Before Kazuha embarked on his journey across Liyue, he was given a rather unusual request from Beidou.

"Give me a poem about Liyue's hero, the champion of this year's Crux Clash," she said.

Kazuha lazily glanced at her before cradling his chin, "Alright...let me see."

How should he portray her? She was many things: a fighter with great martial talent, a Visionless wielder of the elements, a traveler...When he was in her presence, it was easy for him to point out what traits she possessed. The wind was all too eager to whisper in his ears her small quirks and habits.

The essence of the wind, the earth, and the stars...she carried all of these within her, but there was also something else slumbering underneath. Something that was waiting to be filled, like an abyss.

Beidou heartily laughed when Kazuha failed to come up with even a single line of poetry. "I was expecting a half-hearted string of words at worst, not complete silence! Then again, she's not someone you can sum up with a few clumsy sentences."

"No, she isn't. She holds many untold secrets," he agreed, "Give me some time. I'll have a poem ready once I've finished my travels through Liyue. It would not reflect well on me to leave the captain's question unanswered."

"I'm looking forward to hearing your answer and to seeing that Masterless Vision shine once again. Good luck out there, Kazuha."

"Thank you. May this journey prove meaningful."


"Lumine! Is it done yet?!" Paimon asked for the sixth time as she munched on a half-eaten Rice Bun.

"Almost, Paimon," Lumine answered without breaking her gaze from the cooking pot, "I just finished adding the chicken to the soup. Did you try the Rice Buns?"

"Yep, and it was delish! But Paimon really wants to try this new dish you're making."

"Ah, it's done!"

Paimon drooled over Lumine's shoulder as she watched the traveler pour two bowls of Chicken Tofu Pudding for them. The white island of chicken was surrounded by an ocean of golden broth. Two snapdragons lingered around the cloud of meat like little boats docking for the night.

"Ohhh! Is that really chicken?" Paimon asks.

"Yes. I had to mix it really fast in order to get this kind of texture. My hand is really sore now, though. I'm definitely only going to make this once in a while."

"Paimon can't wait! Paimon's gonna dig in now!"

As Paimon dug her spoon into the soup, Lumine picked up the sound of a grass whistle followed by the bewildered grunts of several Treasure Hoarders. The wind picked up and sent a familiar person's voice to her.

"Fallen leaves...adorn my night!"

From where Lumine was, on the steps preceding the adeptus temple housing Pervases' statue, she saw a swirl of maple leaves riding a carousel of wind. Gently putting her bowl down, she drew her sword, using it as a light source. Without sparing a glance back to her travel companion, she dashed downhill to get a better view.

Through the thin veil, she spotted three Treasure Hoarders being tossed around by a burst of Anemo. The wind converged in the middle and then sprouted, lifting one Kaedehara Kazuha off the ground. His white hair glowed with specks of moonlight, illuminating the red streaks lying limply next to his right ear. He briefly rested on a bed of wind; his body was turned in a way so that he was gazing at the full moon.

When he finally laid eyes on her a moment later, he stared at her as though he had bumped into an old drinking buddy. His gaze softened as he twisted himself to stand. His left foot lingered in the air for a split second before he let his body drop to the ground, landing flawlessly in front of Lumine.

"It seems fate has led our paths to cross once more," he greeted as he sheathed his blade, "A shame those Treasure Hoarders interrupted the mood. The wind was telling me about a home-cooked meal."

Lumine placed her sword away and eyed the unconscious Treasure Hoarders. Their chests rose and fell, which meant they were still alive. She then turned her gaze to Kazuha and noticed how he was looking not at her, but something over her shoulder.

"Did I interrupt your dinner? You rushed down here with great haste. And I do not see Paimon."

Lumine flashed a guilty look, "I left her behind. When I heard your voice, I only thought about how I wanted to meet you again."

"You...wanted to meet me again?" Kazuha parroted. Lumine giggled; the only other time he did that was when she and Paimon announced to him their intentions to head to Inazuma.

"Of course! In fact, why don't you join us for dinner? I made some Chicken Tofu Pudding."

A small breeze passed between them. Kazuha listened to what it had to say and then released a chuckle of his own, "We'd better hurry before Paimon eats it all."

