King Kimi Infinity: This is a rewrite of Mr. Naegi's Wonderful World. I do not own any official Fandom's featured in this Fanfiction, but this is only for fun so don't take it too seriously. I only own Hi! I'm Baby Bear Universe characters, lore, and terminology. This is part of the Infinitiverse Fanfiction Universe.
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"Nothing we do can change the past, but everything we do changes the future."
— Ashleigh Brilliant
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Tōkyō, Japan
2034
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Subaru Natsuki woke up with a start, gasping for air. Subaru was in a state of disbelief. Because when he opened his eyes, he wasn't in the Forest of the Mathers Domain. He was in his old room once more, home in Japan on Earth. However, something else was amiss as well. His room looked as if he was seven years old again. Subaru sat up in shock, confusion, and, if not disbelief, horror.
He brought his hand and clutched his head before noticing something else was off. His hands… they felt… smaller. He jumped out of bed and ran to the restroom, almost tripping over various toys and whatnot he hadn't played with in years. He turned on the light and looked into the bathroom mirror, finding a seven-year-old boy was staring back at him. Subaru Natsuki is a reasonably tall young boy with short black hair and brown eyes.
He would have looked normal to many if he didn't seem to have an evil gaze due to his sanpakugan. Subaru pinched himself to see if he was dreaming but this was truly real. Which made him question everything before. His life before and after his life in Lugnica. His body began to tremble and shake with confusion and unease.
Subaru stumbled out of the bathroom and fell to his knees as he began to cry. If everything before was just a dream, then when did it seem so real, and… why did he still feel so unsafe and… weak. He began to wail as he sobbed, to wake up his parents, Kenichi and Naoko Natsuki. Kenichi was a good-looking, middle-aged man, who was relatively tall and had his black hair cut short and combed-back; similar to Subaru's. Unlike his wife and son, he has drooping black eyes instead of sanpaku eyes.
Also, his eyebrows were angular. For his age, he's surprisingly well built and athletic, although his legs are a bit shorter, given his height. Most of the time, he's seen wearing average-looking, rectangular glasses that complement his usual laid-back smile and positive demeanor perfectly. One could immediately recognize his blood connection with Subaru. Naoko is a middle-aged woman of average height.
She has brown eyes along with shoulder-length brown hair which she ties into a sideways ponytail with an orange ribbon. Naoko, like her son, has sanpaku eyes, giving her an evil gaze that makes her seem careless in her personality. Kenichi spoke first as the parents fell to Subaru's level and he asked, "Subaru! What's wrong?"
"Oh, Sweetheart! What's the matter?" Naoko asked. Subaru clutched the sides of his head as cried.
All of his deaths and pain… were so real and still fresh on his mind.
"Mom…! Dad…! I had a dream!" Subaru sobbed as he ran into his mother's arms. "A really, bad dream!"
Kenichi yawned with a smile and corrected, "A nightmare…"
"I was dying… over and over again!" Subaru cried. "And not even… Emilia and Rem were there to help and no one cared when I died!"
Kenichi and Naoko were taken back in horror when they noticed their son mentioned not one, but two names from his 'nightmare.' Kenichi pursed his lips into a thin line before looking at his wife who nodded with a worried expression.
Kenichi placed a hand gently upon Subaru's back and began to rub his back to console his son. After a moment, he finally said, "Subaru… I'm sorry… but that wasn't a dream." Subaru's eyes grew wide with horror.
Kenichi continued, "You were able to remember the names of not only one, but two individuals. What happened to you as a natural ability of an Arwyr: oneiromancy. An Awryr can employ a method of reading the future, the present, and the past and provide help to a problem at hand by interpreting dreams. Everything you experienced was real, or at least will be."
"Y-You mean… a-all of what I had to go through…" Subaru said, eyes filled with horror.
"Yes… You may have to go through all of that again," his father told him. Subaru began to cry again.
"I don't want to…! I don't want to go through that again…!" Subaru hugged his parents tightly in fear. Naoko picked up her son as she hushed him gently.
"There, there, Subaru. It's okay, you're okay, and you will be okay," she said. "So long as you prepare, no threat will harm you like that again." Naoko carried Subaru back to his room with Kenichi by her side. "But when you're scared and you don't know where we are," they all sat in Subaru's bed with him, "you must remember, no matter what happens to us, we will never be far away from our special little star fire." With that Naoko rocked her son gently as she began to sing.
Naoko Natsuki
"Where the north wind meets the sea
There's a river full of memory
Sleep, my darling, safe and sound
For in this river all is found
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"In her waters, deep and true
Lie the answers and a path for you
Dive down deep into her sound
But not too far or you'll be drowned
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Yes, she will sing to those who'll hear
And in her song, all magic flows
But can you brave what you most fear?
Can you face what the river knows?
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Yurushi Clan Wars
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Naoko Natsuki
Where the north wind meets the sea
There's a mother full of memory
Come, my darling, homeward bound
When all is lost, then all is found
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Chapter II
Days of Future Past
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Usagiya City, Japan
Monday, December 8th, 2044
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Eleven years later, at 6:00 PM Subaru Natsuki was now seventeen years old and, aside from his training since his dream, Subaru hadn't changed all that much. Currently, he was dressed in the uniform for Momotarō Academy. It consisted of a white long-sleeved dress shirt underneath a black blazer with the school's emblem. He also wore grey trousers and a blue tie with black and grey stripes; plus black shoes. He did have time to change because he would have been late.
Subaru's cousin Makoto had invited him to accompany the former Rabbit King and his newly enlarged family to Toana City to watch their cousin Saitō compete in the tournament known as the Arwyr World Championship. Saitō had been dominant in the ring for a few years with no official losses. That was the arcana of Determination Embodiment for you. Subaru, however, was anxious for another reason: no offense to his cousins. This was the year he was to be isekai'd to the Kingdom of Lugnica.
However, nothing has happened yet.
"Subaru! Hey!" Subaru was snapped out of his thoughts by a familiar voice. Subaru turned to his right to see the Naegi Family approaching him. There was Makoto and Komaru, a maid with horns, and five little children. The children ran up to him with smiles on their faces.
"Hello! Pleased to meet you," they said as one.
"Hey, kids! Pleased to meet you too," Subaru said before he made his signature pose. "My name is Subaru Natsuki! I'm an Arwyr of the famous Yurushi Clan!"
"You're funny, weird sir!" Kotoko chirped.
"Yeah, what's with the pose?" Masaru asked as he jumped onto Subaru's and clung to his neck. In the next few seconds, Subaru had a feeling of deja vu as the Warriors of hope began to tug on him like he was their plaything
"His face looks weird, too!" Jatarō said.
"Hey, did you pee your pants?" Masaru asked.
"Let go and play, sir!" Monaca chirped.
"Chill out, you brats! We can play later!" Subaru begged.
"Let's play now," Monaca cheered.
"Change your pants!" Masaru order. Makoto simply smiled stoically while Komaru and Guin were stifling their laughter.
"What a stultus," Guin snickered. Makoto closed his eyes gently and clapped his hands as he approached the children. He crouched down to their level so he could speak to them.
"Come on, guy. Let's not forget what today is," he said. "We're going to watch cousin Saitō fight at Amaterasu Dohyō, remember?
"Don't you want to see one of the greatest heroes kick some major booty?" The Warriors of Hope cheered, especially Masaru who was excited to see a real hero in action. Over the week, they had learned a lot about Saitō and his adventure around the universe. The guy had trained to be the greatest hero since he… Well, he ran away from home at age eight. For the past ten years, he worked to make himself a legend.
"Hell yeah! Let's do this!" Masaru exclaimed with excitement.
"I hope there will be beautiful women in the mix!" Kotoko chirped. Makoto smiled at the children's enthusiasm. He stood back up to face Subaru with an equally kind smile.
"Thanks for joining us today," he said.
Makoto continued, "I know how important this year is supposed to be for you, Subaru."
"Hey, don't sweat it," Subaru waved off. "I need to have some fun. Get's my mind off the idea of having to die more than once."
"Please don't give up before your adventure even begins," Komaru encouraged.
Makoto's little sister assured, "You have no idea how many times you will die or whether you will die.
"What do you mean by die?" Monaca said, tearing up.
"Mr. S-Subaru's going to die…?" Masaru cried. The teenagers looked nervous and uneasy. Subaru crouched down to explain.
"You see kids, my oneiromancy foretells that I will obtain a power called Return by Death," he said. "It allows me to return after my death to an unidentified, unpredictable, and uncontrollable 'save point.' It happens immediately after my life is taken, and the point of death and resurrection is no longer in delay."
"W-Wait… so you mean… you die and go back in time? But… how is this possible!?" Nagisa asked.
"Because the one who will give him this power is of the branch Thaumiel, 'Twins of God,' or Sathariel, 'Concealment of God,'" Makoto sighed. "We didn't wish to tell you until you all were older, but there is an opposition to the branches you are a part of. The Qliphoth: the representation of evil or impure spiritual forces. The Qliphoth isn't necessarily the opposite of the Sephirot; rather, it is the Sephirot's shadow - what can occur if the sephirot are incomplete or corrupted."
"Holy crap! So this is a legendary story we're into! Interesting!"
"What the…? Junko! What are you doing?" Makoto asked. And Junko was not alone. She was accompanied by Mukuro, Ryōko, and Tenko. "This cannot be a coincidence because I mentioned nothing of where I was going at all to you."
"So what? I'd care less if it was physically possible, what you did or didn't tell me," the Fashionista said. "We're here for fun, and you better provide it!"
"This is stalking! You should be ashamed!" Komaru scolded, "Especially after what you learned about Aphrodite!"
"Hey, I'm not like this crazy woman!" Junko said, not realizing she was though. "I'm trying to reunite with my friend today, don't get in my way!"
While Komaru and Junko argued, Ryōko bowed to Makoto and apologized, "Super sorry! Double sorry! Triple sorry…!" As the Analytical Prowess continued to apologize for her sister's inappropriate behavior, Subaru leaned over and whispered into his cousin's ear.
"So, Makoto…? Who are these girls?" Subaru asked.
"Well, the girl apologizing is Ryōko Otonashi, the Super High School Level Analytical Prowess at Hope's Peak Academy," Makoto answered before turning and gesturing to Mukuro. "This is Mukuro Ikusaba and she will also be attending Hope's Peak, but as the Super High School Level Soldier."
He then prepared to introduce Tenko, however, she interrupted him. She said, "No need to, Tenko can introduce herself! I am Tenko Chabashira, also a student from Hope's Peak Academy, as the Super High School Level Aikido Master! HIYA!" Subaru nodded as Makoto gestured to Junko who was now physically fighting with Komaru comically.
Makoto said, "The girl fighting with Komaru is Junko Enoshima and she'll be going to Hope's Peak Academy with the title Super High School Level Fashionista."
"Oh… I think I've heard of her," he said. "She's got more charm and presence than any other high school girl in the country. I've seen her in tons of magazine covers." Komaru was now pulling on Junko's two long, thick, bleached strawberry-blonde twin pigtails. Mukuro was gripping her combat knife tightly, but something inside her was holding her back.
As Junko struggled in pain, Monaca chirped, "Woooow… When I take time to look at you, you're really beautiful!"
"Yeah! No wonder why you were chosen to be a model!" Kotoko agreed. Junko could do nothing to respond as Komaru continued to pull on her pigtails. Subaru sweat-dropped on the whole scene. He felt guilty just sitting there watching as Komaru assaulted the Fashionista.
"Ah, hey… Komaru… Why don't you let her go now? I think she's had enough," Subaru said. Komaru gave him a death glare that held no effect. So she sighed and let the Fashionista go. Junko fell to her knees as her severe depression persona.
