Chapter Text
You stared at him with unblinking eyes, taking in the sight of the infamous recruit that bulldozed his way up the ranks of the Fatui. His bright ginger hair and dull blue eyes were just as you remembered from the official art.
‘Ah...of all places to be reincarnated in…’
You glanced around the throne room and all 10 of the Harbingers, including you, were present for Tartaglia’s induction as a Harbinger.
‘Should I do an early retirement?’
You tried to stifle your yawn, covering it up with a fist. The rest of the Harbingers sans Pulcinella, had varying looks of boredom. It seemed that you were not the only one who wasn’t focused on the Ceremony.
Pierro leaned down to your ear and whispered, “Try your best to look as if you’d rather not end this quickly.”
You angled your head to him, “If this goes on any longer than it should, I’m handing in my resignation.”
With a small smile in your lips, you returned to your previous position and started to plan your early retirement life.
You let out a small sigh and lamented your shit luck in your new life.
‘Why did I have to reincarnate in a game I’ve never finished?’
In the center of the room, you watched as the final rites were said and Tartaglia was bestowed his delusion. Had it been any other time, you would have watched this event with mild amusement but alas, you had gained foreknowledge of this world’s trajectory that whatever excitement you had faded away in light of the future trouble you’d have.
You observed his expression, the way he almost reverently held the delusion, his obvious awe and devotion to the Tsaritsa, and the way he held himself as if this was within his expectations. And then, he turned his head and met your gaze.
Dull blue eyes that held the same depth as the Abyss itself.
You smiled at him, almost cocky, and gave him a small nod.
“I trust all you would present for tonight’s welcoming party” Her Majesty coldly ordered.
“Of course, Your Majesty” Signora answered with a smile on her face as if she had not spent the last few months berating the 11th before today’s ceremony.
True to the scheming and backstabbing reputation of the Fatui, the rest of them echoed her sentiments. You were already dreading tonight's party but you knew better than to snub the Tsaritsa's new favorite.
“Yes, your Majesty” You replied softly, stepping to the side when the Tsaritsa made her way out and in accordance with the rules and etiquette, bowed deeply when she passed by.
You were the first to leave after the Tsaritsa, not bothering to stay behind to mingle with your colleagues more than necessary. You didn’t notice the slightly puzzled and disappointed look Tartaglia had when you left the room immediately nor were you aware of the glint in Pulcinella’s eyes when he saw Tartaglia’s reaction.
In the privacy of your room in the Western Wing, where all the Harbinger’s apartments were situated, you sat in your study, writing in your notebook the memory that you received today.
The notebook was written in a cipher from your past life, the previous entries all contained small pieces of your past life memories. Nothing substantial, just slices of your daily life that made no sense without any other memory to fall back on.
‘Compared to the previous one...this new memory is something I’d rather not know’ You complained as you tried to put into words what you had witnessed. You knew that nothing would be kept as a secret forever, so you were having a hard time writing what you knew without incriminating you if it was ever found out.
You sighed before giving it up as a lost cause.
Instead you decided to just lay it all out in the privacy of your thoughts. You got up from the chair and slowly undressed yourself as you made your way to your large bed and drew the curtains of your canopy bed.
‘Right now, I am in the world of Teyvat, Il Dottore of the Fatui Harbingers’ You began to recount, staring absentmindedly at the glow in the dark stars of your ceiling, ‘Today is the 11th Harbinger’s, Tartaglia’s, induction ceremony and a few years before the start of the main story line.’
A habit from your past life, you began to move your fingers in a pattern, tapping on the sheet, ‘This is a world where there are schemes within schemes, and nothing is ever as it seems at first glance…’
You opened your eyes, just realizing that you had closed them, a glance at the clock on your bedside table made you realize that you had taken a nap while thinking. There was just enough time for you to pick a suitable tux for the party.
“...Okay! I’ll get one of my assistants to explode one of the experiments.”
For as long as you could remember, you had always felt a little bit detached from your surroundings. It was as if there was a glass wall between you and the rest of the world.
The village elder used to say it was because you were a born genius, blessed by the God of Wisdom. Somehow, in your heart of hearts, you knew it was something else. The village elder’s words combined with your unnaturalness placed you somewhere between adored and feared.
Adoration for the child blessed by the Dendro Archon. Fear from the instinctive knowledge that you didn’t belong. You made no effort in hiding your otherworldliness, face perpetually blank, emotions carefully made to imitate those around you.
