This will be a reaction stories where the characters will be watching Subaru's adventure in their world. Spoilers for the anime and the novels. These characters are Arc 5's characters. Season two will be in here along with Director's Cut season one and some OVAs.
Notes:
(See the end of the work for notes and other works inspired by this one.)
-x-X-x-
Chapter 1: Greetings
-x-X-x-
On the road to the Watergate City, Priestella, a carriage filled with many loud individuals blew past.
"Subaru! Stop treating Beako-chan like that!" A sweet voice sounded while holding a hint of amusement, faking a motherly tone.
A chuckle came out of another speaker, a black-haired boy holding a grumpy blonde girl in both arms. Grinning from ear to ear while the little girl pouted in angry while being held on his lap.
"Sorry, Emilia-tan~!" The boy chuckled while ruffling the blonde spirit's head. "I just want to give Beako all the attention she needs. I mean, we will be too busy gushing about once we reach the Watergate City itself. I wouldn't want to make this loli feel left out."
The little twin-tailed girl sitting on his lap huffed in anger and kicked her heel into his leg, crossing her arms. "You would be a horrible contractor if a mere grand city takes your attention off of Betty's cuteness, I suppose. Hmph!"
An angelic giggle filled the carriage as the silver-haired princess sitting across from Subaru held her hand to her mouth.
Her beautiful amethyst eyes were filled with amusement. Her smile wide as ever, showing how happy she was sitting with the boy and his spirit girl.
The black-haired young-man didn't notice the beautiful lady's gaze on him, the task of appeasing Beatrice's anger at the forefront of his mind.
"Come oooonnnnn, Beakoooooo!" Subaru whined exaggeratedly as he hugged the small girl tightly.
"Hmph! You're lucky Betty is the most gracious and noble-hearted spirit there ever was, I suppose. Make sure to please your spirit with more head pats until this trip is over, in fact." Beatrice contentedly held her head high as she was patted affectionately and delicately hugged by her doting idiot of a contractor.
Subaru looked at Emilia with an exaggerated look of exhaustion. "It's hard being such an awesome single father… If only I had a loving wife to help me~"
The half-elf simply chuckled and shook her head, aiming a smile of amusement at the boy. "You're such a silly kid, Subaru."
The boy held his chest in pain and began gasping on his seat. "Emilia-tan broke through my heart once again!" Subaru gasped, clenching his shirt in faked grief. "Only my Beako's awesome cuteness could help me now!" The boy moved to hug the elegant blonde once again. The spirit proudly held her head high and let herself be engulfed in his warm arms.
"That's right, I suppose." She mused proudly as she enjoyed Subaru's embrace.
"I'm glad you're treating Beako-chan well, Subaru. Spirits are like family. You should always treat them with love and care."
Subaru shook his head, a soft smile on his lips, gazing at Emilia with understanding eyes.
"You shouldn't deal with such a troubling situation alone, Emilia-tan." Subaru gazed softly at the lady, noticing how she flinched.
Emilia looked down with a saddened smile on her face.
"I...I guess that my mind wanders to what me and Puck used to do every time I look at you and Beako-chan." As Emilia looked down in shame and equal sadness, Beatrice took the opportunity to gloat once again.
"You should be jealous, infact. Bubby is a wonderful spirit but Betty and Subaru are the best, I suppos-EHHHH!"
"No gloating over heartbroken beautiful ladies, that's a rule we agreed upon, Beako." Subaru held his finger up with a look of disappointment and sternness as the small spirit agonized over her twin-tails being sprung once again.
"Don't do that, I suppose! Betty's contractor is allowed to touch her but when she allows it, infact!" The loli screamed in outrage while Subaru kept his fatherly frown for a moment before turning to the beautiful half-elf sitting silently infront of him.
"Emilia-tan."
Hearing her name called, the lady raised her eyes to meet the sharp, shining ones of her knight.
Subaru knelt before her seat and held her hand boldly, smiling confidently and gazing up at her with a reassuring gaze. "Don't worry, Emilia-tan."
The half-elf's eyes widened as her cheeks warmed up. She tried to resist the urge to turn away from the prince-like stance the boy had so suddenly taken.
"S-Subaru… I'm not sad at all… " The lady stuttered, embarrassed by this display of affection from her knight. She glanced away from him, her cheeks warm and her heart beating with increased speed.
"Emilia…. I know that you've been missing Puck ever since the Sanctuary. I know that you've been waiting patiently to get him back so you can scold him for being such a horrible dad… "
"That's… " Not wrong, she finished in her thoughts. For a moment, the lady could only hold a disappointed expression, her knight's words resonating with her own sentiments. Her spirit father wasn't as malevolent as she wished him to be… but he was still her Puck.
She needed him.
And Subaru understood that, he squeezed her hand tightly and gained her attention by smiling up at her.
Emilia felt his warmth and love through this action and could only smile back at him as she gazed into his sharp eyes.
"It's why we're here." Subaru softly assured the beautiful lady. "My heart burns every time Emilia-tan gazes at me and Beako with such saddened eyes."
Emilia's already red cheeks managed to heat up even more. Her heartbeat growing faster as the boy delivered his charming words.
She was loved, cared for, and filled with warmth.
She could feel all of these emotions as Subaru held her hand and gave her his signature smile. A smile she adored so much.
"You're both idiots, I suppose." The knight and his mistress both looked startled as the loli gazed at them with clear annoyance.
"Why should we waste time about this, I wonder? We're already going to the Watergate City so we could bring Bubby back, I suppose. There's no need to be worried this much, infact."
As the small spirit turned her head away with a pout, Subaru and Emilia grinned simultaneously, giving each other looks of understanding.
The clearly agitated Beatrice wasn't expecting the two idiots to jump behind her and wrap their arms around her at the same time.
"EHHHHH?! WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING, I SUPPOSE?!" Beatrice shrieked as Emilia and Subaru held her in their arms.
"Beako is sooo cute!" Emilia cooed teasingly while Subaru rubbed his cheek against the spirit's.
"I'm sorry I didn't notice you being left out! I promise to give you more attention, Beako!"
"GET OFF OF ME BOTH OF YOU!" The poor loli tried to free herself from the cruel pair's arms.
Emilia and Subaru giggled childishly as they both held the girl tightly.
"I see you're all having fun."
The three occupants of the carriage looked up towards the speaker, finding a smiling gray-haired boy, looking inside of the carriage from the front.
"How're things going, Otto? We there yet?" Subaru asked lightly while standing up from his seat beside Emilia and his spirit.
The merchant smiled brightly, about to answer his best friend's question.
"Oi, Cap'n! Our trip is almost ov'r! Sorry to stop yer moment with yar lady and child." A blonde young man with sharp, beastly teeth smirked mischievously, pushing away a protesting Otto.
"What did you say?! How dare you call Betty a child, I suppose?!"
"I—It's not nice to tease people, Garfiel-kun!"
Ignoring the pouting ladies beside him —and trying to hide a blush of his own- Subaru coughed into his fist and grinned at his little brother.
"Thanks a bunch, Garf!"
The blonde tiger boy nodded and gave one last smirk towards his cap'n before closing the carriage's window.
Subaru glanced at the two ladies…
"Oh come on! I didn't do anything to deserve such looks!"
~~~~~Staaaaarreeeeeeeee~~~~~~
He was met with two angry-looking pouts from one half-elf and one spirit girl that was sitting on said elf's lap.
"You're a baaad knight, Subaru!"
"What a worthless contractor you are."
The boy could do nothing but fall to his knees in shock and despair.
"No…. Please…. I can still change!" Despite his desperate pleas, Subaru was only met with two 'Hmphs' as Emilia held Beatrice in her arms and turned her head away from the perv. Beatrice did the same, looking like a child who was imitating her mother.
Subaru could only fall to his knees and look at the floor in anguish. He had lost the respect of both the girl he loved and the little loli he cherished so much.
