Chapter 3
Shellshock
The 4 teens were back in Kanku's featureless room, surrounded by drywall and wood flooring.
Subaru, stumbling: Aaggh. A little more warning next time!
Emilia stood in confusion and awe. She was amazed with "Instantaneous Relocation," or teleportation, and its potential uses.
Kanku deeply exhaled, sounding unamused by instant travel. Eleanor yawned for a few seconds, most likely used to sudden displacement.
She went over to the bed and sat on the mattress, making herself comfortable.
Eleanor: The manor beds are so stiff, I'd have better sleep on asphalt. These average store mats are leagues more comfy.
Kanku: Alright, car's outside. Let me grab Inzet.
He walked to the alloy-steel safe bolted to the wall. He entered the password, retracting the electronically sealed bolts.
Subaru and Emilia stood in the center of the room, their line-of-sight into the safe obscured by Kanku.
He swung open a safe door with relative ease, watching the steel panel slow to stop, giving him enough room to reach both hands inside.
There was no sound of rustling, as most would expect of a large safe. No plastic on metal clacking or no metal-on-metal placing either.
After a few minutes of shifting his hands around, he pulled one of his arms with a forearm length blade in hand.
A smooth rounded mahogany colored handle holding a glimmering blade with a silver finish. Subaru looked at it, wondering about the Bowie Knife. He felt oddly at peace as he was absorbed into the masterpiece of a blade. Despite not being conventionally familiar with knives, he could determine that the blade was insanely sharp.
Subaru, in Japanese: Oh, so you guys are that close?
Kanku scoffed and rolled his eyes as Eleanor blushed.
Eleanor: NO, we are not. I came over on a family-friend dinner and left the knife here.
Subaru, in Japanese, smugly: Sure. Dinner.
Kanku: Oh shut up, Subaru.
Kanku pulled his other arm out, revealing a rich brown leather sheath, clad in scales, with a single golden snap fastener. A single " H" was engraved in the center of the fastener; a clear indicator to who the owner was.
He passed the knife and sheath to Eleanor, who was still sitting on the bed. She gently grabbed the knife and placed it in the sheath.
Eleanor: A perfect fit, as always.
The sheath covered the blade and stopped at the handle, allowing the user to quickly apply the knife to their situation.
She undid her belt buckle and pulled the strap halfway out of her denim short loops. She threaded the leather strap through the back of the sheath and fed the strap back to the buckle.
The handle jutted upwards about 30 degrees from the horizontal belt, allowing her to move or sit without the potential of chafing, and to reverse-draw it if need be.
About half the sheath was in contact with her skin, leaving the possibility of friction burns.
Subaru, in English: That's a nice knife. Family Heirloom?
Eleanor, in English: It's the knife Quincey used to stab Vlad. He entrusted it to Abe after he died. Wood from The Tree of Life and Pure Blessed Heavenly Silver.
Subaru, in English: Wait a minute. The Tree of Life, as in The Christian Holy Bible Tree of Life?
Emilia, whispering in Japanese: Subaru, what'd she say?
Subaru, in Japanese: It's made of very holy things.
Eleanor: Well yeah. What other Tree of Life is there? Thanks to the wood, the knife can't be damaged or dulled in any degree. It works miracles on almost every monster, but works best on suckers. Normally, to kill a vamp, you'd have to decapitate or put one in the head, then burn the body within 2 hours, preferably with holy fire, but this knife is special. One good stab or slash from this baby and all mosquitoes start spasing the hell out while bleeding from every orifice, then eventually turn to ash upon dying.
Subaru felt his hairs stand upon hearing the blade's effects. It would most certainly be guaranteed to suck if you were a vampire.
Subaru: And the sheath?
Eleanor: Scales of Leviathan, a sea monster, probably an Elder Water Dragon, mentioned in The Bible. The scales are indestructible, unless you're The Christian God. Supposedly, Elohim- (The ground begins to shake. Subaru and Emilia have mild headaches. Eleanor looks upwards.)- Oh, shut it you senile asshole. As I was saying, Elo, The God of Christianity, killed Leviathan in the Book so Psalms so the Israelites could have some food. Also supposedly, he gave some angel its scales, and that angel gave 5 of them to Quincey so he could make a sheath strong enough to hold the blade. The leather is a little special, just cow leather tanned in angel and demon blood. It puts a charm on the knife, burning any unauthorized users, or divine and demonic entities. Only those with the Hellsing Blessing can pick it up. But since you 2 are new, and you don't look much like fighters, I don't wanna give you the Blessing, yet.
Subaru, in English: Chotto Mate, you said more Christianity stuff. Leviathan, God, Angels and Demons.
Eleanor: Most of it's real, Jesus too. And before you say anything, no, there is no Joestar bloodline. The Hellsings are gonna be your closest match. And no, Hamon isn't very effective, it's just a simple body enhancement technique. The Agency is looking into Stand like powers. We got our psychically gifted and ESP assets are helping us investigate it.
Subaru: Hold up. Hamon and stands are real?
Kanku: Ela, if you're done vamp-splaining to the kids here, I wanna get goin' t' lunch. I woke up at 4, worked out till 9, played Witcher till 10, took a nap, then woke up to 2 strangers in my house. So I'm'a be a tad peckish.
Kanku starts to head towards the door. Emilia walks behind him, followed by Subaru, then Eleanor. They walk down tile stairs, absorbing the simplicity of Kanku's house.
More drywall, then a mid-floor with 3 leather-clad couches; 1 seater in the middle of the left wall, a 2 seater in the far left corner, and a 3 seater in the far right corner against a window.
On the 1 seater was a sleeping bulldog that took three fourths of the cushion. On the 2 seater laid another sleeping dog; a German Shepherd that took up both cushions entirely.
Subaru, in Japanese: Kaz, you got pets? Those dogs over there are so adorable.
Kanku: Brick the Bulldog and Chiqui, short for Chiquita.
Eleanor: Brick likes sleep and belly rubs, Chicka likes to be outside, but also likes AC. Both are pretty good around people. You'd be surprised how sociable they are.
Continuing down another small flight of stairs was the 1st floor proper. To the left was a hallway that had access to a washroom to the left, and an office at the end. Straight ahead was another living-room with leather couches. To the right was a restroom around the corner from a kitchen conjoined with a dining room.
Subaru, in Japanese: Nice place you got here.
Kanku, in Japanese: CIA Higher Ups like to stay a little inconspicuous. But y'never know when a few gang-bangers might break in because you have a suburb house with a few acres.
