Side Event: The Feelings of Wanting to Protect Someone Precious (Wonderland & Vincent)
With the villainess and the Chosen One in their love nest* doing their best to derail the Plot, the World followed after the Shining One's footsteps. It didn't get surprised by how well the Chosen and the villainess were hitting it off, and actually felt a bit of relief with the Chosen taking a damn break from her boredom-inducing work. At least this way, she'd be forced to invest some time with plot-relevant characters, instead of sitting around giving the Greedy orders and falling into a bad end with no one the wiser.
The Prince's jealousy would spark a flag sooner or later. That or he'd correct the villainess into her fate without the World's interference. Which one ended up being, did not matter. There is a script to follow and the better acted, the least stressful it'd be for the World in the long run.
If only its Chosen would cooperate…
Well, no matter. The Knight is waiting for his chance, so not everything is lost. Furthermore, it's been a while since anyone triggered the Knight's growth. Back in Elemental Party, the game, not a lot of players followed the Knight's route. It required some relationship points with the Prince after all, and the Knight would leave the player for a while during his route. All of this would often result in players choosing the Prince's route.
Here, though? The World was ready to trigger the Knight's route. That he got along so well not only with the Chosen, but the Shining One as well felt like an early Christmas present for the World. One it'd enjoy greatly later on.
For now, the Shining One with the Greedy in tow walked through the slums dressed like lower-end citizens of the capital. The World didn't agree with his misbehaved costume, but it's not as if it could go down and slap some sense in its players yet. It'd have to wait, as the Plot is still at work.
"Forgive me for my rudeness, but why is Lord Vincent doing this?" The Greedy asked, while turning to have the Shining One in his field of vision "Does Lord Vincent fancy milady?" He looked at the knights they brought along, mindful of being at enough distance as to not have his words overheard by people who had no business hearing them.
"She reminds me of my sister." The Shining One's chuckle could have made any minden's heart skip a beat. The Greedy simply closed his eyes a bit.
"That has strange implications, Lord Vincent." The World would have chuckled. Those small details in the Shining One's resulting personality were such a treat to witness. Even with all his social fu, he still needed to adapt to his family. Having the Shining One be thought to have that kind of feelings for his sister felt tempting. But the World wouldn't meddle with the no-name characters following the two.
"I'm implying I'm fond of her, but more in a brotherly way? It's hard to describe." The Shining One didn't even sweat while smoothly explaining himself. Had the Plot been of other kind, the Shining One would have had a battle harem ready to wreck the Plot the World so carefully constructed.
That's a big no-no, much more with the Ravenous One lurking in the shadows, ready for her moment to enter the stage. The Chosen One alone will not be capable of handling the event, let alone the Shining One. So these improvised changes to the Plot must occur in a very specific way. This is why the World got the Shining One's back in triggering the Botched One's event at this moment.
How insightful of the World, right?
"You worry too much, Joseph. I am not pursuing Maria in a romantic way, it's neither correct nor the time. And I can't ignore that it's not beneficial for my household." His excuses sounded like nothing but what one would expect of the rightful heir of the Windhill, yet the melancholy behind his words couldn't be hidden completely "It's not meant to be. But I'll root for her happiness nonetheless."
Oh, how cute! Well, too bad his sister is closer to the Chosen's heart than him. But enough chit chat.
It's time the World gets to work. Hard mode or not, it's still behind the wheel.
Vincent's spirits shifted. The aristocrat's attention snapped from Yukino's subordinate to the wind that tried to convey something. He couldn't have known he was walking into a Plot hook, but he'd not doubt the spirits he came to befriend and rely on now.
"Something's going on." Joseph's steady walk halted, and the warriors following them dutifully stopped as well. He turned to the aristocrat and tried to look at where he looked at. He found nothing, of course, since he couldn't see Vincent's spirits acting without them materializing.
"What is it?" The young man procured a short sword from his sleeve. It looked like it had been carved from the iron in that shape to begin with. A beautifully crafted blade made by the best of forgers. The short sword, or perhaps long knife, had seen work before. And Joseph was ready.
"I don't know. But Zephyr… Err, the wind is howling." Vincent's insight in the element's shenanigans didn't help him understand them this time around. Something that didn't help him stay calm.
Something's happening, he can feel it.
"I hear nothing." The young main rose an eyebrow, now more relaxed. With his weapon resting lazily in his grip. The men following them didn't know what was going on, so they remained with their guards up.
"That's not what I meant." Vincent interpreted his spirits' movements as them asking for him to follow them. They had helped the men avoid traps from the slum dwellers before, so Vincent would trust them even if they were being stingy with explaining themselves "This way."