"Being beaten up without having any backup…" Junko whined. "Why does this despair feel so sad instead?"
"Sorry, my sister is the one who runs the family," said Makoto nonchalantly. "I just pay the bills."
"So, you let her do what she wants?" Mukuro asked.
"Not really, she just makes the rules to make sure I don't kill myself with overwork," he replied. Junko stopped crying and jumped onto Makoto, hugging him.
"So, where are you all going that you could invite Rando over here, but not your childhood friend?" Junko entered her sickening cuteness persona.
"The 'Rando' happens to be our cousin," he said, "and we're going to the Occulta Domain. There will be nothing supernos there and non-supernatural folk like yourselves would get killed there."
"I'm both relieved and disappointed. Huh… That's a first," said Junko. The Fashionista finally noticed that the Dragon Maid was looking a bit queasy.
Junko asked, "What's your deal?"
"The location we're heading to reminds Guin of run-ins with crusader spaces," Makoto answered for his Dragon Maid. "It's one of the reasons that she shops based on Dragon PTSD."
"I understand our situation, but I don't like it," Guin grumbled. "I can only remember when…"
Everyone watched as the Dragon Maid shook uncomfortably in place. Ryōko said, "I'm starting to get that a superno's past is never good." All of the non-magical individuals in the group nodded. However, this current group was about to get even more crowded. Because Junko was the only one following Makoto's movements.
"Excuse me? Your name's Makoto Naegi, right?"
Junko's rival sense tingled as she heard the sound of a new female voice approach. The entire group looked to the street to see one of Japan's celebrities approach them. Makoto was especially shocked to see her. The pop sensation with long, dark blue hair said, "We went to the same middle school. Do you remember?"
It was none other than Sayaka Maizono, the Super High School Level Idol of Hope's Peak Academy. She was accompanied by a young woman with purple eyes and a pale complexion. She wore her long lavender hair down with a single braid on her left side, tied with a black ribbon.
"Maizono…?" Makoto expressed his surprise.
"You seem to know a lot of celebrities, huh cuz?" Subaru teased.
"Oh, I finally found you!" Sayaka did something completely out of the blue, as well as out of character. She hugged Makoto while Junko was hugging him. Bad move. "About time, there is so much I wanted to do with you!" Makoto was crying with a confused and somewhat terrifying smile.
He thought, 'What does that mean!?' Junko found herself feeling rather annoyed and tried to push Sayaka off.
"Hey, back off, clingy idol! I met him first!" Junko complained. Komaru, whose brain shut down to process the current situation, slowly pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She was extremely happy to find that this was indeed reality.
"KYAAAA! That's Sayaka Maizono!" Komaru pushed Makoto and Junko out of the way and grabbed Sayaka's hands. "Oh, today is so my lucky day! I'm your biggest fan!"
"Well, thanks! That's very sweet of you," said the Idol. "But you just pushed your brother. Is he going to be okay?"
Subaru turned to the lavender hair girl and asked, "And you are…?"
"My name is… Kyōko Kirigiri," she said. "I'm a classmate of these five girls at Hope's Peak academy. I'm attending as the Super High School Level Detective." Kyōko looked at Sayaka softly as Junko had recovered and was trying to make sure Makoto was okay.
"Maizono hired me to find Mr. Naegi for her," Kyōko explained.
"I'm guessing you two are good friends then," Subaru smiled.
"Not really. I just can't get rid of her," the Detective denied.
"Hey, I heard that!" Sayaka said. She walked over and hugged an unwilling Detective.
The Idol said, "You shouldn't say such mean things about your best friend like that, Kyō-chan!"
"I did not agree with this friendship," the Detective argued. "Also, these are unauthorized snuggles." Sayaka simply ignored Kyōko's protests as she continued to rub her cheek affectionately against hers. Kyōko sighed in defeat as she conceded long ago to this fate.
Junko was slapping Makoto awake with success and Makoto rose to his feet. He walked over to Kyōko and extended his hand. He addressed, "So, you're the Detective Junko-chan told me about. Glad to put a face to a name, Miss Kirigiri. Please just call me Makoto."
"I would say it's a pleasure to meet you," the Detective said, "but I have learned that it is rude to do so. I will wait to get to know you before I say so." Makoto simply smiled politely in response, not at all offended. Subaru smiled and came up with an idea that would cause a bit of controversy. The children sat back and watched as everything unfolded, waiting patiently to head out to the Occulta Domain.
"Since these girls came all this way to see you," he said, "why don't we take them with us to Toana?"
"Did you lose your mind, Subaru!?" Makoto and Komaru barked. Subaru backed away in fear as Kyōko became curious. She had never heard of a location called Toana in Japan before. Kyōko was trained by her grandfather, Fuhito, as a detective since she was a child.
Kyōko is an expert at analyzing clues, as befits a Super High School Level Detective. Makoto looked at Subaru and scolded, "You know very well why we can take them with us!"
"Why? Is it illegal?" Nagisa asked.
"Well, it's not illegal, but it is rather taboo to bring NMHs to the OD," Makoto explained. "That's why I did what I did for the five of you last week, kids."
The children immediately understood that he was referring to their arcana.
"May I ask what you are talking about?" Kyōko asked. Makoto and Komaru went rigid.
"I… feel that something bad happened to them," Sayaka said to herself about the kids. Subaru stepped forward much to Komaru and Makoto's horror.
"We're affiliated with magic," he said. "Heck, even their maid is a Dragon." To prove his point, Guin sighed and summoned a magic circle to use perception blocking. Once everyone was essentially invisible to the eye, Guin's wings and tail exposed themselves. Komaru began to assault Subaru as Makoto facepalmed.
However, Kyōko was based on logic. She said, "I will assume that somehow, you managed to drug me. There is no other way I would be seeing this -"
"W-Wait…" Kyōko turned to Sayaka who was shaking. "All of this is real! I can also see it!"
The Detective's eyes grew wide before turning back to Guin, whose wings flapped a little.
"No flipping way…" Junko said. "You're a real-life dragon, Guin?" The dragon gave the model a 'Teehee' in response. Kyōko's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
She demanded, "… Explain. Now."
Makoto released an exasperated sigh in response. Today was not going as planned for him, so he could get into a lot of trouble for it. He looked at Kyōko who was staring at him for an answer. He facepalmed again at his luck.
"The Occult Domain is the society in which mystic supernatural entities or supernatural beings live and interact, apart from non-magical society," he explained. "It is also called the magical community. By divine magic and secrecy, the two communities are kept separate. Letting non-magical humans such as you girls know the secret isn't illegal, but it is most certainly a taboo given your history with anything supernatural." Junko hit her fist into her palm in understanding.
"I get it! Like the witch trials in the late 18th century," the Fashionista said. "Yeah, I can see why the supernatural world would want to remain ambiguous after that shit show." Kyōko understood what they were trying to say. Humans have proven time and time again to be very judgemental creatures. Anything different from them, they failed to understand and, at times, they feared that.
And more often than not, humans wanted to destroy what they feared or at least control them. Makoto explained, "As a result of the Witch Trials, all of the Deus - young and old - erased the memories of all of those of non-supernatural and hid the Occulta Domain in absolute obscurity. Allowing only true believers to see and integrate into."
"But… that… that is just wrong! Wrong on so many levels!" Tenko argued.
"N-Not to say I'm taking his side," Mukuro finally spoke, "but so were all the needless deaths of the people who were magic casters or accused as magic casters."
"The Occulta Domain isn't completely innocent either since it's segregated with different realms and dimensions," said Guin. "Some of the supernatural beings such as myself still tend to eat lowly humans regardless of their supernatural non-supernatural status." Makoto coughed as Guin's prejudice started to shine through. "Though, of course, I am now a good dragon and I am on my best behavior in this world."
"That sounded a bit forced," said Kyōko.
"A-And… that seems really… dangerous," said Sayaka. "I'm not sure if I like what you're implying." Komaru finished beating up Subaru who was now trying to recover from his ass beating.
"G-Guys… Toana City is a safe zone in the Occulta Domain," he struggled to say. "Supernatural beings are forbidden from eating each other in safe zones."
"Crime organizations and criminals exist in the Occulta Domain, too, Subaru," said Komaru. "There are many who would be willing to break the rules to do as they want. Take Aphrodite for example. Last week, that pervy goddess attempted to kidnap Makoto in the Visibilis Domain."
"Honestly," Junko said, "it was more like a Yakuza scenario, but with Gods and magic in it."
"I'm just saying that supernatural beings like Devils and Eucliwood Hellscythe have gotten more brazen against the Yurushi Clan," said Subaru in his frustration. "We could use the numbers ourselves since they're running about stealing members of our families!" This declaration surprised Makoto and Komaru who was now curious about their cousin's meaning. The students of Hope's Peak and Warriors of Hope were confused.
"What do you mean, Subaru?" Makoto asked.
Subaru stared for a moment and said, "… Cousin Issei was killed by a Fallen Angel and reincarnated as Devil on Earth 4244. On this Earth, cousin Ayumu was killed by a Magical Garment Girl and resurrected as a Zombie by Eucliwood Hellscythe. They took advantage of the curse that damn Aphrodite placed on our family!"
"That is… That sounds indeed like very… very dirty business," said Kyōko. The children looked up with timid expressions on their faces.
"Mr. Naegi… who are cousins Issei and Ayumu…" asked Jatarō. "What does he mean by a curse?" Makoto and Komaru looked at each other with unease.
"Aphrodite placed a curse on several members of our family that suppressed their memories of the supernatural reality," said Makoto. "This turned them into non-magical humans and made them much more vulnerable to supernatural attacks."
"WH-WHAT?! How could she!?" The Super High School Level Aikidō Master screamed, knowing about the goddess but not believing that she'd be able to do as such.
"Do we know the devil who reincarnated him?" Makoto asked Subaru.
"Rias Gremory, daughter of the devil Marquis Gremory," Subaru answered.
"I suppose that's better than the other options out there," Makoto said.
"How so?" Junko asked. Makoto turned to his childhood friend.
"Among the Devils, the Gremory Clan has a special affinity for one another," he said. "As a result, they make no distinction between themselves and their servants."
"So, uh… is that a good or bad thing? I honestly don't know," said Sayaka. Her question would have to go unanswered as the Yurushi Clan members had more pressing matters in their opinion.
"Makoto, if we don't do something, the Yurushi Clan could fall to extinction at this rate," Subaru said.
Makoto sighed in defeat. Though he agreed with Subaru's statement, he didn't want to involve his friends if they didn't want to be a part of it. It wasn't fair to take them out of their lives and throw them into Occulta Domain. Plus, their reality wasn't a place truly for the faint of heart. It was a place where the strong protected the weak, yes.
But at the same time, it was survival of the fittest, too. Makoto turned to the girls as he came to a decision. He said, "The choice is yours individually, and yours alone to make. The order of the Occulta Domain must be protected, but I don't want to see my family die out. So, I'm giving you all a choice: You may go back to your normal lives and pretend all of what you saw was pure fantasy, or you can come with us and leave your original lives behind forever.
"I don't want to force any of you down a path you don't want to go down if you have the choice. But if you do go down this road, that means you are choosing to become supernatural humans and forced to keep this secret from all but your closest friends and loved ones. The supernatural world is not for the faint of heart. I lost my parents to Aphrodite and many of my loved ones were cursed. Many great heroes met tragic ends or continued to live to this day in glory in the past.
"The choice is yours, but you must make it now. We're already late as it is." The girls were stunned by this ultimatum and the time limit they were being given about it. They didn't have the time or luxury to think about it since they were taking up someone else's time. That was pretty fair all things considered.
