Was there any better feeling than the one you obtained when talking about something you loved? Even with a shoddy audience, being somewhat acknowledged and asked some monosyllabic questions was more than enough. Because of course! There was nothing more gripping than the interesting squabbles of ancient semiotic sages. Mixed with some important life lectures, language realisations and common riddles.

By now, though travelling under the darkening desert sky, her Pupil was surely head over heels for the mouth-dropping Ancient Desert Language and its major mechanisms!

The moment she finished talking, her Pupil summed up his thoughts in one sentence. "This language is stupid."

Faruzan was two seconds away from fainting and dying right there, but she stood steadfast and calmly asked: "How come?"

"Where to begin? For example, I understand the benefits of differentiating a singular you and a plural you. What I don't understand is why there's a formal and an informal way of saying the former. It overcomplicates the situation needlessly."

"It's a good way of showing respect. Inazuma uses honorifics, right? It's similar to that but without mentioning the name." Faruzan shrugged. "If you had friends you'd understand that."

"Who needs friends?"

"You. You need friends."

As he usually did, he didn't answer straight away. Faruzan believed he might have taken offence to that, but it seemed her fears were unfounded as he continued. "And why does learning language help resolve mechanisms?"

"That's because a century ago, King Deshret's history and knowledge had devolved into kitsch. Common stories such as—"

"Again with the strange words. What does keech even mean?"

"Kitsch? Oh, it means tacky, vulgarised, pretentious art." Faruzan had been thrown out of her lecture, so she switched it up. "We should get you a notebook and pencil. You can write down all words you don't know, and then I can concoct a written test to..."

"So it's just a snobbish word from Mondstadt. And I don't need any of that, remember that I'm just staying with you until we reach Sumeru City." He suddenly swatted his hand, smacking away a fly the size of a coin. "We must be nearing Aaru village, so I'll hold back my complaints until we're out."

Faruzan too desired to return to civilization. However, it was mostly a background thought, nothing she truly wanted to accomplish. Because that city would just trigger long-forgotten memories, which she couldn't properly take in at the moment.

"Thank goodness… My feet are killing me. We walked way more than four hours." She said, shielding her eyes from the setting sun.

"You were the one yapping about phytosemi… Whatever. Point is, I slowed down because of you. So just shut up while I prepare to deal with the Guardian."

"I can do it. I befriended the current Guardians when…" Faruzan trailed off, realising her timely mistake. "…Well, they can't be too bad."

"She kept wary of every step I took in my previous visit. Now that I return with a random girl, she'll grow suspicious. Just follow what I say." He gave her a once-over. "Your hair's frizzy. Fix your clothes."

Her clothes were all rattled, filled with sand and creases. Their small quarrel in the oasis had left her hair wet, and the desert heat had left it frizzy and wavy. At least she had switched up her style a bit.

"Oh gods, human interaction! What are they going to think of me?" Faruzan hastily tried to straighten her clothes and turned to his Pupil. "Fix up your clothes too!"

He looked at his clothes, which seemed completely spotless even if somewhat creased. "My clothes are fine."

"You're supposed to be my Pupil, you can't be walking around like that…" Faruzan stepped in front of the Wanderer and tightened the white tunic around his collar. "Much better. Now you seem presentable. Well, maybe we should redo the belt and straighten this…"

Unamused, he quickly stepped back. "What in the world are you doing?"

"You're wearing black, skin-tight clothing. You're asking for death in the middle of the desert. Good thing you have this white tunic and… Stop showing your chest. Even if it's covered, it's…"

The Wanderer raised an eyebrow before bursting out laughing. Faruzan didn't know whether to feel scared or annoyed.

"W-What? Stop laughing!"

"Don't show off your chest? Really? Oh, you're precious. You were antiquated even a century ago." He loosened his tunic and stopped laughing abruptly. "Let's go already."

"I-Is that normal now?" Faruzan's question landed on the sand, as her Pupil merely continued walking the path. She quickly caught up to him. "I'm not dressed weirdly, right?"

"I've seen worse. You'll stand out with all those golden ornaments."

"It's not gold, it's gilded metal. If I had money, I wouldn't waste it on accessories anyways. It's like that weird cowbell on your collar. Or that golden fish below your vision. It's not gold either, is it?"

