Cynonari

Cynonari is the slash ship between Cyno and Tighnari from the Genshin Impact fandom.

Canon
Cyno and Tighnari are shown to be very close friends. They have a mutual trust for each other, and often ask each other for assistance in various matters. They share a lot of similarities, as the two of them both take their jobs seriously and are shown to care deeply for others even though it may seem at first that they aren't as caring. Both of them are also graduates from the Akademiya, although they did not attend school at the same time. Cyno works as the General Mahamatra, whose duty is to enforce the Akademiya's rules and regulations, while Tighnari works as a Forest Watcher, who helps maintain and protect Avidya Forest. They are both quite intimidating with their jobs, with people cowering in fear at the sight of the General Mahamatra and the Forest Watcher giving stern lectures to anyone who does foolish things in the rainforest. However, Tighnari is not fearful of the other's title as General Mahamatra and Cyno has stated there is no need for the other to lecture him. This shows how well they get along, as neither needs to be afraid of getting on the other's bad side. Cyno lives in Sumeru City while Tighnari lives in Gandharva Ville, but the Cyno often visits Tighnari to have dinner together with him and their mutual friend and comrade Collei. Tighnari is also shown to visit Cyno in the city.

Character Story Profile
Tighnari's character story 4 mentions how he first met Cyno during his days as an Akademiya student. Tighnari became very popular amongst the other students, causing all kinds of students to come up to him wanting to collaborate. Cyno, as the General Mahamatra, saw this as Tighnari forming factions and gathering forces which he deemed as harbingers of academic corruption. However, after Cyno spent time observing Tighnari, he realized the student had no ill intentions and while Tighnari was willing to collaborate with others, his focus was on his own studies. Cyno deemed the threat as resolved, but due to the pure impression Tighnari had on him he ended up letting down his guard around the student. This led to the two of them becoming friends, despite Cyno being known for distancing himself from both scholarship and scholars. This also led to Cyno later entrusting Collei in Tighnari's care due to his trust in the other.

King Deshret and the Three Magi
In the Sumeru Archon Quest Act IV, Tighnari is brought up by the traveler and Paimon briefly while talking about incense with Cyno. The General Mahamatra makes a comment about them knowing Tighnari, to which Paimon asks if they are friends. He responds with a yes. Paimon then asks if Tighnari lectured him as he had with her and the traveler about the incense, and Cyno says there's no need for him to. Cyno asks if they first smelled the incense at Tighnari's house, to which traveler says no.

Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises
As part of the plan to free Nahida, Cyno tells the traveler that they will need to introduce Dehya to Tighnari. The traveler asks if it will be okay to not tell Tighnari the full plan, and are worried that he will refuse to help. However, Cyno is confident that Tighnari will help as the two of them have a very close relationship and know each other very well. The General Mahamatra has no doubts the other would be willing to join their side through his message alone. Cyno also adds on that Tighnari is their best option for this matter.

The traveler and Dehya go to Pardis Dhyai to meet up with Tighnari. They ask him about the Doctor, and Dehya apologizes for asking such things when they had only just met. She says the only thing they can say is that they are working with Cyno. Tighnari says that their secrecy is fine, and that he will assist anyway he can. Dehya laughs at this, pointing out how quickly he joined their side from just Cyno's name. She asks why he isn't worried about them lying, to which Tighnari responds saying that he has no reason to believe she, the traveler, or Cyno would try to deceive him. The forest watcher proceeds to explain to them a conversation he had with the Doctor. The trio thank him for the information, and Dehya apologizes once again for their secrecy. Tighnari says it is fine, and that he has an obligation to do so as he thinks he may have been the reason for Cyno's involvement in the matter.