"Well… I'm going to be involved in dangerous stuff anyway," Sayaka said. She thought to herself, 'By bad people because of my job…' She shakes her head. "It's okay! and Kyōko will join you!"
"I don't remember giving you my consent to speak for me…" Kyōko sighed in defeat, "but fine. This knowledge might be of use."
"Do you think I would back down from this?" Junko hugged Makoto, to Komaru and Sayaka's annoyance. "Now, this is something really interesting! I'm in!" Sayaka latched onto Makoto glaring at Junko who returned the gaze with a derisive sneer.
"Count on me as well," said Mukuro. "Whenever my sister goes, I shall go too!"
"H-Hey! I'm family, too…!" Ryōko sighed and said, "Well, I guess I… can't be left alone in this, huh?"
"A-And I suppose I cannot let the girls without protection!" Tenko declared, "Tenko will also be by your side…! Well, you get what she means."
Makoto smiled warmly and said, "Okay, we should get going then. I hope you're all familiar with Alice Through the Looking Glass cause that's why we're here at an Antique Shop."
Makoto entered the shop behind him. The girls all looked at each other as the rest of the Yurushi Clan members followed him in. Junko shrugged before following the family inside followed by Mukuro and Ryōko. Tenko swallowed and found a bit of her courage and went in after them. Sayaka took Kyōko's hand and the two went inside.
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The shop, as promised, was full of antique items, however, if one looked closely, a majority of them had something to do with mysticism. The shop owner could be heard humming a tune. The Warriors of Hope stopped near the door to look at books and comics while Makoto approached the counter with Komaru, Guin, and Subaru, and rang a service bell.
"Be right there!" A man called out. Makoto looked back at the Hope's Peak Girls.
The shop owner was seen through a set of double doors carrying stacks of books as he walked backward and out toward the counter. The man said, "Welcome to 'Takuma's Antique Trade', home to every antique under the sun!" He set the stacks down and looked up. "How may I…?" Turning around, he gasped and hesitated upon recognizing Makoto, Komaru, and Subaru, but not the others. Monaca was now holding a book the other children were gathered around.
Takuma asked, "How may I help you?"
"We were wondering if you knew why a raven is like a writing desk?" Makoto said. Takuma's smile dropped as he looked around the room. He then looked back at Makoto with a face that expressed what he asked next.
"You're serious…?"
"Dead serious," said Komaru.
"Is that a problem, Takuma?" Makoto asked.
"Well, I wouldn't say what you're doing is illegal, but it is taboo," the antique trader replied. Makoto gestured his thumb to the Warriors of Hope.
"I adopted those five children a week ago and have already unlocked their arcanas," he explained to Takuma. "They'll be attending Momotarō Academy next year."
Makoto waved to the Hope's Peak Girls behind him. He continued, "These young ladies have accepted the knowledge and are willing to integrate into the shadows." Takuma looked around the room as he registered the information and finally nodded.
"Follow me please," he walked back through the double doors. Makoto's group followed Takuma to the back of the store with Warriors of Hope coming in last.
Monaca placed the book on the counter that she picked up beforehand. In the back of the store was an elegant antique full-length mirror.
"In the 19th Century, Alice Liddel traveled to the dimension of 'Wonderland' through two different dimensional pathways," said Takuma as he pulled out a knife. "The first path was a rabbit hole that was affected by dimensional frequencies, turning it into a Wormhole-like portal that instantaneously transported Miss Liddel to 'Wonderland'." Takuma cut the palm of his hand with the knife.
He continued to say, "The second portal, using similar dimensional frequencies, was more magical than true natural because the medium was a mirror." He placed his bloodied palm in the center of the mirror for a second before taking it off, leaving a blood print. However, the print began to fade away and the mirror turned into a liquid-like substance. Takuma wrapped his hand in a bandage and said, "Here's your way in. That will be 3,000¥ total."
"W-Wait, so you've got to PAY just to enter?" Tenko asked.
"Nope, pay for travel," said Komaru. "Taking a portal you don't own is about the same price as a ticket for a train which is 200¥. There are fifteen of us so the transportation is 3,000¥."
"Well, I've seen worse. Still, this is going to cost a lot with all of us," said Mukuro.
"Don't worry, fam! I got us covered." Makoto chirped and handed Takuma the money.
He then took Nagisa, Masaru, and Jatarō to the side and gestured to the portal. Makoto said the traditional, "Ladies first."
"Aw! Onii-chan knows his manners!" Komaru smiled as she went through the portal first in a classy fashion. Junko pushed Sayaka and Guin to the side as she charged for the mirror.
"My turn, skanks!" Junko yelled as she jumped through. Ryōko sighed in exasperation.
"Sorry, Junko still has no manners," she said. Sayaka straightened herself out after Guin quickly recovered. The Dragon Maid gave a curt bow and gestured to the portal for Sayaka.
"After you, Miss Maizono," she said to the Idol.
"Thank you very much, but no need to be so formal with me," said Sayaka with a giggle. The Idol moved forward and jumped through the portal. Junko stuck her head back out with an awe-filled grin only appropriate for a kid in a candy store.
"Mukuro, Ryōko! Get your fat asses over here!" Junko exclaimed. "This place is flipping awesome on this side!"
"Looks like that's our cue, Mukuro," Ryōko sighed. Mukuro nodded and the last of the former Despair Triplets waltzed in. Kotoko was jumping on her toes with excitement.
"I can't believe I'm going through a Looking Glass!" Kotoko squealed. "Just like Alice did before me! So cool!
"If only it was the original Looking Glass, I would be on cloud nine!" Makoto giggled at her excitement.
"If that was the case, we would be going to Wonderland," he told her. "Not Toana. Now, run along Kotoko; for adventure awaits." Kotoko jumped through the mirror and to the other side.
Monaca merely smiled and walked through calmly with grace and poise. Tenko pointed to the portal and asked, "I-I would like to ask… is it safe for the children to be with us? T-Tenko just has their safety in mind…"
"Toana City is a safe zone for a reason," said Makoto. "It's a replica of Tōkyō in nearly every way.
"So despite it having the same level of crime, it's still considered a safe place to raise a family. So, bringing the children with us should be okay so long as they stay near us." He lifted his hand and created a small portal. "For further insurance, I activated their arcana the same night I met you, Tenko. Arcana is the manifestation of one's innate and personal power as a unique ability to each Arwyr, with the effects varying greatly between users.
"I plan to help you and the other girls activate this power later after the event we're all going to."
"And what event may that be?" Kyōko asked. "Is it related to magic somehow?"
"It's more supernatural than just magic, Miss Kirigiri," said Makoto. "The supernatural world falls under four categories: science, magic, divinity, and philosophy.
"That said, I didn't answer your first question. You see, Miss Kirigiri, we are going to see a Heroic Game, a competition between two groups of Arwyrs. It's similar to something called a Rating Game that shares many similarities with the board game; Chess. However, each team's difference can have a limit of 1 to 78 members, the latter being the same number of cards in a deck of Tarot. The game takes the form of a strategic battle between The World (XXI) and his or her Heroic Cards.
"All mythologies are welcomed to participate."
"So… does this mean that…?" Kyōko began, however, Tenko interrupted.
"W-We're going to face mythical women as well?" The Aikido Master said, "Th-This… this is going to be a lot more than Tenko expected."
"Well, we're not competing," said Makoto. "My cousin Saitō is the one competing and usually, he competes alone.
"So, no worries about having to fight anyone because we're just going to be spectators for this event. Anyway, we should get going. After you two," Makoto gestured to the Mirror. Tenko walked in first before being followed by Kyōko. With all of the females across the portal, Makoto took the boys of the Warriors of Hope and crossed the mirror, leaving Subaru as the last one.
As Subaru was about to cross, the image of a familiar, shadowy hand crossed his mind. Subaru's eyes widened as he looked around and waited to be transported for a few more minutes. However, nothing happened. Takuma noticed Subaru freaking out a bit and asked, "Are you okay, Mr. Natsuki?" Subaru waited a bit longer, but nothing.
"I'm fine…" he said before crossing the mirror.
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Toana City, Shōgetsu
Monday, December 8th, 2044
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Toana City was the most populous city in Shōgetsu. It had an estimated population to match that of Tōkyō and its architecture nearly matched. However, the city was an innovation of techno-magic, the incredible combination of magic and technology. Not long after arriving at the Mirror Hub, the entrance of Toana where supernatural beings arrive after traveling via mirrors, Junko could tell by the fairies, witches, yōkai, and other various supernatural beings that this place was a cultural melting pot of bat shit crazy and unpredictability. Junko extended her arms to the sky and gleefully exclaimed, "Holy crap, this is paradise!
"Exactly what I was looking for!"
"You should see Wonderland if you want true unpredictability," said Makoto as Subaru walked through. "That whole 'everything is nonsense' is about as true as it gets in the dimension." He pointed to the dome near the center of the city. "That over there is our destination.
"Amaterasu Dohyō, named after the Déithe Sean of the sun in Japanese mythology and the ruler of the heavenly realm Takamagahara."
"Whoa…! That's so cool!" Kotoko cheered.
"To think we're about to see a place described in legends…" Sayaka said. She then noticed a couple of centaurs crossing her path who decided to do unsavory things in her direction. They were sending kissy faces and wolf whistles to Sayaka and Junko, making the Idol uncomfortable.
"Hey, babe! Wanna let my giant, wooden horse into your city?" A centaur asked.
"You could be the Jocasta to my Oedipus!" Another said, "I'd like to capture your Ceryneian hind." Makoto pulled out his staff and walked over to the centaurs.
"I'd like for you two to get lost," he said.
Makoto whacked the centaurs on the ass and sent them running away in pain. Makoto complained, "Greek Faction, ugh!"
"C-Couldn't you just shove them away more… proper way?" Tenko asked.
"Uh, have you not heard how they talked to us?" Junko asked out of annoyance.
"Yeah… Though the spank was a bit… far," Sayaka agreed with Tenko.
"Not really because centaurs are the embodiment of untamed nature," said Guin. "They're as wild as untamed horses, having some wild and barbarous tendencies. At the same time, they're a proud, elitist group of beings that consider themselves superior to all other creatures."
"Aren't they strong though?" Masaru asked, "Isn't this why they behave like that?"
"I'd hardly consider being skilled at archery, healing, and astrology as strong," Guin scoffed.
"Well, any race other than a dragon would probably look weak to you, huh?" Komaru accused. A witch dressed in all white exited out of a mirror and Makoto's smile dropped as he froze in utter awe. The witch had the appearance of a young 16-year old girl, blessed with beauty so flawless and enchanting. She had long, pure white hair tied back in a waterfall braid with a blue ribbon.
It was concealed by a perfectly pointed white witch's hat that had a silver branch tied to the left by a blue ribbon and white rose. She possessed wise and captivating celestial blue eyes. She also had pouty, pink lips, rosy cheeks, a heart-shaped face, and a perfect golden ratio - enough to think that the golden ratio originated from her - with skin white as snow. She donned an elaborate, sleeveless, white ball gown with long white opera gloves matching her outfit, a white wide-hemmed floor-length skirt made of 8 triangular panels with a blue sash tied in on her hip, and a multiple-layered white petticoat with scalloped edging on the hemline, and white diamond, high-heeled shoes. On her arms was a clear, blue scarf of thin fabric and a beautiful white wand in her right hand.
"Oh. My! GOD! It's Charis DuParis!" Makoto squealed like a fangirl. The Hope's Peak girls and the Warriors of Hope were bewildered by this change in attitude.
"Charis DuParis?" Mukuro asked.
"She's one of the most famous fairy tale heroes in history," said Komaru. "Bordering on Legend and standing among heroes like King Arthur and Hercules. She's a witch who is one of the many Magic Supremes in existence and an embodiment of light and all things good.
