Cloud AU's

Perfect Lacky

It wasn't a rare sight to see the Arcobaleno openly ordering their Cloud around for menial tasks they couldn't do right now or didn't bother with. Obviously, as a result, their work would start piling up on the Cloud on top of his own. Some would pity him for that and did. After all he was getting overworked and becoming a strong target for others whilst he was in weak condition.

What they failed to consider was that, with the various different tasks the others did also came the skills to complete them, which were gained over time -- whether that had been un-/ intentional was a mystery.

Fact: Skull could access Verde's laboratory and take stuff with a limited access card, even gaining the permission to take a few prototypes and discarded inventions for himself. He used the knowledge bombs Verde dropped on him every other day to fiddle with his bike and work around computers, widening his expertise and handling with other technological or mechanical engineering while doing maintenance on them.

Fact was that he could cook and was the permanent cook whenever he or any of the other Arcobaleno were around, even during their cursed period, back when they were all infants. Skull wouldn't poison them, he had that amount of trust from them: He wouldn't poison, harm or betray them. He would, sadly, annoy them though, so they only had to watch out for repeatedly facing his ire because then he did mess with their food or jobs a little, leaving his mark on them. A warning to respect his boundaries.
He had nifty fingers for various knife work, be it in the kitchen or field, having helped the knife-throwing troupe more often than not at the circus. Enter his kitchen with caution or you might find your body having more sharp objects imbedded in yourself than before. Though you're generally ok when knocking on the doorframe before entering.

With Lal and Colonello he often functioned as both the middleman in communication and sometimes even advisor on standby, sharing what he observed in any of the other's vicinity. With them he learned reconnaisance, gained a slick tongue and a filter for details that saved him from more than a dozen stalkers and assassin's.

He learned body language with Fon. The way each of them moved more distinctively than he'd thought and as they were infants it allowed him to see the way all of their muscles moved at once. Again, he might've gained good observation skills from the two snipers but not even they could've predicted that Skull had an eidetic memory. Verde was the first to suspect and test him for it.
Skull often found himself trying to copy his fellow elements' movements in an attempt to learn, pretending to fluidly dance in between them in a way that made it almost accidental with hidden purpose.
Fon wasn't overly sentimental, wasn't known for it outside the family either, but he could feel pride - so excuse him when he saw the younger develop their own style of martial arts and name it 'the Clumsy Cloud'.
The title was as adoring as it was misleading and he'd almost, almost wanted to coo at it.

Reborn, well, he made him do odd-jobs wheras they would coincide with what he already did for the others.
But there was a difference when Skull was with the hitman: His sense for danger became acute. Reborn tested his awareness and intuition more than the others, made him able to handle most situations thrown at him. He trained his improvisation skills and fight-flight response.

Viper went for an almost classic academic route, co-educating him with Verde. Manners, torture and all-round information gathering were skills they parted with to a lesser degree and without a fee.
Of course, if he wanted higher education he had to pay for it, unless he could trade for it. Business-skills were passively, unintentionally, taught as well.

Skull even learned a thing or two from the Giglio Nero Skies. He learned what it meant to watch out for others without them being overly aware, to make connections and think beyond himself. He learned, similarly to his time spent with Reborn, to prepare for the future. To have foresight, prepare as best as he could because, when he's too late he won't have time to regret.
He also learned how to take care of his allies & subordinates, watching the Donnas work time and time again, similarly yet different tactics to different effects. Different attachments, different ways, yet considerate and home.
He mostly implemented what he considered useful with his fleet at the Carcassa.