Snipet

"I demand to be taken seriously.."

If there was a universal rule…..having Scaramouch nag at her and have his pretty emo face constantly stuck in a frown of disgust and annoyance because of her mere existence while also demanding her to respect him should be one of them.

And for her..

She rose her arms with a shameless shrug

"Nop.."

"Are you deaf? Kneel before your superior.."

As far as she was aware a four was better than a five, but oh well, it was not like he would listen to her, right?

"Nop, pint size puppet..."

She said again even more smugly, the smirk on her face only widening even further. For a construct that tried to sell out the idea that human emotions were lame an unsightly, he really could not but go back on his own delusions, couldn't he?

Guess that was what one should had expected from a cheap Uchiha copy.

All looks and no filling.

And so, like clockwork anger flared in the puppets eyes before he pointed an accusatory finger at her.

"H-how dare you..!? Do you know who I am..!?"

She rubbed her chin in deep thought. "A hat guy with mommy's issues?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course a simple human like you can not understand the greatness of someone like me when people like you swim in dirt and ignorance. I pity you Knave, you are as pathetic as anyone else in this world. And no, for the hundredth time you fool with a death-wish. I am not a "Hat guy!"

".."

"Ha! So you do finally see reason human….it was about time, or don't tell me that you are so terrified you can even gave me a response..?"

"Nah… just a bit surprised for you to so readily admit to mummy issues, do you want me to give you a hug then...? Don't worry, this mama wont bit you...much"

"I am gonna kill you.." He cursed, raising his hands only for her to push his hat down his head, making it get stuck way below his line of sight.

"What? I cant hear you, I am too tall for the sound to reach my ears.."

"AAAARRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

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Speech = "…"

Thought = [….]

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It was not every day that Charlotte stepped on the halls of the Institute, with its large, cold halls, the air filled with the soft cranking echo of tinkering. For someone like her who had become enamoured with the workings of her dads camera it would have been one of the most interesting places to be in.

Sadly, that was hardly the case.

She could have come up with several reasons of why she had come to that conclusion and even place them in a neat holder for quicker review, however if she went to put things as simple as they could be then….it was just not a destination close to home nor mostly related to her hobby of photography.

True, she had always had a bit of curiosity of what secrets laid within the building walls, who wouldn't? And though its entry was always open for whoever wanted to take a look at the intricacies that were built by the greatest minds of Fontaine…., to take a detour to visit it was not something that she could thoughtlessly afford most of the time.

Which….she used most of it either helping her father on his tasks from the nature magazine of the Steam-bird or learning things back at her school.

However, it was not that uncommon for her to accompany her dad there if he had some matters to attend there. And though she never had much to do there, she had always the chance to speak with Lucas about his inventions at his workshop at least.

The memory of the strange man she had come across that night in the wilderness by accident always brought a faint smile to her lips.

Peculiar as the young engineer seemed to be, he had always seemed to find amusement in her questions and had never belated her for her curiosity even once nor he had treated her like a child to simplify things, it made things far more enjoyable if she was honest, he also had a lot of books about Kamera maintenance which she usually took delight in inspecting for any new pointer to "crank up" the tools she and her father worked with.

Her teachers at school should take some pointers from him.

Speaking of which-…

"By the sounds of it it seems like you had your hands full..Lucas"

"You have no idea..."

Charlottes attention was immediately drawn away from her own musings and back towards the new source of sound in the room that made its difference apart from the chiming of the gears stuck on the walls or the hollow echoes from the ventilations shafts currently at work as her ears picked on the sound of footsteps approaching.

A pair of curious emerald eyes rising away from the book she had been reading until then, tucking it under over her lap before standing up from her seat, spotting in the process her father and Lucas coming out just in that moment from the deeper vault of Lucas workshop. With her father having his hand placed over the engineers left shoulder, tapping him gently in some form of reassurance.

She wondered why..

"Though by the looks of it you do seem to have managed to make it out unscathed, the clerk managed to find you in time I take?"

Lucas shook his head with a snort which drew an eyebrow from her father

"No, not really…."

"Oh..? What do you mean by that..?"

Lucas merely shrugged, taking a step forward before planting a book he had been holding onto over one of the metal desks on the room, a faint brush of dust flying away in the process.

"Not much…."

"Come on Lucas, surely you can give me more details than that, you really are killing my journalist pride here.."

Lucas rolled his eyes, though there was not even a hint of exasperation in his face.

"Galan...don't be so over dramatic."

"Ok, fine….just give me a tiny little itchy bit and I will leave you be.."

Doubtful….but well, that was the kind of person her father was.

Stubborn to a fault...

"If you truly want to know then I will tell you that it was Lady fortune merely taking notice of my plight who decided to smile upon me, and what a sight it was..."

