Crona stood there next to Medusa, his spine rim rod straight. Crona was completely unmoving, afraid to move so much as an inch as to catch Medusa's eye and make her angrier than she already was.
Crona wanted to speak, try to apologize to Medusa (again), he wanted to tell her he'd do better (again), but it seems that Medusa had taken to her usual reaction to being unpleased and punish Crona (again). After Crona had come back from another failed mission she had been silent for a long moment and had simply ordered that Crona not eat that day.
Crona wasn't scared that he wasn't able to eat, that had been a minor punishment compared to anything else Medusa has done. What had been scaring Crona was Medusas lack of punishment. Crona had been sitting in his room for quite a few days after that. Medusa would call him out for the three meals a day, they would eat silently, Crona afraid to make any noise except silver wear against a plate, and that was the extent of any communication between them.
Crona had actually thought that Medusa was contemplating about killing him.
It wasn't an inaccurate thing to assume.
When Medusa had told him that they were leaving after the three day wait for anything and Crona thought that maybe he had another mission again, but after they had stopped somewhere in the middle of the desert, next to a cactus that was nearly three times as tall as Crona was, Crona went back to wondering if Medusa was contemplating murder.
Again.
Crona was starting to grow tired from standing. It felt like they were there for hours. He would sometimes leaned a little too far forward and would immediately straighten before Medusa would cast a glance at him. She sat on her broom next to Crona and was staring forward the entire time into the dark sands.
I'm boreeed! Ragnarok whined from within Cronas mind. If she wants to kill us, just get it over with!
Crona was relieved that he wasn't the only one to assume that.
M-M-Medusa-Sama said t-to wait. Crona replied. W-w-we have to w-wait.
We wouldn't have to wait if you didn't piss her off so much! Ragnarok yelled. If you didn't fuck up the last mission, we wouldn't be in this funk!
...
Crona sat there in the bushes, waiting to strike his target. He had been following the monster for a while. Crona had no idea whether or not it was even an Afreet Egg, but he didn't question Meudsa when he got his order. All he knew after following it quietly throughout the dark forest was that it was big, and had a massive left arm that seemed to double as a blunt melee weapon.
Crona had been following it for close to maybe three hours, trying to find the right time to strike this thing when it was off of its guard. This thing has been on high alert for anything, displaying scary intelligence for a beast. Crona has assumed that thing would have to rest eventually, or at least he hoped. Medusa had wanted this thing back alive, which made it harder for Crona, but he was going to carry out this mission regardless of difficulty.
This thing was clearly stronger than Crona, so he had to sneak up and make a damaging blow, not fatal. He thought that maybe the back of the neck could be a good target, but severing the spine would more than likely kill this thing. He could possibly render this thing unconscious if he slammed it on the back of the head hard enough. Yes. That could work.
Crona saw the creature take his long, heavy thudded steps toward a small stream. The water in the area reflected from the forever grinning crescent moon, casting a beautiful glow on the dew throughout the grass in the late night. The creature leaned toward the lake bed and used its fingered hand to scoop water into its mouth, taking gentle sips. The creature had let its guard down.
Crona took slow steps out of the tree line, quieter than a mouse searching for kitchen scraps. He cautiously put one foot in front of the other, Ragnarok in hand as a sword. The creature was none the wiser, taking drinks from the stream of the late night. Crona took his swordsman stance and aimed himself to the monster, ready to do the strike. He aimed for the back of the head, turning his sword sideways for a blunt hit-
"AH-CHOO!" The sword in Cronas hand sneezed. The monster immediately tensed, and Crona felt like an elevator of ice had slammed down twenty stories into his stomach. He had lost the element of surprise.
The creature stood at its impossible height slowly and turned its red eyes toward Crona with blunt hatred, water dripping from the corners of its mouth.
"Well," Ragnarok said from his mouth on the hilt. "Shit."
...
Right. Crona's fault.
Right.
Crona didn't bother to tell Ragnarok that he hadn't been the one to give them away. If he had, Ragnarok would have refuted it anyway then proceed with the bullying of Crona. It wouldn't have mattered if it was either of their fault, Crona would still be on the receiving end of punishment. Though he didn't know what Medusa had planned for him, still.
