Lumine jumped out of the lake with as much grace as a fish being spat out of an underwater geyser. A few moments passed before Paimon's head broke through the surface of the water, floated anxiously before spotting her on the sand. The little pixie has her face scrunched up; mouth pursed and eyebrows drawn in.
"Lumine, are you alright?" asked Paimon anxiously. They had been exploring some of the underwater ruins out of curiosity a few hours prior and as usual, they ran into creatures(souls? stand-ins?) who were in need of their, her, assistance and Paimon caved, so naturally Lumine acquiesced. The little oceanid creature who calls herself Ann, reminded the duo of their other companion, Endora who they left in their Serenitea pot.
"I don't appreciate being forcefully buffetted about by currents if I had to be honest. That place would surely have collapsed in on itself by now." said Lumine. She slowly stood up and used anemo to dry herself off as well as get any sand off her body. Paimon hovered above her silently, Lumine could feel the silent judgment though.
"What did you think, Paimon? Another place with memories that will never again see the light of day. People whose stories were entrusted to me." It seems to be true that events would unfold whenever she's around, too often to be coincidental. So it's just as Zhongli says, that she is to be the proof of Teyvat's existence. A record that cannot be rewritten, even by Irminsul.
"Paimon still does not get it– some of it, at least. Paimon thinks it's very sad that the story of Princess Lyris ended just like that. But it makes sense now why the house is so peaceful." Paimon perked up. "If you think about it, Lumine, isn't it quite like the resting place of the Goddess of Flowers?"
"It's not frozen in time though." Lumine pointed out.
"No, it's not. But Paimon just thinks that for a place so beautiful, it doesn't make you feel happy…" Paimon sounded a bit heartbroken there. "I mean, those places are wishes right? Or memories. They preserve something that is already gone."
Lumine feels torn. That much is true; these places resonate in her heart, stirred emotions. Her mind had wandered down that path more than once before, the 'what-ifs' plaguing her every time she enters a domain that holds memoirs of people so dear. Would she have been the same? Creating something to preserve the memory of her brother. To leave it here in Teyvat because it would be hard to part with her brother, but harder still to carry his remains with her. The possibility had been scary before.
She shakes herself out of her thoughts. Enough about those pessimistic things. Lumine gently pulled Paimon towards her before wrapping her arms around the little thing. Small hands immediately come to cling onto her shoulders, Paimon's form trembling quite a bit.
