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"When will it be over?" As if the heavens were playing a practical joke, another thunderstrike was heard, and he buried his face into his mother's arms even further, feeling like he can just melt away at any moment, just so he could stop being in pain. It was too loud for him, and it hurt too much, forcing him to let tears flow.
"Ten more minutes, Nari. I promise." His mother reassured, rocking him back and forth as she pressed her arms onto his ears to block out as much sound as possible. His fragile, small body shaking as he clung to her like a lifeline.
He knew his mother was sad about it. He doesn't want to make her sad, but his ears heard so much that it hurt.
He knew that his family bloodline had sensitive hearing due to their large fox ears, and thanks to that, they were more vulnerable to sound than regular people. But they adapted and passed down their methods of handling their special ability to the next generation so they won't struggle in their future.
Tighnari was different from them. His hearing was more sensitive than theirs, so much that he could hear almost everything.
But the downside was that it hurt so much.
Every day, he was in constant pain from all the sounds he heard. He couldn't even go outside to play because of this. Every little sound can hurt him very badly.
His family tried everything they can to soothe his pain, but they don't do much to help.
His hearing was too strong.
Especially during thunderstorms.
Thunderstorms were the worst. They were so loud and so bright and they made his ears ring for days on end, they made his head hurt and he had to be confined to the bed for a long time before he could try and be normal again.
As if normal ever applied to him.
Tighnari was the odd one out in his family. The one who causes problems with his overly sensitive hearing. No matter how many times they reassured him that they don't hate him for that, he suspects that some of them were tired of him.
All he wished for is a way to have normal hearing again. To be normal. To live a proper life.
-
It was quiet when he woke up.
Tighnari was confused as he tried to open his eyes, draping an arm over them when he found them to be too heavy to open at the moment. His body ached, and so does his head, a pounding pain was present in his head, causing him to emit a groan while trying to be as quiet as he could with it.
He doesn't know what was going on. Why was it so silent in here? Where were all the noises he heard?
He tried again with his eyes after moving his arm back down, and managed to force them open so he could properly see his surroundings.
The ceiling was black, or at least he thinks it's black. It could be dark in the room, since there's no visible light source around. But he was just making educated guesses. Who knows if there is anything he could use to brighten the room anyway?
Tighnari forced himself to get up, no matter how painful it was, using his arms to push himself off of the floor to get a better look around. Everything was just darkness, like it was an unending void with only him inside.
But as his eyes began to adjust, he was able to notice a faint outline of a door in front of him. There didn't appear to be any light beyond that door, otherwise there would've been some peaking through the bottom.
Where am I? This can't be my room, I would've been hearing things by now if that's the case...
Tighnari wasn't sure if this was a blessing or a curse. On one hand, it was so nice to be in a world of pure silence for once. It was all he craved for ever since he experienced the first thunderstorm in his life. But on the other hand, he doesn't know where he was and he couldn't remember how he got here either, the gap in his bridge of memory scared him.
Who brought him here? And what do they want with him?
Okay, don't panic. Maybe they just wanted to help by letting me stay in this room...
... but if that's the case, why was everything so dark? Why can't I remember how I got here?
His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened with a loud creak, assaulting his ears and dragging him away from the world of silence he was basking in. The sound made him raise his hands to his ears, grabbing them and squeezing tight as he hissed. The light that was sent in blinded him for a short period of time, forcing him to shut his eyes so that they would be able to better adjust once they open back up.
"Hello there, Tighnari. It's a pleasure to meet you." A voice managed to bypass his defenses by being too loud for his liking, only amplifying his discomfort.
Tighnari braved a look up, opening one eye before the other to get a look at the one who called out to him. A man with a mask covering his eyes and nose, light blue hair and fancy looking clothing made him distinguished.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you." He reassured, getting on one knee to reach hid eye level, even though he can't make proper eye contact with that mask. "I heard about your troubles. Hearing so many things must be exhausting, isn't it?"
"How did you know?" Tighnari's throat burned from talking, the lack of proper use of his vocal cords were apparent, especially since he stopped using it for a month now, but he couldn't care less. "And...how can you make me feel better?"
"Your parents went to me for help, asking if I have the capabilities necessary to make your curse less of a burden." The man responded. "I am a doctor, by the way, and I have stuided all the ways to make patients better. Call me Dottore."
Tighnari knew the saying 'don't trust strangers' very well, but this man was offering him help with his painful hearing. A doctor. Someone who can make him feel better again. Someone who his parents went to for help.
Was this it? Can his curse be lifted with Dottore's expertise?
"It's okay if you don't trust me at first. I'll do my utmost best to make sure you feel better in no time." Dottore smiled, rubbing his fox ears with his hand almost tenderly.
Tighnari nearly leaned into the touch. But something inside him told him not to.