"She is revered by her epithet 'Charis the Magnificent.' Along with Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, Makoto has modeled his whole life after hers."
"Whoa…! S-So this must be an honor to see her in person, right?" Tenko asked Makoto… who was gone. Makoto's group looked around for their leader only to find closing in on Charis who was looking at a map. He was holding a book that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, yet knowing Makoto, he probably brought it out of a Rabbit Hole.
Komaru deadpanned and said, "He forgot why we're all here to settle his priorities. The current priority of getting an autograph. The former Rabbit King, ladies, and gentlemen." Komaru and the group went after Makoto.
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Charis was looking at her map while scratching her head with her wand. She was looking for Amaterasu Dohyō as she was to host the latest Heroic Game. Why she was called from the US for this, she didn't know. Especially since Japan had plenty of gods and legends to host this game. Besides, she was only the headmistress of Iktomi Academy nowadays.
She hadn't done that much after her big fight with her villainous brother other than traveling to alternate realms and dimensions. Oh, and marrying the prince in distress, of course. Then, on her deathbed, she along with many other legendary figures, fairy tales, and heroes who achieved great deeds in life became immortal entities. They are freed from the constraints of time itself and removed from the ring of reincarnation much like the Deus around the world. This meant Charis had been alive for six centuries and her life has been… rather interesting.
She has even been to Japan before, however, not since the Meiji Restoration. Ah! Fun times. Charis looked at the map again before folding it back up and making it disappear with magic. She said to her familiar, a blue songbird named Chantelle, and her white magic broom named Pégase, "You don't go to a certain place for a century or two and they change everything." Chantelle whistled melodically in agreement while Pégase nodded.
"You are Charis DuParis!" Charis heard someone say. She turned around to come face to face with Makoto's pleading, awe-stricken face holding a hardcover copy of her story, Charis the Magnificent. He begged, "Can I have your autograph!?" Charis stares for a moment before giving an endearing laugh.
"Of course, my dear! What is your name?" Charis asked as she took the book.
"Makoto, ma'am! My name is Makoto Naegi," he answered. Charis opened the cover page and pointed her wand, magically writing, 'To Makoto, May all of your dearest wishes come true. Charis DuParis' handed the book to him and Makoto took it as if it were the most precious thing in the world with hope and light. He hugged the book and said, "Thank you so much, Madame DuParis!"
"Oh, please, my dear! Call me Charis," she requested. "And no royal titles either as I'm not the princess of France anymore."
"E-Even so, you are still an amazing person! T-Tenko would never -" She then noticed Makoto's friends arrive behind him with Tenko being the one who spoke.
"Regardless, this is… quite the encounter," said Kyōko.
"My that is quite flattering, my dears," said Charis. Makoto ran up to Subaru holding his book with glee. He had the biggest, childish smile of hope on his face. He seemed so happy and excited, Guin, Junko, Mukuro, Sayaka, and Tenko blushed at how cute he was. He was just like a little rabbit… Oh, wait.
"Look, Subaru! She gave me her autograph!" Makoto pushed the book in Subaru's face. "Isn't it awesome? This is the best day ever!"
"Congratulations Mako-chi! Yet another goal achieved for you, little rabbit!" Subaru sang in a mix of cheer and amusement, especially with how Makoto blushed in response, much to the nearby girls' joy.
Charis walked towards the Hope's Peak girls with a smile as bright as the sunshine.
"So, you girls must be considering joining us in the shadows?" Charis asked kindly.
"That is… actually accurate, I suppose," said Kyōko.
"I've been a Magic Supreme since the 15th Century, my dear," the light witch stated. "I can tell a No-Maj from a person's aura.
"But, don't worry, my dears! Your secret is safe with me." Tenko suddenly had the same look in her eyes as Makoto did. Charis was possibly the purest maiden she had ever come across, so gentle and kind. Yet she had a powerful air to her that was not to be taken lightly.
Even her blue eyes almost seemed to hold the power to make the mountains themselves bow before her. The Warriors of Hope were also spellbound by the beautiful and powerful witch's presence. Charis noticed them and crouched down to their level to meet their starry-eyed gaze. She said, "And you five must be planning to attend Arwyr school next year, correct? I can tell by the courage in each of your eyes that is something you are considering a possibility."
"Y-Yes, ma'am," Monaca stuttered for the first time. "M-Momotarō Academy, m-m-middle school level."
"That's a perfectly good school," chirped Charis. "A shame though. I would have loved for the five of you to attend Iktomi. I'm the Headmistress there, but I'm certain your new father wishes for you to be closer to home and Iktomi is in the US. Be that as it may, I am certain the five of you will become fantastic Arwyrs who will eventually rise to Legend status like me."
'She's so shiny!' The Warriors of Hope cried internally.
"Legends, you say?" Ryōko asked, "So… you raise students so they can become heroes?" Subaru was the one who answered instead.
"While our society doesn't completely revolve around that vocation," he said to the girls, "it is the primary staple, with heroes ranking under royalty and counsel members but above knights and police and military. That said, there are plenty of other schools for vocations other than Arwyrs, or as you call us, Heroes.
"Makoto retired from the duty of Arwyr and while she used to technically be an Arwyr in her story, Charis rose to the status of Legend, becoming an immortal entity."
"Immortal? Then… does it mean that…" Mukuro asked.
"Eh, we don't need it. Would make things boring anyway," Junko waved away.
"Well, immortality is sometimes a choice," Charis said, though everyone noticed the 'sometimes' part. "Before all of you go your merry way, I'm looking for the Amaterasu Dohyō.
"Would you -" Charis could finish as a starry-eyed Makoto took her hands and smiled eagerly.
"We would love to help you!" Makoto said with glee.
"Well, aren't just filled with energy," Charis giggled. Unlike Makoto, Charis noticed the glares of jealousy she was suddenly receiving. She smiled knowingly and let go of Makoto's hand and walked to the girls.
Charis whispered, "Don't worry, darlings. Even if he did have romantic feelings for me, which he doesn't, I'm happily married to my husband Prince Benard. So, no need to be so jealous." Guin suddenly looked relieved while Junko, Mukuro, and Sayaka flushed in embarrassment at their feelings being called out. Tenko had yet to understand her emotions for Makoto but didn't want to categorize it as love just yet, so she blushed too.
"Umm… I-It's okay. T-Tenko wants to… sort it out anyway…"
"Yes, plus… I'm an idol… soooo…" Sayaka tried to explain.
"Whatever, let's just… not mention it to him for now," Junko said. Charis just walked away giggling to herself, leaving the girls in their bashful state. Subaru said, "I don't see why we can't help you out, La- Charis…
"We were heading for Amaterasu Dohyō anyway. Our cousin, Saitō, is participating in one of the Heroic Games being held today."
"Oh, so you are members of the Yurushi Clan, then?" Charis asked. "I suppose these girls are new potential recruits for your family, then."
"It would be wrong to abandon them to this world after bringing them here," said Makoto.
Makoto continued, "However, whether they wish to help us rebuild the ranks of the Yurushi clan is up to them. So for now, we are simply serving as mentors for them. To help them on their feet till they learn to survive in the Occulta Domain. I mean, what if they accidentally wind up in Kakuriyo with the Yōkai and Ayakashi? They would eat them if they didn't know how to handle themselves properly."
Charis closed her eyes in acceptance of their explanation.
"The Occulta Domain is an amazing place," she said, "but it can also be the most dangerous. In a way, it was no different from the Visibilis Domain. But the Occulta Domain has the one thing its counterpart doesn't: the truth. If you are a genuine seeker of the truth, you must doubt all things as much as possible at least once in your life."
"This seems… very different from where we come from, I'll admit," Kyōko said.
Charis turned to her and smiled. She then said, "Now then, I believe we all should get going. There is a fight for us to watch."
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Toana Station, Toana
7:30 PM
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The station had a large hall with ticket booths, a food court, gift shop, and mailboxes. Holographic departure boards listing trains at once were in the middle of the hall. Each end of the hall was flanked by two rows of five black columns, reaching from floor to ceiling. In the center of the hall was a fountain with a statue of a woman in a jūnihitoe kimono. Passengers access different platforms using overhead bridges.
There are additional food courts above and adjacent to the track level. People go about their business whether they be buying a train ticket, going shopping, eating food, and more. In a corner of the station, hidden from prying eyes, a blue wormhole-like portal opened and a beautiful Half-Elf with long silver hair and purple-blue eyes stepped out. Emilia, a former candidate to become the 42nd King of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica and the Witch of Glaciation, gasped in awe at the scene before her.
"So… this is the world… beyond the Great Waterfall…" Emilia breathed.
Several other people stepped out of the portal behind her. Beatrice, the Great Spirit of the Forbidden Library, appears on the outside as a beautiful young girl at age 11 or 12. Her irises are pink butterfly designs on her big sky-blue eyes and they were wide with a surprise for a brief moment.
"Hmph, so this is where that idiot grew up, I suppose," Beatrice said. Despite the words used nobody could deny the interested tone in her voice, especially with the look on her face as she looked around.
Otto Suwen, the Head of Internal Affairs of the Emilia Camp, exited the portal with awe. His sharp, bright blue eyes were wide as he saw everything around him.
"Amazing…! Who would have thought a place like this existed," Otto said breathlessly. A tall, young woman with an athletic, curvaceous physique stepped out from the portal. She had dark skin, luminescent green eyes of spring, and long, curly dark-brown hair that fell to her calf.
She said to Otto, "This world has been forged with a long history of blood, much worse than your world has ever endured. Conflict, more often than we wish, gives birth to progress."
"Lady Arynn…?" Emilia said. Arynn Orr, the Queen of the Caomhnóir Gods, looked to the Half-Elf as more people stepped out of the portal.
Garfiel Tinsel, the former Shield of the Sanctuary, is a youth with sharp feline-like fangs due to his demi-human blood. He looked around with child-like wonder at the sights of the station. He said, "Whoa…! T'is place 's nothin' like Lugnica…"
"Your current location is called a train station," said Arynn, "a facility or area where a series of connected vehicles transport passengers or cargo via a railroad track. This as far as I will take you as your friend Subaru should be here."
The final resident of Lugnica exited the portal and into the train station. This completed the group of twenty-nine members, including the Witches of Sin. Crusch Karsten, one of the other former candidates to become the 42nd King of Lugnica and the Goddess of War, bowed to Arynn out of respect, her long verdant green hair falling to the side.
"Thank you, Lady Arynn, for everything you have done for us," she said. "As well as many thanks to Lady Cinniúint for changing fate for Miss Rem and me."
"You're welcome, but I didn't do it for you." Everyone flinched as they failed to notice the diminutive goddess. Cinniint has the look of a 15-year-old girl with pale skin. Her purple hair reached a centimeter above the ground. Underneath a thick green robe, she wears a short white skin-tight bodysuit.
A red skirt with a front opening encircled her waist. A blindfold has been draped around her face, covering both of her eyes entirely. At the end of her staff that she always carried in her right hand was a rustic, religious, lantern-like censer - an incense burner made for burning incense or perfume in some solid form. It was connected to the staff through chains, swinging through the air to spread the incense smoke widely. In her left hand, closest to her heart, she carried the Book of Destiny which accounts for the fate and destinies of all she keeps a record of.
The book is rectangular and has a concave edge on each cover, as well as curved corners on the ends. The spine is concave on both the top and bottom sides. The spine is concave on both the top and bottom sides. A green three-pronged symbol is superimposed over a yellow ring on both covers. A gently curved green rectangle with a red border adorns one of the spine's corners.
