(Y/N's p.o.v)
"Are you out of your mind? Why did you tell him?" Kaveh asked harshly, he probably wants to give me a slap so bad.
"What are you even talking about?" My soft voice never seem to change even when the person infront of me was bursting into anger.
Kaveh siged, deep down he hoped he didn't have to say this at the akademiya. Walls have ears though, especially in a crowded place like this "alhaitham signed up for the desert exploration team!"
I gave him my poker face. The desert exploration team was the new event being held by the akademiya in the desert. By the name of it i could easily understand a lot about it, this new event had required one student from each darshan to participate in it and two referees. It'll take place near the Aaru village, they put up camps and students team up together. Two people in one team is needed; the rules are simple, each team has three days to explore the unexplorable ruins of king deshret and put their heads together in order to find something precious and bring it back. If they find it sooner, then they can rest up 2 more days of their desert vacation in their camps. And about the winners, the team who had found the most luxurious item will be announced as the winner. Two darshans will win in this event though.
The excitement between the students couldn't be contained and since there were so many participants, they put a lottery. Me and my friend kaveh had signed up for it, hoping to be a lucky participant but i didn't understand why kaveh is blaming me for alhaitham's participation in a public akademiya event.
"So what? Are you suggesting I forced him to participate?"
"No, I'm saying he should've heard about me taking part and now he's joining!" Kaveh's insecurities are too much to bear for a carefree person like me.
"Look kaveh, first of all thank you for thinking I was the one who told alhaitham you took part so he can come and mock you more. You spilled those secrets while you were drunk at the tavern last night yourself." This time i frowned by his false accusation.
"WHAT? DID I SAY THAT?"
"second, stop going so crazy whenever his name shows up or he does something in his life. It's not always related to you, ok? Maybe he was curious to play a part in this famous event. Being pessimistic that he always follows you to make you look stupid will only change things for the worst." I ended the discussion in an instant, i didn't want to hurt his feelings. I said what needed to be said.
He nodded and we part ways. I have so many things to do, i don't have time to spend on these lovebirds when my research isn't going as smoothly as it should be. 'Maybe I should start a collab research so I can get rid of this one.' I thought to myself.
I've been having a few issues with my research, the professors suggested that I could find a better topic to cover this research but the problem is something else. The only reason i chose the mechanical life forms in my research paper was not only my outstanding interest but also my inventions. I started to investigate them and made a friend, general mahamatra cyno by the time i first arrived at sumeru city.
Cyno became a great friend of mine, helping me explore the desert while he showed me how to deal with desert monsters. He also had a good sense of humor but his jokes are better not to talk about, he was also talkative too. He kept talking about tighnari most of the time.
"Oh come on cyno, we've been talking about tighnari for an hour. If you can't end this discussion, I'd better end tighnari, the source, itself." To my surprise cyno didn't laugh but threatened me.
That was when i realized cyno had an obsession to make jokes but not listen to one or laugh at one.
Then i started to meet their friend group which included tighnari, alhaitham and kaveh. All of them were real nice to me and helped me ever since i became a student there. Sometimes they brought collei with them and I'd love to talk to her, she was shy at first and i helped her overcome her anxiety, truth be told 'a bit'.
"Y/N!!!!!" Faruzan called me in the hallways of akademiya, running towards me with a big gentle smile.
Oh talking about friends, wasn't I?
Faruzan was my last friend, we are super close, kinda feels like my bestie. Even though kuki was my first bestie in Inazuma.
Inazuma.
How pathetic.
I'll never go back to that place.
I wonder if he's alive.
"Guess what?" She asked hugging me from behind. "Have you kidnapped tighnari?"
She gave me a 'you did not say that' look.
"Did akani explode?"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," "Y/N please be a bit serious right now"
I looked at her "ok what is it?"
Faruzan clapped her hands "so so good news! A collaboration is about to happen between Spantamad and Vahumana."
"And?"
"Are you really asking me that? Did you hit your head somewhere today?"
I laughed at her response "sure not but i suppose you hit it harder somewhere else"
Faruzan gave me the side-eye but changed her tone completely again "a new professor is coming here! He was introduced by lesser lord kusanali this morning, can you imagine how important he must be? A Vahumana professor who is eager to collab with Spantamad. this collaboration result will explode like a bomb."
