Disclaimer: I don't own Re: zero it belongs to Tappei Nagatsuki.
Ram sat in the dark, the view remained the same for over a year now.
Only when [He] returned did light appear in her room.
Chained as she was, her movements were limited.
[He] fed her personally, desperately gave her mana stone after mana stones to keep her alive.
Servants bathed her.
[He] always visited her.
Ram was tired after a year only Barusu no Subaru greeted her.
She could clearly see how she ruined him.
Once a sunny young man now only a husk of a man was left.
In the year she's been locked away he now was known as a great inventor.
Having gathered an immense fortune.
And yet he was starting to go on the wrong way of the law.
Each time he returned now the scent of blood clung to him.
He'd somehow earned Admirer loyalty and saved Banan.
And yet that fool was intent on ruining himself further.
Each time he came he told her of his accomplishment.
Perhaps he was trying to mock her.
No, Perhaps that fool was just lonely.
Lonely enough to confide in her.
The one who "killed" him.
Had she one year ago not jumped at that conclusion and tried to end him, would their tale ended differently she wondered.
Now with time, she knew that she had been foolish.
It was without a doubt Roswaal-sama machination that caused Rem's death.
And yet in her wrath, she set her eyes upon the innocent boy and ruined him.
Rem was dead.
Roswaal now hated.
Only Subaru was left.
He was her only reason to live.
She must atone.
That's why she needed to stop him now.
Before he was unsavable.
Subaru once again entered Ram's room to feed her and transfer mana to her.
" Barusu " she rasped.
" Yes, nee-san what's wrong ?" He asked stopping feeding her.
" You killed Rem. It was your fault and yet YOU ?! By what right do you believe you can die when you have yet to atone?!" She hissed dangerously.
She needed him to believe her. Deep down she knew that those words of anger were directed towards herself.
Only in her hatred, he trusted.
That's why to save him she must hurt him first.
" Murdering at the drop of a coin will only have Kararagi blacklist you! For now, you are still unknown but that won't remain the same!" She yelled infuriated by the boy's act.
Bloodshed she cared little for she was an oni after all.
But the thoughtless way he was trying to end himself was ridiculous.
" If you must get rid of someone, do it in secret like everyone in this country does! Why do you think ninja exist stupid Barusu?!" She shouted at the end.
Subaru stood silent.
His mind was glitching; he did not understand why Ram suddenly acted.
Was she going to betray him too? Was he doomed to remain in a world of black and white?
Was the pink that shone in front of him going to disappear?
No! No! He could not stand it.
Yet the hatred and fury in her eyes and tone abated his fear.
Ram was still Ram, pink remained in his view.
That unending hatred still shone in her eyes.
" Only I can kill you!" She yelled at last panting her last force going in this shout.
" Nee-san ..." Subaru muttered.
He understood now why she was scolding him.
She feared that he'd die before she could get her vengeance.
Understanding her rage and now relieved he evaluated her words.
After deep thought, he chose to change his course of action seeing the wisdom in her words.
" I'll hide the track thoroughly.. for now.." He replied thoughtfully.
" Oh? And why are you doing this Barusu? No matter what you do you will always be pathetic. Why don't you try to rule Kararagi first rather than slaughter those before you in a show of strength you don't possess? " She asked darkly deep down she was relieved that her words did reach the fool before her.
Subaru stared at her blankly.
He then took a coin from his pocket.
Head he'll become Kararagi Head consul.
Tail he'll continue his current action.
He flipped the coin.
It landed on Head.
History changed course.
A month later she was still in her cell.
Though it was now better furnished.
Subaru remembered that she needed a bed.
She was still chained.
But no longer motionless.
She could now move the chain tying her were longer.
Her display of anger showed Subaru that she wasn't going to die before ending him.
Thus he was no longer fearing that she'd take her own life.
Another change he now spoke more to her.
Showing her his advancement in the impossible goal she set for him.
She didn't believe he could accomplish it.
Barusu was a helpless boy to her.
And yet now she wondered if he could rule Kararagi. In one month he used his previous acts to make himself more popular.
Ballads of his achievement were sung.
Somehow he contracted Zarestia or so it was said.
They thought him to be a hero.
She knew better.
Perhaps he could have been one before the event of one year ago.
Now she wondered how long her words could keep him going.
Subaru visited Ram today again he now spoke to her many times a day.
Complaining and explaining what he accomplished to reach the impossible goal she set for him.
Each time a stare of disgust greeted him.
Insult and words of derision were his answers.
Each time he left her room relieved.
He'd somehow became a hero in these people's minds.
How laughable one year ago he would have been overjoyed at the prospect.
Yet his throne was built on mounts of his own corpse.
With the money and spies, he now possessed he died less and less.
His revolutionary invention gave him an edge in the competition.
Competitions he made sure to cull in secret when they tried to put him down.
Ram was right for all its peace. Kararagi's business world was a dark and bloody one.
There was a reason why ninjas thrived in this country after all.
Assassination, sabotage, spying were the norm here.
With Admirer and Zarestia he did not need to fear them.
Zarestia, perhaps in her loneliness, chose to visit him often.
Having tasted death many times he was indifferent to her.
He feared her, in the beginning, having died to her clone many to earn enough information to save Banan.
Yet she did not kill him.
She was thankful to him for returning her light ball.
And he used these feelings to use her reputation and power.
He discovered the affinity he held for Spirit arts.
He thus contracted her knowing that spirit didn't break their oath.
