This is a little excerpt that is written between me and Neramo, as our respective OCs, Richard and Neramo, duke it out like fierce rivals, and a story that prequels to Richard's involvement in the Dimensional Hoppers.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their owners, Richard and Heiwa belong to me, Xovercreator, and Neramo, The Gentleman, and Johnathan Fulcrum belong to Neramo, the author. Minerva is a character by Vaati Star.
Note: The Richard that is portrayed in this story, is divergent from the "Multiversal Chaos"-canon, from the end of Richard's training in Gensokyo, and therefore is not entirely accurate as a future-version of Richard. His personality differs greatly compared to the Richard in the current canon-history, so he is considered to be canonically OOC, as this is a prequel to Richard's involvement in Neramo's story, "The Dimension Hoppers".
In Gensokyo, the land of the forgotten, and the land of dreams and fantasies, the land is abound with interesting events, especially by the Misty Lake, residence of Cirno the Ice Fairy, where a visitor has come, with a young companion, as they travelled through the forest leading to the Misty Lake
The visitor was a young, tall, and slightly slender Chinese young adult, with a warm expression and a sincere smile on his face. He has black short hair that is brushed to the right, tan skin, and brown eyes. He wears a black robe, with a red cloak complete with a golden outer lining, grey pocketed jeans, reddish leather mage boots, and thick-rimmed brown glasses, sitting in between his ears, as he is whistling a familiar tune, by the name of Beloved Tomboyish Daughter. Beside the boy, was the a young and cute girl,who has green eyes filled with spirit and liveliness, silver fox ears that poke out of her head, wiggling with life and joy, and black hair that is parted away to reveal her face, with some of her top hair being stroked to the right, slightly covering her left eye. She wears a light silver blouse, with red faded tattoos in the shape of roses on the front, wears a moderately lengthy skirt that has the symbols of 'Xun' and 'Li' from the Bagua, spread around the the edges of the skirt, and the top, with a hole on the back, that reveals 9 short silver fox tails with white brush-like ends, and does not have any foot-wear, as her little feet pattered on the ground.
The young male visitor only looked at his companion, before he then stroked her on the head softly, with a smile, as the girl only smiled, as her ears twitched slightly from the care.
"I'm very happy that you found today to be very interesting, my dear little sister." He spoke in a mature and warm tone. "And I can bet that Cirno's going to be happy that you've come to visit her at her home. I'll be sure to come back here, once I finish doing my jobs in Gensokyo, or if trouble comes to you."
"But why did you have go everytime? I want to be with the person, who cared for me, and showed me that not everyone in the world are truly mean." The young fox girl asked in a sad tone, being unable to stay with her 'brother'. "I mean, Cirno-nee is a good sister, but I really want you, brother Richard."
"It can't be helped, Heiwa." Richard replied to her, with a sympathetic frown. "I really don't want to leave you alone, but I wanted to make sure that Cirno and Daiyousei would take care of you, in case something happened. I don't want you to get hurt..."
Especially after that incident... Richard thought bitterly in his inner mind. I don't want this to happen again. I swear to God, even if I have to become a genocidal freak, I will not let Gensokyo die, because of the whim of some fucking immortal 'queen'. Heiwa... you won't die, as long as you don't become isolated from the others.
Heiwa looks at Richard, before only nodding twice. "Don't worry, Cirno and I are strong! Whatever bad guy comes, we will beat them up together!" Heiwa said with pride. "Maybe I might even be able to show you what I done, and you might even be proud that we have gotten strong enough to protect ourselves, and that you won't have worry about us ever again!"
Richard then chuckles lightly before hugging Heiwa for a while, and then getting back on his feet. "When that day comes, I'll be sure to have a few spars with you. That way, you'll slowly become as strong as me, at a significantly younger age than me! It'll be like the days, when Minerva taught me how to use my sukima manipulation powers, except I'm the mentor!" Richard with increasing excitement.
Heiwa smiles back at Richard. "Then I won't disappoint you, onii-san..." Heiwa replied. "I'll be sure to train extra-hard, and show you and Keine-sensei, that I've really grown up!"
Soon, Richard and Heiwa arrive at the Misty Lake, where Cirno, the ice-winged, and blue haired fairy that is dressed in deep blue clohting is proceeding with her typical routine, which is training her ice powers on anything that moves, although she is aiming for many different objects, instead of just frogs, which she used to abuse a long time ago, with Daiyousei, her best friend, and a greater wind fairy, cheering her on.
"Hey, Cirno! I see that you've really gotten stronger than before! I bet that you'll be the strongest in no time flat!" Richard called out to the ice fairy, who has just finished making a large iceberg twice as big as her over the middle of the lake, as the ice-berg landed in the blue water with a loud splash.
Cirno then turns to see the source of the call, before then rushing over to Richard with a smiling face, and then glomping him mid-air.