"…No." He twisted his lips for an instant. "This isn't a cowbell." He then held his vision delicately. "This is a feather. Not a fish."

"Oh, it does look like a feather from up close. It looks fancy. Unlike the cowbell." She eyed it for a few more seconds before the Wanderer hid it in his hands.

"That's enough gawking. The village guardian will detect us in ten minutes." He hastened his pace. "And stop saying it's a cowbell."

"Wild assumption…" Faruzan muttered, keeping quiet for a few seconds before speaking up. "Pupil?"

"You're really getting on my nerves. What?" He snapped back, stopping once again.

"…Do you have more food?"

"Can't you wait for fifteen minutes?" He cursed under his breath, heaving a sigh. With a flick of his hand, he summoned yet another small leaf-wrapped package. Then, he took Faruzan's hand and forced her to grab it. "Just eat while we're moving."

"Thank—" Her words were immediately cut.

"No. Just eat."

Faruzan didn't understand why he seemed so obstinate with her gratitude. Surely customs hadn't changed that much in a few years? Her Pupil had some warped view of helping others and couldn't stand being thanked for so little. Or that was her theory, perhaps it was even more convoluted.

Making a mental note about it, she unwrapped the contents of the leaf package. Cone-shaped with a savoury smell, this couldn't be anything but Samosa. There were four in total. But they were quite small. Judging by the also small cakes she had eaten previously, everything was smaller these days. So stingy.

"Hey, stop waltzing away." Faruzan juggled the contents and gave the Pupil half the snacks. "Here you go."

"You want me to hold them?" He asked, completely oblivious to the concept of sharing food.

"What? No, you haven't eaten all day. That's your share." She was beginning to worry that he had been giving her all his food and water, leaving nothing for him. He hadn't done anything as humane as drinking or eating.

"I'm not hungry. You can…"

"Don't make me force-feed you." Faruzan nibbled on the tip of the cone while glaring at him. She swallowed hard. "Don't underestimate me. I will do it."

"…Fine. I'll eat one."

Faruzan got a few steps ahead and observed him intently. He cursed something under his breath before eating one of the snacks in a few drawn-out bites. "Happy? You can have the other one.

"You're all scrawny and you haven't eaten enough to keep up learning. Eat that one too. No complaints."

He shook his head in frustration and ate the remaining Samosa. It took him a long minute to swallow, all under the cautious gaze of Faruzan. Finally getting some obedience out of him, her mood improved as he finished.

"Good boy. Do you want more? Maybe I can cook for you some of my specialities when we reach the City. You need more meat on your bones or you'll never grow properly." Her Pupil stared at her like she was crazy. "You should still drink water. Come on, drink, drink."

"Annoying hag…"

Complaining slightly less, he summoned the metallic canteen and took a few seconds to drink its contents. She couldn't tell whether he was faking drinking or not, but she chose to believe him. No need to be completely suspicious of your saviour, after all. Pushing those thoughts aside, she focused on the thin crust of the Samosa. Though cold, it was crispy and the filling hadn't left the crust mushy and gross. Faruzan showed some constraint, unlike last time, and tried eating at a measured pace. Somehow, she ate both delicious cones in less than a minute. How she missed eating… And not choking from eating so quickly. Back in the day, this never happened!

"You need to restrain yourself more." The Pupil handed her the canteen, still with its cap opened. "The point of food is to enjoy it, not to stuff yourself with it."

"Those are the words of someone who has never gone to sleep hungry." Faruzan weighed the canteen, confirming that it indeed held less water. Then she sipped contently.

"…Perhaps." He continued walking, submersed in thoughts until she tapped his arm and gave the canteen back. "Are you not going to act all ashamed from drinking from the same bottle?"

Faruzan merely blinked and tittered at the implication. "Should I?"

He shrugged. "I guess not. You—" Stopping abruptly, he grabbed Faruzan's shoulder and pulled her back. On cue, a breeze of air filled with sand cut through the path, letting a Guardian of Aaru village a few metres away from the Teacher and Pupil.