He trembled on the carriage floor for a second, seemingly containing the pain before holding his stomach as he fell into hysteric laughter.
Emilia and Beatrice looked down at the rolling boy with deadpan faces.
"Dummy."
"Useless, I suppose."
With fond smiles, the two ladies watched him roll on the floor because of his practical joke.
After a few seconds, Subaru calmed down and stood up with a confident grin on his face.
Emilia and Beako looked up at him, the former smiling back as if his confidence and joy were contagious to her own.
"It'll be fine, Emilia-tan." Subaru softly spoke with his charming grin in place. "We will meet with Anastasia-sama and get you that spirit stone. All we have to do after that is easy."
"What if they don't have that kind of stone we need-"
"Don't talk like that!" Subaru interrupted Emilia with a stern look. The half-elf smiled slightly as she watched her favorite antic in Subaru play right when she needed it.
"Puck is waiting for us, waiting for you. Anastasia-sama is no liar. Even though I don't know how she managed to find out we needed a stone like that. But she still knows how great of a spirit Puck is. So, she has to have a stone powerful enough with her. And if she decides to overcharge us…. "
Subaru stopped talking for a moment and looked at the closed carriage window… He turned back to the confused Emilia and Beatrice with a degenerate grin.
"That's why we have Otto with us." Subaru whispered to the two with a wink placed at the end for good measure.
Suddenly, the window opened up, startling everyone in the carriage.
A smug looking Otto pointed at Subaru confidently. "I heard that!"
"No, you didn't hear anything!" Subaru denied brashly, crossing his arms and looking away from his friend.
The merchant—turned—minister smirked darkly at Subaru and laughed. "You do know how useful I am!"
"No, we just brought you here to drive the carriage and have someone to keep Garf company, that's all." Subaru nodded his head, maintaining a stern gaze.
Otto didn't even bother listening to Subaru's denial as he held his head high. "If that's what Natsuki-san expects of his dearest friend, I'm willing to try my best."
Subaru shook his head but grinned fondly at the bantering merchant infront of him.
"Thanks a lot for your help, Otto-kun." Emilia gave a sweet smile filled with gratitude towards the merchant.
Otto blushed underneath the grateful gaze of Emilia's amethyst eyes. "O-Of course, Emilia-sama! I would always do my best to help your camp."
A black-haired boy growled childishly. His eyes filled with unbounded hatred and envy at the two's interaction. His fists trembling.
"Otto… You are my enemy now."
Emilia and Beatrice giggled as Otto blew a raspberry at the scowling Subaru.
"Cap'n!"
The atmosphere suddenly changed as Subaru quickly dropped his fake scowl and ran towards the window.
"What's going on out there, Garf?!" Shouting in distress, Subaru climbed out of the window with a sharp look on his face.
Emilia quickly clutched Beatrice tightly and held on to an armrest as the carriage suddenly stopped to a halt.
"KRAAAAAAAAAAA!" The black dragon pulling the carriage dug her legs into the dirt in an attempt to make a sudden stop and growled at something outside.
"S-Subaru! What's going on?!" Emilia shouted as she held on to the chair. The cart was suddenly filled with a bright light and a voice so loud and clear that it seemed to come from within her head.
Time, Sage candidate?
Is it really that time again?
"What…. "
Emilia could only whisper in shock and confusion not understanding the voice's words. Who was a sage candidate? Why were they talking to her?
Before she could question herself more, the light grew brighter, as if covering her entire world in blank white.
"Cap'n! I can't see shit!"
"Natsuki-san, hold on!"
"What's happening, I suppose?!"
"KYAAAAAAAA!"
As the bright light filled the carriage. Emilia could only hear the screams of her friends and fellow members of her camp as they were attacked by something outside of the cart.
Even though the situation should have evoked some amount of fear in her, the half-elf could only feel a slight warmth washing over her. It was as if the cold air blowing past the divinely protected cart had suddenly turned into a warm summer breeze.
She was protected and safe, unafraid of this confusing turn of events.
Suddenly, the light dissipated from around her, freeing her from the white empty world.
Opening her eyes, Emilia looked around her with a bewildered expression.
"Wha…?!"
The silver-haired girl looked around her with an expression of complete bafflement and confusion. "How did we get to such a place?" She wondered as she gazed at her fallen friends and the new world they appeared to have dropped in.
Around her, was a closed-off room with no doors or windows. Rows of comfortable expensive-looking chairs filled the room from beginning to end. It seemed that Emilia and her camp were dropped right in the front row while the rest of the room laid behind them. However, their eyes were far more focused on a strange object embedded in the giant wall before them.
An illuminating light broke through the darkroom from within the palatial window placed inside of the wall.
Emilia slowly turned around. Confusion and fear filled her face as she gazed at the rows of seats behind her.
Her mouth agape from shock, she could do naught but stare at the appearances before her.
"Ta' fuck is happening, my amazin' selfs wasn't in here!" A blonde gruff-looking kid shouted in fury as he looked around frantically in confusion.
"Calm down Garfiel-san!" Otto voiced in concern as he stood up from the floor and placed a hand over his panicking friend's shoulder.
The two boys looked over the rest of the room with shock and surprise, noticing what the half-elf sitting beside them had, seconds ago.
There were many other factions present in the room. Garfiel didn't know any of these weird looking bunch but his sight was quickly drawn towards a faint light at the very back of the room.
The small presence of the light vaporized, revealing a person sitting in its place. A person Garfiel knew all too well and was shocked to see.
"Ram!?" The boy shouted his surprise, shocking Emilia and Otto as they looked up at the last row.
Finding a pink-haired girl in a maid uniform, looking around in confusion and puzzlement.
"What's the meaning of this?!" Ram growled out as she noticed a bunch of other occupants sitting around her as well as her own camp sitting right in the front row below her, she didn't know how…. but she blamed that black-haired buffoon for this one.
As she looked around some more, trying to see if there were any other people in this room with whom she was acquainted, she noticed a faint light ball appearing beside her for an instant before vanishing into the air and leaving a person sitting in its place.
A person she was very well acquainted with;
"Roswaal-sama?!" Ram uttered in shock as she witnessed her master appearing right beside her in this strange place in a matter of seconds.
The colorfully dressed man with clown makeup on his face simply blinked in utter disbelief as he took a moment to gaze around him. His expression transformed into a thin unreadable line as recognized the identities of all those around him.
"Now isn't this interestiiiiiiing…" Roswaal mused to himself. smiling softly at his shocked maid and glancing in the direction of his gathered camp sitting far away from him.
"It seems we've all been teleported agaaaaainst our will." The mage mused once more in a tone filled with excitement and wonder as he noticed the other occupants that filled the seats of the room other than the members of his camp.
Other than the Emilia camp, it seemed that all four other royal selection candidates and some of their trusted allies were seated in the room with a seating arrangement that placed each faction away from one another.
Some of these people looked bored to be here, he noted as he scanned everybody sitting before him.
Emilia noted Ram and her sponsor's presence in the same room and moved on to look at the person sitting behind her.
The half-elf couldn't believe her eyes.
"Felt-chan? You're here as well?" Besides the overwhelming sense of happiness at seeing the little blonde who had been once a thorn at her side before her, Emilia couldn't hide her extreme bafflement and little understanding of the situation.
The little scarlet-eyed blonde seemed to have taken a much more laid back approach than the silver-haired girl as Felt met Emilia with a confident smile and a welcoming wave.
"Hey, Big sis! Glad to see ya safe and sound." The blonde anarchist smirked cheekily as she greeted her big sis.
Emilia shook her head softly and smiled towards the small candidate, happiness for their reunion settling in once again. "Glad to see you're doing fine as well, Felt-chan. I hope you haven't been stealing anything lately."