"Spantamad?"
♤♡◇♧
The fatui agents bow to the Tsaritsa and her beloved harbingers glaring at their presence around her throne.
Tartaglia also known as childe, the eleven fatui harbinger or the weakest among all of them spoke up first "her majesty, I have bad news."
Tsaritsa looked at him with cold eyes as always but the harbingers seemed quite curious to know what is he planning to say.
The silence was a sign of approval from the cryo archon.
"I have lost my vision."
The harbingers burst into laughter but not dottore. Tsaritsa asked humiliating "that's it? You're a vision holder after all, we'll find you a new unactivated vision."
It was obvious that if a vision holder touch an unactivated vision, the vision will shine and the symbol of element will appear on it but that wasn't the case.
"Sorry ma'am but the problem is bigger than you think." Childe said that after they stopped laughing at him. He was halerious in the eyes of those strong harbingers.
"Go on, we don't have all day to wait." Dottore gave childe his big smirk, he probably knows something that others didn't.
"Back at the sumeru, there was this strange unknown person wearing a big black hood running around with their mechanical life form companion. They caught my eyes and i just followed them but when i tried to get close, the mechanical life form noticed me, afterward that person was ready to fight me when my vision fell down and the element on it disappeared," Childe continued while everyone had this worried expression on their faces "i looked at them instantly, it was a girl."
"So you're saying the mechanical life form has the ability to steal visions and swallow them!? Pathetic scholars." The balladeer suggested. He was the sixth one, powerful, smart and not to mention short.
"Yes, that's exactly what had happened. They ran away while i was grabbing my vision from the ground, i touched it but there was no response and just like that i lost my vision."
Tsaritsa sighed in disbelief "you can use a delusion for a while," then replied "It's not an urgent matter but we, the fatui, will take action and put an end to this. This dangerous invention could lead us to misery, I'll inform the dendro archon," The Tsaritsa said with her hand on her chin then continued "how about you balladeer? You're good at long term missions so far."
The balladeer respected her "of course, your majesty."
"I'll inform the dendro archon. She'll definitely agree to help us find this person. i know she will, it also threatens the people of sumeru city." The tension between the harbingers had always been unbreakable.
"Play along and bring that girl to me, I'll deal with her punishment myself. No one dares to cross the line of my harbingers." The balladeer bowed to her and accepted this mission. It's been long since he was assigned for a long term mission, probably four years ago!? Four years had passed since he last saw her. 'This time, I'll complete this mission without distraction. At least I'll never see her ever again.' Balladeer thought to himself.
"My lady, can you assign this mission to me instead?" Dottore stepped in.
Balladeer gave dottore his dreadful look, he didn't like to be replaced by another harbinger when it comes down to missions. When the cryo archon assigns him for a mission, he can't help but feel proud. Proud that an archon placed her trust in him, that's what he lives for.
"No you may not," the Tsaritsa continued "I chose balladeer cause he can use the electro element without a vision, this reduce the possibility of losing another vision while interacting with the enemy we are facing now. I understand your curiosity can't be repressed but i place this mission in the capable hands of balladeer, do not disappoint me."
"How about we do something else?" Dottore suggested making everyone interested. if the balladeer could kill him, he would do it right away.
"And what is that, doctor?"
"We can use her invention to our own advantage, those who disobey shall lose their visions forever."
Tsaritsa was considering his idea, it was quite good rather than letting something this important go to waste.
"And what's in it for you, dottore?" Balladeer asked just so he could learn about his interest in this situation.
"You'll see for yourself."
Everyone stayed silent and listened in, the tension between the fatui members has always been like this. Now only one thing remains "I, the balladeer take an oath to bring the girl to you, your majesty."
"Well then, I'll be waiting for you to return and by then I'll consider using this invention. At last don't forget i want the girl alive, if anyone wants to kill her that'll be me!"
♤♡◇♧
The trip to sumeru was a long and boring one for scaramouche. Nothing in this world could make him satisfied anymore. his life was a total mess, a loop. He was there but nothing ever felt right, being immortal had disadvantages too. The only time his heart filled with joy was four years ago, he also liked to call it 'his only miracle in life'
"Hello there, you arrived at a perfect time." Scaramouche lowered his head to see lesser lord kusanali. He seemed a bit surprised, probably because he wasn't used to lowering his head to look at people.
