Chapter Text
Lumine really thinks that she should have known better than to expect anything to be simple when the twins are involved.
She thinks this as she plunges through the void on her way to Enkanomiya with Paimon tucked under one arm, having spent the last three days attempting to complete this little ‘favor’. She could have been back in Fontaine, helping everyone with the cleanup after the flood. After all, she can reach places where the Construction Specialist Meks cannot and can lift just as much rubble. But Lynette had pulled her away after the Knave walked off, watching her brother’s fake smile and cheer before asking the traveler for one simple favor.
“Could you find the couturier that runs the Nid de Cygne ?” she’d said. Apparently, this couturier is a close friend and had been the one to design their original outfits, and while she doubts Lyney will be running a show any time soon, Lynette feels that many Fontainians will be without proper clothing and wishes to negotiate with them. Unfortunately, their store had been destroyed during the flood, and the actual couturier has been out of Fontaine for some months now. They at least deserve to come back to Fontaine in order to assess the damage.
It should have only taken her a day. The Alraunes were a famous name around Mondstadt, even though many of the citizens spoke of the family with an awkward shuffle of their feet that hinted at some deep-rooted secret that Lumine didn’t have the time for. Katherine even pointed her in the direction of Albedo when asked, and, really, Lumine should have just stopped there.
“Oh, that’s Albedo’s brother!” Klee had said. “They’re really, really cool! They always make cute clothes for Dodoco.”
Which is adorable until Lumine recalls Albedo’s actual family tree. “I’m sorry, brother? ”
“In name only,” Albedo had been quick to say before telling Lumine that the couturier was in another nation: Inazuma, to be precise.
Day Two. Lumine had spent half a day trying to get some information, nearly threatening to summon the Raiden Shogun herself when she was saved by Thoma, who casually dropped Lord Kamisato’s name in the middle of a conversation before receiving some travel logs in Ritou Island. That should have been her second warning; the logs reveal that the couturier took a ship to Watatsumi Island, and nothing good ever comes from a stranger bumbling around such a sacred island. That, and they were accompanied by some men, one with an Electro Vision.
And, after spending another day on a ship (because, as convenient as using the waypoint is, she's learned the hard way how badly it scares the shit out of hypervigilant soldiers fresh off a war), Lumine had disembarked and ran straight into General Gorou. According to him, a mysterious trio had broken into the Sangonomiya Shrine, stealing several ancient documents related to the vishaps and the Watatsumi Omikami before diving into the giant vortex to the east. The few eyewitnesses that saw them claimed that one had horns and a tail, which did not matter as much as the fact that one had an Electro Vision.
So here Lumine is, falling through the dark to return to the Land of the Midnight Sun. The only reason why she hasn’t considered this whole affair a lost cause was the worry that this pair would continue to disturb the vishaps. Neuvillette has given her plenty of mortified looks when she pulled out all the bone shards and false fins out of her inventory. She does not want to hear what he will say if he learns that his cousins were deceived by a stranger and used for some nefarious purpose. Again.
She snaps her glider out when she spots the landmass that makes up the Serpent’s Bowels. Paimon slips out of her grip with a little yawn, gliding in a spiral around her. “It’s been a while since we went into Enkanomiya! Paimon wonders how Tsumi is doing…”
“I’m sure she’s fine,” Lumine says. “Remember what Kokomi said after that whole fiasco was over? She was going to find a way to deal with the bleaching that didn’t involve disturbing the vishaps any longer.”
“Oh, that’s right! Still, from what Gorou said…” Paimon gnaws on her lip as the traveler finally reaches solid land. “Do you think it could be Enjou again? It’s not like Abyss Lectors don’t teleport.”
Memories of The Thing Calling Itself Enjou make Lumine’s lips curl with frustration, but she shakes that away. “We beat him plenty of times before. If it is him, he doesn’t stand a chance.”
Paimon perks up and nods, fists on her hips. “That’s right! And you definitely got stronger since the last time we were here.”
With that settled, the pair walk deeper into the abandoned nation, Lumine using her Elemental Vision to navigate through the darkness of the Evernight. In theory, she should be able to find some trace of Electro Energy. She does find plenty of vishaps lingering about, sending her distrustful glares before disappearing into the dark.
“Maybe Tsumi told them that we’re the good guys,” Paimon guesses.
“Or maybe they can smell the Hydro Dragon’s scent on me,” Lumine adds.
Paimon giggles at that before humming, “But does Hydro really have a smell?”
“Good question. Maybe we should ask him when we get back.”
