Though fate and time had not been kind to Faruzan, staying positive even in the worst of scenarios was something she had to do. Alas, losing the Interdarshan competition stung ever so slightly. After all, she was faced with the greatest minds of the six Darshan, or Six Great Schools, of Sumeru. And she didn't do too badly either.
But that wasn't important in the greater scheme of things. Sure, the money would have been great to end her new-century troubles, but her classes receiving any kind of attention was so much worth it. She got slightly closer to the Light of Kshahrewar, Kaveh, the champion of the tournament. Faruzan pushed him to the top, metaphorically and quite literally. And pushing youngsters to new heights was what any elder would wish to do.
Ah, yes, the tournament had been nothing but a net gain.
Except for one, minuscule and insignificant detail.
The Vairambhaka Gear was damaged!
Her pride and joy, the perfect example of her mastery of King Deshret's technology and the mechanism that had allowed her to rise above and beyond after her imprisonment! And it was damaged… No, it could have been broken. Because of that rude, good-for-nothing, annoyingly named, Hat Guy!
What did he do for the entire tournament, huh? Nothing! He showed no respect for his fellow rivals, insulted the integrity of each challenge and did nothing for most of the rounds except in the last one. And what did he do then? Right when she was about to win the crown from poor Layla? He snatched it, and did the unthinkable! He broke the poor Gear!
Oh, Faruzan didn't care about losing. She didn't fancy her chances anyhow. But how she lost, to that incompetent mess of a person? That was an insult. And if Faruzan had maintained something after losing everything, it was her pride.
She could repair the Vairambhaka Gear with no issue. It would take a token amount of money, and a trip to the desert to gather some high-quality prisms. She would have done it by now if that was the issue. But to do so without any kind of shame from that boy was akin to losing again.
He was clearly a menace. But everyone deserved a chance. And since Faruzan was quite the benevolent teacher, however, she'd give him the benefit of the doubt. It was a competition after all. Perhaps he didn't even notice the damage he had caused. Giving him that chance was probably too good for him, but everyone deserved at least one. If he showed the slightest show of concern, Faruzan would have to let this whole issue go.
If not, then… Well, an apology! A proper one at that. Perhaps, a written apology letter? Ah, yes. That would be the perfect plan.
First, try his concern. If not, demand an apology! Genius plan, worthy of a maverick!
"Oh, let me help you, great Madame Faruzan, it would be an honour for mistreating you!"
"No, youngster, your words are enough! And attending my classes for at least a semester!"
That was how it would go.
Totally.
Now, the issue was locating him.
Asking around the Vahumana school yielded little results. She had heard that he was some sort of foreign master, but the fact that nobody even knew a little about him was suspicious. How hard could it be to miss a guy with a hat like that?
Afterwards, Faruzan investigated the Library but again found nothing. She took advantage of her visit, however, and decided to read his supposed accomplishments in the Vahumana field. This would do well in her upcoming confrontation. Rather, his apology.
He had two works attached to that awful name. A critic of Aqaba's Tatarasuna incident and a long, boring explanation of how Inazuman society treated the downtrodden. From the get-go, she disliked the writing of his first work. Poor structure, and informal vocabulary yet an excellent way of putting down every single event Aqaba used to reinforce his theories. That is if you ignored that the Hat Guy didn't use any sources. He had the gall to quote himself as a trustworthy source. How anyone took this seriously was beyond her.
The other one was different. More personal and less flashy. The vocabulary was more formal but drier. This certainly seemed to stem from personal experiences and real issues that plagued the island nation. Yet… the structure was all over the place. It felt more like a long-winded rant rather than an objective piece of work. Now, there was nothing wrong with subjectiveness in the field. But to have your conclusions blame everything on the Shogun for… She couldn't quite read what was written, the ink had ran. And it ended like that?
It was strange. One felt like a random critique and the other one a few pages from his own diary. Was this what qualified as research these days? Did the Akademiya have no shame? Besides, the pseudonym was not written by him. Somebody else had done it.
Regardless, this was enough. Having some background on that complete stranger was good. Still, that didn't help her narrow down his location.
