Author's note: Re:Zero and Ghost Rider are not mine as they respectfully belong to their respective owners, except for my OC.
Chapter 2
…Are you all gonna sit there and not ask any questions?
All citizens were looking around as the screen slowly heal itself from the "fire" before something ask them again. Subaru was looking around the room before he decided to calm down and put on the bravest face he ever made and ask the question "W-who are you?"
An easy question, I'm simply a being that finally could bring you all here to watch something.
As the booming yet gentle voice reaches everyone's ears, everyone begins to look confused at the sentence. They were all summoned here to watch something? Watch what exactly?
"And what do you want us to watch, exactly?" Reinhard ask the question that was on everyone's mind with determination as his hands no longer held the swords as it has been shethe into the scabbard
Well obviously, Natsuki Subaru
"Big bro? What he got to do with this?" Felt asked but was given no answer.
"And why should mineself should watch the half-devil knight?" Priscilla ask that caused a few glare at her, especially from the Emilia's camp.
Well, that was rude, but there is something he got to do with this…especially…his 'gift'…
Everyone was beyond confused as the disembodied being was suggesting, or stating, that Subaru Natsuki, the knight of Emilia the half-elf, has something to do with this mystery.
"Natsuki-san, wha-natsuki-san?" Otto was about to ask what the being meant with a confused expression, only to change it to further confusion as he saw Subaru hunching in his seat with both his hands holding the side of his head.
"Oi, capt'n, ar' ya okay?!" Garfield show his worries as he heard his brother breathing with rapid succession.
Subaru on the other hand…was not ok
Shit, shit, shit,SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!IF THE BEING IS CORRECT THEN THAT'S MEAN WE GONNA BE WATCHING SOMETHING THAT IS RELATED TO 'RETURN BY DEATH'!...then that's mean…the chance of them seeing 'that'...oh god.
But, that will be another time…
Subaru stop hyperventilating at the sudden news as he slowly look up at the now-healed screen with a single thought "What?"
Today, we will be watching 'Subaru' journey instead.
"And what exactly does that mean if i may ask?" Julius asks with confusion in his voice before a second later an answer arise.
"I think he meant me"
The voice, that cold and hollow with trails of gravel voice, send chills to everyone in the theater as they look at the source…was the shorter, flame-adorn, skeleton before it, no, he extinguish the flame as the exact copy of the half-elf knight's face replaced the skull and turns his head towards the 'Greatest Knight' as he look at him with emotionless eyes.
"O-oh, is that so? Then thank you for answering my question,...uhm…"
"Subaru. Subaru Natsuki"
"A-ah of course, but may I ask, How do you know that it will be about you, subaru?"
'Subaru' look at for a couple of seconds with emotionless eyes before slowly turning his head back towards the screen before answering:
"Firstly, the being said that we would be watching something about Subaru Natsuki…secondly, he emphasis my name so I was only guessing that it will be me instead…and thirdly…I no longer have that 'gift'"
All of the people within the theater blink at the explanation of this Subaru as they all realized that he was making sense…and were silent at how his voice was so hollow…hollower than the empty sockets of his…skeletal form.
Even so…they woner…what's Subaru Natsuki's 'gift'?"
Before we watch, there are other people I need to bring here and with a few twists and…..there.
A 'plop' sound was heard that brought the attention of others to look at the direction of the source and two people widen their eyes.
-It was the rest of the emilia's camp…including the awoken maid.
"R-rem?"
"Rem?"
Both Crusch and Subaru widen their eyes, not at the margrave nor his pink hair servant, at the blue hair maid as all three look around the room with confusion until all three settle their eyes on their lady's knight.
"Barusu! What is the meaning of this?!" Ram yell at the knight with anger before she blink as her face replaced with confusion as subaru begins to walk towards her sister…wait, sister?