The book is mostly purple, with a red border. Cinniúint said, "I did it for Subaru, don't forget that." The most feared member of the group - Satella, the dreaded Witch of Envy - stepped forward, a black dress of shadows seemed to wave following her heartbeat.
"Of course. It's only about Subaru… and nothing more. Am I wrong?" Satella asked, almost threateningly. However, the Caomhnóir Goddess of Fate remained unfazed.
"Why? Are you jealous of how romantic our relationship is?" Cinniúint teased in a deadpan manner. This irked nearly all of the women in the group, especially the Witch of Envy within Satella. However, Satella held the Witch of Envy back as she had the common sense to know that even with their power over time and space, they stood no chance against Fate.
"Now, Cinniúint, it is not fair to tease given your power," said Arynn.
"Apologies, my Queen. I just found it funny that my love for Subaru was questioned by someone whose love for him is equally questionable," Cinniúint explained.
Because her face was covered by a long dark veil covering a part of her face, no one could see Satella glare at the Fate Goddess with disdain. That said, they could still feel her hatred for the Goddess of Fate. Cinniúint walked forward and said to Satella, "I know it's hard to be the least favorite, but don't let it get you down."
"… I hate you," Satella said plainly.
"Good girl," said Cinniúint with a nod of her head.
"Alright, I believe we have wasted enough time!" Someone female said, "If you would please stop this charade, that would be great, thank you."
Everyone turned to the second annoyance in their lives. Priscilla Barielle, another former candidate to become the 42nd King of Lugnica - also known as The Bloody Bride or Sun Princess. The long red, blonde hair of Priscilla Barielle shone brightly much like the sun and flowed through a barrette before pouring its back down. Her red blood eyes had a powerful will, which betrayed her commanding character.
"Of course," the Queen of the Caomhnóir Gods agreed. "Thus, we shall leave you all to your task."
With that, the duo of Goddesses, as well as the portal disappeared. Rem - one of the maids in service of lord Roswaal L Mathers, alongside her sister, Ram - walked over to Emilia. Rem asked, "Well, Miss Emilia, any idea where we should look for Subaru first?" The blue-haired Oni was anxious to be reunited with her hero, even if there was a chance he didn't remember them.
"Um… Well…" Emilia hadn't the slightest clue herself.
It's not like Arynn and Cinniúint remembered to give them a map of the city. For all they knew, the city of Toana was probably larger than Lugnica. It could take forever for them to find Subaru. He wasn't just going to fall out of the sky like he did when he took down the White Whale. This city was regarded as a safe zone, well protected from more wild beasts like that.
Felt, another former candidate to become the 42nd King of Lugnica looked around with everyone else before spotting a poster for the night's Heroic Games. Saitō Hiraga stood in the center triumphantly. The medium-length golden blonde said, "I think I have an idea of where we might find him. It says something about a competition on this poster." The Lugnica group moved to read the poster themselves.
"It would appear there is some kind of tournament going on," said Echidna, the Witch of Greed. "Well, I suppose I can learn from this unknown world this way." The witch grinned greedily, "Absolutely fascinating… wouldn't you say?" Beatrice eyed the maiden of black clothing and the white skin with mixed feelings. She also had a profound influence on the birth of Beatrice, so she saw Echidna as a mother figure.
It was Echidna who ordered Beatrice, who also waited for the person who would come one day, to protect the Forbidden Library. This was hardly her objective, however, as Echidna's objective was to see who Beatrice would prefer to be 'that person.' Beatrice's mind wandered to the viewings the Caomhnóir Gods showed to them and her future relationship with Subaru, her future contractor. In the alternate timeline Cinniúint destroyed, Subaru confronted Beatrice in her library while Garfiel and Elsa fought during the Sanctuary Incident. She says that since her death was foretold in the Tome's will, she is content with that being her intent, but Subaru tries to persuade her to abandon Echidna's promise and forge a new course for herself.
When she asks if he is 'that person,' he denies it, but before he can explain, she kicks him out of her room instinctively. He returned and tried to persuade her once more to take his hand and join her, but she refused to even lie that he's 'that guy,' and she kicked him out as her library was being destroyed. He returned once more, telling Beatrice that even though he won't live as long as she will, he'll always be there for her in the future, and she'll never be alone again, and asking her to choose him. She agreed with tears as the two blast off into the sky, reappearing in the Sanctuary alongside Emilia as they prepare to face the Great Rabbit.
Unfortunately, that timeline no longer existed, so she would have to bring it up to him when she found him. Roswaal L Mathers was still feeling jealous after watching the viewing, particularly of Subaru and his relationship with his Teacher. Years before the Great Calamity, Echidna met young Roswaal, who was unable to use his crazy magical abilities and ability and was being regarded as a sickly annoyance by all who met him because magic was then widely misunderstood and mages were not as well-known as they are now (with few exceptions). Echidna recognized his talent and potentially destructive power and decided to tutor him, teaching him how to properly use magic and opening Roswaal's eyes, enabling him to realize that his body isn't a 'threat,' but a 'gift,' allowing him to prevail and learn how to effectively use all six magical elements. As a result, Roswaal harbored strong and deep feelings for her, which were sadly one-sided due to Echidna's inability to understand human emotions.
He considered her to be the most important person in his life. Roswaal became obsessed with resurrecting her after her death, even willing to give his life to achieve his desired future, destroy the Dragon, and cross paths with Echidna once more. Unfortunately, Subaru remained a source of sincere love for Echidna even after he refused her contract. She flirted with him several times during her tea parties.
"Tch! I shall not lose to that Subaru," said Roswaal, "not when it comes to my Echidna's heart."
"Why would Subaru be interested in this tournament?" Julius Juukulius, the Finest of Knights, asked. Julius is a tall young man of a well-built muscular stature with yellow eyes and gleaming violet hair that is arranged neatly with a strand hanging down his face.
"Remember, Arynn said that in this reality, Subaru is a member of a group known as the Yurushi Clan," said Echidna, "a Family that has produced great Arwyrs and holds the most power in Earth's supernatural world. That would mean that Subaru is a public official in some form so his attendance might be necessary. Also…" Echidna looked at the image of Saitō with unease, "I remember the Goddess saying something about this 'Saitō Hiraga' who is competing.
"It's possible that with Fate's divine intervention that Subaru and Saitō are both in the Yurushi Clan."
"Then is our role supposed to watch what they can do then?" Emilia questioned. Suddenly, another portal, albeit white, opened behind them. The flaming red-haired Reinhard van Astrea, the current Sword Saint, turned to the portal along with the rest of the combatants of the group formed a combative formation around the portal. A rather young, petite teenage girl of a slender build who stood at a rather below-average height for her age exited the portal.
She had long, pink hair tied into a ponytail covered by a blue cavalier hat. Her irises were the same pink color as his hair. She wore a white bustier covered by a revealing and stylized blue cloak. Her left arm is fashioned with armor and a pauldron, while her right arm is distinguished by a pinwheel bracelet. She also wore greaves.
"So, this is Saitō homeworld," said the girl. She then took notice of the Lugnica and went on edge at their aggressive stance. She stood straight before giving a curtsey and said, "My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Maillart and I come from a foreign world. My comrades and I mean this world no harm." More people exited the portal, forming a group of thirty-seven people, outnumbering the Lugnica's group of twenty-eight.
Another young teenager with a slender construction and a lean framework was the second person to leave the portal. With large brown eyes, she had a heart-shaped profile. She had very long blond hair. She tied it up, however, with a red ribbon in a messy way. She was wearing a black hakama with yellow trim on top and white toboggan with zōri rolled up around her waist.
She was also wearing a green-blue haori that she wears just on one side of the shoulder. She looked around and said, "This is Japan's future? No, this is only the supernatural part. I can't wait to see what Japan looks like now if this is the Supernatural world."
"Japan's future…?" The pink-haired Ram noticed.
"Oh, apologies, I didn't introduce myself," the blonde said. "I am the lord of the Oda - Oda Nobuna!" Louise looked unimpressed as she turned to the side.
"And I have 100% Maximum, No Chill…" she sang. Nobuna scowled and attempted to hit Louise who blocked the hit and glared back.
The Lugina Group stared at the two leaders of the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance as they aggressively stared each other down. A purple-haired young woman with a crown stepped forward and gave a curtsey.
"Apologies for my friend and ally," she said. "They both have a thing for the same man and fight over him constantly even though he is no longer by our side."
"You're no better than us, so get off your high horse!" Louise and Nobuna barked.
"My name is Henrietta de Tristain, the Queen of the country of Tristain in the continent of Halkeginia," she said. The Lugnica group's tension eased away as they determined that the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance was peaceful… somewhat given Louise and Nobuna's hostility towards each other. Reinhard smiled and stepped forward to give the bow of a gentleman.
"A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, your Majesty," he said. "I am the current Sword Saint, Reinhard van Astrea - knight of Lady Felt, a former candidate for the throne of Lugnica."
Julius moved to stand next to him and gave a similar bow.
"I am Julius Juukulius, knight of Lady Anastasia Hoshin - the head of the Hoshin Trading Company and a former candidate to become the 42nd King of Lugnica," the Finest of Knights introduced. Next, to give his bow was… a catgirl…? No, a very pretty boy dressed as a girl. The Blue Knight began his self-introduction.
"I am Felix Argyle, knyaght to Lady Crusch Karsten," he said, "the Matriarch of House Karsten and another former candidate to become the 42nd King of Lugnica. Please call me Ferris, your majesty, nya!" The final knight was a stocky man with a body covered in thick bulging muscles, his defining physical quality was the pitch-black helmet.
"My name is Al," he said. "I am the knight to Princess Priscilla Barielle, the Matriarch of House Barielle and the former candidate to become the 42nd King of Lugnica."
"A pleasure to meet you all as well," said Henrietta.
Louise and Nobuna were still staring at each other down behind her. So, Henrietta continued, "So, you said you all serve former candidates for your country's throne. That must mean you are royal knights to princesses. Are they here with you? I would very much like to meet them."
"Of course, you would like to meet with a goddess such as myself!" Priscilla stepped forward. "Rejoice, mere Queen! For I am Priscilla Barielle, the rightful ruler of Lugnica! This is true because I say it is as this world is designed to operate in the way that works best for me."
"Our world, perhaps, but this world, no," said Satella, reminding the arrogant Sun Princess she wasn't in Lugnica anymore. Henrietta deadpanned at Priscilla for her arrogant attitude, reminded of all the nobles in her society that abused their power.
Emilia stepped up and gave a bow in respect.
"I apologize for my former rival's behavior," the Witch of Glaciation said. "She has yet to apologize for anything rude she does, so I beg for forgiveness on her behalf."
"Ah?! Why should I apologize for that, you silver-haired half-elf!?" Priscilla exclaimed, "I do not need any of your pity, Witch's Daughter!"
Emilia flinched and glared at the Bloody Bride. However, Satella came to Emilia's defense, albeit for more personal reasons than Emilia.
"Hello? I am right here," said Satella, holding back the Witch of Envy internally. "Emilia and I are in no way related. She is simply my doppelgänger at best… maybe worst."
Emilia looked somewhat grateful for that declaration as always being compared to Satella for their appearance has caused her nothing but trouble. Henrietta smiled at Satella and said, "Though I am curious about you being from another world and your defense for your people, I wish to continue meeting my fellow princesses as well." The Queen of Tristain turned to Satella's fellow Half-Elf. "That said, are you Emilia correct, miss?" When greeted with Henrietta's kind smile, Emilia smiled at the Queen's show of respect and courtesy.
"Yes, I am simply Emilia, the Witch of Glaciation, your Majesty," she said. "I have no family name and I am the fourth former candidate to become the 42nd King of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugnica in the Royal Selection. It is an honor to meet you, your majesty of Tristain."
