and the creamy spread mingled well with the meat. "Exquisite," he noted. "You clearly have a talent for this."
"Thanks," Lumine smiled, offering a steaming cup to the former Archon. "My brother and I rarely have the luxury of choosing where we take our meals, so we both have had plenty of practice cooking for ourselves. Still, it means a lot to hear that coming from you. I'm sure you've sampled a lot of dishes in your time."
"Indeed," Zhongli agreed. "If your travels were to come to an end, there would be a promising future awaiting you as a restauranteur."
Lumine giggled at that, which was somewhat surprising to Zhongli. He had been speaking in earnest, after all. "Is the thought so absurd?" he queried.
His companion stopped laughing, and took on a thoughtful expression, "Huh… I guess it shouldn't be. I never really thought about it. About our journey ending, I mean. We've been traveling for so long… I don't think we ever planned for it to end. We certainly never considered what we might be doing afterwards."
"But enough about me. Please, tell me about Guizhong! When did the two of you first meet?"
Zhongli considered this. "In a manner of speaking, we met for the first time twice. Our first meeting in an official capacity as leaders of our respective territories? It was toward the beginning of the Archon War, when it became clear that alliances would need to be forged in order to survive the coming conflict. It was on that day that she presented me with the Memory of Dust, and we pledged to stand at one another's side."
"However, we knew one another long prior to that day. I had been exploring beyond the boundaries of my protectorate when I found her harvesting Glaze Lilies. At the time I mistook her for an ordinary human. She granted me a cordial greeting as I approached."
"That's when you became friends?" Lumine asked.
"Not… immediately," Zhongli responded, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "I was rather brusque with her."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Before I became a god, I was an Illuminated Beast," Zhongli explained. "You have conversed with the Adepti. Surely you've noticed they bear a certain… distain for mortals." Lumine nodded, a slightly sour expression on her face. "To tell the truth, they've warmed to them considerably over the past few thousand years. Prior to that, most held humans in little more regard than they would any other animal. With lives so brief, it was felt that, as individuals, the lives of humans were as irrelevant as that of any boar or hare. I was little better; as lord of the land, I found it convenient that humans would follow given commands, unlike the beasts of the wild, but apart from that they were of little significance to me. Just another variety of animal populating my domain."
"So, when this unknown mortal greeted me, I paid her no mind whatsoever and continued on my way."
"Ah," Lumine said, cringing a little. "She would not have liked that."
"Indeed, she did not," Zhongli answered ruefully. "Guizhong was ever the stickler when it came to matters of cordiality and formality, and this was indeed a grievous breach of etiquette. Before I knew it, this tiny human had stepped into my path, arms crossed and demanding that I respond properly."
"Tiny human?" Lumine asked, curious.
"At the time, I was traveling in my original form – you knew it as the Exuvia. To most humans, it is frightening and imposing, and I was stunned by the temerity of the human who dared to challenge me while I wore its shape. Stunned enough to quietly watch and listen as that woman lectured me at length regarding the value of proper social interaction between thinking beings of any kind. As I listened, I was forced to admit to myself that the woman's words had merit. I found them to be most illuminating. When she was done, I gave her a heartfelt apology, and introduced myself properly. To my further surprise, she took my identity in stride and introduced herself, as well. By that point, I was intrigued enough by her that I accepted when she offered to give me a tour of the land."
"You must understand, at that time I still did not know that the lands were her own protectorate, or that she was another deity like myself. I believe that she intentionally allowed me to believe she was an ordinary human."
"Why is that?" Lumine asked.
"Guizhong was much closer to the humans in her territory than I was to those in mine," Zhongli answered. "As we continued to associate, teaching me their value as individuals was a project of hers. I have since come to suspect that even our first meeting, serendipitous as I thought it was at the time, had been a carefully orchestrated part of that plan. In spite of her request for an introduction, it was likely that she knew who I was before we ever met."
"So, when did you discover that she was another god?"
"Our third meeting," Zhongli said, a bit of embarrassment once again touching his expression. "At the end of our original tour, she'd promised to one day introduce me to the lord of her land, and on the third visit I had finally lost patience with waiting. I will confess that I was somewhat disappointed when she revealed the truth; not because she'd deceived me, but because the idea of a mortal bold enough to consider herself my peer was so novel to me. And now, it turned out that novel mortal was an illusion, and in truth Guizhong had been another god all along."
"Of course, Guizhong had planned for this disappointment, as well. She introduced me to her people, and I was astounded to see them greet her – and myself! – in a fashion both friendly and free of fear. Mostly free of fear, at any rate, but it was clear that they trusted Guizhong enough to believe she would not have brought me to them were I a danger to them. Regardless, these people, humans in truth, conversed with me not from a position of inferiority or fear, even as off-putting as my shape was to them. Eventually, Guizhong suggested that I take on a human form when interacting with them in order to ease the tension; the first such form I took is the one upon which the Statues of Morax are based."
"Why do you think she cared so much about humans?" Lumine queried.
