Chapter Text
Sumeru City was lively. The streets were busy, filled with children playing around, students talking about their newest projects or just people going for a walk. They all just seemed very…carefree. It was quite different from the Temple of Silence, hidden deep inside the desert. Sethos was pleasantly surprised. He had heard from Cyno that the rainforest was now different and more welcoming, still, seeing it in person was reassuring.
The sun began to set so Sethos made his way to the Akademiya where he was supposed to meet with the general Mahamatra. Nevertheless, Cyno was nowhere to be seen. I might as well take a look around while I wait, he thought. The Akademiya was enormous to say the least. As he was observing the architecture of the building, he couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversations around him.
“Have you heard about the Amurta student, who tried to plagiarize Hat Guy's essays?”
“Of course I have. It's not everyday you see this kind of stupidity here. Who in their right mind would think they could get away with it?”
“Yeah. Hat Guy's writing style is very specific, everyone recognizes it. And on top of that, it's very hard to imitate. What surprised me though was that Hat Guy didn't care at all. I saw him talking to the Matra earlier today and he just told them he didn't give a damn and to leave him alone.”
“That's nothing new. Who knows what his deal is.”
“Yeah. For someone so pretty, he sure can be insufferable sometimes. Or so I heard…”
Sethos wanted to hear more about this “Hat Guy” but his attention shifted to a hand waving in front of him.
“Teyvat to Sethos,” said Cyno.
“Oh, hello,” replied Sethos, startled by the other man.
“Are you from another nation?”
“What? No, I'm from Sumeru,” Sethos was a little confused by this question. “I mean, I am from the desert but that is still Sumeru. And besides, you're from the desert as well. So no, I don't think-”
“Because you seemed lost in your imagiNATION.”
Sethos blinked once, then twice. He was very impressed by this joke. But Cyno thought he didn't understand, so he started explaining: “You see, it's funny because the word ‘nation’ is a part of the word ‘imagination’ and you seemed lost in thought, so therefore-”
“No, no, I get it. That was just a face of pure amazement at how good the joke was,” said Sethos, this time laughing.
“You, you liked the joke?” Cyno looked so relieved and happy. With a small smile painting his lips, Sethos nodded.
Cyno led Sethos to a little house on the outskirts of Sumeru city. At the door they were greeted by Tighnari. He and Collei had some business to attend to and upon hearing about Sethos's arrival they decided to stay one more night just to say hello to him.
Once they entered, Sethos couldn't help but notice how cozy the place was. It had a small living area with a big and comfy sofa. Right next to it was a wooden table that fit just four people and a kitchen with lots of pots filled with food. That's where the nice smell was coming from. He could see three more doors, leading to the bedrooms and the bathroom, the desert dweller assumed.
The more he saw of the rainforest, the happier he was. There were so many places he had not seen yet and so many people he had yet to meet who lead such a different style of life compared to what he was used to. The sands were still his home but he felt like many new things awaited him here. See grandpa? It's different now. I wish you could have seen it too.
“The dinner is ready. Collei wanted to make Pita Pockets to show Sethos what kind of food we eat here. Take as many as you'd like” said Tighnari while Collei put some of the food on the table.
“It smells delicious,” remarked Sethos,”I bet they taste amazing.”
“Oh they do. I kept stealing some when Collei was making them,” the forest ranger laughed.
“Hey! So that's why some went missing!”
“Come on, you do this all the time when I cook. Let me live the experience as well.”
Sethos noticed the way Cyno smiled as he watched the two playfully argue. They seemed like a family. He almost felt like an impostor in this intimate setting. Once again he was reminded of the Temple, of his grandfather. A wave of sadness washed over him. In that moment he too wished to become a part of this family.
“You were late. Did something unexpected happen at work?” Tighnari asked once they were all comfortably seated.
Cyno looked up with a mouth full of the delicious food, a little startled by the sudden question. “Actually, yes. One of your juniors tried to pass off Hat Guy’s essay as his own. I thought it was a terrible excuse of a prank at first.”
“Really? The Amurta students usually know how to use the brain as it is something they study. Seems like this one didn't pay enough attention in his classes,” said Tighnari, “aren't these cases usually resolved pretty quickly though?”