Luckily, Faruzan remembered something as she walked through the streets of Sumeru City. While chasing those butterflies on the first round, she recalled seeing a very fancy hat in one of the cafes on a nearby street. Now, at the time Faruzan had bigger issues at hand and disregarded it. But since he had shown himself to be an awful combatant, then it could have been him.
And lo and behold, Faruzan's guess had been correct. That hat was unmissable.
Sitting at one of the tables on a terrace, that rude man was sipping coffee like he had done nothing wrong in his entire life. He almost seemed normal.
Faruzan breathed in and out. She just had to stick to the plan. Show of concern, otherwise apology. That's all she had to pry out of him.
This was just a big puzzle. She had the pieces. Now they had to fit together like a well-oiled machine.
"Excuse me," Faruzan calmly said, approaching his table. He showed no indication of even acknowledging her presence. "Good afternoon, first of all. I'm here to—"
"Waste my time. Whatever you're selling, I don't care." He said, not bothering to look up.
Faruzan pressed her lips together, hiding her irritation. "No, I'm not here to—"
"Who are you again?" Still, he kept observing his coffee intently.
"What do you mean who I am? We've already met. I'm Faruzan, the one and only!"
Sighing, he seized her up for a brief moment. His eyes barely made it past her shoulders before he gave up. "No clue."
Faruzan's whole posture twitched but managed to keep her cool down. "The Haravatat representative! The one whose device you broke!"
"Doesn't ring a bell." Not hiding any theatrical mannerisms, he pushed the brim of his hat up. "Ah, wait. That failure stupid enough to take me on? Wait, no, that was the Matra nerd. You're the loser who tossed some pyramid at me. Pitiful."
"You—" Faruzan gritted her teeth and clenched her hands. Again, however, she let her experience calm her down and maintain appearances. "You lost as well. And the point of the matter is that you damaged my Vairambhaka Gear. You did not even apologise for the incident."
"Mhm." He merely nodded and took his cup once again. "Not my fault you tried to attack me with some shitty weapon. I should have attacked you if I knew you'd be ruining my break."
That was enough for Faruzan to finally break. No concern, no nothing. Was it possible to hate someone after exchanging a few words? Apparently so. There was no need to act nicely.
She gripped his shoulder and forced him to turn towards her. "Don't you know it's disrespectful to not look at someone when they talk? And it's much worse when they're your senior."
His answer was immediate. He twisted her hand free and stood up from his seat, staring straight at Faruzan's angry scowl. "What the hell do you want?"
"Apologise for breaking my equipment."
"No. It was your fault, not mine." He scoffed at the request. "Last chance, twintails. Go away before I turn your world asunder."
A complete mockery of a person. That's what he was if he believed she'd give up after some threats full of hot air.
Faruzan met his hardy stare head-on. "If you think violence is going to resolve your problems, then think again, brat. I'm persistent. I didn't spend a century of my life solving the unsolvable just to be disrespected by an upstart punk like you."
"So? Do you believe I'll stand here and take your abuse? You must be very stupid if you think I won't hurt you."
"It doesn't matter if you do. I'll return, again and again. If time couldn't hold me back, neither will you. So here's what will happen." She poked his chest, pushing him away. "You are going to sit down, and think real hard about what you've just done." Faruzan calmly walked to the table's other seat. She sat down, leaned against the chair and crossed her legs. "And after that, you'll tell me you're very sorry for threatening an old lady. Are we clear?"
If glares could kill, his alone would have obliterated Sumeru city. "Are you—"
"Do not answer a question with another question, young man. Isn't respect for your elders the cornerstone of Inazuman culture? You must know this very well." Faruzan twirled her hair, making some time. "Why are you still standing up?"
The Wanderer was stunned for a couple of seconds. He had not been expecting such a prepared assault in the middle of his relaxing coffee break. But that was the only round he was willing to let go. If this Faruzan wished to challenge him, then she'd get what she deserved.
"Alright." He said while sitting back down and leaning towards the table. "You think you're some hot shit, huh?"
"I have no interest in the current slang. I'll assume you mean that I am quite great."