Somewhere along the line, adoration gave in to fear, and you left the village in pursuit of something that was too large for your then young self to understand at that time.
Even now, as a Fatui Harbinger, that glass wall between you and the rest never thinned. You were quite content in watching them from the other side, finding amusement at their suffering, pain, and miserable lives. It was the reason why you could comfortably experiment on any living creature, it was why the Tsaritsa forbid you from capturing gods and deities.
Your heart was a barren land that only sustained you alone.
“Dottore”
You paused from your absent minded musings, returning the pipette to the stand before turning your attention to Pierro. You didn’t speak, instead waiting for him to tell you what he wanted.
He sighs, like your parents would whenever you disappointed them,
“One of these days, you’d meet someone who wouldn’t take kindly to your habits.”
“Sumeru” was your one word reply before turning your attention back to your experiment.
Pierro’s footsteps grew louder as he came close to you.
“Don’t ignore me” He spoke, voice calm as he gently but firmly held your wrist, “the Tsaritsa wants to know how your research on the Ruin Guards are going.”
“We can mass produce them” You replied, bored and annoyed, “but that's not really what you’re here for are you?”
As the first Harbinger, and the person who recruited you to the Fatui, you held a degree of respect towards him. There was also the fact that he was the reason why you began to regain some memories of your past life. It was the reason why Pierro was the only one who could come and go as he pleases in your laboratories, the Tsaritsa cared not for the process and only the results, the rest had no desire for your inventions unless it was needed for a mission.
“As expected of your genius,” he praised, small smile adorning his face, “Keep an eye on Tartaglia, Pulcinella washed his hands off him from the moment I pinned his delusion, it wouldn’t be good for our image if he got into trouble so early in his promotion.”
You didn’t spare any thought on why the youngest would be thrown your way. Instead you considered whether it would be troublesome or not but Pierro’s next words caught your attention,
“I’ll go capture an abyss mage for you to experiment on.”
“Throw in an Abyss Lecter and you’ve got a deal.”
Pierro gives you a strained smile and yet he offers his hand and you shake it. You beamed at him, madness in your smile and your eyes glinting with a touch of insanity that always meant danger.
“It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”
“Dottore~! Fight me!” Tartaglia announced as soon as he slammed the doors of your laboratory open.
You blinked as you waived one of your assistants away, wondering if you were his choice for a sparring partner for this month. A cursory glance at his disheveled uniform and scratches clued you in that he was the source of fighting that broke out at one of the entrances of the lab.
“Krupp! Bring me one of the first aid kits we keep around” You ordered while you gestured to Tartaglia to follow you.
You walked towards your office, not bothering to check if he was following you. You’ve learned, through the gossip vine, that the youngest Harbinger was like a dog that got a bone when it came to fighting his chosen partner for the month. From what you’ve gathered, he had pestered Signora and Scaramouche to fight him until he could hold his own against them.
It was foolish of him to immediately challenge two of the strongest among the Eleven Harbingers. But you admired his smartness, it was important to know which Harbinger one could take in a fight.
‘We are after all always scheming and backstabbing each other’ You thought idly as you pointed him to the couch of your office upon entering the room, ‘and the chances of sending another Harbinger for a retrieval is most likely.’
The Fatui was a place where the only loyalty guaranteed among the Harbingers was in the Tsaritsa.
“Dottore” Tartaglia whined, “I don’t need any patching up, these are just small scratches from Scaramouche!”
You snorted at him, “I’m not interested in fighting you unless you’re in a perfect condition.”
It wasn’t strictly the truth but for your sake, you wanted to know whether or not you’d go down or up in the rankings.
“Give me a day then we can fight-”
“Two weeks at the minimum” You cut him off, moving towards the door and opening it before your minion could knock.
From behind your back you could feel his displeasure but you ignored it in favor of grabbing the first aid kit from your minion and ordering them to bring in tea and snacks.
“One week!” Tartaglia bargained.
“Two” You insisted as you sat next to him and began to prepare healing some of his scratches, “You fought against Signora and Scaramouche, using a delusion you haven’t mastered yet.”
You looked at him and saw his confused face, no doubt wondering how much information was getting passed around.
“Unlike most of the Harbingers, you’re body isn’t equipped to use the delusion with little breaks in between” You began to explain as you took his hand and frowned in displeasure at the blisters and small burns he left unattended, “You want to fight me when you can barely hold your weapons properly?”