"No, please! It is a privilege to meet another Half-Elf as polite as you," said Henrietta. This confused both Emilia and Satella until Henrietta waved to a member of the Halkeginia-Japanese Alliance.
When they saw the new Half-Elf step forward, the first word to come to mind was unacceptable! The blonde, green-eyed Half-Elf was well-endowed and Big-breasted. Even the other females of Lugnica couldn't help but glare in envy. Henrietta introduced, "This is my cousin, Tiffania Westwood, daughter of the Archduke of Albion and an elf woman who is his mistress."
"So, rude… Why does that girl have watermelons in her dress…" Felt whispered. "I mean those cannot be real, they have to be fake…" Pure hatred could be seen in the former Street Rat's eyes. "Reinhard, I hate that girl and her stupid chest…!" As Felt is around fifteen years old, she was still developing… even if her height of five feet nothing said otherwise.
"The idea of another elf being a noble aside," Crusch stepped forward and gave a polite bow, "I am Crusch Karsten. The one they call the Goddess of War or Valkyrie. I was initially the absolute favorite to win the Royal Selection, your Majesty." The other candidates, minus Priscilla, nodded and said, "Yep, it's true." Reinhard extended a hand to Felt to introduce the lady he served.
"This is the fifth former candidate I stood behind in the Royal Selection and still do," he said. "Allow me to present Miss Felt."
"Will you cool it with the theatrics, Reinhard!" Felt said. "Jeez, you are so over the top!" Henrietta giggled at Felt who glared at her. "What's so funny."
"It's just… you remind me a bit of my friend, Louise, here," the Queen of Tristain said, gesturing to the Maillart Noble still having a staring contest with the Daimyō of the Oda. "Despite her stubborn facade, she is rather pure-hearted." Felt and Louise immediately flushed in embarrassment at being called pure of heart. The other Royal Candidates laughing at the former and Nobuna and a tanned, redheaded Noble laughed at the latter.
"Pr-Princess! Y-You should say such things!" Louise whimpered. "H-Honestly, I am not worthy of such p-praise!"
"I-I…! What the heck are you talking about!? I-I'd bite you!" Felt tried to sound tough while the sole members of her camp - Reinhard and the bulky giant, Old Man Rom - were hiding their laughter. Henrietta giggled a little bit before turning to Julius who gestured to a petite woman with blue-green eyes and long, wavy purple hair that extends to her hips.
"Your Majesty, may I present my Lady, Anastasia Hoshin," the Rainbow Spirit Knight introduced, "the Black Fox, Greedy Princess, and Iron Plate Magistrate."
"Oh, stop, Julius! You're making me blush," she said.
Anastasia said, "Though I must confess that I only agreed to my part in the selection because I'm a greedy little gal. So, I want everything and no amount of commercial success can satisfy me. I wanted to have my very own nation." Agnès Chevalier de Milan, the Captain of the Tristain musketeers in service of Henrietta, glared at the two particular candidates: Priscilla and Anastasia. Neither seemed to be rulers worth her vote in any selection.
The former was too arrogant and prideful, just as many of the Mages back home, yet with the air of a tyrant with the power to back it. The latter was exactly as she claimed: greedy, with no evidence that she would care for the common good of the people, just as bad as Priscilla. However, the Blonde Musketeer would hold her tongue. As a Chevalier, it was not Agnès' place to judge those above her rank and station, and despite their personalities, Priscilla and Anastasia were technically princesses. They deserved the same level of respect as her majesty, Henrietta.
Henrietta gestured to Agnès and said, "This is my most trusted knight: Agnès Chevalier de Milan, the Captain of the Tristain musketeers." The knights of Lugnica seemed a tad confused by the term 'musketeer.'
"Your majesty… What is a musketeer?" Emilia, however, was the one to ask.
"A type of knight equipped with a musket," the Musketeer spoke, "a ranged weapon designed to use a shooting tube - gun barrel - to launch typically solid projectiles. Forgive my interruption, your Majesty.
"As well as you, Princess Emilia."
"Oh, n-no! You have done nothing to apologize for," said an uneasy Emilia. Henrietta giggled at how stiff her musketeer was behaving.
"Agnès is always so serious," she said, making the musketeer flush bashfully.
"Apologies, your Majesty," Julius interjected, "if her weapon of choice is something as cowardly as what you described, I'm afraid that I can hardly call the woman beside you a knight."
Agnès glared at the finest of knights and sparks began to fly. Before Henrietta could come to her Chevalier's defense, Agnès spoke for herself. She said, "Have you seen the horrors of war, Sir Julius." Julius curled a brow at her question. "I have… I have seen war as the knight to my Queen.
"I have also seen tragedy. When I was a child, my village was razed to the ground by the noble class that was meant to protect the commoners. I am what you call an upstart noble because of my knighthood. So, I know what it is like to be a commoner… unlike you, a knight born into his power and status. Have you worked enough to stand there with the audacity to mock me, someone who gave their blood, sweat, and tears to reach the rank I have achieved?
"Have you worked enough to stand there as a champion?" Suddenly, it was as if Julius was looking into a mirror.
"The same rank handed to you upon a silver platter?" Agnès continued, "Have you performed enough service in the art of true, bloody war to shame me, a Knight of Tristain's flag? Answer me…!"
"Have you performed enough service to shame us, the Imperial Knights? Answer me!"
Agnès was throwing back the words Julius once said to Subaru Natsuki in the original timeline. When the boy declared himself the Knight to Emilia.
"Chivalry is a code of conduct that's long dead." The Finest of Knights and the Captain of the Musketeers turned to the old butler of the Karsten House, Wilhelm van Astrea the Sword Demon. He added, "Should she use a gun or a sword should make no difference on her status as a knight."
Julius sighed in defeat as one of Lugnica's most feared warriors took the musketeer's side. He said, "I suppose that as long as she manages to protect the people, then her weapon is of no consequences." Wilhelm closed his eyes respectfully.
"Besides, I believe our time would be better searching for our comrade, Subaru Natsuki," said the Old Sword Demon. Louise blinked after the name was said as if she was remembering something.
"Natsuki Subaru? Why does that name sound familiar?" Louise pondered.
"Don't you remember, Miss Louise?" A maid with facial features similar to Subaru's ethnicity stepped forward. "Master Saitō mentioned that he had a cousin who went by that name."
"Oh, thank you, Siesta! I must have forgotten because he mentioned so many other Yurushi family members as well," said the Maillart noble.
That's when few members from both groups realized that they were looking for people from the same family. Echidna grinned at this interesting turn of events. Her black eyes shone with intellect and were the only part of the woman that looked alive. It was simply fascinating to her that the Yurushi Clan influence was so powerful… it transcended the laws of space and time. She wanted to know more… to join forces with the Yurushi Clan and see more of what was laid beyond the stars.
"How interesting…! This Yurushi Clan is very intriguing indeed!" Echidna extended her hands to the sky. "To think there was a group out there that could traverse the farthest worlds with ease! Each person from these two groups is from three different worlds. All of us were brought together, not by fate alone, but those of the Yurushi Clan as well!
"Oh, I can't wait to see what the family will bring to the table! There is no one but Subaru and his family who can satisfy my curiosity now! I cannot control the depths nor the extent of my greed! This might be close to love! Yes, it's a vow of love!
"And how will he respond to that love this time! I want his answer; After all, this is one of the replies that will satisfy my curiosity." Both the group of Lugnica and the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance looked at her in unease, while the rest of the Witches of Sin, except for a furious Satella, watched her with their indifference. The fifth of the Great Demon Beasts, the Centipede Coffin, began to shake. Chained to a black coffin that resembled the torture device iron maiden, Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony finally spoke.
"Oh, my…! I'm feeling hungry!" Daphne said, "So very, very hungry right now!"
"Wh-What…? What do you mean?" Emilia asked.
"It has finally come…! The witch in this city…!" The buxom, blonde Witch of Wrath, Minerva, began to shake with fear. Something about the power this witch held was far more powerful than all of the Witches in the group combined.
It was as if this being was more of a god than a witch. More of a force of nature than a natural disaster. Even Satella seemed afraid, as she could sense this witch was the opposite of their darkness and fifty times the power. The only witch not in a state of trepidation was the one lying slothfully on the ground. Sekhmet, the Witch of Sloth, was just too lazy to be afraid.
"A troublesome being just showed up at a troubling time to start up some trouble," she said. She is also lazy enough that she finds breathing even once to be a pain.
"O-Oh, no…! I had nothing to do with this!" These were the words of the very timid Carmilla, the Witch of Lust. She had round red eyes, with long pale rose hair divided in the center, and bound in loose asymmetrical bunches, which fell down the front of her hips.
While the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance was confused by the Witches panicking, the Lugnica group became uneasy. Witches of Sin were regarded as disasters because of their acts and consequences: Typhon went around various cities and towns murdering everyone who found himself to be a sinner. Carmilla was the reason for the innumerable needless deaths of people whose unintentional eyes had placed on her and a natural disaster struck a random location in the world with any use of Minerva's Wrath Authority. While not inherently evil, they were the source of many struggles and disasters directly or indirectly. It was true that recently, the group met actual gods that made the Witches of Sin seem like normal people in comparison, but being a god was a viable excuse.
"A witch more powerful than the Witches of Sin?" Crusch asked. "That… sounds concerning, to say the least."
"You all keep saying 'witch.'" A nun stepped forward from the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance. "Apologies, my name is Sister Louise Frois, a Portuguese missionary."
Noted for extremely large breasts, Sister Frois was now on Felt's hit list of hate. Sister Frois continued, "As I was saying, where we come from, a witch is usually a woman thought to have magic powers, especially evil ones. However, it seems that the term 'witch' has a much darker terminology where you all come from." Satella stepped before the rest of her six 'sisters.'
"The Witches of Sin is a term in our world," she said, "used for the seven of us who were previously tasked with governing over each of the Seven Deadly Sins: Greed, Pride, Wrath, Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, and Envy.
"We are considered calamities due to our actions and their consequences." Suddenly, the Halkegina-Sengoku group immediately understood and was rightfully on edge. Karin Désirée de la Maillart - Runic Name: Karin of the Heavy Wind - reached to manifest her blade just in case things went south. She was under no delusion that she stood a remote chance against these 'Witches of Sin,' however, she would do what she must to protect her queen, daughters, and people. Even Suicide. Louise and Nobuna, however, smiled and calmly approached the walking disasters.
"Is that right?" Nobuna said her catchphrase as she extended a hand to Satella. Louise did the same as her Japanese counterpart; offering a hand to the Witch of Envy. Satella was surprised by this attempt at friendship. With uncertainty, she took their hands and shook them tenderly. Emilia smiled from the Lugnica group, happy to see people were willing to not fear the Witch of Envy.
The other witches were equally surprised by this display of kindness. However, it didn't last long as an angelic voice was suddenly heard. Her feminine voice said, "And that is where we arrive upon the term 'crêpe' and how this delicious dessert got its name. Mmm! So tasty!"
"Charis, you're so smart!"
"Why does she get to be complimented?" A young woman's jealousy was heard.
"Yeah! Pay attention to me now, Makoto-chan!" Another girl whined. It seemed as though the color drained from the faces of the Witches of Sin when the heavenly female spoke.
Sniffing could be heard and the Heavenly voice said, "I smell other witches." This put the citizens of Lugnica on high alert as many of the combatants in the group drew their respective weapons. All except Reinhard as his weapon, the Dragon Sword Reid - an Enchanted Sword blessed by the very Sword God itself - refused to leave its sheath.