The game then shows a flashback, revealing Cyno and Tighnari talking together alone at Pardis Dhyai. Tighnari tells the other about how his master wrote him several letters. He explains that there is something unusual about the latest batch of letters, which made him worry that something has happened to his master. Tighnari asks Cyno to investigate this matter, but only if he can keep himself safe and tells him to withdraw immediately at the first hint of danger. Cyno agrees, and states that he will leave the Akademiya entirely if the situation becomes critical. He tells his friend to be careful of the Akademiya, to which Tighnari says he is surprised to be told such a thing by the General Mahamatra. The flashback ends after they share a few more words.

Tighnari says this conversation is why he is willing to help them despite their secrecy. He also asks the traveler to pass on a message to Cyno- to trust his own senses and experiences. Eventually, a fight breaks out in Pardis Dhyai and Tighnari ends up getting wounded from a lightning storm caused by the Balladeer. After the situation calms down, the traveler and Dehya leave to meet up with Cyno and Alhaitham. Dehya tells Cyno about Tighnari's injury, and he shows concern by asking who was behind the attack. They also relay to him the message from Tighnari.

After Nahida gets freed from the sanctuary and the face-off with the Balladeer, Cyno takes an injured traveler to Gandharva Ville. Tighnari complains about how Cyno constantly sends people to him to take care of, but he still helps out.

The traveler learns about a party that Nilou plans to host in honor of Cyno's reinstatement as General Mahamatra as well as to honor to heroes of Sumeru. They tell Tighnari about this, who responds saying Cyno had came to visit and already told him about his return to the Akademiya. The Forest Watcher is surprised to learn about the feast, however, and says that it is possible that Cyno doesn't even know about it as it was not mentioned during their conversation. He says he won't be able to attend the party due to him being busy, but will plan to celebrate his friend another time along with Collei.

The next time the traveler meets Cyno, they tell him that Tighnari is recovering well. He expresses his satisfaction for this, and also comments on how Tighnari has excellent medical skills. It is also revealed Cyno did indeed not know about the feast, showing that Tighnari was right.

Cyno's Story Quest
At the end of Cyno's story quest, they are shown talking together alone at Caravan Ribat. Cyno had just finished single-handedly apprehending 300 criminals, which Tighnari scolds him for. However, Cyno discusses his anger towards the criminals for the role they played in an old friend's death and Tighnari drops it, saying he understands. The Forest Watcher then offers Cyno a trap he designed using plants, saying he can use it to aid him in battle while also help collect test data on it.

The traveler joins their conversation, and it is revealed that Tighnari had come to Caravan Ribat to find herbs for a child Cyno had met earlier in the quest and also to check for any physical injuries Cyno may have. Tighnari then mentions how lonely Cyno looks, and tells him he should relax and play some Genius Invokation TCG. He mentions that Collei is wary of the General Mahamatra due to his serious expression, which prompts Cyno to ask how the girl is doing. Tighnari responds talking about her growth and studies, and says he's tasked her with giving lectures in Sumeru City. He asks Cyno to watch over her, to which the other agrees. Tighnari then leaves after telling Cyno and traveler they can find him in Avidya Forest if anything else happens.

Genius Invokation TCG
One of Cyno's favorite hobbies during his free time is playing Genius Invokation TCG. It is also shown that he plays it together with Tighnari, as at the end of his profile story "Cyno's Genius Invokation TCG Deck Box" it mentions him wondering if the Forest Watcher would be available to play at the moment.

In the daily commission King of Invokations, Fukomoto tells the traveler that he was tasked with writing a book about Genius Invokation TCG and was told to use Cyno and Tighnari as inspiration for the book. It can assumed that both characters are well known for being good at the game in order for them to be considered for inspirations.

Matra's Encyclopedia of Plants
In the lore descriptions for several plant furnishing items used in the Serenitea Pot, it can be found that Cyno sought out Tighnari's help for writing on a manual guide on different plants in Sumeru. Many of these descriptions show other matra wondering who the General Mahamatra could have found who is so knowledgeable on plants, showing that Cyno has kept it a secret that Tighnari assisted him in writing the book. One item called No Jumping, No Tramping mentions a matra coming to ask Cyno a question about the manual and to find out who the secret botanist. The matra finds him having dinner with Tighnari, and Cyno promptly answers his questions with two jokes that only confuse the matra more. Tighnari jumps in before his friend can start explaining the jokes so the conversation would end quickly, possibly because he knows that Cyno's explanations for his jokes can become very long.

