I think we'll be ok (lumine centric)

Vega

Vega woke in a cold sweat. She was fine. She had to speak with the other harbingers today. The Summer Re-rankings are in one week, and they had things to discuss.

She was still getting used to being in her home. It was grand, sure. And hidden above everything, deep in the snowy mountains of Snezhnaya. She had woken up here after a strange set of dreams. What she gathered from the open letters on her desk, was that she had joined the Fatui at 15, two years ago, directly under the harbinger Arlecchino. After two long years of training with her vision, and delusion, she had been emergency-promoted to Harbinger. She already knew the Tsaritsa well. She had not heard of La Signora's death until one week ago when she had been called in momentarily by Arlecchino herself.

She had been put through a long week of training, in which she was confined for 3 days with nothing to do, eat, or drink. And then she had to fight her way out of multiple ambushes (which Vega passed with flying colors.)

Still, Arlecchino had scoffed and trudged to the Zapolyarny Palace, where The Tsaritsa resided on an icy throne.

Thinking on it, Vega had vague, fuzzy memories of these events. Still, she had lied when her maid had feigned concern.

She knew that nobody here cared for the Tsaritsa. The Tsaritsa certainly didn't care for them.

Vega had long since left her love for her god behind. Anyone in Snezhnaya is there only because they don't have the means to move, or because they are trapped with family working in the ever-growing Fatui.

Vega hated it, she did. She didn't want to be a Harbinger, let alone Fatui. But she feared what would happen to her, or her family, if she didn't comply with what the harbingers demanded. This had, though, brought up the thought of her family. She couldn't remember who they were.

Blurry figures with pale skin and blonde hair, such as her.

That's all she knew of her past. Now, she was a warrior; a machine for the Cryo Archon.

And the Summer Re-rankings are being held in one week.

Summer my ass. She thought, remembering how cold she had been trying to fall asleep. Damned Snezhnaya.

Still. Vega had gotten dressed. Plain black turtleneck sweater. Armor layered over that, elegantly designed to be a detailed dress. She pulled on boots and clipped her Electro delusion to her belt, her Cryo vision sending shocks of cold through her hip as she clipped it to the opposite side of her belt. She pulled thick boots on, combed her hair, and the works. She sheathed her gleaming golden blade and left her large home, preparing to descend into the small town called Morepesok. A fishing village by the seaside.

Her presence was well known in Snezhnaya. The news didn't leave this nation often, but when something happened, everyone and their cousin knew.

She was the youngest to become a harbinger (Tartaglia had not become a harbinger until 18). She was the only harbinger who had been in the Fatui less than eight years. She had not even been known by anyone before being promoted. She knew most hated her; just another puppet working for the Tsaritsa. Just another bit of Fatui scum who couldn't escape this winter hellscape in time.

Just another victim.

Still, she fought hard and trained harder.

In Morepesok, there was one person who did not hate her so; an old man, seemingly too old to comprehend what her status was. She felt bad for taking advantage of his deliriousness, but she had to learn to be less sensitive to be in a job like this. Still, she had an attachment to him since they met three days ago. She dropped by, said good morning, and hurried to Zvezda; the "office" of the Fatui. It was just where drunkard Fatui members sparred.

Still, she was assigned reign over that area, and she was determined to not become a bigger fool than she had already made of herself.

She hated how it all happened so fast; how every bit of life she could remember happened only within the last week.
———(The Rescue Team)——

"Paimon, it's been.. 20 days. We... have found nothing. The window was a bust. We're trying not to lose hope, but there's only so much we can do. Is there anybody, anybody at all who may know anything about Lumine."

"Paimon is so scared, Paimon wasn't thinking. Maybe we could ask Hu Tao, or Mona. Or Kazuha! He hears things on the wind. We also know the Liyus Qixing. We're nearest to Liyue, let's start there!"
Paimon cheered. Unlike the rest of the rescue team, Paimon had only gotten more determined to find Lumine after they started losing hope.

Even Amber seemed less determined.

———(back in Mond)——-
The Acting Grandmaster had finished her fieldwork. Being who she was, she was still stressed.

The Honorary Knight was very important to her, after all. So she tried to find clues whenever she could.

After Lumine had initially been taken, Jean had searched for clues, and came up with nothing- even with Diluc's intel on the Fatui. Still, Jean walked to Angel's Share, nodding at the bard outside and entering. Diluc was serving a particularly annoying group today. Of course, Kaeya wasn't in his usual seat, being out with the rescue team and all.

Jean watched the group walk away from Diluc. She approached him. "Hello, Master Diluc. Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon to you, as well. What brings you to Angel's Share?"

Normally Jean might make a joke about not being able to drink in peace, but the truth was, she never did drink.

"Master Diluc, have you any news on.. our.. contacts?"

Diluc understood immediately. He set the glass he was cleaning down.
"Charles, take over for a moment, please."

Diluc gestured for Jean to follow him, and she did. In the back alley behind the winery, he pulled an envelope from his pocket.

"This," he said, "can. NOT. Fall into the wrong hands. Burn after reading."

"Thank you."

Master Diluc nodded. "Ah, and before you go; there is one thing unwritten in the letter. The Fatui seem to have elected a new harbinger. To replace La Signora."

Jean's eyes widened. "Already!?"

Diluc nodded. "The timing is quite strange. I will keep you updated."

Jean's lips parted in shock at what he was implying.

She nodded again in thanks, and they parted ways for the night.