Kokomi my beloved

The hand of Vega gets closer to me, showing her palm covered in leather; I know what she wants, the sword I took from her and is now in my right hand, tip to the ground, heavier than any sword I’ve held in my life, she wants to fight for Kurea.

Still, my hand doesn’t move, after the story she’s told, all the scenarios in my mind end on her loss. Yes. She’s not good at fighting, and she could lose a lot more than Kurea this time. Instead, what I give her is my left hand on the metal piece of the shoulder.

“Wait, let me talk to him first.”

The seriousness of Vega’s face bends into incredulity that I don’t answer, my eyes are already looking for the man in black and gray.

“Sorry, sir, I’m Jin, from the Adventurers Guild. How do you know Miss Kurea?”

For the first time, the eyes of the man go at me and his face follows. Dark bags that seem recent take away from the clarity of his skin, as clean as the hair that grows back and ties behind his head.

“That does not concern you, young man.” His deep and serious tone doesn’t leave room for replies. “I’m here to mend everything broken since the day she stole that sword.”

I can feel the surprise of Vega and Al-Tair as well as mine. The word “stole” makes everything fall into place, she can’t wield it, and it explains the magic that keeps it sheathed, must be a safety measure. If so, it is my duty to help this man. But a voice in the back of my mind tells me I’m wrong, and as I turn around, the faces of the people tell the same. It doesn't matter if she stole it, she can't go with him.

Vega, the one with the louder face, shows me her open hand again.

I take a deep breath, hoping that helping Kurea is the right thing to do.

As soon as the sword goes back to her, Vega charges forward, raising her weapon vertically above her head. She’s going for a vertical slash, she's will miss.

The steel cuts the air, tracing an arch in the spot where the man was. It took him just a step back to avoid the knight in training, however, she’s not wasting time to raise the tip of her blade and lunge it forward.

The space made by the man before is enough to read her move and step aside doing a quarter or a turn, his hand goes to the handle of one of his swords. My muscles tense, my turn to fight is coming.

When he unsheathes, the sound of metal clashing fills the port, he strikes Vega’s sword up and the knight bends backwards from the impact, letting her weapon slip from her hands and fly up.

I jump up and forward, extending my arms forward to catch grab the handle, I get it, and point the sword downwards at the man I’m falling to.

He evades again stepping back, the steel penetrates the wood, and his foot hits my sides.

But I can’t let go of the sword, not yet, I pull it towards me and try to stand, but a second kick gets my head and my body hits the port. My eyes close, as I hear the heavy footsteps of Vega getting closer to grab her weapon.

The are now more stars in the sky, some are dancing even, the sound of metal clashing and waves feels distant.

This is not the first time I’ve felt myself fading away.

A long time ago, a hit to my head almost made me pass out, and someone else was there to help me. My dear friend, wearing a yellow uniform that matched mine and made us look much more alike, he lifted me up, and the blue shine of the jewel hanging on his neck helped me stay awake.

He told me to rest, that he would come back later.

But the next time I saw him, that jewel lost his color and he lost his life.

I kept the faded rock with me, hanging on my neck inside my now adventurer uniform as a memento, and a promise.

And now that necklace is pulling away from me.

My eyes open wide and I take a deep breath. How long was I blacked out? What did I miss? Where’s everybody?

I sit up and look around to a scene I never expected.

Vega, laying at the end of the stairs, has Al-Tair kneeling by his side, both looking at a Kurea that walks to the man without the fear she had before.

She’s dragging the claymore by the handle with just one hand, with the other she’s hanging on her neck a jewel I’ve seen before.

A blue jewel that shines with its own light and shows Kurea’s resolution, a rhomboid shape in a square golden frame that makes him recognizable despite being so rare.

A Vision.

His Vision.

The nation of Mondstadt is know for their wine, their perpetual winds, and above all, the freedom to do anything you want. That freedom is protected by many, and there’s a group of protectors that shine amongst them all, the Knights of Favonius.

In Mondstadt, I am the daughter of innkeepers and the little sister of two brothers; the older, an already appointed knight who comes back home every night he can; the younger is a merchant, he supplies the inn with food and wine as part of his trades.

Then there was me, a Favonius Knight… in training.

And I was bad at it.

Not at the training, I can remember the Code with ease, I know all the stances, thrusts and slashes, but that doesn’t matter when it’s time to show results, and mine were all loses and failures.

It started to weigh on me, but that same training taught me how to bear it; I had to, the pride on my parents’ faces was something I wanted to keep until I could stand up to it, coming back home with my armor still on made them smile, it was better than show myself bruised.

