Prologue: sobbing heart

Look at the stars looking for something that was no longer there

We're supposed to always be together looking out for each other

The cold of the night that hit my body made me shiver and my body tremble but the cold was not what made me tremble in reality they were the last words you dedicated to me the day we met again

It made me seriously wonder what happened 500 years ago was so important what had happened to the ancient civilization that had been eradicated and returned nothing less than mere memories forgotten by many and remembered by almost no one

Aether truly did not know what motives the archons could have had that led them to destroy the ancient kingdom of which Dainself was a native and from what Aether himself had come to deduce Lumine was also part of this kingdom.

Truly, he could say that what had happened in that kingdom was something horrible. He may not have seen what happened that day, but he had appreciated the consequences that it left behind and the curse that the few survivors of that ancient and advanced civilization had suffered. punishment imposed by the gods of celestia

She wanted to do something for them she didn't know who she was but no doubt her sister had plans to do something big enough something so big that even she was hiding it from him his own twin brother

Before, when they only traveled through the worlds, sailing through the stars, they did not have any secrets between them, they always told each other everything because they knew that they could always count on each other's support.

However, now she had abandoned him, not because of the intervention of a goddess who attacked them, but this time by her own free will, she had abandoned him again.

An unpleasant feeling grew in aether's chest. Was what happened in khaenri'ah enough for her to abandon him to her own brother?

A feeling of jealousy that he had never felt blossomed in his heart, he even felt guilty with himself for having them, he knew they were bad but nevertheless he couldn't help it, he couldn't help but feel displaced in a great way.

and it hurt

More than the aether himself would have liked to admit

The traveler's fingers played with the green grass he was sitting on The traveler's fingers ran over the soft green leaves in an attempt to calm himself.

For the first time in his life, Aether questioned himself, did his sister really need him, did she really even still love him like so many years ago, the fleeting memories of their past, how they smiled at each other until the end, remembering the hard look in their eyes that his sister threw at him before leaving with a hydro emissary from the abyss

Aether felt that she was trembling involuntarily, not with fear, not even because of the cold of the night, but because for the first time since she arrived in Tayved, she also questioned the purpose of her trip, the one that she had made to find your sister, it took her as long as she could. it will take

But now that purpose was questioned by the light itself, a reality that Aether refused to accept at the time, but after the events against the balladeer who had absorbed the electro gnosis and the information that Nahida had revealed to him, he finally began to accept it. It was a truly bitter drink which he had to digest in solitude

Her sister no longer needed him, she was no longer the loving and playful sister that he treasured so much in her memories, now she was the princess of the abyss whose plans were unknown but surely could not be a good thing.

Aether, where were you, Paimon, I was very worried about you, Paimon was looking for you everywhere" the ears of the traveler from another world twitched when they heard the voice of his traveling companion.

Paimon "aether's voice sounded like a slight and weak squawk barely audible her emotional state was not very good she did not allow her to speak with her classic mocking and playful tone that she always used with her traveling companion and her friends

Aether, what's up because you're crying" Paimon's voice sounded with audible concern. Aether blinked as she raised her hand to her cheek, feeling the liquid that was running down one of her eyes, she hadn't even realized the moment in which she had started to cry. crying and yet now she could no longer hide anything from paimon she was insistent perhaps the most insistent being he had known so she could no longer hide her condition from her closest friend currently

paimon "aether stopped the little girl from saying anything" I would like to ask you a question

Paimon blinked for a second before rushing to answer "Oh sure if paimon can make you feel better with that paimon will gladly answer your question

You..........do you think I'm important? "Aether asked Paimon looked at him in a confused way and at the same time worried the tone of Aether's voice was one that she had never heard in the traveler, one of pain, inconsolation, loneliness and......a feeling that Paimon I can't identify

Of course you are silly for paimon you are very important and not only for me for all your friends you are" paimon spoke in a high tone clearly annoyed for feeling that aether was making it seem that he was not important to her or to all the friends that they had done in their travels through Mondstad, Liyue, Inazuma and Sumeru

Paimon would have continued ranting if it weren't for the golden-eyed blonde speaking again "so why.......why did she leave me because she abandoned me we swore to always support each other and be the support of the other and Now I don't seem to care anymore" Paimon's throat dried when he saw the state of his best friend, a state so weak and vulnerable that only one person had seen in the past and now she was the second to see it.

The traveler's tears

Perhaps he doesn't care about me anymore, perhaps I'm even important if I can't even care about my own sister as I can even care about other people" the traveler continued speaking heartbroken at the pain in his being that his sister has abandoned him this time of their own free will "it would be better if I just disappeared and left after all I don't think anyone would mind--

PLAF

The traveler's face turned the blonde felt his cheek burn a small hand mark was burned red on his cheek the shock of having received that blow the traveler's golden eyes looked with shock at paimon who had been the one who hit him

YOU FOOL HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT "paimon yelled at aether while he took him by the collar of his shirt with his small hands" HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT TO PAIMON TO OTHERS

Aether felt how the small fists of her loyal companion struck him lightly on her chest the tears that flowed on paimon's face caused the thorn of her guilt to prick her being.

The traveler's throat was dry, almost scratchy, his tongue felt like lead in his mouth, he felt that he could not speak, that he could not reply, and even more so because even if he had tried to do so, Paimon's next words silenced him emphatically.

Did your trip together with Paimon mean nothing?

our meeting with amber

When we help save mondstadt

when together with the adeptus we help defend liyue against osial

the rescue to nahida

your fight against the balladeer

YOU ARE TELLING PAIMON THAT ALL THAT AND THAT ALL THE FRIENDS WE MADE ON OUR TRIP NEVER CARE TO YOU" the white-haired girl's small fists clenched tightly on the traveler's shirt collar while paimon burst into tears

For the first time since he met paimon, the traveler had nothing to say, he no longer trusted even his words, he felt his eyes itch and get wet

His legs gave out as I fell to my knees embracing his loyal companion. They both held each other tight and cried together.

the relief of the soul through crying finally calmed the aching heart of the traveler enough, it was not fast, perhaps it took him about two hours hugging her companion until she finally fell asleep with her head in his lap

The traveler's hand passed through her friend's hair the gratitude in his gaze the traveler smiled softly at the night sky the beautiful stars that shone were a spark in his heart

He was still hurt by the lumine of course and yet now he had found a new purpose to stop his sister he would not let her sink because of her plans that would lead her to death after all as an older brother he would have to correct his sister

Thank you for always being by my side paimon "the traveler said in a soft whisper as he closed his eyes and let sleep take over his body, he had a more than deserved rest after many tiring days

He was finally able to calm his sobbing heart.

end of prologue

(Well, now to clarify some things about this story, it is that even though it seems so with the final scenes, Aether does not have romantic feelings for Paimon, but nevertheless, if she loves her a lot, you could say that she is the person she appreciates the most, along with Lumine.)

(Now I decided to use Paimon for the scene because it made the most sense. Honestly, it would not make sense for another girl from Genshin Impact to appear out of nowhere and comfort the traveler, besides that Paimon knows him even more and the friendship between the two It is very strong for everything they have been through together)