Chapter Text
Two years have passed since the time Diluc had left Gandharva Ville and Kaeya had turned 16 years old. Kaeya also became a part of the Forest Rangers for a whole year now but he mostly worked as Tighnari’s assistant so he’s always accompanying his teacher everytime he goes out to patrol. He also learned to fight Marana, or the Withering Zones with the help of Tighnari. Just like what Diluc had told Kaeya, his teacher ended up giving him the title of ‘Forest Whisperer’. It seems like Diluc and Tighnari had talked about it before. Well, it wasn’t really surprising when he realized it.
Tighnari would usually give Kaeya a few assignments and this is one of these days. He was asked to gather a few mushrooms (again) but this time, he was asked to find a few activated starshrooms. Thankfully, there were a few starshrooms on the west side of Gandharva Ville so he went there with Harra and his siblings. Collei stayed at the ville, trying to help around Tighnari’s house. She’s a little clumsy because of her Eleazar but she’s doing better than before.
Kaeya pours a bit of electro potion that Tighnari gave to him and he watches as the starshroom begins to shine and emit yellow electricity around it. He wore a pair of gloves before picking up the activated starshrooms, shoving them inside a medium sized sack.
“Do you think these are a good amount?” Kaeya asked his siblings.
Aramata tilted its head- or body to look inside of the sack, “Looks a lot already, Nara Kaeya! Should be enough!”
Kaeya smiles, closing the sack and placing it on the basket hanging on Harra’s side. “Alright. Hmm… Should we pick a few fresh herbs too before we return?”
Before his siblings could reply, they stood straight as if listening to their surroundings. Kaeya raises an eyebrow before focusing on the whispers around them too.
‘Nara Valuka fighting green Nara Valuka.’
Kaeya blinks, “Eremites fighting one another?” he asked with a frown, “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Should we inform fox Nara?” Aramata asked Kaeya but he only grinned.
“I’m a little interested. Let’s check it out.” Kaeya told him as he rode on Harra, Arathaba was already on his right shoulder. “They shouldn’t be as bad as the Fatui. Come on, or if you want you can stay or wait for us in Gandharva Ville.”
Aramata quickly shakes himself from side to side before diving his way on the box where the sack was, “No! Aramata is coming!”
Kaeya chuckles and he nods at Harra. The Rishboland Tiger started running in the direction where the sound of fighting was coming from. Once they arrived, Kaeya carefully walked towards a tree and peeked to see what the fight was all about.
Indeed, there are two colored Eremites, red and green and they are fighting each other. But there was a certain familiar young lady wearing a quite revealing red and black outfit fighting a red clothed Eremite.
‘Have I… met that person before?’ Kaeya asked himself while frowning.
“Hah!” the young lady yelled a battlecry as she swung her claymore, igniting it with flames.
Kaeya sees the Pyro Vision on her, “Ah… She has a Pyro Vision like Diluc.” he mumbled.
He heard Harra growling quietly so he looked behind him, “It’s alright, Harra. I don’t think the other side is bad. I have a feeling that the green side and the young lady are a good Nara. I swear I’ve seen them before but I don’t remember…”
Arathaba was staying quiet, pondering if she should tell Kaeya about that incident in Sumeru City but after remembering his experience there, she hesitated.
The fight was going well, with the green Eremites winning but then Kaeya saw one of them being cornered by two red Eremites so he quickly summoned his Sapwood Blade and dashed ahead, giving a surprise attack on the two red Eremites.
“What the?! Where did this kid come from?!” the red Eremite exclaimed in surprise as they blocked Kaeya’s sword.
Kaeya’s eyes twitch, “I am not a kid! I am a full grown teen!” he told them before swinging his other hand, spraying some of his Dendro energies on them.
The red Eremites screamed in pain as they covered their eyes. He sprayed something that he uses to numb a part of the body whenever he has to heal something. It’s quite useful for healthy people like these bad Nara Valukas.
The young lady, who was actually Dehya, somehow recognized his voice and turned around in surprise. She was about to say something but the red Eremite she’s fighting interrupted her. She decided to just say it later after the fight.
