Chapter Text
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< PART 1 >
< 1 >
"You're nothing but a jumped peasant brat undeserving of your rank and status and the affection Her Majesty has for you! Perhaps a sojourn in a haunted prison will teach you to be quiet!" Signora smirked spitefully. "If you're lucky I'll remember to let you out in a few days when the Gnosis is in my hands."
"Who the fuck do you think you are? You have no right–"
"Might makes right, dear Childe. You're nothing but a weak mortal boy and not one of your betters gives a damn about your fate. Now stop struggling. If you force me to break a nail I'll leave you to starve like the rabid dog that you are."
Childe fought anyway because he'd never learned not to and slew the witch's nervous minions mostly out of spite. It wasn't enough though.
<>
When he woke from the blow to the head, sticky with blood and nauseous from the concussion, he was in pitch darkness.
For a long, terrified moment, he thought he'd Fallen again, or that the life he remembered had been no more than a dream or a trauma-induced hallucination.
He understood he was awake and relatively safe when he realised he wasn't hearing Abyssal whispers or the sounds of creatures in the Dark.
The Domain entrance was sealed, of course. Signora-the-bitch wasn't stupid enough to chance him getting free but he checked anyway.
Right then.
He supposed he should explore and see if there was a reason for Signora saying the place was haunted.
The bitch had taken his Vision and Delusion! Lucky then that he didn't need them. She hadn't checked him for mundane weapons because she was an arrogant moron who thought that ordinary people were weak; and she couldn't have blocked his Abyssal powers even if she'd known they were there.
The Vision would be safe enough because she'd need it to evidence his state of life or death depending on whether she intended to retrieve him or wait for him to die then report his tragic loss in whatever circumstances she chose to invent.
< 2 >
The place behaved like any other Domain for the most part. Lots of trapped rooms and corridors filled with the crumbling remains of whatever the owner thought important, a few chests of insignificant trinkets, and, always inexplicably, fresh consumables.
Considerately, where possible he reset the traps once he'd bypassed them. Hopefully, they'd fuck up Signora if she came back.
He was startled when he passed a final set of ornate double doors decorated with the image of a veiled maiden dancing to find a wide grassy area and an Inazuman style mansion. There were even sakura trees in full blossom forming a path to the house, despite it being September outside.
Childe decided that if the Domain was trapped in time there was likely intact furniture and bedding he could utilise to get a good rest.
Cautiously, because he wasn't willing to die pointlessly until he'd seen Signora executed, he explored the entry level and the floor above. Beds and bedding; a proper kitchen full of food, plenty of chopped wood for the stove; fresh running water from a spigot, plum wine and sake; a bathroom with a large sunken tub full of clean warm water…
He took a long bath and made use of the jars of soaps and thick towels, before deciding that what he really wanted was sleep.
When he woke, he checked the bathroom and saw it was again pristine
He really wanted to thank whoever was behind the magic of this place! He made a tasty breakfast of grilled fish and rice before exploring further.
<>
He thought he'd been in the Domain for a couple of days by now and really wanted to find somewhere to hole up just so Signora-the-bitch had to search for him or risk being charged with treason when she tried to lie about his whereabouts.
What he found, behind the mansion, was an extraordinarily pretty pavilion. It was set in a peaceful garden, the air scented by the riotous flowering plants, open-sided but the interior was concealed by lovely silk drapes that fluttered in the warm breeze.
It had the feeling of being a shrine or a tomb – a place of memory and worship.
Childe was generally inclined to be respectful of such places and so climbed the short flight of steps with a suitably quiet demeanour, suddenly interested in the mindset of the designer who thought to provide ambient birdsong and a light breeze to accompany the unchanging blossoming trees and flowers. He could hear the trickling of a brook too. Did it rain sometimes?
It occurred to him that, as an example of unchanging eternity, this was actually delightful.
[He'd get monumentally bored, but that was definitely his flaw, not the designer's]
Beyond the delicately pretty silks was a chamber lined with weapons that had clearly been used and well cared for, and a display cabinet containing toys, trinkets and ornaments suited to a noble-born child; and an oblong stone altar or possibly a sarcophagus.
Lying on top of the altar was a young woman wearing rich indigo-blue-pink silks, knees tucked up like a child scrunched up against a nightmare, hands tucked firmly against her chest as though protecting something.
She didn't look dead even though she wasn't breathing. Why would she have been left here like this? Surely in Inazuma the dead were interred inside their coffins, not left out on top. Were they not also laid flat?
Did this place exist to preserve this single individual unchanged through the ages? How long had she been here?
