Winter Solstice | Fatui One-Shots (Genshin Impact)

The Next Act | Tartaglia

Tartaglia

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There he was, all eyes upon him as he took to center stage. A single spotlight was cast upon him, his pale skin glowing under the light. You watched with transfixed eyes as he gave a captivating monologue. He was notorious as the eleventh of the Fatui Harbingers, but today he was the only star on a cloudy night.

You had been searching for him for months, the man who saved your life. It was an eerily quiet night on the streets of Fontaine, and after a long day of banquets and thinly-veiled insults, you just wanted to return home. However, a deranged man clad in black had other intentions. He threatened you at knife-point, mumbling something about recent policies. That was when your savior appeared just in time to ward off the would-be petitioner, and he left just as quickly as he emerged. But you recognized him. He was the same man who had lead the Fatui envoy into Fontaine.

Intending to express your gratitude, you went to the rest of the week's banquets, but he didn't show up at a single one. Thus, the search began, and it was by chance a few months later that you saw his name on the roster of this opera. He was unexpectedly flashy for a Harbinger.

After he exited the stage, you made your way through the auditorium to hopefully find a way to sneak backstage. You didn't know if he had more scenes or even if he'd remember you, but you had to take this chance before he got away. After all, you weren't sure if you'd ever encounter him again.

You spotted the door and it was free from any guards. How fortunate! You half-walked, half-jogged to the door where you were promptly stopped by a melusine who alerted you, "Only authorized personnel is permitted backstage. Please return to your seat."

"It's really important, though! Can't you let it slide just once?" you pleaded.

"There are no exceptions to the rules, Miss Y/n," the mulusine flatly stated, subtly implying that you were attempting to leverage your position. You opened your mouth to defend yourself, but before you could, the door behind the melusine creaked open. 

Standing behind the door was none other than Childe, who was still in costume. He said, "What's the commotion, Solène?" He glanced in your direction.

Solène said, "I am reminding this member of that audience that she is not allowed to enter backstage without proper authorization." What a brazen little...

Childe looked back at you. He said, "Is this true?"

You held your head high in defiance. "It is."

"Then if I give her authorization, will this matter be settled?" asked Childe.

"Well, yes, but we don't know—"

"What are you waiting for? Come on," he beckoned you with his hand.

You followed wordlessly, giving a little smile to the melusine who had a puzzled expression on her face. The door clicked behind you, and Childe's amicable smile fell off.

"What do you need?" he folded his arms across his chest.

"Quick to drop the act, huh?" you noted.

He continued his questioning, "Did the iudex send you?"

"What are you talking about?"

He clarified, "You're a part of Fontaine's highest judicial court, no?"

"Well, yes, but that doesn't make me some errand-boy," you huffed before realizing, "Then you do know who I am!"

"What about it?"

"You're awfully hostile for a hero," you pointed out.

"I'm not a hero; I am an orphaned victim," he corrected.

"Not the opera, you blockhead. I mean when you helped me out the first night of the banquet."

He made an "o" shape with his mouth, then looked you up and down as if trying to remember.

"Whatever, you don't need to remember. I just wanted to give you this." You reached into your coat pocket for a little velvet pouch and offered it to him. He brought it up to his face to inspect it. You added, "It's a hand-crafted ring. My grandfather told me to always repay my debts in full."

You turned on your heel, but Childe grabbed your wrist. He said, "Hold on, where did you get this?" He had taken the ring out of its pouch.

"It's something my grandfather made a long time ago."

Childe reached into his pocket and retrieved an almost identical ring. One was much more worn from time, but the resemblance was there.

Childe said, "You said this ring was hand-crafted, right?"

"Yes, this craftmanship is unique to my grandfather."

"I suppose this belongs to you, then." He placed the worn ring in your hand. You inspected it carefully. It had definitely been crafted by your grandfather—the engraving style was a tell-tale sign—but why did Childe have it?

"A while ago, I was sent to collect the debt of a man named Pavel, but when I arrived, he had already passed. There was nothing else in his collection except this ring."

"My grandfather, Pavel, had gone into debt after he broke his wrist in an accident. I didn't know he borrowed from the Fatui."

"Well, you can't collect debt from a dead man. He must have known he was going to pass soon."

"I wouldn't have put it past him," you sighed.

The faded sound of the audience applauding filled the space backstage. You almost forgot where you stood.

"Well then, it sounds like the next act is just about to begin," said Childe.

You didn't know if he was referring to the opera or your slowly entangling destiny.