Chapter Text
It was the dead of night when the sharp trill of a telephone broke the oppressive silence in Arlecchino’s study. The flickering light of fire in the fireplace cast her shadow across the cluttered desk, piled high with reports and ledgers. The air was heavy with the scent of ink and the faint, metallic tang of the cold, winter breeze seeping in through a cracked window.
Arlecchino, the Fourth Harbinger of the Fatui, known by many as the Knave—a name spoken with equal parts fear and contempt—let out an audible sigh, her pen freezing mid-sentence. Paperwork was far from thrilling, but the shrill interruption promised to be even worse.
Her blackened hand hovered for a moment before she finally lifted the receiver with a distinct air of irritation.
“Arlecchino speaking. Make it quick,” she snapped, her tone razor-sharp.
A low chuckle came from the other end, smooth yet laced with a sinister undertone that she recognized immediately.
“Is that how you greet your esteemed colleagues these days, Knave?”
The familiar voice made her grit her teeth. “Doctor,” she said flatly, her patience already waning. “What is it this time? State your purpose or hang up.”
“Straight to business as always,” he drawled, amusement evident in his tone. “You never fail to disappoint me, Knave. Though, I wonder, do you ever tire of being so… curt?”
“Don’t test me,” she growled.
There was a deliberate pause, the kind that made her grip the receiver tighter, as if she could strangle him through it.
“I need your assistance,” the Doctor finally said, the honeyed malice in his voice doing little to mask his true intent.
“For what?” Her voice was clipped, but her unease crept in nonetheless.
“An item of considerable value has come to my attention,” he began, deliberately vague.
She frowned, already irritated by the deliberate game he was playing. “Get to the point.”
“Fine, fine,” he relented, though she could hear the smirk in his voice. “Word has it an Oceanid was captured near Fontaine. A rare creature, as you know, and one that’s certain to fetch a hefty price at auction. I require it for my research.”
Her frown deepened. “Oceanid? Auction? I assume you’re aware of how absurd you sound right now.”
“Absurd? Perhaps,” he mused. “But you, of all people, should know the value of seizing opportunity. Oceanids are elusive, Knave, their very existence bordering on myth. I simply cannot let this one slip away. Unfortunately, I’m preoccupied at the lab, as my… experiments demand my full attention.”
“And this is where I come in,” she surmised bitterly, already regretting where the conversation was headed.
“Precisely. I need you to attend the auction in my place, win the bid, and safeguard the Oceanid until I can collect it,” he said, his tone maddeningly casual.
Arlecchino pinched the bridge of her nose, the weight of her mounting frustration almost unbearable. “Do you think I have time for this nonsense? Find someone else to run your errands, Doctor.”
“I thought you might say that.” His voice darkened, losing its earlier levity. “So let me make myself clear: if you do this for me, I’ll cease using your little protégés as subjects for my experiments. A generous offer, wouldn’t you agree?”
Her blood ran cold. “I’ve warned you before, Doctor. Don’t you dare lay a hand on my children,” she spat, her voice venomous.
“Then perhaps you’d best do as I ask,” he countered smoothly.
For a long moment, silence hung between them, thick and suffocating. Arlecchino’s jaw tightened as she weighed her options. The idea of aiding the Doctor in one of his twisted schemes made her stomach churn, but she couldn’t risk the lives of her wards.
“Fine,” she bit out, her tone icy. “Tell me where to go.”
He rattled off the location with an air of smug satisfaction, as though he’d already won.
“I knew you’d see reason, Knave. Do try not to disappoint me.”
She slammed the receiver back onto its cradle, the sound reverberating through the room. Pulling on her heavy coat, she cast one last glance at the pile of paperwork she’d been so eager to escape. Somehow, the prospect of dealing with an Oceanid and the Doctor felt infinitely worse.
The streets outside were shrouded in darkness, the faint glow of distant lampposts barely illuminating the icy cobblestones. As Arlecchino stepped into the night, the cold bit at her skin, and the weight of the task ahead settled heavily on her shoulders.
“I’ll deal with you later, Doctor,” she muttered under her breath.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Arlecchino arrived at her destination—a shabby pub tucked into a shadowy corner of the city. Its crooked sign creaked in the chill night breeze, the faded lettering barely legible under the dim glow of a single lantern. The place reeked of stale ale and desperation, inviting nothing but disdain from those who passed it by. Arlecchino’s gaze lingered on the peeling paint and the warped wooden door, her lip curling in contempt.
