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The moment Dottore made himself publicly known in Sumeru City, the news of the previously banned student of the Akademiyas' return spread like wildfire.
Soon enough, it reached Gandharva Ville. And Tighnari.
——
It had really started to down pour when Amir, a Forest Ranger, showed up at Tighnari’s home, Collei being there as well.
“Tighnari! You are needed in the Main House.” He said, his eyes quickly shooting over to Collei for a second, then back to Tighnari.
“Is everything alright?” He asked, setting down his clipboard, glancing over to the Trainee as well.
“We just- we need to talk. Come on.” He said, making his way over to the Main House, Tighnari following closely.
“Tighnari?” Collei called out, running after.
“Um-“ He was about to say something, looking back at Amir.
He shook his head.
“Just stay here, I’m sure everything is okay.” He said, lightning striking behind them in the distance.
She had a scared look on her face, but ran back to the house.
Amir and Tighnari quickly made their way to the Main House and as they entered, the talking ceased.
What’s going on? Is the Withering getting worse? Why couldn’t Collei come? He had so many questions but filed them backwards as the upper rank Forest Rangers and himself took their seats at their meeting table.
“So?” He asked.
The rangers looked at each other, silently deciding who would break the news.
“…Dottore was spotted in Sumeru City.” Someone said, getting the words out.
He felt his chest tighten and breath hitch.
“Th-that’s why we couldn’t have Collei here, despite her being your pupil. She-“ Amir started.
“I- I understand…” He said, staring intensely at the table below him, fingers intertwined as he got lost in thought.
“I can’t stay here. I leave for Pardis Dhyai in the morning…Cyno can’t be here either.” He muttered to himself.
“I need to entrust my-… entrust Collei’s safety with you all.” He said, his tail swaying slightly.
He wasn't going to say his daughter! Of course not!... But these situations where she could be in danger really made it tempting to say so.
“Of course Tighnari sir! We will do whatever it takes.” A ranger stood, making herself known.
“Good, because if he’s here, then it’s for more than one reason.” He said, his eyes growing dark.
He recalled Collei’s first nights here. How she would have mumbling nightmares, sometimes even getting bad enough to where she would awake with a small scream.
As he got to know her more, it hurt him more to see her like that.
He only hoped that the information would not reach her, and even more so, he would not reach her.
They continued and discussed more of a plan of protection for when Tighnari would be absent. Soon, as the rain settled, and the meeting ended, Tighnari returned to his hut and started packing to leave.
“Master Tighnari? What was all that about last night? What happened? Is it bad?” The girl persisted with her questions despite no time arising for answers.
“It’s alright, it’s alright. It’s just…The Withering in the surrounding areas is getting worse. They are not only multiplying but their radius’s have only expanded.” He told her.
Of course these were only lies (hopefully), but it was to keep her suspicions low to none.
“Oh... I suppose that means I am bound to the Village for now?” She asked.
“You would presume correctly Collei. But not to worry. I have gathered some helpful Vision Bearing Mercenaries to hopefully take care of it, being instructed by some higher ranking Rangers of course.” He said.
Soon, he had finished packing and said his farewells.
“Keep her safe.” He told Amir.
“Of course.” He said.
“I just wish I didn’t have to leave… But Hapasiya needs my attention, and I know Dottores first stop will be there. If only I could bring Collei, but that would only lead to more trouble.” He thought out loud.
Soon, he was off.
And only a day had passed before more news spread.
Dottore was… gone? He had left Sumeru already? How?
As Tighnari and Cyno heard the news, they felt more at ease, and of course Collei was none the wiser.
But of course, the false rise was only a worthy breeding ground for trouble and disappointment.
There were small rumors here and there, some believing of The Doctors departing, and others saying they heard differently.
Some had recent pictures of him on his boat, others had even more recent ones of him traversing the forest.
The only thing that was for sure was; Collei still needed protection.
“Aha! Amir!” The girl raced towards the close associate of her master.
“Collei, is everything alright?” He asked.
“Yes, yes, but I have a question! Would you like to try my new Pita Pocket recipe?” She asked, her eyes sparkling just a bit.
“Oh, sure! Just let me finish writing this report, and I’ll be right over!” He smiled at the kid as she ran back to Tighnaris hut.