The blonde winced and narrowed her eyes at the teasing lady. "Oh come on! I apologized for that didn't I?! And besides, I got this shitty job at the selection nonsense because of my crime so consider it punishment enough."
Emilia softly chuckled as she turned from the blushing Felt towards the person sitting right beside her. A dashing red-haired young man dressed in the uniform of the royal guard sat beside the little girl wearing a charming smile that filled the area around him with an aura of comfort and overwhelming calm.
The young knight swiftly bowed his head towards the half-elf and held a hand to his chest in respect for her position.
"It's a pleasure to meet with you once more, lady Emilia-sama. I'm glad to see you safe and sound since our last reunion."
Emilia smiled warmly at the man as her panic calmed and her fears were halted in his presence. "It's very nice to see you too, Reinhard-sama. I'm glad you're fine as well."
"You shouldn't hold me as if I'm your equal by that honorific, lady Emilia. I am but a mere knight in service to my queen's kingdom." The young man corrected gently with an apologetic smile. Felt rolled her eyes and Emilia shook her head at the young man.
Emilia's expression turned serious as she asked. "Did you guys get engulfed in-"
"A blinding light thingie that covered us and dropped us on these chairs here?" Felt cut into Emilia's sentence with a dry expression which surprised the half-elf. "Yea. We were taken away from the roads too."
Emilia glanced at Reinhard in surprise, the knight nodded his head in confirmation that this was indeed the truth.
"I couldn't find a way out of here no matter what I tried, my strength is useless and my entire armada of divine protections are useless, unfortunately."
Emilia widened her eyes in shock at this information. As fear began settling into her heart once more after finding out that the Sword Saint himself couldn't do a thing to help them escape. They would need something stronger than Reinhard's power… they were doomed.
Before Emilia could despair any further, a loud shriek sounded from beside her.
"Subaru, wake up, I suppose!"
Everyone turned their eyes towards the distressed twin-tailed girl as she shook a nasty-eyed boy's jacket frantically. Her eyes washed in worry and woe as the boy gave no indication to reply to her.
Emilia's eyes widened and she immediately jumped and ran towards them with her concern filling her expression as her heart ached in worry for the boy.
"Beako, What's wrong with Subaru?!" The silver-haired lady asked as she knelt and inspected the sleeping young man for any visible injuries.
Emilia quickly held his hand in hers and checked for a pulse. Relief overwhelmed her beating heart as she felt a small pulse from his wrist.
He was alive.
"He's not waking up, I suppose!"
Emilia and Beatrice gazed at the sleeping boy in alarm, worry overcoming them.
"Subaru…" Emilia called out innocently with a disheartened look. Softly shaking the boy with the hope that his stupor might stop and he might open his sharp nasty eyes once again. Her fear increased as she started shaking his shoulders harder with all of her might, concern, and horror overwhelming her as the boy didn't respond to any of her pleas.
"What's wrong with him?!"
"Natsuki-san!"
Garfiel and Otto both ran until they were beside Emilia and Beatrice. Looking at their brother with expressions of torment and panic.
As the four camp members huddled around Subaru's unconscious form, someone from behind the front row spoke calmly and soothingly towards them.
"Do not panic over Subaru-dono, he will be just fine." A whimsical fatherly voice spoke towards the distraught group.
Emilia and the rest looked up to see an elderly man wearing a neat tuxedo, his gray-hair folded to the back with warm, compassionate sharp blue eyes.
"Wilhelm-san? You're here as well?" Emilia asked in surprise, not fully taking in who else was in the room with her.
The tenacious looking man bowed his head in polite respect as he left the talking to the energetic demihuman boy wearing a skirt and sitting beside him.
"Heya! Don't worry about Natsuki-kyun he will be fyine!" The boy with kitten ears moved his hands in paw-like stances as he assured the group with a confident grin. Garfiel raised a brow at the boy's behavior, not understanding why he was acting like a boy, girl, cat, and a human at the same time.
Emilia's eyes roamed away from the well-known healer's form and towards the person sitting next to him. A green-haired lady with beautiful honey-colored irises wearing her signature blue uniform.
"Crusch-san..." Awkwardly and yet curiously, Emilia looked at the girl with sympathy and guilt.
Only she was surprised when the smile said girl gave back was unwaveringly confident.
"No need to be alarmed, Emilia-sama. It seems whoever brought us here managed to return my memories to me. I'm sure Natsuki Subaru-dono isn't awake for reasons that will be explained soon."
Emilia's eyes let up with happiness at the news and the confidence Crusch was showing with her answer. Not as warm and delicate as her amnesiac self but the confident and commanding lady that first entered this election.
"Um… I'm sorry, Karsten-sama but…. What do you mean by 'will be explained soon'? Nobody has such a power like this." Otto interjected apologetically while holding his merchant hat to his chest, shaking by his display infront of such powerful people. But his eyes filled up with a fiery determination to know about his friend's condition.
Before the lady could answer, the small catboy sitting beside her cut in with an amused glance at the petty merchant who dared speak with his lady.
"Bold of you to cut my lady off lil' guy, nyan!"
Otto ignored the snarky healer and kept his gaze towards the surprised noble lady, awaiting his answer.
Luckily, his brother had his back. "Oi, catboy! Don't think ya aren't tha' lil ya hear!" Garfiel growled out as if protectively looking over Otto's shoulder.
The skirt-wearing knight simply fufud a giggle as he gazed down at them. "My, my. So angry at the first interaction. You guys must be acquaintances of Subaru's."
"What's that supposed to mean, I wonder?" Beatrice calmly and elegantly cut in while piercing the amused demihuman with the most bored expression she could muster.
Before the hunched knight could have more fun with the guests, Crusch silenced him with a wave and a glare.
"So sorry~" The healer smiled sweetly and leaned back in his seat. Crusch sighed and returned her gaze towards the group with a polite smile shown on her face.
"We have arrived much earlier than any of the other occupants in the room. It was explained to us by a strange voice calling through our heads that we should await the 'others' arrival and that we couldn't escape from this prison no matter how powerful we are. The reasons for this would be explained once someone called the 'sage candidate' shows amongst the next batch of prisoners."
Emilia and the others in her camp all looked towards one another in shock.
"D-Did you all hear what the voice said to me?" Emilia asked her squad earning nods from everyone around her that were moved through space at the same time as she did.
"He was talking to the sage candidate in my head as well… " Otto muttered thoughtfully.
His gaze slowly wandered over until he was directly looking at Subaru's sleeping form.
"What's a sage candidate anyway?" Felt asked from the side, glancing worriedly at the sleeping boy with a glint of disappointment clear in her eyes as she wanted to meet with him one more time.
"I don't know what that is… " Reinhard shook his head in shame but gazed at the young-man with worry.
Beatrice stayed silent and kept her eyes firmly on those closed ones of her contractor. Not wanting to explain precisely what that title meant. She had a feeling that her contractor held on to such a title since she felt the power within him… But she never dreamt of it getting exposed like this. If these people knew what this name truly meant… They would execute her precious Subaru on the spot.
"Beako… You're a knowledge bound spirit. co-"
"I'm a great knowledge bound spirit, I suppose. But I don't recall that name ever existing in my archives at all, infact."
Emilia flinched at the hostile tone in the little blonde's tone. Deciding that she was upset for Subaru, Emilia ignored the clearly forced tone of the spirit loli and looked up at the other occupants in the room.
"When the light engulfed us, we heard a voice speaking to us… or one of us." Crusch and Felt's camps all looked at Emilia as she explained loudly to all of them.
"They said something akin to a greeting towards a 'Sage Candidate' but we don't know who that is… " Emilia softly turned her gaze towards the sleeping black-haired young man near her.
"You think whoever they may be, were referring towards Natsuki Subaru-sama?" Crusch inquired with her eyes narrowed in interest.
Emilia slowly looked at her friends, getting a shrug from Garfiel as he looked lost but ready to pounce on anyone trying to hurt his friends and a thoughtful look from Otto.
