Chapter 37: Motherly Plots (Pt.2)

Freminet... Shit. They are onto me again. Or did they not give up after the adoption went through? Thought Carman as he processed what Livre had said.

I was stupid to assume that just because Ryuzu hadn't been sensing them around us when we went out that they wouldn't still be keeping tabs on me. They probably bribed officials to get me to fall into their custody when Livre was blown up by that toy... That doesn't seem like Arlecchino's MO, so that means the previous Knave is probably still in charge. Things could get messy....

Looking around the workshop, Carman pondered a few designs, he needed to make sure Livre remained safe if The Hearth took another attempt at his life. First though he needed to help Livre revise the power core of the toy. They still needed to fulfill the commission otherwise Livre could be charged for breach of contract which would be highly detrimental to his developing shop.

However the original power core in the design gave Carman an idea. Using some extra paper, He scribbled down the power core on its own and then added some other features next to it. At the top he scrawled "Annihilation Bomb," once he built some he knew the perfect test subject.

It took half an hour to tweak the design to ensure that they toy would not explode. A combination of Cryosteel and oil containing ground up electro crystals which would cause a small Superconduction reaction when the oil was brought to its boiling point.

After finishing the design, they had to leave as Livre had purchased tickets for a performance that would be presented at the Opera Epiclese. The name of the play was "Dévotion D'un Cœur Froid," or in English "Devotion from a Cold Heart." Which was an odd name but Carman didn't question it, Fontaine was known for its plays, sometimes they were based on real life events, others were inspired by books the play writers had read.

As Livre lead them to the Opera Epiclese and they submitted their tickets to the person checking people in, a sense of forboding was in the air for Carman. He could sense a presence. It wasn't as strong as Neuvillette's but it was still leagues stronger than what he could deal with. As Carman walked into the theater to get seated, he realized that it wasn't one presence but two. However one was stronger and had concealed the other. The stronger presence was saturated with the Hydro element, whereas the weaker one was filled with one Carman couldn't quite identify.

The weaker presence's element was similar to Pyro, very close in fact, but there was something different underlying it. It was like it came from a different source or fed off of a different fuel than the rest of the Pyro energy he had felt, which didn't make much sense...

Switching to his elemental sense to sight, he looked around to see where the aura was originating from, to find two figures one was a tall woman and the other was a young teenager. The woman was colored a dark blue, and the hydro energy around her rippled in unsettling ways. The teen next to her glowed a dark red, flames the color of coagulated blood, with whisps of black swirling within.

Those flames. Thats....Arlecchino. that older lady, she's unfamiliar. Switching off his elemental sight he looked at them with his regular sight. He looked at the older lady and he looked at her he slowly recognized her, he looked away frequently, pretending just to be a boy excited by his first visit to the Opera House.

There is no doubt, that lady is the previous Knave. It's odd seeing Arlecchino as a teenager. But she is largely the same, deadpan as usual, and wearing monochrome. We need to be careful.

Putting his hand into his pockets Carman walked with Ryuzu and Livre, putting on a polite smile.

As they say down Carman breathed a sigh or relief that they were on the opposite side of the theater from the House of the Hearth. He felt that one of both of them had been staring at him as he turned his back to walk with Ryuzu and Livre.

Livre rubbed his hands together, "Phew, is it just me or was there a draft just now. My body just went cold for a second."

"I sensed no fluctuation in the ambient air temperature. If you are feeling sudden cold spells, I suggest you seek advice from a medical practitioner." Said Ryuzu.

"She the play is about to start, please discuss your medical maladies in another time and place." Said one of the people behind them.

Livre apologized for the disturbance, and shushed Ryuzu and Carman, "their right the play should start in a couple minutes, hang tight guys it should be interesting apparently this was inspired by rumors that have been going around."

"What rumors?" Asked Carman as he glanced towards Ryuzu while feeling a sense of forboding different from the one he got from the Knave(s).