"Richard! I'm really happy that you came to see me! I bet you saw what I did, huh?" Cirno asked Richard, puffing her chest up in pride. "I've finally managed show those other youkais who's boss, and it's all thanks to you teaching me all those years!"
Richard got up, before then slowly pulling Cirno off him. "It's fine. You just needed to learn a few things. But I assure you, I think the best for you all, including Rumia, Wriggle, and Mystia." He told her, in a polite tone. "Speaking of Mystia, she really out-done herself today. I just saw her lamprey-kebab store go into a frenzy of customers, and she managed to serve them all, without a single drop of sweat!"
"Woah! I guess the Strongest always need some Guardians, and I'm glad my Four Guardians all are famous among Gensokyo! I bet that pink-haired glutton, Yuyuko, would think twice, trying to eat Mystia as if she was chicken!" Cirno said in surprise.
Richard was about to laugh, before he then sensed something wrong, as his face formed a grimace, as he sensed someone with great magical power and strength approaching their location.
"Cirno, Daiyousei, Heiwa..." Richard said to the trio of young girls, his voice changing to a protective and serious tone."There's something wrong around here. I need you to stay inside one of my sukimas, until the coast is clear."
When the girls heard Richard's words, they were shocked, as Cirno's eyes widened, Heiwa's tail and ears were twitching erratically, and Daiyousei had a hand to her mouth, as she gasped loudly.
"Wha!? Something bad is going to happen!?" Daiyousei asked Richard in a worried tone. "If even Richard's like this... Cirno... I think we should listen to Richard.
"But, what's going to happen? Why can't we help Richard? He can't be left alone to deal with the problem! If I stay behind all the time, I don't deserve to be the Strongest!" Cirno replied in a desperate tone.
"Don't leave me, onii-san..." Heiwa whimpered in a fearful tone. "I don't want you to be hurt by any of those mean guys that may come..."
Richard only looked away from the trio, before he then lifted a hand, summoning a sukima nearby them.
"I'm sorry..." Richard muttered in a sorrowful tone, as he then flicked his wrist, as the sukima passed over the trio of girls, as Daiyousei and Cirno were still arguing with each other, whether to stay and help Richard or not, and Heiwa, who tried to reach for Richard, with eyes filled with fear, before they were swallowed by the sukima, and transported to Richard's own personal storage dimension. "But I can't let you girls get hurt."
Richard then summons small sukimas, by each of his hands, as he draws a black katana on one hand, that has a miniature version of a demon's head on the end of the hilt, and a red leather-grip that has black razor lines painted all over it, and the blade is covered with a dark aura, while the other hand was equipped with a golden short-sword, that has wings on the sides of the hilt, and a warm aura that can be felt all over the blade.
"Come out." Richard ordered no-one in particular. "I know you were watching me evacuate the girls. What's more, is that I sense you're not here just to meet me. If you want to fight, then come at me then."
There were a slow silence, before there was the sound of slow and sarcastic clapping, that causes Richard to take extra caution, as he shifts his dual blades to a defensive position. He then saw a young boy with short white hair, and eyes that were completely grey, lacking the pupil and the iris, appear through the edge of the forest, with a devilish grin on his face. He is wearing a black trench coat and jeans with a white undershirt. He also has his gem encrusted pocket watch hanging outside his pocket via a gold chain.
"Well, aren't you a smart-ass?" The boy spoke in a sarcastic tone, dripping with false kindness and humour. "I wonder how smart you will be, when I slice that head of your apart."
"Who are you? I know for sure, that you're definitely either one of those dimension-travelling heroes, villains, or whatever." Richard spoke in a serious tone. "Either way, your presence in Gensokyo is very much unwelcome here. Even if you aren't my enemy, I know that you have plans for this reality. Whatever it is you have planned, I suggest you leave. There are people more powerful than me, that protect this realm, including two people, who know how to fuck reality well enough to kill gods, so I don't think you'll be staying long, if you want to live."
The white-haired boy only chuckles, before he then looks at Richard with a look that promised pain and suffering.
"Oh, you think I really give a damn about this place. That's what I really hate about you people. You always have that sick sense of righteousness." He says, without any of his sarcasm being lost. "I may as well tell you my name, as you're going to be dead right after I am done with you. I am Neramo, the first Multi-Walker."
"Me? Dead?" Richard stated with a raised eye-brow. "Is this some sort of joke? You come barging into unknown lands, and claim that you want to kill me. You either are bored, or you're treading one step too deep into lands that you're not supposed to be in. Either way, I WILL make you leave, even if it means you lose an arm or two."
Richard then notices the hanging pocket-watch, looking at it with intent.
"So... I presume that you're no different to Sakuya, having that familiar pocket-watch." Richard noted with a unamused voice. "If you think time powers is all it takes to kill me, then you're really underestimating every fight that comes to you. I've handled people who used time powers much better than her."
Neramo looks at Richard, before his grin only widened, as he pulled out a golden Victorian pocket-watch, that is stained with a few drops of blood. Seeing the pocket-watch, Richard's expression twisted into one filled with dread and worry.