A mirthless laugh escaped his lips. "Believe what you will. So you really think I'm going to bend over against some… Old hag that doesn't know left from right?"
Faruzan merely shrugged before crossing her arms. "If I say the sun is blue, then it means the Gods changed its colour. I am quite rarely wrong, you see. But you don't know anything about me, do you? It's an easy mistake to make."
"An easy mistake, huh? Like falling into ancient ruins because you mistook the signal to be a Ley Line Disruptor? That kind of mistake?"
Faruzan's flow was disrupted abruptly. In the second round, an erratic Primal Construct led her to believe that the Ley Line Disruptor was nearby when it was in fact one of King Deshret's many ruins. But to think that someone saw her fall into it…
"That was not—" She tried to mount a defence, but he had sunk his teeth into the wound and wouldn't let go.
"Not a mistake you say? You sounded quite distressed. What was it? Not again, not again?" His smirk grew even wider as Faruzan's figure seemed to shrink.
"You… How do you… You saw me! And you didn't even help me?" Faruzan gripped the edge of the table tightly. "Hold on a second, you can fly! You could have flown me out!"
"Ah, but you had it all under control, didn't you? It's the great Faruzan after all. That Scholar who escaped the inescapable. In contradiction to my previous comment, I do know who you are. And simply put, you're not enough of a challenge. And, besides... Why would I help an opponent? Unlike you, I don't aid my rivals." Taking a moment to relish Faruzan's hateful scorn, he picked up his coffee cup and sipped as if nothing was wrong in the world. "Ugh. You've even soured my drink. Congratulations."
He was being more of a challenge than Faruzan thought. But this was just a slight hiccup in her planning. After all, she had assumed he already knew of her exploits. It had just taken a while for him to acknowledge them, which was a sign of… well…
She had misjudged the type of puzzle, that was the issue. This Hat guy used misdirection to appear simpler than he truly was. Faruzan had lowered her guard. Not again.
Regardless, Faruzan relaxed her grip on the table and leaned against it while drumming her fingers.
"I suppose I should commend you for deflecting the topic at hand so thoroughly. Let's not deviate anymore, however. You owe me an apology." She tapped the table to catch his attention. "And since you are being such a pain, I expect it to be written. And verbal as well. Not just for breaking the artefact, but for endangering everyone's integrity with such a move."
He placed down the now empty coffee cup and crossed his arms. "First it was damaged, then broken, now a hazard for everyone? In just as few minutes too. Really, I don't get you. Persistent or not, are you really stupid enough to believe you can force me to apologise? Apologise for just… arrogance? Is that it? Your life is not going to change for the better if I express regret. Rather, it will just make it worse."
"Ah, so kind of you to think of an old lady's feelings." Faruzan's sarcasm bounced off his reserved expression. "But you're mistaken. It'll make my life much better to know that there's some decency in today's youth. Don't you want to become a better person? I'm sure someone, however unlucky they are to have met you, will be glad to see that."
He took a few seconds longer to answer. "Trying to manipulate me? Me? Just fuck off and save me the trouble."
Slighted by the unfortunate mix of words, he stood up, fixed his hat and started to walk away.
This was the worst-case scenario. Not only was her previous boast completely neglected, but he had also now escaped her set-up! Someway, somehow, Faruzan had to reel him back in. Like catching the attention of a distracted student.
"H-Hold on!" She stood up as well. "You didn't pay!"
"The tab? I paid upfront."
"No, you fool!" Faruzan closely followed him behind as he left the terrace. "Pay me back with an apology!"
"You know, you're looking very pathetic."
"Me? Pathetic?! Who's the loser running away from his problems?! You know you're in the wrong and that's why you're avoiding the truth!" She was about to trip when the Wanderer stopped abruptly and turned around.
"Truth? There's no such thing in this bland discussion. I may owe things to certain people, but I owe you shit. So here's my answer." He jumped back, flipped her off and flew away like nothing had happened.
Faruzan barely reacted to it, instead choosing to select the best words to describe the unbending rage he had bestowed upon her.
The impudence!
The conceit!
