Those Who Dream of Freedom (Scaramouche x fem!reader)

Chapter 6 ☆ Commissions

☆ y/n

I received the second vision not long after the funeral. Actually, I didn't receive it, as it was my mother's, but when I saw it, the pattern that once glowed red was grey and dull, without the sign of the flame, and I thought I might take it myself. It couldn't be used anymore anyway, and then I would have something to remember her by.

I didn't want to stay with my neighbours anymore. I was just a burden to them so the only thing I could do was to leave. This decision completely changed the course of my life. I'm still surprised when I remember that I had the courage to do that. I was afraid, but the desire to escape that environment was much stronger.

Since a vision can no longer be used after its rightful holder dies, my father had been buried with his and I thought my mother had hers in her coffin as well, but it turned out that was not the case. I found it when I went home. It was in what was left of their bedroom.

But as soon as I got my hands on the vision, I heard footsteps and a metal object hitting metal, so I hid. I saw some treasure hoarders searching through the remaining stuff, probably hoping to find something of value. But obviously there was nothing there to their liking. All the things we had considered valuable had only sentimental value, which you can't trade for money.

At that moment I did something many people would consider impossible. I threw fire, and the treasure hoarders got scared. I quickly chased them out of the house and stood still, vision in hand, which then began to glow red again, as I knew it did when I saw my mother using it.

From that day on the red vision symbol never disappeared and I could use it whenever I wanted, whenever I needed its help. And clearly, since then I've also known that I couldn't tell anyone what happened. The authorities had never shown mercy, not even in front of a child.

☆

When I see the envelope with the well-known stamp on it, I realize I've screwed up. Only one person uses this kind of stamp, the landlord. He only sends me envelopes if it's my birthday or if I forgot to pay the rent. It's not my birthday today, so it's clearly the latter. And it's bad, it's really bad, because I don't have enough money, even though I worked for a couple of years before applying for the Try-outs. I don't see how it's possible to have run out of money. There's no way I could have spent all the money I saved, even though I haven't worked for a while because I started training even more for the exams. I was eating in the morning, evening and when I was hanging out with Zoe, and the rent and bills weren't that expensive. So how did it come to this? I wouldn't have that kind of money unless I went back to work, and I wouldn't mind if my schedule wasn't so full any other day of the week. How am I going to get all the money I need to pay the rent in a few days?! It's too short notice, and the fact that my money is gone is also a shock.

I never led a rich girl's life, I had a family like any other, which could support itself as it were. After I lost my parents and was left in the care of our neighbours, I decided to run away because there was no way I could lead a life like that, in a place where I wasn't wanted. It wasn't a rosy life before either, but at least I felt loved. And even more so I knew I had to leave their house after I had the Anemo vision. And after that, after I managed to activate Mom's vision, get Dad's, and get the other four, it was much harder to stay even in Inazuma.

But that was not the main reason for coming to Mondstadt. After running away from my neighbours, I ended up in a group of rebels who helped me and taught me what life as a fugitive meant, who made me understand that life itself is not easy. In other words, I grew up way too early. I ran away from Inazuma because of the Fatui, a group of people who were supposed to be just a diplomatic organization, but had a horrible secret. As soon as I found out what that secret was, I ended up being wanted all over the country. Until about four years ago I used to see posters of my face quite often, but there were none in Mondstadt, so I chose to come here. And I'm glad I did, because that's how I found Zoe and found a new purpose. A good one.