A rush of memories flooded Faruzan, quickly remembering incidents with the famed warriors of the village. And this Guardian, in particular, seemed fearsome. A woman armed with a spear and shield, with an outfit suited for the desert night… But the heterochromia of her eyes was most troublesome. Indeed, many people outside the desert held prejudices against such folk… But were highly venerated by Deshret's descendants. Either way, if his Pupil talked then things would get bad very quickly. They just needed to show that they were simple visitors.

"Oh, hello!" The Pupil's voice was suddenly high-pitched and even cheery. Faruzan raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything else.

"I remember you, that anemo visitor. I don't recall you having a partner." The Guardian spoke softly but firmly. "Was she what you were looking for?"

He immediately answered. "No. She's a scholar who got lost, I'm merely escorting her back to Sumeru proper."

It wasn't a lie, but the Guardian didn't seem to believe it. Her eyes shifted towards Faruzan. "I don't recall anyone fitting your description passing through the village."

Faruzan was about to answer, but the Pupil answered for her. "She's suffering from a bit of a memory loss, she was quite dehydrated when I found her. I suppose she must have gone through some gap in the Wall…"

Whether she believed it or not, the Guardian turned back and pointed to the village. "Wait for me at the entrance of the village. I sense danger out here, so be quick."

"Thank you very much." The Pupil answered, gaining a brief scowl from Faruzan.

"Yes, thank you," Faruzan added, pushing her Pupil forwards. She bowed again the moment they passed by the Guardian, who mimicked her movement.

As they walked further away and the Guardian resumed her hunt, Faruzan jabbed her finger against his arm. "What's with those good manners and gratitude? You could show me some respect too."

"A white lie will not hurt that Guardian." He retorted with an odd grimace. "If you want me to act like something I'm not, then you should get through your head that I am not a toy for you to play with."

"Gee, so defensive. You didn't even let me thank you for helping you. Can't you simply say 'sorry' and 'thank you' from time to me?"

"Yes. But you cannot." Night had fully set he asserted his completely unreasonable explanation.

"You can at least tell me why." Overtly bothered, Faruzan didn't

"Gratitude is supposed to be a response to kindness. I'm not being kind to you… And even if I was, helping you is not so deserving of gratitude. I told you, anyone would do this."

"That's the most outlandish explanation I've ever heard. You're lying, aren't you?"

He shrugged and looked away. "Start worrying about sleeping inside a building, will you?"

If his intent was to completely ruin her mood, then he accomplished it in an extremely efficient manner. Faruzan immediately forgot about his lie and tensed up in shock.

"What are you talking about?" She answered automatically, even though she knew the answer. "We can just camp outside."

"No. That Guardian will offer us shelter. I can't refuse it. She already believes I'm up to something and denying her offer will just put us in trouble. Besides, you don't know if you're afraid of the interior of normal buildings. So how about we enjoy the silence while you psyche yourself up for the main event?"

A horrible human being, that was what he was. There was no way it was happening, she refused to do so. Even if part of her believed the attempt to be somewhat worthy of trying, the last thing Faruzan wanted was to freeze and become useless.

The Pupil snapped his fingers, once again bringing her out of her stupor. "I said psyche yourself up. Not to crumble before we even arrived."

"Shut up."

Everything was much better if she was talking about something that didn't remind her of traumas.

It was better to focus on something, like the environment. Aaru village was, after all, a relic from the past. In the times of King Deshret, this was a great city.

The rising full moon gave the geography of the ruins of Akhtamun an air of solace and brilliance. The desert had eaten away most of its buildings, but what now was Aaru village stood in a miniature paradise. Plentiful water, somewhat viable farming, impregnable defences and a plethora of hidden treasures.

Things had changed from a hundred years ago, however. More wore-down, fewer people and less impressive. Faruzan gathered that, after so many times recalling the village in that awful chamber, she had built up an idealised version. She was quite sure there were waterfalls, for some inexplicable reason. And the only way to move around was with four leaf sigils which… seemed quite a challenge for normal people.

Her over-analytical observations stopped as the Wanderer stopped her. They had arrived at the village entrance, where a long wooden rope bridge connected the outer ring of the village with the village proper. Faruzan stared at the ground, unwilling to speak to her Pupil, lest he talked about her claustrophobia.

