--Rememberance--

Chapter 1 - 1

The Avidya forest seemed normal enough today. No Fungi, no hilichurls, and a Withering Zone. I really wish those zones weren't the norm. Withering Zones were dangerous enough as they were, and I was in no condition to deal with one.
Luckily, the source of the Withering Zones had been eradicated, but the actual Zones stayed themselves. They just wouldn't suddenly appear anymore, thank the Archons.

"Let's get this Withering Zone cleared," I announced tiredly, equipping my bow.

"Are you sure you can fight, Master Tighnari?" Collei asked, watching as the other 3 rangers got their gear ready.

"I'll be fine. I've dealt with too many of these."

...

Clearing the Withering went pretty smoothly. Nobody got seriously injured-- only a few scrapes here and there, but nothing to worry about.
I was physically fine too, with only a graze on my elbow, but the whole ordeal fatigued me.

"Ugh.. Let's cut the patrol short today. After we observe the growth of the mushrooms around this area we can finish."

The rangers glanced at me with their worried puppy-eyes. They had lots of unspoken rules between them and I supposed being worried for me all the time was one of them.

It only took a few minutes to arrive at a patch of Rukkashava mushrooms. We set our stuff down, and the rangers got their clipboards out. I dug out my notebook, bursting with post-it notes and pop-up slips of paper, and even some specimen. No wonder why it stinks.

"Rukkashava mushrooms... There. This page."

I read through my notes, making sure all the contents about these mushrooms were in there.
"...What happened to this part? It simply... changed?"

There was nothing about the mushrooms being eaten to commemorate Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's sacrifice, and Rukkhadevata's name had been replaced by 'god'.

I stared at my notebook, completely stunned.
"Well this definitely isn't a prank."

...

Thoughts constantly nagged me from after the patrol to the late night. The moon was almost full today, and not a single cloud covered it. I simply stared, unable to sleep.
I heard rustling outside of my hut, but I didn't bother to go check. It was almost some kind of sixth-sense, knowing when 'he' was here.

"I'm trying to sleep, Cyno. What are you doing here at the dead of night?"

Cyno chuckled, walking through my door to sit on my bedside.

"I knew you'd still be awake, although I wish you were asleep. You need to rest, seriously. I just know you didn't keep that promise, to stay in bed for a while," Cyno muttered softly, seemingly in a better mood than the morning.

"Well, I didn't say 'I promise'~"

He sighed heavily and threw my blanket over me.
"Someone's in a good mood, to be tucking me in like this," I muttered jokingly.

"I'm just worried about you, that's all. Do you need help with sleeping?"

"Cyno, what the heck does than mean..."

"I'll tell some jokes until you fall asleep or something."

"Actually, that would keep me up all night."

"Because you'd be laughing?"

"Because I'd be crying."

I sighed, grabbing Cyno's hand. It felt rough, but his fingertips that wrapped around my own hand were soft as cotton.
As if a spell were cast on me, I started feeling drowsy in his grasp, and before I knew it I was asleep.

(563 words)