She gazed up towards the duchess and nodded her head firmly.
"I think they might be after Subaru… He's the only one not awake out of everyone here… They must've wanted to do something special with him for being… whatever a Sage candidate is." The half-elf concluded while edging closer towards her knight to be extra sure that she can jump in and save him in the event of another faint light showing up to take him away.
"Subaru-kyun always manages to attract the worst kinds of trouble, huh." An exasperated Felix sighed and shook his head in bemusement.
Crusch kept her gaze stuck on the black mop of hair slumped on the seat before her. "Hmmm. It seems like whoever brought us here are knowledgeable about things we are ignorant about."
As the duchess mused to herself in thought and worry for the boy's condition, a loud accent-heavy voice filled the room as a purple-haired lady wearing fur clothes and a fox scarf strutted towards the conversing three camps.
"It seems that whoever brought us here is more powerful than the Sword Saint himself, huh?"
A cheerful voice called the attention of the two, revealing the purple-haired faction leader, Anastasia with her mercenary team and her elegant knight standing beside her.
"Julius, This wasn't a move from your Camp's leader, right?" A one-armed helmet-wearing man called out from his side of the room where he sat beside a bored fiery headed woman that was watching the events below her with an amused look.
Julius simply shook his head elegantly. "This wasn't Anastasia-sama's doing. Whatever brought us to this place, the culprit surely isn't any of us."
While the others continued conversing amongst one another. Emilia and Beatrice sat next to Subaru, each holding one hand. Wondering why he hadn't woken up.
As another faint light appeared at the back row, a scream filled the theater-like room.
"Rem!"
All eyes turned to find a completely shocked looking Ram staring starstruck at what looked to be a carbon copy of her but with blue hair instead of pink.
"R-Rem… Sissy!" The blue-haired girl blinked in confusion and bewilderment as Ram engulfed her in a tight hug, her eyes leaking tears of happiness.
"Isn't she Cap'n's potato?" Garfiel pointed at the clearly awake and confused blue-haired maid with a look of bewilderment, referring to her as to how he remembered her.
An unconscious coma induced girl that had been the source of grief for Subaru for a year.
"Th-That is Rem-san, yes." Emilia whispered with disbelief painting her expression. The sight of an awake sleeping beauty highly disturbing her.
"But… " Emilia grimaced in disappointment as she tried to search her mind. "… I don't… "
"We don't remember who she is stiiiiilll." Roswaal cut the thoughtful Emilia off with an unreadable frown on his face. Watching the reunion of pink and blue with a skeptical expression.
The blue-haired maid stayed silent. Covering her distraught sister with her arms and patting her back. Rem's eyes took a moment to analyze the room and everyone in it, wonder and confusion filled her irises as she noticed just who was in the room with her. Questions of how she had arrived her or why any of these people were present with her were at the forefront of her mind.
"I… I'm Rem… The L. Mathers' head maid… and Natsuki Subaru's caretaker. I can see the confusion as to who I may be… I'm sorry if I disturbed this meeting for all of you."
As Ram finally fell into silence and managed to step back from her sister, Rem took the chance to introduce herself to the audience in the room with an elegant bow.
"Subaru's… caretaker?" Emilia whispered and glanced at the sleeping face of the young man beside her in worry. The half-elf's heart clenched painfully once she realized what Rem's awakening brought upon her and Subaru's relationship. The memories of the boy gazing lovingly and softly at Rem's sleeping face every night before he went to bed played inside of Emilia's mind.
"Subaru… loves Rem too." Emilia whispered while biting her lip in uncertainty. She could recall having a conversation about Subaru's heart and who got to own it had Emilia ever decided to accept him as her beloved. She was always warned by him that a piece of his heart always belonged to the sleeping blue-haired beauty.
Emilia found the need to understand what 'love' truly is as something to be taken as slowly as possible. She wanted to give her best answer to this wonderful boy after all, but she was always sure of one thing… She truly believed that Subaru was the one made for her, the one she wanted to love.
But now this girl she couldn't even remember was finally awake. The shameful feeling of jealousy overwhelmed what she should've been feeling at the moment. Emilia should be jumping in joy with Ram for Rem's curse has been lifted and that an innocent person was able to live free once more.
But all Emilia could think about was how much time Subaru spent by the girl's bedside every night. Her only perception of this Rem was that of someone coming to take Subaru's attention and affection away.
She couldn't even remember if this maid was her friend or not.
The blue-haired girl rose her head up and met someone she wasn't expecting with wide eyes.
"Pardon me… Do I know you?" Crusch questioned sternly as she noticed the newcomer's shocked gaze falling on her.
"Um… Pardon me, Crusch-sama. I didn't mean to gape like that… But the reason for my shock is… " Rem looked reluctant to speak of the last few moments she had been awake and how the duchess infront of her was bleeding on the road behind her during the nightmarish attack.
Crusch's eyes widened in understanding. Recalling who this girl was from a few memories left after her amnesiac self. Remembering that she hosted the girl inside of her manor for treatment because she displayed the same symptoms of Gluttony's curse.
"You were present during th- ACK!"
[CLICK!]
Before Crusch could continue her sentence, a loud clicking sound filled the entire theater. The effects quickly making everyone hold their heads in agony for a moment, before disappearing as soon as it came.
"Tha hell was that?!" Garfiel shouted in fury, not liking his brain being pinched one bit. Looking around the room with his fists clenched, ready to bounce on the first suspect he sees, the boy's emerald eyes were drawn towards the stunned looking maid. He didn't know why… but something was drawing him to gaze at her… slowly… He could feel something very far away trickling into his mind… As if he was feeling the sensation of some liquid being poured all over his head… Like a bath only he got to experience while fully in his clothes.
Softly…
He opened his eyes… Garfiel's jaw fell…
"H-Holy crap! Rem!" The blonde tigerboy shouted as his eyes filled up with shocked tears.
Emilia and Crusch slowly rose their heads up to look back at the extremely confused maid. Their eyes filling up with horrified understanding.
Roswaal slowly smiled as both of his eyes filled up with real happiness for a second.
Everyone sitting in the room had experienced the same thing. The shower of invisible liquid.
The return of Rem's existence has been finalized. Their minds quickly played every memory, every blank, every empty piece filled up with the blue-haired Oni maid's correct placement within them.
Garfiel struggled to stay standing as he remembered all of the times he and the blue-haired maid interacted through her visits to the Sanctuary. The shaking boy could only stare at her in disbelief before moving toward her.
Once Rem noticed him walking towards her, her eyes widened in shocked recognition. Unable to believe that the stubborn tiger finally left his cage.
"Garfiel-kun?! You left the Sanctuary?!"
The tigerboy nodded his head and looked at the maid with a somber look. "Rem…" The boy gritted his teeth in frustration, unable to look her in the eyes.
Rem waited patiently with rapid bewilderment as this turn of events never would've crossed her imagination.
"I'm sorry… I forgot about ya … All of us forgot who ya wer'."
The maid's eyes widened in rapid confusion. Slowly, Rem turned to her still crying sister with a pleading look.
Ram slowly wiped her tear streams and regained a bit of calm as she explained through a hoarse voice.
"You've been attacked by the Gluttony Archbishop before you and Crusch-sama's wounded could reach the capitol. That bastard managed to best you and Lady Karsten in battle."
Rem nodded her head and looked back at the duchess, she was staring at Rem with an expression akin to gratitude and pity mixed into one.
The maid gave her a nod and turned back towards her sister. "Yes, nee-sama. That's correct. Gluttony attacked with an ally and managed to wound lady Crusch into unconsciousness. I did the best I could to force her bleeding to stop and moved to protect her body from those monsters." Rem scowled deeply as she remembered the sight of the two disgusting cultists.
Her sister had her eyes narrowed to glare after Rem admitted that she was facing off powerful enemies on her own but she continued to explain.
