Chapter Text
The sound of trampled grass echoed in the stillness of the night, shallow puddles dotted the narrow path, their glassy surfaces catching fragments of moonlight and scattering them like shattered silver.
The twin tassels hanging from the brim of his wide hat swayed gently with each step, a faint tinkling sound emanated from them as he slowly walked along the path through Sumeru's forest.
Wanderer walked a little further before slowly coming to a stop, gently raising his hand and adjusting his hat before looking up at the sky. The chill of the night brushed against his cheek as he gazed through the dense foliage of the forest.
‘I’ll probably arrive when the moon is at its zenith…’ he thought, narrowing his eyes before continuing on his path.
He was currently on his way back after doing Buer's errand - eliminating a few Fatui, and considering the energy he had expended fighting them, walking back now would be more sensible.
Wanderer let out a soft sigh from his artificial lung, his eyes still fixed straight ahead as he pondered what he needed to do next.
‘After reporting to Buer, I'll finish up the Akademiya projects-’
‘Hat guy!’
The voice cut cleanly through his thoughts.
Wanderer blinked, his steps halting mid-motion. The forest seemed to fall silent around him as the familiar voice echoed - not through the air, but directly within his mind.
His brows drew together in a faint frown, and almost unconsciously, his hand lifted to the brim of his hat, fingers brushing against it as though grounding himself before responding.
‘Buer?’
‘I need you to go back immediately!’ The urgency in her voice struck him instantly.
His shoulders stiffened, every trace of lingering fatigue pushed aside by the sharp shift in tone. Without a moment's hesitation, Wanderer immediately activated his Vision and used the wind to propel himself forward.
‘What’s happened?’
‘I’ll tell when you got here… just please be quick’
The slight break in her composure did not go unnoticed.
His lips pressed into a thin line, tension coiled tightly in his chest as his thoughts began to race, one possibility bleeding into another.
Buer's voice sounded urgent, but beneath it, there had been no sign of pain, no strain that suggested injury. Then what could possibly unsettle a goddess who was almost always composed, measured, and calm?
The wind howled louder around him as he pushed himself faster, unease settling deeper with every passing second.
Time continued to pass, yet it seemed to slow down in Wanderer's eyes as his impatience about what might happen made him speed up.
And then, as the Sanctuary of Surasthana appeared before him, a sense of relief gradually enveloped him. But just as quickly as it came, that relief faltered as he became wary of what awaited him there.
Wanderer descended, the currents of Anemo energy unraveling around him as his feet touched the ground with a soft, controlled landing. The wind that had carried him dispersed into nothingness, leaving behind only the natural quiet of the night.
His gaze flicked briefly toward the two guards stationed nearby. They straightened slightly at his arrival, offering the usual acknowledgment.
He returned it with a small nod before moving past them without pause, his steps quick and purposeful as he made his way up the sloping path toward the Sanctuary.
His eyes narrowed slightly, scanning his surroundings with quiet scrutiny. Everything looked the same - the architecture, the lighting, the calm, undisturbed air.
Nothing appeared out of place… yet a feeling told him that things wouldn't be as they seemed.
And then he finally arrived at the gates of Surasthana, with two guards standing on either side. Already accustomed to his presence, they both offered a slight smile in greeting and let him enter with lingering unease.
The stone steps rose before him, pale under the moonlight. He ascended them steadily, each step echoing faintly in the quiet
When he reached the top, he paused for only the briefest moment before extending his hand.
His fingers pressed against the surface of the great doors, cool and unyielding beneath his touch. With a slow, deliberate motion, he pushed them open.
The spotless corridor of the hall immediately caught his eye. Wanderer slowly stepped inside, his eyes scanning for any unusual signs before looking straight ahead.
After a while, a grand, cathedral-like chamber bathed in glowing green light appeared before him - it was none other than the ‘birdcage’ that had imprisoned Buer for 500 years, and also the place she chose to stay (a choice he still cannot understand to this day).