Was the girl the reason Signora thought the Domain haunted? Nothing but physical traps had impeded Childe's exploration; certainly he hadn't experienced anything supernatural other than the actuality of the Domain itself.
Honestly confused by the somewhat contradictory scene – a person loved enough to have this beautiful Domain as their resting place, surrounded by their treasures yet apparently left unburied – he moved closer, half-formed thoughts of perhaps straightening out the body and covering her with one of the silk sheets drifting through his curiosity.
He jolted in horrified shock when the woman's eyes snapped open and the gorgeous face shifted from startlement to rage to complete bewilderment in seconds.
"Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?' The voice was rusty with disuse but Childe thought it melodious if deeper than he'd expect from a young noblewoman.
"Um… My name's Childe. I got shut into this Domain and was exploring when I found you." He remembered his manners, painstakingly instilled in the three months before his promotion to Harbinger, and made a proper bow.
He was really glad he'd been taught Inazuman because otherwise he'd have no clue what the maybe-not-a-corpse just said. As it was, the words were sufficiently different that he thought she'd been here for a long time.
"Child? What an odd name." The body sat up, dangling its legs over the side of the altar. "What's the date?"
Childe answered absentmindedly and the woman sighed. "What year is it, idiot?"
"Oh…" He answered that too.
"Nearly three centuries then. Is Ei still the Archon?"
"Raiden Shogun is the Archon. I thought Ei was like a personal name or something?"
"Hm. I suppose it is. Is Yae Miko still alive?"
"The kitsune priestess? She was a few weeks ago when I last heard news of her. Why?"
The woman grumbled. "Because the two people I most want dead have failed me despite the centuries."
Childe smiled at that. "Generally, if I want someone dead I find it more effective to do the job myself. That way I can be sure, at least. Unless they can resurrect themselves. Then it becomes annoying."
The woman blinked beautiful purple eyes. "I– Does that happen often?"
"No. But it has happened and I really didn't enjoy having to hunt them a second time."
"How did you stop them resurrecting again?"
"Dismembered them, boiled the head and slow-roasted the pieces until the meat was soft and fell off the bones; ground the dried bones between two rocks then burned all of it in the hottest fire I could create except for the brain. I stirred that vigorously until was kinda liquid and spread it in a trough of pig-feed. When there was no sign of regeneration after three days, I salted the ash and buried it and the last bits of bone in a small box and covered it with a large rock."
The woman stared at him, taken aback as much by the gruesome description as the pleased expression. "...what made you think to do that?"
Childe grinned wickedly. "Mostly I just wanted regeneration to be as uncomfortable and drawn out as possible. I am," he added happily "A very petty and spiteful man on occasion."
"What were you doing that you locked yourself in here?"
"I was betrayed by a colleague; she locked me in. When I get out I'm going to test her regeneration. My bet is that it isn't as good as that Abyssal arsehole's was. In her case, I'll be happy to take my time and test it thoroughly."
"Get out? How do you think you'll do that? The Domain is sealed."
Childe shrugged. "She'll probably come back because otherwise she risks being executed for treason. And if she doesn't, I'll cheat."
The gorgeous purple eyes blinked uncomprehending. "Won't you be executed instead?"
Childe shrugged, unconcerned. "That'll be a problem for future-me." He decided that he really wanted to ask questions. "Why are you in here?"
Long lashes lowered and the woman peered up at him, judging how to answer. "Long ago, Ei made a prototype puppet. When she activated it, it wept. Evidence of emotions did not suit her intentions for her creation so she sealed its access to Electro and abandoned it in a Domain to rot.
"When it was freed by a curious human, it was taken to a nearby village where it was welcomed and raised by the community who taught it life skills. Unfortunately one of those teachers was a traitor. He caused widespread devastation and death and fled his crimes.
"The man who freed the puppet was executed in lieu of the true criminal. The puppet found that to be a wicked injustice no matter the laws and culture of its parent. It left the village and travelled and learned that humans are despicable everywhere. Eventually it came back and murdered the descendants of those who killed its beloved."
He smiled at the foreign boy. "Eventually, Shogun was motivated to get off her arse because the deaths had eradicated three of the five smithing clans. She captured the puppet because she had access to the Electro that had been sealed in her puppet-sibling.
"Because Ei had sealed the abandoned puppet here in Shakkei Pavilion, obviously that was the right decision so Shogun did the same thing. And here it slept until you got through the traps and woke it up."
Childe considered the exposition. "So… you're Ei's puppet and came before Shogun who is also a puppet?" A nod encouraged him. "And out of grief, revenge and spite you killed a whole lot of people until you were locked away again?"
He thought about that. "Can I ask your name?"
"Katsuragi called me Kabukimono."
