❛ underestimate me. that’ll be fun. ❜ from pantalone!
Bankers, merchants, actors, politicians. What did all of them were good at? Pretending, keeping a low profile, lying like they breathed (naturally). It fits him, it fits every single Harbinger aside from Tartaglia perhaps. The way they have to hide away the truth of their dangerousness, but Zarina isn’t a fool either. Her loss as the rebellion’s leader was a lesson learned and underestimating anyone would simply cost her life, not even her plan. Though, she still had things to do instead of just dying. Stubbornly, she would continue to push forward and not back down and let her life slip away. It’s already limited, it’s already shorter than anyone’s, it’s already ticking away with each second. Pantalone’s presence is one that cannot be discarded, but she isn’t here as the “Ashen Hawk” or as the “Beast of Snezhnaya”. Does he even recognize her? Does he even know whos he is? Her sources told her who he is, but what did he know about who she is? It was fun to guess and play around, not letting another step be taken on the wrong path. Thus, she remains the ever-vigilant and charismatic secretary of the theater in Mondstadt and current as the representative of a union for her friend was unable to make it. Hah, more like they put her in this uncomfortable position. Maybe they were a traitor and she needed to keep them on a tighter leash.
“ Why should I? You’ve been in business long enough to know how it all works, don’t you? People like you and I are the ones one cannot underestimate no matter how innocent of a sheep you might look, but, ah... Are you not a snake? ” The woman chuckles as she leans back against the back of the couch. In one hand she holds a cigar, already lighted up by one of the attending servants. They quickly do what is asked of them, taught very well and working without missing a beat. The smell of smoke and mint fills the air around her as she brings the cigar to herself, breathing in the smoke and letting it dance upon exhale when she was done. Being surrounded in this grey dissipating smoke, with eyes shining gold and her luxurious yet still pragmatic clothes that hid away her body type aside from her height, Sokolova smiled as she continues, professionalism standing upfront. “ Just like all of us here, if you’ve been able to climb so high, you cannot be underestimated at any cost, dear friend. We are all here to prosper, aren’t we? Even if it means breaking a few spines on our ascension towards enlightenment within the sphere of prosperity. ”
Meaningfully, she looks at him and smirks without any hint of showing what she was feeling. This was a game she could play as any other. The woman who felt Death’s kiss and still remained alive. Death no longer scared her, no limitations were forcing her to remain a human and to look back, life now was just how many more things she could turn more chaotic so it would surely flip upside down. The Harbingers were a unique, terrifying bunch. They were chosen for a reason. Pantalone was one of Tsaritsa’s trusted generals, she’d be a fucking dumbass to underestimate him at any point. Even if he didn’t know who she was or even if he knew whos he was. No matter what, underestimating him would cost a few heads. A sacrifice she isn’t willing to make on her side, but the one who forced her here? Oh, he could lose those few heads for being a coward. After all, who was sitting before her if not one of the most poisonous snakes in all of Teyvat just like Ningguang? This smile, this attitude, this strength of eyes, this posture. Everything about his spoke of how well he held himself and who is she to deny seeing such obvious showcases of pure strength and power? Authority was seeping through his polite cracks, the smile was that one crack that let the blood drip through. Metaphorically, of course.
“ Let’s not start a fight in this little office, yeah? My friend, ” once again, she uses that combination of words. It’s all intentional, it’s all spoken in a laid-back yet teasing manner. “ I am no fool to underestimate someone who can and will stab me in the back. You’ve got that look in ya. So, let’s drop the pleasantries and speak about what you’re really here for? ” Her smile doesn’t disappear. Does she mean business or something else? It’s all to be decided later on.