Lumine gave a horrified gasp and dashed back up the road, demanding her travel companion to save some food. He heard Paimon yelling back at her, something about "waiting for a long time."

"I wasn't expecting to have company tonight, but this could help me form my answer to Captain Beidou's request." With this thought circling around in his mind, Kazuha strolled up the hill to the broken adeptus temple.


Lumine disappointedly shook her head at Paimon. Her travel partner had scarfed down the remaining pot of Chicken Tofu Pudding in the brief time she went to talk to Kazuha, and now, the only thing she could serve him at this very moment was her own untouched bowl.

"What am I supposed to do now?" the traveler groaned, "It took me two hours to make this."

With a confused shrug that could easily be seen as irritation, Paimon questioned, "Couldn't you just make something else? We also have leftovers."

"I-I can't serve Kazuha leftovers. He's expecting a proper meal."

"Wait, Kazuha's here?! And he's going to eat dinner with us?!"

"Yes, which is why I told you to save some food."

"Okay, okay! Paimon gets it now! What do we have in terms of ingredients?"

Lumine opened the bag that was sitting next to their campfire and pulled a mesh of different cooking materials. She quickly mumbled the names of the ingredients out as she placed them to the side. "Ham, bird eggs, cabbage, snapdragons, flour, chicken, Jueyan chilis, lotus heads, sweet flowers, horsetails, some raw meat, and...rice."

"Don't forget the salt and sugar!" Paimon pointed out as she grabbed two small containers, one half filled with white powder and another filled to the brim with white cubes. Lumine gauged the amount of seasonings she had and the ingredients she had brought out, and after lengthy deliberation, she grabbed the half-cut chunk of ham, several cabbage heads, some lotus heads, a handful of Jueyan chilis, and one bird egg.

"Okay, we're going to make some Jade Parcels with Lotus Seed and Bird Egg Soup. Since you ate all of the Chicken Tofu Pudding, you're going to make the soup."

"Hey, Paimon ate most of it. Your bowl is still full!"

"My point still stands. You remember the recipe for the soup?"

"Of course! Paimon will whip one up real quick!" As Lumine began to pack up the ingredients she wouldn't be using, Paimon snatched the bird egg and a lotus head. When she turned around to head to the campfire, she found Kazuha resting on the dirt, observing them quietly but with great amusement in his eyes.

"Bwa! How long have you been sitting there?" Paimon asked.

Kazuha glanced away, though his small smile never wavered. "I've been here ever since she began scouring through the ingredients, but I overheard your entire conversation."

"So you were eavesdropping?!"

"Even without the wind, I still would have been able to listen in. Your voice, in particular, is hard to miss."

"Well, it's true no one else has Paimon's voice."

"And everyone who's ever met Paimon has never forgotten what she sounds like. But I'm still wondering if that's a good thing or not," Lumine coyly joined the conversation. As Paimon turned to the campfire, Lumine's last sentence flying over her head, Kazuha was fixated on the gentle expression on Lumine's face as her attention settled onto him.

"I'm guessing you don't mind waiting?" she asked.

Kazuha returned her smile, "Not at all. Take your time. I believe food, whether it's being cooked or eaten, should be savored."


Close to half an hour later, he was presented with a plate of nine Jade Parcels and a bowl of Lotus Seed and Bird Egg Soup. Gold broth evenly trickled down the sides of the Jade Parcels and pooled at the bottom of the plate. Each cabbage pocket was neatly tied at the neck with a lotus head stem.

His eyes lit up at the presentation, "You must have made this dish many times. It looks impeccable."

"It's one of the first recipes I mastered," Lumine proudly declared, "I didn't come up with it, though. That would be Xiangling."

"Ah, the daughter of the head chef at Wanmin Restaurant. I can see her influence in this dish."

The smell of the savory broth pooling from the cabbage pockets wafted into Kazuha's nose, and like an elemental reaction, his stomach rumbled with anticipation. As he grabbed the chopsticks and the soup spoon Lumine had laid out for him, she poured her bowl of Chicken Tofu Pudding into the cooking pot in order to reheat it.

