previous chapter: lumine and thoma go into town after preparing milk tea for ayato. the first arrival they're greeted with is none other than the arataki gang, and kuki shinobu makes a respectable first impression. ayato is just as intimidating as lumine expects, and he reveals his true feelings of mistrust and doubt when it comes to her relationship with thoma.
Of the many students that roamed the quad, Ayaka was one of them. She stood out from the crowd, her face brightening like snow in the moonlight upon seeing her brother. Ayato stepped down from the fountain's teleport waypoint with grace. The sibling reunion brought a fond smile to my face. It was a marvel to see them drop formalities and embrace each other in a brief hug.
Considering how protective he was over Thoma, I pitied the poor soul who would set their heart on Ayaka in the future.
"Hello, Ayaka," Ayato warmly said. "Have you been well?"
"Of course, though I am in even better spirits with you here, brother."
Okay, so some of their formalities were here to stay. Not wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation—mostly because it quickly developed into clan updates—I tuned them out and focused my eyes on everything else on the quad.
This space usually only existed as a manicured lawn for students to lounge on and cross through. Now, it's been almost completely transformed. The main quad bustled with Welkin Festival energy. All around us, a setup of organized stands, stalls, and booths from various clubs invited passersby to take a look. There even stood a grand stage where open grass once was—fitted with a large banner that boldly announced the event.
"Do you want to go around and take a look? There's still some time before the festival officially starts," said Thoma with his hand still in mine.
Absolutely, I wanted to see everything. The list of clubs to visit that I made last night covered only a fraction of the possibilities. I opened my mouth to say just that, eager to pull Thoma with me…except I couldn't.
Even though Thoma had been the one to ask, I knew who he was and how he liked to put others first. It hadn't been long since Ayato returned. Thoma tried to hide it, but I could read his yearning expression. The three of them—Thoma, Ayato, and Ayaka—should have a proper moment to catch up together.
"I'll look for Aether first," I said. "There's still some duet things we need to iron out before the recital. You can stay here with Ayato and Ayaka if you want."
Thoma's hand loosened around mine, but he hesitated before fully letting go. "Oh, okay! If there's anything I can help with, you can always come find me."
Before I could respond, Ayaka said something that drew his attention. The three of them laughed together, and I took that as my sign to go.
Looking for Aether had been an excuse I made up on the spot. There were no kinks in our performance to worry about, but it's still a good idea to figure out where he was. My eyes scanned everyone that crossed the area. None of them was my brother.
When I joined the flow of foot traffic to continue my search, someone intercepted me. I was pulled aside—their hands on my waist and a complaint ready on my tongue. One glance at the chest in front of me made it obvious who dared to be so touchy. The offended words died before they could be uttered.
A relieved sigh escaped me. "It's just you."
Kaeya's brow lifted, and he tucked his chin to look into my eyes. "Just me? I may have to reconsider giving you this gift, then. You wound me."
"My favorite person in Teyvat," I said teasingly.
"That's more like it."
"What gift? You don't have to get me anything." That dress was more than enough.
I scanned his body. It didn't look like Kaeya had brought anything with him. When his hand slipped into a pocket, it wasn't his flipping coin that he revealed. A triangular-cut crystal with blue facets dazzled before my eyes. My jaw dropped. I may not be well-versed in the world of precious stones, but this had to cost a fortune.
Before my mind could scrape enough words together for a polite way to reject the treasure, Kaeya pressed it into my hand. It squarely fit in the center of my palm.
"I know what you're thinking, but it's nothing special." Kaeya's eye danced with amusement as he observed the disbelief on my face. "There are still some tasks I need to complete, but I wanted you to be the first to have one. Consider it a head start."
"What do you—"
Kaeya gently lifted the longest ends of my hair, his lips softly brushing the ends before they slipped through his fingers. He folded my hand over the crystal, ensuring I wouldn't drop it. "Catch you later."
As always, he successfully dismantled my guard. It wasn't until after Kaeya had already disappeared into the crowd that my brain caught up with the fact that I failed to refuse his gift. Running after Kaeya when he didn't want to be found was a useless pursuit, so I carefully dropped the crystal into my pocket. He would be getting it back.
Now, what had I been up to?