But his attention immediately shifted to the small figure standing in the middle of the area. Buer stood there, her face pensive, gazing in one direction before turning to look at him as he approached.
Wanderer narrowed his eyes slightly at her expression before speaking
“What-”
But before he could utter a word, his eyes met another pair of eyes standing in the corner, eyes… all too familiar - the eyes just like his.
Wanderer froze instantly, his eyes meeting those of the guy with his arms crossed, who was looking back at him with wariness.
‘No, this can't be-’ His eyes widened as he looked at his own face reflected in the other person's - the same face, the same eyes, but this time he was standing face-to-face with them, as if staring into a mirror that should not exist.
But what struck him even harder was what the other version of him was wearing.
The outfit was unmistakable.
Dark, imposing, laced with the authority and weight of a past he had long since cast aside - The attire he had worn when he was a Fatui Harbinger. When he was Scaramouche.
His face instantly darkened, and he stared at the person who shouldn't have existed as if he were looking at a ghost.
Annoyed by his intense stare, the other gritted his teeth before returning the look with a murderous glare.
“Are you just going to stand there and stare like an idiot?”
That statement instantly jolted Wanderer awake; he blinked before glaring at the other man warily. Wanderer continued to observe him while speaking to Nahida telepathically.
‘Care to explain?’
‘How about we calm down so we won’t scare the other person?’ Her words immediately made him stop the staring contest and turned to look at her.
‘What do you mean by that-?’
“Uhm…”
The soft, hesitant voice broke through before he could finish.
All eyes in the room immediately turned toward the new voice, Wanderer's eyes widening once again in surprise as he saw another version of himself.
In another corner of the room, a person dressed in traditional Inazuma attire stood peeking out, staring at him with a mixture of shyness and curiosity.
He wore traditional Inazuman clothing, simple yet carefully put together.
A white top draped loosely over his frame, paired with equally loose trousers made from soft, almost silk-like fabric that caught the faint green light of the chamber. A black sash was tied securely at his waist and over the top of it, was a brown strip of fabric.
He wore gloves that never reached his fingers. Over his shoulder were purple pieces of fabric - one darker and the other lighter, falling behind him with an almost weightless grace.
Across his chest, delicate cords - one red, one black, were tied neatly into a bow. From it hung a small golden feather.
Wanderer's gaze was fixed on it before shifting to the innocent and naive face, the face he had once hated.
Kabukimono tilted his head slightly, the motion slow and almost childlike. His eyes blinked once, twice, studying Wanderer with quiet curiosity as if he were a strange creature.
“Are you perhaps… the other version of me-?”
“Tsk”
But the moment he uttered the question, an angry click of the tongue rang out, causing Kabukimono to flinch.
Wanderer’s gaze snapped sideways.
Scaramouche stood a short distance away, his posture rigid, his presence heavy with restrained aggression. His eyes were locked onto the boy, dark and unyielding, as though the mere sight of him was enough to provoke something violent.
But what surprised Wanderer was that the man hadn't yet lunged at and attacked the boy or Buer.
Perhaps Scaramouche hadn't completely lost his mind yet.
Scaramouche’s glare lingered for a moment longer before he finally clicked his tongue again, this time turning sharply away. He clenched his fists as he forced himself to look elsewhere, as though dragging his attention away required effort.
‘Now is not the time to be angry…’ He glared at the goddess of wisdom, the look he gave her was no less intense, but it had changed - less volatile, more controlled. Still dangerous, but deliberate now.
He held that gaze, trying to keep his voice emotionless as he questioned her.
“Now it's time for you to start explaining everything, Buer”
His eyes shifted to his other self, who was watching him warily and standing between him and Buer as if ready to defend her if he lunged at her.
Scaramouche’s expression darkened slightly at the sight, then he spoke again, his tone edged with irritation.
“As for why I'm here with…” — He lifted a hand, pointing directly at Wanderer without hesitation.
“Two other versions of myself?”
The gentle calm Buer usually carried seemed to dim, replaced by something more serious, more cautious. Her small frame straightened almost unconsciously, as though bracing herself for the weight of what she was about to say.