Emilia: Gang bangers?
Subaru: Loosely aligned criminals. Also called gangsters. Better known as criminals.
Emilia: Ah.
The party of 4 cut through the dining room to exit the door. As Subaru stepped forward to open the door, they were all met with a tidal wave of Tourists' Bane; Texas heat and humidity.
Kanku: Ahhh. Nothn' like the gentle warmth of the Texas sun. Can't get it anywhere else.
Subaru: DUDE, WHAT THE HELL? I'M GONNA DIE OF HEAT STROKE IN THIS!
Subaru uses his hands to highlight his Knight Uniform, which was most certainly unfit for hot weather.
Eleanor: I was born in the UK, and its raining all the friggin' time at my place. I for one, actually like the heat. The humidity, I can live without, but its somewhat tolerable today.
Emilia: I feel the mana density return to normal levels. I can feel my gate drawing in some of it, but I don't sense many spirits nearby. But I feel like I'm gonna melt in this blazing heat. And my skin feels so sticky just from being in this air.
Kanku: Y'get used to it. Its only 80 Fahrenheit (26.7 C) and 35%. It could be worse for spring, but it gets real fun in the summer.
Subaru: I've heard that Texas weather can get crazy, but it gets worse than this?
Eleanor: Lets just say that Hell would be an freezer compared to Texas summers.
Kanku: Well that's not a fair comparison. It'd be more like a fridge.
Subaru: That's still pretty damn hot. Hey Emilia, do you think you have enough mana to cast a light cold breeze?
Emilia: Okie. Give me a moment.
She closes her eyes for a few seconds, then her hands begin to glow a freezing white light. She opens her eyes and points her palms upwards, creating a cooling aura from her body.
The immediate air around her figure decreased by 20 F (~7 C). Subaru moved closer to her, almost rubbing his arm with hers in an attempt to soak in as much cold air as possible so he won't restart from heat death.
Eleanor: Hey Kazu, what kinda magic did you say their world had?
Kanku: Every person has a built-in channel to expel mana from, which they call a gate. There're 6 elemental affinities in their system; Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Yin, and Yang, each with their branches. Everyone's born with at least 1 affinity, but some have more or all. Emilia has Fire Affinity, which is just temperature control according to dear Subaru here. Emilia uses the Ice Branch, which should be a little evident by her eyes, skin, and clothes. Subaru here broke his gate, so he's unable to cast magic, his affinity being Yin. And going by the absorption logic, mana'll proly' get pent up if he doesn't let it out. TLDL, Mana based magic, 6 elements, and a mana faucet.
Subaru: You just had to word it like that.
Eleanor: Someone's brain needs a good cleaning. Don't worry, believe it or not, I'm pretty good at cleaning and pretty handy. Give me an hour or 2 and I'll have his head cleaner than an inmate's cavity check.
Subaru: Well you're no angel yourself, Van Pervsing; unlike dear Emilia, who is seriously an angel. Emilia is a Major Angel. EMT! EMT! EMT!
Kanku: (muttering) Wait till you meet those dicks. (Normally) That's enough guys. I wanna get there before the chips go stale.
He reached for a keychain rack, grabbed a set, then moved from the doorway, letting the others see outside for the first time.
A massive yard, about 75 yards (68.6 m) to the visible fence and brush; 45 yards (~41 m) wide.
A single archery block target was barely visible from their position, looking no more than a stray piece of trash. Subaru and Emilia paid no attention to it; their focus fused to the vehicles parked underneath the shade of the open-air parking spaces with a pervious concrete driveway.
Subaru: Emilia, I can bet you that you have absolutely no clue about what you're looking at, but this is the way that we travel around on land in my world. They're dragon-less carriages, and no, they don't require mana to function. Some are way faster than carriages, and some are super hard to break.
Kanku: These ri'ere'll getcha almost anywhere in Texas. Whether it's the North or South, no one'll think twice about seeing one of these 2 works of art strollin around. But since I'm driving, we're goin' in the car.
On their left was a platinum colored 2018 Ford Expedition XLT. To the right was a 2015 Ford F250 with a matte black finish.
He walked towards the Expedition with key in hand. He clicked the remote start button, causing the metal behemoth to purr to life.
Emilia jumped back a bit, assuming a fighting stance and being to conjure ice spikes. Subaru heard her small startled scream, and calmed her down, explaining that they can activate some vehicles from a small distance.
She dispelled the hovering ice spikes, unsure if she could trust the "car".
Kanku walked off to the right side of the SUV, moving forward to grab the driver's door. He opened his door, designating himself as the driver. He buckled in an put the key fob in the cupholder.
Subaru was somewhat surprised that Eleanor didn't protest her position as a mere passenger.
' Guess they don't see each other as just co-workers. Maybe she didn't speak up because he's their Team Leader, or because they see each other as good friends. Wonder who the others are.'
Subaru motioned Emilia to follow him and walked to the rear passenger door. He opened the door, permitting his Mistress inside. Once she sat on the leather seat, Subaru closed the door, sealing Emilia inside.
He saw Eleanor walk behind her, eventually passing and getting into the passenger seat.
He knew there was only one seat left, so he went around the metal machination and opened the rear driver's side door. He jumped in and closed the door.
Inside was nothing extraordinary to 3 of them. Faux leather chairs, AC, and screens built into the front row headrests.
To Emilia, she felt more out of place than before. It looked a bit like a carriage on the inside, but had things she had never seen before. At least the interior temperature was better than the outside's. If it didn't run on mana, then Subaru would probably say that some other strange processes were responsible for the "car's" functions.
Kanku: Everyone in?
Subaru and Emilia: Hai
Eleanor: Da
Kanku: A'ight. Lets get goin'. Its already 1, and I wanna be there before all the gringos y pendejos walk in and butcher a beautiful language. Ai chingada, "jal-a-peen-yos" y "kay-suh-dee-lus." Todos esos pinches idiotas.
Eleanor, in English: Couldn't've said it better.
Subaru, in English: I partially understood that. Jeez, online gaming was interesting back on the early 2000's. Your stereotypical Mexican kid breathing into the mic like a turbine.
Emilia, in Japanese: Subaru, what did you all say? I don't speak "English".
Subaru, in Japanese: I think it's for the better it stays that way. Oh, and please pull that buckle down. In case we get into an accident, you won't go flying into the windshield.