The wandering samurai clapped his hands together and thanked them for the meal. Using his chopsticks, he lifted a Jade Parcel to his soup spoon. He ate the morsel in one large bite, and because his food was freshly made, he had to huff several times before he could swallow it. He repeated the process, seemingly content with burning his tongue a second time.

When he got around to his soup, his first sip was small and slow. However, after that, he tapped off every spoonful of soup with a delighted exhale.

Lumine abandoned her bowl of Chicken Tofu Pudding in favor of watching Kazuha eat the food she made. A warm smile spread across her face as she thought to herself, "He makes food look so tasty. I have my own dinner, but now I want some Jade Parcels, too."

"Uhh, Lumine?" Paimon butted in, hovering between the traveler and Kazuha, "Are you gonna eat that?"

Lumine warned Paimon to move out of her sight with her eyes as she downed a spoonful of chicken. It did nothing to wipe the knowing smirk on Paimon's face.

"So Kazuha, have you found someone who could reawaken that Vision?" Paimon asked.

The samurai placed his now-empty bowl onto his lap and then shook his head. "I've found little progress in that matter. Even after meeting all sorts of people in Liyue and asking them about what they believe are the reasons for the gods bestowing Visions to us, their answers do not resonate with me. That is...if they even answer me at all. I did learn that the Liyue Qixing's Tianquan has a rekindled Vision, but from how her assistants have framed the story, it seems to be one elaborate prank from the Geo Archon."

Lumine and Paimon glanced at each other, both thinking the same thing. "Zhongli, pulling a prank? On Ningguang of all people?"

"Paimon's pretty sure that's not the case," Paimon responded with a shrug.

"In any case, the fact that a Vision can be reawakened is yet another breeze pushing me forward." With a grateful smile, Kazuha finished the rest of the Jade Parcels, "Thank you again. Lumine. Paimon. If there's any way I can repay you for this meal, please tell me."

Lumine's posture immediately straightened, her bowl of Chicken Tofu Pudding forgotten again. Even though she was wearing the same serene smile, Kazuha detected an eagerness that was directed entirely onto him. What did he have that she could possibly want? All he had was his blade and the clothes he had on now...

"Teach me how to walk on air," Lumine requested.

That was the last thing he expected. Where did she get the idea that he could…

Oh. It was when she watched him launch himself into the air with Chihayaburu.

"Wait. Kazuha can not only hear things from the wind but also walk on air?!" Paimon exclaimed.

"That's not quite-!" Kazuha stopped mid-sentence when he caught a glimpse of Lumine excitedly leaning forward, the campfire illuminating her caramel-colored eyes. Over the flickering flames, they twinkled like starlight.

Kazuha changed his mind. "Actually, come with me. There's a place nearby that we can use as our practice grounds."


They strolled up the hill behind the adeptus temple to the bottom of a nearby waterfall. Kazuha took a moment to observe the river, and, after silently assessing it, nodded contently.

"Before we begin," he started, turning back towards Lumine, "let me first reaffirm your elemental abilities. I've already seen that you are capable of wielding multiple elements, but the extent as to what you can do with them is actually far more limited than that of a Vision bearer, correct?"

"How did you know?" Lumine curiously asked.

"When I was observing you before, there was a lack of refinement in your technique. At first glance, it was as if you had grasped the fundamentals and decided it was enough for you. That would have been the case...if I did not notice how your swordsmanship attempted to fill in the gaps of your elemental deficiencies."

Paimon widened her eyes. "Wow...you gathered all that from just one fight?"

"I did not say anything at the time because I was more focused on understanding how you can wield multiple elements. Since then, I've been thinking back to our meeting and all of the fascinating aspects of you." Kazuha spotted Lumine closing a fist over her heart, beaming at him with a touched expression. A brief moment of astonishment crossed his face, and he quickly spoke again before his mind wandered.

"In any case, even though your elemental abilities might differ from Vision bearers, the fundamentals should be the same. You are able to conjure wind to a specific part of your body and redirect its path. Try gathering the wind to your feet."

With a short nod, Lumine concentrated on summoning the wind. When she felt the familiar sensation of a strong breeze tickling her feet, her hands brushed against the upturned fabric of her skirt.