Her gaze moved between the three of them - Three versions of the same existence, three different points in a fractured timeline, now standing within the same space.
When she finally spoke, her voice was steady - but there was an underlying gravity to it that hadn’t been there before.
“This began while I was examining Irminsul…” — Wanderer and Scaramouche immediately frowned upon hearing that name, while Kabukimono tilted his head in confusion but sensing the tension in the room, he chose not to interrupt.
“There was a branch that… didn’t behave normally”
Her eyes lowered slightly, seeming hesitant about whether she should say this or not, but then she decided to say it anyway.
“At first glance, it appeared to contain records related to Dottore… Or more specifically, about one of his experiment”
The atmosphere immediately became stifling.
Wanderer’s expression dropped into something colder - something almost lifeless in its stillness. There was no visible anger, no outward reaction, but the shift was unmistakable. His gaze darkened, distant and sharp all at once.
Scaramouche, on the other hand, didn’t mirror that same coldness.
Instead, confusion crept in.
“Dottore…?” — He muttered under his breath, his brows knitting together as his thoughts began to turn rapidly.
What does he have to do with this?’ His eyes narrowed as he tried to piece together the information he currently had.
Kabukimono glanced between them all, his uncertainty growing.
He didn’t understand the name nor the tension, but he could feel it. And that made him feel awkward, his eyes staring down at the floor, not knowing what to say.
But then Wanderer's cold voice suddenly broke the tense atmosphere, startling Kabukimono while the other two looked at him.
“What do his… experiments have to do with this?”
“Let’s just say that”
Buer responded quickly, one hand lifting to rest against her chin, her brows drawing together as she searched for a way to simplify something that was anything but simple.
“Some of those memories are incomplete, and Irminsul was trying to fill that gap. I was attempting to guide that process, to stabilize it so it wouldn’t spiral into something worse but…”
That word 'but' immediately put all three of them on edge.
Buer slowly lifted her gaze, emerald eyes settling on Wanderer, as if she knew only he understood what she was about to say.
“Somehow, Irminsul discovered fragments of memories that shouldn't have existed, leading to some kind of ‘malfunction’. ”
The reaction split between them.
Scaramouche’s brows furrowed deeper, irritation giving way to confusion as he tried to grasp her meaning. Kabukimono only looked more lost, his uncertainty growing as the words slipped past him without context.
Meanwhile, Wanderer understood perfectly.
His face instantly turned pale, his eyes widening slightly before narrowing again, something sharp and unsettled flickering beneath the surface as he knew exactly what she meant.
Fragments that shouldn’t exist. Memories that had been erased - or more correctly… rewritten.
As if knowing what he was about to say, Buer gently shook her head as she spoke.
“I know it's impossible, and I'm trying to find out what's causing it”
Then her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she turned her gaze toward the other two, toward the ones who shouldn’t be here.
“But while I was trying to fix things, I ended up bringing them here. And now I don't know how to get them back since they aren’t…”
Even though she didn't say everything she thought, Wanderer understood the words she left unspoken.
Wanderer’s eyes lowered slightly, ‘Bring them back? Back where? They don't even exist anymore…’
Across from him, Scaramouche’s patience finally snapped.
His eyebrows furrowed, the earlier confusion quickly vanishing, replaced by a surge of irritation. He gritted his teeth, glaring at Buer as he let his hands hang loosely at his sides, fingers twitching slightly as if trying to suppress an urge to act.
“You haven’t answered anything” — He said, his voice cutting and unrestrained.
“If anything, you’ve only made this more convoluted”
He tilted his head, forcing a smile that didn't seem genuine.
“Why don't you stop this nonsense and just explain it properly, Buer?”
There was no room for evasion in his tone now.
His eyes narrowed, something dangerous flickering within them as he took a step forward - not quite aggressive, but far from patient.
“Why am I here? What is this memory that shouldn't exist? And what does Dottore have to do with this?”
“...”