Charlotte tilted her head, curious about that choice of words. The way Lucas held himself, the glint in his eyes and the warmth in his voice….it spoke a different picture from the man he usually was.

As... if he was inspired.

Her father mirrored her expression...albeit more nuanced.

"So…...luck?"

As if stung by a beetle Lucas turned around on the spot, an incredulous look in his eyes before he shook his head.

"Luck!? Nonono...it was divine intervention I tell you.."

[Divine intervention..?] Charlotte mused to herself, a spark of interest glimmering in her eyes as she stood up from her seat and started walking towards the two adults while holding the book gently against her chest.

Like her father had taught her, her guts told her that something really interesting had occurred and Lucas was at the centre of it.

She was sure of it!

"Lucas, what are you talking about..?" Her father interjected, gone was his jesting tone, replaced by a more curious and disbelieving one.

"Ah, I get weak on the knees just thinking about that day. I should pray to Lady Furina afterwards. Archon knows what would have happen if she had not heard of my pleas for help and send me an angel..."

Her father frowned for a brief moment, blue eyes closing to a half lid. A stark contrast with the enthusiastic brown ones from the engineer.

"I did not took your for the poetic..or religious kind, guess one learns something every day. Still….an angel? Really?"

"If you had seem her you would surely feel the same way about her..."

"Her...?" She muttered aloud, a curious tinge in her tone as she glared at the two, the sound of her voice reminding the duo of her presence in the workshop.

"Charlotte? Oh, sorry I did not know you were here, how have you been..?" Lucas muttered surprised before he tilted his head to the side and whispered an annoyed glance at her father "Why didn't you tell me she was here, you dofus..!?"

Her father scratched the back of his head with a laugh. "I guess...I forgot?"

A comically large droplet of sweat slid behind Charlotte scalp at the sight of it, that was so typical of him when he became engrossed on an interesting topic. With an inward sight he tugged Lucas sleeve with her free hand.

"I am fine Mr Lucas…., thought to tag along dad today in case he needed some help..."

Her father had also made a promise a few days ago to let her tag along to visit Lucas at his workshop so there was that.

Unbeknown to the thoughts in her mind the engineer smiled at her. "That's so nice of you..I am sure he is happy to have you here to rein him in from time to time.."

"Well, its not like I cant say no to her when she gets an idea in her head.." Her father said with feigned annoyance which made her pout a bit.

"I wonder where she got that from..." Lucas shot back with an amused glare.

"So...who was she..?" She asked, hoping to draw the conversation away from their playful banter and back to the topic that interested her. The only thing she regretted was not having a notebook and a pencil to write things down.

"Oh, she was an angel of a person alright. Kind, gentle, smart-..."

"Pretty..?"

She asked as she took a step forward, the words slipping from her lips before she realized….or perhaps it had been intentional, after all weren't angels mean tot be pretty? In her mind she had been making a mental image of how that person looked in case she ever met her.

What she was not expecting though was the complete and utter flustered look that settled on Lucas features as he registered her words. His ears were redder than some of the roses she and her father had taken photos on the wilderness a week ago..!

"I-I...ye-yes...she was really pretty"

Charlotte tilted her head, not understanding why her friend had started stuttering when just a few moments ago he was just fine.

"Mr Lucas, why are you stuttering? You are not sick, are you..?" She asked, worry creeping into her voice.

Now that she thought about it, the workshop where he worked did not look like the best place of all to develop his skills in engineering, and the ventilation shafts brought a cold brush of metallic air into the underground room.

"I don't think he is ill or anything of that sort, my daughter…" Her father chimed in from the side, his arms crossed while a knowing smirk on his lips.

Why? She did not know….

She rubbed her chin in deep thought. "I..I don't think I quite understand.."

The smile grew wider. "Ah, nothing to serious I am afraid. I think he was just a little bit smitten by the pretty lady in question.…"

Charlotte blinked confused. Smitten..? What that had to do with Mr Lucas stuttering just at the though of that person? It made no sense..

Then a thought dawned on her...what other use did the words smite on a sentence had than-.. "Wait, she hit you..?" She asked half incredulous half worried as her mind connected the dots.

Mistakenly of of course.

Though how could she know?

In her mind it was what now seemed to echo as the most logical thing.

Charlotte did not want to believe that though..., in fact the idea could have been beyond preposterous..., still, wasn't the role of a journalist to consider all options before finding the truth? Perhaps the stuttering did not came because of some sort of sickness, but actual fear of been bullied by "that person"?

Saying good things and lauding her actions could have been a way for Lucas to divert attention from the problem he was now trapped in. Yeah, just like those stories her father liked to read her to sleep. Of evil masterminds scheming in the background only to be discovered and stopped by valiant and intelligent detectives.

To be true it would both saddened her and angered her a bit though. Especially when she had started to think that Lucas new friend could be someone she could talk to if he thought so highly of her.