Subaru pointed to the seatbelt buckle and Emilia followed his pointing. She grabbed the strap and pulled it down, nearly breaking the plastic interior with her elvish strength.
Kanku: Hey, hey. Easy on the straps. Just bought this one 2 months ago. Haven't finished putting in the mods yet. And finally, we can go. Look, its already 1:20. The chips are gonna be stale and the bean dip's gonna be nasty.
He turns on the rear AC, putting it on 2 speed. He presses on the brake and shifts into drive.
Emilia: Aiiii.
Subaru, in Japanese: Calm down Emilia. Its just a bit of movement. Its like being in a carriage, but better. There's climate control and comfy seats, for one. There's also the speed.
Kanku presses on the gas pedal, speeding up to 10 mph (~16 km/h). The thick rubber of the tires began to spin, pulling them forwards. Kanku turned left slightly to turn towards the asphalt of the driveway, which would let him get on the street.
Kanku: Don't you kids back there worry. I've only crashed twice.
Subaru, in English: Wait, what?
Eleanor: During missions, Baru. Don't start chaffing your manhood, if you even have one, just because of a little playful warning.
Subaru, in Japanese, quietly: I swear, you and Ram would hit it off instantly.
Eleanor, in Japanese: Y'say something?
Subaru, in English: Nothing much, just wondering what there might be at this palenque place.
Kanku: Hush now kids, Daddy's driving.
He pulled toward the edge the street, looking both ways to check for oncoming cars. Once clear, he turned and got on the asphalt road. He applied some pressure to the pedal, accelerating to 20 mph (32.2 km/h).
Eleanor: A few of Wilhelm's drinks can fix that.
Subaru and Emilia, in Japanese: Wilhelm?
Eleanor, in Japanese: My head butler and legal guardian. Nice guy, really. Served in World War 2 at the age of 16. Then in Korea and 'Nam, all as a Combat Medic. After retiring at the age of 52, he then met my dad in '80 when a Rông, a Dragon of Yang, cornered him in Manchester. He became the head butler the same year as a show of thanks. He was introduced to the world of the supernatural. He went Hunting for a few years, stopping in 2001 at 70. Then I was born in '03, October 5th. You guys know a bit of the rest.
Emilia looked out the window, watching the strange trees and even stranger houses meld together into blurs of green and beige. It was fascinating to see the new designs of houses, and to wonder how quickly and sturdily they were built.
She looked back her fellow passengers and driver, curious at how casual they seemed about all this.
'It's their world, afterall.'
Kanku stopped at an intersection, then turned right after a few seconds. He sped up, doubling his old speed. Emilia felt more force pulling her towards her seat, wondering if she might fly out if she opened the window.
Subaru, in Japanese: Guess you aren't used to travel by car. It might seem weird that we don't use dragons, but modern vehicles are way more efficient than dragon-carriages. But it's safe to open the window. Try it, try to feel the wind rushing past your hand. Turn your hand and feel the air resistance.
Emilia, in Japanese: Subaru, the last time you stuck your hand out the window of a carriage, you left the Divine Blessing's range.
Eleanor, in Japanese: Divine Blessing?
Emilia: The Spirit of my world and the source of all mana and magic, called Od Laguna, bestows creatures and people gifts, which we call Divine Blessing and Protections. I myself don't have one, but I have a merchant friend, Otto Suwen, who has one. His Blessing is of Soul Language, which allows him to communicate with insects and animals. There's also Julius, a Spirit Knight that has the Blessing of Spirit Gathering, which attracts lesser spirits.
Subaru: In addition to Laguna magic, there's these little quasi-sentient balls of mana, which we call Lesser Spirits. When the Lesser Spirits mature enough, they evolve into Great Spirits. People with decent Spirit Affinity, which is how strong of a spirit magnet you are, can make mini contracts with them to draw their mana instead of burning through their own; they're know as Spirit Art Users. I'm unable to make contacts with Lessers because I'm already contracted with a Great Spirit. And seeing how she drew mana before I went to sleep, I probably have about a month and a half before I die of mana poisoning.
Eleanor: Dear Baru, please do implore me on how some average boy like you got with a Great Spirit.
Subaru: (Mutters under his breath) Jeez, you remind me of Echidna. (Normally) She was waiting on someone to save her from her old contract, and we struck the deal when the library in the mansion she was bound to burned down because of some assassins and Ma-Beasts, which are magical monsters created long ago by one of The Sin Witches.
Emilia: Subaru, don't you mean Satella?
Emilia unconsciously twitched her fingers when she said her name. So many people, for so long, have called her The Witch. It wasn't her fault that she supposedly looked like The Witch of Envy. And it wasn't her fault that she was half-elf either.
Subaru: Emilia, what I'm about to say will destroy everything you know. Ely, Kaz, you might wanna brace yourselves.
Kanku kept his speed constant, driving past more trees, houses, a few restaurants, and a Walmart. The cabin was silent, the only sounds being the passing of cars and the humming of the engine.
Subaru: There's 7 Witches, each representing one of The 7 Deadly Sins. Minerva, The Witch of Wrath; Typhon, The Witch of Pride; Sekhmet, The Witch of Sloth; Carmilla, The Witch of Lust; Daphne, The Witch of Gluttony, and the creator of the Ma-Beasts; Echidna, The Witch of Greed; and Satella, The Witch of Envy, who has a split persona that's called Envy. I met them all back at Sanctuary, while you were taking your Trial, Emilia, and Satella has been with me ever since that day we met, and she's probably still following me right now. Echidna wanted to talk to me, so she invited me to The Witches Tea Party, where I asked her and the others about some things. I'm on pretty good terms with them. The Witch Cult only worships Satella, and taboos worship of the others. The Sin Archbishops aren't in league with The Witches, and they're disgusted by The Cult. For some reason, Satella is obsessed with me. She yanked me away from my home, brought me to Lugunica, and gave me a really messed up gift. I don't wanna talk about it right now, but what I can say is that normally, if I tried to talk about it, she'd use a shadowy hand to grab my or someone's heart.
Emilia: S-Subaru…. Why didn't you tell me? Why doesn't anyone else know about the other Witches?
Eleanor: Friends in high places, huh?
Kanku: Subaru, you aren't the only one with good friends. Ela, remember that job in Cairo last year?
Eleanor: The Horus housecleaning?
Kanku: The one before.
Eleanor: Ah, yeah. The one with Hathy?
Kanku: Yeah, the one with Hathy.
Subaru: Hathy?