The theory was all sound! He had some hidden variables that had thwarted the whole attempt, that was all. A spring that had bounced back. This had been a waste of time.
Barely a day. Faruzan had been busy for an entire day, preparing the lectures for the next semester. A tedious endeavour, mostly because of the continuous complaints of "hoarding Kshahrewar material." It wasn't her fault to see precious research be sidelined as ancient and dated. It needed to be adapted, not discarded!
So a few hours after dusk, she left her workshop/office inside the endless Akademiya hallways. Only to be greeted by the worst timing in existence.
"If it isn't Miss Fortune herself." Leaning against a column as if he had been prepared for hours, that awful Hat guy was waiting for her. "Watch out for the hidden ruins, or you'll get lucky again."
Faruzan didn't consider entertaining his awful comment. "Unless you've come here to apologise…"
With a well-trained smirk, he lifted his hand to reveal a lofty envelope. "Please, who do you take me for? A written apology, was it? And I stayed the whole night writing it, I was… Oh, so filled with guilt."
His sarcasm was so sharp that it was a surprise he hadn't cut his own tongue.
"Don't tempt me with a silken spider thread," Faruzan replied, reaching for the envelope. However, he lifted it out of the way. "…What do you want? To laugh at me?"
"That would be simple and easy, you'd barely remember it. No, you have to wake up in five years in a cold sweat from this encounter… Actually, I'll laugh sparingly. At any rate, I will give you this apology letter. After you earn it, of course. Simply asking is no good." He saved the envelope inside his loose coat. "So I'll give you a little puzzle. You love those, don't you? Complete it and I'll give it to you."
"And what makes you think I'll believe your ill-fated words?"
"Because you don't give up. You said it yourself. And my hands are tied here, I can't exactly harm you directly or indirectly. Or trap you in a coffin and throw you into the river." He paused. "Or maybe I can…"
"Ha-ha. So you want to force me to give up, is that it? You really don't know who you're dealing with. Don't you hate being wrong so much?"
"I do." He easily admitted, catching her off guard. "You want the puzzle or not? My time's not infinite."
"And mine is? Fine, whatever. Perhaps you'll learn something along the way."
He sneered at her answer and crossed his arms. "It's simple. Just find out my name. Tell me and I will properly apologise. You can't ask the blond dolt, though. Off-limits."
It seemed simple enough. Too simple to be real.
"And the time limit? There are two hours until midnight, I'm guessing it's that?"
This time, the Hat guy paused for a second. "You want to fail so quickly? Take all the time you want." He started walking away. "Don't talk to me until you discover it, you have one chance."
Faruzan watched him walk away, wondering what this was all about. It seemed like he had a sudden change of heart. Or perhaps someone forced him. It would be easier to just stay away, wouldn't it? Did he actually even write the letter?
As a matter of fact, there was something much more pressing in this whole situation.
This man had never planned a puzzle in his entire life. Which explained why he felt so inclined to challenge the embodiment of decryption that was Faruzan. And the lack of a sufficient prompt. A rookie's bravado.
Regardless, his inexperience made the puzzle a real challenge. If he had not used his real name anywhere, then there was no way for her to pry it out. Even his papers had used that stupid pen name. And it was obvious that wasn't his real name.
No, she was making a mistake. He didn't ask for his real name. He asked for a name, and that was it. A mere error of his script or a clue? Being deliberately vague could be a real hassle. Then again… The way it was worded, could there be no real answer at all? No, that couldn't be it either. He asked for a name. So perhaps saying Hat Guy could work. But… if she was wrong, she'd lose her only chance.
Wait, but then, why did he seem shocked when she asked for a two-hour limit? That seemed like he was asking for his real name, and the wording he offered was simply wrong. If so, then she had to find his real name.
Or… Was this what he meant? This was his way of giving her nightmares? Giving her a puzzle that couldn't be solved? Or a puzzle whose answer was so obvious, she'd never think it was so easy? It was the type of quest a demon would give out!
…
Hold on. If he wanted to be impertinent, then she had the answer.
Faruzan looked at the end of the hallway, but could no longer see that awful Enemy of hers.