The wait was long lived, but it eventually came to an end. Crona didn't feel any presence in the air when a sudden cloud of dust swirled in the wind, but Medusa was on a level far higher than Cronas.
"Finally." Medusa had muttered under her breath and Crona was immediately confused. He was afraid to move his arms to get sand out of his eyes so he blinked rapidly and fiercely. When he opened them his vision blurred for a moment and thought he was seeing things as two figures came before them. His vision cleared and he was able to make out the oncoming people.
The first one was a very pale woman. Her body seemed to ooze elegance and grace with every one of her steps through the sands. Her hips swayed femininely as she stepped toward them. Her dress was so black it seemed to make the rest of her shown skin brighten in comparison. Her hair was tied into a neat bun. She held a small fan in her hand and absently waved it in her face to cool off. Her eyes were a deep dark amethyst.
Walking beside her was a very small man, unbelievably small. His small legs had no trouble catching up with the larger woman's steps, but it looked comical. He wore a small tuxedo and a top hat. His face was very wrinkled and his eyes were as crimson as fresh blood.
The little guy rang a few bells in Cronas head, but it was unimportant to him compared to the woman. When Crona could make out the woman, his blood turned to ice (though if this was true, Ragnarok failed to mention this). He had seen her face before in old photos that Medusa had hung around the castle for the sake of decoration and nothing else. But what had bothered him more were the stories behind that face that Medusa had informed Crona about on her more talkative moods. The stories were never actually good. Actually, when he thought about, he didn't think that there was anything good said about her.
He was also informed that she was dead.
Crona knew firsthand experience that ghosts were real (just a soul that lingers too long without passing or had not yet been consumed), so he had wondered if that was what he was seeing.
But the supposed specter had finally made it to Crona and Medusa (a red carpet had been rolled down the path as she walked toward them, almost being impossibly long) and Medusa had been the first to speak to her.
"Sister." Medusa had said in an unenthusiastic greeting.
"Hello, Medusa." Arachne had greeted in turn. "How have you been?"
Medusa had rolled her eyes at this statement. "Do you really want to get into unimportant topics?"
"Oh, phoo" Arachne had scoffed.
"Hello, Mosquito." Medusa went on, ignoring Arachne. "I see age has not hindered you over the years."
The tiny man bowed to Medusa, taking off his hat to do so. "Greetings to you as well, Madam Medusa. I may be getting older, but as long as my services are required of Ojou-Sama I will not let something as simple as age get in the way of my duties. Not even death."
As the two of them passed words to each other, Arachne had given Crona a glance over, and Crona had noticed and watched her as she did so. Crona watched the interaction in silence, not speaking unless spoken to, still being fearful of the spider witch. The fact that she was eyeing him with this fear in place had done nothing to comfort him. She slowly scanned him up and down once then stopped to look at Crona in the nod. A bead of sweat dripped down Cronas hair line.
Arachne had given a nod that looked almost like approval, but Crona didn't know if it was. Arachne went back into the conversation.
"Yes. Death." Medusa had said and let her eyes move to her sister. "I wasn't sure if Mosquito was alive, but I was positive that the Reaper had killed you."
"A lot of people have assumed this," Arachne agreed. "Thankfully the reaper himself had as well. Otherwise I would not be standing before you right now. But, to save the explanation short, I had been hiding. So far I am still under the radar, as are you, Nurse Medusa."
Medusa's eye ever so slightly had twitched barely any movement. Crona had been around Medusa long enough to catch the small movement and began to pale at her anger.
Arachne had known Medusa on a more profound level than Crona and noticed the twitch coming before her words had left her mouth. Medusa had reacted to this and it had made Arachne grin behind her fan.
"Were you spying on me, dear sister?" Medusa asked quietly, but the coldness behind the tone made it the only sound in the dark desert. Her posture was still eeriely unmoving, but her presence became more menacing.
Arachne paid it no mind. "Don't assume it to be some variant of favoritism, because it is far from it. I have many eyes still watching worldwide, gathering proper Intel, hoping to get information. It was because of this I was able to make contact with you again."