"Oh, you mean that white-haired maid bitch?" Neramo asked evilly. "That bitch had the nerve to try and beat me with the same powers I have. Too bad for her, I own time like it's my slave. If I'm there, no-one can manipulate time, except myself. After I froze her, I gave her a little make-over with my sawblades."
"What... What did you just do!?" Richard questioned Neramo in a demanding tone. "There is no way that Sakuya Izayoi, the former vampire hunting legend, would fall so easily against people like you and me! Even without time powers, she'll tear you to piece with her knifes! You're lying. She can't be dead."
"I beg to differ, ass-hole." Neramo replied. "After all, I killed one of your so-called 'waifus'! And everyone of your friends, are going to be next, PROTAGONIST."
"You... I don't care who you are, and what you serve, I won't let your plans succeed so easily." Richard growled, as he gritted his teeth. "I may not be the strongest here, but..."
Richard shifted himself into a combat posture, before he then summoned countless sukimas, all around him and Neramo. "YOU DON'T FUCK WITH ME." He said with a glare filled with hatred towards Neramo.
He then fired off a dense formation of danmaku projectiles from the sukimas he created, as he charged at Neramo with his sword raised, as the latter only crossed his arms, with a smirk.
However, just before Richard could attack Neramo, time began to stop around Neramo, as the world turned grey, except the white-haired assassin, as he then snapped his finger, as countless circular saw blades were summoned in flashes of magic, as they were fired towards the streams of danmaku that Richard created, destroying all of them. He then summoned another few hundred saw-blades, which were spread around, and were all aimed at Richard, before he then summoned a red and black broadsword.
"Game over, KID." Neramo mused, as he restarted the flow of time, as the saw-blades shot towards Richard.
The black-haired blade-wielder, already noticed the time-stop, and immediately pressed his right foot back, as he then used his twin blades to stop most of the blades, as Richard created sukimas, that had swords poking out of them, as Richard was straining to keep the blades off him, before he then pushed the saw-blades away, and grabbing one by the edge of his fingers.
"Try and stop this!" Richard shouted, as he threw the lone saw-blade back at Neramo, at high speeds. However, he only pushed the saw-blade out of his way, with a flick of his blade, sending it burrowing into the edge of a nearby tree.
"Is that all you got? I rather have fun killing you, instead of just slitting your throat to quickly end this." Neramo tauntingly asked his opponent.
"Same I should ask of you. You think I'll go down like the rest of your victims?" Richard retorted back. "Think again. You'll need more than just saws to even scratch me. I can still block whatever you may try, even if you do try and stop time."
"Hah! We'll see about that. I'm going to enjoy watching you cry for your friends, when you die!" Neramo said, with a insane smile, as he charged at Richard, with his blade raised up to strike.
Richard side-stepped slightly, allowing the over-head strike to miss him by a few millimeters, before then blocking a second blow with one of his swords, as Richard then began to use the other sword to strike at Neramo's weak-points in his stance, while keeping Neramo from landing a hit, by parrying and deflecting any counter-blows with his other sword.
"Come on! Why can't you just accept death, and die like the loser you are!" Neramo replied. "The world doesn't need trash like you."
"Well, I guess then, we have something in common." Richard said, as he then butted Neramo's chest with a shoulder-tackle. "We're both trash."
He then twirled to the right, before he then smashed the broad-sword with both of his swords, knocking it up, wide enough for Richard to immediately cross his swords over to land a direct blow on Neramo, knocking him back into a tree.
"But at least I'm the kind of trash, that actually doesn't care for 'fate' or 'destiny', and works the best to overcome my own limits." Richard replied. "And I'm no naive fool of the world, not after I realise what morality truly is. At least I don't go around murdering for fun's sake. If I were to kill, i would have a purpose behind it."
"Oh really?" Neramo asked, as he recovered quickly. "And why would someone like you justify murder? You're nothing but a naive protagonist."
Richard only grimaces, before he then summons a sukima, and dashes through it, before then appearing right behind Neramo, as Neramo then stops time, just as Richard was about to make a move, before slicing at Richard's neck, as a slash-mark appears on it, gradually growing wider.
The black-haired swordsman's arms simple limped down, as the fatal cut across his neck, sprays blood like a fountain, as he then falls out of the gap, with a pool of blood collecting under his neck, as his eyes slowly lose their light, and he gasped for air, despite having his own wind-pipe cut open by the incision, before then falling still.
"And all that big talk for nothing. Just what I expected from you. You all are so annoying, thinking that you can defeat anything, with 'friendship' and 'justice'." Neramo said. "Well, that's one protagonist to deal with."
"I would think otherwise, if you're stupid enough to not check your dead." A voice behind Neramo said, as the white-haired fighter was about to turn to look at the source of the sound, only to feel an arm wrap around his neck, with crushing might, and another wrapping around the waist, binding both arms from being able to move.
Richard then steps out of the sukima, having his sword sheathed on his back.