"It seemed that… you fell victim to Gluttony too." Ram stayed silent for a moment to monitor her sister's expression.
Which was a slack-jawed stare.
"Wha..?!"
"You were defeated by Gluttony after he used his authority upon you… which lead to a really unfortunate turn of events."
Gulping, Rem stared at her sister with worry. Her heart beating heavily as the implication that she might have died settled inside her mind.
"Wh-what happened to me sister?"
"…"
"…"
"Your existence was erased from the world's memory. Making you null inside of everybody's thoughts and recollections. Every achievement and item you've owned were either gone or moved to someone else."
Rem's shock reached her core as a phantom feeling of pain and misery filled her heart at her sister's words.
"You were removed from everyone's minds. No one knew who you were. Gluttony's power made you fall into a state of sleep akin to a coma. You turned out to be one of many victims, forgotten and inactive, left to die with no one to remember them."
Ram looked at the ground with her shame covering her entire form.
The blue-haired Oni held her hands together as her entire body trembled in place, shaking from the agony and horror that were placed in here from hearing that implication.
"Y-You didn't let me live like that… Right?" Rem asked whimperingly, with a pleading look that screamed her despair.
A fiery lady from the back snorted while watching the display.
Ram softly grimaced as she gave her pleading sister nothing but her silence.
"S-Sister?" Rem asked once again, stepping closer to her twin, her eyes filling up with tears of disbelief. Wanting nothing more than reassurance that at the very least, her beloved sister held on to her unworthy existence.
Ram gave nothing but silence.
Rem slowly backed away, her eyes blurry from the painful truth. Her loving sister, the one person she respected and loved most… had forgotten about her. But as the despair filled the small girl's heart… the thought of someone else entered her mind… Someone she also cherished very much… A person she wanted to die for…
Her heart beating heavily, her tears soaking her cheeks. Rem turned around and looked at the sleeping boy settled at the very front of the room.
Shaking, Rem whimpered in a whisper… "Did… Did he… "
"He didn't."
Rem's blue-eyes widened immediately. Her head turning to face her silent guilty-looking sister. An expression of pure disbelief and hope suddenly showing her face.
Ram flinched softly but kept her head down as she spoke. She needed her sister to know that she wasn't alone during that coma. She cared for her very deeply… but Ram understood that she wasn't the one who saved Rem. And she wasn't the one who helped her little sister.
But she also understood the need for her sister to know this. To know that someone was still beside her.
"Barusu… was the only one in the entire world that could still remember who you were."
Rem's eyes shed tears of pure joy as she gazed at her twin with a slackened jaw. Softly, her heart fluttered in her chest as she spoke. "S-Subaru-kun? He was still able to remember me?"
Ram nodded her head, noting the slight happiness in her sister's tone. "Barusu somehow had the ability to keep the memories Gluttony erased. He kept you by his side and explained who you were to everyone."
The blue-haired Oni could only tremble in place with an expression of pure joy and relief. The boy she loved so much was still able to remember her existence and name. He kept protecting her even when she was useless. The thought of him struggling for her was painful and yet somehow euphoric at the same time. Her heart complicated and her lungs burning in emotionally induced pain, Rem noticed how her sister's eyes began leaking tears once again.
Acting on impulse, Rem immediately hugged her guilt-ridden sister as tightly as she could. Giving her whatever she needed of affection. "Sister shouldn't feel guilty for forgetting Rem. You're already amazing enough to feel guilty for her." The Oni spoke softly to her trembling sister.
Garfiel and Otto looked at the two in sympathy while Felt shook her head in pity. All of them were watching the scene between the two with heavy hearts and amused looks.
The knights present all respectfully looked away from the two, unable to watch such a tender moment for they were not worthy of it. They couldn't keep these two subjects protected.
As Ram calmed down, swimming in her sister's warmth for a moment longer, before pulling back and dropping in her seat beside an amused clown lord. The emotional toll of that scene exhausted her enough to paralyze her weak body.
Rem quickly wiped the few tears streaming down her cheeks and held her head high with a joyous smile, her heart beating in excitement and hope as she turned around to face her objective.
Garfiel and Otto unconsciously stepped out of the maid's way as she whimsically stepped down the rows of seats until she reached the bottom level. Where a certain dear person was seated in a sleeping form on one of the chairs.
Softly stepping towards the black-haired young man with a smile filled with affection and warmth, Rem did not forget to greet her superiors.
Giving a polite bow, Rem humbly greeted the bored-looking great spirit and the overwhelmed looking silver-haired beauty. Each sitting at one side from the sleeping boy.
"Emilia-sama, Beatrice-sama, pardon my bold action to come here. I hope you're both in good health."
Beatrice simply looked away from the maid in disinterest while hooking her fingers with her contractor.
The silver-haired lady beside her had much to say, however. Emilia softly gazed at Rem, trying to form words that might show her guilt and need for forgiveness.
"Rem-rin… I'm so sorry… I don't know what to say…"
"There's no need, Emilia-sama. I've been blessed enough to learn how much my hero has fought for me. I can't blame anyone of you for a power that you don't control."
Emilia couldn't believe the amount of kindness Rem was showing her. The guilt and shame drove her to think of an entirely different scenario than what was happening now. The relief of this change happening brought a small smile to Emilia's face.
"I'm glad you're finally cured, Rem-rin. Subaru has been worried about you the whole time since you've been found. He worked reeeeally hard to make sure everyone knew you." Emilia assured the maid with a happy smile.
The Oni girl seemed to brighten her expression at this affirmation as her gaze fell back on the innocent sleeping face of her hero.
"Rem's hero is always working so hard for her, for everyone, he just wants everybody to be happy."
At the maid's soft-spoken words, almost all of the Emilia camp members (minus Roswaal and Ram.) all looked stricken by them. As if they all were hit by a sense of nostalgia.
"Sounds like a description of big bro alright." Felt snorted in amusement as she and her knight smiled towards the boy fondly.
Emilia and Beako both also smiled softly at the boy in question, remembering the many times he had worked tirelessly and almost near death just to save them or to make them smile.
"He's an idiot, I suppose." Beatrice said with a soft smile.
"Mmmhmmm." Emilia nodded her head as a beautiful perk of her lips was aimed towards the brave boy. Finding herself relaxed by staring at his sleeping face.
Rem had more questions to ask but a sudden speaker decided to cut in.
"Now that you've been acquainted once again, let us return to the matter at hand, ya?"
Looking up, Rem found herself the target of many stares and looks. The Oni bowed her head respectfully to the speaker who was revealed to be one of the candidates that were to take the throne.
Seeing the polite gesture, Anastasia took her chance to lead the discussions by clapping her hands together and smiling cheerfully towards the occupants of the room, her green eyes shining with merit and hidden intent as always.
"I've been holding off on saying anything till now since everyone was yet to arrive here. It looks like the lights stopped 'napping people up. So, it should be alright to speak with you all."
"What would we talk about? We don't even know why we are here." The one-armed man wearing a black helmet snorted from his seat while glancing at the large window overhanging the room.
"Do intend to find a way out of this place?" Crusch mused from her place while staring at the merchant with clear mistrust.
Anastasia met her with a sly smile. "Course I am! I don't have time for staying in such a place. I have a race to win and a country to turn ova' if you couldn't tell~." The merchant mocked while rubbing her scarf smoothly.
"Hm, a commoner thinking she has the right to speak of a position meant for a goddess above her own heaven." A rich high-toned voice spoke from the back seat of the room. An amused looking lady with scarlet eyes watching the entire scene with belittlement.
"Oh~ and lady Barielle finally joins the discussion! I thought you were going to stay silent while the true working class does all the work so that you could protect your pwetty nails~" Anastasia smoothly deflected the noble lady's words with her own belittling.