"Now then, hold still. I'll be gentle, and it won't take too long. This isn't going to hurt."
Dottore produced a syringe from his jacket, a strange looking liquid was floating inside. It looked so suspicious, so weird so... evil.
Tighnari didn't even realize that he was backing away, it was only when he felt the hand grasp onto his forearm and pulling him towards him that he realized that.
"I told you. Don't be scared."
-
Tighnari was shaking, his tail that was wrapped around him didn't do anything to alleviate anything as he curled up into a ball in the corner of the room.
He didn't understand what had happened. He said it wouldn't hurt.
So why did it hurt so much?
He felt bile starting to build up in his throat, but he pushed it down to the best of his ability. If he throws up, what would the doctor say?
It's been a while since he was injected with that odd stuff, and several questions started to bombard his head.
What kind of liquid was that? Was it helping? When would the doctor come back?
Something was resonating inside him. He could feel it, feel it squirming inside so much that it was disturbing him greatly.
What was happening? Why is this feeling so weird and so-
Tighnari screamed, the icky feeling spreading to his entire body. He collapsed to the floor, writhing as the feeling begin to overwhelm him, filling him with a kind of fear he never thought he would experience in his whole life.
The feeling...soon stopped, and the things that was resonating in him stopped too. Left in a confused, whimpering, scared state, he didn't had much time to react to the door opening again, too focused on what he just felt.
"My my...I never thought it would actually be a success." Dottore said, sounding unphased at his current state.
"What have you done to me?" Tighnari looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes, begging for an explanation. Was this normal? Is this going to be how he gets treated? Or was this a mistake? This had to be a mistake. He never read anything about treatment being this... horrifying.
"Making you feel better, isn't that what you wanted? Be patient. I know what I'm doing."
-
Tighnari doesn't feel like he's getting better. If anything, he was getting worse every time he was brought to that chamber for an assessment.
It became a routine for them now. Dottore would get him to his lab to run tests to see if his hearing was becoming less painful.
But it's been so long since he'd last seen his parents. He wanted to go up to them and hug them and tell them he's okay again, even though he wasn't sure if they actually cared. It would be nice to do that though.
Much nicer than these tests.
"Are you ready for the next one?" Dottore asked again, extending his hand and waiting for him to take it.
Tighnari shakes his head. He needs an answer now. He can't just sit here and be told that everything will be okay when nothing is okay at all.
"Hmm? How come?" Dottore drew his hand back, crossing his arms instead.
Tighnari knew his throat would hate him for this, but he needs answers. He needs an explanation. "... I'm not getting any better."
"Didn't I already tell you? I'm-"
"No!" Yelling made his throat hurt, and made his voice sound like a frog, but he carried on regardless. "I don't feel better! I feel horrible! You said you would make me better again but nothing works! Nothing does!"
Dottore was rendered silent for a while, his smile dropping for a brief moment before it quirked back to a smirk. "You caught on faster than I thought."
"Huh?" Tighnari felt his eyes go wide.
"You see... you're the first child to have success in the Archon Residue Experiment. I injected you with the remains of a god, and it looks like you actually managed to survive the procedure. You should be thankful, it's much more beneficial and more rewarding than having normal hearing again."
"What?" Tighnari didn't understand a word he said. "You... lied?"
"Yes, but look at you. You're so much better now."
Dottore's words lingered in his head for a while longer, but soon he drew up the courage to yell back, his vocal cords more strained than ever. "No I'm not!" Tighnari glared at him through foggy eyes, those eyes starting to fill up with tears. How could he do this to him? He said he would make him feel better, but instead he was a liar! A dirty liar! "I don't want to be an experiment! I want to go back to mommy and daddy!"
"Oh...but there is no mommy and daddy to return to." Dottore smiled wider than ever.
"H-Huh?"
"Let's just say they're...removed from your life for good." Dottore held his hand out for him, like he expects him to take it again after lying to him. "But you're going to be so much better. Come now. Let's-"
Tighnari smacked his hand away. "No! I don't care! Mommy and daddy are somewhere! They're... they're going to find out you lied you...you stupid doctor!"
"This is the most you talked in a while."
"Shut up! Take me back to mommy and daddy! I want to go home!"
Dottore ignored him and instead grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the room while he trashed in his grip, doing anything he can to delay this, or get away from him. Kicking, screaming, trying to break free from him, anything to get away.
It didn't work. Dottore was strong. Stronger than him.
And he will always be stronger than him.
-
Tighnari was pulled out of his state of blissful ignorance when his hair was pulled back so violently he was certain chunks of his hair was fall out, a yelp escaping from his lips as he felt his scalp burn.
"You somehow slept through the door creaking this time. I'm impressed." Dottore's voice again. A voice he learned to dread, to despise. He yanked his head towards his face, that omnipresent smile was enough to drive him up a wall.