"Really, you fell for that?" Richard taunted with a unbelieving stare. "I was not kidding, when I said that you do not fuck with me. I'm what you call a god-send class, Neramo, if that is your real name. If you think that I would easily give you an opening to slit my throat with an eternal time stop, then you're no smarter than a middle-class soldier from any army."
"You... How did you survive that?" Neramo hissed, trying to struggle out.
"What? You think I'm like the usual hero fool, taunting into situations that they cannot possibly walk out of? I knew you would eventually try and kill me, by instant-kill. It doesn't matter what I will do, you seem to be sure that you can guarantee that I would die nonetheless." Richard said in a cold tone. "So I had you fooled into killing me. I expected that you would only drop your guard slightly, enough for me to bind you with my own arms, but you surprise me, with how you try to gloat over a dead body, even when there's no value to it."
Neramo struggles further, as Richard only gripped his arms tighter around his neck.
"Now, now, if you don't want your arms to snap, or your neck to suffer permanent damage, I suggest you stop struggling, and accept what is to come." Richard replied. "Swordsmanship is not my only advantage over you. I can already deduce that I can physically overpower you, without any unnecessary waste of energy. If you wanted to get those arms off, you would have to have at least one-tenth of a average oni's power to succeed. But even then, I would just simply make my grip tighter. So trying to break my grip, is like trying to tear off titanium walls with your bare hands."
"What do you plan to do? Knock me unconscious?" Neramo spat at Richard, as he looked back at his captor.
"My, aren't you clever. Although I should kill you for harming Sakuya, it would be wise to actually figure out if you serve someone." Richard replied with a sarcastic tone. "The tables have truly turned, eh? You tried threatening me to give off in a easy death, but instead, you find yourself at the mercy of me. And you want to know something?"
Richard then began to summon two red cards, formed from magic, with each between the fingers of Richard's left hand.
"I'm fresh out of mercy." Richard cackled, with a sadistic smile. "You think that I'll just suffocate you, or knock you out? Wrong. I am going to make you faint in pain. Don't worry, you'll get better, but when you wake up next, you wouldn't be able to try anything to attack either me, or whoever I bring over to interrogate you."
"You're lying. You have the face of a soft and weak protagonist." Neramo retorted back. "You wouldn't do anything as cruel as this, because you're all 'goody-two-shoes'."
"Care to wager, my dear assailant?" Richard spoke in a mocking, and fake noble tone. "If you think that I'm the same to either Superman or Batman, you're wrong. Ever since I saw the truth of the world with my two eyes, I have lost all sense of heroism, and have devoted myself to actually using the ends to justify my own actions. And by end, it means severely disabling you, until you surrender to me."
Richard then tilts the card, that is stuck between his finger with a firm grip, as he then dissipates the other in a flash of energy. "But I'll strike you a little deal. If you explain your purpose here, I might actually consider giving you sweet dreams with less pain. Otherwise, I'll just stick to my promise, and enjoy your screams of pain, as justice against your actions towards Gensokyo." He whispered in Neramo's ear. "Sounds fair? Because this is the only deal I will make, so choose wisely, lest you suffer unnecessarily."
"Go fuck yourself! Just kill me already!" Neramo hissed at Richard. "Saves me the trouble of having to listen to your honeyed bull-shit."
"How about NO." Richard smirked back at his captive, as he brought Neramo closer to him, tightening his grip over him. "The only time I'll be letting go, is if you're in dreamland, and killing you stands to earn me nothing. Now... You seem very unafraid of death. Care to tell me why?"
Neramo, however was stretching his right hand over to the pocket, in his trench coat, without Richard noticing it, and managed to bring out a flash-bang. Richard then looks down to see the flash-bang, which lacked the safety pin, as his eyes widen with shock.
The flashbang explodes in a flash of bright white light, as Richard's grip loosened, as the magic warrior moved back, and created a sukima, which he fell through, and reappeared right back at the edge of the lake, with one eye closed, trying to shake off the effects of the flash-bang.
"How clever. You actually used the moment, that I moved my arms out to squeeze you on me tighter, to quickly pick that grenade out, and light it with a pin removal." Richard complimented his own enemy. "I guess that I should have stopped trying to take you in with minimal damage, that was a mistake on my own behalf.
"And that mistake, is your death." Neramo cackled, as he prepared to stop time. "Say goodbye to your measly life!"
However, time still remains normal, to both fighters, much to the surprise of the user, as Neramo tries to stop time again and again.
"What... What did you do!?" Neramo roared at Richard, who now sported a sly smirk on his face.
"You thought that I wouldn't have a contingency plan, in case I lost my grip over you, should you had any other abilities?" Richard said in a condescending manner. "I knew that you would immediately try and kill me, by stopping time again, and this time, going for the real me this time. But how about you look below yourself."
Neramo only looks down, to see that there was a pulsing greyish magic circle, that was surrounding his entire body on the ground.
