[ Catch-all ]

[princyss]

⌛ Who: Lumine & Anyone!
⌛ What: Catch-all Intro/Event/Etc!
⌛ When: September 28th and on
⌛ Where: Various
⌛ Warnings: Will add if necessary. Open to smut and just be aware that this character will have spoilers for Genshin! Please comment here if you would like to have me avoid tagging you to avoid these.

I. Sweet Comfort

[Sure, it was fine to get some explanation, but orientation quickly became exhausting. She got the point. There were weird time loops, and she was pulled here for safety— but then, where was her brother?

The moment she could leave, she did. Rather than looking for her own place to stay just yet, she began to look for her brother. Scouring the streets, stopping strangers to ask if they'd seen a boy who looks just like her, only a bit taller, with a braid— even stopping to scan the shops in hopes that she might come across his face somewhere.

That's when she sees the Suipara sweets shop. There are amazing little cakes and pastries lining the window, and the people inside look like they're enjoying themselves, as well. She's been searching for quite some time, so a bite to eat doesn't sound bad at all... even if this could hardly be counted as a meal. But stepping closer and staring inside isn't going to help her, it seems. She's soon informed that in order to enter, she has to kiss her special someone to get inside.

Her special someone? She glances to the right, then, at the stranger who's been mistaken for her partner, seeming to contemplate the worth of going along with this. Her hands are on her hips, and she looks pointedly at them, like she wants them to make the decision for her. Well?]

II. Wash it Away

Does the water feel strange at all?

[Wrapped snugly in a towel, Lumine crouches carefully near the edge of the indoor mixed pool, lips pursed in distrust as she stares down. There are hints of tattoos of her own peeking out from the coverage of the towel, but nothing is clear enough to read just yet. It seems that she's busy trying to decide if getting into the water is worth it at all, though.

If it will solve her problem, though, then she's more than happy to. And at this point? She doesn't have much to lose.

Hopefully she didn't startle anyone too much by coming up on them in a space like this.]

III. It Fixes Most Problems

[So, they can't take a picture. But this machine is clearly the cause of the problems, and Lumine isn't about to turn around and go back without a solution of some sort. And so, she begins to attack. Aiming straight for the machine, she draws her sword out of thin air and begins to attack, even reaching out to grab at the ink-covered branch of some important piece of machinery.]

This may be proof enough.

[You know, a chunk of it? That sounds good, right?

Of course, she's not going to stop attacking until this thing is long gone, even if someone approaches to try and stop her.]

IV. Wildcard.

[Of course, as many characters may recognize her from her similarities to her twin brother, Aether, you can simply spot her walking around at any point, or come up with anything else you'd like to do! I'm available for plotting, as well. Before the first night where she meets her brother, she will especially be just about everywhere. And I'm open to every tattoo prompt, too!]

Comments

I

[baneofallevil]

[ Perhaps the only reason that Xiao had even stopped near this shop at all was due to that the girl he saw, happened to be extremely familiar. That light blond color, the eyes... how could he forget who this was?

The soul-diving incident didn't seem that long ago and she was... here. This was good news.

It was in this moment of distraction that Xiao hadn't realized she was now looking at him expectantly and all the pieces came together. This was that special sweets shop and it was assumed that they were a couple or something. He debated for a second, but then sighed and held a hand out to her. ]

Here. They just want us to kiss, right?

[ Such a thing wasn't a big deal. Plus he was playing it up as naturally as he possibly could, so the people at the doors wouldn't find it suspicious. ]

[princyss]

[Score! A taker. Lumine looks pleased pretty immediately, taking his hand with gentle enthusiasm.]

Mm, it seems like it. [With his apparent permission already, she doesn't take long to act. It isn't much that she has to lean up, and so she steps forward with a gentle stretch to her toes and places a kiss on the corner of Xiao's lips. Not quite direct, but certainly not a cheek kiss, either.

The person greeting guests at the door looks pleased enough by that, and invites them to come in, leading Lumine to enter and tug her unknowing guest along with her.]

Did you want a cake, too?

[baneofallevil]

[ There was something about her straightforward nature that he could appreciate, seeing as she'd not only taken his hand but made the first move to plant that near-direct kiss on him with little pause or hesitation.

It took a lot to truly fluster him, so he didn't give anything away that would alert the greeter there to think they weren't a couple. He didn't even pause as he let her tug him along, steps keeping up without seeming at all reluctant. ]

It was... something I was considering. These ones here are to be shared, so if you wanted to get one..

[ This was the adeptus' way of saying he'd eat one with her since that's what she came for and he found some cakes did not have an unpleasant texture or anything to him. ]

[princyss]

Let's see...