"What is it that you are looking for, sister?" Medusa had said this with her bland tone of interest, but the curiosity behind her eyes glimmered for a short second.
"What is it you are looking for, little sister?" Arachne had shot back evenly.
There was a silence between them that felt heavy. They simply stared at one another with the sudden raise in gravity. Crona began to sweat bullets and Raganrok, who was making snide remarks in Cronas head during the conversation, was blissfully quiet.
Mosquito himself had become uncomfortable and shifted his small legs and had a better grasp on his top hat. He had cleared his throat.
"Ojou-Sama..." Mosquito inquired.
"Right, right." Arachne acknowledged the little butler. "I already have a good idea of what you want, sister. As much as it pains me to admit, I don't have a full grasp of what the end game of your plan is, but I know well enough of what it is you need. With that said, I know there have been... "She trailed off with a look to Crona, who was still standing there nervously. " ...Complications. I assume you have read my message, otherwise you would not have come here to begin with."
"Of course." Medusa agreed. "You have peaked my interest enough for me to be here. If you however plan to state the obvious instead of getting to the point, I will take my business elsewhere."
"I understand you are busy, sister. As you wish, I will, as they say, 'Cut to the chase'."
Arachne stepped to the side of the carpet and waved her hand down the carpet way. A moderately tall figure in a black mask was already nearing them quietly. Other than the mask, the only thing the figure wore was pants. His body was in good shape, even with large muscles and a six-pack to boot. Every step he took had an air of determination to it until he reached Arachne. Once he reached her he immediately bent to one knee in front of her with his head down.
"My lady." Was all he said. His voice was rough and graveled.
"Rise." Arachne said, and he did at once.
Crona had furrowed his brows the moment he saw him down the carpet way and was beginning to feel a different shade of uneasy. He could feel Ragnarok inside him stir on the ready. If anything went wrong Crona would do what he could to intervene.
Medusa had gotten off her broom and was taking slow methodical steps toward Arachne, to which Mosquito had bowed his head lightly in respect.
"Medusa, meet one of my top men of my armada." Arachne introduced the hooded man who bowed for Medusa.
"What is his title?" Medusa asked as she observed him.
"If you are asking for a name, he doesn't have, Madam Medusa." Mosquito said. "The children with potential in our circle are taken to train for the rest of their lives. Their names are discarded and then they are taught to do nothing but to take orders from their superiors and to complete their task by any means necessary. Except anything to harm their superiors, of course."
"Interesting." Medusa said with a bit of respect in her tone. "I see you have been busy, Mosquito."
"I live to serve." He said simply with another small bow.
Medusa nodded at this and circled the man observantly.
Crona eased as he watched this as he saw this was expected of Medusa. He didn't know what they're here for exactly but it seemed like it would go simply. He waited as Medusa asked Arachne questions regarding whatever it was they were doing.
I don't like this. Ragnarok said uneasy.
Why? Crona asked. Nothing b-b-bad is h-happening.
Kind of another reason why...
Crona shook it off and just watched as Medusa would go back and forth between Arachne and Mosquito whenever he felt like he should give his input. The entire time the hooded man stood straight and unmoving unless Medusa asked to move or speak.
"Crona." Medusa ordered. Crona immediately walked to her at a fast pace. Medusa had said one more thing to Arachne who nodded with a small smile of content. Mosquito had closed his eyes but said nothing to whatever was being said.
"Medusa-Sama?" Crona asked when he approached them.
Medusa looked between the hooded man and Arachne for a second before looking at Crona. "You are to go with Arachne." She said simply and looked to the hooded man. She nodded to the floating broom and he marched to it without a word. "Good luck."
Crona looked to Arachne in confusion, to which she did nothing but give him that same content smile. He then looked at Medusa walking away. "I-I-I don't underst-tand."
"You are no longer of any use to me. The man there is to replace you to which in our exchange you will go with Arachne." Medusa said this without looking back. She didn't even stop in her stride to her broom.
Crona was shocked. Ragnarok had said a few obscenities inside Cronas head but those were distant to him. He knew what her words meant, but he was only barely able to register the top layer of what all of it meant, and what he was able to process so far scared him. Medusa was cruel to him, but she was the only familiar thing other than Ragnarok. He felt his knees shake and wobble as he saw Medusa planning to leave him forever.