Kaeya helped them fight against the red Eremites and once they were defeated, Dehya immediately rushed towards Kaeya who had just kept his Sapwood Blade away.
“Kaeya! You’re Kaeya, right?!” he heard her asking while smiling widely.
He just looks at her with a widened eye, “Yes… That is indeed my name. Do I know you?”
“It’s me! The one from Sumeru City! You should know me since I was there when you were brought to the building of Corps of Thirty!” she told him but Kaeya only frowned as he tried to remember that time but all he could remember was that mean Scholar.
“Uhm.. But I don’t… know you?” Kaeya said in confusion. “You do look familiar though but I can’t remember…”
Dehya frowns before her gaze lands on the dull Mondstadt vision clipped beside his Dendro Vision and her suspicion only grows stronger. She knew this was the interesting kid she met in Sumeru City years ago.
“You don’t remember me? I’m a little hurt, Kaeya.” she told him with a little pout, “We met in Sumeru City 5 years ago. I’m Dehya! The one who defended you from that mean scholar!” the Eremite lady said with a big grin.
Kaeya blinked, then his eye widened, finally remembering everything that happened on that day. “Oh.. Oh! I think I could remember you now! Thank you again for what you did before.” he told her, finally smiling.
Dehya laughs, patting him on the shoulder. “It’s alright plus that was the right thing to do! Ah, you’ve grown up! Still wearing a floral eyepatch, I see. And you have your own Vision too! I’m sure your mom is really proud of you right now!”
Kaeya chuckles shyly, “I hope she is…” he mumbles before looking at the nervous people behind Dehya, “So what are you guys doing here in Avidya Forest?” he asked them.
Dehya puts a hand on her hip, “Oh. We’re planning to go to Gandharva Ville. We wanted to personally order some Mixed Dried Fruits Bits to bring with us for our little trip in the desert.”
Kaeya couldn’t help but get nervous at the mention of the desert. He rubs his cheek with a finger, still smiling. “Ah. The Mixed Dried Fruit Bits that were being sold in the Grand Bazaar?”
Dehya blinks, “Yes, you knew about that? Have you returned to Sumeru City after what happened before?”
Kaeya shakes his head, “No… But I’m actually the one who’s supplying those snacks.” he told her with a sheepish smile.
Dehya gasps, “Really?! Lucky! Do you think you could prepare some that could fill up this bag?” she asked him, bringing out a folded sack.
Kaeya takes it from her and unfolds it to see the size. He hums as he checks out the bag, “I could probably fill this up in two weeks. Will that be enough time?”
Dehya nodded, “Yes, it’s perfect! We’ll be leaving for the desert in three weeks.”
“Alright. I’ll have Ashpazi deliver it to the building of Corps of Thirty once it’s done.” Kaeya told her, folding the back again. He notices the injuries the other members of Corps of Thirty have, “Hmm… Would you like me to accompany you to Gandharva Ville? Teacher Tighnari could treat you there.”
“Oh! That would be great, thanks Kaeya!” Dehya told him before turning around, “Alright, follow Kaeya back to Gandharva Ville. I’ll stay here for a while to get some information from these Eremites.” she told them and they all nodded.
“Harra?” Kaeya called and the large Rishboland Tiger stepped out from the bushes, surprising Dehya and the others. He chuckles at their expressions, “Ah, there’s no need to be scared. Harra is a friendly Rishboland Tiger.”
A member of the Corps of Thirty with a tied up hair gasps, “Wait.. Uh, Kaeya right? Are you perhaps the rumored ‘Forest Whisperer’? I heard that there’s a new Forest Ranger around Avidya Forest who always accompanies the Forest Watcher Tighnari and he has the leader of the Rishboland Tigers as his companion too!”
“Really? Was that you, Kaeya?” Dehya asked with a surprised expression and Kaeya could only smile sheepishly. “Wow! You really never fail to surprise me! Say, why don’t you join the Corps of Thirty?”