The imposing Guardian returned after an eternity, exchanging a few words with her Pupil about some kind of brigands. Whatever it was, the Guardian still let both of them inside the village. And though night had settled fifteen minutes ago, barely any people remained. Faruzan couldn't fully recognise the layout of the village anymore.

Again, she was stopped by her Pupil. He grabbed her shoulder quite tightly as if trying to make her snap out of her thoughts. The Guardian had stopped beside a small building daubed with limestone. It seemed quite new.

Nobody was speaking now. By the looks of it, Faruzan had been asked a question.

"Sorry?" She managed to say, somewhat embarrassed.

"Is there anything you need?" The Guardian asked, neither angered nor frustrated by Faruzan's slip-up. "Food? Any first-aid? New clothes or shoes?"

Seeing kindness delivered by a kind face was something her Pupil didn't satisfy, so she was taken aback for an instant. "No, I am alright."

A somewhat robotic response, but enough for the Guardian.

"Don't break any rules." The Guardian said, stepping away from the duo. "And have a good night."

The Guardian was barely a few steps away when Faruzan asked. "What rules?"

"…Just focus on the issue at hand." He answered, turning towards the building. "It's just a temporal lodging. Check if you're… scared by it." Narrowing his eyes, he removed his hat and added. "I'll be behind you."

Unsure of whatever he intended to do with the hat, Faruzan glanced at the lodging. It was a mere one-room building, with little outside besides its white colouring.

Faruzan peeked inside the building. It wasn't much more besides a few beds pushed against the walls, with two windows on the back of the room. The window was covered by a curtain. There was no source of light.

"Um…" She muttered something, but the words mashed together.

Her Pupil pulled her back. "Don't start bawling."

"I'm fine!" She answered on instinct. "Can't you… you know… light it up?"

The Pupil didn't acknowledge her words, but walked back and suddenly hovered above the building. Not even a second later, he snatched a lamp from the nearby building and landed in front of her.

"You can fly?" Faruzan was too surprised by the sudden move to even appreciate the meaning of it.

"Starting to realise my brilliance?" He brought the lamp up and walked inside the room.

Faruzan wasn't sure if that was a joke or just another brag. Though she wasn't looking, Faruzan could hear how he started to light up every candle and torch inside. Then, he walked out, still holding the lamp up and flew it up to its original place.

"Try again."

Nodding at his words, she peeked inside the room. Though now flooded with light, the inherent feeling of discomfort remained. She could feel the anxiety spiking with each second she stared into it.

"So it didn't help." The Pupil said, again snapping her out of her downward spiral. "You're not even inside. So what is it? The idea of being trapped?" She shrugged, prompting the Wanderer to twitch his eyes. "Alright. This was a waste of time. We're leaving."

"No. I can do it." Faruzan turned toward the lodging again. She breathed in and out.

This definitely didn't feel the same way as those ruins. Was it because she knew the anxiety was coming? Or because she wasn't alone? Perhaps both. Because of that, Faruzan knew she could do it.

The mostly bare room hadn't changed.

Still the same beds, the same carpet and the same windows. The same Faruzan as well. She had to believe that, no matter the lack of alterations, this was no trap. That very thought, however, made Faruzan's skin crawl and put a chill on her bones. She stepped into the room, trying to dispel the mystique.

"That's good," Her Pupil spoke up, leaning against the door frame. "All on your own."

And it did seem like all was good.

But after a few seconds, the anxiety returned. At the very least, this time the creeps felt like a tangible threat. It wasn't her mind making up monsters that weren't there, merely the room itself appearing overly lacking.

Another few steps into the room, Faruzan already hit her limit. Somehow, the room started to smell like home. A scent undefinable yet completely known. As if her mother had been cooking her favourite meal, while she had just returned from a long day at the Akademiya. Maybe she had brought along a friend or merely hated how she still had no money to move out of the family home. Though she had thought about her family before, the reality of the situation had never settled until now. The clutches of time had torn them apart and left her with one realisation. There was no coming back.

"You've been standing there for a while." Her Pupil tapped her shoulder. "I would rather not lose you to madness again. Let's pull back."

"I'm fine." She avoided his touch for a moment, before taking his forearm with both hands and pulling him further inside. "I can sleep here." She focused on his arm for a moment, holding her breath. "Can you open the window?"