"B-b-bu-b-bu..." Crona tried to form words but he couldn't. It felt like his tongue had become a lead weight.
Medusa turned and regarded him with a stare that was colder than any of her previous ones before. It made it worse that annoyance was in her gaze.
"Tell me, Crona, why is it that I give you necessity to live, gave you one of the greatest weapons I have ever made, gave you life, and yet the only thing you can give me in return is nothing but failure?"
Cronas eyes watered. He felt nothing but despair at her words, and sadness. Other emotions that he couldn't name.
"I have raised and trained you for years and yet I get almost nothing satisfactory in return. All I get is excuses and failed results in my work. There is so much I need to achieve my goal, and I thought that you could do it. I was wrong."
She turned away and got onto the broom, hooded man sitting behind her. "Goodbye."
With that she flew into the air and to the direction of her castle, leaving Crona with these two strangers.
"How cold." Arachne commented. Mosquito said nothing. He was just waiting for Arachne wanting to leave.
Cronas knees gave out and he was on his knees, silently crying. He still couldn't believe everything that just transpired had really happened. Ragnarok had stayed blissfully quiet, not saying anything to Cronas tears.
Arachne had said nothing for a minute while Crona kneeled there. Mosquito had timed a full 60 seconds on his pocket watch before putting it away. "Ojou-Sama."
"Come, Crona." Arachne said. "We must leave before someone notices us out here."
Crona said nothing. He slowly got up off his knees, barely getting good footing. He had barely heard what she said but he followed the command though body habit.
"Good." Arachne said pleased. "Now, come."
...
"Are you enjoying your meal, Crona?" Arachne asked him from across the table.
Crona stared at his food and poked a meatball around the plate with his fork absently. The night's progression seemed to move fast for Crona. He remembered following Arachne and the little butler named Mosquito down the carpet that reached for miles to a white limousine. Had Crona not still been in shock of the previous events he would have thought that the vehicle was very bright even in the moonlight, and would have wondered how the sand had not stained the darker than black wheels.
He may have also wondered how they had set up a 3 mile long carpet in the desert without him or Medusa noticing, because THAT was a really good question.
But alas, he was too deep into his own emotions to really wonder about such things. The amount of time in the vehicle escaped him, but the moon was still out so it couldn't have been long. Ragnarok had been blissfully silent during this whole event and up to this point. Crona at the kitchen table would have wondered if Ragnarok was napping.
He knows he walked through a large underground area to a large castle, surrounded by minions that barely gave Crona much of a glance before they went about their duties and tasks. They eventually were led to a dining area with a table that was too large for necessary use. The room was dimly lit but dozens of candles and in an above chandelier. It was still night, the white light shining through high windows to be an indicator.
There were a few large doors in the room made of some black wood, the color being too natural to be paint. Guards stood in the room motionless and silent.
Arachne had prepared spaghetti for Crona and she ate a large stake, drinking wine out of a large glass. She had remained silent until she noticed Crona wasn't eating, nor did he even hear her.
She cleared her throat loudly making nearby guards flinch. Crona didn't flinch but it caught his attention and he looked up at her with eyes that looked as if he had just awoken.
"W-what?" He asked dazed.
"You really shoud eat up, Crona. I had that especially made for you by my top chefs, you know." She said and took another drink of her wine until the glass was empty. "And you need to keep up your strength for what is to come."
Crona glanced at the meatball on the fork. He knew it had been a long time since he had eaten but all the negative emotions already seemed to get him his fill on anything. He felt far from hungry, but he took a bite of the meatball to be polite. Arachne nodded in approval and ate a piece of her own food.
He saw how at ease she was. Medusa never seemed to be by comparison, she was always straight forward and onto the next task at hand. Even dinner with her was just a daily process. This woman had traded an elite guard for him, and yet she has made no impression of him even having to do anything from the get-go. It seemed a bit too easy.
"Why am I-I-I doing this?" Crona asked aloud.
A servant from nearby came in to fill her glass which she raised to drink from. "Whatever do you mean?"
