Chapter Text
Lumine was at her wit's end. Nahida had always charged her with the "noble" task of supervising the Wanderer, which meant preventing him from committing any ridiculous atrocities.
Well, today was the first day she'd failed.
She shook her head in frustration as she phased through teleport points, bouncing off cliffs and undergrowth, bounding over little streams or deftly dodging a crocodile. The way to Phardis Dhyai was chock-full of life, and she'd have stopped to slay a fungi or two, but the situation was dire.
I should have known. She recalled the earlier morning, when she and the ex-Fatui sat across eachother in a smokey cafe of Port Ormos's.
"Why did you take me here?" The Wanderer had asked irritably. She had pulled him away suddenly during their visit to the Port and shoved him hastily into the cafe, like a merchant hiding away Canned Knowledge.
"There's a terrible commotion in the docks." Lumine tried to reply vaguely. "I thought you wouldn't want your day broken so easily."
"By now I thought you'd understand, anything away from trouble does break me." He pierced her with an icy glare. "A good day is any day I put unruly beings in their place."
"And how do I know the trouble won't worsen?"
"Oh? So you're worried for me?" He traced the rim of his tea cup in mock surprise. He had been doing that more often - finding ways to annoy her in the littlest ways. She didn't know why he kept doing it. Did he want her to bash his stupid smile away with his hat? "Should've just said it. This cafe is much too boring and idle."
"I mean, how do I know you won't cause more trouble?" Lumine rephrased with an edge just as sharp as his stare. Then she shook her head. "Nevermind. Let's finish our food and then-"
"DOTTORE IS IN THE DOCKS AND WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" A familiar flying shape crashed into the conversation.
The change in the Wanderer's face was like turning day to night. His grip tightened on his cup. He no longer had a smirk on his face.
Paimon! Lumine shot her a glare, and Paimon winced, twiddling her fingers. "S-Sorry... Paimon just wanted to, you know, look out for both of your safety!"
The Wanderer had already downed his cup and was gearing to go. Lumine huffed and stood herself, with Paimon profusely apologizing behind her.
"May I have some alone time?" The Wanderer said too suddenly. "Nature's calling."
"What? No! I'm going with you!" Lumine said as quickly, and only when a nearby customer stared in mild horror did she change her words.
"Oh." She strained to keep her composure in front of her bemused companion. "Fine. But no tricks up your sleeve, okay?"
"Okay."
"And after 5 minutes, meet me outside, and we report back to Lesser Lord Kusanali, okay?"
"You're not my mother." A scowl lined his face for a moment, then disappeared with a roll of his eyes. "Got it."
"Paimon and I will be waiting, then."
They had waited.
And of course, the Wanderer didn't report back.
So here Lumine was, presently only 20m away from Phardis Dhyai, with Paimon herself heading to Nahida in the opposite direction to call for backup. Lumine hoped the eyewitness accounts she'd heard of a "strange, plate-wearing individual" and "a charismatic, well-dressed noble" walking to Phardis Dhyai were true. If not...
I can't disappoint Nahida. And if the Wanderer, that damn....
Lumine almost thought about him through his given name, but she paused. Although the Wanderer had allowed her to name him, she never addressed him as such, instead simply calling him "Wanderer." It was much like how people called her "Traveler" - they were not close, but they had great respect for her. In this case they were not close, and they had something that goes far deeper than respect.
Loathing. Pure, absolute loathing. To call him by a name was to give an invitation of friendship. But Lumine was just fine with being acquainted foes...
Until she heard a scream, and the sound of limb tearing from limb.