"Ahh!" Gasping out loud, she quickly slammed her hands against the front of her dress. The traveler glanced up at Kazuha and noted how, even though he had averted his gaze, his cheeks were dyed a pretty pink color.

"Did you…?"

"For the briefest of moments, yes," he admitted, "I should have taken into account your dress…"

"Don't worry, Kazuha," Lumine's voice was as calm and even as he had known it to be, "It was an accident. You know, for a wanderer, you don't have a matching set of wandering eyes."

"My eyes are drawn to other forms of beauty, that's all."

"So it's not because you haven't found anyone who'll let you stare at them?"

"Are you offering?"

"You still have to get me off the ground. And to do that, you need to look at what I'm doing."

The ronin managed to reestablish eye contact, all previous embarrassment gone. "Hehe, very well. Hmm...try conjuring the wind again and redirecting its flow to create a platform."

Once again, Lumine channeled the wind. This time, she tried to visualize a stepping stone made from the air she was controlling. She lunged forward towards the spot she thought she had summoned her platform and found herself up a few inches off the ground, standing on something a bit more solid than a pillow of wind. Lumine looked down, and a small chunk of land laid under her boots, the symbol for Geo faintly glowing back at her. A vortex of wind pushed against the Geo construct, keeping her in the air.

Kazuha and Paimon collectively let out a gasp of marvel. The ronin breathlessly exclaimed, "Remarkable! The land supports your weight, while the wind lifts you up."

Lumine traveled across the river to the waterfall, each step a bit higher than the last. Halfway to her destination, she twirled around and waved to Kazuha.

"Come on, Kazuha! Watch me get to the top of this waterfall!"

The wandering samurai smiled back and willed the wind to lift him up. With short but practiced spins, he made his way over to Lumine. Their ascent up the waterfall resembled a dance. A maple leaf amidst the wind chasing after a grounded star.


Two weeks later, Kazuha found his way to Nantianmen.

He spotted a particularly cozy bed of rock next to a curved root of the Dragon-Queller and sat down to briefly absorb his surroundings. The river, the flowers, the wind, even the small herd of Dendro Slimes nearby were still, seemingly holding their breath.

He released a drawn-out sigh and unclenched his bandaged hand. Resting in his palm was a red maple leaf pendant made from Cuihua Wood. The surface had been sanded down to the point of soft smoothness, but the red paint was thicker in some places than others.

Lumine most likely had been working on this ever since they last parted.

The maple leaf trembled in his hand, pulsing with Anemo energy. Kazuha turned the pendant on its side and discovered a tiny latch sewing it shut. Suddenly, the item felt so fragile. The wind inside contained a vortex of emotions, sealed away so that only he could view them.

She did tell him to open it only when he was truly alone. There were only a handful of reasons why she would say that.

Kazuha freed the wind, and fragments of Lumine's voice whispered into his ear.

"Paimon, do you know the difference between a traveler and a wanderer?"

"Every time I've asked them this...they always hesitate in the end."

"If I can't ask him to come to Inazuma with me, what chance do I have-?!"

"Everyone calls me the Traveler, but that's not what I really am."

"There's no room for anyone in my heart other than my brother. Or rather, I chose to only leave room for him because he is the only one who is willing to fill this void."

"I might receive the same answer as I've gotten before. But even so, I have to ask. It is the only way I can move on."

As Lumine's feelings merged with the passing breeze, he read the engraving inside of the pendant.

Homebound autumn leaf

Would you forever wander

To the star's destination?


"You're back already, Kazuha? We aren't leaving for another week. Have you come to prepare for the trip to Inazuma?"

"Captain Beidou, I've come to give you my answer."

"Oh? Well, let's hear it."

"Twin stars wander home / Loneliness never sated / Wounds from hope betrayed."


Kazuha pulled Lumine aside before she stepped forth onto Ritou. He led her to the quarter deck and brought out a familiar maple leaf pendant from his pockets. She gasped when she saw a chip on one edge of the leaf, signifying that something was ripped from it.

"Did you...snap my pendant in half?"

He was quick to correct the misunderstanding. "Not with malicious intentions. Take this as a reminder of our time together. Although it might not have a place on you aesthetically, please carry it close to your heart."

The traveler gingerly took the charm from his hand and clutched it to her chest. "I will. Thank you."

