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A story?.... Yes I think i can do that...
//
When he first heard about the fake god being created in Sumeru, Aether didn't know how to react.
Teyvat was an interesting world with it's seven gods and stories, and never failed to keep him confused. The pieces if information he had gotten about hs sister was one of them. She had told him to continue exploring yet he never went anywhere with it, just making more of the mess that was Teyvat.
But Sumeru had taken his confusion, dropped it off a cliff and then somehow made it worse. The dreams, the desert... He was almost done already and now the fake god destroying plan was the last straw.
As he and Paimon were waiting- his companion never ending worrying chatter- he was scared what was to come next.
//
Once in the sky, with the stars, there were two stars who were born. The stars grew with another, circling each other.
The other stars believed they would die, and fall to another. It was all they knew after all.
//
Nahida was free, and the Balladeer wasn't his problem anymore. (He couldn't express what he had saw in Irminsul, and pushed it as far back in his mind as he could) The last bit of the whole ordeal spooked him a bit with the deal with Nahida and the fatui had made.Paimon was asleep seemly at peace, although he could never tell.
They were in the hotel that they had experienced over and over again, but he stood awake. Too much energy and thoughts for sleeping or sitting, but not enough to move. Usually he and Paimon continued to work even at late hours, and that combining with his thoughts made it impossible to sleep.
The Balladeer's story of betrayal reminded him of older world's, which reminded him of his sister, which made hom think about this world... A looping in his mind.
His hand found it's way to his heart again, simply laying there as he stared at the wall, standing loosely. Aether sighed and finally tore his eyes away from the wall, his hand falling back to his sides.
Glancing at Paimon, he took a step towards the door, glancing outside. The streets were quiet but still seemed lively, with soft lights. Compared to the other nations, Sumeru definitely made them all seem bland.
He continued through the door, staring up at the sky that held the moon. The stars were dimmed, a couple of them covered by clouds. He held out his hands where the constellations appeared that he knew well, but didn't seem to exist in this world. Maybe if he truly looked, he might be able to see similar ones, he knew that it just wouldn't be the same.
Planets held different personalities of the stars, rarely had he found similar ones. This one in particular seemed fake but beautiful, with so many of them clearly visible. The galaxies could sometimes be seen at the right time, so colourful. At times he wondered if his sister saw the same, where she was. Perhaps she did, but after their last encounter, he wasn't sure. He knew that she was still his sister, but she had changed.
He remembered how when looking at the sky, his sister always enjoyed the little stars or admired the moon. He always saw the bigger picture in the sky, but couldn't disagree that the stars and the moon held a beautiful glow. He sighed before yawning and stretching his arms. They fell back to his side as his back started to feel less tense, and walked back to the little room. He might as well try to fall asleep, hopefully this time without the nightmare that seemed to be Sumeru.
//
Time passed, but neither star gave up to the other, instead helping the opposite star. Two stars that together lived in harmony, totalling together.
The other stars eventually gave names to the two stars, ones that fit with their bond.
Two names for each. Kong and Aether were given to the first and partially older star. Meaning the sky, part of the puzzle. The other named Ying and Lumine, for the younger star. Not only because of the brighter glow, meaning glow or light, but to finish the pair.
Sky and light, where the stars resided, and their purpose in life, to glow brighter than other stars when together.
//
The old fake god no longer existed, in many senses. He seems to only remember what he was like, before what he assumes was him changing Irminsul.
Aether is currently walking around Inazuma, Paimon thankfully following him with only some suspicion. He so far knows that for the most part nothing has changed, just about the puppet.
"Paimon's still confused! Why are we going around asking about some old blacksmith stories!" He turns to look at Paimon as she puts her hands on her hips, pouting. He pauses to look at her, even though his feet are still in the water from walking on Tatarasuna island.
He doesn't say anything, as in this world he doesn't bother with speaking much, but simply shrugs. They stare at another, with Paimon observing his face.
"Alright, it's fine! I'm sure you know what your doing!" The faerie giggles a bit before pointing forward. "Onward!"
//
The two stars held their names in the highrst regard, cherishing them. But even though they loved the stars, and their celestial being, they longed for something instead.
The planets they watched held life and mysterious places, had stories of their own, and fascinated the two stars. Circling another, they would often speak to another about how they wished to visit these worlds.
From the world's, they used the knowledge to learn, and to understand. From one they started to call each other twins, and from another they learned of wings. One taught them weapons, and eventually, one to teach them to have new forms.