Making no effort to free his arm, the Pupil dragged Faruzan behind him as he followed her request. Little to no air entered from the window with rolled curtains, but it was better than nothing.

"You can let go of me now. Remove your shoes. And go to sleep."

"It's too early… And you're going to leave if I fall asleep, like last time," Faruzan answered, gripping his arm even more firmly.

"Still on about that? I didn't leave last time and I'm not leaving now." He leaned against the window, looking outwards. "Just go to sleep. It's been a long day."

The last part was something Faruzan believed. The first part, not so much. His track record was lacking. And was that doubt really unfounded…? Maybe yes. She was acting weird once again, she caught on to it quickly. He did say to not trust her judgement at the moment. And being in such a hostile place, that paranoia was growing slowly but unchecked.

Mustering some courage, she let go of her Pupil's arm and, with an even stronger will, forced herself to take two steps towards the bed. She sat on the mattress, which was barely any better than the cold ground below. The cloth of the bedsheet was rough and heavy, her still attuning senses cringing at the feeling. She couldn't do this.

"Can't we sleep together?" Faruzan asked, her voice quivering.

His answer was immediate. "No. I don't sleep. In any way and meaning. And you oughta do it on your own or you won't learn."

Even now, he was still adhering to those horrible and apathetic thoughts of pulling through alone. And as such, she didn't even attempt to convince him.

Faruzan tapped her chest, praying that her heartbeat wasn't about to skyrocket. But it wasn't the same as the ruined chamber from earlier. She refused to make the comparison. Doing so would claw at her thoughts and tear them apart, throwing her back into the blackest abyss of despair. Tainting the current situation would inadvertently destroy any progress.

"Just me being here is enough." He suddenly spoke up, as if to add to his previous answer. "Nothing bad will happen as long as I am here. I'll protect you this time."

Her Pupil's words felt ugly and forced as if he disdained every syllable leaving his lips. Still, he uttered them, knowing that Faruzan needed a push.

Deep down, Faruzan didn't need her Pupil to tell her it wasn't a trap. Same as she knew her sensations wouldn't stop once again. However, forced words were better than no words and those were enough to make her nod and close her eyes.

The cloth was still rough and it scraped her sensitive skin.

"I'm not a quitter." She whispered, laying down. Her hand remained frozen on top of her chest. "Not a quitter."

It was just her and her thoughts. And that was the issue. As it had been the issue for the past century, she loathed the voice in her head. It was just thought after thought and afterthought, with no stimulation around. And she had to do this to fall asleep? No, she couldn't do so. It would be better to fall unconscious, like back in the desert. And then, what? Be subject to nightmares? There was no winning in this situation. Staying awake and tired was better.

"…Stop moving around." The Pupil suddenly said, walking over to the bed. "Give me some room."

Faruzan opened one of her eyes and quickly scooted over, giving him ample room to settle in. But he took minimal space, having half his body out of the bed and balanced by one of his legs.

"Kids sleep better when they can hear their progenitor's breathing. Match your breathing to mine." His words were more akin to a direct order rather than compassionate counsel.

Regardless of the truth in his words, Faruzan inched her way closer to him. She meekly hugged him, her hand resting on his chest for a few moments. For a brief instant, he panicked and moved it away before holding her hand with his own. His grasp was awkward and tight as if he wanted to make a bundle out of her fingers. Noticing this, he loosened up and merely let her palm rest on his hand's dorsal.

"…That's the first time you've shown anything besides contempt," Faruzan whispered as if to not wake anyone in the still-empty room. "Are you embarrassed?"

"Just shut up and do as I told you. I would rather not be blamed for your nightmares again… Besides, this is extortion. A Professor using her position to force her student into sleeping with her. You'll go to jail, or worse, the public humiliation will…"

"You're not officially my Pupil. And I wouldn't do that so don't go around spreading lies." She snuggled next to him, much to his displeasure. Even knowing him for barely a day, Faruzan knew that he would have complained by now if he was even slightly uncomfortable.

Faruzan certainly wouldn't have done this in any other situation. But faced with great effort, great sacrifices were required… Laying on a bed with a stranger was a new experience, she had to admit that. Sadly, she was too hectic to be embarrassed.

Knowing the awkward situation for both parties involved, she continued the conversation. "…What changed?"