Your sarcastic tone was enough to chastise him. You snorted in derision before deciding to opt out of using the first aid kit and instead healed his wounds using your vision.
You were uncharacteristically gentle with treating his wounds, a thought that made Tartaglia confused and elated.There was something in the way the light shined upon you that drew Tartaglia’s eyes and made it stay in your form. The soft waves of your pale green hair, the lashes that framed your red eyes that held no emotion in it.
He wondered if he’ll ever get to see the madness that was often said to light your eyes, your indifference to human life that led you to pursue human experiments.
“If you have nothing to do, just meow” You joked.
“Meow…”
Tartaglia watched as you bit your lips, trying to hold back your laughter.
He wondered how many people knew you could have that expression on your face. If he was a little bit special to you without wanting to experiment on him.
“I really want to fight you” He blurted out, softly and pleading.
Tartaglia watched as you looked at him through your lashes, fluttering softly with each blink. He wondered if you’d stab him if he leaned closer towards you, teasing you with a kiss his heart isn’t ready for yet.
“Rest for two weeks. No training and I’ll fight with you in the afternoon” You said, ignoring the moment between the two of you.
Anyone else would have faltered at your coldness but Tartaglia didn’t. He was slowly learning about you, from the rumors that surrounded you to the one he had mingled with at his welcoming party.
So he smiles at you, bright and letting you see how happy and excited he was for this scheduled fight.
“I’m looking forward to it, Doctor!”
“Go.”
Sometimes you think back at Pierro’s request, the fatherly way his eyes crinkled when you accepted it. You wondered if he knew this was what would happen once you took up the role of showing Tartaglia the ropes. Somehow, for some Archonsforsaken reason, he would enter your lab willfully, distract your researchers before making a mess out of your carefully disorganized office.
It had been a week since the scheduled fight and Tartaglia had taken his loss to you as a sign to follow you around, disrupt your daily routine and insert himself into your life.
“Dottore~ I’ve finished organizing your files!” Tartaglia happily reported, wearing the pink frilly apron you’d thrown his way as a mocking deterrent, white bandana covering his hair, and a high quality feather duster in his hand.
“This is beneath you” You reminded him, taking your mind off the fact that he definitely already knew some of the projects you kept as a tight secret and that you’d be spending more time finding where he placed your things.
‘It’s no use getting angry’ You told yourself as you simply let Tartaglia do what he wants. It was the path of least resistance and so much easier to simply return everything back to what it once was after he left for the day.
“Don’t ignore me now, comrade” He whined, “do you just really stay inside your lab and not spar at all?”
“Yes” You answered curtly, heading towards your table to leave some fake documents to cover up what really was going on within your territory, “There’s a reason why I’m not known for being one the strongest Harbingers.”
“But I lost to you!”
“Strength isn’t everything in the battlefield Tartaglia” You reminded him, “I don’t need to be the strongest out there in the field, I just need to outwit everyone else in it.”
The glint in your eyes revealed the madness that you were known for, despite the fact that you were smiling, your eyes were devoid of any warmth instead it was filled with the same sort of battlelust that Tartaglia held in his eyes when fighting strong opponents.
“There’s no need for you to rush to prove yourself” You added as a precaution, in case he got the idea to challenge Columbina who was the weakest, and far more suited for subterfuge and the likes, “Sooner or later you’d end up joining the ranks of Signora and Scaramouche in being the strongest.”
This much you were sure of, going by the game’s description on his character profile.
Tartaglia was born to be on the battlefield. As much as he was a family man, he knew how to balance the dichotomy of his soul of a warrior and that of a normal man. He was well aware of the lines between the masks he wore, held no crisis over it and accepted all sides of himself.
“Is that why you accepted Pierro’s request to watch over me?” He asked, voice with a hint of steel and coldness.
You smiled, “No.”
Tartaglia frowned at you, waiting for an explanation and you gave it to him, because even if this world’s trajectory was already predetermined, it didn’t erase the fact that he was your favorite and most beloved character.
You had fought the Oceanid for 106 times, farmed to crown his talents at max level, farmed for his artifacts until RNGesus blessed you with the best main and substats, you had built him to the best of your abilities and resources even if he was a C0 Tartaglia.
“I just think of you as the best.”
‘The best proof of my past life’s hard work.’
“I heard that you’ve gained a new pet,” Signora said with a cold amused smile on her face.
