Thank you all so much to help me come to this point. It means so much to me, and I appreciate you all being here so much! Due to a question if we're ever going to here something of the Sumeru fam, have Y/n lore🫶

5K Special!

Words: 2128

~TIGHNARI POV:

I was walking around the woods to explore some more. I heard there were new mushrooms discovered, and wanted to try the effects of them. But first I had to find them of course.

I continued my way, when my foot got stuck on something, making me fall over. I scrambled up, and looked at the thing that tripped me.

A metal handle. Covered by a layer of leaves and moss.

I frowned, and and shoved the greens off and away from the handle. I found a trapdoor underneath, hidden in the ground.

I got curious, so naturally I pulled it open.

There was a ladder leading down into the dark pit. An awful stench his my face, and I making me cover my mouth and nose.

"To late to head back now..." I mumbled, and started climbing down the ladder.

It wasn't a long climb, although it did feel like it. When at the bottom I could luckily still see the light from the woods.

I turned around, and started walking down the dark hallway. There were torches lit up in a line in nearby, so I just headed that way.

I neared the lights, and noticed the bars that reflected the light of the flames.

Were these cells? 

I continued on, now suspicious of what was happening down here. The awful smell also getting worse. I walked past the cells. Some empty, some having skeletons, or rotten corpses in them.

Ocasionally, there was small notes at the entrances of the cells.

"34b, Deceased." or "28a, sold."

I heard soft sniffling, and quickly went that way.

Passing more and more cells, I finally made it to the one that I heard the sniffling from.

There, in one of the cells, sat a small, young girl. She was sat between two decaying bodies, and was crying to herself.

Her eyes shot up in fear when she noticed me standing there, and she scrambled off into a corner of the small cell she was in.

I read the note on the by the cell. "46a an b, deceased. 46c, to be sold."

I looked her over, she had large fox ears, and a tail she was hugging tightly to herself. A fennec fox? Like me perhaps?

I looked at the two corpses, seeing how they had the same animalistic features.

"Hey... What's happened...?" I crouched down, and spoke to the wailing girl in the softest tone I could.

"Go away! Are you going to hurt us too?! Leave me alone!" I tried reaching out to her, but she almost crawled up onto the walls out of sheer fear.

I felt like crying. This poor little girl... what in archons name had happened to her?

I stood up, and took a few steps away from the cage. "I won't hurt you, I promise."

"They promised aswell! And now mommy and daddy can't move anymore! They don't talk to me anymore! They hurt them!"

My eyes were wide. Oh god... Those two corpses were her parents and he didn't even understand they had went on.

"Your mommy and daddy are in a better place now. I can take you to a better place aswell. I pinky promise..." I reached out to her again, but didn't move closer to her.

"You pinky promise...?" She stopped clinging up to the wall, but still looked terrified.

"Yes. Pinky promise." I held out my pinky, and moved slightly closer so she could take it.

Her small hand slowly reached through the bars, and her trembling pinky finger wrapped around mine.

I smiled softly at her, and stood up after she let go.

"Now to get you out of here..."

I looked around, maybe for a key nearby, but didn't see anything.

I groaned, and took one of the torches. I went for the cell, and held it at the lock. Maybe I could pick it?

I looked around, and felt in my pockets to find anything I could pick the lock with. I found a small needle I had on me.

I took it out of my pocket, and started prying it around in the lock.

The girl was still crying, so I decided to talk to her for a little.

"So, what's your name kiddo?"

"46c..." She muttered, and I winced at the answer.

"No, your name. Do you still remember?"

"I think it was... Uh.... Y/n? Yeah, my name is Y/n." A small smile appeared on her features when hearing her name again.

I smiled aswell, still prying with that stupid lock. "What a beautiful name you have, Y/n. My name is Tighnari. I live here in Sumeru, do you know where you lived before, or how long you've been here?"

"I don't remember where I live, or the other thing. I'm sorry." She held her head down, sad she didn't know the answer.

"Don't worry, that's alright. I'm not mad at you for not knowing the asnwer." I smiled, and almost jumped up from glee when the lock finally clicked open.

I pushed open the cell door and smiled at her. "Come on, Y/n. I'm getting you out of here."

She nodded, and followed me as I slowly led her back to the ladder.

"Can you climb up? It's only a small climb, but then we're out." I stopped underneath the small light shining insisde.

The girl was staring up in wonder at the small dot of white, and gave me a firm nod. "I think I can do it."

She started climbing up, me not far behind to catch her if she falls.

The climb took longer then before, but I didn't blame Y/n for not being able to go quicker.

Soon, we both stood on the soft mossy forest ground again and I finally took a good look at the kid in proper lighting.

[H/c] colored hair that was messy and greasy. It hadn't been cut properly in a long while for sure. [E/c] eyes, duller then a child's should be. Torn clothes, and black bruises everywhere.

I gave her a sympathetic look and crouched down again.

"What happened down there, Y/n?"

She stopped looking around the woods in excitement, and turned towards me.

"The big scary men, they took me and mommy and daddy and put us in the cage. They hurt us if we didn't listen, and there were others too. Sometimes, they wouldn't come back anymore, and they put up a new note. And other times, they got back really hurt and would stop moving and talking, just like my mommy and daddy." She explained while fiddling with her fingers.