A year ago, things started to change, but aside from the new trainees I could get some wins to, the most important was that I got old enough to drink. Oh Barbatos, the weight disappeared and I started coming home much later, many days I went straight to bed still wearing my armor and woke up almost late for training.

I knew that shouldn’t last, but I just couldn’t stop, losing in my training felt justifiable because of the hangover and the losses made me go for booze.

Then it happened. Training ended earlier because of Ludi Harpastum festivities, a short rest before the test to become a true Knight of Favonius, which was also my last try, I told myself that day was the last one I would drink, I would spend the remaining days training sober and ask my brother for help. I entered the bar that evening.

The next thing I remember is waking up in a ship to Inazuma, surrounded by nothing but sea.

That's enough. I stop recalling and raise my eyes to the stairs in front of me. I’m sitting legs crossed over the wooden floor of the port, right where it ends and the rock stairs begin, in front of me, on the second step, Jin sits with his fingers intertwined in front of his face, behind him, Al-Tair and Kurea are beside each other. All three listened to my story without saying a word and now only the sound of waves fills the air. The lively stands behind me are empty, and the only source of light comes from the full moon and stars above us. Occasionally, people pass by our side, all of them have a different place to go.

Deep inside, a part of me wishes to have the same.

Jin speaks, his tone has not the same nervousness nor the seriousness he’s used before, a single question leaves his mouth.

“And then you met Ms. Kurea and pretended to be a knight to gain her trust…?”

I turn to her, and my stomach sinks when she turns her face away. To be honest, it wasn’t her trust I cared about, I saw she needed help to get on the ship and something moved me to lie for her, to stop making people suspect on a girl with a claymore she couldn’t lift.

Then she stuck to me, and the more I met her, the more I found she needed someone to guide and protect her. I felt it had to be me; I wanted it to be me.

But now she turns away and I understand, none of the reasons I say will make her let me stay.

It doesn’t matter anymore, then, she knows I’m not a knight, after this, the adventurer will escort her, and I will go back home and face everybody.

I'll go back to my original plan. It will be like I never met her.

My eyes go back to Jin while the rest of my face contorts. What started with a lie will end with one.

“Yes. I was with her because I didn't want to go back to Mondstadt, that's the only reason.”

He squints. Does he know I’m lying? Please, don’t say anything. Jin’s opening his mouth and I feel the cold air of fear fall upon me.

The voice that follows is not his, the adventurer furrows his brow at the darkness behind me, all four of us turn our eyes to the man that called for one of us with a deep, serious voice.

“Kurea-dono.”

It's a man much older than us. Judging by his clothes, he’s inazuman, dark fabric topped with a gray coat with black cloud patterns, his hair is a mix of black and white, long and smooth, tied behind his head and getting lost behind his back. Two swords of different lengths rest on his hip.

He seems to know Kurea, is he a family member? Much better, you can always count on your family. He’ll join her on the adventure she wants.

I turn my face to the adventurer, wondering if he felt the same as me. He opens his mouth first, still looking at the contents of his cup.

“This is my favorite tea.” His mouth curves slightly upward. “After a hard mission, or day, a cup of it makes it all pass faster.”  He glances at me and our eyes meet, the smile fades away. “Anyway, it’s the best of Chenyu Vale, hope you like it.” And hides behind the teacup.

I close my eyes for my second sip, this time, the field of leaves is covered in dew drops, and the subtle smell of earth makes the flavor deeper, more intense, more pleasant. I feel myself melting on the chair once again when the creak of wood brings me back.

At the entrance, two groups of people come one after the other, the first, four men that smell like the sea, the second, foreigners of brighter hair covered in steel and leather everywhere except their faces.

Finally, behind them, the smooth shiny armor of Vega announces her arrival and I find her sword now hanging by her hip, behind her Al-Tair enters and closes the door.

“Kurea, Jin.” Vega greets us while sitting by my left, the last seat is taken by Al-Tair who raises a hand to greet me.

“Miss Vega…” Jin’s voice sounds weaker. His face contorts for a second, clears his throat, and continues talking with his regular tone. “Is everything okay now?”

“Of course. I must thank you for your assistance, it kept the process--”

My hand grabs her sleeve and makes her turn to me. She’s using knight-speak again, but this is not the time, and I look at her with the expectation that she understands my tacit message. Her face, however, it just a big interrogation.

“You don’t need to talk formally” I explain, but her expression remains. “Really, it’s okay.”

The table goes silent for a second, until Vega exhales a heavy “Thanks Barbatos.” and slouches forward, placing her elbows on the table, and leaving the weird dagger with bronze handle fall on the wood, which causes a clink on the pair of remaining tea cups. “There, we’re even now. Tea? No thanks, can I get a beer?”

