A Single Spark (Scaramouche x Reader)

Chapter 29: Captured

Your band of people were patrolling Minlin at the moment. Despite the constant battles and enemies left and right, you had persevered with countless injuries and zero deaths.

A flash of teal, and Xiao appeared.

"Well?" Zhongli asked.

"I tried my best, but even with you stating the remaining adepti should fight, none have agreed to do it. They're staying in their realms, safe from the real world. They won't honor a contract which has already expired"

"Great," Kuni sighed.

Zhongli was pissed.

"So we've been fighting this war for four years," he growls, "and none of them wish to end it?"

"To quote Cloud Retainer," Xiao began, "It is not this one's problem."

Venti came back from hunting, a basket of mushrooms and a few fowl were with him.

"Well?" he asked cheerfully.

You shook your head, and the bard's shoulders slumped.

"I don't get it," you said, "Despite how many we kill, it's like they keep coming back!"

"(Y/n), you don't think–" Kuni stopped short.

You gasped.

Maybe your words were true.

"How did Dottore...?"

"What is it?" Zhongli asked.

"Six years ago, back when I was in the Fatui, one of the Harbingers, Dottore, found an ancient tablet in Natlan. He couldn't crack the code, but I knew what it said and I told him to destroy it..." you trailed off, and Kuni picked up where you left off.

"The tablet had instructions on how to raise the dead," he whispered.

"I can't believe you trusted him to destroy it," Xiao scoffed.

"I was sixteen!" you retorted. "I was naive, and too trusting."

"So you don't trust us?" Venti whispered, hurt.

"No, I trust you guys with my life, soul, everything!"

"But can we trust you? Who knows how many mistakes you've made in this war," Zhongli said.

"Remember when you let Childe go?"

"Jean's spies said he left the Fatui and went into hiding with his family," you replied. "I have twenty–two years of experience, and I'm technically 472 years old. Don't mistake me for the little kid I once was. Besides, we don't even know if that's true."

"Kuni you're awfully quiet," Venti said, turning around. His eyes widened, and he was slowly reaching for his bow, tapping on Xiao's shoulder frantically. You whipped your head around to look behind you.

Kuni was gone, and in his place was Arlecchino, holding a small, glowing purple cube.

"You..." you seethed.

"Oh, hello Zasha," she sneered, "Do you like my new toy? I've got one for each of you!" She throws four more cubes, and you dodge. Three fall to the ground uselessly, but one shining brilliant gold floats back to her.

"Zhongli!" Xiao calls.

You turned around.

The cubes.

It clicks.

You lunge forward.

"Give them back!" You yelled, swinging your claymore. The graceful harbinger leaped out of the way, shoving the small cubes in her pocket. You're pulled back by your collar.