I don't own Re:Zero or any of the characters.
Archbishops' Arrival
Ian stopped mid-stride as Elena suddenly fell to her knees, vomiting her breakfast over the ground. He knelt at her side instantly, and she continued to vomit for another minute before calming.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Deja vu," Elena said, Ian nodding instantly.
"Tell me," Ian said.
"Some woman wrapped in bandages," Elena said. "The clock tower square up ahead. She has some ability. Brainwashing, sort of. She makes people feel a certain way, however she wants. Even us four. Either so calm that we all clap and cheer for a hostage's bravery in sacrificing himself for his crush, even when she throws him to his death, a death which spectators all experience as well," She nodded vigorously as she said that example, "or making us feel each other's fear in a wave that just gets worse until we die. Or making us hate her so much that when Reinhard kills her, we all share her fate."
"Three rounds of deja vu?" Ian asked.
Elena nodded. "You'd probably be able to resist if you were worried about me vomiting from the sight of a hostage's blood, but even during a fight she'd still affect you."
Ian nodded. "Interesting Authority. Compounding emotions to link people's souls. Useful. Hard to get around. We need Reinhard."
"Let's get to the square," Ram said. "We can figure out how to summon him there."
Ian nodded and they all ran to the square, only to find Subaru standing in the center already, along with Emilia and Beatrice. Ian smiled, sighing silently. Exactly as instructed.
"You're smiling?" Elena asked.
"Subaru's on top of it," Ian said. "You won't have deja vu again from this."
Elena sighed heavily and nodded. "Glad my stomach's already empty."
Ian nodded as his eyes scanned the square. The group was gathered. Then, just as Sirius made her appearance, Emilia struck, firing an Ul Huma at her. The tower collapsed. However, after a moment, Sirius emerged. She was bleeding, but furious. Ian felt a spike of rage in his own mind, and grit his teeth, beating it back ferociously. As he did, he glanced at the others, seeing both sisters trembling, and Elena had the scowl she always wore when she was about to explode. He pulled Rem into a kiss, Rem's trembling stopping instantly, but it was a moment before she had actually calmed and kissed him back. As soon as she did, he turned to Ram kissing her as well. Ram took a few moments longer, and Rem massaging her chest from behind, to be distracted from her rage enough to break free of Sirius's control. Finally, Ian turned to Elena, ignorinf Sirius shrieking curses and insults at Emilia and Beatrice, blaming them for killing Petelgeuse. Ian drew a few inches of his White Whale Sword and cut his fingers, squeezing a couple drops loose and flinging it onto Elena. Her eyes went wide with shock before she doubled over, heaving and spewing stomach acid onto the ground.
"Never thought your hemophobia would be useful for something," Ian said.
Elena nodded in agreement, heaving again. "Don't think I didn't...notice your girlfriend...had to be groped."
Ian chuckled. "They're a handful sometimes."
He looked around again as Elena straightened up, Rem wiping the blood off her face for her. Just as his eyes found the others, the situation dissolved into chaos. Emilia formed a sword made of ice and attacked Sirius, whose chains were now engulfed in roaring flames, and when the sword broke, she changed it into a warhammer, driving Sirius onto the defensive. At the same time, the crowd, who were all in the grips of rage, courtesy of Sirius, rounded on Subaru.
Ian sighed. "We need to help Subaru. No sever injuries, but knock everyone out."
The twins nodded and Elena quickly headed for a wall, preparing for any deja vu attacks. Ian shot forward, activating his magic, and reached the back of the group just as Subaru used his whip to catch one of Felt's underlings, a former criminal that Ian was pretty sure was named Larkins. The whip was formed from the tail of the Guiltylowe they'd killed at Roswaal's mansion, allowing it the ability to extend to a small extent, as well as a snake head on the end that bit whatever it hit automatically. It wasn't poisonous, but its fangs were solid and painful, and its grip was damn-near impossible to break, especially during a fight.