But it seemed that the royal dressed lady found them more amusing than challenge worthy. "Fufufu~! Why would I lift a finger when the world is turning for my amusement?"
Many in the room looked at the lady with annoyance and disgust.
"What a cunt." The brash little blonde growled in hatred as her scarlet-eyes honed in on the noble.
The tension around the Emilia camp grew as Anastasia, Felt, and Priscilla looked to be upon each other's throats. Crusch and her knights reserved taking a back seat as did Roswaal and Ram. Emilia looked on at the situation with worry filling her expression as she didn't know when she was to intervene.
Beatrice didn't care for any of this fuss so she just sat back down while the camps behind her argued.
Otto and Garfiel also sat down beside the spirit girl. Otto looked around thoughtfully as he inspected the room for any weakness or escape holes.
Garfiel had already done that, finding nothing and doubtful of his punches ever managing to break the wall… He kind of tried to break the wall actually while Rem was speaking with Emilia… It backfired badly.
The only one left standing was the worried and confused Rem, looking at the camps arguing with a shocked expression.
"So… you all have been kidnapped to this place? Even Roswaal-sama? And The Sword Saint?" Rem asked in shock as she looked around her at all of the powerful people present. The thought that someone managed to bring them all to one place and trapped them sent shivers down her small body.
"It would be better if you sit down, I suppose."
Rem looked back at the small elegant dress-wearing loli sitting beside Subaru in surprise. Beatrice simply stared boringly at the maid, not showing any interest in a conversation as she ordered.
Rem nodded her head reluctantly and bowed to the great spirit. The question of why this shut-in loli was suddenly closer to her hero was something she was dying to ask.
The Oni girl slowly stepped around the front row and took a seat in the one behind it. Making her directly behind Subaru and Emilia. This was the closest seat to her hero since both his sides already had worried girls sitting in them.
As the arguing built up behind her, Rem tried to take her mind off of the shouting by staring at them strangely calming screen infront of her.
But then…
Something shocking started to happen.
"Look!" A small girl with cat ears shouted, pointing at the giant window on the wall.
Emilia and the other candidates all turned to the window on the wall in confusion.
Their eyes collectively widened in astonishment.
"What the hell?!" Al growled out from beneath his helmet as he stared at the screen in shock along with his lady.
Roswaal widened his eyes and lean in with interest.
Everyone laid their eyes on the dimly lit up window as it began to change suddenly as if a vision inside of it was playing. Colors and shapes all mixed up and reverted inside of the giant square shape.
And then the image of a grassy green field was paused on the screen.
The screen showed what appeared to be a young man, standing in the middle of said field.
"Who's that?" Julius asked, a feeling of prohibition and caution filling him as he narrowed his sharp eyes at the image of the faraway person.
The window seemed to inch closer and closer towards the figure of the young man… Who was revealed to be…
"Subaru-kun?"
"Subaru?"
Emilia and Rem gasped suddenly as they looked on. Everyone watching the vision stared back at the sleeping young man in puzzlement as they watched.
"So it was truly Subaru-sama they were focused on." Crusch mused as she glared at the closing-in image of the young man.
Everyone's eyes widened as a shivering, broken, hoarse-sounding voice spoke through the window.
"How long are you going to fight for them?" The voice questioned through the window, the voice unsettling almost every person in the room.
"What the hell is happenin'?" Garfiel growled out as he watched the window zooming in on his captain's standing form.
"Who was that?!" Otto asked with his eyes wide with concern for Subaru, not liking this frighting position he was in at all.
"How long are you willing… to endure this pain?" Subaru was shown bleeding all over. As he fell on his knees with his head hung low, a small grunt of pain escaping his bloodied lip. Wounds and cuts are shown all over his tracksuit.
The knights and candidates started watching with alarmed looks and expressions as they noticed how dire the situation was for the boy on the screen.
"Subaru!" Emilia called out in panic, her amethyst eyes filled with horror and fear for the boy. Holding a hand to her chest as her heartbeat increased heavily.
"Natsuki Subaru…" The voice blew out with a chuckle as some shadow towered over the black-haired young man. " Y ou were a most disgusting prey." The amused tone coming from the speaker filled the room as something towered over Subaru's exhausted kneeling form.
"What is it we are seeing?" Reinhard spoke with an expression of disturbance and anger for seeing his friend in such a position.
"This must be some sort of vision." Julius replied to his friend as he too held an expression of calmed anger and a bit of worry for the young man on the screen.
"A vision of what?! Who's doing this to Subaru-kun?!" Rem growled as her eyes shone her hatred towards the demon speaking down towards her hero.
"Of the future perhaps?" Crusch answered the maid with her eyes analyzing every inch of the scene playing before her. Her heart beating heavily for the safety of the boy although she knew a losing battle when she sees one. With his wounds and his enemy's smug tone… Subaru had already lost this battle.
But the duchess bit her lip and watched with an anger building so swiftly as she already prepared herself to oath revenge against whoever was doing this.
"You were so useless!" The voice broke into maddened laughter as the shadow towering over Subaru trembled in place. Indicating that whoever was laughing was the person standing over Subaru's form and their shadow was shown on the screen.
The window finally moved away from Subaru's form…
Showing a plethora of bleeding corpses and bodies l i ttered all around the kneeling boy.
Everyone's eyes widened at the sight, some were so horrified they had to look away.
"Is-is that…?!" Reinhard uttered with his face twisted in shock as he noticed the body of a small blonde girl amongst the ones around Subaru… Felt.
"That's…" Emilia muttered softly as she watched the scene in disbelief. She was dead… Her corpse was right behind Subaru…
The half-elf trembled in fear.
One by one their bodies were shown all around him. Bleeding, cut, wounded, brutalized.
Candidates and their knights, villagers and their kids, smaller noblemen and women.
All of them filled up the entire field, grass turning red as the masses of corpses bled.
"What?!" Garfiel shouted with his eyes wide and body completely falling limp at the shocking sight.
Rem and Emilia gasped with tears filling their eyes at the image.
Al quickly noticed his lady's body amongst them and bit his lip in anger.
Reinhard and Julius quickly moved to analyze every aspect of the scene to see if this was a reality that might come.
"This must be an apparition! There is no way such a monster exists!" Julius shouted in disgust as he noticed his entire camp along with Ana and himself, dead on the ground.
He wouldn't have failed to save her! He was the greatest knight!
"Crusch-sama!" Felix shouted in outrage as he noticed his own corpse hunched over someone with green colored hair.
Someone that had been cut in half from the legs up.
It was clearly his lady.
The duchess herself found it appropriate to intensify her glare to relieve some of her boiling rage.
"What could possibly be strong enough to cause such massacre?!" The aristocratic leader growled while slamming her fist on her armrest.
As the cast watched, the shadow began to move over towards Subaru on the screen.
"Subaru-kun, run!" Rem shouted in despair, unable to tell if the scene was real or not from how horrifying it was. She had never seen this much blood in her life.
The entity strode forward before the window, standing right over the hunched boy.
A black covered entity with glowing red eyes, two very large horns on each in of its forehead. It was all just black. Darkness covered this being completely.
And it leaned down over Subaru's trembling wounded body.
"Hahahahahaheheehehheeeeee~" The entity laughed in a voice so distorted that it might as well have been both a male's voice or a woman's since the vocals changed with every syllable.
Demonic. That's how it sounded.
" You were so worthless, Subaru-kun! " The demon mocked in a spiteful tone as it quickly grasped his hair between its fingers.
"S-Stop! Stop it, I suppose!" Beatrice completely lost all of her composure as she witnessed the terrifying shape of this character before her. Her mind concluded that she was also infact one of the dead but her body was nowhere to be seen since she was a spirit that couldn't leave a body behind after her death. She could see that this Subaru was struggling from gate poison already since she was there with him.
Her fear of seeing her contractor die by this freak forced tears of anguish to fill up her eyes.