“Well, yes. But I encountered a problem. This particular student tried to out-joke me.”
Tighnari suddenly stopped chewing. Sethos watched his ears slowly deflate and his face twist into a look of absolute disappointment. Cyno didn't seem to notice and continued. “So obviously I had to show him who the real master of jokes is. And let me tell you. He was stubborn and his jokes weren't bad at all. Still not better than mine though.”
“Seems like that student wasn't the only one not knowing how to use a brain,” Tighnari sighed loudly enough for Sethos and Collei to hear. They both giggled while Cyno victoriously ate another Pita Pocket.
“Were there any other problems?” asked Tighnari in the end.
“I would Cyno. Yes, I still have some cases to resolve but I decided to Sethos aside and Collei a day.”
“One more stupid joke and I'm kicking you out.”
“But this is my house.”
“Do I look like I care?”
Sethos couldn't help but burst out laughing. He didn't know if it was because of Cyno’s joke or Tighnari's reaction. Soon enough everybody joined him. During the evening, everyone stayed in good humor, telling Sethos stories from the forest and the city, where to buy the best food and where they serve the best drinks. And in return Sethos told them more about the Temple, it's people and their customs.
If only it was possible to stay in this moment forever. This was the first time Sethos felt truly happy after his grandfather's death and he did not want this to pass. He knew that he’d stay close to Cyno and the others, yes. But such moments were quite hard to come by, such familial atmosphere was like no other.
“Oh, I almost forgot to ask,” said Sethos once they all finished their food. Cyno and Collie looked at him and Tighnari encouraged him to continue with a nod. “Who's Hat Guy?”
The General Mahamatra and the Forest Watcher looked at each other before the former said: “He's a very interesting individual, mostly known for his papers of Inazuman history and politics. He's a Vahumana student who appeared out of nowhere. He's not the friendliest and dislikes interacting with others, so no one really knows anything about him. Despite that, he's pretty popular.”
“I also heard he is quite close with Lesser Lord Kusanali,” added Tighnari.
“Interesting,” Sethos crossed his arms pondering over what he just learned. He was intrigued. This person with a funny name didn't seem like an ordinary student and Sethos really wanted to learn more about him.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Cyno tapped his shoulder and beckoned with his hand, leading him towards one of the doors. “This will be your room while staying in the city. You'll be sharing it with Collei. Just make yourself at home. I know it looks different from the Temple, but I still hope you'll like it here.”
“No no no, you've got it wrong. Yes, the Temple is beautiful, but your home is so cozy. I love it here!”
Cyno smiled slightly while opening the door to the bedroom. It was smaller than the living area but big enough to fit two beds, a table and a big wooden closet. There was a big colorful carpet on the floor with beautiful ornaments, seemingly of a very good quality. Sethos sat down on his bed. It was soft.
“If you need anything, me and Tighnari will be in the other room,” Cyno was about to leave, when Sethos said quietly: “Thank you…for everything you've done for me.” He didn't look up at Cyno. Instead, he was looking out of the window somewhere far away, the moonlight illuminating his face. Still, he could feel the reassuring smile Cyno gave him. “Goodnight,” said the general before closing the door.
…
The best way to get to know the city was to get to know its people. That's why Sethos set off to the Grand Bazaar right after breakfast. If Cyno was right, and the desert dweller firmly believed he was, that place was exactly where many people gathered. Specifically people that were friendly and liked to talk. Still, the place was quite hidden and Sethos had to ask around at least three times before he finally managed to reach his destination.
The Bazaar was busy. It was only nine in the morning, yet many people were already running around trying to buy the freshest fruits and vegetables. Sethos just stood there in awe. After stepping into the city for the first time the day before and seeing the majestic tree hover over it, it didn't even cross his mind that such a lively place was hidden right under it. There were less students than he saw yesterday. It may have been because most of them were attending their morning lectures, or the spot just wasn't popular with them, Sethos didn't know.
As he was making his way through the alleys of stalls, his eyes fell on one particular stand. There was a lot of colorful candy he has never seen before. So, he decided to go take a closer look.