"It's something that I use against ass-holes like you, that are more powerful than me." Richard explained. "It's a spell that I learnt from Minerva. Although it takes me time to set it up, and the range of the circle is small, but whatever being or person is unlucky to have been in the circle, they'll find that their magic and manipulation skills will be sealed, as long as this circle remains."
"How dare you..." Neramo growled, as he got up. "How dare you take the one ability that I take pride and joy in? I'll make sure that you'll suffer greatly, before you die."
"Oh please, that's an empty threat, and Minerva has given me more convincing ones than those." Richard retorted back. "But there is a shine of hope, for you, even though you don't deserve it after all you have done to Gensokyo. My magic is also sealed along with the magic circle, except extracting and placing things into my sukima, which is quite the boon for me now. So you and I are now on fair grounds, because it comes down to fighting with swords."
Richard then unsheathes the dual swords that he was using.
"I'm sure that Yukari won't mind that I break the bastard that dares to destroy her created realm a little bit." Richard chuckled. "After all, you won't be fighting anytime soon, if I'm done with you!"
Neramo re-summoned his dark broadsword.
"Fine then, a clash of swords it shall be then." Neramo hissed, as his face creased with anger.
The two of them clash at each other, with Richard only scoffing, as he manages to block a strike from Neramo, with both swords.
"You just had to resist dying." Neramo said to him, with vile hate, as he continued swinging with a renewed might. "You people always make me sick, thinking that you can do anything, and the world will not care at all about what you do, and you get anything you want, no matter what you do."
"Same words to you, asshole." Richard replied dryly, as he simply deflected all blows away from him, trying to make an opening from the attacks. "You think that some ass-hole like you can trudge into Gensokyo, severely injure a main resident here, threaten to kill everyone, and expect to succeed? You know nothing about Gensokyo, dear Neramo. Gensokyo is the land of fantasies and myth, but it is also known to be the land of mythological hell and chaos. Everyone here, has their own reasons of surviving this land, because in each person, lies powers that can lay waste to hundred and hundreds of other worlds with little problem. Every one of the main residents can cause apocalypses in their own methods. Trying to provoke Gensokyo, is like having your own country continuously nuked by others, until the land becomes truly wasted and broken."
"And why should I care!? You're a threat to our organisation!" Neramo roared back, as he swung his blade over-head, to prepare to cleave Richard vertically in half. "You protagonists always find ways to fuck up the multiverse, and create Rot, which eats away on our multiverse, just because you wanted to play hero."
"Oh please fucking shut up." Richard said, as he swing his swords up to meet the falling broad-sword, stopping it in its tracks, before booting Neramo in the centre of the chest, as he charges at Neramo. "Protagonist this, protagonist that. What's your fucking idea of considering me being a protagonist, and what's your fucking problem of hating protagonists? You have no right to judge me, not after all I have done. I'm no hero, and I'm no monster like you either!"
"Don't fucking lie to me! The problem with all of you ass-hole heroes, is that you do what's 'right', and everyone will cheer for you, while no-one will show even a single shred of sympathy for the people they defeat! What if those 'villains' had families, and what if he had a reason for conquering the world, just so that he can ensure no more people die!? None of you ass-holes stop to think about that, no, you don't care about the people at all!" Neramo spat back at Richard, as he continuously hacked at Richard's torso without rest. "You can kill all the people you want, and you'll be pardoned for whatever you did. It makes me sick looking at you hypocrites rule the world with 'benevolence' and 'justice'. You get everything you want, and the rest suffer because of it!"
"Then what does that make me then!?" Richard replied, as he smashed Neramo's sword away, and slashed down at Neramo, as the white-haired battler managed to barely block the "You think that I want to be a fucking hero!? I know enough fucking things about anything that leads to war and battle, and considering that I went through a living hell that I myself created, I have lost all heart of being a hero. Instead, I'll do things my own damn way. I'll kill whoever tries to interfere with my friends and my allies, and I will make sure those who deserve to suffer, get their payment in maximum value, in pain and misery. I'm not like Issei, Naruto, Goku, or those other fucking heroes. I have no more tolerance for fucking shits like you, and if it wasn't for the fact that I promised Yukari that all outer-dimensional threats are to be brought to her, I would have burnt your body to a crisp, from the moment I had you in my hold. But no, Yukari just has to appeal to compassion, the very one thing that I fucking hate, after what it did to me! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I HAD TO SUFFER, JUST SO THAT I COULD LIVE MY LIFE AS MY OWN PERSON!"
Neramo only let out a 'tch', as he managed to slam Richard's swords with his own with all of his might, as the clashing swords bite into each other, before then separating with a resounding 'ting' sound, sending them flying away from their opponents. Neramo was about to move back to retrieve his lost sword, before he is tackled by an infuriated Richard, who let out a guttural roar, before the boy pinned his opponent to the ground.