Another item from the manual, "Letters in the Sands Half-Buried," talks about a secret communication method. Using the leaves from a specific plant and a certain kind of dye allows the writer to write secret letters. The words will only show up after being affected by electro first, and then dendro. These two elements also happen to be Cyno and Tighnari's elements, respectively. As the two of them are shown to write letters to each other, it is possible they use this method to keep the contents a secret.

Karkata
During Tighnari's story quest, the traveler and Tighnari discovered that a man named Abattouy had been researching into mechanical lieforms, resulting in the creation of Karkata- a mechanical crab. Unfortunately, Abattouy died before being able to finish his research, leaving Karkata behind. Tighnari tells the traveler that per Akademiya policy, all materials related to the research must be brought back to the Akademiya to be destroyed as research on mechanical lifeforms had been banned. However, Tighnari instead repairs Karkata, burns the majority of the research material, and brings the robot to Pardis Dhyai to keep it safe. He tells the traveler that it his duty to protect all life in the forest and as there is there possibility for Karkata to be considered a true life-form, he chose to protect the robot despite Akademiya policy.

Tighnari has a voiceline in his profile about Karkata, where he tells to traveler to not worry about it as he told a matra he knew that he'll be using Karkata a research assistant. Considering Cyno is the only matra that Tighnari is known to be close to, it is highly likely that Cyno is the one Tighnari mentioned. Cyno also happens to be the matra with the most authority to allow Tighnari to get away with such a thing, considering he is the General Mahamatra.

During Alhaitham's story quest, there are several readable documents on the desk in the Grand Sage's office. One document talks about the "Ghost of Pardis Dhyai." Witnesses reported a strange shadow wandering around at night, but an investigation revealed nothing suspicious was found. It is very possible that Cyno had covered for Tighnari to make sure no one found out about Karkata. If the robot were discovered, there would likely be an investigation launched to figure out its origins and Tighnari could be punished.

Cyno's willingness to let Tighnari break policy to protect Karkata shows how much trust he places in the Forest Watcher. Cyno is someone who takes the law very seriously, and is not lenient at all to those who commit crimes. He has stated that he focuses on "what" has been done rather then "why" when it comes to people who do wrong, as any crime cannot be left unpunished for any reason. Yet, Cyno's trust in Tighnari's good will overshadows this. He supports Tighnari's decisions fully even if it means breaking Akademiya policy or even going against his own moral code.

Windblume's Breath
Cyno and Tighnari accompany Collei on her trip to Mondstadt to attend the Windblume festival, both claiming they're there to ensure her safety. While there, Cyno insists on roleplaying as alternate identities: Cyno as an adventurer, Tighnari as a technological consultant, and Collei as a travelling musician. Cyno tells many jokes during the event, none of which Tighnari finds amusing. However, Tighnari states that Cyno telling jokes is a sign that he sees everyone there as a friend. He also explains that Cyno acts much differently when he's off of work compared to when he's in work-mode. As the General Mahamtra, he is serious and often seen as frightening due to the power he possesses. But as just Cyno and as a friend, he is much more relaxed and likes to joke around. This shows how close Tighnari is to Cyno, as he is familiar with a side to the General Mahamatra that others would find surprising.

During a conversation in the library, Albedo asks about Cyno and Tighnari's relationship to each other and Collei and both men are happy to see how she’s grown and healed since they've met her, and Cyno explains that they are like siblings, meaning they have an equal and pure relationship. Later on in the event, Tighnari mentions that the three of them should be considered as regular siblings and the trio agrees.