Kanku: Hathor, Egyptian Goddess of Fertility. Common depictions say she has a cow head or has cow ears. That's all bullshit. She just likes to wear fake cow ears, and she likes to tend to her cows.
Subaru, skeptically: And she's a friend of yours?
Eleanor: She got wind about CIRCUS and gave us a call. We shipped out to Edfu, where she wanted us to help her divorce Khonsu, a Moon God. We helped them settle it out, preventing them from bringing the entirety of Chernobyl to the Nile. And from that, she gave us a little parting gift and an NQA favor. She would tell the Egyptian Gods and spirits to stop trying to kill us, but some don't listen. And she made all beef we eat free from contamination, so we don't have to worry about food poisoning, worms, or magical tampering.
Subaru: So that's how you guys befriended a God?
Kanku: One of 'em.
Kanku halted at another intersection, waited a minute, made a left, then a right, pulling into a parking lot. The sign reading "Taco Palenque" faced the road, and the building it advertised was a mix of blue, white, and red.
Kanku turned the SUV off, pocketed the keys, and opened his door.
Kanku, in Japanese: We're here. I'll handle our cover, Ela, please go find a table and make sure our guests don't say anything revealing. Subaru, Emilia, you guys want a full-sized plate or a kid's meal? Ela, the usual?
Emilia: Ummm…. "kid's meal" please.
Subaru: A kid's meal too.
Eleanor: And drink too.
Subaru opens his door and quickly waltzes around the back to reach Emilia. He opened the door and offered his hand. She took it and carefully stepped down, not wanting to damage the her high-thigh boots or the retractable step.
Subaru closed the door behind her and saw Eleanor had already gone in. He walked to the door and opened it for Emilia. They step inside and see Kanku waiting in line. Eleanor was in the far-left corner, sitting in a booth against windows with her back to the wall, waving them down.
Subaru motioned for Emilia to follow him to their seat. He could feel the stares of all the people inside the restaurant, noting how out of place they were; their fantasy setting clothes not contrasting very well with the modern day, and Emilia's hair didn't ease the situation. People would most likely brush off their clothes as formal attire, but some would still give them a weird look.
They walked past a pair of US Marshals in ceramic plate carriers, residents, and employees on break. The most skeptical stares came from the duo of G-Men, who sized them up, confused as to what and why they were wearing their strange get-up.
They reached the 4 person table and saw Eleanor smile slightly. The table was help up by 2 legs with opposing duel supports. The granite tabletop was recently wiped down, evident from the smell of germ-x and the reflective streaks. The wood-framed booth seats were fixed into the floor.
Subaru stood at the edge of the table, gesturing if Emilia would like the wall side or the open side.
She aimed her gaze upwards and to the right, thinking about where she should sit. She made up her mind and decided to take the seat against the wall, knowing Subaru would sit closer to the edge so she would sit comfortably. She climbed in, letting Subaru sit down. He straightened his uniform, amazed that it hadn't been stained yet.
The people in front of Kanku finished, allowing him to order. Subaru could barely hear him say something in Spanish, but was unable to decrypt the language. The cashier nodded, passed off a receipt, and gave him four 22 oz (~1 Impr. pt) cups with lids.
Kanku took the cups and walked past the mini bar of condiments and sauces to reach the metal tabletop with the drink dispenser. He places all the cups down and removed 2 of the lids. In the 1st cup, he filled a quarter of the cup with ice and dispensed Diet Coke.
In the second cup, he filled a third with ice and dispensed FUZE Peach Tea. He placed the lids back and took a sip from the Diet Coke cup. Eleanor saw that he finished getting drinks, so she got up from the table and shimmied through the tables of people; people eyeing the knife and "sizing" her up.
She equipped a neutral face and glared at them back. Most looked back at their food, some looked confused. She reached the fountain, grabbed the cup of peach tea and an empty cup.
She and Kanku walked back together to the table and placed the empty cups in front of the strange couple. They sat down and placed their cups in front of them; their seats giving them a clear view of both entrances.
Kanku, in Japanese: Subaru, get the Misses her drink. There's water, sweet or unsweet tea, and soda.
Subaru: Emilia, what would you like for me to bring?
Emilia: I don't know what a "soda" is, but I would like a cup of tea, please.
Subaru: This isn't the tea that you're used to. Its brewed from a powder, has a fruity flavor, and is served cold.
Emilia: That's a strange way to prepare tea. I wonder what Rem and Ram would think of that technique. But I would like to try some of the sweet tea.
Subaru: Rem would say, (mimicking Rem) 'This technique is certainly exotic, Subaru-kun.' Ram would say, (mimicking Ram) 'Barasu, what form of atrocity have you presented to our exquisite palates? You should be ashamed of yourself for your inability to properly prepare this poor excuse of tea. Kindly end your sad and pathetic life to correct this indescretion.'
Eleanor, in Japanese: Who're Rem and Ram?
Subaru: Twin Oni maids that work for Margrave Roswall Mathers. Because they're twins, they're single-horned. Rem has blue hair and eyes, the nicest personality, and carries a massive Morningstar. Ram has pinkish-red hair and eyes, she's hornless, she always bullies me, and carries a wand.
Kanku: They're the same as our Oni.
Eleanor: Ha. What're the odds?
Subaru walked to the fountain with both empty cups. He placed them down and removed the lids. He looked at the options, struggling between Orange Fanta and Pibb. He decided on the Fanta and filled a quarter of his cup with ice, filling the rest with the orange flavored concoction. He filled Emilia's cup a quarter way with ice, ironic considering her power.
He looked around for the tea, unable to find them. He was about to call for help, but noticed the tea dispensaries at the end of the table as he halfway raised his hand.
He put both lids back on and took the cups over to the dispensers. He put the empty cup underneath the spout of the "Unsweet" container and removed the lid. He pulled the tab and let the tea pour into the cup.
After the cup was properly filled, he snapped the lid back in place, grabbed 4 straws, and brought the cups back to the table.
Despite being used to having all eyes on him, the looks from the Marshals felt more intimidating than the average Knight's gaze. His eyes made him look like he was up to something not very pleasant, but if Beatrice were here, adults probably would've been giving him a strong talking if he was holding onto her.
He placed Emilia's cup first, unsheathed a straw, and poked it through the lid. She grabbed the cup and took a sip as he sat down.
Emilia: Mmmm. This tea tastes strange, but in a good way. Subaru, what did you bring?
Subaru: Orange Fanta. The sweet and tart citrus flavor plus the fizz of carbonation makes one of the best drinks.
