A puppet among researchers

Kaveh 4

Tighnari was faster than Kaveh on the return to the campsite.

Mostly because Kaveh did not want to be in the way. Tighnari is known for lashing out on people when they have no regard for their health!

Kaveh himself had been on the Receiving end of several of those conversations. He could probably quote Tighnari's warnings about liver damage by memory by now.

So he lingered in the village. Collei had walked up to him and asked him what happened. She could barely contain what looked like guilt on her face when he mentioned hat guy's outright refusal of seeking medical attention.

There was also some understanding there. That Kaveh knew where it came from. He wasn't told anything in detail but he did know enough to never use the word 'Doctor' around the village.

When he got to the camp the research tent was a mess.

"Did a tornado hit?" Kaveh asked, referring to the destroyed ley line disruption device.

"If that tornado was named Wanderer and is currently resting then yes." Tighnari said as he was organizing the pieces.

"Wanderer?" Kaveh asked.

"Yeah surprisingly his name isn't hat guy!" Tighnari said, rolling his eyes.

Wanderer, why hide a name like that?

"He told you that?" Kaveh asked instead.

"I'm just as surprised as you." Tighnari said.

"So where is he?" Kaveh asked as he started to help.

"He's in his tent! And will be for a while! I'll check on him in a few hours." Tighnari said.

Then the two worked in silence.

~

A few hours pass faster than Kaveh had thought.

All the pieces were organized and instead of writing every piece down, Mehrak was logging everything then printing it was a feature Kaveh had recently added so that he didn't have to write everything a client said while discussing the needs of the buildings.

It was fairly new and Tighnari didn't trust it so it was up to Kaveh to see how Wanderer was doing.

To Kaveh's complete surprise he was asleep.

Completely at peace. Looking as if he had not a care in the world. But that wasn't what Kaveh had noticed.

Before falling asleep, Wanderer must've taken off his gloves. Because right where gloves usually were there were scars. Surgical Scars. Old ones but still present. It made Kaveh wonder if he had more. In places like on his chest.

He also noticed a doll. It was smaller than most but it was still an Inazuman doll. in his hand.

Kaveh made no mention of it when speaking to Tighnari about what he saw.

~

He could tell Tighnari's mind wasn't on the project. Kaveh's mind was also elsewhere.

On the boy in the tent mere meters away.

On those scars.

Wanderer got up an hour later.

He didn't do much once he did. Every time he did something he would look over at Tighnari like he was going to tie him down on that bed if he overdid it. Knowing Tighnari he would probably do just that.

More than once Kaveh's eyes looked over at Wanderer's hands. Somehow Wanderer noticed every single time he did and glared at him.

Mehrak had gotten everything cataloged.

Making this the first successful day of the project.