“This is the place?” she muttered to herself, the words laced with irritation. After a sigh heavy with reluctant resolve, she stepped inside.
The pub’s interior was no better than its exterior—dimly lit, reeking of sweat and damp wood, and filled with a sparse crowd of shady regulars nursing their drinks. Conversations hushed as she entered, her sharp, unyielding presence unsettling the room.
Ignoring the eyes on her, Arlecchino’s attention was drawn to a group of finely dressed men slipping discreetly through a side door. Their wealth stood in stark contrast to the shabby surroundings, and the air of secrecy around them made their destination obvious.
“How interesting,” she thought, following their path without hesitation.
The narrow hallway led her to a heavily guarded door. The bouncers, sizing her up, hesitated for a moment but stepped aside when she flashed a small token bearing the Fatui crest. They knew better than to question someone like her.
Beyond the door lay the secret heart of the pub—a grand auction chamber. The space was a jarring contrast to the dilapidated exterior, lavishly adorned with crimson drapes, golden chandeliers, and velvet-upholstered chairs. The attendees were an eclectic mix of the obscenely wealthy: merchants, aristocrats, and collectors, all cloaked in an air of greed and self-indulgence.
Arlecchino took her seat near the back, her keen eyes scanning the room. Most of the attendees were middle-aged or older, their faces flushed with wine and arrogance. She watched them fidget with impatience, eager to squander their fortunes on trinkets they’d soon abandon.
“Fools,” she thought, her expression unreadable. “Greedy, pathetic fools.”
The atmosphere shifted as the next session began. The room fell into a hushed anticipation as two men wheeled in a massive box draped with an ornate cloth. The murmurs grew louder, rippling through the crowd like an electric current.
Arlecchino leaned back in her chair, her sharp eyes narrowing. If the rumors were true, this would be the moment she’d been waiting for.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” The auctioneer, Monsieur Édouard, stepped onto the stage, his theatrical voice cutting through the noise. He was a rotund man with a gaudy suit and a grin as fake as the jewels on his fingers. “Thank you for your patience! Now, for the highlight of tonight’s event—the item you’ve all been waiting for!”
The crowd leaned forward, and even Arlecchino found herself sitting a little straighter.
“With great pride, I present to you… the Oceanid!” With a flourish, Édouard yanked away the cloth, revealing a massive glass aquarium.
Gasps echoed through the chamber as the creature within came into view. The Oceanid was magnificent—a shimmering, translucent being of pure water, its ethereal form pulsing with a faint, otherworldly glow. It floated gracefully, its liquid tendrils swirling like ribbons in the dim light.
Arlecchino’s eyes widened slightly despite herself. “No way…” she muttered, the disbelief slipping from her lips.
“Yes, my friends,” Édouard continued, clearly basking in the crowd’s astonishment. “What you see before you is no illusion! This Oceanid was captured in the depths near Fontaine, a mythical creature brought to life. And now, this rare and beautiful marvel could be yours—starting at ten million mora!”
The bidding began almost instantly.
“Twenty million mora!” a man shouted, his voice brimming with confidence.
“Twenty-five million!” a woman countered sharply.
“Thirty million!”
“Thirty-five!”
The frenzy grew, the bids climbing higher and higher as the crowd clamored for the Oceanid. Arlecchino remained silent, her sharp gaze fixed on the creature, her mind weighing the situation.
“Thirty-five million mora! Going once, going twi—” Édouard’s voice halted abruptly as Arlecchino raised her hand, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
“One hundred million mora.”
A stunned silence fell over the room. All eyes turned to her, their disbelief palpable. Even Édouard froze, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
“One… one hundred million mora?” he stammered, clearly caught off guard.
Arlecchino leaned back in her chair, a sly smirk curling her lips. “You heard me.”
The murmurs in the crowd turned into a low roar, a mix of awe and outrage. Édouard disapproving glare lingered on her, his reluctance evident. He hadn’t expected anyone to make such a bold move, and it was clear he didn’t want to part with the Oceanid.
“One hundred million mora,” he finally repeated, his voice strained. “Going once… going twice…” He hesitated, waiting to see if anyone dared challenge her.
When no one did, he sighed, the gavel coming down with finality. “Sold to the white-haired lady!”
A round of polite applause rippled through the room, though many attendees wore expressions of shock and envy. Arlecchino’s smirk deepened as her cold eyes locked onto the Oceanid, its shimmering form reflecting the dim light.
“You’re mine now,” she whispered, her voice low and menacing.