Silence followed as both of them frowned at his questions.
Wanderer's expression darkened, his gaze dropping to the floor as his thoughts spiraled inward.
Buer had a similar expression on her face, her hand on her chest as she hesitated between revealing the truth and lying.
She shifted her gaze to Wanderer, Scaramouche, and finally… Kabukimono. Buer pursed her lips, and after a moment of thought, she finally spoke.
“I-”
‘Don’t’ But then Wanderer's voice suddenly interrupted her, and she blinked, meeting his indigo eyes as he tilted his head slightly to look at her.
Wanderer slowly shook his head and crossed his arms as he used telepathy to communicate with her.
‘I’ll be the one who tell him’
Buer’s brows drew together immediately. Her gaze flicked toward Scaramouche, who - surprisingly, was still patiently waiting for an answer.
‘...Are you sure about this?’ she asked.
Wanderer nodded without hesitation.
‘I know what's making you hesitate is him’ His gaze shifted, landing briefly on Kabukimono.
The boy still looked lost, bewildered, caught in a situation he couldn’t begin to understand.
‘Just take him somewhere else while I talk to him’
‘...’ Buer fell silent.
Her expression softened slightly, though uncertainty still lingered beneath it. She lowered her gaze, clearly weighing the decision, her fingers tightening subtly.
And seemingly sensing her unease, Wanderer sighed softly, his shoulders slumping slightly as he spoke.
‘Please let me handle this myself... I want to confront my past self’
Buer immediately looked up and met his gaze after he said that, her lips parting before slowly closing into a gentle smile.
And then she said nothing, just nodded.
Witnessing their silent exchange, Scaramouche couldn't help but frown and look at Buer suspiciously as she slowly approached Kabukimono.
Kabukimono fiddled with his fingers as he looked down at the floor, but then he was startled to see the figure of the goddess approaching.
He was startled and quickly straightened up as she approached. Buer gave him a gentle smile and extended her hand, leaving him flustered.
“Would you like to go for a walk somewhere?”
“A… walk?”
Kabukimono blinked and tilted his head as he repeated the word she had said. Buer smiled in response, then slowly took his hand.
Her small hand grasped his porcelain-white hand, the warmth of which somewhat eased the tension in Kabukimono. His shoulders relaxed as he gripped her hand tightly, Buer tilting her head slightly as if awaiting his answer.
Kabukimono hesitated for a moment, glancing between Scaramouche and Wanderer, but the hesitation was only momentary as he quickly nodded.
Buer smiled before speaking up.
“Alright then, now let's take a stroll around Sumeru Street shall we?”
Buer quickly led him toward the door, and as they passed Wanderer, the two exchanged a fleeting glance before turning away in opposite directions.
Wanderer crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on the face he thought he would never see again.
Scaramouche stood there, frowning as he watched Buer lead Kabukimono out of the place before returning Wanderer's gaze.
“Now then…” — Wanderer unconsciously raised his hand to the brim of his hat.
“I will explain on her behalf”
Sumeru's street was still bustling at night, vendors shouting prices from their stalls, and customers examining each item and haggling.
Kabukimono looked around the market with the same curiosity as a child on their first outing, his eyes shifting from the flowers being sold to the various food stalls.
Seeing his excitement and curiosity, Buer couldn't help but giggle.
But the moment her gaze shifted forward, the smile slowly faded, her mind immediately drifted back to the two she had left alone in Surasthana.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Wanderer, but rather that she didn't know if allowing two people who were supposed to be one would have any effect on their minds. What if, in that moment, their minds gradually linked together?
However, she also didn't want to leave Kabukimono alone, considering his current state of mind was like that of a child, it wouldn't be good for him to be left in that suffocating atmosphere or alone.
Buer lowered her head, almost lost in thought, before a gentle tug on her arm pulled her out of her reverie.
The goddess blinked, slowly turning her gaze to Kabukimono as he pointed in a certain direction. She followed his gaze and realized it was a stall selling handmade stuffed animals run by an elderly man.