"I don't have time to waste, make it quick dendro archon." As usual he put that smug-straight face on, which has been switching from time to time.
She was standing infront of the Sanctuary of Surasthana "Call me nahida. I feel like you're not in a mood for chat so I'll make it quick, Tsaritsa has already filled me in with the details and i collected all the files on present Spantamad female students." Nahida handed him the files and he was looking through them when his eyes laid on someone. He began breathing heavily, the joy and madness filled his stomach. Something he long thought he lost was back, those butterflies in his stomach.
He decided already, that's the one.
"That's Y/N. Do you want to investigate her?" Nahida notices something but didn't ask anything and easily changed the topic, she was a bit worried why he has been staring at one of the students picture for so long but also didn't want to read his thoughts since he was an honored guest.
"there's also a haravatat student who has been researching in Spantamad mechanical life forms as well, Faruzan."
Scaramouche looked at the new file nahida just gave him "my speculations so far suggests that she is suspicious and we have 23 remaining girls from Spantamad to investigate."
Scaramouche shook his head "what a headache! wait I'm confused what is happening right now?"
"You're officially from the nation of eternity right?" She asked and he nodded without complaints "I'll announce you're a Vahumana professor from afar, this darshan relates to causes and reason of everything surrounding us. Your knowledge in Inazuma's history is enough."
Nahida cleared her throat "I'll set up a meeting where you choose a random Spantamad student to do a collab with but in truth you investigate your suspect."
Clearly all he had to do was act as a professor and play along, choose a female Spantamad student and act as one to do this collab but actually investigating the suspect easily, now scaramouche understands why she's known as the god of wisdom. He couldn’t have came up with this complicated plan of finding the unknown girl the way nahida did.
"So anyone in mind as your suspect?"
"Yeah, definitely."
♤♡◇♧
The akademiya was burning with passion of passionate Spantamad students. Now that lesser lord kusanali recommended this professor, the chosen one definitely gets the most credit and graduates sooner.
"Y/N, look at everyone! Now look at yourself! You're helpless girl, your current research is getting nowhere. Why don't we try our luck? New experiences are the greatest." Faruzan was convincing me to tag along, she always believed in my luck.
"Fine, just this once."
A boy shouted in the halls of akademiya "it's about to begin."
They all rushed in the decided classroom, Faruzan dragged me. When we entered, the class was bursting with excited Spantamad students. We couldn't find a single seat, Faruzan was forced to sit infront of me and i was on the back seat.
I wished I was as excited as they were but nothing caught my interest. I mean why do i even come here? The moments passed by when lesser lord kusanali entered and gave us her little speech.
Followed by her a certain someone entered the classroom. All eyes on him, for a second my heart started beating fast and my body was shaking but as a sign of happiness. He was there! Kunikuzushi, the one I cared about and loved, My first love.
I couldn’t believe my eyes, so he finally came. He is finally here! He knew i was in Spantamad, that's why he's here. My patience was gone. He came all this way to see me, to choose me, he went through all this to visit me.
"Choose a random student for collaboration, professor Scaramouche." Nahida stated.
Scaramouche was looking around and watching the students in the classroom. My heart dropped when he looked at my way, he will choose me for sure. He smirked and pointed at my direction.
YES! I KNEW IT! HE'LL CHOOSE ME!
This whole thing was a dream come true but then,
He spoke "Faruzan."
For a second everything turned blank, he was pointing at Faruzan who was right infront of me. He ignored me completely.
"I'll start a collaboration with Faruzan, lesser lord kusanali." The dendro archon smiled and whispered something in his ears for a second. Then Scaramouche and Faruzan were standing in the middle with big smile on their faces. I felt abused, betrayed and ignored simultaneously, he was ignoring me for sure. In any moment i would cry, please someone get me out of here.
'Why didn't he choose me? Why didn't he show up when i was leaving Inazuma? Why wasn't he ever come back to see me?'
I stopped for a moment between my thoughts.
I should've guessed, my imagination was too good to be true but there was one thing for sure 'he never loved me, never!'
(A/N)
Next chapter is the shortest one I've ever wrote. Maybe I'll edit it one day.