Crona jumped. He didn't mean to say it aloud. He looked to see Arachne looking at her food as she ate.
"N-n-nothing." He said quickly. "S-s-s-"
"There is no need to apologize," Arachne said easily. "Nor is there a need for you to have to remain silent if you have a question. Speak your mind. The time is peaceful right now."
Crona thought if he should just still remain quiet but when he looked up he saw those purple eyes staring at him in anticipation. Crona gulped but he knew he would offend her if he didn't speak. He didn't know what she would do to him compared to Medusa, but he didn't want to risk it.
He never wanted to risk anything, actually. He stared at his plate as he spoke.
"Th-th-tha-th-that-that's-" Crona stuttered horribly but stopped and gulped again before speaking. "Th-that's wha-at is making m-me uneasy." Crona glanced up to see if Arachne had a negative reaction to this. Her expression was as blank as before, even as she took another sip of her wine. Crona looked down and continued. "M-M-Medusa-Sama w-w-would only g-give me food as a-a-a reward on a s-s-successful mission. I-if not, I g-get vitamin p-p-p-paste. I've never been t-t-treated like th-this for nothing." Crona paused before speaking again. "I-I-I'm a f-f-f..." Crona took a shuddery breath. "Failed e-experiment. You gave an e-elite for me. Why w-w-would you want me, Arachne-Sama?"
There was a long silence, and Crona was too afraid to look up to see Arachnes face. He heard repeated small thuds in a pattern, the sound of someone drumming their fingers on the table. Arachne sounded like she was contimplating.
"Guards." She said. "Leave. Guard the outside."
The guards all bowed and left one after another at once, closing the large door behind them. It was only the two of them in the room.
Crona felt cold. He feared of what Arachne might do. He held his body to keep from shaking.
"If I wanted you dead, Crona, I would have laid waste to you at the desert." Arachne said. "Your fear of death here is unneccessary. And right now isn't a time of punishment, so that is of no concern."
This actually comforted Crona, oddly enough. He wasn't able to fully stop his shakes but it was a bit more in control.
"Vitamin paste." Arachne commented with distaste. "Medusa was always about necessity and control, always trying to do everything with methodical rationality to the point that she is more machine than witch. I think some things require a more organic touch, but not little Medusa."
Crona didn't know how to respond to any of this. He just stayed quiet and listened.
"As to my intentions for you, Crona, they are not on the level of 'Necessity' that Medusa requires." She took a bite of her food, chewed and swallowed, then wiped her mouth with a napkin before continuing. "I have been assumed dead for quite some time, Crona, and as much I hate to leave it to luck, it is because of that I am alive. In the meantime all I could do was watch as the world moved on, progressing in technology and civilization that even I must say is quite an achievement. For humans, at least." She leaned forward and leaned on the table, placing her head in her elevated hands. "Being an enemy of humans and witches alike for the sake of research... I think it was worth it. Reminiscing isn't what you asked for, but it leads to what you want to know." Her stare became more pointed and Crona sank in his seat. "As I have said, I have watched the world move on. It was all I could do while I had to wait for things to pan out. And I have eyes everywhere, even now, but in all of this I even got to see my baby sister grow up, metaphorically speaking, mind you. But even she didn't catch my full attention. You did."
Crona waited for the air to get cold but it never came. Her stare wasn't warm but the longer she looked at him with her intense eyes the warmer it felt on him. The stares that Medusa would give him would make it feel like his insides were in a freezer, frightening. The look she gave him was just unsettling for him in a way he couldn't really explain.
"To what specifically caught my eye about you was not completely into focus to be put into words at first, but I can name a few things that first came to mind." She rose from her seat and slowly walked to Crona, wine glass in hand, taking steps that seemed to ooze elegance. "Medusa did her tactics to make you grow stronger and when she didn't get the results she put it as failure in her eyes. I however see the potential strength you possess, but it will not be necessary to my use, but it is a trait I admire. Medusa would put you in missions and always put the fear of lose in mind but you still carried out your orders regardless, and granted you had your losses and had to be nudged forward, it is another admirable trait, but again, that is not the use I require to Medusa's extent."