"That's a question I've asked myself on many occasions," Zhongli admitted. "I do not know for certain. For a time, I believed that she herself may have been a human who had ascended to godhood. It is not unheard of as a phenomenon. It is far from the only possibility, however. Perhaps her brilliant mind simply lead her to the conclusion that they were worth cultivating on a personal level. It may also be that her heart was gentle enough to commiserate with them." He arched an eyebrow. "I will confess, that this was something I was hoping you might be able to tell me."
"Ah?" Lumine was caught off-guard. She paused, closing her eyes. After a moment, "She… was impressed by humans. Amazed that they accomplished so much, even as weak as they were. She was fascinated by them; I don't think she ever came to understand them as deeply as she wanted to." She opened her eyes again. "I don't know if that answers for certain whether or not she was ever human herself. Some humans really are interested in other humans that way."
Zhongli sighed. "A pity. But whatever her motivation, it may well have been the most valuable lesson she ever taught me. Liyue would not be nearly the nation it is today without the contributions made by mortals – contributions they could never have managed living in fear of my wrath. While my rule over Liyue was absolute, I no longer punished those who would challenge my authority. I would instead compete with them, and on occasion learn from them. It is one of the many reasons I valued the council of Lady Keqing. Her faith in the power of humanity is unshakable; well-worth tolerating her impiety. In her, I see much of the same passion that drove Guizhong."
Lumine laughed at that, causing Zhongli to lift a quizzical eyebrow. "Sorry," Lumine apologized. "I had lunch with Keqing the other day, and I think she's starting to regret that mindset. Apparently, she's become a bit frazzled with the workload involved in picking up your slack."
Zhongli chuckled, as well. "I am certain she will be up to the task. Hmm…?" He noticed Lumine studying him intently. "Is something the matter?"
"I… think that's the first time I've seen you smile," Lumine said, a hint of admiration in her tone. "It's… nice. You should do it more often."
Zhongli froze, the mirthful smile fading immediately. Lumine, in those garments, with those words… "You should smile more often." Guizhong had said so, as well, presenting her own reserved smile as she did. While by no means was he dour or humorless, it was true that the millennia had offered him few opportunities to present a smile. It was during his time with Guizong that he'd worn such expressions most frequently.
"I'm sorry," Lumine said, concerned. "Should I not have said that?"
Zhongli mustered the smile back onto his face, unable to prevent it from taking on a hint of melancholy. "Apologies are unnecessary. Guizhong frequently gave me similar advice, and I was momentarily lost in the past."
Lumine studied him, apparently deep in thought. After a moment, she said, "Zhongli, I'd like to try something, if you're willing."
"What did you have in mind?"
"I'd like to give you a hug."
"A hug?" He knew what one was, of course. Such embraces were not an uncommon occurrence at funerals.
"I've made you sad, haven't I?" Lumine gestured around. "This setting. My clothes. And now my words. They remind you of her. I wanted to know more about Guizhong, but it had to be difficult for you."
Zhongli, wasn't certain that sadness was the emotion he was feeling. Melancholy, certainly. He remembered the anguish, the day that she'd died, but that was long ago, and the millennia had eroded the emotion.
As he contemplated Lumine's words, the Traveler had closed the distance between them and was now kneeling next to him. She gave him a querying look, and he nodded. She embraced him, and he wrapped his arms around her, in turn. It was a warm and intimate feeling, holding her in such a way.
"A hug is one way that two people can show that they care about one another," Lumine explained, resting the side of her head against Zhongli's chest. "I'm sorry to have opened these old wounds. I feel sad, knowing that you've felt such pain. I feel happy that you were willing to share your memories of her with me. I'm guessing… no, I'm certain… Guizhong longed to comfort you like this at times."
A hollow feeling returned to Zhongli, then. "And," his voice broke ever so slightly, "I suppose there were times that she longed to be comforted, as well?" he asked. Because, of course, he never had.
Lumine stiffened in his arms. "I didn't mean-" she started. Then she slumped, and sighed, "Yes. Yes she most likely did. If she suffered tragedies in her life, she would have appreciated a hug."
Naturally, Guizhong had suffered tragedies aplenty. So many of her beloved people had died. Friends and allies, as well. The Archon War was both brutal and indiscriminate in the lives it took. He'd respected the stoic acceptance she'd showed, her steely resolve to carry on, but now he knew she'd wanted more from him than that. Another way in which he had failed her. Zhongli felt wetness on his face. Tears. How long had it been since he last shed them? When Guizhong's powdered remains slid between his fingers? The feelings he'd felt then returned, overpoweringly. His grip on Lumine tightened suddenly, and his companion gasped in surprise before tightening her embrace, as well.
"It's okay to be sad. If you have tears, let them out," Lumine whispered. "I'm here for you. I care about you. You're not alone."