It has the power to cut through almost anything and it cannot be destroyed, however, a special condition is needed to be met for it to be drawn. Reinhard was confused as to why this was not one of those times. Well, he was confused… until he looked up to witness Charis DuParis herself. Everyone from both groups, the Lugnica Group and the Halkeginia-Japanese Alliance were left spellbound by the Witch's supernatural beauty. However, this did not include four of the Witches of Sin who could easily see Charis' aura of Power.
It was as if she was made of light itself. Pure light that was more magnificent than sunrise or sunset. A light that could engulf all in a warm kind of embrace and redeem the most guilty of sinners. Satella, along with Carmilla, Echidna, and Minerva, was sweating bullets until she got a good look at Charis' group… and who was in it. The Luginca group followed her gaze to see who she was looking at other than Charis… to find Subaru standing amongst the Light Witch's group.
"S-Subaru…" said Emilia and Rem.
"It is Barusu," said Ram as she realized what was about to happen next. Yet, Subaru had this unfazed look in his eyes. Different from the Subaru they witnessed in the viewing. Again, Satella's shape was darkened.
Although the contours of her body were difficult to discern, the shadows surrounding her gave the impression that she was dressed in a dark gown and had long raven-black hair. The Lugnica group began to panic as they were well aware of what happened when her shadows got too big and what she could do with them. The more she absorbed the mass of her vortex of shadows, the more life and matter eroded or died around her. Satella said, "For so long… For so very long now… I've been deeply in love with you… and nobody else. I love you… I have loved you, only you, for such a very, very long time."
As the shadows grew, almost consuming everyone, Satella charged at Subaru. However, her power was dispelled by a powerful explosion of white light that engulfed all in the station, vanquishing all of Satella's shadows. As Satella fell from the air, Subaru caught her in time as the light died down, its source coming from Charis' wand.
"Oh…! Oh wow…! Those two seem… they seem so powerful!" Tenko said. Suddenly, all three groups were surrounded by men in either armor or uniform, their swords and guns were respectively drawn.
A tall, young woman with an athletic, curvaceous physique. She has shoulder-length dark red hair, olive-green eyes, and a pale face with light freckles across her cheeks. She was dressed in a police uniform. She sternly said, "What's going on here?"
"Oh, hello, Officer Kaiyo Mamoru! Lovely night tonight, isn't it?" Charis chirped.
This caused all of the police and knights to perform an anime face fall. Kaiyo stood up straight as she facepalmed. The officer said, "Lady Charis, what are you doing?"
"There was a bit of an accident," the Light Witch confessed. "You know how clumsy I can be, sometimes."
"I know how bad of a liar you can be sometimes," Kaiyo deadpanned. "Everyone and their mothers know you're as graceful as a swan in everything you do. So what happened?" She looked behind Charis at the other Witches of Sin who were now either holding themselves in pain or, in Daphne's case, hiding in her Centipede Coffin. Kaiyo narrowed her eyes and turned to see Satella shaking in Subaru's hands.
Officer Kaiyo said, "Their branches are of the Qliphoth."
"I assure you what happened was indeed an accident," said Charis in defense. "The Half-Elf and my fellow Witch simply got too excited and accidentally used her power. Furthermore, she and our fellow Witches are not from this world. They were unaware of the rules."
"The Embodiment of Light defending servants of dark forces? Why?" Officer Kaiyo asked.
"You and I are both well aware that the darkness itself is not evil," Charis replied. "Only evil itself is true to be feared as evil. These are Dark Witches, yes, but they are not pure evil." Kaiyo scowled while Charis smiled kindly, unfazed by the officer's glare.
Kaiyo waved the other officers and knights away. As she walked away, she said, "If someone is hurt by them, it will be on your hands, Lady Charis." As soon as the police and knights were gone from earshot, Kyōko spoke up.
"Granted, their fear seems understandable," the Super High School Level Detective said, "but I believe this kind of treatment is not the best thing to do." Makoto, who had the Warriors of Hope hiding behind him, joined Kyōko at her side.
"You truly must be the Super High School Level Detective," said the Rabbit King. "Not many can stay rational after being attacked by dark magic like that."
"That is how I was raised. It's my duty, it is as expected," Kyōko explained. Nagisa tugged on Makoto's jacket and brought his attention down to him. The Warriors of Hope looked up at him with fear in their eyes.
"M-Mr. Naegi… was that lady just now," Nagisa pointed to Satella, still in Subaru's arms, "the 'Qliphoth' person you mentioned." Makoto's expression turned serious as he turned his attention to his cousin who looked at him.
"Well, Subaru… Is that the one who gave you Return by Death your oneiromancy?" Makoto asked. His fist was clenched from fear as he already knew the answer. That power Satella displayed had a terrifying feeling.
He had a feeling that had Charis not used Absolute Light, even at its lowest level as she did, no one in the station but Subaru would still be here. Subaru looked at Makoto and back at Satella who looked back at him through her veil. Charis had lost her smile with a stoic, yet serious expression on her face. As a Transcendent Mage, the term 'Return by Death' was not lost on her. Though she knew of this power by another name: 'Determination of the Soul.'
A powerful human arcana capable of changing fat is, similar to saving and loading a video game file. She only knew one other legend with this power. A young girl named Frisk saved the monsters of the underground. However, this seemed like a darker version of the power, born from sin. Subaru looked back at Makoto and held Satella tightly as if to reassure her that everything would be alright.
"Yes… this is Satella, the Witch of Envy," said Subaru, as he slowly stood up with Satella in his arms. Many of the girls in the Lugnica group watched Subaru holding Satella like a bride with their envy. Makoto and Komaru both held serious expressions upon their faces while the Warriors of Hope looked at the Witch fearfully. The Hope's Peak girls watched with varying expressions.
"So… What with this Witch of Envy thing?" Sayaka asked Komaru.
"In our world, when one says the word 'Witch'," Beatrice answered for Komaru, "they are just referring to one person in particular. Long ago, she devoured the six Witches who bore the names of the deadly sins and drained half the world dry. She was believed to be the worst of the worst, I suppose. The story goes that she was starved for love. It's said that she doesn't understand human language.
"It has also been said that her body never withers from age, weakens from sickness or dies; and, although she was sealed by the powers of a dragon, a hero, and a sage, they were still never able to destroy her flesh. It's said…'' she turned to Emilia who all of the Lugnica group was looking at, "that her body is that of a Half-Elf with silver hair." That's when Junko noticed… the resemblance between Emilia and Satella. They looked the same if one removed Satella's veil.
"Umm… Are you guys related or something?" Junko asked.
"Yes, you… have very similar looks, like twins," said Ryōko.
"It's an accidental resemblance and, honestly, it causes me a lot of trouble," Emilia said. "I'm only 115-years-old and Satella is over 400 given her being sealed."
"F-Four hundred!?" Tiffania exclaimed in shock.
"What's your deal? This shouldn't be shocking since you're a Half-Elf, too," said Anastasia.
"I'm only sixteen… so if I have that kind of life expectancy…" the bombshell Half-Elf was crying, "that means that I'll outlive Saitō!" Komaru blinked when she mentioned that name.
"Did she say Saitō?" Komaru asked. Meanwhile, Makoto's serious expression became a kind and hopeful smile. He walked towards Subaru and Satella before looking Satella in the eyes as he took off her veil.
She blinked as she saw nothing but pure, hopeful compassion in his eyes. It was so different from when Subaru looked at Satella all those years ago. It was almost as if he embodied hope. Makoto said, "I understand why you're so attached to my cousin, Miss Satella. To be alone for 400 hundred years must be very lonely.
"I understand you are in love, but there are other kinds of love, too. Storgē is the love between family, and family means nobody gets left behind. You are part of our family now, Satella, at least that's how I see it. Because no one should have to be alone. You deserve to be loved in every possible way just like anyone else."
'She does!?' The Lugnica group cried in outrage. Satella was shocked by Makoto's kind words. It was as if she was talking to an angel who had forgiven her sins. Even the Witch of Envy within her was silent for once.
"I second that notion!" Charis chirped. "It is said that darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Love is light, warmth, and tranquility. My dear, I think it is high time you let others love you just as much as you love Subaru. You don't have to return that love just yet because, much like trust, love is earned and comes in many shapes and forms. One day, you will understand."
Satella looked at the two beings of hope with wide eyes, still disbelieving her ears. Slowly, she looked to Subaru who smiled at her, as if he knew that would be their response. Satella looked away and said, "For now, though, I am doomed to wonder why you are giving me this chance. And I don't think that moment will come soon enough."
"Perhaps, but one never knows what the future may hold," the Embodiment of Light said.
"Oh, my! Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself to our otherworldly newcomers, haven't I?" Charis gasped before turning to the Lugnica Group and the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance with a curtsey. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Charis DuParis, though many around the world know me by my Legendary title: Charis the Magnificent.
"I am a Witch, Magic Supreme, and an Embodiment of Light along with all that is good in the universe."
"A magic supreme, you say? I apologize, but I fear that I do not know what that is, milady," said Old Man Osmond, the Headmaster of Tristain's Magic Academy. Charis giggled at his statement, knowing that not many other worlds were aware of the Grand Council of All-Magic.
"A Magic Supreme is a title given to magic users who have achieved the status of a Transcendent Mage," she explained. "A Transcendent Mage, to explain, is a practitioner of magic who has ascended to a godly state.
"That means, as a Transcendent Mage, I have nearly limitless magical power and can almost effortlessly gain access to power hardly touched by any other mystic. It also means I am a part of the universal organization known as the Grand Council of All-Magic. It is a top-secret organization that few dimensions, realms, and parallel worlds know much about." All three groups - Makoto's Party, the Lugnica Group, and the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance - looked upon the Light Witch with absolute awe. This declaration caught the interest of a certain young girl who looked as though she was around ten years of age.
Typhon - the Witch of Pride - had big round red eyes, full of curiosity, and some messy deep-green hair, which fell to her chin and had a kind of bob cut. Her skin was dark and in her generation, her face was anticipated to be adorable. She bounced over to Charis and asked, "Does that mean you're a good person, Ris?" Charis looked surprised by her sudden nickname before giving in to her angelic giggles. Typhon could tell Charis was powerful, however, unlike Rein - Reinhard's ancestor - she didn't flaunt that power and she was being unusually kind for any normal person.
She had to know if Charis' kindness was for real.
"I'd like to think I'm a kind person," she said. "However, I'd like for others to be the judge of my character rather than myself. You can easily judge a man's character by how he handles those who can't help him." Typhon held out her hand to Charis, and Charis smiled and took it.
Neither Witch was prepared by what would happen next.
"There is only one way to pay for sins," said Typhon, "and that is through p-AHH!" Typhon retracted her hand as the core of her soul immediately felt very strange. It was as if her very core was being turned inside out. As she looked at her hands, she noticed a faint aura of brilliant white light around her small form.
She looked back at Charis who seemed just as surprised as Typhon was. Everyone was a little shocked by that display. Typhon timidly asked, "Wh-What was that?"
"I-I don't know… I touched plenty of those with dark powers such as yourself before," said Charis, "but that is the first time anything like that had ever happened." Charis looked at her hand curiously. "That was very peculiar…"
Almost everyone was uneasy about what happened, especially those of the Lugnica Group. Typhon's Authority of Pride permitted her to telekinetically smash the bodies of perceived 'sinners.' The target would simply crumble into a series of fragments of themselves under Typhon's gaze. If a guilty person had a good heart, they would not feel pain when Typhon annihilated them. Emilia thought to herself, 'Of course, none of the other groups need to know that.
'That said, what was that power Charis displayed upon Typhon? It was almost as if she was transforming into someone else…'
Meanwhile, Tenko said to Charis, "Th-That is one way to say it."
