"...You said you found them frozen solid near the merchant camp?" Cyno repeated quietly, eyeing you through the doorway of your room as he and Dehya stood by the kitchen counter. Candace was tending to your burns now, wrapping them once they'd been properly cooled by her hydro.
You were smiling gently, but he could tell it was just an act. Based on how much you'd insisted they not bring you back to the village, and how calm you'd been when dealing with your burnt skin, he assumed this was far from the first occasion something like this had happened.
"Yep," Dehya replied, "I brought them back here so Candace could take care of them, and they were up and at it, wanting to leave almost as soon as they woke up."
"They didn't mention having trouble with their vision before?" The general asked, now taking his eyes off of you and turning to the woman beside him, who shook her head.
"Not a thing," she sighed, crossing her arms, "But I guessed something might have been up. You saw all those scars on them, didn't you?" Cyno nodded, a small look of sympathy crossing his face as he remembered all the burn marks that coated your skin. He'd noticed them immediately when the fight with the eremites had ended, and they'd instantly raised his concern.
"Now we have an explanation for them," he took a seat at one of the stools next to the counter, leaning against it as he crossed his arms. "I've never heard of someone being hurt to that extant by their own vision. Have you?"
"Never," Dehya replied, sitting down next to him, " I suspect they've been through a lot more than they're letting on. Hopefully Candace can coax some information out of them; leaving something like this alone could be dangerous, both for them and anyone else who gets too close." Cyno nodded.
"If not, I will look into it myself," he told her, returning his gaze to where you were quietly chatting with the blue haired woman, who had her back turned away from the door. "Their presence could be more of a threat to Sumeru than expected..."
"Must be pretty serious if the General Mahamatra himself wants to take time to deal with it," Dehya replied teasingly, but her expression quickly fell too. "But I get it. I don't think they mean to hurt anyone, but if that vision is as unstable as it seems, then they might end up causing problems anyway."
"Exactly." Cyno sighed. He supposed what was originally meant to be a routine trip to the desert was probably going to become much more, thanks to you.
Meanwhile, Candace finished wrapping your burns while trying not to make it seem as if she were interrogating you. Unfortunately for her though, you caught on easily.
"If there's something you want to ask me about all this, you can." You blurted out finally, making her pause where she'd been turning to grab another wrap for your burns.
"Are you willing to tell me?" She asked carefully, coming to take a seat on the bed next to you as you held out your left hand to her. The skin had turned slightly darker than its normal s/c shade, and you could tell it was just going to add yet another scar once it healed.
Truthfully, you were still a little hesitant to give her all the details of your situation. It was partly because you still didn't totally feel comfortable trusting her and the others, but even more than that, you didn't want to relive bad memories. Plus, you still firmly believed that this wasn't her problem to deal with, and you didn't want to make her get more involved than necessary.
But, you also saw the looks of concern from both Candace, Dehya, and Cyno, whom you'd just barely meant. You could tell that they wanted to help some way, and you couldn't deny that you could use some assistance.
"Yeah," you breathed finally, "I'll tell you what I know, at least about my vision."
"Alright," She smiled comfortingly as she tied on your last bandage, "Can the others listen as well, or would you like it to be just us?" You thought for a moment, but then decided to just let it happen. After all, you suspected that even if you just told Candace now, the two waiting outside would hear about it later anyway.
"They can come in." You finally told her, and she nodded, going to the door and motioning for them to join you two.
You couldn't see it, but she sent them each a warning look as they came over, daring them to say something wrong or make a single insensitive comment. The fact that you were willing to talk now was progress, and knowing both of their reputations for being a little rough around the edges, she wasn't about to let either one mess this up.
Once everyone was inside, Dehya finally spoke up.
"So, can I ask, what's the deal with your vision?" She ignored how her friend's eyes bored into her, "Has it always done that when you use your powers?"
"Yes," you replied, "It's been like that ever since I got it, but I don't know why."