"One more thing before we part. Turn that pendant over only when you are truly alone. Oh, I suppose Paimon can also be with you when you do."

Her giggle tickled his heart. "Okay. Farewell, Kazuha."

"Farewell for now, Lumine. May your journey through eternity contain the answers you seek."


"Lumine, the coast is clear! Now, can we see what's on the other side of the pendant?"

"Alright. How are you more curious than I am?"

Lumine flipped the maple leaf over. She absorbed the words etched into the wood and then had to cover her mouth.

Wandering starlight

When eternity draws near

Let my wind be your refuge.


Bonus Scene:

Lumine heard Kazuha's name being called before she saw his form.

War was around her. Soldiers were being stabbed and shot down by unforgiving arrows. One whisked past the flowers in her hair, taking a petal with it. She didn't know who to take down first, who to save first.

Water bubbled near the vicinity of a fallen spear. Her Excellency descended, and the wind picked up.

And then, Gorou cried out, "Kazuha!"

"We meet again, old friend."

While Gorou responded to the simple greeting with a bright-eyed smile, Lumine searched for a glimpse of his elusive form. Illusions of maple leaves, born from Kazuha's Vision, rode the wind as a streak of red zipped through the battlefield. A foot soldier belonging to the Shogun's army jabbed his spear towards her shoulder, and she could only bring her sword up to block the strike. Another maple leaf drifted into her sight, and the sound of a sword clashing with metal rang in her ear.

The soldier fell. Kazuha steadied his blade. Her maple leaf pendant hung from its handle.

"Ka-!"

He could hear the storm of questions brewing within her. "Let's talk later, Lumine. First, we must win this battle."

The traveler quickly nodded, lifted her sword, and forced the Shogun's army back together with the resistance.


After Sangonomiya Kokomi asked Lumine to meet her at the shrine of Sangonomiya and then left for Watatsumi Island, Lumine immediately directed her gaze at Kazuha. Many emotions were reflected in her eyes, and she couldn't seem to settle on a single one. Eventually, she reached for the maple leaf nestling on her chest.

"That was coy of you to hide your plans in a poem," Lumine said, "You knew I would be targeted by the Raiden Shogun."

Kazuha burst into laughter. "Rest assured, I do not possess that level of foresight. Captain Beidou received the call for aid from the resistance after we left Ritou. My answer was to you, and you alone."

"He's telling the truth," Beidou interjected, "Usually, we'd accept any request so long as there's a suitable paycheck behind it, but for this specific job, I left the decision up to Kazuha. I needed to see how willing he was to return to Inazuma, despite being a wanted fugitive. I think you've seen the strength of that determination just now."

"So...does this mean…?" She was trying her best to not sound so eager, but the hope in her voice gave it away.

Kazuha drew his blade and showed Lumine his half of the pendant. "From this day forth, we shall brave the storm and confront eternity head-on. Together."

Lumine once again clutched her necklace, and the radiance emitting from her joyful expression soon ranked itself among Kazuha's favorite sights.

"Wait, so...Kazuha and the Traveler know each other?" Gorou butted in. His question proved to be the breaking point for a certain travel companion of Lumine's.

"Ugh, Paimon can't watch this anymore!" Paimon shouted from the top of her lungs. Lumine quickly turned around to silently threaten the floating sprite, but it only aggravated her even more. "Paimon thought we were past all of the pining! He finished your poem!"

"Paimon!" the traveler whined.

"No! You can't buy Paimon's silence with snacks anymore! Do you know how hard it was seeing you two dance around each other's feelings?! You even danced around each other, in the air!"

Gorou stiffened as a realization slowly dawned on him. "Huh? Then-!"

Before Lumine could further sink into a vat of embarrassment, Kazuha gently covered both of her ears and leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. His gaze conveyed his message to her: Focus on me.

"Let's get one thing straight here! They're partners, companions, lovers, boyfriend-girlfriend, soulmates! Whatever you want to call them! So long as you get that they're-!"

Kazuha distracted Lumine with a kiss, and Paimon's high-pitched voice was drowned out by the sound of their intertwined breaths.

A.N. This is not me exposing myself as a Kazuha simp. I swear.