"You're such a fine specimen." His other hand brushed against his face, a chill crawled down his spine as his fingers danced across the rest of his body, from his arms to his legs to his hair. "A perfect vessel. A perfect weapon. A perfect candidate for science."
Tighnari spat at his face.
"Feisty today aren't we? You're lucky I'm only here to deliver your meal for day, or I would've had to make my upcoming experiment more uncomfortable for you." Dottore's smile never wavered as he grabbed a plate from behind him and placing it in front of him. Tighnari saw that it was merely small bits of biscuits and rotten looking apples, barely enough to keep him full for a whole day, and certainly not good for his health if he did choose to eat it.
Dottore let go of his hair after that, getting up to walk back to the door and slamming it shut once he was outside again, the sound rang through his ears for a solid five minutes, and it hurt a lot.
Once he was able to gather his bearings, Tighnari looked back at the plate of food, feeling his stomach simultaneously growl and drop at the sight. He was really hungry, but what kind of side effects would there be if he ate those bits of apples? Biscuits aren't enough to fill him up, especially if they're small and in crumbs.
He can't exactly be picky with his food though. Still, he had to work up the courage to actually eat it, too used to having fully prepared and cooked meals to dine on.
The silence was peaceful, but also lonely. No one other than Dottore and some of his subordinates come here, and they were always too loud for his liking.
When would he be allowed to go home?
Will he ever go home?
-
Tighnari doesn't know how long it had been since he was brought here. It had to be years by now, since he was growing up, but he can never be sure as they never mention the time to him.
It felt like absolute torture whenever he was waiting for the next experiment to take place.
Sometimes he wondered if it was better if he never found out about Dottore's true intentions. Maybe if he was blissfully ignorant, unaware of the cruelty he kept, then maybe all of this could've been more bearable.
Curiosity was a blessing and a curse.
He'd since learned that he was hidden away in an area that won't ever be found, that can't be found. He'll be here for as long as they needed so that they can continue their twisted games on him.
Tighnari wondered how many birthdays he missed. If his family was missing him. If he was remembered or forgotten in the world.
He wanted to turn to ash at this point. So that this pain can stop. He doesn't care if he leaves an ugly pool of sludge behind as his remains, as long as he is able to leave, nothing mattered.
Sometimes when he fell asleep, he can picture a world of peace and quiet. In that world, he isn't plagued with sounds or in constant pain. He was happy in that world, having the same level of hearing as his family and playing with them, basking in the morning sunlight, and being normal.
Sometimes he dreamt of his parents coming in to save him from wherever they were, imagining his mother giving him the biggest hug he would ever get and his father taking care of Dottore and his loyalists. After that, they would take him home, a place where the only thing he worried about were the sounds the world made.
Those dreams were just dreams. They would never come true.
The door creaked open again, violating the peace he desperately needed. Tighnari looked up vacantly, the shape of The Doctor immediately recognizable to him. He no longer hoped that it was someone who came to save him, even if that happened someday, how would he be able to explain what he had went through? His vocal cords were barely used for speaking purposes in these many years, and they were strained from the screaming he did.
Even if he had that chance, he wouldn't take it. If he ever were to go back to the world, he would never tell a single soul about what he really is.
"It's time to come out again." Dottore had a smile that mocked his vulnerability, his voice too loud for his ears, and Tighnari loathed to admit that he winced because of this.
There was a time when he would refuse to get up, wondering if it would do anything. He was younger, more naïve at that time, so his foolish younger self thought that it would work to some degree.
They would take him either way. The only difference is that his arm would hurt when he's thrown back into the room. An agent broke his arm one time, and it made everything all the more agonizing.
So Tighnari stood up on shaking legs, struggling to keep his balance and using the wall for support. Because what other option was there?
He kept his head down as he stumbled towards Dottore, focusing on his feet and making sure they were able to proceed ahead. This way, he can't see that face, can't see the corners of his lips quirk up at his attempts to reach him. It's like he can sense his hatred towards him - though he wasn't doing much to hide it - and he wished he can show him just how angry he is at him.
But he can't. He was weak. He was merely a means to an end. A doll that hasn't been fully accesoried yet, not when there's so many outfits for the owner to choose from.
"There you are." The tone he used would've made him feel loved or safe, but since it was coming from him, it made him feel sick. The faux gentleness in his voice was a trap he no longer fell for, not after the one too many times he did before.
Dottore turned around, an indication for him to follow him. And he did, with great difficulty as he willingly accept his fate this time around. Once upon a time, he fought back with a fire that burned bright against the darkness that wanted to consume his soul.
Now, that fire was dim, struggling to survive from the drops of rain that hurt.
Tighnari entered the testing chamber, finding that same metal table with the same steel restraints waiting to snag a victim in its hold. The smell of alcohol was strong, machinery used to test him strewn about this room, a tray of medical equipment was besides the metal table, cleaned of the blood it was once stained in, but he can always see his blood on those objects no matter how many times they were cleaned.