"Well apparently there are two mysterious individuals that have been destroying criminal bases around Fontaine as of late. They have attackedany synthe dealers' dens and destroyed their stock, they also raided several hideouts where kidnapped people were being held, and freed the victims." Said Livre, his statement only increasing the dread Carman felt," from what eye witnesses have stated, one of these individuals, has come to be known as "The Brass Wraith" as it seems to be a haunted Gardemek that while it doesn't kill anyone, it brutalizes criminals as though it has a personal vendetta against them. The other is called "The Pale Lady" and is an ethereal lady with white hair, her face obscured by a veil. She is almost like a ghost with how she can suddenly appear and disappear as though she was one with the wind. Neither of the individuals seem to have visions, but have trounced mercenaries weilding visions with relative ease."

Carman did his best not to betray anything from his facial expression. Sure he and Ryuzu had been going out on nightly raids against Vasher's underlings for a few months now, but that surely wasn't enough time to write a whole play and cast people to perform it.

"A haunted Gardemek you say, how interesting..." Said Carman keeping his voice level as he sat back down on his seat and fixed his sight onto the stage.

[Two hours later...]

It had been a mildly interesting play, somehow the play writers had interpreted the actions of the Brass Wraith as revenge or actions of devotion to a young lady it had been constructed to protect.

The play started with a large Gardemek being presented to a young noble lady, a time lapse of the time it had served her, the writers hinting that the time they spent together, with the young lady treating it with kindness had allowed it to form a small sense of consciousness.

When the young lady turned 16 she was kidnapped, and the Gardemek went out to find her. It searched for a long time, but when it did find her, she had long been abused by another nobleman who had bought her from a band of criminals, and she perished in the Gardemek's arms.

The Gardemek, in a grief fueled rage, killed ehe nobleman and burned down his mansion. It carried her to her family's estate and left on its own, looking for a place to deactivate where nobody would find it.

On the evening after, the Gardemek saw a pale reflection of it's kind master floating in the air, formed from moonlight. She pointed him to the den of criminals that had kidnapped her. Together they brought down the a large part of the criminal underground, eventually, the Gardemek's hardware was wearing out and it collapsed after setting off a grand fire to nobleman secretly supporting the criminal underground, as fire swept around the Gardemek, the pale lady paid it one last visit. She took its head into her arms and gave it a kiss on its metal faceplate. As it broke down, she pulled a glowing whisp from its chest and held it close to her as she flew upward into the night sky.

As the actors finished their bows another spotlight was lit, it moved from the stage to the highest seat in the Opera House. "Bravo, positivity delightful. The play was a truly touching interpretation of the rumors going about. It is a tale of profound loyalty, yet one that must not be mistaken for a call to vigilante justice."

A young looking lady wearing a dark blue ensemble, and a small top hat to go with it was sitting on the large seat delicately clapping her hands as she continued, "I feel it is important to remember, despite how nice a story it makes, vigilantism is a crime here in Fontaine, we have a justice system, the infallible Oratrice Mecanique D'Analyse Cardinale, and a Ludex who spends his free time rereading laws he has already reviewed hundreds of times. Please, should you fear that another of your fellow citizens have broken the law, report it to one of our many competent guards, nobody should take justice into their own hands."

After that, amongst murmers in the crowd of "Lady Furina," and "she's here," Furina twirled around and walked confidently through the doors behind her seat and left the theater.

It's odd seeing that in person, does nobody relize how over the top she acts? Or has it become normal after, nevermind, it would be stranger if people hadn't started to consider it normal after 500 years. Thought Carman as Livre, Ryuzu, and he stood up and filled out of the theater.

"Ah Mr. Lepaute, may I have a word?" A sudden female voice behind them caused the group to stop and turn around.

Feeling his as though his stomach had dropped to his feet, Carman turned around to face a pair of familiar faces, one with long pink hair and the other with short white hair with black streaks.

-To be continued