"Did you receive any formal training on how to use it?" Cyno questioned next. While most people didn't need that kind of teaching to use their visions, finding that it came naturally, some ended up having trouble controlling theirs if they weren't taught.
"Yes, I went through intensive training as soon as I got it," you replied, "But it never seemed to help. No matter how much I try, I've never been able to control it very well. And when I use it anyway, it hurts me." Candace frowned, seeing the pain in your face as you continued.
"That's why I try not to use it, but sometimes it's necessary." You admitted, "I don't mind being hurt, but I've accidentally hurt others in the past, too."
Cyno and Dehya exchanged glances, your words proving that the situation was as risky as they'd suspected.
"If you don't want me around because of it, I completely understand!" You quickly added, seeing the way they looked at one another, "Back in Snezhnaya, that was why they froze me; to prevent my power from getting out of hand and doing any more damage." You looked down at your now bandaged hands, feeling a little ashamed of it all. You'd always seen yourself as a failure for not being able to control your vision, and admitting the fact to people you barely knew like this wasn't really helping.
"It isn't like that," Candace spoke up, glaring back at both Dehya and Cyno, who looked away awkwardly, "We want to help you. You shouldn't have to live with that kind of pain; and from your own vision, no less."
Your eyes widened slightly, having never been told that before. No one had ever wanted to help you; they just wanted you gone as soon as they figured out how much of a ticking time bomb you were.
"That's okay," you told her gently, "I'll be fine, really. I don't want to put any of you in more danger on accident, especially since you've already helped me so much." You sighed, fiddling with your fingers. "This is actually why I've been in such a hurry to leave; I don't want to damage this village or anyone in it."
You thought back to your trip from Snezhnaya to Sumeru, when you'd still been a human ice cube.
"Not to worry, they'll be stable as long as they're in that state." The blue haired man had said to someone you couldn't make out, his voice muffled by the ice in your ears.
Had you been able to move, you would have been shaking in fear, still having no idea where you were being taken. All you remembered was being frozen, and then the next thing you knew, you were on a boat.
The man turned back to you now, and you could see his bright white teeth through the ice as he smiled at you.
"As for you, my little weapon, we'll be arriving soon." He reached up to pat your head, but with the cold barrier around you, you couldn't feel anything. "Be sure to cause a big ruckus once you're there, okay? Though, knowing your condition, I don't think you have much choice."
You shivered at the memory, still unable to get his words out of your head to this day. He'd called you a 'weapon,' and ever since, you'd worried he might be right.
Everywhere you went, you brought only destruction and pain in your wake. When you first got your vision, you'd thought it was a blessing, but now, it felt more like a horrible curse.
"Don't worry about that," Dehya said sternly, pulling your attention back to her, "Helping you is in the best interests of everyone here, so that's what we're going to do." Your expression softened as you met her eyes now, not a hint of a lie anywhere in them. Candace nodded in agreement.
"Don't worry, we'll help you figure this out." She assured you, placing a warm hand on your shoulder. How could these people still want to help you, after witnessing what could happen?
"Is there a way we could potentially remove their vision?" Cyno asked, making everyone turn to him, "Then, they wouldn't be able to lose control of it, and it could be studied for abnormalities."
"No, it would be too risky." Candace replied immediately, "It's too close to their heart, so a procedure like that could outright kill them." Finally, she glanced back at you, who was looking more hopeless by the minute. "Do you know if or what was performed originally to attach it to you?"
"No," you admitted, "I don't remember anything being done. All I know is that I had no vision, and then the next day, I woke up with it attached to me. Even after realizing its effects, I couldn't remove it myself."
Dehya moved to rest a hand on your shoulder now, and you gave her a small smile to show your thanks.
"If that's the case," Cyno continued, "Then maybe the Akademiya's records could be of use. If others have had similar troubles with their visions in the past, they should have been documented there."
