With his goodbyes in the city complete, there was one final, crucial visit Ren knew he had to make. He spoke with Ganyu, who, seeing the calm, confident resolution in his eyes, and knowing the entire nation was now a far safer place, gave her reluctant, but trusting, permission.
In a brilliant, crackling flash of violet lightning, Ren shot across the open sea, his Electro-powered flight a stark, beautiful contrast against the endless, blue expanse. He flew west, towards the dream-like, pastel-hued shores of Watatsumi Island.
He found them on the beautiful, coral-lined beach near the Sangonomiya Shrine. Lumine was there, her adventuring attire a little more worn, but her golden eyes shining with a new, confident light. Paimon was floating beside her, happily munching on a grilled fish skewer. And with them were the two leaders of the Watatsumi resistance.
A young woman with long, flowing, pale pink and blue hair, dressed in the beautiful, elegant robes of a priestess, stood with a serene, gentle smile on her face. Her kind, intelligent eyes held the wisdom of a seasoned strategist. This was Sangonomiya Kokomi, the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island.
And beside her, a young man with dog-like ears and a fluffy tail, dressed in the practical, sturdy armor of a general, stood with a loyal, cheerful, and slightly bashful, look on his face. This was Gorou, the ever-faithful general of the Watatsumi army.
"Ren!" Lumine called out, her face breaking into a wide, happy smile as he landed gracefully on the sand. "I had a feeling you'd come to say goodbye."
She made the introductions, her voice full of a proud, friendly warmth. "Kokomi, Gorou, this is my friend, Ren. The one I told you about. The inventor."
Kokomi's gentle, intelligent eyes widened slightly, a look of profound, respectful curiosity on her face. "So you are the one," she said, her voice a soft, melodic sound like the gentle waves on the shore. "The architect of the smuggled hope. On behalf of all the people of Watatsumi, I offer you our deepest, most sincere, gratitude. Your creations… they saved many lives."
Gorou, his usual, gruff, military demeanor completely gone, gave Ren a sharp, enthusiastic, and deeply respectful, salute. "It is an honor to meet you!" he said, his fluffy tail wagging slightly with a barely-suppressed excitement. "Your devices are amazing! The men are all asking for more!"
The atmosphere was one of easy, joyful camaraderie, a meeting of heroes who had, in their own, different ways, fought for the same cause. The afternoon was spent not in talks of war or of politics, but in the simple, happy joy of a newfound friendship.
Ren, with his trusty Kamera, made sure to capture the moments. He took a picture of Kokomi and Gorou together, Kokomi using her Hydro abilities to create a swarm of beautiful, shimmering, water-fishes and jellyfish that floated in the air around them, Gorou looking on with a proud, happy grin.
The most precious photo, however, was a group one. It was a picture of Ren, Paimon, Lumine, and a beaming, healthy, and very much alive, Teppei. Lumine and Teppei, now a respected and confident captain in his own right, were standing side-by-side, both wearing the new, official uniform of the victorious Watatsumi army, their faces a mirror of shared, triumphant grins. It was a picture of a future that had been saved, of a tragedy that had been averted.
Finally, as the sun began to dip towards the horizon, painting the coral shores in hues of orange and pink, Ren told them of his plans to leave.
"You're going back to Liyue?" Lumine asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.
Ren nodded. "It's time. My work here is done."
Lumine looked out at the vast, open sea, a new, adventurous light in her golden eyes. "And I," she said, "I am staying. The war is over, but there is still so much of Inazuma I have yet to see. Tsurumi Island… and I've heard whispers of a place, hidden beneath the waves… Enkanomiya. My journey here is not over yet."
Paimon, for her part, floated over to Ren and gave his cheek a small, affectionate, and slightly sticky, nuzzle. "Paimon is going to miss you!" she said, her voice full of a genuine, tearful sadness. "But we'll come visit you in Liyue! Once we've explored every single island and found every single treasure!"
Ren smiled, a warm, genuine expression that was full of a deep, abiding affection for these wonderful, chaotic, and heroic, friends. "I'll be waiting," he promised.
With his final, most important farewells said, he turned and, with a final, cheerful wave, he dissolved into a crackling, violet bolt of lightning and shot back across the sea, towards the waiting ship, towards his sister, and towards the long, peaceful, and eagerly anticipated, road back home.