It was hard to think of anything other than the weight in my pocket, but I did remember wanting to see Aether before the Welkin Festival kicked off. A great option was to ask around. Everyone around me likely knew my brother, but I couldn't assume the same about them knowing me. I looked around for a mutual connection when a strange sight made me pause.
Close to the stage stood Amber holding a stemmed glass. Bennett paced next to her. Amber's worried expression was impossible to miss, and they both stared at the pink drink as if it were toxic waste. That color…I knew it anywhere.
I couldn't help but make my way over and ask, "What's going on here?"
Bennett swiped his forehead and sighed. "Oh, good. We're saved. You can have it, Lumine!"
"Me?" I stepped away when Amber offered the glass. "It's not even noon, and none of us here are drinkers. Where did you get that, anyway?"
Amber's lips thinned. "Bennett randomly picked it up from the open bar. He thought it was pink lemonade."
"You can't blame me for assuming Celestia Academy would go over the top with everything." Bennett shrugged with innocent eyes. "The milk tea is a serious choking hazard for me, and I don't want to go to the infirmary today, of all days. It's too bad I already drank half the glass before Amber told me this was a cocktail."
As someone who also fell victim to the color and taste of a Pinkity Drinkity, I couldn't blame him for mistaking it for anything other than juice.
"I took it away from him the moment I noticed," Amber said. "Seriously, what are we going to do with you? Pouring it out would be such a waste, but where are we going to find someone willing to drink alcohol at this hour?"
I shrugged. "You'd be surprised. Kaeya was just here a moment ago. Here, I'll take care of it while you help Bennett find something to consume that ideally won't make him sick."
Amber happily handed me the glass and wiped her hands. "Easier said than done. C'mon, Bennett, I think Xiangling said she was working with Sucrose on a new meal cube variant."
"Is that safe?" Bennett threw a worried glance my way as Amber ushered him by the shoulders.
She replied before I could give an opinion. "There's only one way to find out!"
Sucrose's edible creations never failed me before, so he should be fine. Hopefully.
As for the cocktail to deal with—a minor issue to have—I felt so out of place just standing here with a fancy drink in hand. From what I could tell, no one else had indulged in the open bar. The milk tea had been brought out, though. Seeing people sip their tapioca pearl drinks made me smile. If only the glass in my hand would magically disappear, I could grab another cup for myself.
"Be not afraid, I can solve all of your problems," said a voice from above.
Could this be divine intervention?
I craned my neck upward to gawk at the sky. Venti's bright eyes met mine halfway. He stood on the stage with a hand outstretched to me. It looked as though he wanted to pull me up and stand with him, but I knew better. The twitch of his fingers signaled a desire for one thing only.
"How long have you been standing up there?" I asked and gave him the glass, glad to be rid of it.
He delicately grasped the stem and tipped the remaining cocktail into his mouth. A satisfied hum resonated from the bard's mouth before he answered, "Long enough. I was chosen to do the opening speech this year and was checking out the view from up here. I took note of your conundrum. Do let me know if a similar problem arises in the future."
"I doubt it will, but sure. As long as you promise to never hold another exam as dreadful as that midterm. It was almost impossible trying to catch up with that strange light." I narrowed my eyes. Exhausted barely described how that tedious exam left me.
"But the Touring Light Show is one of my favorites! It's perfect for testing how much your gliding abilities have improved. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I've got a festival to announce. Today is all about letting loose and enjoying the moment. Go on and find your friends!"
At this point, so many people gathered on the main quad that most of the school must be here. Aether surely had to be around, but I wasn't immune to getting swept up in the event atmosphere. I let myself be absorbed in the sights and sounds, noting the most interesting club setups and saying hello to passing classmates.
It truly was a gorgeous day. The student council outdid themselves in decorating, I almost thought the cherry blossom petals floating in the air was pink confetti. Others noticed, too. Heads turned and pointed to the sky, a spark of awe shining on all faces.
"It's the moon," I heard one person say.
That comment made me pause. The moon? An impossible appearance at this hour. The sun's warmth couldn't be mistaken, so the moon in question must be some sort of spectacle arranged for the festival. Left and right, I spun around yet found no such moon decoration.
On second thought, it might not be the cherry blossoms that captured people's attention. Their focus was too high in the sky, close enough to pose the risk of sun damage to their retinas. I followed their line of sight and squinted against the full, shining rays. No, not quite full.
