(Fanart credits to Miothle on Hoyolab- https://www.hoyolab.com/accountCenter/postList?id=91057996)
Xiao POV
He was panicking.
Less than a minute ago, Lumine had collapsed unconscious for reasons yet unknown. Though he could feel her pulse, she wasn't responding. A dark aura seemed to be emanating from her. He pressed his lips into a thin line. He decided to take her to Verr Goldet and Wangshu Inn first. If she said that they'd have to go to the Bubu Pharmacy..... then he'd take her there.
Paimon was quietly tagging behind him, probably aware of how worried he was. He teleported in a dark mist right in front of Goldet. "Xiao, you're finally bac- Oh my! What happened?" Goldet's eyes were wide as she looked at the passed out girl in his arms. "I don't know, we were, uh, fighting something, then after it was over, she abruptly collapsed. I have been trying to wake her, but though she is alive, she isn't responding." Verr quickly came out from behind the counter and examined Lumine. With a worried expression, she said, "I don't understand what happened to her. Perhaps it would be best for you to take her to-" "Bubu Pharmacy, right?" He finished with a sigh. "Yes..." she nodded seriously. "Though Baizhu and Qiqi might be eccentric, they are quite skilled in their job."
"Very well then." With another poof of dark mist, he disappeared to Liyue Harbor.
Crowded. That was his first thought. Too crowded. There were too many people, and an adeptus with an unconscious girl would be sure to attract a lot of attention. He carefully walked in the sidelines and shadows, silently thankful it was night.
As he walked into the pharmacy towards a green haired man with a snake around his neck, he fastened his pace, coming out of the shadows. "Are you Dr Baizhu, sir?" He asked, keeping his tone as polite as possible. "Ah yes, indeed I am. It's quite a surprise to see an adep-" Xiao gave him his best glare, and it easily scared Baizhu. "W-What may I do for you today, sir?"
Holding the girl in his arms a bit forward, he said curtly, "She needs help." Baizhu bent over her with a concerned face, before calling out, "Qiqiiii!" Come here, Qiqi, and please check on what's wrong with her. Sir, please keep her in the next room." He reluctantly did as was asked, and watched the doctor rummage around in his stores, removing what looked like some herbs, and medicines. "No, not this one... I think this might work." Baizhu muttered to himself. Meanwhile, a small girl with lilac hair, pink eyes and a talisman on her head, came out of the room in which Lumine was, and said in a dreamy voice, "Qiqi has checked over Big Sister, but Qiqi can't find anything wrong." Baizhu sighed. "Well, that'll make things rather complicated. It widens the range of medicines we can use to improve her health and bring her back to consciousness."
Turning to him, Baizhu said, "Then it would seem that she simply got overexhausted and passed out. Did you say that she had been fighting before?" "Yes." "Well, then perhaps that is it. A simple case of tiredness, nothing more." Qiqi spoke up in that same dreamy voice. "Big Brother, Big Sister will be okay soon. She should rest, and not move about too much." Baizhu smiled proudly at Qiqi. He nodded. Might as well take her back to her room in Wangshu Inn. But, though they had said that she would be fine, he couldn't help but feel that something was still wrong.
He carefully set her down on her bed, and tucked her in. Then, with one last glance at her, he disappeared soundlessly into the night, in a poof of dark mist.
Lumine POV
Her insides were burning and freezing. She felt as though coldness and hotness were having a battle inside her. She had no idea what was going on outside of her head. All she could hear was the voices of the monsters of her homeland, all she could see was those demons she had killed in more than many millennia. She didn't know how much time had passed, what happened to her brother. The last memory she had of the real world, was a teal-haired man kneeling over her worriedly as she collapsed.
This continued for what seemed like eons to her.
Until a feeling of iciness pervaded her, drifting through the burning in her body, calming her down. She did her best to push the monsters of her mind away. Slowly, but surely, she started to regain her senses.
She found herself in a familiar room. She sat up abruptly. Bad idea. Her head span dizzyingly. She felt firm hands push her down again. As she blinked, refocusing, she saw two people in the room. A familiar zombie child, and... Xiao?
Oh. Archons. She now clearly remembered what had happened in that abyssal domain. She- She had passed out! In front of Xiao! As she blushed, trying to hide her embarrassment, Qiqi spoke up, "Big Sister Lumine, you should rest." "She is right." Xiao said in a terse voice. Turning to the kid, he said, "Thank you Qiqi." Qiqi nodded and left the room. She bit her inner lip, knowing that Xiao would have a lot of questions.
Xiao sat down on the chair in front of her, and just... stared at her. His lips were pressed in a thin line, as if he was not happy with what happened, so she averted her eyes. Finally he said, "What happened there?" "N-Nothing. It was just some sort of..." "Of what?"
She sighed. "Can we drop the subject? I don't want to talk about it." "Alright." he said curtly.