Cursing her heels, she sprinted through the hallways into the main hub of the Akademiya. There, a few researchers glanced at her like she was crazy, but that was the usual greeting she received. Faruzan ran towards the main entrance, catching that Wanderer leaving the building and walking down the main slope.
"Hey!" Faruzan called him out, running up to him. "I've got the answer!"
"…No, you haven't. Are you stupid?" He fully turned around, either disappointed or in disbelief. "Are you really—"
"Shameless!" Faruzan pointed at his face. "That's your name."
"What?"
"That's the name I'm giving you." Faruzan stopped pointing just to point even harder at him. "Shameless being!"
His face didn't even know what expression to make after such a dumbfounded proclamation. "That's not my name?"
"It is now. You gave no further instructions besides finding your name, so I decided to name you. That's not against the rules, since you only set up one. So that means I win. I solved it." Faruzan's pointing hand now turned to show her palm. "Give me the letter. Perhaps I will teach you how to properly make puzzles as well."
He rubbed his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, that's not what I asked for. Even if I could have worded it better, the implication was clear."
"Changing the rules of the game now? Sounds like you should word your sentences better, loser. Luckily for you, the Haravatat can help you with that." Faruzan smiled proudly before placing her free hand on her chest. "So~? That apology~?
"So, you bend the rules, poke through the holes and get your way." His appreciation would have been more palpable if he wasn't frowning so much. "Maybe I should have taken you a bit more seriously."
"Puzzles often have a set path, but nothing is preventing you from trying to take your own. Yes, sometimes it's more hazardous and downright impossible, but what's the point of always following the proper path? That's why I'm not still trapped deep in the desert. That's what you did in the competition as well, right? Staying idle was an option the organisers didn't consider, and you were there to fill an empty spot. I'd be mad as well."
Faruzan wasn't exactly sure why it all suddenly clicked. Of course this guy was so bitter, he probably didn't even want to partake in the competition. This man was just doing the same thing as her, avoiding the path fate gave him. If her fate was to remain forever trapped, she shattered. And if this man's fate was as bad as hers, he was trying to avoid it.
"The complete opposite of that astrologer, huh? I hate being wrong. But I think I hate you being right even more." He rummaged through his coat and pulled out the envelope containing the apology letter. "So, I said I'd give you this, huh?"
"Yes!" Faruzan nodded as she cupped her hands.
"And I didn't say in what state I'd give you such a letter, right?"
"Exactly!" Faruzan's happiness lasted for one more second. Until she realised the implication. "Wait, don't!"
He threw up the letter before a wind blade made it explode into bits. The pieces of paper slowly flew around them, much to Faruzan's disappointment.
"There you have it. All yours." A cheeky smirk returned to his face as he looked down at Faruzan. "I hope you like the sixth paragraph, where I express my delight at having the incredible opportunity to meet a legend such as you. I really poured my heart over that one. Such a shame you'll never know it."
Faruzan picked one of the bits of paper flying around. It was written. Though it was impossible to tell if he had written anything or was just a random article.
Again, all this was for naught. Though, for some reason, she didn't feel as agitated as the first time. It was a bit of fun, she supposed. Too bad that puzzle didn't last any longer. That Wanderer seemed disappointed as well, though there was no way to tell. Five years wasn't even that much in Faruzan's terms.
Faruzan didn't like being angry. She was sure that Hattie didn't either.
Though, maybe she had stayed quiet for a bit too long.
"What's your name?"
Unlike the other few times, there was no straight answer. He wasted some time cleaning the paper bits from his hat and clothes as if wondering the right answer.
"I don't have one." He turned away from Faruzan, observing the few researchers that had seen the whole spectacle. "That was the trick to the puzzle, there was no real answer. I wanted to make you raving mad, but you're too smart for your own good."
At least he had said something positive without a hint of irony. Well, kind of.
"That's peculiar, I suppose." An orphan, she guessed. No sense in unravelling that. "I'll just keep calling you Shameless then," Faruzan answered, growing bored of the moon and turning towards him. "Or maybe, Dull? Lacklustre?"