"Well, while that was a thing…" Makoto smiled with a sweat, "I think it's time for us to head out. Although, I'm not looking forward to paying for everyone. We now have a total of 82 individuals, including Miss Charis. Except for Miss Charis who will be the host for tonight's Heroic Games, it will cost me 1839877.74¥ for everyone in total. That is 23 times the amount I usually pay for the utilities of the house."
"It wouldn't be a problem if you asked the family for money," said Komaru slyly.
"But you have to play the martyr and burden yourself with work rather than rely on your family," said Subaru.
"I refuse to mooch off my family!" Makoto barked.
"That… That is unhealthy," Kyōko sighed.
"Yeah! I mean, I get you, but overworking yourself is just as bad!" Sayaka scolded.
Makoto lost all color in his form as he thought to himself, 'Am I truly being criticized by a pair of workaholics!?' All groups were now looking at the Rabbit King with critical gazes. Trying to be independent was all fine and dandy, but it was all pointless if he hurt himself in the process. Emilia and Julius looked at Makoto who was pouting and noticed the bags under his eyes. Emilia looked at him with concern while Julius scowled.
"I need to work to support my family," said Makoto. "If I rely on the family fortune we already have, that would make me nothing but spoiled and entitled." Felt scowled as well alongside the former noble of the group. She could understand working to survive. However, if one already has money to support themselves, why wouldn't you use it?
That just seemed ungrateful to Felt and the nobility.
"Makoto, this is quite noble," said Julius, "however, there is a difference between working hard to get through life, and ruining your health in fear of something unlikely to happen. There is no shame in using what you have for yourself if it means you can live another day." Makoto was pouting and it was cute. Everyone was picking on him because he wanted to be responsible.
"It's not like I'm doing anything wrong," he said cutely and pouty. "I love myself perfectly the way I am. I like to look after the people I care for while occasionally looking after my own needs."
"What do you mean occasionally?" Guin the Dragon Maid asked doubtfully.
"Helping others is the best way to spend my free time," Makoto continued.
Makoto added, "And I don't like the idea of using my family as an excuse to be lazy. I have to be responsible for my sister and the children because I am the eldest. If I don't show the slightest bit of independence, how can I hope to be anything like my idols? King Artoria Pendragon, Sun Wukong the Monkey King, and Charis the Magnificent." Everyone suddenly leveled a gaze at Charis who simply smiled like she did nothing wrong.
"Y-You…! You sound a lot like Subaru, you know," Minerva growled with tears in her eyes. "When you say that. And I'm scared for you now!" Makoto tilted his head in confusion before turning his attention to the ceiling above.
"Well, I'm perfectly happy even with a few regrets," the Rabbit King said. "Besides, that is simply how the Law of Opposition works.
"You cannot have Light without Darkness," Charis smiled sadly at this, "Virtue without Sin," the Witches of Sin glared in various directions as Makoto looked at Junko, "and Hope without Despair. The distinctive qualities of the Zen attitude, the Middle Way, are to harmonize opposites, to return to their source: to include contradictions, to synthesize them, to reach harmony."
"I would hope, King of Bunnies, that you would do yourself more." Everyone's attention was drawn to the Witch of Gluttony. "Gluttony isn't only confined to food," Daphne added, "but I wouldn't mind if it was.
"Gluttony is also indulgence, chasing one's own wishes, something that you don't have, Koto-Koto. You do work and do things for others. You're hungry, but you're not talking about hunger. It was not physical starvation but mental and emotional. You can't resist the gluttony. Eventually, if not fed, it will kill you."
"I really hope you stop starving yourself, or else this planet will get its own version of me," Satella said. "'Starved for love' isn't a fancy quotation from my legend." Satella looked sad for the boy before her. "I've lost much and in anger, in revenge, ruined my world. It was a route you could easily pursue, Makoto, just as easily as you could follow Charis, Artoria, and Wukong's footsteps.
"After all, how long can you go on with your facade before snapping and lashing out, or worse?"
"That would be pretty terrifying all things considered," said Junko, feeling the despair of Makoto falling to it. It didn't feel good or bad… just boring.
"Yeah… Please take care of yourself, Makoto," Sayaka begged. Makoto thought about what they told him for a moment.
He was indeed tired from working all the time and taking on too much. However, he wanted to take care of everyone and give them the hope they needed. Charis decided to join in the conversation. She said, "Everyone is raising wonderful points. However, we are all forgetting the key to Makoto's suffering.
"And that is whether or not he feels despair from his struggles or hope. After all, Hope is an optimistic state of mind which is founded on the belief that events and situations in one's own life or the entire world will yield positive results. As a term, its meanings include: 'wait with trust' and 'predictably cherish a desire.' Makoto speaks the truth that you cannot have Hope without Despair, however, these states of mind that influence is emotions." Charis smiled and said, "Makoto seems the type who would cling to hope for a better future while accepting the despair that comes along the way."
Charis walked forward and took Makoto's shoulders as he clasped his hands together, looking hopefully to the ceiling. Charis said, "With hope like ours, we can reach the stars!"
"Okay…!" Makoto said dreamily.
'She destroyed our efforts!' All groups thought.
"That said, Makoto, try not to take on too much," she said. "Too much of a good thing can still be bad for you.
"Remember to pace yourself and all will be well."
"You're so wise, Master Charis!" Makoto said in idolization.
"Maybe she should have said it sooner…" Nagisa deadpanned.
"Yeah… Monaca thinks she's weird," said Monaca. Charis stepped away from Makoto with a smile.
Turning to the three groups, Charis took up the role of leader of the newly formed party. First, she turned to Makoto's group that contained three veterans, five younglings, six recruits, and a dragon. Then she turned to the Lugnica Group that contained seven dark witches, five princesses, four knights, four maids, a noble, a spirit, a giant, and a butler. She finally turned to the largest group, the Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance, which was composed of fourteen magic users, seventeen warriors, two familiars, and four normal citizens of the other worlds. Charis nodded to herself as she finished the headcount.
"In this world, beings such as ourselves have become mythology," Charis stated. "That said, we have never lost our influence over the universe. Because knowledge is power and we hold the greatest knowledge of all. The universe's well-kept secret. This is what makes us strong and, as such, it is our sworn duty to protect both those who can not defend themselves, whether they can see the truth or not.
"There is truth to the idea of survival of the fittest. However, at the same time, it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. That is what separates us from the creatures without hearts, without souls, and without conscious morale." Charis smiled as she pointed her wand to the sky, Chantelle whistling in agreement. "That is why heroes exist! Heroes are important not only because they symbolize what we consider important, but also because they share universal facts about self-discovery and self-transcendence, our place in society and our relationship."
Slowly, the three groups noticed that Charis' speech was drawing a crowd who were in awe of Charis' words. Charis possessed unparalleled charisma that transcended mortal limits, enabling her to sway almost everyone as well as entire nations to her cause and service with little effort, captivated by her almost overwhelming personal gravity and an overriding urge to be a part of her universe and contribute to its fulfillment. The power can be extended to almost every sentient species, even supernatural ones, and can even inspire loyalty in entities that are usually incapable of it. Although the power cannot overpower the will and ideals of others directly, the persuasive powers of Charis are so strong that they can persuade others of something remotely believed.
"Throughout the true history of our universe, those who have forgotten this truth and abused their power for their own personal goals were overthrown. Maleficent, the Evil Queen, the Olympians… my brother… each one was defeated for their crimes against humanity. History is indeed written by the victors, and both heroes and villains have their fair share of victories. However, that is the balance of the universe and as Arwyrs, we must protect that balance. For if the balance is disturbed, we fall to stagnation and life loses its meaning!"
All three groups looked to each other as the crowd cheered Charis' inspiration.
"Huh, guess this is where he gets it from," said Junko. However, she felt like she shouldn't be all that surprised that this was the case. After all, Makoto did say that he looked up to Charis and wanted to be like her.
"I can see why he admires her," said Echidna.
"Tonight, we hold the Heroic Games here in Japan to remember the heroes who protect that balance," Charis continued. "As well as the freedom we all share. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity. Today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. While the rest of the world celebrates peace, Arwyrs will work to uphold it from the shadows.
"So let us thank the heroes who protect the peace as they show the world the test of their strength in the games!" Everyone cheered again as Charis finished her speech. After that, they went about their business as the energy in the station's atmosphere was suddenly more excited and joyous.
"I can see why that Makoto boy looks up to her so much, nya!" Felix turned to all of his friends and thought, 'Don't worry! I'm going to do just that! For Crusch-chan and everyone else!'
Kyōko looked around the area at each of the three groups as Charis' rejoined the group. The Super High School Level Detective thought to herself, 'All of those people seem to have their own quirks… Especially this Charis.'
"Shall we all proceed to our destination," she asked. The Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance huddled together as they tried to decide what to do next, much to the confusion of the other two groups.
Louise asked, "What do you think, Nobuna? Should we accompany them?"
"Well, we might find Saitō if we do," the Lord of the Oda replied. "Besides, it's not like we know anything about this place. This is Japan 493 years into the future, so we're just as clueless as your half of the group."
"That's true… Not to mention this technically a Japanese Otherworld and not Japan itself," Louise agreed. "Okay, are we all in agreement?" Everyone either nodded or said yes and hai. The Halkeginia-Sengoku Alliance turned back to the other two groups.
Makoto and Komaru looked at each other and shrugged at this behavior. Louise coughed into her hand as Nobuna stepped forward. She asked, "If it will be alright, would you mind if our group tagged along? We are looking for someone dear to us and we believe we may find him if we accompany your two groups." Charis blinked for a second before she smiled.
"I most certainly do not have a problem with it," she said. "However, even though I'm the one paying now, we should ask the other two groups what they think." She turned to Makoto and his group, the Rabbit King smiling a hopeful smile of warmth.
"Welp, I don't have any problem with it either, so that leaves the Witches' group," said Makoto. Charis turned to the Lugnica Group only for them to point to Subaru.
Charis to the Yurushi Clan boy who pointed to himself in shock.
"Hold on! Why are you all looking at me!?" Subaru asked.
"We're not from this world," said Rem with a smile, "so that makes you our guide and leader."
"Thus, all decision-making is yours, Subaru," said Reinhard.
"That's bull shit! None of you want to be bothered with it," said Subaru.
He added, "You all are just trying to torture me for some reason, aren't you?"
"No, it is punishment for your self-sacrificing decisions that brought us here in the first place," the Lugnica Group said as one. Subaru wilted in defeat at their response while Makoto and Komaru giggled at Subaru's luck.
"Very well. But don't think I will not let it slide."
He pointed at his friends in the Lugnica group and said, "We will talk about it once it's over." Some of his friends laughed while some displayed acts of pride. Charis looked to Makoto and the two shared a smile.
Charis said to the three groups, "Come along, everyone! We don't wish to miss our train." Charis walked ahead as the three groups followed.
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Next Time
Chapter II
The Lucky Rabbits
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King Kimi Infinity: Not much action in this story. It was rather hard to write any narrative as well. Oh, well! I like this chapter anyways. I'll work on introducing the remaining members of the group soon. Let's check in with our friend Pupla. Pupla!
Pupla: I HAVE BEEN SUMMONED!
King Kimi Infinity: You wanna say something to our audience?
Pupla: Well… not really. I mean, you did most of the work, and you managed to write it at your own pace without losing track of the road. So… yeah. Good job. To everyone else, make sure to follow his work! And don't worry… I plan to get my next work finished pretty soon!
King Kimi Infinity: Swell! Anywho, I intend to add a few more fandoms to help the story become more concrete. If I don't fix it by the next chapter, I will be hunted down by the Yakuza, and no one wants that. Check out my discord server who has encouraged me this whole time.
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See ya later, Storytellers!