"What is this thing…?!" Wilhelm spoke in a serious tone. His blue irises honing in onto the monster and his teeth grinding behind his lips. Wanting to save the boy but also seeing his own corpse behind the monster on the screen.
The cast watched in confusion and disbelief.
T he monster quickly forced the boy up by pulling his hair with its claws and swiftly delivered a kick to Subaru's stomach that sent the boy rocketing away as if he was hit by a speeding cart.
A s the boy rolled and screamed in agony for his body was twisted and broken from how many times he impacted the ground as he rolled, the monster quickly appeared before Subaru's broken crying form.
" You are so weak! I can't believe you've caused us this much trouble… Subaru-kun~~! " The demon mocked once more as he posed over the boy's bleeding body.
"Stop! Please stop!" Emilia shouted as she watched the horrific scene with tearful eyes. Not being able to take seeing the boy she cared for getting tortured like this.
All of the knights glared with pure hatred as they understood how cruel this monster was. He was able to send the boy flying with a simple kick. Subaru wasn't a threat to him. He was a toy.
"Just what does this mean?" Anastasia muttered softly while she watched with a serious expression present on her face. Thinking of a way to use this vision for any kind of information or data she could gather. If this was a future event or a past one that was changed somehow. Or if this was a dream the boy was having while he was asleep.
The blonde tiger-blooded young man was growling and biting his teeth in constant form as he stopped himself from jumping straight at the window in hopes of ending up inside and teaching that bastard a lesson.
"Hm, looks like the boy is done for…" Priscilla mused while watching the screen with interest. Her eyes showing that she was not at all bothered by this. Just interested.
T he Black Demon swiftly placed his hands on both of Subaru's shoulders, aiming to make the boy stare into his scarlet glowing eyes. But Subaru kept his head down as he gasped in pain from his body being forced into such a position while it was so broken and beaten up.
He was still bleeding from many of his wounds so his shattered bones didn't help at all.
The scream like voice of the black entity sounded once more, as its face was mouthless. " All of them… Allll of them! They all died because of your incompetence, Subaru-kun~! "
Otto could only grit his teeth and keep the tears in as he watched the horror show before him. His belief that his friend could easily fix any situation breaking with how bleak things seemed to be in here.
"What is this being? Why is it so fixated on torturing Barusu?!" Ram voiced out in surprising shock as she understood the slim chances this poor kid had against such a beast. Her anger flaring to its highest after she noticed her own body alongside many of her colleagues maids and butlers amongst those Subaru rolled over.
T he darkened entity found it amusing to start pulling on the boy's hair and moving his down-turned head as they pleased.
" You are so useless~! " Singing, the monster mocked as it forced the boy to the floor once more with another kick. This time a single push with no super strength.
Subaru grunted and struggled to breathe through his broken ribs planting themselves into his lungs.
His face was still not shown on the screen. Just a shot of his crushed chest as he bled and failed to breathe.
"BAASTAAARRRDDDD!" Garfiel shouted demonically as he bled from each fist from how hard he clenched them. Seeing his own captain getting this beaten and tortured made him feel so useless and broken as a shield.
Rem moved closer towards the boy, her expression one of deep hatred as she watched the monster kill him. Her rage making her horn slightly come out as she glared at the screen with tear-filled eyes.
"Subaru-kun!"
"Subaru!"
Emilia and Rem screamed after the kick as they leaned closer towards their sleeping black-haired young man, finding comfort in his presence while watching his on-screen self getting broken inhumanely by this demon.
"A child that keeps running because he dares not look back. Afraid of his own mistakes. Committing sin after sin with nothing but failure to show for it." The figure of pure black leaned down to meet Subaru's eyes. A dark, twisted, abhorrent smirk showing through the faceless facade. As if his dark mask opened just so this entity could show how much joy it was having by seeing this boy wither in pain.
"You're not a hero." The demon growled hatefully.
"You barely even qualify as a person, Sage." It mocked once more with a happy tone.
"What does he mean by sage?" A short cat-eared boy that looked like his short twin spoke out with his expression darkening at the creature on screen.
Beatrice managed to keep herself from sobbing as she understood why all of this was happening to her contractor. It was because of his connection to the sage.
"I don't know…" Anastasia mused with a stern expression, obviously disturbed by the events showing but still able to set her feelings aside to keep a straight head.
Roswaal's eyes narrowed heavily as he watched the crowds pondering the question. His eyes wandered back towards the screen. "Why won't you turn back I wonder? Hmmm… was this a future that forced you to lose that ability?" The magi shook his head in disappointment. "What a shameful way to lose a precious power." He growled as he glared with hate and animosity towards the dying Subaru on the screen.
Emilia could only hold her hands on her mouth to keep her sobs from coming out as she watched her knight get abused and insulted by this beast. Wanting nothing but to jump in and cast a healing spell to save him… and maybe a few ice flowers blasting into the demon's chest for punishment. But all she could do was watch helplessly.
Everyone watched the next event with pure awe written on all of their faces.
The bleeding young man slowly sat himself up, not caring for any of the many cracking sounds his bones were uttering as he moved through the pain . His face drenched with blood and mud he managed to lift it just enough to stare at the monster with the most rage-fueled, hate-filled glare he could compose. Using his nasty sharp eyes to their maximum potential.
H is brown irises almost glimmering in red as he met the demon entity right back into its scarlet ones.
Determination.
Everyone was scared of how Subaru looked at the man. Despite how powerless the boy was. Those eyes were unmatched in sharpness. Although never directed towards them. This will be the first of many times they see that glare.
"Big bro is looking scary." Felt was in awe as she saw the amazing will Subaru had to stand against the demon in front of him and glared right back. Wounds in all.
Garfiel and Otto stared slack-jawed at their brother's bravery or idiocy.
Emilia and Beatrice were both in shock at how bravely their beloved idiot was standing against the demon. Their hearts clenching in worry that his efforts might not help him anyway.
Julius shook his head softly, his lips trembling in rage. He understood what this boy will do. Something very stupid. That look only came about once a person had nothing to lose and wanted to make one last move that would surely end them as it achieved victory. He was willing to let things go but this idiotic habit he could not forget from the boy's first impression. Julius was most acquainted by Subaru's impulsivity after all.
"What will you do, Subaru?" Crusch leaned in to watch. Her eyes narrowing in disappointment as she understood that he was about to do something very reminiscent of the word 'final'.
"How will you get out of this… if at all?" The duchess soundlessly asked as the screen zoomed on Subaru's hateful expression.
Facing down the demon before him, not caring for every broken bone or open wound across his body, Subaru's chilling dark voice filled the theater.
"No matter what it takes..." Subaru spoke. He picked up a small dagger that was laying beside him and glared back at the towering black Demon.
"What's that going to do?" Priscilla snorted haughtily at the cringe-inducing display infront of her. A pathetic useless boy acting brave as if he will make a difference with a small puny dagger. "How pathetic indeed." The fiery, uninterested lady spat in disgust as she fanned herself.
"Don't talk about Subaru-kun like that!" Rem shouted at the lady, forgetting her placement before the candidate.
A snort came from a surprisingly angry-looking Anastasia. "She's kinda right tho… What's he doing with that puny thing? It's a stupid way to die if ya ask me." The merchant rubbed her scarf with an angry glared aimed at the screen. Not happy that her death would be for nothing as this stupid boy stood as the last man against this beast… and he was giving up his life like this for nothing.
"Oi!" Garfiel's already blood-red glaring eyes were narrowed into slits as he turned towards the merchant queen threateningly. "Don't eve' talk about my Cap'n like tha'!"
The elegant purple-haired young man sitting beside the threatened girl narrowed his eyes dangerously as his nerves were already sparking from watching Subaru's stupid sacrifice and his own inability to jump in and help the boy.
Julius brought his chest forward and spoke clearly so that this runt could hear him.