A portion of the sun had darkened, a vague crescent shape creeping in. An eclipse. When I heard the Welkin Festival happened when the moon shone the brightest, this hadn't been what I expected. Rather than glowing in the night, it would be illuminated with a halo made from the purest beams of light. It's no wonder why the festival began in the daytime.
Within a few minutes, the sun would be completely covered. That explained how everyone knew when to gather close to the stage where Venti had somehow found himself a bottle of wine. Using the little time left, I went to the table stocked with refreshments and selected my second milk tea of the day.
Someone else had the same idea. Reaching for the same cup, our hands collided.
"First come, first serve." A grin pulled at the corner of Childe's mouth. "I'll be taking that one, girlie. Unless, you want to fight for it?"
"It's a milk tea, not a trophy. By all means, take whichever one you want."
"That's all? What happened to your fighting spirit?"
"Oh, it's there all right." I smiled and crossed my arms. "I just want to see you try the drink prepared by yours truly."
Childe's eyes widened. He snatched up the closest cup and immediately took a sip. "Delicious. You've outdone yourself."
"Thoma helped."
"Oh."
I laughed and stole the milk tea from him, walking back toward the stage. Childe stuck to my side with a new cup in hand. The crowd naturally parted in the path that he walked, and I finally got a glimpse of Aether as we passed through. He was in deep conversation with students I didn't know personally, but they were in the robot club. My mind eased with that.
Venti made an announcement, his voice projecting over all the chatter with ease. "Everyone, the Welkin Festival is about to begin! Come one, come all, and lend me your ears."
As the gliding instructor, I knew Venti had no problem with making himself heard across a great distance. A few mysterious wonders surrounded that fellow, and questioning how he could be so loud with no amplification equipment hardly compared to everything else. What made me more curious was why Venti, and not Dain, kicked off the festival. Shouldn't it be the headmaster's job?
"Do you want to be closer?" Childe asked, jutting his chin to where rows of people ahead of us blocked the stage.
The leaves adorning Venti's hat bobbed above the sea of heads. Standing on my toes didn't make much of a difference. I'd seen enough of that bard today, anyway. What mattered was hearing what he had to say.
I shook my head. "This is fine."
Childe crouched low and looked at me from the side. "Get on my shoulders. You'll have a better view."
Wouldn't that be overkill?
Childe's slight eyebrow raise told me he insisted, and this wasn't up for debate. Still, I didn't want to block the view of anyone behind us. I dragged Childe with me to the very back. He had no complaints—sneaking in a kiss before letting me climb onto his shoulders. The top of his head made for an excellent place to rest my milk tea.
Up here, I really did have the best view. Would I admit to Childe that he was right? Absolutely not.
"Looks like just about everyone is here. In that case, welcome to Celestia Academy's Welkin Festival! I am Instructor Barbatos, favorably known as Venti, and there are a few things to say before the Welkin Moon is officially upon us. First off, I would like to thank the Dawn Winery for providing their finest drinks for the event."
Venti raised his bottle to one side, his contagious smile directed not to the open bar, but to where Diluc stood. He was partially hidden in the blooming branches of a tree and undoubtedly hated the spotlight of attention.
"Students, you have put a great deal of work into making the Welkin Festival a magnificent experience. I welcome all associates and alumni to enjoy the most creative, entertaining, and inspiring showcases thus far. Give yourselves a round of applause!"
The crowd responded in kind. A shower of claps and a sprinkle of cheers heightened the excitement. Showing mercy to Childe's eardrums, I kept my clapping to a quiet minimum. He didn't join in—his hands secured above my knees for balance.
"Take your eyes to the skies and observe! We've prepared an ultraviolet shield for this occasion, making the viewing experience a breeze. For our first timers, when the moon fully blocks out the sun, send a prayer to receive the moon's blessing in the form of wealth and good fortune. Whether or not you obtain the Blessing of the Welkin Moon is up to Celestia, but it'll never happen if you don't try!"
A hush fell over everyone as we collectively held our breath, watching the moon creep over the sun. Unlike before, there was no need to squint. How did they create such an effective, invisible ultraviolet shield? The thought of reinventing sunglasses crossed my mind.
More importantly, now was the crucial moment.