She had been staying there since his absence, and it was sure that it was to help her not feel so lonely.
Shortly afterwards, he finished the report and met with her in the hut.
She showed him the Pita Pocket, giving him one and taking the other for herself.
“Mm, this is delicious Collei, good job!” He smiled, having finished the food.
“Hehe, thank you! I’m glad you like it! Do you think Tighnari will like it?” She asked.
“I’m sure he’ll love it.” He said.
“…Do you know when he’ll be back?” She asked, getting a bit sad for a moment.
“I’m sure it will be soon.” He said.
He reached upwards for a moment before speaking again.
“May I?” He asked.
“Hehe sure.” Collei giggled.
He rustled her hair a bit and smiled.
“I’ll see you later!” He said, taking his leave.
Collei sat back on her bed with Culien-Anbar in her arms.
She thought of everything that had happened since she arrived in Gandharva Ville. When she first met Tighnari, when she started to speak more with the Forest Rangers and eventually everyone else in the Village.
They had all started to develop a soft spot for the kid. She was helpful and kind and tried her best. But of course Tighnari was her main caregiver. He had the biggest soft spot but eventually had to compete for that place with Cyno.
She smiled to herself, thinking about all the support she had here.
It almost made her forget about her past. Almost.
It rained again that night, the pattering eventually getting loud enough to drown out the sound of footsteps walking along the bridges. Or the darkness of the night being able to hide stalking bodies from being seen. Or even the lack of light behind a curtain of leaves making a figure be unable to be seen behind them.
But the most of all, the lulling sound of the storm putting someone into such a deep sleep, even a nearby presence won’t wake them.
But a voice will.
“Hm, seems as though I have found you after all my dearest subject.”
His voice didn’t ring in her head. It stabbed her like millions of needles.
Her eyes shot open as she sat up and looked around. There was nothing there. But this wasn’t a dream. It couldn’t be. The people of Sumeru don’t dream. Well, she did. But that was besides the point. She knew what she heard. And what she heard was a monster, slowly creeping his way back into her mind.
She stood from her bed, grabbing her bow and staring at the curtain of leaves in front of her. Her only exit. His only entrance.
She nocked an arrow, trying to stop herself from shaking.
“You know it will be hard to shoot if you are so terrified. Correct?”
He was real. This was real.
Again, the endless sensation of needles pricking her skin took over.
She couldn’t even speak.
Even when he walked in, she could not yell for help.
“You know it was foolish to run…don’t you? But don’t worry dear, I-“ He said, but was interrupted by an arrow flying narrowly passed his chest.
She nocked another one.
“Oh stop it,-“ he took a step closer, scowling, when the next flew passed his head.
“Stay back.” Her voice was meek and quivering.
To say that she was just afraid would be the biggest understatement in all of Teyvat.
She was absolutely terrified.
She was so focused on keeping her arms from shaking to get an accurate hit, she failed to realize just how close he had gotten, his chest just barley in front of her shaking arrow.
“You’ve grown into disobedience. How annoying.” He slapped the bow and arrow out of her hands, them then clanging against the floor.
“But not to worry, we can get you back into shape. I must say, I’ll be glad to continue what Pantalone called a failed experiment.” He grinned still.
“You aren’t taking me back there.” She said, her voice still quiet.
“You don’t sound so sure.” He smirked.
She could not move back any further even if she wanted to. She could only stay trapped in front of him.
She was frozen in fear till his hand grabbed her wrist.
“And still Collei, I don’t understand why you found it fit to run. You could’ve stayed and continued to be a staple of my research, but of course you find it useful to make yourself a nuisance.” He stared at her, savoring the fear in her eyes.
And she still hadn’t said many words.
But when she did, they were not cries for help. They were only commands he would not follow.
“Have you gone mute child or are you just that scared?” He asked, trying to get a rise out of her.
She then took a single breath and whistled the best she could. She happened to be good at whistling loud enough to where she had even gained the attention of a Rishboland Tiger from deep in the woods once.
Surely someone must have heard… right?
It didn’t matter- Whether they did or not simply didn't matter right now.
She shoved him as best she could, hoping to catch him off guard just enough to escape.
But of course it didn’t work.