“They are called dango. I just came back from Inazuma and oh did I fall in love with them! I knew immediately I had to learn how to make them so people here get to taste them too,” said the merchant lady. Sethos looked up at her with a smile. “Well I bet they taste as delicious as they look, maybe even more!”
“I’m sure you haven't eaten something like this yet. Now that Inazuman borders are open again, I hope we’ll get to taste even more Inazuman cuisine in the next few years. But enough chit chat, would you like to try some?” the lady was pointing to all the candy she had.
“You bet I would! Give me two of the best dango you have,” Sethos extended his arm with enough mora, waiting for his dango. “There you go,” said the lady. He was about to leave when his eyes settled on a small pile of boxes with cute little ribbons on them. “Is it your birthday today?” Sethos asked. The lady’s gaze followed Sethos’s. “Oh, no no,” she said while waving with her hands in front of her. “These are presents for my friends I brought back from Inazuma. I wanted to deliver them after work yesterday but I was too tired. It’s all food too, I'm afraid it may go bad if I wait more. Hope I'll be able to do it today, but it’s a busy day…” she sighed.
“I can help you with that,” said the desert dweller without thinking.
“Really? You would?” she looked hopeful.
“Of course! Leave it to me! I can eat the dango on my way,” his smile was even wider than before.
“You're my savior,” said the lady as she grabbed a few pieces of paper and scribbled something over each one before giving them to Sethos. “Here are all the addresses. Again thank you so much.”
Sethos took the packages and the papers. He waved at the woman before setting off. He knew this was going to be a challenge as he was still unfamiliar with the city. Yet, he found it surprisingly easy to navigate. In the morning when looking for the Grand Bazaar he tried to engrave all the paths he used into his mind and it came in handy. Soon enough he managed to find all the houses. All the ladies received the gift and thanked him, sending greetings to the lady from the stall and Sethos always promised to deliver them.
Before he knew it, he was already on his way back to the bazaar. This time he knew exactly where to go and he reached it in no time. When he was close enough to see the stall, he noticed a man standing there, talking to the merchant lady. Even from afar Sethos noticed his perfect posture and his beautiful black and white clothes. Still, what caught his eye was the huge disk on his head. Sethos perked up and increased his pace, almost running.
“Are you Hat Guy?” he asked once he stood close enough to that man. He just turned around, staring deep into Sethos’s soul, with a look that could kill. Despite that, Sethos was left absolutely speechless. In front of him stood the most beautiful man he has ever seen in his life. His dark blue hair perfectly framed his face and his deep purple eyes could have been mistaken for the rivers in Inazuma. Or at least that's how Sethos imagined those rivers would look like.
“Does everyone know me by that name now,” the guy sighed quietly, most likely just to himself. “Do you need anything?” He said, this time more clearly. Sethos had to gather himself once he realized he was being spoken to. “Actually, yes. Can I take a look at your hat?”
Hat Guy gave him a nasty look before turning back to the merchant lady. “How much is it?”
“That’ll be 500 mora,” she replied. He handed her the money and she started to pack his order. “How did it go?” she turned to Sethos.
“It went great! All of them send a lot of greetings and a big thanks. They talked about needing to plan a meet up with you. Also, I ate the dango on my way here and it was delicious! What candy did the guy over here get?” he smiled.
“I'm happy to hear that. He got some candied ajilenakh nuts. They are a bestseller of mine. Here, I prepared some more dango for you as a thanks. And you know what, I'll give you one candied ajilenakh nut too. You were a big help,” she said before giving him the small package with his sweets. Hat Guy just looked at them, still waiting for his own order.
Sethos noticed him staring so he extended one of his arm to him, holding a dango. “Want some? They're good!”
Hat Guy’s face turned into that of disgust. “Keep that revolting thing away from me,” he said before taking his candy and disappearing so fast that Sethos didn't even notice which way he went.
“Not a fan of dango, huh,” said Sethos to himself while making a mental note for later. He knew he had to talk to this person again. After seeing Hat Guy in person he was even more intrigued than before. Especially by his hat. He needed to take a closer look at his hat!
He thanked the merchant lady and continued exploring the city, now with a new goal in mind.