Chapter Text
Falling.
Falling. The last thing he remembers. Or at least that’s what he wished he remembered. He remembered every detail. He felt every part of his being in agony. His memories; being rejected from everyone. Being shunned by everyone. Being abandoned by everyone-!
“No…! Wait-! Please-!” he cried, his desperation. “Anything but the gnosis-!!!” he shouted, his body ached as he threw himself forward.
Further falling…
“That’s mine-!” …It was
“Don’t even try-!” …She did
“I’ll never..-! I’ll never go back-!!!” He didn’t notice the wires connecting him to his ‘god-hood’ snapping…his body slipping into the abyss below.
Slowly closing his eyes…
A thought has entered his mind….
”...Why?”
Falling still...
He remembers the conversations with his creator… his mother, and her look of determination. His friend, the swordsmith, spent their time learning from one another. Finally, his last friend, how joyful he looked…even to the very end.
As he reached his final descent, he could only beg… ‘why..?’ The suffering, his burden. Everyone IS against him. So ‘why-” before hitting the ground below. Laying beneath the gigantic mechanism, lies The Balladeer.
And it was at that moment, he gasped awake, shooting up in… a lovely room with a bed, desk, low lighting. However… The exit had an iridescent wall preventing any kind of escape. The Balladeer stared at it from the bed as slowly it all came together…
He lost. And the Dendro Archon imprisoned him. At that realization he began hyperventilating, immediately getting out of bed and began to bang on the exit.
The Traveler and Paimon were called about something in Liyue, an invitation of sorts. It is sad to see such a brave duo leave, but Nahida understood how important it was for them to find their sibling.
Just as she was about to get up for the day, she sensed something. She froze as she pondered… ‘Could it be..?’ And off she went to check on her recovering- hopefully potential- friend.
‘This cannot be happening-!’ Thought Scaramouche.
His ‘room’ was already a mess… he threw chairs, pillows- anything he could carry- at the clear screen. He clutched his head as his face scrunched up to cry. He pulled his hat down, not noticing the light steps of a familiar figure.
“Balladeer! You’re awake!” An… ANNOYINGLY sweet voice said…
He slowly looked up, glaring at the small figure. He growled. “Let me out, Buer.”
Nahida thought for a bit… then shook her head. Scaramouche’s eyes widened as he spat “Why not-?!” He pulled his hat up and stood up facing her. “You have already torn down EVERYTHING I had-! Why keep me here-?!”
Nahida gave him a look… What was it? Pity?
And said “You’ve just woken up… you’ve been in a coma for 6 weeks.” 6… weeks..?! His jaw dropped before recomposing himself.
“6 weeks… as what? Your prisoner?” He glared. “Huh? No..” she frowned “You’re in a specialized medical room… I tried my best in piecing you together. It took so long because doing so is like mending a broken glass; so many pieces, I wasn’t sure if-“
“Oh shut up-!”
Nahida wasn’t exactly surprised by that response.
“Just-! Shut up..! I don’t care-! Let me out-!” He walked closer to the wall, closer to Nahida’s face. “I don’t want to be kept here-!” “-Oh-!” Her face lit up “-We do have other medical rooms and facilities if you’d like to take a look. We could-“ “No-!!!” He shouted as he threw a wooden cup at the screen.
The Archon stood her ground, shutting her eyes before looking up in a confused tone “No…?”
“No-!!! That’s not-! You-!“ he gritted his teeth “-You don’t even understand half of what I’m saying-!!! You pathetic excuse of an archon-!” He banged on the screen. “When I get out-! I’ll steal YOUR Gnosis-! And then I’LL be in charge of your ‘precious’ nation-!” He mocked “You’ll see-!!!” He went to sit back in his corner. “You’ll see…”
Nahida watched as he curled up into himself, looking away from her. She could only watch helplessly…
‘I’ll do what I can to help you, Balladeer… I don’t think you are truly beyond help… the Traveler didn’t think so, and neither do I.’