Pantalones Paragon

A week had passed since Dottore had presented the man with a violin he'd made himself, leaving Pantalone pleasantly shocked and feeling a fluttering sensation in his chest, close to his heart. He would never have dared to imagine that Zandik would give him something like this, something that sent a pleasant chill through his veins.

Zandik missed another meeting, which made Dealer slightly concerned for the man's well-being, as he was well aware that the Second Harbinger was leading... not the most beneficial lifestyle. Especially considering he was always locked in his laboratory, where real chaos was going on behind closed doors. The crisp click of heels on the snow-white tiles echoed deafeningly throughout Dottore's laboratory. It was always so dark there... But Pantalone was used to it. Used to Zandik's peculiar habits.

Pantalone seemed to have explored every room except the small closet that served as Dottore's bedroom: a small sofa in the corner, a couple of cabinets with bottles and work clothes, a full-length mirror, and a desk perpetually cluttered with all sorts of documents containing delusional ideas. He carefully approached the sofa, examining the sleeping face, which he had seen many times before. It was chilly here, even for a living room, so covering Dottore with the small blanket lying on the back of the sofa seemed necessary.

— "I think Pierrot won't be mad if we miss a couple of Harbinger meetings."

He sighed, adjusting his glasses and looking around the small room, noticing a streak of red light coming from under the next door. Dottore never allowed anyone in there, not regular people, not his own segments, not even Pantalone. To Pantalone's surprise. Usually, they trusted him completely. But now... curiosity got the better of him, causing him to take a few steps, opening the door slightly.

• "Oh... what stupidity..." - a smile and slight embarrassment immediately appeared on his face, burying his fingers in his own hair.

The whole room was littered with a multitude of unfinished violins and drawings of them.