The two of them remained that way for several minutes, holding one another while Zhongli wept. Unbidden, other moments of sadness throughout his life flooded to the forefront, as though a dam had burst inside of him. The doom to which he'd knowingly sentenced the Rakshas – a necessary task but one for which he could never forgive himself. Pounding the final nail into Azhdaha's eternal prison. Each new empty chair at Barbatos's gatherings of the Archons. His own role in the dark fate of Khaenri'ah. He'd borne the sorrow alone on each occasion. And now, even if she did not know the specifics, another shared his pain with him. It was cathartic, he had to admit. The warmth of the friend in his arms, the feel of her heartbeat against his own, it was very comforting.
Eventually, his voice cracking slightly under the weight of emotion, he said, "I think that I understand."
"It helps, doesn't it?" Lumine agreed.
"You've given me a valuable gift. It is only fit that I reciprocate," Zhongli said softly. "What tragedies have you endured, Lumine?"
"That's not necessary," Lumine answered hesitantly. "This is about you and Guizhong. You don't need to worry about me." Then, more quietly, "Besides, I have my brother to comfort me. We've always shared each other's pain."
"You don't have him now."
Lumine winced at that.
"He's the one causing you pain, now, isn't he?" It was an educated guess. Lumine had asked him for details about the devastation of Khaenri'ah, and had implied that the knowledge was relevant to her search for her brother. No good could have come from association with that cursed land.
"N-no. He would never do that."
The lie in her voice was obvious. "I don't need to know the details," Zhongli said. "But if my embrace will help, please use it."
Lumine nodded, and shortly thereafter, Zhongli could feel the clothing at his chest dampening as Lumine took her own turn to let go of the pain she was enduring.
TWEEEEEEET! The two jolted in surprise as a loud whistle rang through the air. "All right, break it up, you two!" Paimon's annoyed voice rang out as the small creature zoomed up to them. "You two have been hugging WAY too long."
"It's okay, Paimon," a wet-eyed Lumine insisted with a half-smile as she and Zhongli released one another. "I'm still me, don't worry."
"You sure?" Paimon asked, suspiciously. "We agreed that Paimon should keep an eye out!"
"Yes, I'm sure, thank you."
"What's this about?" Zhongli queried.
"Don't worry about it," Lumine waved him off. "Just a precaution. It's fine."
Her words did not instill a great deal of relief in Zhongli, but he did not press her further.
A chilly gust of wind blew, and Zhongli felt a drop of wetness on his face unrelated to his tears. A skyward glance revealed that the clouds had darkened considerably.
Lumine had noticed, as well, "Ah, I guess that's our signal to call an end to today's date." She began to pack up the remnants of the picnic. "Still, I think today was very productive!"
"It was… enjoyable," Zhongli agreed. "When shall we meet again?"
Lumine dusted off her hands, having transferred everything to whatever mysterious storage space it was that she kept her seemingly endless supply of weapons, items, and oddments. "That, my friend, is up to you!" she grinned. "That's your homework for next time! Choose a time and place, someplace you think Guizhong would have enjoyed, but never got to see while she was still alive. We'll make that our next date spot. Extra credit if you can think of something fun to do!"
Zhongli nodded. It made sense for him to contribute, rather than simply follow Lumine's lead. "Very well. I shall give it some thought."
Back turned, Lumine lifted a hand in farewell and then teleported away. Useful skill, that. Zhongli wondered how the Traveler had mastered the waypoints of the world. It was a skill lost to time, and even the few Archons who knew their original purpose did not know how to utilize them in such a manner.
Just another intriguing mystery among the many surrounding the intriguing and mysterious woman that was the Traveler.
Author's Note:
Wouldn't be a Zhongli story without a tale from the past! Stuff mentioned in the game suggests that Zhongli wasn't nearly as chummy with the mortals as he is nowadays, and that Guizhong was a big part in bringing him around. That said, I doubt he was ever overtly cruel to them – just aloof and disinterested.
A guy as old as Zhongli probably has a lot of things he regrets, not because he was particularly unfortunate, but simply because he's been alive long enough to rack up quite a list. One would think that he should, by the same token, have experienced a lot of joys – but it's been my experience that it is much easier to remember and to dwell on the bad, rather than the good. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this is an actual evolutionary survival mechanism – failing to avoid bad things can kill you, after all, so it's good to keep them in mind!
For those as emotionally complex as humans, though, dwelling endlessly on the low points in your life can be just as dangerous as forgetting about them, if not more so. So, I try to keep a positive outlook.
On the topic of waypoints, actual in-game lore about them is kind of a mixed bag as to whether people even know what they are, let alone whether anyone actually uses them aside from the Traveler. Certainly there's no shortage of folks carting goods around, which seems a bit silly if you could just blip around at will – even if you could only transport what you can carry on your person, it would STILL be more efficient to make a thousand trips by waypoint than one by cart!
I've decided that, for most, waypoints are simply another type of ancient, forgotten ruin, just like so many other ruins around the world. A scant few know about their true purpose (and now that the Traveler has started using them, perhaps more and more people are cluing in), but that's about it.