Having the wind listen to his enemy was a perfect way to gather information.
Thanks to her and Halibel he was many steps ahead of his competitor and that was without using return by death.
He was making great headway gathering support from all the great cities of Kararagi.
Only Hoshin trading company was a thorn in his side, one he needed to destroy.
Through Zarestia he learned that Anastasia Hoshin Gate was deficient; only the great spirit pretending to be a scarf kept her alive.
Though according to Zarestia that spirit was a fake whatever that meant.
She was thoroughly disgusted by its existence, thus convincing her to kill the pretender in secret was easy.
Any time now Hoshin would slowly wither.
Only a great spirit could save her.
And he had access to one.
Should he save her?
Head he would leave her to die.
Tail he would save her.
The coin was flipped.
It landed on Head.
[ Well she's over] he thought dismissively.
He wondered what his parents would think of him now.
Still, at least he did not murder without purpose.
Such thought quickly filtered into his mind.
Only for a more pressing matter to take its place.
Now other colors other than pink occupied his vision.
Gold, yellow, and a small dash of green appeared.
Did he trust Halibel and Zarestia?
Could he trust them?
He felt uneasy he chose to visit Ram to occupy himself.
Anything to get him away from these feelings.
[ Barusu looks better.] She thought happily in the confine of her mind.
He no longer looked like he'd die of starvation.
He was still thin.
But now without realizing it he started to trust those around him a bit more.
Enough to eat the lunch prepared by the old lady he saved who deeply respected him.
Enough to drink what he received from Halibel.
By choosing a kinder path he was surrounded in turn by kindness.
Kindness that he did not think existed in this world.
Now he also slept more, next to her.
The first time he slept next to Ram he was surprised.
He felt refreshed.
He had asked her why she did not kill him then.
" Why should I kill you now Barusu when I can kill you when you finally fail" she sneered.
He now slept at least once a day next to her.
He removed her chains.
He now knew that she'd wait to kill him.
Still, he wondered how long it'll take before she'd betray his trust again.
For now pink filled his vision.
Ram was happy now Barusu was no longer a walking corpse.
He still wasn't the boy she met so long ago.
But now light slowly started to fill his eyes.
She knew that he trusted the Great spirit and the ninja who followed him.
He was the mayor of Banan now.
In two years perhaps he'd finally become the Head Consul of Kararagi after proving his skill in administration.
He already showed amazing administrative prowess.
Now she wondered if that means she was no longer needed.
Hatred still burned in her heart.
But this hatred was turned against her.
Had she not lost her horn she could have saved Rem.
Had she not made that pact with Roswaal she could have intervened.
It was her stupidity that destroyed them both.
She atoned in the way she could.
But the absence of her twin weighed at her soul.
She wished for release.
How long before she could see her sister again? She wondered.
Subaru had noticed her depression despite trying to hide it from him.
He took her outside to visit the mansion he resides in to visit the city he now ruled.
Like the " date" he boasted to Emilia-sama before.
He showed her what he constructed.
She was greeted respectfully by all.
Rumors of her existence were kept quiet in Subaru's compound.
Most believed her to be his lover.
A sickly lady who could not leave her room.
They were not entirely wrong.
All she had left was to atone.
Or so she thought.
The warm hand who led her in the garden made her hesitate.
She met the Great spirit of wind exploration, a childish beautiful woman with who she quickly became friends.
The silent ninja whose loyalty was unshakable often followed Subaru and with whom she could share peaceful time in silence.
The servants who she already met in the past greeted her warmly.
Thus she wondered if she had more left to live than she thought.
Subaru held her hand gently the whole time.
[ When was it that I wanted more than her hatred?] Subaru wondered.
[ Then again hatred and love are only separated by a thin Line.] He concluded.
He realized that Ram's hatred was fading not so long ago.
Her eyes started to be lackluster.
He feared them, she started to look like him.
Thus he took her outside, it was his first date with her.
One he believed to be a success judging by the smile on her face.
One he did not see for years.
Could he hope for more?
Ram and Subaru started to meet more often than not outside her room.
She now freely moved around the Japanese-styled mansion.
She had noticed that all the residents sang praises of Subaru.
He was smart enough to only let those loyal or grateful to him work here
Such things he evaluated through experience, and his friend helped.
Yes, he considered Zarestia and Halibel his friends.
Still, now Ram greeted him every day.
He fell asleep next to her and woke up to her.
The resident of the mansion rejoiced believing that their Lord's wife had recovered.
Both started to look at each other longer than necessary.
Their hands sought one another.
Slowly a smile lit their face each time they met.
Both were weighed down by the past and drowned for it.
Yet in each other's arms, they found peace at least.
After a year Natsuki Subaru was now the Head consul of Kararagi.
He was a cautious man but not a paranoid one.
He was surrounded by those he trusted.
He was also now a happily married man.
Thanks to the woman next to him who made him into a hero.
Ram was standing next to her husband at his inauguration, pride-filled her.
She was truly overjoyed by the way one Natsuki Subaru exceeded her expectations
He'd done the impossible.
And caught her heart on the way.
The despair-filled words she had addressed to him saved both of them that day.
Rem absence truly weighed her yet now alongside her husband and the few friends she held close to her heart she could look forwards to the future.
So that when she died she'll greet her sister with tales of a world she loved and hated in turn.
Note :
Anastasia died after Subaru got rid of Eridona.
Emilia did not participate in the selection.
Crush got erased.
Only Priscilla and Felt remained.