Dottore pointed towards the table, but Tighnari slumped to the floor instead. He did not know why he did that, but it happened anyway regardless of what he felt.
He felt his body be lifted up and placed on the table unceremoniously, his wrists and ankles getting shackled to the table, cold metal bit and wrapped around his limbs tight, preventing movement.
Tighnari turned his head to find the doctor going to the other side of this lab, grabbing a few objects from another tray he didn't notice the first time before returning to him, looking down on him.
"How scared would you be if you can only hear what I do to you today?"
Tighnari felt a blindfold be placed onto his eyes, blocking his vision, feeling a sense of dread even before it was put on him. It was a miracle he still had the capacity to feel this fear.
Something dug into his arm, sharp and it brought forth pain as it cut into his skin. He winced at the stinging sensation.
Then he felt a hand on him, touching him, caressing him, dancing across his flesh. The bone chilling feeling it gave off paired so horrendously well with the sharp object that made new scars on his body.
He whimpered, like a dog that has been kicked.
He kept touching him, he knew that all too well. He touched him everywhere, from his neck to his hair to his ears to his tail...
"Please stop touching me."
He prayed to the gods that this would stop, that he would stop. He prayed to Greater Lord Rukkadevata, to Lesser Lord Kusanali, to Barbatos to Morax, any god that would be willing to lend divine intervention to him. Give him a miracle of any kind.
His prayers went unanswered.
"That's all you're worried about? Fascinating, truly fascinating."
-
The door opened, and he could feel the blinding light entering the room once again. But there was a difference.
He was hearing footsteps come in.
Tighnari was a light sleeper, and they knew it, but he still pretended to be asleep, pretended to be unconscious. Because this was a new thing, and new things always got his attention these days.
"... this is The Doctor's best project?" An arrogant voice was what he heard. It was one he did not recognize, but he sounded young.
"Honestly, how did a worthless creature like you managed to pass the trial? That is just ridiculous." The man complained, likely wearing an expression of disgust right now, if Tighnari was brave enough to open one eye and get a good look at him.
He doesn't know if this man was looking at him, or had his attention on the room. If the first possibility is true, then he could lose the element of surprise, a crucial component to wield when planning an escape.
Escape...he hasn't used or thought about that word in years. Initially in the beginning, he thought that getting out of here on his own would be nigh impossible, and it was better to wait for a potential rescue.
But now, that belief was shattered. He can't rely on other people to save him. He had to save himself.
Years of living in these conditions made him act more rational, more logical. The fantasies and wishes he had as a child were long gone.
It was a fifty-fifty chance for either of those scenarios. It seems like this person just came here to rant and rave, so maybe if he gets too caught up in his spiel...
Tighnari decided to take the risk, cautiously opening one eye to glance up at the man who came here. It appeared to be a simple Fatuus. Not an agent, not a skirmisher, just a regular member of the Fatui. He was facing another direction, his mask concealing where his eyes were locked on, but he doesn't seem to notice he was awake. The door remained open, the beam of light blocked out by the Fatuus' figure. He still isn't sure how to use this new power that was forced inside of him, and frankly it would be satisfying to use it against that doctor, but there's no need for that as taped to the boot of the Fatuus was a dagger.
He lunged for the dagger and ripped it away from the tape, getting the Fatuus' attention. But before he could do anything, he brought it down onto his foot, puncturing through the boot and a loud, shrill scream of pain echoed through his ears and the room.
Tighnari pulled the dagger back out, now dripping with fresh, red blood of the Fatuus. He continued to cry out, but he felt no remorse, no empathy for the man.
What reason was there to be sorry anyway? They never felt sorry for him when he was in pain. It was only fair if he gets the feel the same way.
If the gods don't approve of this, then it's not his problem.
He shoved the Fatuus onto his back, using the opportunity to get up and make a break for it before anything else happens. Using the wall for support, he brought himself to his feet, struggling to make sure his knees don't buckle underneath him as he picked up on pounding footsteps that were coming closer to his room.
He was running out of time.
Tighnari ran down the hallway once he found a balance, nearly stumbling to the floor multiple times, slowing him down. Stolen dagger held tight in his hand, he prepared to strike if any Fatuus dared to stop him.
And they tried, but he either managed to cut them and slow them down or ran by them so fast they didn't understand what happened.
He was being chased, he knew that from the cacophony of boots slamming against the floor coming after him. He ran through corridors, through doors, ran down twists and turns this place offered, searching for an exit, a way out.
This may be his only chance at escape.
Large double doors were soon in his sight after all the running he did, across a long hallway that was devoid of anyone, with only him and the Fatui who were running after him.
Tighnari felt like he could cry when he pushed those doors open and found the lush green of Sumeru again.