To Destroy A Country

Part 2, Chapter 5: Who I Am Now

  He chuckled to himself, "who knew you had such a lovely symbol hidden away! Dissecting you will be oh so much fun!"
  Kunikuzushi didn't care anymore. Nothing was worth all the pain he had gone through. He hoped this killed him. He didn't want to be in this universe if all it would be was a painful existence.
  "A seal?!" The man with the crescent shaped mask had been pushed back by an unseen force.
  Kunikuzushi had his eyes closed, ignoring everything. He was strapped down to a table, vulnerable. He didn't want any of this.
  "Just like the Tzaritsa..." he laughed with glee, "this is promising! Hm, first..."
  Kunikuzushi held his jaw shut tight. Even while being treated like an animal he reminded someone of someone else! He couldn't take it anymore! He glared with everything in him at that man. He didn't care who he was or who he was talking about. He just wanted to be done.
  His smile only grew, his teal hair sparkling in the harsh light. He giggled, "yes, hate me. Loathe me. The more you feel like that the easier this will be!"
  He raised both his hands and brought down his weapon directly over Kunikuzushi's chest.
  That was it. Dottore almost died. The seal had been broken, the Shogun's power awakened by Kunikuzushi's determination. It was also the moment when Kunikuzushi knew he could never go back again.

  Scaramouche. That was his name now. He had been introduced to this "Tzaritsa" person. He wasn't like her at all. So why did he remind Dottore of her?!
  He watched as more and more Harbinger's were added to his group, though he hated them all. There was no reason to remember their names or meddle in their business.
  But there was one woman who particularly stood out.
  She kept eyeing Scaramouche during one of their boring meetings. She seemed to get increasingly more worried the longer the meeting dragged on.
  Dottore was introducing her as "La Signora" to everyone.
  That's why Scaramouche hadn't recognized her, she was new. Then again, he probably wouldn't have recognized her anyways. He rolled his eyes, did they really need to spend an eon on this?
  "I see you've taken a liking to my greatest masterpiece!" Dottore's voice shook Scaramouche from his thoughts.
  Scaramouche stood up abruptly, his chair getting pushed back and his hands coming down harshly on the table, "I am not your creation."
  Dottore grew amused, "hm~ if that is what you wish to believe~"
  Scaramouche scoffed as he stormed out. He hated it. All of it. Why was he even here?!
  He stood outside, his arms folded. The only reason he had for being with this band of insane people was for the sake of getting back at his real creator. The Raiden Shogun made a grave mistake in keeping him alive, subjecting him to the pain of living.
  She thought she was doing him a mercy? Hah! Burning him with all her other failures would have been better than anything this life had to offer!
  All Dottore saw him for was a project and a stupid reminder of his leader. Scaramouche grit his teeth. Wasn't there anyone he ever met that saw him for himself? Even just once?
  Well, there was one... but even he saw Scaramouche as someone else occasionally...
  Scaramouche hated the time he spent by himself on Tsurumi Island. There was hardly a change between where he was now and where he had been. It was just as lonely... But he always looked back fondly on the time Kazuha was there with him. He made everything so much more bearable. Scaramouche wanted to see him one more time... maybe then it would be easier to live again. But he knew he wouldn't. Kazuha was probably long since dead. Humans were so fragile...
  The door opened again. Scaramouche looked to the side, already feeling disgusted by whoever was about to walk through.
  It was La Signora. She looked him up and down. Then she paused, "I..."
  "Don't even try to apologize for him. I won't be accepting it."
  She closed her mouth, then she opened it again, "I've been here a while and... and I wanted to ask if-"
  "Oh, so you aren't new?" Scaramouche eyed her.
  "No," she eyed him right back, "it's been about a year or so. I just haven't gotten a proper introduction."
  "You wanted to ask me something?" Scaramouche held back his rude comment of: "hurry it up."
  "I wanted to ask if you ever met a man named Rostam?"
  Scaramouche crinkled his nose, "no."
  "Have you ever been to Mondstadt?" A bit of desperation crept into her voice.
  "No," he folded his arms. What on Teyvat was she questioning him for?
  "Nevermind..." she looked away, "I'm sure you weren't alive then anyways."
  He raised a brow at her, "I don't know how old you think I am, but I am almost certain I'm older than you."
  La Signora chuckled, "I don't know about that but... I was only asking because you reminded me of him." She smiled, "it's been a long time since he died..."
  Scaramouche grimaced as he stormed off again. He had to hold back from screaming at the top of his lungs.
  "It isn't a bad thing..." La Signora uttered quietly as he left.
  Of course it was a bad thing! Yet again, he wasn't seen for himself! Why couldn't anyone see him?! Why was it that all they saw was someone else they cared about?!?!
  ... why was it never him they cared about...
  Then it hit him. Was it because he was made in the memory of a dead loved one? Was this another curse the Shogun had placed on his existence?
  He swore he would make her regret keeping him alive.