His eyes lit up with childlike curiosity as he asked her.
“What are those?”
“Huh- oh, those” — She smiled before raising her finger.
“They are called stuffed animals, a type of toy made of fabric with a soft filling such as cotton inside”
Kabukimono listened attentively and nodded, though he still couldn't quite grasp most of her explanations.
He tilted his head, looking at the stuffed animals with delight, his eyes stopping at one that resembled a cat before he mumbled a question.
“But how do I create one…?”
Buer blinked before raising her hand to her chin as she thought for a moment.
“Hm… Perhaps Hat Guy can teach you how to do one”
“...Hat Guy?” — Kabukimono blinked in confusion before exclaiming in understanding.
“You mean the other versions of me?... But there are two…”
She giggled softly at his mumble, covering her mouth with one hand while still holding his with the other.
“Well I meant the blue one! But maybe the red one knows too, but I won’t sure if he is willing to teach you…”
Kabukimono tilted his head at the remark before nodding hesitantly.
“But can you teach me too? Miss- uh…”
He hesitated, trying to remember her name, which reminded Buer that she hadn't introduced herself to him yet.
“You can call me Nahida if you want!” — She smiled happily as she spoke.
“And about your previous question, I'm not really that good at sewing, but I can still teach you if you want”
Then she tilted her head, looking into his eyes with curiosity.
“But may I ask why you want me to teach you instead of those two?”
“Oh- uhm…”
Kabukimono immediately turned away, his other hand unconsciously gripping the fabric of his sleeve, clearly hesitant to speak out.
“It's just... I find being taught by 'myself' really... strange”
“...Pfft”
Nahida immediately burst into laughter as soon as he finished, her giggles immediately made him lower his head in embarrassment. Seeing his embarrassment, she tried to suppress her laughter as she patted him reassuringly.
“No no, it’s okay I get you”
She gave him a gentle smile as she nodded.
“So, after we finish our walk, I'll teach you how to make one, okay?”
“Sure!”
Kabukimono immediately brightened up upon hearing the offer, and Buer smiled slightly before gesturing towards the stalls.
“How about we go take a look around-?”
But before she could finish her sentence, a familiar figure immediately caught her attention.
Ahead of them stood a young man with long brown hair, the ends of which were tied back in a ponytail, the typical dark complexion of a desert dweller, and a yellow scarf.
Nahida's eyes widened slightly when he recognized the person - it was none other than Sethos, the leader of the Temple of Silence.
Sethos stood a short distance away from them, chatting animatedly with a nearby vendor about something she couldn't hear.
As if sensing her gaze, Sethos waved goodbye to the shopkeeper before looking in their direction, his eyes widening as he saw the goddess of wisdom standing in the distance.
Sethos was about to approach, but his steps faltered when he noticed Kabukimono standing beside her.
“Hat Guy?”
He unconsciously called the boy by Wanderer's nickname, causing Kabukimono to blink in confusion.
Sethos tilted his head, his gaze fixed on the other's empty head for a moment before asking
“Where’s your hat?”
“Uhm-”
“Also! It's a pleasure to meet you here, Lesser Lord Kusanali”
The desert dweller bowed slightly to the goddess beside him, causing her to wave her hand dismissively.
“There's no need to be so formal”
Sethos immediately shook his head after her remark, placing one hand on his chest and looking at her with a serious expression.
“I wouldn't be the leader of the Temple of Silence if I didn't know the basic etiquette of an inferior, especially towards my Archon”
But that serious expression on his face instantly vanished when he turned to look at Kabukimono with a teasing smile.
“And you still haven't answered my question, Hat Guy”
The puppet blinked in confusion while Sethos began to scrutinize him from head to toe as if analyzing him.
“And… you’re wearing a different outfit today, is it from Inazuma?”
“Uh- uhm…”
Kabukimono stammered in response to his barrage of questions, his eyes fixed on the ground, unsure of what to say.
Noticing his unusual behavior, Sethos stopped observing the suit and looked at the puppet with a puzzled expression.