You remembered hearing about the Akademiya as a child, mostly because your father had always refused to work for them. He always said it was corrupt, but maybe things had changed since you'd last been in Sumeru.
"Will they let you in to look for something like that?" You asked, confused.
Cyno almost scoffed, but then he looked over to see your genuinely puzzled expression. Even though he'd introduced himself as the General Mahamatra, it seemed that must have meant nothing to you.
"Yes," he replied simply, "I am ranked highly among them, so I can look for any documentation that could give us an idea of whether this has happened before."
"That sounds reasonable," Candace smiled at you in a way she hoped was at least a little encouraging. You returned it, then looked back at the white haired man.
"Thank you for the help."
He nodded, looking away from your smile. Something about it felt overwhelming to him, so he cleared his throat.
"I will leave for the Akademiya tomorrow morning, but Y/n, it may be wise for you to come with me," he spoke. Candace gave him a look, and he quickly continued in the hope of assuring her he wasn't simply tricking you into going back to the city so you could be arrested. After all, you didn't seem to have done anything wrong yet. "Looking through records is one thing, but there will likely be many cases to sift through. I'll need you there to compare your situation with others."
"Oh, that makes sense," you replied, trying to ignore the nerves that surfaced in your stomach at the idea of going with him back to the city. After all, you barely knew the guy, and he had seemed very intimidating earlier when he'd dealt with the eremites.
"Do not worry about your vision's instability, either," he continued, "I won't let it hurt you or others as long as I'm there." The words were reassuring, but you also knew they were just for your comfort. After all, he had no way of stopping it from burning you any more, should you use your powers.
"Wouldn't you come too?" You asked, glancing between Candace and Dehya. The blue haired woman gave you a sympathetic look, shaking her head.
"I must remain in the village," she told you, "I am their only protection, and they need me. But, you can always send me a letter if you need something, and I will do my best to help."
You turned to Dehya next, who tried to ignore your hopeful expression as she sighed.
"I would, but I'm not exactly the most welcome in the city," she admitted, "I'm afraid I'd just cause you more trouble than necessary. And plus, I want to talk to the merchants at the camp, and the one you mentioned in Port Ormos. They might know something more."
You doubted they would have anything to tell her, but you could also tell that arguing wasn't going to help anything, so you nodded, trying to hide the nervousness that threatened to show on your face.
Dehya seemed to sense your concern anyway though, because she moved a little closer to you.
"Don't worry, Cyno is trustworthy." She whispered, "Plus, if he did try to pull anything stupid, I'd come kill him myself. You'll be safe."
Her assurance helped, but you couldn't deny still being a little intimidated by the man as he waited for your response, arms crossed.
"Alright," you said finally, "Then I'll come with you to Sumeru City." He nodded, and Candace finally stood up, patting your shoulder as she did so.
"Then you both should get some rest now," she ordered, "Cyno, there is an extra room down the hall. You can leave in the morning." He nodded, making his way down to the other room as she turned back to Dehya.
"I assume you'll be staying over again tonight?" She asked, and the woman rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
"If you'll allow it, that is." She replied, and Candace rolled her eyes.
"Alright, take the same room you did yesterday. I should really start charging rent around here..." She walked back to the kitchen as she said that, and you chuckled quietly. Dehya turned back to you, a reassuring smile on her face.
"Don't worry, everything will work out," she said, heading over to the door, "Get some rest, and be safe out there tomorrow!" With that, she closed it behind her, leaving you in peaceful darkness as you lay down in the bed.
You were so thankful these three had decided to help you, but at the same time, you couldn't deny being a little worried about it. You could never forgive yourself if you hurt them, and just the thought of it terrified you.
As you got under the covers and closed your eyes to sleep, the desert surprising you by being abnormally cold during the night, one word kept echoing in your mind, not matter how much you tried to ignore it, and it chilled you to the bone even more than the cold air ever could have.
Weapon...Was that truly what you were?
..........