Eleanor: Dunno why, but I took you for a tea guy.
Subaru: No, no no no, no. I have been put off tea for the foreseeable future ever since The Witches Tea Party.
Eleanor: Did they spoil you with the finest of tea in a magical land?
Subaru, quietly: I drank Echidna's bodily fluids in o-
Eleanor: That's kinky. Never thou-
Subaru: NO! It wasn't like that. She slipped some saliva into my cup because she detected something within.
Eleanor: Yeah, she slipped it. You sure didn't use some of that tongue and lerolerolerolerolero your way in and out.
Kanku sipped his Diet Coke and watched as the newfound friends entertained them.
Kanku: *sigh* Ela, enough, please. The food's about to get here and we gonna get put off because of you.
Ela: Shut up Kazu. You're the last person that should be complaining about being squeamish. You're the one with the iron stomach, I'm just the heiress of a redacted bloodline.
A man in the restaurant uniform walked to them while carrying a red tray with plates of food.
Employee, in English: Here you go. (Places the tray in the center of the table)
Kanku: Hey Anton, how's the family been?
Anton: Hey Kagi, family's been doing good. Nothing interesting's happened.
Kanku: Sounds good.
Subaru pulls the plates and foil chunks off the tray and onto the table. He wasn't sure who's was who's, but they'd sort it in a while. He grabbed the utensil packets before pushing the tray slightly.
The man identified as Anton walked back to the kitchen with the red tray in hand.
Kanku, in Japanese: Looks like nothing's wrong here.
Subaru, confused: He was just talking about his family, so what could be wrong?
Kanku shifted his eyes around to check their surroundings.
Kanku, quietly: He's an undercover field agent on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. I gave him a phrase and he gave me a report.
Subaru: Niiiice. More spy stuff.
Eleanor: Doesn't take a genius to figure that out.
Kanku, passing the food around: Alrighty, let's get eating.
He stopped shifting the plates around, the result being a little shocking.
Emilia and Subaru had chunks of foil in front of them.
Kanku's plate was covered in orange colored rice, refried beans with tortilla chips sticking out, grilled onion, guacamole, and strips of beef.
In front of Eleanor was an identical plate, but with chicken instead of beef. She passed a utensil packet to Kanku and they opened the plastic protector of the fork, knife, spoon, and napkin.
They took their forks out and began to eat. Putting a mix of meat, onion, bean, and cheese onto their tools.
Kanku: Gracias por la comida.
Eleanor: Merci pour la nourriture.
Subaru and Emilia: Itadakimasu!
Subaru unwrapped his foil chunk and smelled something unbelievably delicious. 2 toasted flour tortillas, the inner filled with melted cheese and beans.
He could see the steam trailing and disappearing into the room. Emilia looked at the bean and cheese taco sitting in front of her Knight, unable to describe how tasty this strange food was. She could see that the food was hot, and could feel the heat washing over her arm. She didn't know how Subaru revealed the food, but she hoped that her's was similar.
Subaru noticed Emilia staring hungrily at the food before him, noting that she hadn't undone her's yet. He realized, then grabbed and undid her foil wrapped food. The tacos hidden in the foil laid still for all to admire their deliciousness.
Subaru removed the outer tortilla and grabbed the overflowing taco. Bean and cheese dripped onto the tortilla beneath, and Subaru almost dropped his taco.
He put it back onto the makeshift plate and put his fingers on his cup in an effort to cool them down.
Emilia notice that he hurt his fingers with the heat of the food, so she took a breath. She blew onto the searing hot food, summoning a light icy breeze.
Kanku, quietly: Oi, easy on the magic. Officially, magic doesn't exist in this world. If you're gonna cast a blizzard, do it discreetly.
Emilia stopped exhaling onto the tacos. Subaru turned around to see if anyone had noticed a sudden dip in temperature, and saw no one was shivering.
Subaru, quietly in Japanese: Emilia, please be careful. The last thing I want for you to happen is for the police and men in black to take you away forever to study everything about you. No offense, guys.
Eleanor: None taken.
Emilia lowered her head and cupped her hands around her mouth to conceal the cooling. She blew for a few seconds and stopped to check the temperature.
Emilia, in Japanese: Perfectly warm. Not too hot, and not a block of ice.
Subaru: That's one way to use magic.
Eleanor: Baru, can you do something like that?
Subaru: Wrong affinity. I use Yin magic, not very good usage, but still. My gate's totally broken, so I need to rely on my contracted Spirit to draw my mana and to act as my gate. If I don't have my mana extracted within a month or so, I'll collapse of mana poisoning. So we need to find a way to send us to and from our worlds.
Emilia picked up her taco and bit into it.
Emilia: Mmmmmm. I've never had anything like this, in Elior Forest or Roswall's mansion.
Kanku: Forest? I thought you were a potential Queen? Aren't you a Royal Candidate with the sponsorship of Roswall?
Emilia finished swallowing the piece of taco in her mouth and took a sip of tea.
Emilia: I was born in Elior Forest about 120 years ago. A human mother and pure-blooded elf father, both died after my birth. I grew up sheltered from most of the world, spending most of the time in a hollowed-out tree trunk. My father's sister, Mother Fortuna, was my maternal figure. She, the other elves of Elior Forest, and The Witch Cult made sure I was safe.
Subaru, almost choking: *ACK, The Witch Cult took care of you? The same Witch Cult that attacked the mansion and Crusch? The same Witch Cult that Betelgeuse Romanee-Conti was in?
Eleanor: Wait a minute, you're 120? Eh, elven biology isn't my forté.
Emilia: Before he went crazy, Betelgeuse was just Geuse; Bishop of Sloth, Geuse Romanee-Conti. He was a very nice man who cared for the wellbeing of others, and if I had to compare him to someone, he'd be most like Mr. Suwen. The Cult now isn't like it was back then. The one now is the Radical Faction from back then, but it was the Moderate Faction that gave the elves of Elior supplies such as clothes and food. One day, when I was about 12, Elior was invaded. The Witch of Vanity, Pandora, The Sin Archbishop of Greed, Regulus Corneas, and members of the Radical Faction attacked.
Subaru: Pandora? Pandora… Pandora… Paaaaandorr… oh shit.
Eleanor: What did you just realize?
Subaru: There are the 7 Deadly Sins that we all know; Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Lust, and Envy. But there used to be 9, the last 2 being called The Archaic Sins, Vainglory and Melancholy. If 8 of the 9 are taken by someone, each a god-like being in their own right, then who and where is the 9th?