"Did your creator never name you? What a bitch. You can choose whatever name you like, you know."
"I don't know what name I would want. Is that why you're called Childe?"
"Kind of, I suppose; I was a ward of the Fifth Harbinger for two years. He called me child and kid. His other wards made a joke of it because Child-with-an-e means Young Lord and Pulcinella's favour made me that, apparently. I'm not inclined to take crap lying down so I chose to own it and make it mine. Who's Ei if not the Shogun-puppet? Did she name Shogun?"
"Ei is the Archon, who created her puppet to store her essence while her mind is engaged in perpetual navel-gazing. Shogun means something like chief or general so probably she just accepted the title as a name when the humans used it for lack of other options because Ei overrode her free will in the moment she took possession. Ei is basically a ghost haunting the corpse of her daughter. "
"What will you do if you get out of here again?"
The puppet shrugged. "Probably look for a way to unlock my power. If such a thing exists, then perhaps I will return to take Shogun's throne.'
"You want to be the Archon?"
Another shrug. "I want the power. I don't give a damn about Inazuma given it was Ei's outdated and unjust laws saw my Katsuragi dead for someone else's sins."
Childe nodded. "I happen to know someone who might be able to help with the unsealing. You can travel with me if you like."
"Depends if they can actually do it.'
"That's fair. I'm from Snezhnaya, Eleventh of the Tsaritsa's Harbingers. The one who might be able to help is the Second. He's a scientist with specialist knowledge about magic and what-not, and he has seven clones of himself. I assume that your and their physiology is probably not very different."
"You want me to go all the way to the Hell of Freezing Slowly?"
Childe grinned. "Well… depending on the time of year, it's the Hell of Freezing Very Quickly With No Chance Of Defrosting Until Summer. It's an option; if you choose a different path that's entirely up to you." His stomach growled loudly. "If you're hungry there's fresh food in the house and I'm a pretty good cook."
<>
Childe cooked more fish and rice, because that was what the kitchen seemed to have most of. While he did that, Kabukimono brewed jasmine tea.
They'd just finished eating when a chime rang delicately through the scented air.
Kabukimono frowned. "Someone's in the Domain. They triggered one of the traps."
Childe's lips curled in a malicious smirk. "Oh good. I do hope that's Signora; I reset some of the traps just for her, you know."
Kabukimono laughed hard enough that tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He didn't think he'd ever done that before. "And you called me spiteful."
His guest smirked, the corners of shadow-blue eyes crinkling. "I said that you murdered a lot of people out of grief, revenge and spite. I didn't say I hadn't done worse for less reason." The smile deepened and Kabukimono found himself oddly caught by the curl of lips, the curve of cheek. "I did say; I am a very petty and spiteful man on occasion – and Signora brings out the worst traits so easily."
< 3 >
It wasn't Signora.
Nathan was extremely singed and bloodied by the time he reached the heart of the Pavilion. He was deeply annoyed to find Lord Tartaglia peacefully sipping tea in the company of a very pretty Inazuman girl.
[How the fuck had the bastard found a girl in here!?]
Still, he had his orders and a hierarchy to follow no matter his personal opinions – which, in his view, mirrored the opinions of Lord Jester and Lady Signora.
He went to one knee, right fist to left shoulder as was proper.
"My Lord Tartaglia," he said, keeping his tone as respectful and serious as he could, "I regret to report that Lady Signora has been slain. You are therefore now in charge of the Inazuman mission."
The Harbinger blinked, understandably surprised by that news.
"How the devil did she manage to get killed? I think you'd better make a proper report, Lieutenant."
"Yes, My Lord. Sir, the Lady went to Tenshukaku to discuss matters of business with the Archon. There was a woman there who had prior familiarity with Lady Signora which, from context, had not led to a favourable impression. When My Lady endeavoured to engage in a diplomatic exchange, the woman spoke up and decried My Lady's speech and that led to a challenge before the throne.
"My Lord, in Inazuma, that means that whoever loses, if they are not already dead, Lord Raiden slays them with her magical sword, and that is what happened to Lady Signora…" He lowered his head and closed his eyes for a moment, because watching the Eighth disintegrate into Electro-charged ash had been deeply horrifying.
Lord Tartaglia was silent for a long moment, obviously at a loss as to what to say. Nathan acknowledged that was probably a fair reaction; it wasn't as though he felt other than devastated by the loss.
[Childe had bitten his tongue trying to keep the immense joy off his face and the giggles on the inside]
He watched the Eleventh glance at his companion. "What of the Gnosis, Lieutenant?"
"I don't know, My Lord; Lady Signora said that it wasn't in the direct possession of the Archon."