[There's an entire buffet to choose from in here, and it's more crowded than Lumine would have expected. It means that the two of them have to stay close to keep their hands connected, and she wanders down the line of treats until her eyes land on something in particular. It's a slice of cake, chocolate with white frosting and a golden, edible bow trailing from the top down along the sides. At the edges of it, crystal-looking candy pieces of various colors are sprinkled about. Something about it reminds her of her brother...

And so she points it out, glancing back to Xiao.]

How about we share this one? There should be open seats further in.

[baneofallevil]

[ It said something to his level of comfort having improved when it came to being around this many people, seeing as he normally wouldn't ever be caught dead in such a crowded setting. Yet here he was, holding hands with Aether's sister until they came across that one particular ornate piece of cake.

Was food always so... beautifully done like that?

He stared at it for a moment before glancing up at Lumine and nodded, moving to take it before someone else decided they wished to partake of it. Especially with others behind them, probably eying it all the same. ]

Mm. I think I see an available table just over there.

[ It's relatively easy to spot through the crowd of people, but he points to it all the same. A little table meant for two and not being used at the moment. He's even content to follow her once she starts heading towards it. ]

[princyss]

[Once they've made their way to the table, Lumine seats herself carefully, fingers brushing over a fork laid out in front of herself. There's one in front of Xiao, too, it seems, and she smiles, satisfied that they've made it this far.]

Thank you for your help. I hadn't realized how long I'd been wandering around until I saw these cakes. Did you want to have the first bite?

[baneofallevil]

[ There's definitely similarities she shares with Aether, and yet still her own person all the same. Had he not experienced that 'soul dive' with Aether he never would have known who she even was, or what she meant to him.

Back then... he'd promised to keep 'her' safe. That was something he could never forget.

For now, Xiao focused on the present with fingers curling around the fork with ease. His expression softened a little, then he shook his head while gesturing to the cake with the fork. ]

You're welcome. Though I think you deserve to take the first bite with how hungry you probably are.

II

[lyingstars]

[The entire tattoo ordeal is insufferable, even if his own are much harder to decipher than the unfortunate souls wandering around with words plastered all over their bodies. When he thinks he's found a way to finally remove the stupid secret revealing sleeve, it's never permanent. The Harbinger thinks if this keeps up he might actually start getting desperate with removing it.

Thankfully it hasn't gotten that bad yet, but he has heard of another method to try.

And so Scaramouche relaxes in the water, leaning back against the edge and shutting his eyes. Maybe this time it'll stick and he'll be rid of the darn thing for good.]

The water is fine.

[He grumbles in response, cracking an eye open to glare towards whoever dares to disturb him.]

If you're going to get in, then get in. If not, then get lost.

[Isn't he just pleasant.]

[princyss]

[Rude!! Lumine's expression is quick to reflect her annoyance at a response like that, a frown forming into place as she shifts slightly to the side.]

So the water didn't give you that attitude, and you've always been like that?

[Of course, now that a War has been started, she's not going to walk away. She came here for a reason, and she's going to see it through! So, within a quick few moments, she's slipped into the bath next to the boy. She's not even going to sit somewhere else!

But she is going to glance down into the water at the underside of one of her arms. There are words written there, hidden by the distortion in the water, and she seems focused on waiting to see if they go away.]

[lyingstars]

Hilarious. I came here to relax, not soothe the woes of every idiot too afraid to step in a little water.

[Well he came to get rid of his tattoos, but relax draws far less attention to the fact that something so simple actually bothers him.

Generally his attitude is enough to keep people away, and he fully expects that the girl will move on to somewhere else in the pool, but then she's getting in right next to him... The shit? Scaramouche pries his other eye open to turn and look at her with proper disdain. Of course he'd bump into someone like this.]

Watching it isn't going to make it go away any faster you know. And this place is plenty big enough, you don't have to sit here.

[...Wait. She looks strangely like- he's seen the posters, it wouldn't be impossible would it?]


Do I know you?

[princyss]

I can sit wherever I want.

[That's her only retort, at first. She can't say anything about the tattoo, after all. He's right, and she's more irritated for it— but the longer she stares down at the words listed across her in various parts ("bruises" on her thigh, "sexual frustration" along her arm, and something at her chest hidden by her arm), the less she seems concerned about them being there.

She's distracted from that thought by his last question, though, and turns to give him another look.]

Do you? I don't think we've met. [She'd remember an attitude like that, for sure.]

[lyingstars]

Tch.

[Scaramouche rolls his eyes with a small shake of his head - he’s not in the mood to argue. Instead he crosses his arms, while being careful enough to not fully expose his tattoo sleeve. He can’t hide the destroyed Inazuma that spirals across his entire left arm, but he can cover the main focal point with his other hand.