“Good idea,” Paimon agrees before puffing up. “Ugh, but speaking of Fontainians, remind Paimon to give Lynette a terrible nickname when we get back! This couturier better be worth it!”
Lumine is about to agree when a loud explosion echoes through the air. She thrusts one arm out and shoves Paimon behind her, the other summoning her sword as the sound fades.
“That didn’t sound good…” Paimon murmurs when Lumine finally loosens her grip. “Where do you think that came from?”
“I’m not sure.” Lumine scans the horizon, sword still in hand as she walks down the stone path to the edge of the Dragon’s Bowels. It definitely wasn’t from the Coral Defenders, and she doubts there are any other vishaps that knew how to make something strong enough to set off an explosion that loud. When she strains her Elemental Vision, she inhales sharply. A wisp of Electro Energy snakes through the air towards The Narrows.
Another blast erupts as she makes her way through the Narrows, far closer this time and strong enough to make the ground shudder. The Electro Energy trail grows stronger the further she heads northeast. Soon, Lumine finds herself backtracking to the Dainichi Mikoshi to use the phase gate to fly to the Vishap Research Lab. She’d already cleared the Vishaps out when she retrieved the research notes from Michiya’s shade, but when she inches up the steps to the cells, she freezes at the sound of voices.
“-take a break. I doubt the local population will be very happy with us making so much noise.”
“Oh, please. So long as we don’t reactivate the light and leave them be, they don’t care what we do.”
There is a brief pause before the first voice hums. “I suppose that is true. We are related.”
Footsteps shuffle around the holding cells, accompanied by the loud rustle of pages. Lumine wants to risk inching closer, or at least find some way to see whoever managed to get here, but the moment her foot shifts, the noise stops.
“...is someone there?” the first voice calls.
Lumine holds her breath. Behind her, Paimon presses her hands to her mouth.
“There is no point in holding your breath,” the voice adds. “I can smell you.”
“How eloquent of you,” the second voice drones before electricity crackles. “Show yourselves, now. ”
There is no point in hiding. Lumine rises to her feet, a hand on Paimon and her sword each as she walks up the steps. To her surprise, there are three people gathered in the clearing of the lab. The one in ornate robes stands with his shoulders squared and black hair neatly braided, face detailed with wrinkles that only deepen when he frowns. The other, dressed in sturdy traveling clothes, is an almost perfect reflection of the man sans the wrinkles, although his frown is quick to disappear when he spots them.
“Oh, an alien!” he says like it’s obvious. He leans down to ruffle the third figure’s hair, oblivious to their angry swatting. “Seems we have guests, mein Meister . What’s the plan?”
The third figure pouts as they smooth out their hair. Unlike the other men, their outfit is definitely not fit for outdoor work. In fact, they’re barely dressed, standing in just shorts and a tank top. They don’t even have shoes on.
“Who are you?” Ornate Robes asks, scowl deep. “You aren’t an Inazuman.”
“No, we’re not!” Paimon says from behind Lumine. After a sharp nod, the fairy floats ahead of her, remaining within grabbing distance. “Paimon is Paimon, and this is the Traveler. W-We, uh…we’re looking for someone.”
“Looking for someone? Down here?” the adventurer asks before scanning the lab. “Surely you don’t mean the vishaps?”
Ornate Robes rolls his eyes. “Clearly not. They’re probably looking for us.”
The adventurer and the half-dressed person share a glance before the former looks at Lumine. “ Are you looking for us?”
“Uh…that depends?” Paimon says slowly. “Y-You guys wouldn’t happen to be the Alraunes, would you?”
All three strangers react in a perfect range of surprise, alarm, and annoyance.
Ornate Robes lets out a low groan and massages his face. “I told you it would have been safer to simply teleport here instead of walking.”
“Ah, but where’s the fun in that?” the adventurer asks. The half-dressed one stomps on his foot, to which he pouts and pokes their cheek. “Fine, fine. I’m sorry. I just wanted to be able to walk through a human city again.”
The half-dressed one huffs, but squeezes his hand before tilting their head towards Lumine. For some strange reason, neither man speaks, as if listening to something instead, and she nearly asks if they're okay when Ornate Robes sighs.
“ Yes, ” he says as he gestures between himself and the younger pair, “we are the Alraunes. I am Corbin, that is Alphonse, and…” He trails off when the smallest Alraune begins digging through a satchel on the floor. They return with a small business card and offer it to Paimon. On one side is their name, the name Nid de Cygne , and the hours of operation. On the other is a small paragraph.