"Know your place and who you talk to, impish fool! This is the future queen of our king-"
"I don't care who she may be, pal! She doesn't talk tough shi' and we're all gonna be happy!"
As Garfiel and Julius glared at one another, the cast around them gave expressions of shock and rigid silence.
Julius and Anastasia swiftly looked at the source of the shock, only to find themselves falling into the same sense of disbelief and confusion at the horrifying sight.
Garfiel was baffled by the change of mood and quickly pranced around to see what was happening to his capta-.
"OI!" The boy shouted in shock and outrage, his face twisting to one of despair and lost hope.
"Oi, Oi, Oi, OI, NOOOOOOOO!"
As the blonde kid screamed in anguish, Emilia's horrified tears finally fell down her cheeks as she stared at the screen with a frozen expression. The sight completely breaking her.
"Why…" The half-elf whispered hoarsely while Beatrice and Rem looked on with their hearts breaking.
"Natsuki?!" Crusch shouted as her face settled onto one of pure surprise.
On-screen, Subaru had stabbed himself in the neck with the dagger. He remained standing and glaring at the ever smirking demon.
" I swear…
I will…
defeat you."
A s his eyes closed... darkness overtook him.
Subaru finally died.
"What the hell was that?!" Felt shouted in horror as her eyes were full of tears at the sight she had seen.
"Why would he… kill himself..?!" Felix asked as he kept staring at the darkened screen with a traumatized expression. Unable to handle any of the events shown. From the gore, the horror, the disbelief, the fear and absurdity of Subaru's actions.
Otto slowly trembled as his eyes fell towards the floor of the theater, his heart beating heavily and his tears spelling for the crushing sight he had witnessed.
What they all watched was so shocking their cores were almost misplaced.
"Subaru, why…" The silver-haired lady stopped her muttering and swiftly took her chance to engulf the sleeping form of the boy in a tight hug. Her compassion and love showing for him as she held cried while smothering her face into his jacket. Feeling nothing but his warmth and his constant heartbeats. Feeling his life as she touched him.
He was alive.
He was nowhere near that illusion. That fake dream. That nothing.
It was nothing to worry about. Her Subaru was right here, safe and sound.
A voice sounded across the theater from the giant window above the cast.
The voice of a man, speaking clearly and smoothly so that all could hear him.
This story you're going to see...
Is the story of the one who has fought hell itself to save you.
Everyone managed to obscure their shock for a moment as they mulled over the stranger's words.
Confusion. Anger. Bewilderment. Puzzlement. Pure sadness. Despair.
"Watch… his story?" Emilia cleared her eyes of tears and kept her arms wrapped around her knight as she faced the darkened screen with confusion.
"Why is it making us see this, I suppose?" Beatrice sobbed and kept hugging her contractor's arm with all of her might. Not wanting to see him hurt or worse see him reach death once again.
The sight of the boy killing himself so easily and willingly never could've left both girls less heartbroken as it did at this moment.
Other than those completely left distraught for the boy's vision, there were some skeptics.
With a snort, Anastasia calmed her nerves by rubbing her scarf. Moving her thoughts away from the sentiments and towards the necessary questions.
"How could someone save us if he will die anyway? I couldn't help but notice the small pinch in the boy's plan… the fact that he killed himself! " Many flinched at Anastasia's snarky tone as if almost challenging the events and words coming from the screen. Her anger slightly showing as she aimed her spite at Subaru's weakness.
"I don't see how he will save us as you say. Didn't he kill himself?" The merchant urged smoothly and a little more diplomatically towards the screen as she remembered who she was talking to.
"Hmph! What a farce this is! I want to return to mine carriage this instant." A fiery-headed lady demanded in disgust, seeing this entire charade useless and petty for the likes of her divinity.
But others didn't share her sentiment at all. They were all left in shock at the scenes and visions played on the window. They couldn't help but let curiosity overwhelm them. What was so special about this boy? Why was he called sage? Was he related to the legend? The monster? The entire event? The bodies? Subaru's suicide and his strange belief that he got a jump on the beast via his death?
Everyone was confused, some were angry, a few heartbroken. But, they all agreed that this place was not going to let them leave before showing them something important.
A stern tainted voice spoke out as Priscilla moved to attack a wall with her power.
"Your body was among those around Natsuki-sama. I'd advise that you watch this apparition and learn from it.
Priscilla laughed and looked down at the noble-looking Crusch with a look of pure disdain.
"Calling him 'sama' now? You've been charmed by a mere common fool that brought nothing but shame and humiliation on his own master. A filthy dog that killed himself because he didn't want to face a monster."
Priscilla leaned down to growl dangerously at the silent and calm Crusch.
"I would rather be dead than be saved by such a weakling." Priscilla sat down and smirked at all the glares she got.
Crusch simply met the nasty taunts from her contender with a small snort as her face fell into a beautiful knowing smirk.
"Natsuki-sama has a habit of surprising those who doubt him." The duchess spoke confidently and even a little fondly.
"Oh? you believe he had a plan when fighting that monster?"
Crusch turned to the curious Anastasia with apprehensiveness.
"Didn't you see how confident he looked? He wouldn't swear to stop that demon just to kill himself afterward." As the duchess defended she couldn't believe one of her own coming to argue with her on this first.
"But the wound looked real, Crusch-sama." Felix gave his expert opinion. He appeared to be angry for some reason.
Those in the Camp closer to the boy had their heads low as they thought about all the memories they had shared with him. They saw their innermost member die. Illusion or not, the thought alone was hard to swallow.
They were having none of these talks. Not one of them wanted to acknowledge anything less they might fall into tears once more.
Otto was so angry that his best friend was facing something like that on his own. After all, Subaru should know by now that he can rely on others. He wanted to get up and punch him square in the jaw to knock him back to his senses.
Garfiel was so scared and shaken by the death he saw on screen. His inability to instantly jump into action and save his captain. The idea of failing as Subaru's shield tormented him.
Beatrice simply held on to her contractor's arm and tried to forget the entire scene from her head. She simply didn't want to have his death as part of her memories with him.
The Oni maid simply kept her head down and her hands gripped her skirt as she didn't want her tears to be seen.
The heartbroken Emilia looked up from Subaru's chest and found the window above her changing once again.
The screen moved through shapes and uncountable colors breezing as if playing a flashback…
It was finally loading again.
"This is your story, isn't it Subaru-kun?" Roswaal looked on with an unreadable expression. His tone filled with excitement and complete pleasure.
"Who would've known… Your power's way of activation is truly cruel…" The clown mused with his lips falling into a deeply satisfied smirk. As if he found out about a secret so valuable it might have taken a life to obtain it. His life.
"Now if this is truly the way you go about doing the loop… What would it take to finally break your frustrating will?" The clown let his smirk grow wider as he finally found a chance of doing things his own way without the gospels presence or his servitude towards a useless half-elf being demanded from a soul-binding contract.
As everyone had their eyes on the ever loading screen, the stranger's voice filled the room once more.
"It's time for the beginning of this arrogant weakling child's story to be displayed before those for whom he suffered the most."
The silence in the big room was overwhelming as all listened and looked on at the ever-changing window.
"Natsuki Subaru, the self-proclaimed knight."
Anastasia and Priscilla snorted at the title shown on the screen as they remembered the royal humiliation he was subjugated to.
Julius looked down a bit, an action noticed by his red-haired friend.
Those in the Emilia camp were confused as to why people were laughing at the title. They saw Emilia looking downtrodden, filled with guilt. It began to set in that this was no mere illusion.
" First arc. Begin."
The multiple Camps competing in the royal selection watched the supposed story of the self-proclaimed knight. Some with bewilderment, some with excitement, and some with fear of what they will see.
Others found it either amusing, boring, or possibly insightful to see what was so special about this boy.
And to each and every single one of them…
Only horror and despair awaited.
Episode One... Arc 1's...Intro.
Start.