He grabbed her arm and yanked her back before her hand could even brush the leaves that led to her exit.
“Tsk, always another problem with you child. No worries. I presumed you would have some resistance.” He smiled wildly, retrieving a syringe from his small carry-on pocket.
“No!” Her first cry for help escaped her lips as the syringe came into view.
She thrashed but he was able to get a small about of the liquid in before being tackled to the ground.
The medicines on Tighnaris work table tipped and shook.
Multiple Rangers had come to the scene, two coming in and taking Collei to another medical residence and Amir and another trying their best to take down The Doctor.
Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful and he made his escape.
As they had realized they lost him, Amir rushed back to where Collei was being kept.
“Is she alright?” He asked, brushing her hair slightly with his hand, scared to startle or harm her.
“Yes, fortunately it seems so. She appears to have been injected with a small amount of high caliber liquidized sleeping pills. If injected with the full amount, she would be asleep for weeks, and her psyche would not be unaffected. I’m glad we got to her when we could. From my data, she will hopefully only be unconscious for a few hours. But..” The nurse stopped taking for a moment.
“She won’t be okay.” Amir finished.
The pouring rain only seemed to grow harsher as they stood around the sweet, innocent child.
Amir stayed awake at her side all till morning, when eventually Tighnari and Cyno had gotten back.
Amir got someone else to keep an eye on her as he went to break the news.
“Ah, Amir. How is Collei, is she doing alright?” Tighnari asked.
He was silent for a moment, and in that moment, a million things went through the two boys heads.
“She wasn’t-“ Cyno started, but Amir cut him off.
“No, she wasn’t taken, but… last night…”
Moments after their discussion, Tighnari and Cyno were at her side.
It was a few hours till she woke up, but the two of them never left her side during that time.
She had been safely moved back to Tighnaris hut so that she could have a bit of privacy first.
Soon, they watched her eyes flutter open.
As soon as she could, she shot up in the bed and looked around, terrified.
You haven’t been taken- th-this is Tighnaris hut- you are safe-
But no matter how many times she told herself that, the uneasiness stayed.
“Hey, hey, hey, Collei, it’s alright, you’re okay.” Cyno said.
It had been months since they had seen each other and it hurt him when he realized that when he looked into her eyes, they were not filled with excitement for his return, but with terror for what she had gone through in his absence.
She tried to stop her erratic breathing, but whatever methods she tried didn’t work.
In enough time, she started crying again.
“C-Collei, breathe. Please…” Tighnari pleaded.
They couldn’t help her with comforting touch, but they could try with comforting words.
“It’s gonna be okay, I promise, but first you need to breathe.” He continued.
She tried again, slowing the amount of air she took in.
But it just felt like she wasn’t getting enough air. Why wasn’t she getting enough air!? It was as if she was there again, his hand on her throat as she thrashed.
"You really aren't making this easy dearest." she heard him muttered in disappointment.
"I-I'm sorry Im sorry-" She sobbed, trying to stop her tears.
"Please don't apologize, you don't need to apologize." Cyno said, sounding so distraught.
"No I am! I am! I'm sorry I'm a nuisance, I'm sorry I made it all worse!" She cried.
"You made nothing worse." Tighnari said. "It was him who did that. He made everything worse. None of that is your fault." He continued.
Soon enough, after gentle words, Cyno was eventually able to hold her hand and rub it softly to comfort her.
Tighnari took the time to clean up, horrible images washing up upon his brain as he looked around, wondering what had happened.
Two arrows had been shot, one sticking into the wood floor and the other into the wall next to the entrance. Collei’s bow and a supposedly nocked arrow were on the ground. And finally, some of his medical equipment and supplies had been knocked over.
He could only imagine what happened to her.
After he had cleaned up, he sat at her side once more. She was calmer now thanks to Cyno. She was breathing evenly and had stopped crying for the most part.
They talked a bit more, small words being spoken from her here and there.
Eventually, Collei remembered something.
“Would you two um… l-like to… uh… try a new Pita Pocket recipe I came up with?” She asked quietly.
They smiled.
“Of course.” Tighnari said.
Of course she had only made a small request, and it would take her some time to be able to experience a full recovery, but this was progress. And for her, any progress is good.