‘ I am mute and agraphic. Please submit all business inquires to Monsieur Corbin for all your couture needs! ’
Ah, so you are the couturier . Somehow, that does and does not explain anything. Why would a couturier be in Enkanomiya of all places? And if you were connected to the robberies from the Shrine-nope. No. Lumine clamps down on that exhaustive string of missions that she knows will fall upon her eventually. As bad as it sounds, her current priority is getting back to Fontaine to help with the restoration, and that means taking care of the request first. “Do you know the Great Magician Lyney or his assistant, Lynette?”
Your brows lift in surprise as you nod, followed by Corbin saying, “They are our loyal customers, they say. Is something the matter?”
“Oh, yeah,” Paimon sighs, scratching her head sheepishly. “Um…there’s been a, uh, really big incident in Fontaine, and…your shop may or may not have been destroyed.”
Your eyes stretch wide, and Lumine thinks she catches your pupils thinning before you make an odd gesture. You form an L with one hand and thump it over your heart while your head cocks to one side.
“They ask if Lyney is alright,” Alphonse translates.
“He is!” Paimon reports. “In fact, his sister was the one who asked us to come find you! She says you’re really good at making clothes and was hoping you could make some in bulk for the displaced.”
Your lips purse as you flick Corbin’s side, the older man rolling his eyes back. “I can’t go teleporting back to our shop every day, meine Meister . You’d get yourself killed with your experiments if I wasn’t around.”
“Well, that’s not very nice,” Alphonse says. “ I would die. I’m the guinea pig here, remember?”
“The entire point of our research is to keep you and your brothers alive, Alphonse,” Corbin drones before waving a hand. “They ask how bad the incident was.”
“Uh…” Paimon glances at Lumine helplessly. When the traveler only shrugs, the fairy slowly says, “the…prophecy came true?”
And Lumine’s sleep-deprived brain must be failing her, because your skin definitely ripples with light, like the sun flashing off the scales of a fish. Your head whips towards Corbin as the air begins to prickle with electricity, and for the first time since meeting them, the man’s expression shifts from annoyance to surprise.
“That would certainly explain the letter,” he says. He meets your stare without flinching, then begins to nod. “We can, but we’ll certainly be drawing attention from Sumeru and Inazuma.”
“But desperate times call for desperate measures, no?” Alphonse says. “I could cause a distraction.”
You make a face.
“Well, I wasn’t thinking that, but that is certainly doable.”
“No, it is not,” Corbin says sharply as you glare. After a few more seconds, he groans and massages the bridge of his nose. “Fine, but you’re responsible for dealing with Charlotte.”
And if the weird pupil shape, glowing skin, and one-sided communication isn’t enough of a warning sign that something is amiss, the fact that Corbin casually rips a portal open with a wave of his hand is . Lumine bristles and grabs Paimon, but none of the Alraunes seem bothered by the gesture. In fact, you’re busy pulling on clothes and hopping towards the rift. Before you can fall in, you give Alphonse a firm hug, a nod to the traveler and Paimon, then disappear.
“Couldn’t have bothered waiting?” Corbin mutters before patting Alphonse’s shoulder. “Don’t cause too much trouble.” Then he slips into the portal after you, leaving just the adventurer to gawk.
“What…” Paimon wriggles out of Lumine’s grip. “WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?! WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!”
“Oh, hush,” Alphonse hums. He’s taking a few steps back, almost like he expects Lumine to stab him. “You’re friends with the twins, aren’t you? I imagine you’ve seen plenty of strange tricks before.”
“B-But that portal, it-”
“That was the same kind of power used by the Abyss,” Lumine states. Despite the tension in her body, the lack of true malice confuses her. “Who…”
“Just a normal family,” Alphonse insists before chuckling. “Well, as normal as one can be when we share blood with a homunculus. Now, I insist you head back to Fontaine. I imagine it’s quite the mess up there.”
Lumine’s mouth falls open, but the adventurer is already walking away, humming to himself as his skin begins to shimmer. Just before he rounds the corner, she catches a fleeting glimpse of a scaled tail and smoke before he vanishes completely.
“Uh…” Paimon scratches at her head. “What just happened?”
“...I could not tell you,” Lumine admits. Clearly there is more to this than she knows, and the curious cat inside of her chest is just clawing at her skin, begging her to continue investigating. Unfortunately, Alphonse is right - she doesn’t have any time to waste. “Let’s head back to Fontaine, Paimon. We still gotta help them clean up.”