"I had to suffer consequences for my own actions! I had to watch all of my friends die, because I set off the events of the end of the world! I was the one who had the key to the doors of the apocalypse!" Richard cried with both rage and sorrow, as he repeatedly slammed hook after hook into Neramo's face, causing the floored boy to spit blood from the attack. "I had to watch as my loved ones die in agony, and lose their selves! I had to watch as my world shattered into endless pieces! I wanted to scream and forget all of this like a bad dream! But it was all fucking real! It was all me! ALL ME! ALL ME ALL ME ALL ME ALL ME ALL ME ALL ME ALL ME! I was the one who became the true villain, and the reason why my own friends died, because I lacked the power to stop my own actions from having consequences! Have you suffered from that!? The pain of watching the world you live in die in the ashes of an evil empire!? The sorrow and despair from watching your friends lose themselves, and die in vain!? The hopelessness that comes from being betrayed by those who you have trusted with your own heart and soul!? The pain when you realise that the events are inevitable, and cannot be changed whatsoever!? NO! All you care about, is kill kill kill! You are nothing more than a soulless monster with a fake personality! You're no vigilante, you're a puppet born until you can't fight at all! So do me a favour, and suffer like the miserable piece of shit you are!
Richard was about to crush Neramo's face, with a charged fist, before he felt something grab his arm, and whipped his head up to look at who is holding him back, only to see that Yukari was holding his arm, with a soft grip in her hand, as her expression is stoic, yet unimpressed.
"Yukari…." Richard hissed. "So you finally come here. Do me a favour and interrogate this ass-hole. If you can't decide how to do it, make his interrogation extra painful. He has threatened to ruin Gensokyo, and has severely injured Sakuya. But I assume that it was you who saved her, right?"
"Indeed. Sakuya has only gotten a few deep cuts, and various gashes. Eirin has already healed her back to normal." Yukari replied in a serious tone, as she inspected Neramo, who was severely bruised all over his face, and parts of his head was caved in, but he was still breathing, albeit with difficulty. "I see that your inner rage has been unleashed again. I'm surprised that this intruder would be able to anger you to such levels. As much as I would be impressed by your handiwork in dispatching the intruder, you know that you were to ensure that he was in a state that he can still speak, whenever he can."
"Good, then the problem is solved." Richard said. "I need to take a damn rest. I had to keep remembering that goddamn universe…. Why do I have to remember the pain and sorrow that I suffered there…? I just want to forget…. Goddamnit…."
Richard then got back up, and turned off the nullification magic circle, before approaching Yukari.
"Do me a favour, and cut the links between him and time. He's way more dangerous than Sakuya, when it comes to time. He didn't even use magic to control time. He actually MANIPULATED it." Richard spoke to Yukari, with a cautious look in his eyes
"It has already been done, Richard. I noticed his ability the moment he used in my realm. I would have done so, if you hadn't nullified his powers first temporarily." Yukari replied, as she fluttered her fan, her frown still remaining on her face. "I do wonder where someone like that would gain the power to surpass the talent of many of the best time-wielders. He would actually be able to cause quite the problem, even with Marisa and Reimu there."
"And Yuuka won't win, if she doesn't stop him instantly with a Double Spark." Richard also noted. "That's how much of a threat he is. Someone like him definitely has the help of a god. We just need to know which one it is."
Before the conversation could progress any further, another boy appeared in a flash of light, with a green orb of light, that was floating in the air. Richard immediately redrew his swords, as the other boy only frowned deeper at this action.
"There is no need for conflict." The orb of light, spoke, with the voices of thousands of people, both female and male, deep and high, strong and weak, kind and rough, as if the voice was the voice of humanity itself. "We are only here to seek Richard Liu."
"Who are you? Are you some sort of god?" Richard asked the orb of light. "Are you friends of the one that lies on the ground?"
"We are friends of Neramo, the one that you have just knocked down. I apologise for what Neramo has done. He has gotten carried away with his actions. He will be duly punished for what he has done, for disrupting the order of another multiverse and reality." The orb of light replied. "I am known as The Gentleman, and yes, I am a multiversal god. I simply do not wish to show my physical form in front of people."
"Yeah... He's one of the people who hates protagonists. Still, didn't expect him to go far to wreak havoc on this land." The other boy spoke. "Name's Johnathan Fulcrum. I'm a part of the Dimension Hoppers, a team that does its best to protect as many universes as we can, and one of the more older and mature Multi-Walkers. Put those weapons away. We just want to talk, no tricks or anything bad is going to happen."
Richard, after hearing the introductions of the two gods, sheathed his swords slowly, although his eyes still had a hardened look in them, towards the two of them.
"If you're looking for Richard, I am him." Richard replied. "Alright ' The Gentleman', as much as I am not ready to provoke someone who is as old as any multiverse in this vast existence, and respect you, for being one of the gods that I know, that actually deal with problems themselves. I would be pleased if I have answers about why the hell he would injure Sakuya. If he managed to hurt Sakuya, then he must have caused quite the trouble here."