"Nothing. Don't get too close." He kept his eyes stuck to the ceiling, deep in thought. Then, as if sensing Faruzan's staring, he closed them.

"You said you weren't being kind to me. So what excuse will you use for this?" She asked, starting to feel the warmth from his body.

"None."

That wasn't the answer she was expecting. "None? So you're being kind, are you?"

"It's better if you don't freak out and sleep well. It will take us less time to reach Sumeru City that way. That is all. You can consider it kindness but it's just pure pragmatism."

"Sounds like an excuse to me…" Faruzan muttered. He turned his head away, done with the conversation. "I suppose accepting gratitude is your first lesson. You barely scraped a passing grade."

"Thank me if you actually sleep. Until then, fuck off and follow my breathing."

That seemed the best answer she'd get. And an appropriate point to face her fears.

Her hand slowly moved up and down on his chest, like the pitch of a ship on rough seas. As such, it was easy to simply mimic that movement in her breathing. Focusing on that felt natural, dragging her mind away from the erratic thoughts that had pestered her whenever she was alone.

It was more than breathing. It was warm.

If the coldness she first felt meant isolation, this warmth meant something else. Like the hot desert day she had just spent chatting with this stranger. Contact? Companionship? Perhaps a mere reminder that she was alive? The warmth he emanated was calming and soothing, the very essence she had been longing for even in dreams. Was it passion, affection or emotion? No. It wasn't love, lust, or mere fondness, it was something else she had forgotten. Even in those cold hallucinations, this was something she had never felt replicated.

She was a mess, grasping at straws, having lost everything she had ever worked for. She could barely stand inside a closed room, and her mind saw shadows where there weren't any. So why? Why was she enjoying this rando moment?

Like a sudden gale, she understood. It was so obvious, yet hidden between the continuous overthinking.

It was proof.

The final confirmation that she was free. No longer bound by the wretched claws of that horrible entrapment. No more obsessing over an answer, replicating simulations of countless puzzles, or remembering times long passed. For better or worse, nothing was bounding her. Neither family, friendship, scholarship or work. She had returned to the basics, where her mind could only be bothered by hunger, thirst and socialization. Faruzan had effectively been reborn, with new-found wings that carried her in new, unexpected winds. In the isolation and ruins of a civilization built up by slaves, she had found the answer they had all longed for.

"Freedom," Faruzan muttered, suddenly regaining consciousness.

Sunlight was now filling the room, so her eyes snapped shut again. It was warm… Too warm, actually. Her clothes felt sticky and the bed itchy. She didn't dislike the feeling, however. Being bothered by little details like these was something she could now appreciate.

So Faruzan breathed deeply and cosied up against her Pupil. She was too tired to be in any way ashamed or regretful. It had worked, after all. No nightmares. She didn't even realise she had fallen asleep. In fact, she was finally free of that wretched place! Nobody would complain if she stayed like this for a little while longer. Though the bliss was short-lived because there was one person who would.

"If you're awake, you should get the hell off me already. You are a very hectic sleeper, you kicked me around twenty times." With the same brusque tone as always, her Pupil pushed away her hand. "I assume you slept well, so get moving."

"I thought you were a plushie, that's all…" Faruzan moved away and groggily sat up on the bed. He instead got up and headed towards the exit before stopping.

"Ugh, you drooled on me like a child. I hope this was worth it because I'm not doing it again." He patted away his shoulder, trying to clean his clothing. Faruzan stared for a moment before remembering something.

"Hey…" Her words prompted a pause in his movements. "Thank you."

"… Right." He seemed unsure how to answer, so he quickly returned to his anger. "Get going before I regret this even more."

Faruzan didn't hide her smile as he turned around and crossed his arms, upset with himself. She was about to stand up when something prodded at her thigh. It actually hurt her. She moved away and grabbed whatever metal had poked at her. It was something around the size of her palm.

She took the object and groggily moved it to her line of sight. It looked like a vision. She blinked, rubbed her eyes and checked it again. Yes, a vision. An anemo vision. Maybe her Pupil had dropped it. But as she raised it against the ceiling, its glow continued, acknowledging her as its master.

"Huh?"

Out of shock, the vision slipped from Faruzan's grasp and fell to her face.