He met Faruzan's confident smile with his own. "Sure, Twintails. I'll call you Idiot in exchange."
"I have a name! It's Faruzan. Scrawny punks like you should also call me Madame Faruzan." Her reply was half-serious.
"You didn't like it? How about Bitch, huh? I feel like that fits you completely."
"B-B…" Faruzan couldn't bring herself to say such a word. People nowadays were so foul! "Despicable! You dare to insult an elder?! You… You fribble! You haven't even apologised for your wrongdoings yet! My poor device was beyond repair!"
An amused laugh escaped his lips. "…What did you say? Fribble? Is that the best insult the linguist can come up with?"
"S-Stop focusing on stupid stuff, you're not worthy of my insults!" Faruzan watched how a corner of his mouth lifted before walking away. "Hey, where are you going? I'm not done."
He fixed his hat and continued his previously interrupted route. "Anywhere that serves tea. You're making me talk too much. I'm not paying for whatever you order though."
Faruzan followed him without thought, before realising what she was doing. "What makes you think I want to have tea with you?"
"Because I still have to belittle you some more. Don't tell me that was all you could muster?"
Faruzan's lips curved upwards, a bizarre fleeting sensation appearing through her body. She walked up next to him, taking a few long moments to inspect his expression. "Ah, I'm sorry. I was under the belief you were thrashing around like a dying fly. I didn't know you were trying to insult me."
He hummed away her retort, briefly glancing at her. There was a pause as he reached into his coat once again, and handed her something hidden within his clenching hand. "I was walking around the desert and wanted to sell it." Faruzan extended her palm and he gently placed down a small pyramid-shaped inactive core. "Nobody wants to buy this shit, so maybe you'll find some use for it. Use it for that device of yours if you want, or throw it away. I don't care."
The core was useless, though it was of the same category the Vairambhaka Gear used, albeit a smaller version. However… that wasn't important. The first part of the plan was to drop the matter if he showed some concern, was it? Sure, maybe he didn't do so right away… Then again, the rules Faruzan made never stated when he should say it.
"…Thank you. I think I can make it work." Her voice was meek, showing the slightest degree of vulnerability.
"You better." She caught a glimpse of a smile on the strange Wanderer before it returned to his normal passivity.
"I saw that." Faruzan bumped her elbow against his arm.
"Saw what?" He grabbed her elbow and shoved her forward. "Ah, my intent to call you a bitch again?"
They shared a furtive glare before it devolved into a self-assured look.
"Oh? Perhaps I am a dog. But in comparison, you're a little kitten. Very angry, but still wants to be petted. And much like dogs win against cats, I've already shown you I can easily eat you in one bite."
"Arguably. One little win and it already went over your head? Much like in the competition, I wasn't even trying." He tapped Faruzan's shoulder, lightly shoving her again. "See? If I wanted to, you'd be dead already."
"Hey, stop that!" Faruzan pushed him away, leaving him smirking again. "I'll beat you up."
He playfully shrugged. "With gusto. But after tea."
"And after methodically criticizing your works. Because believe me, no professor would give that a passing grade." Faruzan pondered for a few seconds. "Now that I think about it, I didn't have supper either…"
"Losers like us don't get supper. That's why we're tearing each other apart… the things we hate in others are the things we hate in us. Losing is all we do. And even in winning, we lose." Though his words were bitter, his attitude was not. "You and I have clearly lost some screws along the way, I suppose we could tell. You from having a century stolen from your life. And me… Well, having everything stolen as well."
"The screws we have left are bent. Much like the rules we darted around to even arrive at this point. At least that makes them unique, no other piece can replace them."
Silence suddenly made its appearance as they kept on walking towards some unspecific point. Faruzan wondered if perhaps he was right. Even if they were different, they were still the same people. Perhaps they could move past that initial hate and…
Wallowing in thoughts, Faruzan didn't notice that Hattie placed a hand on her shoulders. And then, with a calm voice, he said something from the heart.
"You're still a bitch though."
No, there was no advancement. But as the elder, Faruzan had to be the better person. So she gave a well-structured answer.
"…Takes one to know one!"
Or maybe not.