Emilia: The Cult attacked, and one of the Great 3 Ma-Beasts, The Black Snake, was under the control of Pandora. One of my caretakers, Archie, sacrificed himself so I could escape The Snake. I ran for so long, and stopped when I reached a door standing in a field. Pandora reached me and said that if I opened The Door, she and all the cultist would leave immediately. Apparently, I'm the possessor of The Key to The Door of Elior. Mother Fortuna and Geuse arrived before Pandora could touch me. Geuse was screaming something about "The Authority of Sloth, Unseen Hand." Pandora did something to him, because he hurt the person he loved the most in this world, Fortuna. I started to cast so much ice magic to kill Pandora, but no matter how many times I impaled, froze, or smashed her body with ice, another body would keep appearing. There was so much blood, and slowly, I was freezing Elior and my body. I eventually encased myself and Elior Forest in magical permafrost, where my body aged somewhat, and where I was frozen in time for 100 or so years. Puck woke me up, and for 7 years, I lived in the hollowed tree trunk, living off the money I made from the small magic crystals and foraging for whatever I could find. Then, about year before I met you, Subaru, Roswall approached me. He was the 1st person that didn't react negatively to me being a half-elf. He showed me that I was destined to be a Candidate, and agreed to be my sponsor. You know the rest, Subaru.
Emilia took another bite of her bean and cheese taco, leaving a quarter of it in her hand.
Eleanor finished her plate and took another sip of her tea. Subaru continued to eat his taco, overwhelmed by the new tastes.
Subaru, in Japanese: Mmm. Kaz, you were right. This stuff is way better than the convenience store wraps.
Kanku smiled in satisfaction, delighted to hear that someone else had consumed mostly authentic Tex-Mex food. He looked into his cup and noticed it was empty.
Subaru finished the last of his taco, savoring the taste of the refried beans and melted cheese before taking a sip of his Fanta. He stood up, gathered the trash, and threw it away in the bin one booth behind him. He walked back to the table and opened his cup.
Subaru: Refills?
Kanku: Diet Coke, no more ice, please. (Passes his cup)
Eleanor: Fuze Tea, please. A little more ice. (Passes her cup)
Subaru: Emilia, may you please pass me a napkin?
Emilia lifts her arms and twiddles her fingers, on the hunt for a napkin. She finds an unused sheet under her cup, a circle of moisture in the center of the paper tissue, and passes it to him.
He gently grabs onto it with his left index and middle fingers, not wanting to tear it. He wipes down his Knight Uniform of any deviant bean and cheese stains, not wanting to spend a hassle trying to figure out how you wash a fine threaded blazer from a magical realm in 2021 Earth.
He folded the napkin and wiped away the outer condensation of his cup so he can carry all 3 for refills.
A short elderly latino man, wearing a black polo shirt with a red semicircle on the left of his chest, walks in their direction, his goal unclear. He slows down as soon as he's one booth away from their's.
The Man, in English: Hello Hisata, how have you been lately? I would've come over here sooner if I knew you were here. And Ms. Helaine, it's wonderful to see you here again.
Kanku, in English: Good afternoon Señor Esquita. I'm doing the same, nothing different, except for my 2 friends from overseas. I'm not on volunteer time right now, I still got a few more class assignments I need t'take care of. How've you been?
Esquita: Mi hija is in the hospital right now. She's expecting in a day or so. I can't wait to see my newborn nieto. I'm praying that the child will grow healthy like her mother.
Kanku: Congrats. But don't rush to see them grow up. All in due time, they'll take their own pace and own path.
Esquita: I know that you're working hard, with your father and with school. Hisata, I want you to know that you truly are a good person, but I can't say the same for my son. *PAH* (he waves his arms in disbelief) Drinking at 12, dealing hierba y cocaína for the Cartel at 15, getting a college girl pregnant at 18, arrested for murder at 22, and then thrice divorced at 45.
Kanku, chuckling: Don't worry Señor, you aren't going anywhere anytime soon. You'll have more than enough life in you to see your grandbabies have grandbabies. You'll outlive us all!
Esquita: (Clasping his hands) Thank you, mi hijo. I pray that God will bless you with a healthy life and good weather. Now, I must excuse myself back before Lepino turns the beans into mierda again.
The man gave a small wink to Kanku when he said, "good weather," and walked back to the kitchen.
Kanku, in Japanese: I swear, the old man gets younger every time I see him.
Eleanor nods in agreement.
Subaru, in Japanese: Who exactly was that?
Kanku, quietly in Japanese: Bennito Esquita, an Acalica, and a pretty social one at that.
Emilia, in Japanese: Ah-calca?
Eleanor, in Japanese: Bolivian weather-fairies. Usually found in mountains or underground, but occasionally come to the surface.
Subaru: So… is there a special reason why you're so buddy-buddy with him?
Kanku: Found him, his wife, and his 2 kids a flick away from death in an alley in Reynosa. The Brotherhood of Saint George's Knights, aka The Vaticans or Vats, went on a purge in South America under the guise of mass missionary work. They were driven out of their cave system, the only survivors of their clan.
Eleanor: The sheer nerve of some people. Using religion as an excuse and alibi to relentlessly kill harmless beings that prefer to stay away from people. This is the exact reason why beasts and monsters hate people as a whole.
Kanku: An Evac Team picked them up, and we gave them asylum here in The States. We gave him a list of cover stories, and decided to become the manager of this fine establishment. That guy from earlier, Anton, he doubles as Mr. Esquita's protector. He occasionally gives our Valley guys some favorable weather. Nothing much, just the occasional rain or cloud coverage.
Emilia shoved the last piece of her taco into her mouth, unable to compare the flavors of otherworldly dishes.
Subaru, somewhat loudly in English: How can people like that casually go to another country and kill things for no other reason than their religion?
Subaru caught himself using an elevated tone. He looked around to see if anyone else heard his ramblings about death to another country.
The US Marshals, 5 booths behind him, gave him the side-eye, trying to figure out if the teens in the corner were terrorists or having an emotional conversation.
Subaru, Kanku, and Eleanor caught the Federal Employees giving them a glance of assessment. It was evident that they were determining if they were a threat.
Subaru grabbed the other cups; holding one in one hand, and forming a chicken wing for the others.
He stepped away and walked to the fountain. He set the cups down and opened his lid. He brought the cup up to the dispenser spout, pushed the lever, and watched the cup fill.