“Have I?”
Her sharp bark of laughter broke you from your concentration at arranging your papers for the weekly report. You gave her a sharp look and tried to start from where you left off.
“It seems that the rumours are true” she said, taking a seat right next to you.
She sat regally, as if she was not about to share gossip with you, her arms were crossed and her delusion floated right next to her.
“You’d have to be specific, after all, the rumours in this place have a lifespan of 12 hours.”
She hummed, a vocal tic that meant she was considering something. It had you pause from what you were doing to look at her and wait. Your instinct had yet to fail you when it came to gossip that would be useful for your goals. Seeing your unabashed interest, Signora smiled sharply and you knew that a bargain had to be struck.
“Give me the Mondstadt assignment and I’ll tell you.”
You smiled at her, “And here I thought you’d be rational, it seems that you can’t let go of your past so easily?”
The taunt came easily. You knew you could get more out of her if you didn’t immediately give what she wanted.
She scoffed, “I’d rather not step foot in Sumeru, there’s too much sand in that place.”
You went back to your paperworks, “Mondstadt is famous for its dandelion wine, and I’ve already started the preliminary preparations for the assignment. I’d rather not have you fuck it up with your...emotional past.”
You could feel the sharp drop in the room temperature. You didn’t bother hiding your taunting smile, instead you showed it to her fully, letting her know where your priorities were.
“Is that the reason why you won’t exchange for the Sumeru assignment?” She taunted back, anger lacing her tone.
“Yes. I’d rather not fuck up our beloved Tsaritsa’s plans for a paltry chance at revenge” You admitted, as if the rumor of being emotionally attached to Sumeru meant nothing to you, “I doubt that you’d be able to keep the tense relations between the Fatui and the Knights into something more friendly in the public eye.”
“...”
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1
“The Mondstadt assignment in exchange for Liyue and Inazuma” Signora offered.
You smirked, “So generous?”
“I know you have your eye on that doll in Inazuma, and you want access to Dragonspine without alerting the Knights. I can arrange for those, I am after all leading this assignment.”
“The entire Liyue assignment and Inazuma assignment for Mondstadt” you countered.
“No.”
“If you accept it, you’d barely have to lift a finger” You reminded her, “and all the praise would be on you. You know how important Mondstadt is for the late stage.”
“Deal.” She said after a beat, “Rumor has it that you and Tartaglia are in a relationship, some rats thinks that this would lead to two new openings or-”
“Or Tartaglia would kill me to move up the ranks” You finished with derision.
“It seems that we’ve gotten lax if they think it's that easy to become a Harbinger” You added as you finished your work.
You smiled at Signora, cold and sharp, “It’s about time for us to recalibrate your delusion. Why don’t you bring these rats into the lab and try out your improved delusion on them?”
“Very well, let’s schedule it for next week. Pierro’s been nagging us for a moral boost among the ranks. A joint training session should shut him up.”
“Of course, my fair lady” You replied, offering your hand and escorting her out of your office in the Zapolyarny Palace.
You watched Signora leave, face carefully blank as you moved your fingers. You stood there for a while, unnerving the guards stationed at the end of the hallway.
If only to ensure that they’d know better than to spread rumors.
After you’re sure that they’d been scared off, you went back to your office and began to adjust your plans for Mondstadt now that you could advance your research on ruin guards.
‘I guess spreading those rumors have paid off’ You grinned as you threw away the fake documents at the fireplace, watching it burn into ashes as you celebrated your win.
“Ah~ I’ll never get tired of this scheming and backstabbing place.”
La Signora had no doubts on Dottore’s disregard for human life and penchant for human experimentation. She just never once thought how utterly inhumane you could be. The glint in your eyes as you observed from the viewing platform the carnage she left in her wake.
The laughter and excitement you held when she had unleashed her true form at its best. She wondered whether you found joy in the mad scramble and desperate fighting of the rats you wanted to get rid or…
‘Are you happy seeing a monster?’ Signora thought as she did her best to find the device’s upper limit.
From the first time you had seen her unleashed this form, Signora had known your fondness for monsters. The way your eyes shined brightly with awe would have had a lesser being fooled by you, she knew that if she had met you at her lowest she would be fooled as well.
‘Anyone who falls in love with Dottore would only end up in misery’ She concluded as she raised the heat of the flames higher.
