The Tragedies of Life {A Genshin Impact OC Story}

Chapter 7: Thoughts

"Follow me." Wanderer said, walking further into the bustling streets of Sumeru City.

"What-why? We just got back!" Kinoko stood in place, watching as he started walking away.

"You need to meet someone, so are you going to just stand there looking stupid or actually follow me?" He raised an expectant eyebrow, as his blue eyes bore into hers.

She scoffed. "I-fine." She grumbled, catching up to him as they started walking up ramps in the Akademiya, swarms of people making it difficult. Then, he made a turn and walked up another ramp.

She recognized the area they were going to. "The Sanctuary of Surasthana?" She asked softly.

"Yeah. Now come on. You need to stop being so slow." He walked through the double door into the sanctuary, and Kinoko followed into the peaceful space.

Everything was empty as they walked forward, then, a small girl popped up. But, she was different. "Lesser Lord Kussanali?" Kinoko asked, stunned as she looked at the dendro archon.

"Oh? Hat guy, who's this?" Kusanali asked softly, her gaze flickering between Kinoko and Wanderer.

"This is Kinoko," Wanderer spoke out of boredom, but also familiarity with the archon. "the girl I was tasked to do a commission with."

Lesser Lord Kussanali paused for a moment, before finally smiling. "I see. I'm happy that you agreed to do a commission with someone, Wanderer." She spoke in a high-pitched and soft voice.

Kinoko did an awkward bow. "Nice to meet you, Lesser Lord Kussanali." She felt especially awkward about it since she didn't even worship archons.

The archon chuckled softly. "You don't need to do that, and just call me Nahida." Her eyes were full of genuine kindness, one that Kinoko admired. She turned to Wanderer. "So, is there a reason you brought her here?"

Wanderer's shoulders stiffened. "Kinoko...she remembers me." He told Nahida. His eyes were asking silent questions, and Kinoko could tell from the look they gave each other.

"Situation like the Traveler?" Nahida asked. The Traveler? The one I met a few weeks ago? Kinoko thought. Wanderer nodded. "Okay then. I can do a search through Irminsul, since you start school tomorrow."

"School? Here? In the Akademiya?" Kinoko butted in, her eyes widening with realization and also horror...

Wanderer seemed amused by her reaction. "Yeah. Got a problem with that?" He teased, knowing full well how much she hated him.

Kinoko pressed her lips together. She never like fully saying how she felt about certain situations, but she was glad she didn't have to since Nahida spoke. "Sorry for interrupting, but Kinoko, what do you know of your past? Where are you from?"

"I...don't know. I woke up 4 years ago and didn't remember anything." Kinoko explained, holding the part about the Fatui, but that was pointless.

"She was adopted by La Signora 20 years ago. Ever since, she had been trained to be a Fatui harbinger. Then supposedly, Signora disowned her and left her in the forest, injured." Wanderer said. He glared at Kinoko. "Supposedly."

Kinoko's expression had shifted into one of thought, her energy deflated. She finally nodded in agreement. "Supposedly." She echoed under her breath.

Nahida's face softened. "I'm sorry to hear that. Well, thank you for agreeing to come here."

The corners of Kinoko's mouth tipped upwards. "It was nice to meet you, Nahida." She said softly, her gaze roaming around the large area of the sanctuary, then back at the small archon. Realizing that she wasn't needed there anymore, she nodded at Nahida-not Wanderer-and turned to walk away.

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When Kinoko finally closed the door behind her in her house, she let out a deep exhale, her body and mind exhausted. Her face had hardened into one of stone as she sat down on her desk, opening up a drawer of her desk to pull out her journal. Dipping her quill in ink, she started writing.

The last few weeks, and, of course, two days, have been utterly exhausting. If Wanderer has completely changed from his old ways, I have nothing to worry about, but I still can't forget how he tried to kidnap me, and was the whole cause of my stress, and the reason I had to go all the way to Liyue for a week.

Even there, somehow the Fatui had followed me!

How? Why? Why did I end up being the one he chose to torment and try to just-turn me into some sort of object for worship! I've been paying very close attention to everything he's said. Maybe it'll be useful. Maybe it'll help me learn about myself.

"We are very much alike, you know."

How? In what way?

"La Signora told all the harbingers you died, then died herself."

So she died. I say good riddance. I'd rather not want to face that woman, not to mention she's evil.

So, so far, I have this much knowledge of myself: I was adopted by a harbinger, trained and used to become a harbinger, then disowned, then almost kidnapped because of it all? Nothing makes sense anymore. I can imagine myself reading all this in a book, with the main character being me. It sounds like not that big of a deal, but it is.

It is, and I hate it. I'm done with it.

You can't just live your life being stupid all the time. You can't just let yourself be abandoned, played, used, and tormented. You have to realize at some point what a pointless tragedy life is, and figure out what you can do to endure it. Never again will I let myself just be used like that. I'm not her, not Akari. That name is foreign to me, but so familiar all the same.

Now that I write all this down, I feel a lot better. Maybe I can learn about myself. Somehow maybe I can get Wanderer to tell me, if he knew me back then. I have to know. I need to know.

At this point now, I don't care anymore whether he wants to kill me anymore. The mask has fallen off, and I won't be such a scaredy cat this time. Sure, I may me scared, but maybe if I just stop being so emotional and expressive about it, I won't look weak.

(A/N: Sorry this is such a short chapter!! By the way, I have a YouTube channel where I upload things TTOL-related, art, and other edits of Genshin characters!

https://youtube.com/@t.t.o.l?si=kjq7ppgRtSRiL9Jw

This is the link but if it doesn't work, it's titled, "Kinoko" and it is @T.T.O.L

Anyways, have an amazing day everyone ^^)