Miscellaneous
Tighnari briefly mentions Cyno in Collei's vision story. She had gone missing, and upon finding her Tighnari was worried that she had unleashed her sealed powers. Cyno was the one to seal these powers in the first place, and so Tighnari knew he would be the best person to help her. Luckily, she did not actually unseal her powers and the Forest Watcher did not have to get help from Cyno.

One of Cyno's favorite furniture sets for the teapot is "Deep in the Quiet Forest." This set is a settlement made in the style of Gandharva Ville, where Tighnari and Collei live. During the conversation between him and the traveler after the player invites him to the set, Cyno mentions how resting there brings back a lot of memories. He explains that he travels a lot for work and sometimes has to camp in villages, which includes Gandharva Ville. The memories he is reminded of may include some of his memories with Tighnari and Collei.

In Cyno's web event, Trial of the Scorching Sands, one of the items you can pack in Cyno's bag are Candied Ajilenakh Nuts. The description of the item mentions bringing some back for Tighnari and Collei.

In Kaveh’s voiceline about Cyno, he describes how Tighnari referred to Cyno as his best friend prior to introducing them to each other. He also notes that Cyno invites people to hang out at Tighnari’s house, an indicator of their closeness. In the epilogue of the Interdarshan Championship event, Cyno also refers to Tighnari as his best friend.

Quotes
"It was perhaps due to this pure impression that the General Mahamatra, known for distancing himself from scholarship and scholars alike, would let down his guard and become friends with Tighnari in the days to come."

- Tighnari's Character Story 4

"A message for you. I brought back a specialty from the desert, two packs of honeyed dates, which helps to replenish your energy, whether in the morning or at night. Thank you for your patience in teaching and taking care of Collei. Good luck with your work and best wishes for Collei's studies."

- Cyno's letter to Tighnari in Tighnari's Official Introduction

"Many researchers at the Akademiya fear that the General Mahamatra will interfere with their research. However, it seems that they are worrying about nothing. Most of them do not produce results worthy of his visit."

- Tighnari's reply to Collei asking about Cyno in Cyno's Official Introduction

"You want to see Cyno...? Well, firstly, a word of caution: if he ever comes chasing you down for work-related reasons, prepare for the nightmare of a lifetime. Other than that, General Mahamatra is a high-ranking position, so it usually isn't easy to find him. But he does occasionally go to Gandharva Ville to see Collei. As much as he might want to stay unnoticed, he can't fool my ears, heh."

- Tighnari's voiceline about Cyno: General Mahamatra

"After my adviser's rescue, I wrote him a letter to send my regards. To my surprise, he wrote back saying that someone had already given him my regards in person. He ended the letter with a query "Why is the General Mahamatra saying he wants to leverage the full might of Sumeru to restore the reputation of sages?" ...Good question. I'd like to know, too."

- Tighnari's voiceline about Cyno: Good Question

"Tighnari is different from other scholars I've met. He has the same wholehearted dedication to knowledge, but he will never cross the most important boundaries. Some scholars see themselves as gods within their own laboratories, but not Tighnari — he has always shown the same respect for every form of life. I've heard that he even declined a position in the Akademiya, and I support his decision."

- Cyno's voiceline about Tighnari: Knowledge

"Tighnari once told me not to tell jokes at the dinner table, insisting that my jokes weren't funny at all. I did not share his opinion, so I told three of my best jokes in a row, and explained the premise of each in great detail. By the time I was done talking, my food was cold."

- Cyno's voiceline about Tighnari: Jokes

"Tighnari and Collei never said it to my face, but they found Kaveh's personal anecdotes far more entertaining than the jokes I had prepared... I could see it on their faces. Hmm? What did I think about that? Well, I thought it was funny that they could laugh at such a situation."

- Cyno's voiceline about Kaveh

"I have a very close relationship with Tighnari. Given how well we know each other, I believe my message alone should be enough to bring him to our side. He knows I won't make jokes about things like this."

- Cyno to the traveler, during "Through the Predawn Night"

"Trust your own senses and experiences."

- Tighnari's message to Cyno, during "As by a God's Side"

"Alright, alright... I love you, Tighnari."

