My Dear Friend | Chilumi

The Thrill Of The Kill

One month. One month of not a single letter, a single sign of life from the man whose last written words to Lumine were "see you soon". Disappointed was a small word for how she had been feeling every day. Every day she asked for mail and wasn't handed anything or anything significant. Every day Paimon would try to lighten the mood and tell her "Maybe tomorrow.". There was never something when tomorrow came and the cycle would repeat. She had kept setting back the date of her departure on the Alcor, waiting for something she knew would never come, because hope had been stronger than the constant disappointment. Today though, discouragement had taken over as well as impatience. Today she would board the Alcor and she would wait no more for someone who couldn't even write back.

The duo approached the docks where Beidou and Kazuha were waiting to bring them back to the nation of eternity.

"Hey, traveler. Finally ready to go back? When you told me you were ready I was almost expecting you to cancel the day before like last time." Beidou asked with her arms crossed and her suave voice.

"I've completed everything that was left open for me here." She said, partially lying to herself. "I'm ready. Paimon is ready. Time for a change of scenery." She added with a determined smile and honest tone.

"The pleasure is always ours to have you on board, traveler." Kazhua said, his calm composure intact as always.

They boarded the ship and Beidou ordered her crew to lift the anchor and raise the sails while the captain took the wheel and directed them toward Inazuma. She first planned on going to Inazuma to get some commissions and tasks up to date, and clear everything that needed to be cleared before continuing to Sumeru. Now, she also wanted to get out of Liuye and clear her head, see her friends and not think of Ajax.

The skies were clear and the waters were calm, the sea had opened its doors to the Alcor and rewarded them with smooth sailing. The journey was meant to last a day at most, and they had left in the early morning, their arrival was planned for the late evening. Beidou had started a drinking contest with the other sailors and Kazuha had invited the traveler to join. Lumine respectfully declined, as she wanted to be able to get off the ship on her two legs.

"She's the wisest one here!" Cried out a sailor who was already too drunk to win the contest Beidou was bound to win anyway. Which she did, not long after. Kazhua had tapped out as he felt too nauseous to keep going. The captain chugged down her winning cup and collected the money from her winnings. Kazhua, stable on his feet and his brain still functional despite the ungodly amount of alcohol he had ingested, sat down next to the Traveler.

"How are Paimon and Lumine on this fine day ? " he said.

"We are just peachy! How have you been Kazhua ?" Paimon answered.

"I've been doing good since I'm not considered a criminal in my own country anymore, haha. " He laughed in a soft tone. "Although, I must admit I was wondering what took you so long to travel with us." He added.

"I was waiting to receive something before I could leave. " Lumine said.

"Did you get what you were waiting for?" He asked.

"Not exactly. It wasn't important anyway." She lied.

"Lumi, that's not.." Paimon started before Lumine tugged her foot. She didn't want to talk about it.

"Cheers to a new adventure then." Kazhua declared, ignoring Paimon's attempt to comment on the situation.

"Yeah," Lumine responded in a sour tone.

The rest of the day passed by smoothly, the calm waves of the sea rocked the vessel in an irregular soothing motion and Lumine took the time to lay back and enjoy the sun for the day.