But then he suddenly froze when he realized something, his eyes met the bright, indigo eyes of the person in front of him... eyes that looked too... pure.
The innocence he thought he would never see reappeared in the usually sharp eyes of the mysterious man, who always responded to his every word with sarcasm and teasing.
They both then just stared at each other in awkward silence, oblivious to Nahida's scrutinizing gaze beside them.
Sethos is currently helping Akademiya and Temple reconnect after all these years, and he's also one of closest people to Wanderer. And considering his sociable nature... Sethos would probably be a suitable person for her to entrust Kabukimono to.
After a moment of thought, Nahida finally spoke, breaking the silence between the other two.
“Can I ask you a favor?” — Sethos was startled and immediately turned his attention to her.
“Oh- yes, lesser lord?”
Nahida smiled at his reaction before pointing to the Kabukimono and saying
“As you can see, this is Hat Guy's brother… why don’t you introduce yourself?”
She then turned to look at the puppet, who, along with Sethos, wore an expression of utter astonishment at her words.
Kabukimono blinked before suddenly remembering her request, rubbing his hands nervously as he tried to think of a conventional introduction.
‘Uhm- introduce? Is it like… tell him my name? But I don’t really have a name… should I tell him the name that people in Tatarasuna called me?’ His gaze lingered on the ground before shyly looking up into Sethos's green eyes.
“Uhm… you can call me Kabukimono…”
“...”
Sethos blinked, his mouth still agape in astonishment at the completely different personality of the person he had just discovered to be Hat Guy's 'brother'.
Still reeling from the shock, the goddess suddenly spoke, releasing the puppet and gently pushing him forward as she spoke.
“Since he's just arrived from Inazuma for a visit, he's still unfamiliar with the streets of Sumeru, so since you're here, why don't you help me show him around?”
“Oh- uhm, sure, I can…”
“Thank you!”
She clapped her hands cheerfully, then turned to look at Kabukimono, who looked panicked when she let go of his hand.
Nahida smiled gently at the boy's fear before reassuring him.
“I'll be back to pick you up soon, but for now, you go with him, okay? Sethos is a good person, so you don't need to worry”
The puppet blinked before his face drooped like a sad cat.
“Will you really come back?”
“I will” — Nahida responded confidently.
Kabukimono stood there, his eyes darting uncertainly back and forth between the goddess and Sethos before he finally nodded reluctantly.
Nahida gave him one last bright smile before turning back to look at Sethos.
“I'll leave him to you”
Sethos said nothing, only nodded, and the two watched as the goddess turned and walked away, not forgetting to say one last word to them.
“Have fun!”
Kabukimono gently raised his hand and waved goodbye, his eyes following the goddess with a worried expression before turning back to look at Sethos, who was also watching Nahida's retreating figure.
Then Sethos sighed softly, rubbing his face with his hand while giving a wry smile.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the person beside him. Kabukimono stood there, tilting his head and looking at him with a childlike innocence that almost blinded him.
He immediately cleared his throat to calm himself, then put his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows at the indigo as he asked.
“So you’re Ka- Kabukimono, correct?”
“...Yes”
The puppet nodded slightly in response, a gesture that made Sethos's heart leap out of his chest.
Everything would have been perfectly fine if the person standing in front of him hadn't looked exactly like the person he'd teased (cough flirted) countless times before.
Sethos let out a small sigh, trying not to show his embarrassment as he flashed a cheerful smile.
“Well, are there any places you wanna go?”
“Uhm…”
Kabukimono raised one hand to his chin thoughtfully before shaking his head.
Seeing this, Sethos also raised his hand and thought for a moment before coming up with a place.
“How about we go look at some souvenirs? I know an antique shop you might like!”
The puppet tilted its head curiously before nodding in agreement.
“Sure!”
And the moment a radiant smile appeared on Kabukimono's lips, the masks Sethos had previously worn immediately crumbled.
‘OH MY ARCHON’
And that smile instantly blinded his eyes.
