Back To You || Kazuha

Chapter One

"All aboard! All aboard!" One of the crew members of the ferry ship yells, waving his hands in the air to guide the other passengers in. You ran in his direction, avoiding the people that were rushing in the other direction but took a quick stop, almost bumping into him if you hadn't stopped yourself in time. You show him your ticket and he gives a curt nod before letting you in. You walk your way towards the upper deck and when you reached the area, the wind greets you, giving you soft kisses on the cheeks.

You drop your luggage by the bench and walk towards the terrace. "Beautiful..." You take a huge breathe, letting it out after as you watch the sunset over the horizon. Toot! Toot! Toot! As one of the crew members retrieves the anchor, the ship honks thrice before it officially departs. The ferry ship moves in a steady motion, the view of Liyue slowly becoming smaller at sight.

"A lovely sight, isn't it?" A voice spoke from behind. You whip your head to the source of the voice and see a blonde man smiling at you. He wore a light blue shirt that was neatly tucked into his black slacks, a representation that he belonged to a high class. Although it may seem to be a simple get-up, one could notice the fabric of the shirt was made out of fine silk flowers that only the Liyue region grows, thus clothing made from these flowers was almost a symbol of one's wealth, if not mora.

"Please pardon him." A woman beside him says, giving you an apologetic smile. She had the same blonde hair and wore similar clothing to his, only that she wore a one-piece outfit instead of two. "I'm Lumine and this is my brother, Aether."

"I'm (First Name)."

"Judging by your clothing, you must be a Liyuean citizen. May I ask where you're heading to? Or are you here for leisure?"

"Ah, I'm heading to Inazuma."

"A traveler like us? Seems like we're fated to meet."

"Not exactly..."

"Oh? If not for leisure, what for?"

"Lumine." Aether scolds, lightly jabbing her side before harshly whispering in her ear, "Stop it. Don't pry into a stranger's life." Then he turns to you and bows. "Please excuse my sister's behavior. You don't need to answer her question." Lumine mirrors her brother's actions and apologizes as well.

"That's alright." You chuckle, "It's not like it's a secret anyway nor are you bad people. We're friends now, aren't we?" The two siblings' ears perk up and their expressions eager, similar to a puppy when food was ready. You can really tell they're siblings by the way they react. "Well, where do I begin?" The two couldn't contain their excitement and lead you to the bench where you last left your luggage.

An hour after the ferry ship has departed, the flagship of the Crux Fleet, the Alcor departed Liyue's port for the second time as Beidou commanded, going for another round to farm for fish. Though instead of returning to Liyue for the night, Beidou decided that they will stay at sea. She was used to sailing the seas that she's not used to staying on land for prolonged periods of time, which the crew members could understand as they too feel the same for they have traveled with her for years now.

"The scent on the wind is the same as the moments ago..." Kazuha muses, staring out at the light coming from the ship in the middle of the sea. "Kazuha, you've been staring at the ferry ship for a while now."

"A humongous ship it is, one could not help but marvel at its structure. It's almost like a whale or two in size."

"It is indeed bigger than our ship but ours—" She smacks the wooden railing— "is sturdier. Not only that, we have avoided so many casualties that could've damaged the ship thanks to Sea Drake."

Sea Drake, the steersman of the ship who was overhearing the exchange between the two, winks with his right eye and points a finger gun in their direction with his hand. "Aye, Captain! It's not an easy job but it's always been my dream to do this."

"Hmph, being a helmsman is a more difficult job. It requires... thinking. Determining our heading and course is crucial, as well as drawing up nautical charts. I mean, it's quick and easy but troublesome for anyone else." Huixing says, shrugging her shoulders.

This irked Sea Drake and he spoke harshly, "Oh yeah? Why don't come up and steer the wheel? I bet you don't have the strength."

"What a headache." Huixing massages her temples. Sea Drake was about to burst, his veins visibly showing as he clenches his fist around the steering wheel but before he could say anything, Beidou shoots him a look he deems "terrifying" and drops the issue. Huixing followed after, returning to her post to decipher the meaning of the symbols the previous helmsman has left behind.

"Liushi!" Beidou calls, eyeing the crow's nest. Liushi, who was stationed there, looked to where someone was yelling his name from below and as he confirms it was the captain, he replies, "Sea's clear! No sign of abnormality on the weather!" Beidou nods in acknowledgment and Liushi returns on the lookout, humming to the thought of having a feast once the ship reaches its destination.

"I say we lower the sails, Beidou. A storm is coming." Kazuha says, a contradictory statement to Liushi's, after all, reading the sounds of nature is a unique ability of his, which Beidou trusts. "You hear him, yeah?" The crew replies with a yes and starts to move, helping each other out with whatever's needed.

Meanwhile, on the ferry ship, everyone was enjoying the drinks and food provided. Onboard, there was a band called TVT Dream which comprises four hardworking individuals: Bennett, Chongyun, Razor, and Xingqiu. They've performed several upbeat songs, making the atmosphere lively. The three of you were still conversing, talking about the wonderful food that you've tasted in Wanmin restaurant during your stay in Liyue.

As everyone was enjoying, the skies were becoming darker from a hue of dark blue to gray. The lightning flashes for a few seconds, the distant sound of thunder could be heard after. Soon, little droplets of rain start to pour in and the wind becoming more violent as each second passes, bringing your conversation to a stop. You held your bonnet tightly, afraid that it'll fly away in the wind.

The sirens ring and the speakers screech before coming to a stop. "A pleasant evening to everyone. This is the captain speaking. Please return to your rooms for we may experience rough waters. If you do not know the way to your rooms, you will be guided by our crew members. That is all. Thank you."

Panic rises among the passengers as they scramble around, pushing each other just to reach their rooms, not caring about anyone else but their own safety. "Let's go," Aether says, holding onto your hand while the other onto your luggage. "Not yet, Aether," Lumine states, holding onto your other hand. "We won't be able to get our way in with these selfish aristocrats. If only they cared and were civil, each one of us would be inside right now."

Aether nods, his sibling did have a point. The minutes pass for what felt like hours and the heavy rain had made you three soaking wet. The ship violently sways back and forth, Lumine's and Aether's grip on you loosens as they held onto the railing to steady themselves while you, on the other hand, were not able to hold onto something. You tumble backward, sliding onto the other side of the ship. "(First Name)!"

Fortunately, you landed on your back, the railing supporting your weight but a loud creak was heard and suddenly, you were flung backwards. You fell from the ship and your body was enveloped by the cold sea waters.