Somewhere far, far away from Fontaine...a certain Knave found herself sneezing time and time again, not really understanding why she had a strange feeling someone was talking about her.

Unbeknown of what she was about to do and taking a step forward, Charlotte put a hand on her chest while with the other she pointed at the ceiling, a look of determination in her emerald eyes.

"Mr Lucas, if that angel came here to bully you I Charlotte swear that I will do my utmost to help you bring her to justice!"

For a journalist always sought to bring the truth to the light, no matter who or what they faced. Or at least that was what her father told her someone in their line of work should always strive to be.

Still, surely now, with her encouraging words Mr Lucas would be less apprehensive of that angel and he would tell them more of what happened. What did not expect was for her father to fall on his ass laughing hysterically while Lucas brought his hands to his face both in exasperation and embarrassment.

"Oh archons….she thinks….ahahahahhahaha, she things your angel...huehuehue...she thinks she is...oh god this is too much for little old me"

"Charlotte!? Why would yo- She would never-Gala could you stop misleading little Charlotte like this for just FIVE minutes!?"

"S-sorry, sorry…. I could not help myself...she is just so blunt"

Barely breathed out her father between coughs, but with the wry smile on his lips and the fact that he was still chuckling under his teeth it did not seem that he was that sorry in the first place.

Still…

That did not explain why the two had reacted that way, baffled beyond measure.

Charlottes mind went into overdrive. Had she made a mistake..? No, that could not be! Her reasoning was sound…. but then how? How was this the reaction she received when it was the complete opposite she was expecting?

Perhaps….she had misunderstood something?

The thought made her blush into a pinker hue than her own hair, and so, she hurriedly turned around towards her fathers form, trying to find some sort of comfort or answer from him…...however the only thing that she found was the mischievous smile on his lips adding to a comical thumbs up sent her way.

"Don't worry Charl, when you get older you will understand…"

[Really dad? Urgh…] She could not help herself but pout at those dismissing words she heard way too many times for her liking.

"Why do I have the feeling that you are having fun at my expense...?"

"If I told you it would ruin the surprise..." Was the sly reply of her father before he started ruffling her hair with his hand much to her chagrin and embarrassment.

She really hated when he did that without warning.

"D-Dad..! I-I am not a kid any-more!"

"I am afraid that five doesn't scream much of maturity, my daughter..." He said as he finally stood up from the ground. "Anyway, I suppose I should thank her for helping you out of that room. Does she work here, Lucas?"

"No, she was visiting….in fact, she came to see me a few days ago."

"She is a friend of yours then..?" She asked.

"No...but yes?"

Charlotte blinked

How could one person be someone's friend and not at the same time..? How was that even possible..?

Unless Lucas was making a jest….which would be strange she could not come to a reasonable explanation as to what he could mean. The bafflement she felt at trying to understand what her friend had just said must have shown on her face because she felt Lucas place a hand on her shoulder. Squeezing it gently.

"What I mean is that she is my new backer…..can I consider my angel a friend? Feels….weird saying it out-loud.., but perhaps that is what we are now.."

Normally Charlotte would have poked a little more about what he meant by that as she felt that his tone grew a little more softer...and hopeful at the end.

However there was a different thing that caught her attention first.

"A backer? Dad, what does that mean..?"

"It means that she is financing Lucas's workshop and any of his expenses"

Her eyes widened in a rather childish manner. "Oh? OH! That its so great…does this mean that Mr Lucas will be able to do the things he wanted instead of worrying about those things any-more, right?"

The lack of funds had always been something the older man had lamented time and time again.

To think someone would

"Pretty much..." He answered with a weak nod….though she denoted that there was a far more sharper look in his eyes as she said those words.

It was an expression that told her that her father was in deep thought.

That something had not sit well to him.

"Dad? Is there something wrong..?"

"Its not that its bad….not at all, but it just feels that the timing of the events is a bit….convenient"

[Convenient..?]

Now that was a loaded word if there was one she thought to herself, looking at her father curious about how he had come to such conclusion. Sadly before she could inquire what he meant Lucas stepped forward into her line of view, hands clenched very tightly.

Yet trembling ever so slightly….

"P-preposterous, how could you say that about my saviour and muse!?"

"Lucas..."

"I would not be here talking you now without her dammit!"

Her father bit his lip, the fire that had been on his eyes dimming by a pained look of sorrow "Look, I am not saying she did wrong by helping you then, just that-"

He tried to speak up, but Lucas would not let him have it, raising his voice even louder.

"Hell, she did not need to stick around to encourage me to follow my dreams in the slightest, let alone fund them, but she did! She. Did..!"

"I KNOW...!"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU QUESTIONING HER MOTIVES..!?"

