#mywritings

You sat with your chin resting in your hands and your elbows braced on your knees by the side of the pool. Watching Jade and Floyd swim around lazily as you let your thoughts idly drift.

There were a great many things you were curious about when it came to the lives of Azul, Jade, and Floyd in general and, more specifically, pertaining to their status as merpeople. And while there were some of those questions that you were comfortable asking, there were also those you were more wary of. Like the Leech family business that the tweels had alluded to in the past.

It was always possible that Jade and Floyd were just messing with you, or that you were overly reading into some of the things they’d said. But it was also just as possible that both they and their family were into some seriously shady stuff. After all, all three of the young men from the sea certainly didn’t have very many if any qualms about delving into more shady work.

Which was why you didn’t ask even if you were curious. There were some things you were probably better off just leaving be. And if it did become important, you were confident they would let you know. 

But, by the same token, there were also random inane questions you’d find yourself posing. Often to the amusement of all three of them.

Which was probably why you found yourself tilting your head at Jade, your mere look causing both him and his brother to look your way with matching amused expressions. As if they were fully expecting you to question them. And you did not disappoint.

“Does it hurt when you switch between your mer-form and land-form?”

Azul looked up from his book, an utterly confused frown on his face as he looked your way, “What on earth would make you think that, Angelfish?”

You lifted your shoulders in a vague shrug, glancing his way as you spoke, “It’s just something I’ve wondered about for a little while now. After all, you are switching from tail and/or tentacles to legs, or vice versa.”

Jade rested his arms on the side of the pool where he’d swam over while Floyd continued to swirl through the water in an oddly thoughtful fashion, “It doesn’t hurt, no.” He paused, a smile curving across his face in a perfectly cruel fashion before he continued, “Though I have read that if the transformation were to be forced upon you by another it might.”

Azul let out a hum, glancing back down at his book and flipping a page as he nodded in an almost absent-minded fashion, “Yes, I think the original potions could lead to some unpleasant side effects as well.”

He paused, glancing your way with a distinctly wheedling smile before continuing, “Of course, if you truly are curious, I could make a potion and you could see for yourself.”

Your nose wrinkled almost immediately and Floyd let out a snicker, “You don’t wanna play underwater with us, Shrimpy?”

There was a lilt to his voice that almost made you snort. But you could already picture him harassing you if you ever did actually try such a thing.

Though, even with that in mind, you couldn’t deny that a small part of you was tempted. After all, breathing underwater and being a merperson… It was like something right out of a youthful fantasy or a fairytale.

Still, you shook your head with a slight smile. Waving your hand vaguely as you glanced over at Floyd, “I was just thinking about the price that would probably be attached to that.”

Jude chuckled slightly even as he nodded, not actually denying your words to your mild surprise, glancing pointedly towards Azul as he spoke, “Some of the ingredients are quite expensive….”

He trailed off, and Azul didn’t miss his opening for even a second as he closed his book with a quiet snap. Offering you one of his very best business smiles as he gestured airly to the side, “But can you really put a price on such an experience?”

You outright snorted that time, almost shaking your head at their antics even as Azul’s smile softened before he continued in a distinctly indulgent tone, “Keep it in mind, Angelfish. For you, my doors are always open.”

“Yeah, we’ll take good care of you, Shrimpy," Floyd winked as he spoke, and you could feel yourself smiling even despite yourself. Because leave it to these three to find an angle where they could pitch a deal.

But even knowing that, you nodded slightly. Smiling at all three of them as you tilted your head, “Thanks guys.”

So, real quick, the commedia dell’arte is a very early form of professional theatre, that involved specific stock character roles which are largely reflected by the Fatui harbingers via their titles/codenames. Notably, the story of these plays always revolves around two actors that are not reflected by the Harbingers, the Innamorati (lovers), whom the story follows. Our Harbingers are found within the other three classes of actors though. The Zanni, which are the lower class (the harbingers from this group are Pierro, Pulcinella, Scaramouche, Tartaglia, Arlecchino, and Columbina); the Vecchi, which are often wealth and/or older characters (Pantalone and Dottore); and the Il Capitano, who are self-styled captains and braggarts (Capitano himself, La Signora, and sometimes the Scaramouche character). 

Our Tartaglia, also known as Childe or by his actual name, Ajax, is Rank 11 within the Fatui Harbingers. Within the commedia dell’arte the Tartaglia character is typically placed in the same area as the characters who have a higher high social status (The Vecchi) along with Pantalone and Dottore, or as a variant of the Innamorato (male lover) of the story. His precise social status can range from low, middle, to high income with his occupation and role within the story, though he is frequently a salesman. The Tartaglia character is also often far-sighted and has a minor stutter. This stutter often results in him being quick to anger as he also often has a large number of lines arranged so that he is frequently giving long speeches that he stumbles through. One of his primary emotions, in his most basic role, is that of frustration. Interestingly, the Tartaglia character is often put in a group with the Scaramouche and Pulcinella characters as being notably Neapolitan in terms of his character’s mask style.

In regards to other levels of characterization, when placed in a more important role such as the Innamorato, the Tartaglia character is often socially awkward and may even have a lack of confidence. He is also sometimes a bumbling character and, in some cases, his bumbling serves to get in the way of the Innamorati in some way whether he is the Innamorato or a side character.

It is worth noting that, for the most part, the Tartaglia character appears to fill roles as he is needed. Sometimes replacing the Il Dottore, as a secondary older man to Pantalone’s Vecchi role, the male Innamorato to the female Innamorata, or simply as a bit of a gag character for added comedy to the story.

The Genshin Impact Tartaglia is probably the Harbinger that differs the most from his commedia dell’arte stock character, though this is not to say that he doesn’t share some similarities. Our Tartaglia doesn’t really have a stutter, which is arguably the most notable aspect of the stock character. He does, however, feign being a salesman and can be somewhat bumbling, as noted in the way he has created some messes for the Fatui (i.e. his behavior in the Liyue and even the Fontaine archon quests). Similarly, he has quite the temper when things do not go according to plan for him, as shown in the Liyue archon quest.

It is feasible that he is filling a more Innamorato (male lover) role, but this is rather doubtful due to the notable lack of any Innamorata (female lover) character to go with him. As such, it is difficult to make any predictions about our Tartaglia’s storyline or place within the Fatui or overarching plot of the game based on his corresponding stock character. Nonetheless, it is worth mentioning that he could be acting as somewhat of a gag/side character in the way he keeps showing up all over Teyvat and is arguably the reason most of the Harbingers know so much about Traveler since he seemingly won’t stop talking about them. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that he is largely portrayed to be sympathetic, if mildly problematic, within the Genshin storyline in regard to the Traveler and thereby the audience’s perspective.