As it turns out, Techno doesn't remember much about humans. Yes, it's true, for his first sixteen years of life he believed himself to be a human and lived with the likes, but being at the sanctuary had given him a whole new perspective on everything. 

When he'd first met Puffy and all the others, he'd been wary of the way they treated each other, the way they just seemed to...well...trust one another, just like that. Puffy had mentioned that it was a hybrid thing and that they just knew they'd be safe around their kind. Techno hadn't really bought it at the start, because who would just become best friends on their first meeting? And who would trust some rando that just showed up in a sanctuary? Apparently, hybrids did. 

That may be a bit of a generalisation on his part because it's true, everyone has their personal things that they don't share, but there always was a connection between everyone. A mutual understanding, a 'you don't hurt me, I don't hurt you' kind of thing.

At the start, Technoblade hadn't liked it. He'd gone his whole life being wary, not trusting other people outside his family, because in this dog-eat-dog world, no one had anything to gain by being sweet and wholesome all the time. At least, that's what he'd thought.

Techno had developed a better connection with his sanctuary, and while he was definitely very reserved for a hybrid, hell, even for a human, he found himself getting used to the hybrid dynamic.

So yes, when this old guard dude had brought him to another group of guards and had started their trek to the main city of Lmanberg, he was thrown off a little bit. They were all so gruff with him. He was the outsider here, the kid, the newbie, and that made him unknown, which, in their eyes, made him a threat. 

Well, he was a threat, and on any other day he'd be glad they were kind of unsure about him, but his whole mission was to get into their ranks and gain their trust, so he needed to not be like that.

He wasn't going to completely become a new person, just maybe tone down the terrifying aura he carried and strike up a conversation.

Conversation. Fuck. 

Techno huffed to himself at the thought. He'd never really enjoyed chatting with anyone, let alone small talk.

He glanced up to the blue shining sky and sighed, the sacrifices he made for Puffy.

He sped up a little bit, falling into a walk next to one of the guards out of the group of around six, and cleared his throat. The man next to him glanced to the side and raised an eyebrow, and Techno opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

The man stared at him weirdly for a moment before rolling his eyes and picking up speed, walking off from Techno.

The pale pinkette groaned in annoyance and shoved his hands into his pockets. 

He made a decision, as of right now. Socialising could wait until he got to the castle and found out what he'd be doing. There was no use trying to be nice to a bunch of older mean men who would be pleased with the idea of him getting hurt.

Yes, good idea Techno. Amazing plan, as always.

He sighed to himself as they trudged along the path, and let himself try to relax as they passed through the forest.

Throughout walking to Lmanberg (honestly, that was kind of odd, why didn't they have horses?), they had passed through a few different locations. They'd walked the longest in the first forest, and then it had stretched into a sandy/rocky pathway next to a meadow, where he saw a few people working out in the fields.

They stopped a few times to chat to other guards as they passed, and Techno continuously got odd looks from passerby's. Like, yeah, okay, he was incredibly tall and he had pink hair- but lots of people had unnatural hair these days! Why was he any different?

Either way, they'd then followed a path that went through another village, this one less populated than the last, which was odd, as he'd have thought the closer he got to Lmanberg and the capital, the more people there would be. Apparently not.

Then, finally, they'd reached the main city. They had followed a dirt road that let right into the bustling crowds, and Techno's eyes widened at what he saw.

Shopping tents were littered all over the place as vendors had set up shops, yelling things as they held food or jewels in their hands, trying to convince anyone walking near to buy what they had. There was a square with no tents, where a group of performers were dancing to loud music, a band next to them as they swayed with guitars and flutes. It was incredible, and there was so much to see, however the common people living their life around him wasn't what really amazed him, it was the big, threatening (yet beautiful) castle that stood proudly atop the mountain. Part of it jutted out, and a large balcony hung over cascading waters, the rocks pointing ominously from below.

It was, to simply put it, the largest building Techno had ever seen. That wasn't saying much really, considering the only places he'd ever gone were his village, the sanctuary, and a few surrounding villages, but he could appreciate how impressive it was, that was true.

A thick and dense forest surrounded the edges of the castle, and Techno felt a small feeling of relief at that. At least, as he stayed in this area, there would be something reminding him of home, no matter how different it really was. It wasn't his forest, it certainly didn't have the sanctuary in it, but it was nature, nonetheless, and for now that was good enough for him.

He let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding, and one of the guards gave him a rough pat on the back. Techno grimaced at the man touching him, and stepped away slightly, though if the man noticed, he didn't say anything.

"Beaut, innit?" the man said gruffly, with an odd accent Techno wasn't sure he recognised.

"Sorry?" Techno asked, and the man rolled his eyes, "the castle. Beaut."

Techno blinked, wanting to make a remark, but remembered he was supposed to get on people's good sides. He sighed inwardly, and then nodded.

"It's different."

The man cackled, clapping him on the back (again? Really? Doth no one hath any perception of personal space?) and spoke, saliva spitting from his yellowing teeth.

"Yeah, I'll bet! You' from a small town, aye? Wouldn' o' seen many buildin' like this!"

Techno took a moment to actually let what he said process in his brain, before he nodded again.

"That's true."

"Stop messing around, Bo," a voice cut in from behind them, and Techno turned around to see a young man with black hair standing behind them. He was wearing guard attire, but he wasn't old or mean like the group Techno had found himself in earlier. He wondered if he'd been there the whole time, because he certainly had not noticed him.

The man smiled, and stuck out his hand, Techno warily shaking it.

"I'm Sykkuno!" he grinned, and Techno nodded, "Technoblade."

The man smiled and dropped his hand, before running it through his hair.

"Well, if you're to start training and sign in, then I should take you up to the castle! We've got training grounds inside of it, and some in the forest, so you'll get pretty familiar with the castle. Don't worry though, it's not as confusing as it first looks!" he reassures Techno (though Techno wasn't worried in the first place), and gestures for him to follow.

He does so, leaving the rest of the guards as they chat with merchants, and sighs.

"Tired?" Sykkuno asks, noticing his slip up, and Techno shrugs, "Something like that."

Sykunno stares at him for a second as they enter the trail in the forest, and then smiles softly.

"I won't pry. Most of us come here for a new life anyway. As far as we're aware, you didn't even exist before today." he says, and Techno tilts his head to the side slightly (a trait he'd picked up since being a hybrid, probably one he should work on stopping) and nods.

This guy wasn't so bad, he thought, turning back to look at the city village that became smaller as they walked, blending into the ocean coast. No, not so bad at all.

x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x

Hey friends!! Okay, look, I knowwww, I say every time 'oh sorry this is so late, i'll work on getting back to schedule' and then I don't. I don't really have an excuse for it exactly, because I was in the school holiday's, so I technically had all the time in the world to work on this, but I just kind of didn't lmao. Funnily enough, school started again today, and that's when I decide to update. Ironic, isn't it?

Sorry to the readers to followed me through my last book and were used to updates daily, I don't even know what I was on to manage that. Honestly the process of writing that book feels like a fever dream lmao.

Either way, I do have a plan for this entire book, and I am going to finish it, but it may take a bit longer than it did with 'a merman's tear'. And if you're a reader seeing this ages in the future when the book is complete, how did I do?

Anyway, you know the deal, love you guys, and happy reading!

-Ghost <3

(20/4/21)

Co-posted on ao3