- Cyno's Voice Actor responding to a fan's request at Overload NZ 2023 convention.

Fanon
Cynonari is both Cyno's and Tighnari's most written for ship on Archive of Our Own, with 2100+ works under the tag.

The ship rose in popularity when Mihoyo released Tighnari's Official Character introduction, where a quote from a letter Cyno sent to Tighnari was used. The General Mahamatra thanked the other for taking care of Collei, and gifted a pack of honeyed dates to him. This led to people shipping the two of them together due to them appearing to be close friends and having close relations to Collei, who they both care for. The ship continued gaining popularity upon the release of both characters, due to content in the game supporting the fact that they have a very close relationship.

Many fans find the relationship between Cyno and Tighnari to be very wholesome, as they are often shown to care for and trust one another. Tighnari, who is said to rarely leave Avidya Forest, traveled all the way to Caravan Ribat to lend his aid to Cyno at the end of his story quest. Cyno also regularly visits Gandharva Ville despite living in Sumeru City, just to visit and have dinner with Tighnari and Collei. Many people see Cyno and Tighnari as father figures for Collei despite that they’re all adults, saying that they’re see each other as friends and comrades while caring for her, and headcanon them as a family. Alternatively, some see either Cyno or Tighnari as Collei's older brother while the other remains a close friend to the girl. This headcanon of them three as a family is further pushed by the Windblume event, as Cyno says that the relationship between him, Tighnari and Collei are like siblings. Tighnari later on mentions that the three of them should be considered as regular siblings and Collei happily agrees.

A lot of fanworks depict Cyno as more relaxed around Tighnari due to their close friendship and Cyno letting down his guard around him. Cyno often tells jokes, which annoys Tighnari who does not find them funny. They are portrayed as partners who care deeply for one another, offering aid when possible.

Fandom
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 * Cynonari Mains on Discord

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Trivia

 * Cyno’s English Voice Actor, Alejandro Saab, made a parody version of the Super Mario Bros Movie song “Peaches” called “Nari”, in which he sings the lyrics expressing “Cyno’s love for Tighnari” instead of Bowser’s love for Peach and published it on his Spotify account.
 * Both Cyno and Tighnari had a quote for each other used in their official introductions.
 * Both Cyno and Tighnari have two quotes for each other in their character profiles, something that is not very common.
 * They both appear in Nahida's character teaser as the Knight of Flowers' retainers.
 * Cyno is from the desert, while Tighnari is from the forest- the two places have a history of not getting along with each other but the characters nevertheless are able to develop a close friendship.
 * Many fans have noted how Cyno's voice becomes much softer when talking about Tighnari. Cyno's English voice actor confirmed he intentionally softened his voice while talking about Tighnari in Cyno's "About Tighnari: Knowledge" voiceline.
 * Cyno's Eng VA openly ships Cynonari, but is also accepting of all other age-appropriate Cyno ships.
 * Tighnari's JP VA describes them as having an interesting and close relationship. She also said she was given the direction to be confident when reporting to Cyno about Collei's progress.
 * Both of their designs have canine-like elements. Tighnari has the ears and tail of a fennec fox due to him being a hybrid, while Cyno wears a headdress based on the god Anubis who has the head of a jackal.
 * Both jackals and fennec foxes are monogamous animals.
 * In Tighnari's Interesting Things voiceline, he mentions some plants using honey to lure their prey and then how it feels like he's not talking about plants anymore. This line may hint at his relationship with Cyno, as Cyno is shown to gift Tighnari honeyed dates.
 * Their normal attack strings are very similar, despite them using different weapons. They both have four attacks, with a double-hit on the third attack. They also rotate their bodies in a similar manner.

Variations

 * Cylounari refers to the ship between the two and Nilou
 * Cynonaribedo refers to the ship between the two and Albedo
 * Hainonari refers to the ship between the two and Alhaitham
 * Kavethaynonari refers to the ship between the two, Kaveh, and Alhaitham