She starts looking around for service, finds none, and stands. Muttering a “Do I need to do everything here?”, she walks into the restaurant followed by one of each group that came at the same time as her.

At our table, Al-tair goes for a cup of tea. Liyuean customs dictate that Jin pours it for him, but he is stunned from the switch of Vega. I have to admit it’s amusing how her actions and words seem to never fit his expectations, but I must to contain my fun, as my face is crossed by a smile that promptly hide behind the tea.

“She likes her knight code” I say after I down the empty cup, this time the adventurer reacts on time and fills it while I keep explaining. “But more often than not, those customs didn’t help on the time we spent on the boat coming here. Mr. Jin, this version of Vega will help for the favor you want to ask, I hope you understand.”

“…yes, yes, miss Kurea, I understand” Jin says, regaining his previous composure thanks to his drink. Finally, he picks the dagger and puts it inside his pouch. “I trust you know her well”

My mind is filled with memories of her training me to carry my sword, late night talks full of worries and guidance, and her telling me to trust the word of a Favonius Knight, swearing to guide and protect me in my adventure.

“I do know her well.” This time, I don’t hide my smile.

Vega comes back after a while with a small bottle; green crystal filled with a dark liquid. As soon as she touches her seat, she pours out the dark, red liquid out of the bottle right into her mouth.

“Girl on the counter said this one is good, does anyone want?”

 “I fine with the tea, thanks, you should give it a try, too.” I say.

"Those smiths were annoying, I need something stronger. Too bad there’s no beer or rum in this place.”

“Wine will have to do, then, enjoy. Mr. Jin, wasn’t there something you wanted to say?”

“Right…” He finishes his tea, leaves the cup on the table and starts speaking. “I know someone that can help with the claymore.”

“Nice,” Vega says “How much?”

“I don’t want money…”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want you to…”

He pauses and looks at the guy by his side, did Jin not tell him? Vega shrugs and prompts the bottle to her mouth.

Movement in the background calls my attention, the two men that went inside the restaurant after Vega, the one in armor comes out with a bottle bigger than my companion’s, sits with his group and all burst in laughter, the other one makes his group come closer, tells them something, and all change to table by our side.

“…I want you to escort this person” Jin gestures at Al-Tair. “He’d like to visit Mondstadt.”

Vega places the bottle on the table. “Not happening. I’m not going back.”

“I want to visit Mondstadt too!” I interject, hiding my surprise, Vega never said anything about not returning to her nation. “You need to make your report, you told me, I thought we could make a deal.”

“My report can wait, I was thinking about taking you to Fontaine.”

The nation of water? A shiver goes up my back at the thought of it. “You must be joking.”

Vega laughs, “Yeah I am, thought about taking you to explore Sumeru first.”

I find myself blinking quickly in surprise. The idea of Sumeru tempts me, and with Vega not wanting to return in the meantime, it looks like the best option. She smiles, knowing she's taking me to her side, looks at Jin and shows the palms of her hands. “Sorry, ask for something else.”

It seems that Jin doesn’t want another thing, his face is wrinkling thinking a new offer when Al-Tair takes out a slip of paper and a pen, writes "I can go alone" and shows it to the adventurer, but he moves his head side to side in a negative. Meanwhile Vega, who has already finished her bottle, announces she’s going for another.

The table of guys in armor gets louder, and that reminds me of the ones with sea smell by our side, they’re trying to speak low, but there’s leaks of reproach in their occasionally risen tone that also call the attention of the rest of my table.

“Those Knights of Favonius…”

“…teach them manners…”

“I know people of Mondstadt that keeps their cool better...”

“...but recent appointed knights forget what respect is…”

“Wait, how do you guys know they’re new Favonius Knight?”

“ ’cause they look young and have that symbol on their chest piece… All of them have it.”

One of those knights stands up, apparently assigned to get a new bottle of wine, and my eyes go to him, on the piece of metal that covers his whole torso, there’s a golden symbol that resembles a pair of wings taking the shape of a shield against the silver background of his protection.

A thought flashes in my mind, and I can see it in the faces of Jin and Al-Tair too.

The door of the restaurant opens and Vega comes with a second bottle but stops midway when she notices our eyes on her.

She smiles nervously, sees the knight of Favonius that passes in front of her, and then her chest piece. Silvery smooth, as it always has been.

Before anyone opens her mouth, she’s running away, jumping over the fence at the entrance.

Jin is the first to stand up and go after her.

Al-Tair stands and offers me his hand, with a bit of sadness in his eyes.

No… it’s not sadness, it’s sorrow.