She reached Crona and sat on the tables' edge next to him where he shrank into his seat unsure if her words were compliments or facts to his record. She still gave him that heating look as she leered over him, small smile ever present on her lips.
"Strength and determination. Even on a fear variety, these are things that are worth noting to anyone's character. As much it should be these that interest me, that is not it. So I had to think to myself as to myself harder as to why you have always had a corner in my mind of interest. After all this thought it all came down to not what you possess now, but what you are capable of. And what bothers me is why you cannot access this power you have, the Madness that Medusa tries to bring out, and my guess was so simple."
She reached forward and cupped Cronas cheek with her free hand and it sent shivers down Crona's spine. Her hand was so soft to him, but the look in her eyes was getting even more heated as she approached him, and now that she was almost literally in his face it was almost like a fire was talking to him, a long burning life.
"You spend your life taking missions for a cause that you cannot even comprehend and are always given only necessity to keep your life going, constantly training to improve and punished if nothing is met to your superiors liking, and shunned by your leader of any affection. She is trying to make you become a weapon like an average human foot soldier, but is treated worse, trying to break you like that of a military dog." She stroked his face with her thumb, the sensation Crona didn't know how to react to so he kept quiet. "But how can you teach someone Madness through logic? There are many forms of Madness, but trying to achieve it in the most basic attempts has proven to be unsuccessful for you, no?"
She moved her hand from her face to his chin and she lifted his cowering head to face her directly. She leaned into him and brought her face a finger length of space between them. Crona started to physically shake again but this time the contact made him feel... funny. His heart thudded like a jackhammer and his chest and face felt hot. The look she gave him was ever presence.
"The methods to bring you out of your shell and to embrace the Madness will be met with a level of Madness that will bring out the beast from within you, my dear nephew. This will happen surely because..." She said in a whispered tone. Despite all of the alchohol that she had been drinking Crona could barely smell trace of it on her breath, and he could tell she was far from intoxicated. "You're mine now, Crona. Now and forever. I look forward to breaking you in, my pet."
Her words made Crona feel weak but he felt something far in the back of his mind. He would soon know what this feeling was.
Arachne brought her glass to Cronas lips. Cronas eyes shot open wider and he looked into the glass at the red liquid. He didn't want to drink it but her eyes told him he didn't have a choice. Her small smile had never faltered the entire time she had been talking, and it was still there at that moment. Crona parted his lips and Arachne tilted the glass to pour the contents of it down Cronas throat.
The bitterness of it hit Crona first. It almost made him want to spit it out, but considering the only thing ahead that would be spat on was Arachne, he thought that to be unwise and cause him to be at the end of whatever weapon he was sure Arachne had. Crona forced himself to take it into his mouth despite his bodies rejection to it. It tasted like a very bitter and almost watered down fruit, but it was pungent. It also burned a bit but Crona had been burned before.
Arachne brought the glass away and stepped back. Crona forced it down with an audible swallow. Crona grimaced and shuddered, but he drank it.
"Of course," Arachne said back in her conversation tone. "That will have to wait until a later time. I'm going to be busy for the next few days, so before we can do any of this, you may use this time to get acquainted with our home here, let the harshness of your mother pass." She walked away from Crona to the large doors that the guards waited outside of. "Be sure to finish your food. Let us not be wasteful. Let the guards know what you are done with dinner."
And with that Crona was alone in the dining area.
Dude, Raganrok finally spoke after sometime. You're gonna get fucking raped.
Crona didn't know what Ragnarok meant. He slowly ate what was left on his plate.
...
This was part 1 to a request by Ynot7. Hopefully this introduction is to your liking, and sorry it took so long to get this done in the first place. The second chapter will be up next week from the time of this being posted, and the second part should be the last one. This has a lack of smut, I'm sorry for that, I'll make up for it in the following chapter.
To my followers who read this as well, if you weren't aware that I am doing requests, you may be disappointed to know that, for the time being, that requests will be shut down for the time being. This request was made in July of 2016 (to sum my excuse for this, my previous charger for my laptop caught fire and didn't get another until December). Details pertaining to this situation will be updated in my bio.
Good Morning, Good Evening, and Good Night