"Right… And you have, I assume, written your formal report as to everything you saw and heard, and have secured her records and any other documentation and cleared up her base?
"I left Sergeant Mateev in charge of that operation sir, and came to find you. I have my report here." He patted the documents pack he was carrying.
"Where are my Vision and Delusion, Lieutenant?"
"I believe they should be in a locked box with her belongings, My Lord. That is where I know the Lady put them originally; although of course I do not know if she moved or repackaged them."
"Hand it over then."
He read the report carefully. It was tediously dry and lacking in descriptive details and made no reference to Childe being trapped by Signora.
"I see nothing that explains why I was in here instead of facing Shogun, Lieutenant."
"I… Apologies, My Lord."
Lord Tartaglia gestured to a seat at the other end of the table. "You had better fix that now, Lieutenant."
"But–" He stopped himself. Clearly Lord Tartaglia, who was known for childish tantrums, wasn't going to forgive this… misunderstanding… to preserve La Signora's memory unsullied. "Yes, My Lord." He took the indicated seat and dug out the block of blank report forms along with a Fontainois internal-ink pen.
Lord Tartaglia read the supplemental report and seemed reasonably pleased. "Good enough, I suppose. Come this way, Lieutenant." Tartaglia stood and gestured to the foyer. Confused, Nathan followed the Harbinger through to a well-appointed bathroom.
"Sir?"
"You were there, Lieutenant, when Signora decided to lock me in here to live or die as the Fates decreed. I know it wasn't you that struck me down, so which of the men was it?"
"Sir…" Nathan heard his voice tremble, because Lord Tartaglia had a very specific reputation and Nathan was well aware that he'd committed treason by letting those things happen no matter that Signora had been the Eighth; she was no longer alive to protect her devoted servants. "That was the Electro-hammer, Vitaly, sir."
"Where's he now?"
"I believe he should be at the base camp south of Araumi, My Lord."
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Tartaglia's voice was quite soft as he tugged the documents case from the man's shoulder. "You can rest now."
The hidden blade dropped from his sleeve as he turned Nathan to face the pool. The blade slid across the man's throat and blood sprayed into the water.
Nathan choked, hands clutching uselessly at his throat. The last thing he felt was Tartaglia's hands shoving him into the water.
"Did you have to make a mess of my pool?"
"Apologies," Childe bowed politely. "I know the pool will cleanse itself by morning and so this seemed the most effective way of keeping the mess contained."
"What are you going to do now?"
"Make a performance of flaying Skirmisher Vitaly and making him eat his balls, which might keep the rest of Signora's bratty sycophants in line for a few weeks; then retrieve my property and Signora's documents and find out what the bitch was actually up to. If I'm lucky, I'll find something about the woman she pissed off so I can send her a fruit-basket."
"Won't you get in trouble for killing the soldiers?"
Childe grinned. "Nope! I'm known to be a loose cannon and a psychotic, bloodthirsty monster so really they should be expecting it." The malice in his expression deepened. "I probably ought to thank your sibling too for dealing with the execution for me, even though I'd rather have done it myself or at least been able to watch. But at least this way, I can't be blamed."
He slid the dagger back into his sleeve and rubbed his hands "Anyway… If it's okay with you, I'll leave tomorrow. You're welcome to come with me if you want to."
"What was that about the Gnosis?"
"Hm? Oh… That's the reason we were here. The Tsaritsa is collecting all of them."
"Whatever for?"
Childe shrugged. "She really hates the Divine Gaze and so intends to make war on heaven. Apparently that requires the Gnoses. I don't know why exactly; magic and metaphysics aren't my strong suits."
< 4 >
The pool had indeed cleansed itself by morning, including removal of the corpse. Childe washed and made breakfast and settled down at the table to eat while he waited for the Inazuman to emerge from the bedchamber she'd chosen last night.
By the time the yawning puppet emerged, there was a fresh pot of tea and a plate of toasted bread.
"I'll come with you," the puppet told him. "I want the Gnosis if we can find it; I was created to carry it: That makes it mine by right."
Childe shrugged. "Sure; I don't care one way or the other. Her Majesty will presumably send someone to collect it at some point but that's no skin off my nose. Maybe you can make yourself the queen with it powering you despite the seals."
"King, not queen. I don't care what the heinous bitch intended for me."
"Whatever you prefer," Childe said agreeably. He wasn't going to mis-gender someone if he could help it. "Have you picked a name?"
"I quite like Daken."
"What does it mean?"
"Darkness, revenge and strength."
Childe grinned. "Subtle isn't your preference is it?"
Daken smiled back. "Not at all, Lord Tartaglia of Snezhnaya."
<>