So last year for my birthday I got a version of the nnk2 art book, saw some of the character concept art, and got some writing ideas. It's taken me months to get this going.
(Apparently there's a few versions of the art book floating around. One of them has concept art of Doloran that makes him look like a rejected Dragon Quest villain. Alas, this was not in the version I got oof)
Anyway, this fic starts before Doloran's boss fight in chapter 9 and detours from there. So there is end game spoilers abound in here. The Horned One's dialogue this time around is not in Zalgo font but it is in [BOLD CAPSLOCK]. If anyone knows of a creepy looking font compatible with fanfiction sites but wont apparently break screen readers, please let me know.
And to be honest, I have another plot bunny floating around where Roland is sent to nnk1 instead. I'm very tempted in writing that one as well so if that shows up, it means I gave in.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ni No Kuni 2. NNK2 belongs to Level-5 and Bandai Namco. This work is only permitted to be hosted on fanfiction dot net (under the username bilbo-sama), archive of our own (bilbosama), tumblr (bilbosama), and dreamwidth (bilbosama). If this work appears on sites or apps I did not list above, it has been done so without my permission.
Now on to the show!
Familiar faces
By Bilbo-sama
CHAPTER 1
"...Besides, if I can't kill you," Roland realized as he stubbornly pushed past the pain of having the Horned One's attention and power focusing on him, "you can't kill me either, right? If I die, you die."
He sensed the Horned One's agreement before Doloran had time to smile. The man sharing his face chuckled before he raised an arm as if he was about to cast magic.
"Very true! Which is why, if you don't join me, I must banish you instead to a dimension where you will no longer be a danger to either of us."
"And I wont be joining you," retorted Roland. Doloran for a moment had a betrayed look on his unhealthily gray face before it turned into a smirk.
"Of course you wont. However..."
A dark light shot out of Doloran's hand and Roland braced himself. The magic enveloped him but it didn't harm him. For an eternity or for mere moments, he was weightless and couldn't see anything beyond the purple and black clouds that whooshed loudly around him.
When the darkness at last cleared away, Roland lowered his arms upon hearing the sound of birds chirping. To his great confusion he found himself in the Heartlands. In the distance was the kingdom of Evermore.
His heart filled with dread as he walked towards the suddenly much larger kingdom. He wanted to hope that Doloran merely put him under a spell to distract him. That the man didn't just follow through on his threat to send him to another world to prevent either of them harming the other.
"You there!" shouted a mousekind guard as Roland approached the gates to the city, "State your purpose!"
Well, that certainly confirmed where he is now. Damn it.
"I am Roland Crane," announced Roland calmly despite the despair he was feeling, "Chief Consul of, er, another Evermore."
"…Another Evermore," parroted the guard's partner, who resembled a pigeon, in disbelief. Roland stared back at the guard, wondering what else is different in this world.
"What kind of half-assed trickery is this?" hissed the mouse, "You expect us to believe that?"
"It was worth a try," said Roland as he shrugged helplessly.
"It was barely anything," scolded the pigeon, "if I was going to impersonate someone, I would at least do my research and not combine two identities together. Who would think that claiming to be the Horned One's summoner and the missing Chief Consul at the same time is a good idea?"
"Perhaps it is that blasted summoner," added the mouse, "trying to trick us into letting him into the castle!"
"Actually, I'm looking for a mage," interrupted Roland, "and last I checked, all the more talented wizards are in Evermore."
"You are a mage!" growled the mouse.
"No I'm not!" argued Roland, "I've only mastered three battle spells! I - argh!" He doubled over as the familiar presence of the Horned One seemed to press down on his skull. He faintly heard shouts from the guards but he couldn't make out their words. The avalanche that was the Horned One's triumphant laugh wouldn't allow it.
[THERE YOU ARE], rumbled the Horned One, causing Roland to clamp his hands against his head in a futile attempt to protect himself, [DOLORAN MAY HAVE YOU SENT AWAY BUT YOU CAN NOT HIDE FROM ME FOREVER.]
And so ends the quietest two hours he managed to have in the past month. Damn it.
"Leave me alone," Roland gasped.
[AND LEAVE YOU TO THE MERCY OF THIS UNKNOWN WORLD?]
"Yes! Now go away!"
[AS YOU WISH, MY OTHER KING. BUT KNOW THIS: ONCE I AM FREE, THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN STOP ME FROM FINDING YOU. IT'S NOT JUST DOLORAN WHO NEEDS ME.]
And then it felt like the Horned One released its grip on his very being as it retreated, leaving him feeling exhausted and disoriented
Which was why he didn't duck away in time to avoid one of the guards smacking a shield against the back of his head. Everything went dark and the remaining pain blessedly vanished.
Edit 3/10/2020: Extended this first chapter with source dialogue to show where in the confrontation scene Doloran demonstrates how serious he is about his banishment threat