"Sometimes the big scary men have other people with them, and then they just look at all of us. Sometimes they point at someone, and the next day they won't come back anymore."

She was looking up into my eyes, and I could only frown.

Was it some sort of auction. Not completely, but maybe a little bit?

I stared at the girl, and watched as her eyes widened a little. "You have ears, like I do! The men said they're very special! You must be really special to then!"

I smiled at her, patting her head. "Yeah, it seems so. Guess we're both special."

I watched as her ears flopped down, and her tail started wagging at the pats she was getting.

Chuckling, I stood up again, and held out my hand to her.

"Say, Y/n. How about you come with me, and I'll get you some proper clothing?"

"You'd do that for me?" Her eyes lit up.

I nodded. "Of course I'd do that for you. We're friends now, right?"

"Yeah!" She took a hold of my hand, and slowly I started leading heflr back to my house.

When there, I immediately got her something to eat while I got the bath ready.

I watched as she happily munched on the cookies I gave her. (Since it was the only thing I didn't need to cook.)

"Hey there little foxie, you can hop in the bath now. I'll get you some clothes." I walked over, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and quickly shoved the rest of her cookie down her throat. "Okay! Thank you mister Tighnari!"

She ran off to the bathroom, and I quickly started gathering some clothes. They would all be to big on her, but at lack of better clothes it would do.

I'd go and get her something her proper size as soon as I could.

I put the clothes down infromt of the bathroom door, before knocking on it. "Y/n? There's clothes for you outside the door."

"Okay!" She responded, and I smiled to myself. Such a sweet kid.

·.★·.·'¯'·.·★.·

I heard the bathroom open, and Y/n walked out. Her still slightly wet hair was hanging in front of her eyes, and she was wearing one of my hoodies.

It was extremely oversized, but it'd do for now.

"Hey there." I said, and waved at her.

"Hi!" She responded, and waved back.

"How you feeling?" I asked and watched as she sat down at the table. I placed a plate of chicken mushroom skewers infront of her, since its the only stuff I had at the moment.

She smiled at me, a slight spark in her eyes. "Thank you for the food!"

"Of course, it's no problem." I pat her head and sat down aswell.

She stared chewing down on the food as if she'd never eaten something before, and really I felt bad for her.

I had noticed how slim she was when we got back here. Definitely not a good thing.

"Say, Y/n, how about we go get you some proper clothes after you're done eating?"

"We could?" She stopped eating for a moment.

"Yeah! Just finished up, 'kay?"

She nodded, and went back to eating.

She quickly finished up, and climbed down from her chair. "I'm done!"

·.★·.·'¯'·.·★.·

"Say Tighnari, never knew you had a kid! Why didn't you tell me?" A long blonde woth red eyes walked up to me.

"Kaveh.. She isn't mine, found her in the woods. Taking her to get some clothes."

I looked down at the small girl holding onto my hand. She was looking around in amazement, her tail aggressively wagging back and forth.

"Oh, that's rough. You taking her in then?" Kaveh asked, crossing his arms.

"I think so, yes."

Kaveh chuckled. "Good luck then, hope you take good care of the little kid. See you around."

He gave you a kind smile, and started walking away. He placed a hand on your head, and then continued on his way.

·.★·.·'¯'·.·★.·

I  finally got some Y/n clothes, and we're now back at my house. It was now early in the evening.

I also had to grab some groceries, so the little kid was persistent on helping me carry them.

She was a sweet girl. Very sweet.

I felt awful for what had happened to her. And swore to myself I'd protect her from now on.

She was sitting infront of me. She helped cook dinner. She said in was as a thank you.

"Hey, do you want to stay with me? I don't have a lot of experience with kids, but I'd love to take you in since you don't really have anywhere to go."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up and she stood up at the table.

I chuckled at her excitement. "Yes. If you want, of course."

"I would like that, thank you." She looked down with a smile and then walked around the table to give me a hug.

I hugged her back. "No problem. Now go finish your food!" I tickled her sides, and she laughed. She flailed around and ran away screaming with joy.

She had tears in her eyes from laughing, and climbed back on her chair.

She continued eating, still chuckling to herself. I smiled to myself at her happy behavior.

After dinner, I set up a mattress for her to sleep on till I got her a proper bed. I had some blankets, and a few pillows.

She plopped down on the fluffy covers, snuggling into the warmth.

"Are you comfortable?" I crouched down next to her.

She was smiling, her eyes already fluttering slightly. "Absolutely."

"Good. Sleep well then." I pat her head and stood up.

"Sleep well." She mumbled back,  her eyes falling shut. I walked to the door and opened it to leave her to get some rest.

I stopped when I once again heard the soft mutter of her voice. "Thank you again... papa..."

I turned around. She was asleep now. "Don't worry Y/n, I'll watch over you.."

·.★·.·'¯'·.·★.·

A/n: Have this!👍🏼 Hope this satisfied yall. Now, something not related to this at all, can we talk about Poppy Playtime chapter 4?? It's so good! The lore and shit, holy mother of heaven. I loved it so much. I can't Olay myself due to lack of PC, but I watched others play and it's so cool!!
-Kitz/Yumeko