The labyrinth-like corridors of the slums would have prevented the event to occur by themselves. Without some interference, it'd have been outright impossible for the event to unfold. But it is time, so the World juggled with the Botched One's safety blanket and the Shining One's fragment of itself so this encounter was perfect.
Vincent's heart pounded in his chest. He knew his spirits, and they did not behave like this. His worries intensified, and he unsheathed his sword while running around after the wind element in what felt like a chaotic spiral with no end.
"Lord Vincent!" A sound like thunder made both men jump for a moment. The earth shook under the violence displayed amidst the alleys of the slums and Vincent's spirits stilled. The knights unsheathed their blades and hurried to make a formation to surround both men.
The silence felt all the more dreadful. They didn't know where the noise came from, nor did they feel encouraged to look for the source when everything else seemed to hold their breaths as if waiting for it to happen again. Or for something to go away without noticing.
The sound of wood snapping turned a dozen men or so to point their swords at a cane-bound old woman.
"The hell's yer problem. Coming here and making a ruckus. Ya' assholes will make things worse." She spat close to one of the knight's feet, the rags she had for clothes sagging as she used her cane to allow herself to walk in her crooked form.
The warriors didn't know how to react. Had that old hag not heard that noise of something having a critical existential failure just now?
"Please, it's not our intentions to be a bother." Vincent moved two guards aside and flashed the old woman an understanding smile. With her crooked back, she barely went up to his chest, but she looked about ready to slap him senseless if he wasn't careful "My name is Vincent. I am here to see how things are going. Mister Joseph here works for the Theodore… Do you know who they are?"
The woman spat to the side "Yes? The goodie two-shoes that got an interest in us lowlifes, right? If yer looking for more bodies to take away, then you can look somewhere else. There's nobody here but the bitches that were left from Bors' little business."
Vincent couldn't help but frown. His noble pride hurt by the way the woman spoke to him, but understanding she just knows no better.
Again, conflicting emotions.
"We heard you're having a rough time." Joseph stepped away from the formation, asking the knights to tone it down and got close once they sheathed their weapons "Milady's heart is hurting from knowing her aid is not enough, so we came…"
"You assholes can come in the bitches for all I care." The woman barked, rising her cane in a vaguely threatening manner before she had to put it down or else topple over "You think you can lull me with pretty words? Ha! Think twice. You don't live long around here if yer easy to fool."
"That's not our intention." Vincent chimed in with a neutral expression, but still polite "You said there are women here? Can we see them?"
"Barely women." The old woman ignored the glares from the guards "The older one should be about lord's age." Vincent's reaction made the woman show her missing teeth "What? Didn't I say you couldn't fool me? You're still wet behind yer ears, brat. I might be a crazy old hag, but I'm not empty in my skull either."
"Please, we just want some answers." Vincent's insistence earned him another spit, closer to his feet now.
"Oh, that's fine and all. I just want nicer closes and hot water, but nothing's ever that simple."
"Fine." The young noble reached behind him and procured five gold coins from his pouch. It had almost been stolen more than once, but Zephyr has his back. Even if the spirits are behaving weirdly "Would that suffice?"
"Heavens! Look at that!" The woman greedily rose her hands, her face shifting into that of a harmless old lady "Please, if lord finds it in his heart. Won't be share with this poor old lady a bit of his spare coins? Those one should suffice."
"Ah, you almost fooled me there." Vincent chuckled, placing the coins on the woman's hands "By all means, these are yours."
"Lord's magnanimity knows no bounds." If it wasn't for her sarcastic tone, Vincent would almost be fooled "Now, now. This is a special occasion! If lord wants to hear something, lord can rely in this old Megg all he wants."
Her oval-shaped face didn't help her name, but Vincent didn't comment on that.
"Are you sure?" Joseph asked "These people can't be trusted."
"That's your first mistake, Joseph." Vincent assured him and, turning to the woman, he tried smiling again "Now, Miss Megg."
"Oh, stop it." The woman hid her cheeks with fake shyness "You'll make me blush."
"…Right." The young noble took the mockery in stride, moving on without acknowledging it "You said there's no one here? Why is that?"
"This is that shitty Bors' turf. He had his little bitch nest and kind of got some respect. At least you knew who to pay the fee to, you know what I mean?" The woman sighed, almost as if she missed the man "Then that thing comes down from the sky and butchers the man into a messy slump. Everything goes to shit and a lot of rascals are either killed or maimed. The bitches are hiding in their nest. They got their hands on the keys and now don't want to come out. Hilarious, right?"