It was a brief yet intense moment of unease between the two men as they glared at each other for what felt an eternity. However their silent duel ended just ass fast as it came to be when Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose, the tension in his body growing lesser by the moment….

Though only to be replaced by a sense of tiredness.

"Come on Gala, because things happen at strange times does not mean that there is a conspiracy in the making.."

"My friend…. I was just saying what I feel…that does not make it reality. Perhaps I am wrong, who knows..."

A moment of silence brewed between the two after that, letting the words just spoken to slowly land around them. Only disturbed when Lucas shyly glared back at her father, his gaze devoid of the fire that had been there before.

"I know…."

"I know you do.."

Another moment of silence, one far more amiable than the one before.

"She is a good person..Gala.."

"I hope you are right, though once again….this is Fontaine we are talking about…"

A shadow of doubt crossed Lucas eyes at mention of those words, his lips closing into something akin to a tight cut carved on his face. The words muttered afterwards barely a whisper for them to hear.

"You don't have to remind me..."

"Perhaps... we could meet her..?"

..

..

..

"Charlotte?"

"Yes?"

"Could you repeat that again…?"

"Eh…..I...we could meet her?" She muttered again...though with a bit of confusion about said request

Both men looked at each other for a moment, none saying a word yet it felt they were having a conversation which none but them was privy to. However, it would not be long before they looked back at her.

"Why did you came across that idea, dear?"

Could she said that she had just wanted them to stop arguing? Probably not…so she said the next best thing she could.

"I mean….Mr Lucas said a lot of good things about her m-friend? Perhaps we could meet her and all of your worries could be put at ease, don't you think father?"

It would also satisfy her curiosity in the process...though that went unsaid

"Hm….a direct approach. Not my first choice if I am honest…".

"Dad.."

"But I do like your spirit.."

"Charlotte.."

"If Mr Lucas trusts her, then I trust her… and perhaps she likes photography...there could be so many things I could ask her.."

When had she started liking photography. Did she like rustic, more nature shaped frames, or perhaps she had an inclination for city-life like impressions..? What kind of Kamera she had been using for her work? Was she another reporter, or perhaps she was an enthusiast? There were so many things she could ask..that she did not know where to start with if given the chance.

Once again...a certain Knave wondered if she had caught a cold by the amount of sneezes that were happening.

"So you just want to compare notes, dear? How devious of you..."

"Dad..! I-its nothing like that..I-"

"Anyway, my daughter is right. Its a good way to clean up the air. So..when can we meet her, you know something about it Lucas?"

"I don't know..?"

"You..don't?"

"I don't carry her itinerary alright…!"

[Well, that was disappointing.]

"Though I did hear that she was gonna attend the inauguration of the new Aquabus line.."

[Oh?]

"The one the Spina Dirazula made?"

"Do you know of another one in the works that its going to have an opening speech for tomorrow...?"

"Fair enough..."

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A/N

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And here I wrap up the chapter, had to cut it as-well because I was getting tired of how large it was getting. This was mostly Charlotte and Lucas centric, next one that its 4 k already written will be the other part of Crucabena/ Fatui centric...with a lot of violence.

Anyway, I hope you like it and comment on it what you liked the most or your theories.

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The moment when Callas meets Crucabena its getting closer and closer.

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I may edit the chapter if I don't feel satisfied with it though.

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Villiam McDiavel : Yeah, in a scale from bad to worse the numbers do seem to check up nicely, though I do admit that planing to use for a deadly experiment a little girl that you have seen grow with your own eyes as the years pass is a special kind of evil. Those three are going to appear on the story so I wanted to know in what order they should appear. Thanks for your input :)

DDDXXX : We all do…..luckily genshin has a rather large amount of girls our dear skull dented knave could throw herself at.

Grifman275 : "This council of Crucabenas reminds me of the multiple minds from Kumo Desu Ga." Yeah, I took that as an inspiration if only to put a little more humor to the story as-well as another reference for someone to pick up on.

"Also, dang she gonna use arle to make bank off black jack and poker. " Looking at the clothes Arlecchino has when she does her second boss phase it would not be out of place to imagine her going at casinos at night with those cool gorgeous looks, I swear it that its going to be my new headcannon!

"And she somehow unintentionally flirts with the maid, truly she has the potential for harem protagonist. She will become the Harem Archon " Not even the Heavenly principles will be safe from her reach huehuehue...!

"Also, I have a feeling she gonna make Clervie and Arle go "Moe Moe Kyun~" At this pace Crucabena may make a maid festival inside the Hearth if only to recreate that and when the other harbingers ask she will say "its all part of the plan"

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Quick question

Perhaps it is a bit to soon before our dear Crucabena decides to take such a decision, but among the Harbingers who would be a good pick to ask for help if she wanted to make a better future for the children at the Hearth? I have seen so many memes of Capitano as the silent good uncle, but would like to hear your thoughts.