You and Cyno left early the next morning, saying goodbye to Candace as you went on your way. Dehya hadn't been awake at the time, not really being much of a morning person, but you knew she would have sent her regards.
Candace had made you each a travel pack, which you now carried on your back. It had a few essentials; a water bottle, first aid kit for your burns, plenty of bandages for the same reason, and even a lunch for you to eat on the way. You were lucky to have her as a friend now, that was for sure.
The walk was mostly spent in silence, with you awkwardly following behind Cyno since you had no idea where you were going.
He, on the other hand, must have walked the rout hundreds of times before, because he didn't even use a map. You weren't sure if he preferred the awkward silence over conversation, or if he just had no idea what to say either, but neither option really helped your image of him.
His polearm was strapped to his back, as if ready for a fight at any moment. He didn't look back often, but whenever he did, you found yourself trying to look as small and nonthreatening as possible, for fear that he didn't quite trust you either. You'd been around your fair share of intimidating people before, of course, but you had to say, Cyno definitely had one of the more threatening auras, out of all of them.
Unfortunately, the silence of the journey gave you time to be alone with your thoughts, which had never been something you enjoyed.
You remembered back when you used to live in Sumeru, and how carefree you'd been back then. Though you'd never met Cyno, Dehya, or Candace before, you did have a childhood friend you'd played with. Her name escaped you right now, but she and you spent loads of time together while your parents were at work.
You'd kept in touch even after going to Snezhnaya, at least for a while. Even though you'd only just learned how to write, the two of you became pen pals, and always messaged each other back and forth. It helped the initial move feel less lonely.
You couldn't remember exactly when things in the icy nation had gone wrong for you to lead you to be here now. Maybe you'd blocked out most of the memories, but you could never forget the day the blue haired man found you.
You'd been walking to school, only to show up at the school gate to chaos. The teachers didn't seem to be around, but that man was there, rounding up all the children and separating them into groups at random. With all that was happening, you didn't even realize you'd been swept up into one of them until it was too late, and after that, your memories were hazy.
When you thought back on it now, all you could remember was that it felt like torture. You cried a lot, but even your tears only led to pain.
You'd thought it would all end the day that you got your vision, since it gave you the power to potentially escape, but you'd soon discovered just how wrong you were. Receiving that thing was just the start of even more years of pain...
You paused now, feeling a sharp pain in your head. Looking around, you noticed that you and Cyno had been crossing through a small grass field, and hearing you stop, he turned to see what was going on.
"I'm alright," you said softly, wincing as the sharp pain continued. You knew exactly what was happening, but you'd hoped to avoid it as long as you were with someone.
Sometimes, if your emotions got to be too overwhelming for you, your power would flare up without you even having to be fighting. It was like an external response to what you were feeling inside, and it was always what you hated most about your vision.
Cyno moved to come closer, concern covering his face as he looked around to make sure no one else was present.
"What's happening?" He asked, his voice calm despite the situation. He reached a hand out to you, but then you felt that familiar burning sensation, and you quickly backed away.
A second later, tears started sliding down your face, but not the normal kind. Instead, these tears were made of fire, and they burned your skin as they fell from your eyes and down your cheeks before disappearing.
Cyno frowned at the sight, kneeling down next to you carefully. He had the sudden urge to wipe away the tears, but stopped himself, knowing they would probably burn his hand if he did so.
"Has this one happened before?" He asked quietly, afraid it might be something new. If it was, that could mean your condition was getting worse already. Luckily, you nodded your head.
"My vision acts up sometimes when I feel overwhelmed," you replied between tears, "Sorry." He shook his head, reaching into his bag to look for something useful.
"Don't apologize. It isn't your fault." Grabbing his water bottle, he quickly opened the lid and poured some of it on your face, dousing the flames as he did so. It worked for only a second, before more tears fell from your eyes. He did it again, but more tears just fell, their flames seeming to burn even brighter now.