Leaving behind the stars bodies, they became a form of which many life they had seen before. Kong drew darker colours and Ying still the brighter one. As they flew to their first world they wished to go to the stars collasped, for without the twins they no longer were in harmony.
//
No longer sure of what to call the puppet- perhaps Wanderer fit- Aether stared as he talked with Nahida. The Wanderer had completely changed, not only in appearance but drastically in mentality. As the Dendro Archon informed Wanderer of his old past through memories, his expression was soft and calm.
Quite the opposite of what he remembered before all of this happened.
And after what Aether thought would be the last memory, they suddenly transported back to where he was not long ago. Staring up at the fake god that had already been defeated, while the Wanderer tried to take back his memories, was not something he thought would happen.
(Then again, nothing really in the entirety of Teyvat was something Aether thought would happen.)
//
The two ex-stars traveled many world's, in some becoming the hero, and in some the villain.
The only thing they wouldn't change was their close bond, calling the other Brother and Sister.
//
"Nope! Paimon only does nicknames! If it's a serious name your after, it's all yours." Paimon and Nahida both turned to him, clearly expectant. Aether froze as he realized he would have to name his now ex-enemy. The Wanderer turned to him as well, which made him freeze even more.
"Have you got anything?"
He had named many things, pets or objects, in his life. He had also named himself at times, instead of his original names. But this was one of the first times he can remember that he is naming another person.
His hand goes to his chin as he looks around the room for thoughts, but nothing comes up. Patiently the three wait for him, but that doesn't make him want to go any slower. He thinks and thinks, eventually thinking of a world that he adored.
He wasn't sure what his made up name could even mean in this world, but his mind was made up, and it seemed to fit just by how it sounded, at least he thought.
"Kidere. I think that will work." He nods his head and watches as the puppet thinks for a second.
"Alright, if that's what you think. I guess I will go by Kidere now."
//
Their wings gave them freedom, and their minds set them apart from others, allowing them to become recorders or observers. But still allowing them to adventure.
Many titles were given to them, ranging from dear friend to gods of light. Gods although wasn't was they saw of themselves, did fit in some sense.
One day, after millennia of worlds gone by, the two traveled through the sky. One saw a small planet, the older of the two, and decided to try and leave. It smelled of hurt and confusion, and wanted something new and better.
The other didn't share the sentiment.
//
Paimon had gone off to who knows where, in her little pocket space, while he strolled through the streets of Liyue. He was looking for books with the name Kidere, but had yet to find anything.
Sumeru, although having a huge library, had proved pointless to finding anything about the name Kidere.
Walking up the red stairs to the familar bookstore, he wasnt quite sure why he was looking so intently for the name meaning. Maybe it was because he had named a person that, and wanted to make sure it wasn't bad.
Names were quite important to him afterall.
//
Landing on the planet, the first thing the twins noticed was that it was oddly similar to another world they had visited hundreds of years ago, but still different.
The fall hurt more, and in the end, the world separated the two. Their harmony disrupted.
//
"Traveler? Do you need something?" Nahida and Kidere stood by another in the Sanctuary of Surasthana, while Aether walked towards them.
It was late, and Paimon was asleep and nowhere to be found. Aether without her felt like talking would be harder, but he wasn't sure she'd say it right.
"... I wanted to share what I could find of your name" He hands a couple pieces of paper to Kidere who stares at him, but accepts the papers.
"Some meanings are accidentally mean, deriving from words that mean emotionless or numb, but I didn't mean that." His voice isn't used to talking but he continues.
"I just wanted you to have all these options of what the name means since I couldn't find an actual definition.... And to apologize since your name isn't really the best name."
Nahida stares at him before smiling, and nods towards Kidere. "The Traveler is right, I think finding out what you think of your name to be a good step. Perhaps it will let you see more to yourself?"
Kidere had pointed his hat down looking at the ground, and shrugged. Aether wondered what he looked like under the hat, curious to see if he was shy it mad.
"... Maybe"
//
Apart the twins hurt, but never truely broke. Afterall, the names they had still held them together, along with their bond.
As long as the Ying and Kong, or Lumine and Aether twins remembered each other, they could never fully be seperate. Their names keeping their harmony alive, although on opposite sides.
//
Aether found himself sitting next to Kidere, for the first time in a while at peace. They were sitting on the highest point near Vanarana, watching the sun set.
"Why do you care so much for my name? What makes a name so special to you?" Kidere stared at him, and he stared back.
Aether smiled, and grabbed his hand. "Let me tell you a story, about two stars..."