With Paimon in hand, Lumine reaches out for the Statue of the Seven just outside of the Palais Mermonia. She lands in the courtyard with a splash, then makes her way to the Hotel Bouffes d’ete in search of Lynette and Lyney. They and Freminet are taking a break in their waterlogged living room, and before the trio can greet them properly, Paimon blurts out, “Your couturier friend is really weird.”
Lyney twitches, and the briefest flash of pure, unfiltered excitement flashes in his eyes before disappearing with a blink. It’s the most Lumine has ever seen since his reaction to Wriothesley. “What? You met the couturier ?”
In her seat, Lynette sighs and sips at her tea, muttering, “That was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Huh?” Lyney rounds on his sister while Paimon clamps a hand over her mouth. “What do you mean? They’re in Mondstadt, aren’t they? Didn’t we say-”
“ You told them to stay out of Fontaine. I didn’t say anything,” Lynette stresses, which is a flat out lie, and from the way she glances at Lumine, the warning to stay quiet is clear. Lumine complies, if only because the magician is starting to turn a soft pink.
“But their store is…”
“I don’t think it’s the store they’d be worried about,” Freminet mumbles.
“He’s not wrong about that one,” Paimon chimes in sheepishly. “When we found them, they only asked about Lyney.”
The trio shifts in their seats, Freminet and Lynette slowly turning to the magician. His mouth faltered, struggling for some kind of rebuttal before coming up empty. He reaches up like he wants to pull down his hat to hide his face, only to grasp at air.
“Calm down,” Lynette finally says. “You’ll at least have a few hours before they arrive. Go rest.” Lyney bobs his head and slips out of his seat, then shuffles deeper into the building as the sister nods to Lumine. “Thank you for your help.”
Lumine only glares. “You’re not gonna tell me what just happened?”
“Nope.”
Lumine returns to the Hotel Debords after that. The next morning, while she’s in Elynas completing commissions, she spies Lyney and…well, you . You’re sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a Rainbow Rose tucked in your hair, facing the court and completely oblivious to the traveler’s presence.
“What’re they doing over here?” Paimon whispers.
“I’m not sure.” Lumine frowns and begins to inch closer, just enough to hear their voices.
“-mise I wasn’t avoiding you,” Lyney says. “I just thought that, with everything that was happening, it would be easier to keep your secret if you were out of town.”
You make a noise and pretend to take a drink.
“Precisely. I didn’t want to test what would happen if you were submerged in the water.” Lyney lets out a sigh, then leans against you with his cheek against your hair. “But I’m glad you’re back, anyhow. The clean-up is going well, but it’s…exhausting.”
You tap something on your chest.
“You’ll have to register yourself with the Palais Mermonia if you want to help with the underwater cleanup. Would Monsieur Corbin be fine with that?”
You slowly shake your head and slump, careful to keep him upright.
“Exactly.” Lyney sits up and presses a kiss to the top of your head before cozying back up to your side. “Your presence is enough, mon amour . Don’t worry about it.”
…oh. Ohhhhh.
“Oh,” Paimon gasps beside Lumine, cheeks bleeding pink. “They’re friend friends.”
Lumine huffs and sneaks away as quickly as she can. She feels like she definitely just intruded on something she wasn’t meant to see any time soon. By the time she’s back in the court and spots Lynette’s completely unbothered expression while having tea with Corbin and Alphonse Alraune, of all people, she has the sneaking suspicion that she just fell for another one of their schemes.
“Did you have a pleasant walk?” Lynette greets her when she approaches their table. “Where did you go?”
“We…uh…” Paimon wrings her hands as the blush returns to her cheeks. “Nowhere! We went nowhere.”
Lumine just drops into the last open seat and groans, “I cannot believe I just spent three days chasing down Lyney’s personal pick-me-up.”
“Ah, is that what the kids call it these days?” Alphonse asks before holding up a hand to shield his mouth, saying just as loudly, “Back in my days, they were called booty calls-”
“Gods, I wish you just stayed dead,” Corbin mutters. It only makes Alphonse howl with laughter while Lynette hides her smile with her cup. After massaging his face, the elder man nods his head to Lumine. “You will be fairly compensated, young lady, for your efforts. Loathe as I am to admit it, I am glad you found us.”
“Yes, yes,” Alphonse agrees with a bob of his head. “It was getting quite annoying having to feel their yearning for so long.”
Which…Lumine doesn’t even know where to begin unpacking that one. No. In fact, she doesn’t even know where to begin with the entire situation. She just slumps over on the table and sighs. “As long as we’re getting paid.”