"I'll be fine once I calm down," you whispered, trying to take in deep breaths. You should have known better than to think about your past when you were already feeling a little unstable, and now here you were.
Cyno, on the other hand, bit his lip as he decided what to do. He knew you were probably feeling really scared, both from your situation and from being near him, most likely. After all, he was no stranger to his own intimidating nature. He didn't like scaring people when it wasn't intended, but he also wasn't sure how to calm you down.
Though, there was one thing he could try.
"Y/n," He said softly, putting his bottle back in his bag as you met his eyes expectantly. "What would you call a belt that was made of watches?"
You blinked a few times, his question slowly registering in your mind.
"...What?"
"What do you call a belt made of watches?" He repeated, hoping this might be enough to distract you and help you calm down.
"Is that a trick question or...?" You replied, looking at him like he'd grown a second head. What did it matter at a time like this?
"A waist of time," he replied, "You'd call it a waist of time." You froze for a second, your face twisting into pain again, but this time, it was a different kind of pain.
"Was that...Supposed to be a joke?" You asked, to which he nodded. Never had you expected someone as intimidating as Cyno to joke around at a time like this, especially with such bad puns, but you had to admit that, while the joke wasn't funny, the irony of it all certainly was.
Your lips curved into a slight smile.
"That was terrible." You told him, and he smiled too, seeing that the tears on your face were falling less frequently now.
"Then how about this?" He continued, clearing his throat as if he were about to recite the most regal of poetry, or at least say something very intellectual, "What's the difference between a piano and a fish?"
"What?" You replied, "I don't know, one's an animal and one's an instrument?" Your smile had widened now, and you seemed to be much more relaxed than at first. Cyno was more than relieved to know that it was working.
"You can tune a piano," he replied, "but you can't tuna fish." The tears finally stopped falling down your face now, and the headache that had accompanied them was beginning to subside.
"That one was worse, I think." You replied with a small laugh, "I didn't take you as the type that liked to tell jokes."
"Looks can be deceiving," he replied with a smile, helping you stand now, though you hadn't even been aware that you'd sat down in the first place. "Want me to tell another?"
You continued walking now, feeling much better as the headache went away completely.
"I don't know, the first two were pretty bad..." You said teasingly, and he fainted being hurt by your words, "But I'll give you one more chance to redeem yourself."
He nodded, trying to come up with a joke worthy of such a challenge. He was glad you seemed to be doing better now, and that that little outburst of power hadn't seemed to hurt you too much. Even so, he knew the burns on your face would quickly scar if not taken care of, and he didn't want you to have to have even more reminders of moments like that.
Passing you a burn ointment Candace had packed the both of you, he finally spoke. "You're from Snezhnaya, correct? You'll like this one." You raised an eyebrow, curious as to what this next joke could be about. "How does a penguin build its house?"
"I don't think they build houses," you replied, "But I don't know, how would they build them if they did build homes?"
"Igloos it together." Cyno replied with the most smug smile you'd seen in your life. You let out a laugh just because of his confidence with this one.
"Nope, that one sucked too." You finally told him, "Nice try, though."
"What a tough crowd," he replied, crossing his arms as he, too, chuckled. You applied the burn ointment to your face carefully, trying not to irritate the skin any more as you gently rubbed it in.
Once you were finished, you handed it back to Cyno, who shoved it in his bag.
"Thanks, Cyno." You finally said quietly, "Even if your jokes totally suck, it helped me calm down back there."
"No problem," he replied, then turned to see Sumeru City not too far in the distance. "We'll be there soon," he continued, "And then we can look into why all of this is happening to you. Hopefully, we'll have a solution by the end of the day."
Your eyes softened, and you turned to look at the ground now. Even if he'd seemed intimidating before, you wouldn't have recognized him with the way he was now.
Now that you'd experienced this unexpected softness from the general, you had to admit that maybe this trip to the city wouldn't be so bad. As it turned out, the white haired man next to you was quite nice company.