A puppet among researchers

Kaveh 2

We made it to Gandharva Vile with any further Disturbances.

The people who were still out had stared at hat guy (mostly because Tighnari doesn't usually bring new people since his dislike for strangers) which of course hat guy asked "do these people have lives or do they just pay attention to whatever goes on around them?"

"Well usually we don't get people wearing... clothes such as yours!" Tighnari said

Kaveh could tell that he was holding back a remark he would normally make. Especially after Tighnari had given him the 'we will talk about this as soon as we are alone' look.

Hat guy had rolled his eyes at the comment.

Hat guy looked so out of place in the village, actually he looked out of place in the akademiya as well. He just doesn't seem to fit in anywhere Kaveh has seen.

We walked to Tighnari's house, Of course collei was there pacing around the room

"Master! When you didn't show I was worried that something happened to you and that you would be unable to come back home and...." Collei rambled as soon as she saw Tighnari.

"Collei we are fine!" Tighnari said.

"Who's this?" Hat guy asked.

"Oh this is collei, Collei this is hat guy." Kaveh said.

"Hat guy? Kaveh you should learn someone's name before you introduce them!" Collei said.

"That's how he introduced himself." Kaveh said defensively. He does not appreciate being mocked for something that isn't true.

"You can't be serious!" Collei said.

"Honestly I don't care what you call me." Hat guy said.

"Okay?" Collei replied

clearly suspicious of her Master's new partner.

Kaveh is not one to be suspicious of people he barely knows! Always looking at the best in people but.... Hat guy is starting to become an exception.

"Collei, did you get the tents ready like I asked?" Tighnari asked, effectively changing the subject.

"Oh yeah! They are set up right outside of the village!" Collei said while gesturing Northeast of where they were standing.

"Thank you collei!" Tighnari said. ""Let's go!"

"Out of the village huh? You don't trust me that much?" Hat guy said.

"It's not that, I figured we would need a quiet place to work and the village isn't the best for solitude." Tighnari said.

'Man this guy has got trust issues' Kaveh thought as they pushed forward to the tents.

By the time they got to the tents the sun was already going down.

"Well it looks like we aren't getting anything else done today." Kaveh said.

"If that's the case I'll take my leave!" Hat guy said as he started walking down the path they just went up.

"Hold up! You aren't leaving." Tighnari said.

Hat guy stopped, turned around, then asked, "Are you holding me hostage?"

"What? Of course not!" Kaveh answered then Tighnari added, "it's too dangerous to travel through the forest at night."

Hat guy rolled his eyes and said, "I can handle myself!"

"As a forest ranger, I've heard that sentence too many times! And it is usually followed by me having to save the person who said it. You are staying! End of story! That tent is for you!" Tighnari said as he pointed to one of the tents.

Hat guy looked pissed, but he just said "fine!" Then walked into the tent closing the door while he did.

After a few seconds Tighnari looked at Kaveh and asked, "why him?"

"Well..... I don't know any other Vahumana researchers!" Kaveh answered.

"He did the bare minimum during the darshan championship." Tighnari said.

"I know!"

"We know little to nothing about him!"

"I know."

"Didn't he hit you in the..."

"YES he did, please don't remind me!" Kaveh still has nightmares of that day. The ghost that chose him, the money he lost, he risked everything because of some stupid prize that had strings attached. No, he refused to think about it.

"So why him? You could have just asked someone else!"

"I know but... he looked like he could use a friend during the darshan championship, and I thought we could use someone like him in our friend group."

Tighnari looked at hat guy's tent then looked back at Kaveh, then he sighed and started walking back to the village.

But before he was out of ear shot he said. "I hope this was worth it."

"I hope so too!" Kaveh said, as he walked over to the fire pit to make some dinner.