Subaru swung Larkins around and hurled him while Ian dropped a pair of crazed civilians with a pair of blows to the temple. Rem and Ram each dropped one just as easily, Ram by flipping someone and slamming them down on their upper shoulders, and Rem by drilling a fist into their gut. All three quickly worked their way into the crowd, which began to turn on them. However, just as they'd dropped half of them, another group arrived, also crazed into a rage. Then, Emilia shrieked in pain. Ian jumped, spinning and kicking in a circle, dropping three, then landed on his feet and looked over at Emilia just as Sirius struck with a fire on her chains so intense it was melting the ground around her.
Ian's gut clenched, but just just as the explosion detonated, movement caught his eye from it. Something fast and white. His jaw dropped, his body going so immobile that Rem and Ram had to drop a handful of civilians to stop them reaching him. But Ian didn't notice. His eyes were glued to the man holding Emilia and speaking with Subaru, as were Rem's a moment later.
"Corneus!" Ian roared, drawing his sword.
Regulus turned his head, narrowing his eyes at Ian in distaste, though it quickly blossomed into rage.
"You!" Regulus snarled. "The one who wields an Authority so disrespectfully."
Ian trembled with rage for a few moments before forcing himself to calm down. "Did he survive? Lye Batenkaitos?"
Regulus nodded once. "He wants to devour you more than he's ever wanted to devour anyone. He's never been defeated before."
"I'll gladly skewer him again," Ian said, sheathing his whip sword and setting a hand on Rem's shoulder. "Not him. He's Reinhard's."
Rem nodded, but continued to tremble with rage, her horn extended.
"If you're leaving, go," Ian said to Regulus. "Someone will be along soon enough to kill you."
Fury bloomed even more fully on his face.
"Anyone who dares take away my most basic right, my right to live, will be crushed," Regulus snarled.
"JUST DIE!" Sirius shrieked. "BURN TO ASH WITH THAT HATEFUL HALF-WITCH!"
Regulus turned toward her as her chains, and the roaring flames raging along them, lashed at him over and over, faster and faster, the heat melting the ground below him and causing it to sag, or maybe be completely incinerated. However, when she finally relented, Regulus stepped toward her calmly, neither he nor Emilia harmed in any way.
"Because you also bear the title of Sin Archbishop, and because I know your head is messed up, I could almost say that I could forgive you if you had made only a small mistake. I'm not even hurt, after all," Regulus said evenly, yet coldly. "But you intended to burn the woman I would make my wife along with me, and so it is only natural that I get mad. Even in the ancient legends, when someone's loved one is threatened, their anger is inevitable."
"Angry!?" Sirius scoffed. "I made you angry!? Don't make me laugh! A superficial and insignificant man like you can't speak so lightly about anger! Anger is mine! It's what I got from him, and it's more important to me than anything else. To-"
"Oh, I see," Regulus interrupted. "Are you still clinging to the idiot who kept on risking death? How annoying, how disgusting. That's neither constructive nor rational. Death is the end. This is a matter of course, isn't it? Unwilling to admit even that and clinging to just memories...You really are flawed. If someone who you love dies, find the next one. Rather than yelling about love, love, love, exercise the rights you've been granted. Disrupting that natural cycle, ah, you really are hopeless scum."
Sirius trembled with rage. "You, who laughed at that person's death...TO SPEAK SO ARROGANTLY!"
"Either fuck and get it over with, or get the fuck out of here and await your appointed executioners!" Ian snapped, both turning their glares on him. "Both of you are giving me a headache!"
"You're infringing on my rights again," Regulus warned icily.
"Don't interfere!" Sirius shrieked, lashing out at Ian, only for him to launch himself sideways with his magic.
"Subaru, remember what I told you about him?" Ian asked.
"Yeah," Subaru nodded.
"Then fight for your bride," Ian said. "Leave Sirius to me."