He’s perfectly fine just watching as she stares at whatever pointless things paint her skin, he certainly doesn’t care enough to try and get a good enough look to read them. But she must be related to the Traveler, the two look irritatingly similar. He’s not just seeing things right.]

You look familiar, that’s all. Though considerably less of a thorn in my side.

[For now at least.]

[princyss]

Familiar, huh...

[For a moment, Lumine sits on that. What she does see of his tattoos tells her nothing about him, and his face isn't recognizable, either. But she's already met up with her brother here, and she knows that there's much she hasn't heard about. So, it's not a stretch to think that this stranger might know her brother, right?

But the meaning behinds his words is what's getting her to stop and ponder her reaction. Thorn in his side? She'll show him a thorn in his-- okay, no, she has to be a little more calm about this.]

Let me guess. He's got long hair braided back, the same color eyes, and he doesn't put up with your attitude either?

[She says she's guessing, but she doesn't wait for an answer.]

What's your relationship with my brother?

WILDCARDS U with a goddamn novel

[brilliantdiamond]

[Today was his birthday.]

[How old was he again? Perhaps it's for the best that no one's thought to ask -- of course, it's not as though anyone can, given he hasn't exactly told anyone about his birthday today. Maybe on Teyvat he would have done so, but here... it was different.]

[It wasn't just his birthday, after all.]

[How many times would he celebrate without her now? At least before, he could look at the stars and think that maybe she was looking at them, too. Maybe somewhere in the vast world of Teyvat, they were thinking of each other. And someday, they'd be reunited for real.]

[But this world was different. This world didn't have Lumine in it.]

[It was hard not to feel listless. He couldn't just go out looking for her. And as much as he'd like to at least explore more of this world, with his soul still fractured after what happened in Takamagahara, he can't afford to stray too far on his own. And then there was the whole matter of dealing with that...]

[He's spent most of the day just trying not to think about what day it was. He did favors for folks around town, went out to eat with some of his friends... it was a good day, really! But by the end of it, he found himself alone. After wandering around the streets of Tokyo for a time, he eventually made his was to the outskirts of town, sitting atop a small hill, and looking at into the water that rests between Tokyo and Yokohama. It's still warm enough that he's tempted to just sleep out here, eyes watching the way the stars reflect off the water's rippling surface.]

[But as he lays back, a shooting star zips across the sky above him. Staring up at where it disappeared, he briefly entertains the idea that it could be her, coming all the way to this distant world looking for him. How nice that would be, he thinks. Maybe here, away from the complexities of everything in Teyvat, they could finally just be together again?]

[He laughs quietly to himself, content to allow the buzzing of the cicadas lull him to sleep--]

[Until a certain familiar presence has him quickly turning around.]

a beautiful novel

[princyss]

Aether...

[It had felt like an eternity, running around every part of every city she could to find her brother. Meeting strangers, getting up to... all sorts of shenanigans, masking the temporary loneliness with busy work. But now, here beneath the stars, she's finally been reunited with him. She had felt that he was nearby, a warm presence like the sun itself, and been drawn his way.

It looks like she was right. Stepping up from behind him on the hilltop, she smiles, and her eyes are soft and light. For her, this single day felt like an eternity. She has no idea what she's missing out on.]

I finally found you.

[Something feels... different, though she can't put her finger on it. Their presences usually... line up much cleaner than this, she supposes? But there's something fraying at the edges, a tension and a feeling of strained time that she immediately connects to the god they had run into before. This all seems connected to her, from her own perspective. The time loops, being wrapped in darkness time and time again, separated from her brother, and then this place...

And time.

That would explain it all, right?]

Were you going to stay here and watch the stars without me?

[brilliantdiamond]

Lumine!

[He knows that presence before he even has a chance to see her. But when he does, he scrambles to his feet-- but his own expression is rather different from hers. For her, their separation was only a day. But just how long has it been since he's seen her? Really seen her? His last memories of her, of that cold expression as she left him alone in that dark shadowy place... now, she really does look exactly as he remembered her.]

[Perhaps someone else, knowing what Aether knows of Teyvat and of her role in leading the Abyss, would wonder if this was some kind of trick. But Aether doesn't even consider it.]

[For a moment, he's speechless, not sure what to say. But on the off chance that this is all just a dream and he could wake up at any moment-- he closes the distance between them as he throws his arms around her, hugging her tightly.]

It's... it's really you!

[princyss]

[The giggle that comes from the sudden hug is brighter than usual, and she wraps her arms around him just as quickly. It's... well, maybe it's not such an extreme reaction. She was just blasted by some strange god and stolen away from him. What had happened to him after that?

It didn't matter so much anymore. Not now that they were here, together. She places her palm against his back, smiling still.]

I'm glad you're okay, too.