He repeated this process twice more, filling one cup with Fuze Tea and Diet Coke in the other. He grabbed the cups and head back to the booth.
He saw that Kanku was still eating; Eleanor was fiddling with the sheath fastener; and Emilia had cast more ice magic to create a small crystalline blue spike, which she used to shorten her nails.
He set the cups down and distribute them to their rightful drinkers. He drank his Fanta as he sat down next to Emilia.
2 men walked into the restaurant. Both had ornate full sleeve tattoos with words in Spanish; both were wearing knee length shorts and dingy white-tees. Both of them walked in worn out red Converse, but the key difference was that the one on the left had a Tractor Supply cap, and the other wore a generic red cap.
The Tractor Supply man walked to the counter while the other headed in the direction of the Marshals; a gaunt face of determination and apparent bloodlust.
The Marshals looked in the direction of the sunken-eyed man walking towards them. The approaching man reached behind his shorts and drew a Glock pistol. He took aim and spat a short burst into the side of the Marshal's head.
The head of the Marshal was blown away by the poorly aimed slurry of lead, removing a third of his skull. He flew off his chair and to his right, colliding with the floor.
A sickening and wet *crack* came from the fallen man. A thick pool of bright crimson streamed from the right side of his head. Chunks of his brain were splattered on the booth beside him.
The other Marshal jumped into action; standing from his chair and drawing his Glock.
Halfway bringing his pistol to his chest, his partner's killer let a burst of bullets into his chest. The rise of the continuous fire leading a bullet into his throat.
He dropped his pistol and brought his hands to his neck, slowly choking on the blood dripping down his arms.
The other man walked up to the cash register pistol in hand. He brought it up to the face of the cashier and began to bark something in Spanish.
Subaru: EMILIA, GET DOWN!
Emilia covered her hands with her ears as Subaru pulled her down into the seat, fighting the instinct to protect his ears.
Kanku: Sigh. Just when I was about to finish.
Kanku finished his plate, gathered the rest of the trash, and took a long draw of his Coke. He looked at Eleanor and brought his right fist up, extending his last 3 fingers. She looked at his hand and back up to his face.
He retracted his fingers in conjunction with the passing seconds.
Once his fist balled, Eleanor tackled the table aside, using her weight to throw it to the floor. The table, acting as a makeshift horizontal barricade, slid 4 feet (~1 m) across the floor.
Kanku drew his twin 1911s from the back of his shorts, tossing "Shed" to Eleanor as he ran across the room and taking cover behind a trashcan. He peaked around the corner to find his next vantage point.
Eleanor popped up from behind the table and opened fire, letting off 3 shots in the direction of the murderer. One struck him in his right shoulder, the other 2 whizzing past his ear.
He didn't seem to care that he had a quarter sized hole in his shoulder, because he returned fire at the table.
*PAK* *PAK* *PAK* *PAK*
3 struck the floor and redirected into the window to the left. A single hole laid in the left side of the ramshackle barrier.
Subaru stayed in place, his priority to protect Emilia and himself. If he was caught in the crossfire, he was unsure where he would Return. He started to form plans, mentally scratching off ideas as he went.
Subaru, in Japanese: Emilia, ice shield!
She brought her left hand off her ear and conjured a torso sized sheet of ice with a handle, unsure if it was durable enough to protect them from their loud weapons.
Subaru grabbed the handle, ignoring the burning cold sensation of the material. He pulled them both into the tables former space, angling the shield between Eleanor's cover and the seats, giving himself and Emilia some protection from ricochets.
The civilian and employees ducked in cover, screaming in panic from the double murder and the ongoing shootout.
Kanku crouched as he dashed up the walk-space, advancing forward and giving himself a clear line of sight. Eleanor rose out of cover to shoot 2 more rounds at her target, aiming and striking the man in the upper torso.
The Marshals' killer stumbled backwards, carried away by the force of lead travelling at 830 fps (253 m/s). He fell backwards, crumpling like a sack of potatoes onto the ground, bleeding from 2 vital spots. If he wasn't dead already, his lungs would be filled as he drowned in his own blood.
Kanku stood out of cover and focused the pistol sights onto the man, who was still pointing his gun at the cashier. He steadily walked forward, squeezing the trigger in quick succession, 5 holes penetrating the hostage taker's left side.
The man in the Tractor Supply cap droppe on his side, bone and lead shredding his heart and lungs. Eleanor vaulted over her cover and ran to the man laying near the Marshals. She pointed the pistol at his head, then drew her knife, plunging it in the side of his head.
She whistled for Kanku's attention. Getting it, she underhand tossed it at him, and he caught the handle. With the blade up, he knelt down on one knee and stabbed the side of the man's head.
He took the knife out, beads of blood sliding off the blade as he passed it back to Eleanor, who was getting closer. She returned the loaned pistol, and he holstered them in the back of his shorts.
Kanku unclipped his phone, dialed a number; the receiver answering quickly.
Kanku, in English: Need a JACC, Med-Team, and a Double A team at my position. 2 now deceased Fallen Sing-Wings; 2 US Marshals, one with his brains plastered and the other's got a bullet in his throat; and a bunch of civies. Oh, and make sure the manager is well compensated.
A few minutes later, the sound of the screech of rubber tires came from outside. 12 people with varying uniforms ran through the door.
6 wore hazmat suits and held toolboxes; 4 wore navy blue short-sleeve polyester shirts, blue latex gloves, and bags of medical supplies; 2 wore green sweatshirts and had nylon drawstring bags.
They began their tasks; cleaning up the fight, treating injuries, and applying anmestics to the civilians present.
Subaru stood up and placed the ice shield on the seat, unfazed that it hadn't melted in the slightest. He could feel the warmth come back to his hand, but noticed that color didn't restore, instead, maintaining a pallor white tone.
' Frostnip' He thought to himself.
Emilia stood up, glad that this abnormal surprise event was finally over.
Emilia: Once again, you risked yourself to protect me. Thank you Subaru. My ears hurt a little bit, and I can hear a strange ringing sound, but other than that, I'm "A-Okie".
Subaru smiled, relieved that Emilia was unharmed in the shootout.
Subaru, in English: Well that was definitely something. What did you say on the phone? Sing-Wings?
Kanku, in English: Fallen Single Winged Angels. When a Heavenly Angel falls from Grace, they're stripped of their blessings and their wings get burned off. They fall to Hell, and have to start from Zero to regain their wings. The wings allow them to fly, and are also a measure of their strength. There's not much between them and demons, only that demons have skeletal wings and can't use Angel Magic.