"Ah yes, that." The Gentleman spoke in his layered voice. "Neramo prioritises people with time powers, over protagonists, and yes, protagonists as in the ones in every piece of fandom that can be created. He believes that it is a insult for someone to have control over time, as long as he lives. It's a problem that we can't fix, other than him being 'a big ball of insanity and villainy'."
"That doesn't justify hurting one of my residents, Gentleman." Yukari replied. "I would like to ask that you don't let this happen again to here, because we have already had our fair share of troubles, each of which had threatened to destroy Gensokyo. In all, we don't want anything more to happen, and I WILL force you to stop, if you purposely try to destroy Gensokyo."
"And can you stop me, Yukari Yakumo?" The Gentleman answered back. "You know not my true power. It would be best if you do not provoke me to fight against you. Although it was mainly of my own fault, for sending Neramo to retrieve Richard, instead of someone more suited like Johnathan, but do know that if I wished, I could destroy Gensokyo with only a single thought. And you are very much aware of that, if you know how to tell one's power."
Yukari only visibly grimaced.
"Then I appreciate that we talk like philosophical people, instead of ordinary humans, who would lie and backstab each other. You're brutally honest, Gentleman, and that is a quality that very few people of your power and calibre have, with two of them being this Multiverse's Creator and Destroyer." Yukari answered back, her lips tilting up to show her lightened mood. "Do know that if you tried an act like that, you would only end up destroying this multiverse. The Creator has devoted almost all of her power in making sure the very objectification of nothingness and inevitable entropy does not erase everything, and the Destroyer will not stand to allow one of his loved one's world be destroyed by beings. Hence, it would only hurt both of us, to fight. Richard is the Creator's chosen one, and that is why Richard now lives with us. He is no ordinary person, or even an ordinary hero, Gentleman. If Neramo was one of your elites, then Richard is almost at the same level as him."
"And it was actually a clever idea to restrain and restrict Neramo's power to 10% of his original power." The Gentleman added. "I knew that something like this would happen."
Richard, hearing that sentence, literally stiffened up, as his eyes widened.
"Wait a minute... Did you just say... that I fought that ass-hole with all of my might, and he was at 10% of his true power!?" Richard spoke, as his right eye twitched rapidly. "Everything I said to him, about me being able to overpower him, if that's all he got, was all cheap talk!?"
Neramo only laughed deeply, before groaning from the pain. However, Richard heard that, and summoned a sukima, that sent one of Nitori's stronger hammers into the face of the white-haired Multi-Walker, knocking him out without any delay, as Johnathan winced, with a hissing 'Ooh'.
"That was not necessary, Richard Liu. I prefer that you didn't hurt Neramo further. He needs to recover naturally from this, as one part of his punishment, and I don't want to punish my best more than I need to." The Gentleman scolded Richard.
"He deserved it." Richard spoke, with his teeth grit. "You saying that you limited his power, is similar to saying that he let himself be locked in a surprise grab, or that he was making fucking fun out of me, even though I was going to crush him with everything I got, just before I unleashed a Magical Annihilation on his ass, just as soon as I taken my nullification magic down. That will not stand, because I am not some whore-made hero. I am a hero that has been trained to use my mind sharper than most heroes, and use magic and physical abilities as if they complement each other. Saying that I l only won over some insane ass-hole, who has only infinite weapons, magic saw-blades, and the power to stop time as much as he wants, because he was limited in power, is like saying that I'm useless!"
"But you are not." The Gentleman answered back. "You are the exact kind of person that I want to recruit into the Multi-Walkers. As I searched over the realities with dimensional omnipotence, I came across you, a hero who has grown over time to transcend most of the best heroes that any universe has to offer, and you possess a mentality that is perfect for the job. You are kind, but you have no mercy when it comes to the right moments. You are friendly, but you are not too reliant on your friends. You are brave and persistent, but you know when you have to retreat or surrender, or fight to the last are no hero, but you are no villain either, you are just a morally grey being. Your talents fill the gaps that our team of Multi-Walkers need, a hero who is considered to be a multiversal version of a 'jack of all trades'. You are exactly one of the people that the multiverse needs. That is why I seek to recruit a alternate version of yourself, so that I can have you, yet also not create a paradox where your disappearance screws up the time and space of this multiverse. That is not something I plan to do."
"I see..." Richard replied. "Then tell me this, The Gentleman. What is the purpose of the Dimensional Hoppers? Do they have the same purpose as I, correcting the universes, and ridding all forces and anomalies that seek to throw the worlds in chaos?"
"Indeed, spoken word to word." The Gentleman confirmed. "Now, I only ask? Will you join us? I will not do anything, should you refuse, except leave you as you are, but I will be grateful if you would come with us, so that you would become one of or best assets in combat and all-round work, as you will bear not only the weight of one multiverse, but millions, as you save them day by day, night by night. And you will be given all that you need, to become stronger and mightier, and you will find friends that will suit you towards the future. So please, consider my offer, if you must."