From my vantage point, I easily spotted the back of Aether's head. Did he remember what to pray for? Would he prioritize the abyssal influence? If only I could telepathically remind him. Staring holes into the back of his head yielded no results.
The Blessing of the Welkin Moon was something I could also make use of, and my heartbeat quickened with the realization that I'd been so worried about Aether's prayer that I forgot to think of one for myself.
What did I want?
According to Venti, the broad options were wealth and good fortune. Mora could be earned, but fortune…that was based on luck. Or fate. It seemed Celestia had the final say in all this, so I went with something reasonable yet not guaranteed. Training my eyes on the moon's silhouette, I mouthed the prayer in an inaudible whisper—a silent plea between me and the Heavenly Principles above.
Let the people I loved survive through this year.
That's all. I wasn't asking for forever. Just this year.
Hopefully, the same prayer wouldn't be necessary when next year's Welkin Festival came around. The future should be an opportunity to ask for more frivolous things, like acing exams or finding treasure.
The Welkin Moon lingered for several minutes, lightening the sky as it dragged out of the sun's way. Now, only a sliver remained. Small conversation picked up as the spectacle came to an end. My attention didn't waver from the sky.
A shadow of Celestia could be spotted a few degrees below the eclipse. Did the gods also raise their gazes to the celestial bodies above, or was their attention cast far below? Did our prayers weigh on their minds, or did gravity keep Teyvat's wishes grounded in place? Dain claimed that the blessing was effective in his unique case, and Celestia wasn't shy when it came to granting Visions, but it was still hard to believe a moment like this could mean so much.
My eyes narrowed, not because of the sun, but due to the nagging questions on my mind. There was something else. A thought buried beneath the others. I couldn't remember what was missing, but it definitely related to this very moment.
Childe lifted his head, his eyes peering up at me. "What'd you pray for?"
His question pulled me out of the haze that I fought to break into.
"If I tell you, it won't come true," I repeated what Aether told me despite knowing that's not how it worked. Saying what I asked for out loud might turn the atmosphere morbid…best to play it off as mysterious. "What about you?"
"Anything I want can be obtained with my own actions. I don't need the moon."
As much as I didn't expect that answer, it also didn't surprise me. Leave it to Childe to take destiny in his own hands.
Though the eclipse ended, and we couldn't see the moon, that didn't mean it wasn't there. The Welkin Festival was an all-day event after all, lasting hours into the night. Before the crowd could fully disperse and get a start on all that the festival offered, Venti had one more thing to say.
"Ahem, don't forget about the additional Blessing of the Welkin Moon later tonight—the festival prizes! You'll be walking away with a number of genesis crystals after each club event, and all those crystals can be pooled into the raffles tonight. A special thank you to the student council for dutifully distributing the genesis crystals for today. Okay, okay, you're free to go!"
Aether had mentioned the raffle before, and if it was the student council that took care of those genesis crystals…I dismounted from Childe's shoulders and stuck a hand in my pocket, finding the crystal that Kaeya gave me earlier.
"What do you say we compete for who can get the most genesis crystals?" Childe asked. "It'll be an easy victory for me since this isn't my first Welkin Festival, but it's also good motivation to hit as many spots as we can."
"I've already made a list of clubs I want to visit."
"Seriously? So did I."
We both pulled out our lists and compared the two. They were wildly different from each other, so we settled on alternating between each one. According to Childe, not all clubs were equal when it came to earning crystals. Art club, for instance, only granted one for stopping by. Genius Invocation and beetle fighting garnered some of the highest amounts.
"So, what happens when I end up with more crystals than you?"
Childe laughed. "Like I'd let that happen. The winner gets the loser's genesis crystals."
"All of them?"
"Every last one."
Though he had more experience in this, I was immediately on board. Kaeya had already given me a head start. Even if a single genesis crystal didn't amount to much in the grand scheme of things, currently being in the lead made me eager and confident. Like Venti said, I looked forward to a day of letting loose and having fun. Win or lose in this silly bet, what mattered most to me was who I got to enjoy these moments with.
fun fact: a solar eclipse can only happen when there's a new moon, and the welkin moon is canonically a new moon!
when i was deep in the trenches of outlining, i thought, "how tf r u supposed to see the moon if it's a new moon? IT'S DARK" and then bingo! astronomy