A Single Spark (Scaramouche x Reader)

Chapter 14: Pressure

Il Dottore and La Signora were in the shadows watching Scaramouche and Zasha. They couldn't hear what they were saying, but it could be assumed that it wasn't for pro-Fatui ears.

"I have never trusted Zasha. I cannot understand why the Tsaritsa even wanted them," Signora scoffed. "They are too weak and sympathetic towards others. I originally entrusted Scaramouche to keep an eye on them, but he keeps avoiding reports. The little bitch has dragged the sixth down with them."

Dottore nodded. He was in quiet contemplation, but could easily expect what would happen next. "What do you propose we do?" he asked anyway.

"Watch them of course," Signora sneered. "Maybe we can separate them somehow and break Scaramouche bit by bit. Meanwhile Zasha tragically perishes. And if Scaramouche is beyond saving..."

Dottore grinned maniaclly, then cackled, "Kill him too!" He quickly regained his composure before stating, "it will be an 'accident,' of course. It's quite a shame, Zasha's mind is very much gifted. Ooh! Maybe I'll study her brain after she's dead!"
"Yeah, do whatever," Signora waved a hand dismissively.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were out at this area called "Falcon Coast." It was near sunset, and you'd been assisting Dottore in his experiments since you got to Mondstadt, which was two weeks ago. You sighed and picked up a few crabs. Apparently the doctor needed them for another experiment.

He frequently asked your opinion, and you would solve a couple problems for him each time. For being "the Doctor," he is, at least in your eyes, lacking common sense in almost every department. Everything is on the tip of his nose, if only he'd look down. You shake your head in annoyance.

"OW!" A crab had it's claw latched onto your hand. "Not the way I want to spend my birthday," you muttered. It was getting dark, and you figured you'd head back.

On your way to Falcon Coast earlier today, you saw a bard asleep in this giant tree, drunk. On your way back, he was still there. Still sleeping. Same position. "Pathetic," you muttered at the green-clad boy.

Continuing on, you head through Springvale to see if you can catch the mail cart early. Lo and behold, you can! As you were looking through the bag to see if anything was going to the Grand Goth Hotel, there was a small package labeled "Zasha" in dark blue ink. You recognized that handwriting, but were you ready to read it?

"Thank you," you say as you are handed the letter. You decided to slip it in your bag to read later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You finally walk into Mondstadt, but it's far past midnight now. You nod to everyone still awake as you pass by, but you just received dirty stares. Pfft, figures.

You walk up the steps of the Grand Goth Hotel and head inside. Up the stairs, and down the hall. Before you go into the suite Dottore stays in, you have to take a deep breath. Every night he's been drilling you with questions, and sometimes they were personal. It's really annoying, and you don't want to share. You've told him that but he frankly doesn't care.

You unlock the door with your key. It's quite dark, so he must be in the lab. You push open a side door, and there the Doctor stands, grinning maniacally over some blueprints. Great, he's building something. Probably a torture device. You slam the bucket of crabs on the table.

"Ah thank you, Zasha!" he exclaims.

You turn to leave, but he says, "Can I ask you a few questions about ancient Sumerian lifestyle?"
UggGGGGHHHhhhHhHh. "Fine," you say.
He grins. An evil grin. "Soooo... does the city you come from exist anymore?"

"How the hell should I know? I haven't been there in years!" you scoffed.

"What was it called?"

"Never bothered to learn the name." you lied.

"What did you eat? What were jobs like? What did you wear?"

"I ate what was left, I worked where I was told to work, I wore what was available." you need to try to be as vague as possible. Dottore was the last person who needed to know your weak spots. A few vague pieces of information might be all it takes for him to find your Achilles heel.

"What were belief systems like?"

"I never paid attention to worship. I don't care about the archon that much. Kusanali never did anything for me."

"Why did you decide to join to Fatui?"

"Nowhere left to go, and I assume that's why so many others joined."

"What do you think of the Tsaritsa? Of the other Harbingers? Of Scaramouche? Of me?"

"I thought you wanted to know about Sumeru."

"I–"

"I'm going to bed," you snap.

You leave Dottore's suite and head for yours. It's a floor above, thank goodness.

Your suite is a little bit smaller because you don't need a whole lab, but whatever. You lock the door, close the curtains, and collapse on your bed. It's not comfy, and both sides of the pillow are always warm. You can also hear the drunks at the tavern.

Oh! You forgot about the package! You dig into your coat pockets and there it is! You carefully tear it open, and you see a glass vial. It's pretty and luminescent, glowing purple. It sort of moves around, too. Your attention goes to the letter at the bottom of the box.

You almost didn't want to read it. You left Snezhnaya on poor terms, and you were afraid of what the letter might contain. After a few minutes of pacing around the room, you decided to pick it up and read it.

Hey Idiot,

I don't know if Dottore is doing this too, but Signora is getting under my skin more than usual and asking questions and trying to gaslight me. She also watches me a lot. It was super hard to send this letter without Signora noticing. I would be careful about Dottore watching you. Sometimes even I don't catch him sneaking up on me.

Anyways, Happy Birthday. I know it might be late by the time you get it, but I hope you like it! It's a kind of pet, a seelie. This one is named Viola. This variety is exceedingly rare so don't lose it. She eats whatever. I expect something as equally grand on my next birthday.

Be careful,

Kuni

Your first thought was how dare he not apologize?! Your second thought was you did not realize how much you needed this. You missed him. You're surprised he even cared enough to remember your birthday, let alone go through the trouble of getting you something. You tuck the letter carefully in my pocket, then you turn to the bottle.

You open the cork on the bottle and Viola floats out. She rubs up against your cheek and makes a high-pitched purring sound. The texture is weird when you pet her. It's like skin, but much softer. It almost feels synthetic. She's squishy. Viola makes the high-pitched sound again.

"You must be hungry, huh?" you laugh. You grab a sunsettia on your desk and toss it to her. She absorbs it and it disintegrates. "Oh that's so cool!" you tell her.

Viola makes the sound again and goes back in the bottle. "Well, if you wanna stay in there, I guess," you say. You leave the cork off though.

In the end, Viola just sticks in your bottle except when she wants to eat. You always leave the lid off, though. The next morning, you fashion the bottle into a pin to wear on your purple vest so Viola can get a ride everywhere she goes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh my gosh guys! This story has really gone off the deep end as far as lore is concerned. I don't even care anymore lol. This script has pre 2.6 lore and will stay that way :) I hope you have a great day/night!!