Subaru: Starting from Zero, huh? I know the feeling.
Kanku: Was it that thing?
Subaru, running his fingers through his hair: You have no idea. *exhale*
Eleanor: Normally, Angels and Fallens ignore regular rounds. Unfortunately for them, (smiling smugly) we don't use regular rounds. You can stop'em with a pure or blessed gilded weapon, pure or blessed silver, Divine or Demonic Artifacts (holds up her knife), a long ass exorcism, or a killing ritual.
Subaru: Finally. Something easy an otaku like me can understand.
Kanku: Alright, go to the bathroom or get a quick refill. Its 1:30, and we need t'do someth'n back at HQ at 1:35.
Subaru: HQ? Where?
Kanku: Langley, where else?
Subaru: Okay, okay. I'm not the most educated on where you Americans have your Federal HQs. I barely even know where Naichō is, nevermind CIA. I only know about Langley from Metal Gear.
Kanku: What a shame about the series. MGS 5 part 2 was kind of a letdown. Grab a cup, go take a leak or someth'n. We gotta leave in a few minutes.
Subaru looked at the spilt dinks on the floor, mildly upset that they lost their drinks.
'But it was for a good cause. I probably would've Returned if Ela didn't knock it over.'
Eleanor, from behind the cash register, in Japanese: Hey guys. You want a drink?
Subaru: You're stealing?
Eleanor: Don't worry, the JACCs and AAs were gonna do a scrub anyways.
Emilia, in Japanese: I would like another cup please, Eleanor. The "sweet tea" if there's any.
Subaru: I guess I can't turn down a lady's offer. Can you grab a Fanta?
Eleanor: You're the gentleman here. I'm just a poor tender young defenseless maiden. I couldn't bear the thought of hurting a fly.
Subaru: Not according to the dead Angels. And the last time I heard a woman say "poor tender maiden" was from the strongest magic user in the other world.
Eleanor: I can fix that. (Pats the sheath)
Kanku: Guys, we're running on a tight schedule. Ela, if you could find it in your heart, can you perhaps bring a cup of Diet Coke.
Emilia waited at the door, patiently standing for Subaru. Kanku grabbed the keys from his pocket and turned the car on, walked out the door, and getting in the driver's seat.
Subaru walked behind the cash register, feeling something guilty that he was taking a cup without paying. Eleanor moved to the nearby soda fountain and got the requested drinks.
Subaru took a cup and stood next to Eleanor, waiting for his turn to get a drink.
Eleanor, in English: Don't worry, I'm harmless.
Subaru, in English: Depends on the audience.
Eleanor: Y'know, for a kid that grew up sheltered from the real world and just saw a relatively messy shootout, you're taking this in pretty calmly.
Subaru: Spending a year in a fantasy world with a demi-god up your ass constantly trying to get your love and attention will do that to you. Maybe you should try it and see how you like it.
Eleanor: Already did, minus the fantasy realm and attention whoring. It was mildly fun.
Subaru: Wait a minute…
Eleanor finished getting the drinks, carrying back Fuze Tea, Diet Coke, and Sweet Tea to the running SUV.
Eleanor: C'mon, Kazu's waiting in the car.
Subaru watched her walk through the Agents at work and open the door. He stepped to the fountain and raised his cup to the Fanta, but decided against it, and dispensed Pib instead.
He dispensed a bit of ice and sealed the cup with a lid and straw.
Subaru, in English: Good job guys.
The occupied people gave no attention to the sanpaku-eyed boy, focusing at their jobs on hand.
Subaru carefully walked through the Agents opened the door for Emilia. She stepped outside and he opened the rear right door. Kanku and Eleanor were in the front seats, sipping on their drinks.
Emilia stepped in and Subaru closed the door. He went around and got in his chair once again. Eleanor passed Emilia her requested drink, and Subaru took a sip of his Pib.
Kanku looked at the rearview display and backed up, driving back to his house. Eleanor was scrolling through her phone and Emilia was gazing into the infinite expanse of the modern world.
Subaru silently sipped his soda, finishing it as Kanku backing up the SUV next to the truck.
Kanku: Leave the cups if you want. Its good to have spare cups in the car.
He shifted the car into park and turned it off, stepping out after finishing his drink, leaving the cup in the center cupholder.
Subaru, Emilia, and Eleanor put their empty cups in their cupholders. Subaru stepped out to open Emilia's door and offered his hand.
She grabbed his hand and stepped down once again, producing a light frosty aura to cool them down. Eleanor got out and saw Kanku walk towards them.
Kanku, in Japanese: Everyone got their eyes, ears, head, arms, legs, ass, clothes, guns, and gear?
Emilia, innocently in Japanese: What's "ass"?
Subaru, in Japanese: A vulgar word meaning someone's rear end.
Emilia, embarrassed: Oh.
Eleanor: It's already 1:32 hurry up before Brass tries to cut our checks.
Kanku, smugly: That's a you problem, I'm the one with DNI level clearance and authority. If lf they tried to dock me, I could drain their accounts within the hour. Don't worry, if they dock you guys, I always have some extra cash on hand.
Subaru: You guys get paid?
Eleanor: Quarter Mill USD on some jobs.
Subaru: Daaaamn.
Emilia, in Japanese: Subaru, how much would "USD" be worth in Lugunin coins?
Subaru: Doing some mental math… 1 yen is about a cent… a copper is about 10 yen… add 1 zero with each denomination up… 250,000 USD is about 25 thousand Holy Coins, or 2.5 Million Yen.
Emilia: That's so much money. I wonder how many people we could feed with that much.
Subaru: As long as you don't try and create animals, I'm fine. I've already seen Daphne's weaker eye and promised her that I'd kill every Great Ma-Beast. The Black Serpent is the only one left on the list, unless she made some other secret one, like a bug, spider, or something related to that.
Emilia: Daphne is The Witch of Gluttony, right?
Subaru: And a small girl with dull grey hair that's strapped into a walking coffin with tentacles.
Emilia: A small girl is a Witch? How could that be?
Subaru: She created all the Ma-Beasts with the purpose of food. The Whale is large enough to feed city the size of Lugunica Capital for about a month; The Bunny is an infinite supply; The Snake is inedible, but it acts as population management. I've never seen The Snake, but I've heard the stories… and your account of its attack on Elior.
Kanku: Alright, lets go.
*SNAP*