“Ah.. I have to pass on that… Come on, we need to treat those wounds quickly. You’re coming after your business here, Miss Dehya?” Kaeya asked her.
Dehya nodded, “Just call me Dehya.” she told him before walking to one red Eremite that was about to wake up.
Kaeya just nods before walking away with Harra. The members of the Corps of Thirty followed him, leaving Dehya alone with the unconscious group of red Eremites.
Dehya knelt down and grabbed the waking Eremite by his collar, “You’re awake. Now, I expect you have some information about the Golden Sands. Tell me everything you know about them. Their location and their names.” she told the Eremite with an intimidating grin.
Tighnari was mixing up some herbs while being watched by Collei when Kaeya entered his house. He turned around to greet him but stopped, seeing the new faces behind him. He recognized their uniforms though.
“It seems like the members of Corps of Thirty got into a tough fight. What are the guards of Sumeru City doing in Gandharva Ville?” Tighnari asked them in a cold tone.
Collei nervously looked at them before hiding behind Tighnari. Kaeya just chuckles, placing the sack of activated starshrooms on the nearby table before leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.
“I saw them fighting a few Eremites. I decided to bring them here to get proper treatment.” Kaeya told Tighnari. “Plus, they are originally on their way here to place a large order for my dried fruit bits.”
Tighnari opened up the sack of activated starshrooms to check it before smiling. He nodded at Kaeya’s direction, “I see. You can go and prepare those then. I’ll handle treating these men. Collei, can you call Amir? He should be standing on the west side of the ville with his dogs.”
Kaeya nods, pushing himself off the wall. “He might be strict but his skills in treating others are amazing. Goodbye~” he told the nervous members of Corps of Thirty before walking out, followed by Collei.
Dehya just arrived in Gandharva Ville when she saw Kaeya heading elsewhere so she decided to follow. Kaeya hears someone following him so he turns around, Harra stops on her tracks too to wait for him.
“Dehya? Do you need something? Your friends are currently being treated inside Teacher Tighnari’s house. You can join them there if you want.” Kaeya told her.
Dehya just grins, “It’s fine! I’m not as wounded as they are. Where are you heading?” she asked.
“Back home. I’m making the dried fruit bits there.” Kaeya answered before continuing to walk with Harra. Dehya follows him still but he doesn't mind, knowing that she isn’t a bad person.
Once they arrived, Dehya looked around the place in awe. The farm land became a little bigger than before and there’s a new building where Kaeya was headed to. Around the building are a few sun drying racks.
“Wow, you live here?” Dehya asked him, he nodded. “Are you alone?”
Kaeya smiles, “I can’t say that I’m alone. I’m living with the Rishboland Tigers but mostly with Harra and… hmm… I have some siblings that you won’t be able to see.”
Dehya raised an eyebrow at that but Kaeya didn’t explain any further. They entered the building and Dehya found a lot of baskets filled with fresh apples, sunsettias, zaytun and harra fruits.
Kaeya smiles while looking around, in his eyes, there are actually a few Aranara who are inside, keeping the fruits fresh. When they saw Dehya, they quickly disappeared, making Kaeya giggle.
‘It looks like they aren’t really that used to strangers yet.’ Kaeya thought to himself.
Dehya watches as Kaeya starts cleaning some fruits and slicing them into thin pieces. “Do you need help?”
“No, it’s okay. You’re my customer, I wouldn’t want you to work.” Kaeya replied.
Dehya takes one of the knives hanging on the wall, earning a confused look from Kaeya. “I insist! I might as well learn how to make it in case I’m too far to buy.”
Kaeya chuckles, “Alright then. Which one was your favorite?”
Dehya takes a Harra Fruit and starts cutting it, “Dried Harra Fruit Bits obviously~ Hey, did you get Harra’s name from this?”
“Yup. She was eating some of it when I first met her.” Kaeya replied, smiling.
Dehya grins, “You must be brave to tame even the leader of the Rishboland Tigers. You’re an amazing kid, Kaeya.”
Kaeya pouts, “I’m not a kid anymore.” he mumbled.
Dehya just laughs, giving his hair a ruffle.