Murmurs erupted among the knights. One of them said the word, but the others tried not to acknowledge.
The woman showed her lacking teeth once more.
"Ah, so it's about the Wretch after all. Knew yer too well armed just to see how us lowlifes are doing."
"Please, don't refer to yourself like that. You're worth a lot." Vincent's words made the woman release something between a single laugh and a duck's sound.
"We know what we are. No need for yer pity. That's the first mistake." The woman ever so slowly moved aside, allowing entrance to the door she came out of, with a jar in hand filled with something liquid "But time's up, lord. Better get the hell out of here now, we're kind of busy."
"Really." Joseph deadpanned.
"Really." The woman mirrored his sarcasm "These bitches need tending, they only know how to─"
"Alright, that's enough." Vincent snapped, the woman smirked "Thank you for your time."
"Oh? Yer not paying more to hear what I have to say?"
"Should I?" Vincent asked plainly. Earning another smirk.
"Yer not as stupid as I thought. Good, good. Now get out of my face before I fuck you up." She rose her cane once more, and again had to lower it before she fell "I might be old, but you don't live too long around here if yer not hard to mess with."
"Do you require assistance? I can heal some wounds with my magic." Vincent suggested, about to get close to the woman but deciding against it at the last moment. She glared, but kept on walking.
"You can go fuck yourself with yer pity."
"Right. We'll be back with medics. Don't worry." Vincent ignored her insults "We will help all of you."
"Die in a fire, asshole!" The woman almost threw the jar at the blond boy, but decided against it at the last moment.
"Is that alcohol? You must be treating someone wounded, right? It helps avoid infection." The blonde's voice remained even, the woman's scorn bouncing off him harmlessly.
"Ah, you don't understand, do you? Fine, yes. There are wounded. The Wretch fucked everyone up. Happy?" The woman's slow gait didn't stop for a moment "Heavens! What a persistent fart, fuck!"
"Do you know anything else about the Wretch? Anything at all?" Vincent insisted, smiling at knowing the woman didn't feel inclined to insult him anymore.
"You don't know when to quit, huh? Alright, follow me. If yer so inclined to get fucked, then who am I to get in yer way?"
"Wait a moment!" Joseph intervened. His eyes sparkled with realization, he did not look alright "What was that thunderous noise from moments ago? What in Heavens happened?"
The woman's face contorted.
"Ah, fuck. Almost got out clean."
To call the hand that erupted out of the entrance Megg left behind big would be an understatement. It flew into the alley and grabbed one of the knight grasping him by his whole height before disappearing back into the darkness of the small building with the man's screech as only indication of its presence. The glassless windows allowed for similarly ghastly arms to reach out for more men, hurling them back into the wood house and snapping their necks when the thing brought them vertically and allowing them to have their spines crushed by the violent hit against the wood.
The sound of pressurized air escaping buzzed in the men's ears. The screech that sounded like moans from a thousand deceased following soon after.
The knights tried to get in a defensive formation again, but the monster bursting out of its hiding spot so suddenly threw them into disarray along with the wood and trash its massive form released when it came out of such a small gap.
A ghastly mist shrouded its form in darkness, the only lit part being two massive glowing orbs in what should have been its head as if it had orbs of fire for eyes. Said part seemed to shapeshift slowly before everyone's eyes. Vincent noticed a deer-like head before turning into that of a wolf, then that of a shark. It had no apparent mouth to speak of, and two horn like protuberances grew from the back of its head in sinuous lines that waved like carried by the wind.
It crouched and still looked about two stores tall. Rags and pieces of cloth or dirty bandages clung to its many limbs like some kind of monstrous mummy right out of Lovecraft's wet dreams.
"Zephyr!" Vincent's instincts screamed for him to run. He grabbed Yukino's aide by the collar and jumped out of the way of a massive claw breaking a hole into the dirty pavement. Flame erupted between its claws, the knights and woman thrown into the air to land on the crates and barrels around the alley like discarded puppets with their strings cut.
The thing hissed. The sound of pressurized air following its every moment, like a steam machine out of a steampunk movie.
"By the Exalted!" Joseph coughed when both young men landed on a roof two blocks away "The hell's that thing?!"
It jerked its mawless head their direction. The knights' cries completely ignored until it breathed fire down on them.
"What we were looking for." Vincent's pounding heart felt vindicated. But he was not happy about his gut feeling being right.
The silence returned save for the sound of steam as the Wretch clawed its way towards them. The laments of an old woman drowned by the monster's hateful gait.
*World-chan isn't jelly I swear!