Richard only remained silent, as he closed his eyes, and crossed his arms, as he entered deep thought. Before long, Richard opened his eyes, and placed his arms back where they were. He then approached The Gentleman, before kneeling on one knee, with right hand over his heart.
"Then I am willing to accept your offer, The Gentleman. It will be a pleasure to serve you, and protect all that is right. However, I would like to ask for one thing, and do another thing, before I leave with you." Richard spoke humbly. "May you allow me the moments to do what I need?"
"You may. We will wait here, until you have completed all that you need, before we take you to our own headquarters. What is the one thing that you would like to ask?" The Gentleman answered him.
"My only request is that you keep me as far away from Neramo as you can. Something about him... ignites a deep sorrow and rage inside me. It makes me want to bash him to a pulp. So, because I don't want to be a liability, I ask that if you send me on field, you make sure Neramo does not have the same mission as I, because I believe that he and I will truly be 'oil and water' to a multiversal degree." Richard asked, with a honest yet worried tone. "I only ask that you do your best to make sure that this happens. If you can't, then I'll just accept it as it is."
The Gentleman remained silent, as the sounds of thought and consideration reverberated from it.
"Very well, I will consider it. I'll make sure that the only time you and Neramo work together, is when your mission either needs critical reinforcements, or that the mission requires both of you to be present to fix it." The Gentleman offered Richard. "Will that be satisfactory for you, Richard?"
"Absolutely. I will do my best to work hard, and make sure that this gratitude and request does not go to waste." Richard replied. "Now, the thing I have to do... just give me a moment."
Richard then summoned one of his sukimas, as Heiwa, Cirno and Daiyousei tumble out it, as the three young girls flop around on the floor.
"Finally, we're back where we belong!" Cirno said, as the three of them got up, as Johnathan eyed them with an interested look.
The three of them look around, as they see all that is present here, before turning back to Richard.
"Woah! Richard really did beat the bad guy! I knew my brother is the best!" Heiwa cheered, before letting out a raspberry towards the unconscious Neramo. "Meanies like you should be punished!"
Gentleman only remained silent, as Johnathan smiled slightly for a moment, before he got rid of it.
Richard then places his left hand on Cirno's head, and another on Heiwa's head, as he kneeled down with a grin.
"Of course, when was there any doubt that your big friend Richard would not be able to fix it." Richard said with a friendly tone. "Now, listen. Auntie Yukari will take you to Sister Chen and Aunty Ran's house. I just need to talk with these people here. They're here to... detain this bad person, because he did something unforgivable. They just want to talk to me and Aunty Yukari for a while, so we'll be back to get you, so we can continue our planned day with all four of us, okay?"
Cirno and Heiwa only nodded, as Daiyousei smiled back.
"We'll be waiting for you, Richard!" Cirno said. "I'm sure that we'll have some real fun, right?"
"Of course. We will be." Richard replied. "I promise you that much."
Yukari then opens a sukima, as Cirno, Heiwa and Daiyousei enter it, before waving back at Richard, and smiling at Johnathan, who reacted by looking slightly away, with a almost invisible blush on his cheeks. The sukima closes, as Richard turns to Yukari.
"You know exactly what to do here, right Yukari?" Richard asked his superior. "Just make sure that you transport an alternate universe version of myself, on this very day, then erase his memories right up until the present time. That way, the others will not be able to tell the difference, and the other me will be put off as only having a moment of amnesia from a broken branch. It won't end up causing problems, if Gentleman went through all this trouble to get me."
"I will. Be safe, Richard. Should anything happen to you, the Gentleman will answer to me, even if he can destroy me in a instant. I am not afraid of consequence, if it will lose me my only student and protege." Yukari replied. "Farewell, Richard. Let us hope that we meet again."
"I do. I promise that this will not be the last time we will meet." Richard answered back, with a deep sigh.
Yukari then jumps through one of her own sukimas, prepared to begin the plan that both of them have agreed on.
"Alright then. That's that." Richard replied, as he turned back to the Multi-Walkers, with his arms out. "I now have no more ties with this multiverse, and nobody will grieve, because there will be another me taking my place."
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, to go as far to ensure that your friends and kin will not suffer from my actions. It only further proves why I need you." The Gentleman said.
Richard then walks up to Johnathan, before reaching his hand out. "I guess you'll be my first buddy, eh Johnathan? Let us become good friends, and work together for the betterment of the many universe and multiverses. I'll be sure to cover your back and be there when you need me, no matter the situation." Richard spoke with a sincere smile, and a kind look in his eyes.
Johnathan looked down at Richard's hand for a while, before grabbing it and shaking it lightly, returning the smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Richard. I'm sure we'll grow to be perfect teammates, with your skills, and my own ability to enhance others."
From that moment, a alliance has been forged, as Richard left the multiverse, and his role as multiversal saviour, for a new task of being one of the people to watch over the many realities and stop anomalies from destroying all multiverses, as he steps forth with new friends and new challenges, into the unknown.
For he is now... a Dimension Hopper.