Subaru nodded, and Ian readied his White Whale Sword. Then, as Beatrice cast Shamak on Regulus and Subaru lashed out with his whip, likely intending to fool Regulus into believing they didn't know the truth of his Authority, Ian exploded toward Sirius. He didn't use his magic yet, instead using his mana to enhance his body's functions directly, a technique Clind had taught him over the last year.
Sirius lashed out at Ian with her chain and he darted to the side, allowing it to crash to the ground, only for the explosion to hurl debris. A chunk of stone grazed his cheek, making him jerk his head to the side, but as his face turned back to Sirius, it split into a wicked grin. Her exposed eye widened slightly and she lashed out from the side, but he pushed off the ground, pulling his knees to his chest before slamming a flying, two-footed kick to her chest, hurling her backward. She bounced once before flipping to her feet, then leapt to the side as Ian slashed at her with the blunt side of his blade, missing by an inch.
She lashed out at him and he flipped backward over it, then landed on his feet, lunging and ducking under her other arm, standing with a diagonal uppercut, his fist drilling into the side of her jaw. As she flew backward, his grin grew. Weak. Slow. Pathetic. He raced forward, and Sirius shrieked, her flames intensifying before both lashed outward rapidly, much more violently than before. Ian's grin grew, a noise of feral excitement rolling out of him before he jumped, making his body an arrow and slipping through a gap in the chains' paths, ignoring the flames that grazed and blackened the back of his jacket, leaving a first degree burn down his back. then, as he reached Sirius, he flipped, kicking downward at her, only for her to leap away, his kick cracking the stone instead.
Then, Sirius shot past Ian, lashing outward and blasting the ground between Subaru and Regulus. As both backed away, Sirius stared at Subaru like someone staring at a long-lost lover they'd finally found.
"I've found you, found you, found you, found you, found you. Ah, ah, ahahah! Aaaah! Yes, it's really you! I'm sorry, I didn't notice at first. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. This is great. It really is. Sure enough, you came back for me!?"
Subaru gaped at her. "What?"
"Darling, where have you been!?" Sirius asked him. "No matter where I looked, I couldn't find you, even after I'd torn your spares open, I still couldn't find you anywhere. Even though I'd always always always always always always always always always always been looking...And you noticed how I'd been searching, and you came back. Because my ideal was reached! Because I want to be one with you...you finally noticed the wish that I'd been praying for! Because my Love finally reached you!"
Subaru could only stare at her in shock and confusion.
Sirius hugged her body and twisted. "I've always been waiting for only you...my dear, dear Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti!"
"I thought so," Ian sighed. "You used your Authority, didn't you, Subaru?"
"I had to," Subaru nodded.
Ian had initially been somewhat surprised to find out that Subaru had learned to use the Authority to Sloth to form Petelgeuse's Unseen Hands, or more accurately, one of them, but only at the cost of it dealing major damage to his body, and potentially his soul. He was glad that his own Authority had no such drawback, the only one he could think of being it's ten second maximum rewind, though even that was amazing. His entire first fight with Elsa, for as many strikes as both had thrown, had been about fifteen seconds. Ten the first time, before he'd restarted to use his sheath.
"Please don't be so silent, Petelgeuse," Sirius pleaded. "You're such a mean-spirited person. See, you're already, already, already giving me that usual cold attitude. It makes me really anxious!"
Regulus sighed. "Really, I can't deal with you anymore. Although his trick just now probably that gave you that kind of idea, it's still really rather tragic. The correct connection of fate should place you together no matter what kind of obstacles are faced. Like with me and my brides. However, a separation by life and death before results can blossom is not only sad, but very unsightly."
"Yes, thank you very much," Sirius said impatiently. "I'm very sorry. Now, excuse me, but I'm busy. You know, right? Mutual understanding is important. Mutual concessions are also important. You have completed your purpose, so could you leave as soon as possible? After all, I also have my own private affairs."