[brilliantdiamond]

[She's smiling. Laughing. And hugging him back like it's the most natural thing in the world -- just as it should be. And as happy as he is right now, he can't help but wonder what could have happened to change her.]

[Unless... nothing changed. Could she be from the past, like he was?]

[He pulls back only just enough to look at her again, now smiling just as brightly -- though with a certain shine to his eyes, just visible in the moonlight.]

Of course I'm okay! Especially now that you're here... when did you arrive?

[princyss]

This morning...

[A long day of wandering around, lost and confused... And she still hasn't picked a room. Oops. Now that they're face to face and she can focus on his words rather than just the feeling connecting them, the pieces are slowly connecting together. At least, they're connecting as best as they can, considering her own memory.]

Are you saying that you arrived before me?

[It would make sense. Time... is twisted, here. It could be that their loops broke at separate times, or that pulling them here had some sort of issue and her being in that dark space even for such a short moment could have caused her to be late. Something like that?]

Early October-ish for MOVING IN

[brilliantdiamond]

--and keep your eyes closed, okay! ...I promise I'll catch you if you trip.

[It's always a little sus when your sibling asks you to close your eyes because they have a surprise for you.]

[It hasn't been too long since Lumine arrived in Nippon, and the two were still deciding where they were going to stay. So far, they've only concretely decided on the West, mainly since that's where Aether needs to be for his soul-healing sessions. But it also helps that the West was more magically inclined, and a few others from Teyvat were already settled here. Still, actually picking a place was a bit trickier, given the free apartments were rather small, and the other options were all shared...]

[But in that time, Aether received a rather interesting offer from the NRL. Which is the surprise he's now leading Lumine to! Slowly. Eventually. Surely there was a better way of doing this than making Lumine follow behind him with her eyes closed all the way from the station, but this is the method he's chosen, okay.]

[princyss]

I don't want to trip in the first place!

[That's her mildly stressed response, but she does trust her brother with her life. So, despite the anxiousness of walking such a long distance without sight, she does as she's told, growing more and more confident with each step.

She still does get wary when he tells her to step up, or to slow down for one thing or another, though, and that slows the whole thing down.]

Just how much further is it?

[brilliantdiamond]

Just a little bit further!

[He's gonna have to hope the surprise factor is enough to make up for the annoyance factor--]

[It's clear at some point that they must be walking up to a building, going up a set of wooden steps, before a door slides open, and he moves behind her instead, hands resting on her shoulders to stop her in place.]

Okay-- open your eyes!

[And when she does, she'll find that she's standing in the entranceway of a traditional Japanese home -- a rather large one, given the size of just the entranceway. There's a colorful banner hanging across the walkway, written in their own native language whatever that was idk space-ish in Aether's handwriting with little sparkles and flowers drawn on: Welcome Home.]

[And Aether himself is grinning and-- also sparkling, this is happening.]

What do you think? Better than a tiny studio apartment, right?

[princyss]

[As Lumine opens her eyes, the surprise takes over her features immediately. She's touched, warmed all at once, and the home... is beautiful? She had no idea that they'd be able to get much of anything, so something like this is unbelievable.

She leans closer, but doesn't step in any further than this, like she's afraid to enter something so pristine. Her arms do outstretch, and she smiles after a moment of just awe, then whirls to catch Aether in a hug.]

How did you find something like this? It's amazing! The banner... [Her voice goes a little softer.] Can I keep it?

[brilliantdiamond]

[HUGS!! But okay that little question makes him laugh.]

Of course you can keep it! This is our home now. We can decorate it however we want!

[Just saying that out loud -- our home -- is enough to get him feeling a little misty eyed. Just how long has he been looking for "home" -- for Lumine? How many worlds did they visit together, never finding one that felt suitable enough to call home? He doesn't know whether or not Nippon will fit that bill, but at least for right now, this feels like a solid choice.]

I got a message from the NRL yesterday, and I guess the government has a lot of surplus homes they're remodeling, so they've offered some to the refugees. Since it'll take time for there to be enough homes for everyone, they have a raffle system-- and I won!

[FIVE STAR GACHA UNLOCKED]

It's a little empty, and-- probably a lot more space than we need. But they gave us some funds to buy furniture, and the Geiko back at the dorm even offered to help us with decorating! I-- haven't actually seen inside yet past the doorway, but I heard there's supposed to be a surprise in one of the rooms!

[princyss]

[So they get to experience it together? That's even better news, and she smiles as she takes Aether's hand in her own.]

It's the perfect time to take a tour. We can plan out how to decorate everything together.

[And see whatever this surprise is for the first time, too! She urges him forward with a tug, but this time she doesn't just yank him along for the ride. She wants him to step together with her, so it's truly entering their "home" together.

Home. She has a lot of feelings on it, too, of course. But here, with her brother? That's all she needs.]