"Wake up, she's here. You wouldn't want to keep her waiting, do you?" The masked man said with a grin as he patted Childe's shoulder.
Childe immediately swatted his hand away. "I know." He scowled.
***
"We're here. Snezhnaya." Paimon put her hands an her waist.
"Put these on. I don't want you freezing to death." Lumine handed Paimon earmuffs and mittens.
"Thanks." Paimon beamed a smile. She quickly put it on and floated ahead of Lumine.
"Next stop. Morepesok!" Paimon said energetically.
***
"I think our little traveler friend will need some escorts." The masked man said.
"No need." Childe said. "I'm going by myself."
"I don't think so." The man shook his head.
"I'll return." Childe furrowed his eyebrows. "I always do." He looked away.
The masked man raised an eyebrow. "Point taken." He laughed. "Very well."
***
"Ajax!" Lumine ran to him. The instant that they saw each other, they both ran into a hug.
"Starlight. You actually came." He said, sounding genuinely surprised.
"Of course I did." Lumine simply said. "I'm honored to have this opportunity."
Childe couldn't help but just smile. Weakly.
He pulled her in for another hug. This time, a little tighter. "I missed you. So much." He said.
Lumine giggled. "I missed you so much too." She pulled away.
"So... where's Teucer and the others?" She asked excitedly.
Childe laughed. "Can't I have you for myself for a little longer?" He asked.
"Ajax..." Lumine raised an eyebrow at him.
"Just for a little while. I want to show you around first." He said.
Lumine sighed. "Alright. Just for a while."
And so, as Childe said, they went around for a little while; Childe showing her his hometown and spots from his childhood.
He shared stories. He shared a lot of them.
And as the time passed, he knew that little trip would eventually end.
"And for our final destination of the day, it's going to be a little farther. Bear with me." Childe said.
"Is it another one of your favorite spots as a kid?" She asked.
Childe laughed. "Well... not exactly." He said.
He didn't say anything else. He just held her hands tightly. Very tightly.
***
It was like being in one of those abandoned cabins or bases that was a little too familiar for comfort for Lumine.
Something was off.
She saw it coming. She knew it was going to happen, but she wanted to believe it wasn't the case.
But right now, the very thing she anticipated is staring her at the face.
Childe disappeared out of nowhere and now she's on her own in an unknown place.
Thankfully it wasn't dark. But what rubbed her the wrong way was the ensemble before her that made the whole set up more and more... unsettling.
"Welcome traveler." A wide grin.
"Where's Ajax?" She glared.
A familiar face appeared before the man. "Who?" He asked.
"You know who he is." Lumine kept her glare.
"You mean Tartaglia?" The boy laughed, his ginormous hat's little hanging bits dancing a bit. "He's okay, isn't that right Doctor?" He faced the masked man beside him.
Lumine simply raised an eyebrow.
"Tip top shape if I do say so myself." He nodded. "But we're getting ahead of ourselves. I believe I have yet introduced myself. Il Dottore, or to some, Doctor." He offered his hand.
Lumine looked at it for a moment before scowling at them. "I'm not interested with the Fatui." She scoffed. "I don't trust any of you."
Dottore laughed. "Don't trust the Fatui? That's ironic coming from someone who came all the way to Snezhnaya to look for a Fatui Harbinger." He said. "I didn't know the famous traveler was this funny."
"Stupid more like." Scaramouche rolled his eyes.
"Tell me, dear traveler, if it's not trust, then why did you step foot in this place while knowing full well that Tartaglia, the person you were with, is one of us?" Dottore asked.
"That's right. I was with him and now he's nowhere to be found. I know you're hiding him here somewhere." She said.
Dottore chuckled. "Stubborn one aren't we?" He muttered.
"I told you, we should've just let someone else talk to her. There's no reasoning to someone blinded by their own reality." Scaramouche said, brushing off imaginary dust on his hat.
"I can't say that all the talk about her didn't pique my interest." Dottore said, his eyes glued to the traveler.
"If you two want to keep talking, suit yourself. I'll be in the chamber." Scaramouche lazily waved goodbye as he left the room.
"Chamber?" Lumine raised an eyebrow.
"Don't think much of it. Right now, we have different matters to address." Dottore said.
***
"The cure, where is it?" Childe asked.
"You're not in the position to bargain." Scaramouche gave him a grin.
"We had a deal." Childe glared.
"We'll uphold it when your little lover is out of the way." Scaramouche shrugged.
"What do you mean?" Childe his hands balled into a fist.
"It means what it means." Scaramouche gave a chuckle.
Childe took a step closer to him, but the two Skirmishers instantly got into battle position. Childe instantly sensed he's outnumbered so he simply took a step back.
"You promised no harm will come to her." He said, his glare not fading.
"Sure. But there are no promises if we're trying to defend ourselves." Scaramouche said before exiting the room.
Childe looked back at the Vanguards behind him, clicked his tongue and headed to the door.
***
"You sent her what!?" Childe looked at them with anger.
"Relax, it's just a letter." Dottore rolled his eyes.
"With my name on it! I did not consent to this." Childe scoffed.
"Oh? But didn't you agree to the deal?" Dottore raised an eyebrow.
"I wasn't aware of this part of the deal." Childe crossed his arms.
"You should've clarified it then." Dottore gave out a small chuckle.
"Well I'm clarifying it now. Don't use my name." Childe said angrily.
Dottore sighed. "A little too late for that now. I'm afraid the letter has already been sent." He shrugged.
"What? But I just got here. I haven't-" Childe paused. "Hang on, you sent that letter way before I-"
"No take backs Childe. A deal's a deal." Dottore said.
***
"Okay, stop this tour bullshit. You still have'nt answered my question." Lumine stopped on her tracks.
"Hmm?" Dottore hummed, as if asking innocently.
"Where is Ajax?"
Dottore gave a small chuckle. "These two." He said under his breath.
"Just up ahead." Dottore told Lumine. "You'll see him, be patient."