Regulus nodded. "Indeed, my purpose of finding my bride has been fulfilled." He considered for a moment before turning back to Subaru. "But the one who wants to kill me and my bride, and who has been annoying since the very beginning been, has yet to allow me proper vengeance in and infringement of my rights. I dislike taking a violent initiative, but in this case, it would only be a just revenge. Yes, this is an act of righteousness. Although I could endure this and leave, I would be doing legitimacy a disfavor. That is to say, leaving would be a loss of justice. I shouldn't set that precedent."
Subaru scoffed. "Don't give me that superious tone. Obviously, you don't like me so you want to kill me. Don't justify that with some garbage doctrine."
Regulus frowned thoughtfully. "Actually being talked back to is quite a surprise. Being spoken to as if I were mistaken is even more of a surprise. You, are you the type of people who disagrees with their opponents? In that case, the only thing I can say is that you're small and superficial. I think that this kind of person, who can't listen to the words of others with sincerity, will one day earn their just deserts, what do you think?"
Subaru glared at him. "Do you have the right to say that?"
Regulus blinked in surprise, seeming taken aback. Finally, however, he turned to Sirius. "Sirius, you seem to have excluded him from your sphere of power. What happened?"
"Isn't that obvious?" Sirius asked. "Since I know that he's that person, if I continue to share my feelings, they might accidentally transmit to him."
"Don't give me that shy look, it's really creepy," Regulus said. "Having proclaimed your love, love, love, there's no point in pretending to innocent. I really don't understand you."
"Don't you think that allowing those inexplicable feelings that can't be expressed with words to be felt in such a manner is tasteless?" Sirius asked. "Until the end of the end, until the very moment I become one with him, I'll seal that feeling inside me. I've already decided so. Yes, for the sake of Love!"
"Because of that dishonesty, your important feelings will never be able to reach him, you know?" Regulus pointed out, his voice sounding amazed, but in the sense that he found her truly stupid. "You, Sirius Romanee-Conti, can only miss him with wholehearted continuous thoughts. Don't you think that using someone else's family name is rather disgusting? I suppose that, in a sense, it's like Petelgeuse's legacy. Well, he's already dead, so it doesn't matter anymore."
"I'm in love with that person!" Sirius exploded. She grasped at her hair in a frenzy, spittle flying from her mouth as she screamed at Regulus. "After all, whenever I gazed at him, he always met my eyes! When I touched him, he didn't scold me! When I spoke to him, he gave me his attention! When I inhaled his breath, he never told me off! I was allowed to sleep with him! I could freely borrow his things! He allowed me the honor of burning the half-witch! He gave me my name! He smiled for me! Only for me! Only for me, onlyformeonlyformeonlyforme!"
"Oops," Regulus shrugged. "Dealing with such strong, subjective feelings is tricky."
Subaru looked between the two for a few seconds. "Hey, Sirius."
"Yes, what's the matter, my dear?" Sirius responded attentively.
"I have a little private business with Regulus, here, so could you wait patiently for a while, please?" Subaru asked.
"Do you want me to wait?" Sirius asked, sounding surprised. However, after a moment, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I cannot do that. Please let me refuse, even if it is very important to you."
Subaru blinked in surprise before staring at her blankly.
"Of course, I originally wanted to comply," Sirius explained. "But the diligent you have surely already decided that while I wait, you'll slip far away from my extended fingers. I know you. After all, we've been together for so long. You'll try your utmost and overstrain yourself alone to reach your desired results...and..." She fell silent for a moment. "Finally, finally we were able to meet again. It's been a year, a whole year, since I've been at your side. In this century, this is the longest we've been apart! And even after a year of not seeing me...you ask me to leave? I don't want to. I can't. In your period of absence of the period I always wanted wanted wanted wanted wanted wanted wanted to become one with you!"
Subaru sighed silently.