Paimon chose that exact moment to burst into the room. "LUMINEEE!!! You're finally awake!! You had Paimon worried sick!" She laughed as the pixie hugged her tight, and she hugged her in return. "Yes Paimon, I am awake now. Come on, it hasn't been that long." "Actually it has." Xiao said. He sounded like he was trying to find the best way to phrase his next words. "You have been unconscious for more than a week." "Oh I see- WAIT WHAT!? A WEEK!" Lumine was shocked. She had actually been out that long?
"Yes. I was also worried about you, you know." She didn't answer, looking away. Finally she murmured, "Sorry for making you worry. I wasn't aware of it." "Forget it. What is your next move going to be?" She sat up in the bed, knowing exactly what he meant.
"He... He wanted me to finish my journey... So I will. Like Zhongli said, I intend to go to Inazuma next."
Xiao POV
"I intend to go to Inazuma next." There it was, a bombshell dropped onto him. She was... going away. Though on second thought, he shouldn't have been so surprised. She had always said that she was a traveler. Of course she would travel. But that would mean that he couldn't see her again. As much as he hated to admit it, he had grown used to her presence. Her sassy comments, excellent fighting, and the fact that she was always there for him. Even when he was being a stubborn blockhead. Well, not anymore, But who was he to stop her from continuing her journey?
Xiao was quiet for a while. Lumine cautiously asked, "Xiao? Are you okay?" "Yes." he replied stiffly. After another awkward pause, during which Paimon had left the room in search of food, he asked, "Will... Will I see you again?"
Quietly she said, "I wish I could say yes. I really do. But the truth is, I don't know. I don't know whether I'll be able to come back here, meet my friends again. But everyone will forever remain in my memories. That includes you, Xiao."
She suddenly sat straighter up in the bed, as though she had just gotten an idea. "Oh, I know! Why don't you come with me to Inazuma? That way, you'll be seeing me too, and exploring the world too! And I'd have another travel companion beside Paimon!" She was obviously very excited, and he etched that face into his memories forever. He hated to squash that excitement. "I am sorry Lumine, but I can't. I have a contract here with Liyue."
"Oh." She slumped down, visibly disappointed. Biting her lip, she asked him, "Do you really want to stay in contact?" He nodded without hesitation. "Well then, take these." She handed him a bag full of unfamiliar gold coins. Seeing his confusion, she said, "These are drachmas. These are the currency we use in my homeland." "Well, what am I supposed to do with these?" "If you can create a rainbow, drop this drachma in it, and say who you want to see, then it creates a communication screen of sorts." "Uh, I still don't understand."
"Perhaps I should just show you a hands on demonstration then." Lumine said, sighing. "Can you take me to a waterfall?" Without speaking, he extended his hand, which she took. He teleported them to a small and secluded waterfall somewhere in Lisha. She nodded. "This will do perfectly." She took out a torch from her dimensional storage, shining it at the spray of water and forming a rainbow. She then took one of those dracma- no was it drachma? Well, whatever. She took one of those coins, and put it in the rainbow. She then spoke, "Iris, Mount Olympus." The rainbow flickered to reveal a girl seemingly in her teens, with rainbow eyes, and aqua blue hair. She smiled at them. and Lumine smiled back. "Hello Iris, this is Xiao, he is a friend of mine."
Xiao POV
The girl in that screen smiled wider. " Oh, you finally made a friend, Lumi? That's great, it was about time." "Iris! I- I have made a lot of friends, you know. Anyways, I didn't call you to catch up, though I do want to. I wanted to ask if you can let Xiao use Iris messaging to stay in contact with me, since I have to travel and complete my journey in this world."
"Woo-hoo, if its for little Lumi's friend, then sure, why not? In fact, your dear friend can even skip the formalities and just put in a drachma and talk to you." Iris said with a sly grin. Both their cheeks reddened, and Lumine exclaimed, "IRIS! Stop embarrassing me! I am NOT A LITTLE GIRL ANYMORE!" Of course, this had the exact opposite effect that they wanted. The seemingly little girl started laughing heartily. "Oh Olympus, you haven't changed a bit Lumine! Still as easy to get worked up as ever!" "Uh well then, now that that's sorted out, we'll go, I have, uh, some things to do. Byeee!" Without giving her a chance to respond, Lumine swiped her hand over the screen, and it dissipated into mist.
"Don't mind her, she loves teasing me, but she is actually a very awesome person, and acts as my best friend and older sis of sorts, though we aren't related by blood." He shrugged. "So now you know how to use this, right?" "I think so. Was it true that you needed to do some things right now?" "Ah, no no, of course not. But can we go back to Wangshu Inn? I would like to relax for a while." Once again, he wordlessly extended his hand, and they both went back to the Inn, as a new day dawned. Both literally and figuratively.
( 2010 words.
Alright guys I am sorry about the delay for this chapter, I kept getting distracted, and had some guests at home. So enjot this, and I intend to start the Inazuma arc next.
Quick Question- I really loved the Chasm archon quest. Do u think I should add it in this story or not?)