She thought of the thin young man you once were, wearing clothes much too large for you and glasses that didn’t fit your face. Deceptively innocent, a sheep skin hiding an abomination.
The cacophony of harsh screams and begging for mercy combined with her musings on you made her ignore the cracking sound of the delusion. It was only when cryo filled the glass cage she was in did she snap out of her thoughts.
“You’ve gotten stronger” She heard your voice through the speakers, “I’ll make adjustments for your next delusion, I can’t have you burning through the ground you walk on.”
“Will you even have enough funds to fix this area?” She asked as cryo formed through the places she would step on, shielding her stilettos from the melted metal floors of the cage.
“Of course, with how hardworking Pantalone is in revitalizing Snezhnaya’s economy, we are never lacking in money” You replied with a jovial tune as if you had not just personally watched and orchestrated the live cremation of several fatui soldiers.
Signora said nothing as she made her way out of the cage.
Instead she watched with mild amusement as their youngest and newest member glared at her.
‘It seems there’s some truth to those rumors.’
She observes how Tartaglia easily switches out his emotions, removing the dark look in his face as soon as you called his attention. She notices how soft you were towards Tartaglia, the slight emotion in your tone that was just a touch sincere that had her doubting if you really were Dottore.
But she had known you since you came in the ranks, it was not out of your character to play at being nice. You had acted the same towards Scaramouche after all, pretending to be human towards subjects that drew your attention. Until they, like all research you grew tired of, were thrown away after satisfying your fleeting curiosity.
“Dottore! How could you do a joint training session with her first before me?!” Tartaglia whined, fearlessly plastering himself on your stockier body.
“The same reason why your company had a joint training session with Pulcinella” You countered, walking towards Signora with a folder you were reading.
It was amusing seeing how Tartaglia let himself be dragged forward by you, like a limpet.
“Jealous aren’t you?” She teased, a fake friendly banter that had Tartaglia squeezing his arms around your neck just a bit too tight for comfort.
“Squeeze my fucking neck any harder, and I’ll give the new weapons to Scaramouche to try on” You said as you harshly tugged his arms away, “anyways, these are the results of the session, come back next Thursday, 2 pm for a follow up.”
“And my delusion?”
“If the results of the follow up are good, you’ll have a better one the same day, if not you’ll get the improved one four months later.”
“Too long.”
“The Tsaritsa won’t have you out and about for those months, she’ll likely keep you in the borders.”
She acquiesces, having enough fun seeing Tartaglia’s confused frown and put out face.
‘He’ll start learning how necessary it is to keep a mask at all times around this place.’
She leaves the lab without any goodbye, the remaining members of her company following behind her obediently. She hums softly, a tune only she remembered, as she walked out of the lab and into the cold harsh winter of Snezhnaya.
‘The Tsaritsa would like to hear about this’ She thought, a smile gracing her lips at the thought of troubling you.
“How long do you plan to keep your arms around my neck?” You griped as you ordered your remaining researchers to go back to work and to clean up the mess.
Pouting at you, Tartaglia removed his arms from your neck, all the while complaining, “Just what are you planning with Signora?”
You raised a brow at him in question.
“Pulcinella said that you're in charge of R&D in the Fatui and you’re the head of Snezhnaya’s Science and Technology Department but that doesn’t explain why you have to work with Signora” He explained, frowning as he himself tried to figure out the answer.
“Regardless of how all of us prefer to work alone, the Harbingers are the face of the Fatui’s military branch” You said as you grabbed his hand and led him deeper into the lab and into your personal research area, “At the same time we are also the Tsaritsa’s personal military force, her goals are our goals” removing the glove of your left hand, you placed your palm into the reader and then leaned close for the iris scanner, “Which means it would be inevitable that we’d have to work with the other Harbingers.”
“So that was all just for a mission?” Tartaglia asked, sidling up to your side.
“Yes” You confirmed, your lab coat fluttering as you spun around and faced him.
Dramatically you smiled at him as you leaned close to his face, breaths mingling with each other as you gave him a lesson, “Don’t forget Tartaglia, even if we work together, all of us would not hesitate to scheme and backstab each other for our personal goals.”
You watched as he took in your words before leaning away and giving him back his personal space, “That’s why instead of Pulcinella, why don’t you take me as your priority partner?”
You smiled at him, eyes crinkling in a way that was seductively charming, you offered him your gloved hand, palm facing towards him, “Tartaglia, become mine!”