"On top of that, you still want me to wait!?" Sirius continued, her voice growing shrill with anger and desperation. "And now you have a spirit who I've never seen before! Where did you find her!? What exactly is appealing about woman like that!? She's tiny, her face is arrogant, and she has neither the chest nor the bottom of a woman! Is it because she's a spirit!? Because you're a spirit, your woman has to be a spirit too? The time we spent together loses to such a flimsy reason? I'll burn you."
Ian glanced at the crowd as Sirius continued ranting, moving on to Emilia, and referencing Envy and threatening to burn her if Petelgeuse resurrected her. The crowd was still mirroring Sirius's emotions, and was now leaving romantic feelings for rage again, blood leaking from their eyes and noses.
"Beako," Subaru murmured as Ian turned back to the brewing battle.
"You can try either one, I suppose," Beatrice said.
Subaru nodded, but just then, both Sin Archbishops suddenly blinked in surprise, making noises of surprise before reaching into their coats and pulling out their Gospels.
"I assume the content is the same for both of us, is that true, Sirius?" Regulus asked.
Sirius glowerwd at her own Gospel. "Shut up, Regulus. Why? Why now? When finally, finally I found him again..."
Both turned to Subaru and Ian.
"Although I'm sorry, it's time now," Regulus said. "My free time with you has ended. You should thank the Gospel...Well, that's not right. That doesn't make sense. After all, what's the use in being thankful to paper? So, rather, you should be grateful to me, who follows the Gospel faithfully. Especially you." He glared at Ian.
Subaru nodded. "Thank you for your faith...but what was that about time? What are you talking about?"
Regulus nodded this time. "It's just as you heard. We were given free time before we need to do what must be done. I took that meaningful time to retrieve my bride."
"I feel incomplete," Sirius glowered. "In front of that person, I shouldn't be subjected to such treatment. It's too cruel. I'm being washed away by sadness, don't you know?"
The crowd fell to their knees, sobbing, but the other three who'd been fighting were unaffected, and the three girls who'd accompanied Ian, as well as Beatrice, were fighting Sirius's influence.
"Sorry, but your small, superficial love doesn't touch my complete self at all," Regulus spat, voice filled with contempt. "At most, it makes me feel a little dirty." He turned to leave, still holding Emilia.
"Stop, you bastard! Don't just run off! Let her go! Otherwise, I'll-"
"I considered that," Regulus interrupted him.
Subaru's eyes went wide.
Regulus stopped, and only turned his head to smile, Subaru going rigid. "I think that if my bride finds one of her attendants gone, she'll be lonely, and if I don't invite enough people, she'll be rather fickle. So, I won't kill you."
Ian tensed as Regulus tapped his foot, as though to shift his shoe on his foot. Except, his foot punctured the ground and debris scattered like shrapnel from a grenade. Ian's magic roared to life and he shot toward Subaru, only for the debris to ruin both his legs and Subaru's. He skipped backward, dragging Subaru out of the way, only for debris to graze his back. He skipped backward, this time using an extra strong blast and got clear, his eyes turning to the three girls he'd been accompanied by, seeing they were safe. He turned to Regulus, seeing him glaring.
"Infringing on my right to seek justice for a wrong he inflicted," Regulus snarled. "I'll kill you next time. This time, I have other tasks I'm instructed to carry out."
"Sounds like whoever updates that Gospel is infringing on your right to do as you please," Ian said.
Regulus huffed, turning and walking away. After a moment, Sirius did the same. Ian sighed, sheathing his sword before turning to the others.
"You were enjoying that fight," Ram accused as Rem began to heal his back.
"I know," Ian nodded. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I've never been this...bloodthirsty."
Ram nodded. "It may be a side effect of the blood transfusion I gave you."
Ian nodded. "I definitely wasn't like this against Elsa. That would have been so much worse."
"Yes it would," Rem agreed. "What now?"
"We need to gather the others," Ian said, looking around at the rest of the crowd, who all looked like they were in a stupor. "We're about to be very busy."
Everyone nodded and they all ran for the Water Plumage Pavillion.
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