As Subaru continues to walk towards the blue hair maid, everyone, except for the 'subaru' and the skeleton who continues to watch the screen, felt sudden pain as some begin to hold their head whilst other simply blink…before they realize something…they have forgotten as they whipped their head towards the blue hair maid.
"WAI'TA MINUTE, REM!"
"REM-SAN!"
"REM!"
Almost all members, except Beatrice who is now following Subaru from behind, of Emilia's camp yell out as they look at the blue hair maid as the said maid was confused…before showing more confusion as her sister was hugging her with all her might.
"S-sister?"
"REM! I'M SO SORRY!"
"H-huh?"
Rem's eyes switch from her sister, Ram, to her hero who is now standing in front of her..why was he crying?
"Subaru-kun?"
"R-rem…is that…is that really you?"
"S-subaru-kun? O-of course it's-"
-Before rem could finish what she was saying to her hero, another new face stood in front of her…it was subaru?
"S-subaru-kun?" She was beyond confused at how did another subaru-kun appear out of nowhere as this 'subaru' just "drop" down in front of her…although they look like a clone, this one was soulless as she saw nothing in his eyes.
'Subaru' look at Rem for a couple of second…before tearing Ram out of her hugging session away from Rem before standing in a defensive position.
"?!"
After stumbling a bit backward from the light push of 'Subaru', Subaru and Ram are now standing behind 'Subaru' with 'Subaru' eyes staring at Rem. Rem was a bit shaken from the resemblance to her hero but was shocked at his eyes for it was…hollow…so hollow.
"..." Silence filled the room after 'Subaru' took action. All members of Emilia's camp, excluding Roswaal, were on guard for their fellow members, as well as Crusch Camp who wanted to defend their allies. Julius and the, well not all, Iron Fang stood in front of their lady to protect her from harm which goes the same for Felt camp and Priscilla camp…although Priscilla look intrigued than worried.
1 second…nothing
2 seconds…nothing
3 seconds…nothing
4 second…'Subaru' turn around and left towards his seat.
-As soon as he did that, Subaru jump in and hug Rem with tears streaming down his face.
After with the news of Crusch have her memories returned, which cause Felix to bawl his eyes out but stop after a while, Al was the first one to spoke up after seconds of silence "So…no what?"
The second after what Al said, the screen flickers…which causes Priscilla to kick the ex-gladiator and stomp upo his helmet as he laid on the ground "Aldebaran, what did i say?"
"...Only walk when you allowed it?"
"Next time mineself won't be so merciful, does your rotten ear hear ?"
"Yes, ma'am"
The screen flickers before showing the warehouse where Subaru was in the current situation…fighting Elsa.
"Huh? This is when-"
"-When big bro and big sis fighting against the bitc-"
"Felt-sama!" Reinhard cut Felt's continuation of words as she cut off Emilia's sentence with worries
"But it's true!" Felt yelled at her knight while some of the others seated are surprised at the fact that Subaru have fought and survive the infamous Bowel Hunter. Subarus on the other hands…one was surprised that it shows this and was almost went into panic mode before remembering it's not about him, the other is…calm…and cold.
The assassin and Subaru begin their 'dance of death' as they fight with Elsa being the more experienced dancer while Subaru is the opposite.
Emilia's camp, Crusch camp, and few other begins to cheer on the boy in the foreign suit as he fights against the assassin in the warehouse. Others were calm and calculative as some relaxed since the subaru they knew is currently alive…before they realized something…this is not about their Subaru.
Subaru raised the club over his head as he yell with the intention of distracting her to kick her…but when he try, it resulted in his foot being grabbed by the Bowel Hunter herself.
Some of the members of the theater begins to have their eyes widen while other…weren't caring much.
Subaru begins to flash an exhausted smile with a sigh as he remembers this situation…thankfully Reinhard would come to save the day.
The bowel hunter smile with sickening sweets as she raised the blade over her head with the intention to inflict an action on the boy that earn her title…before a sound interrupted her blade from striking down the poor boy
"NEIGHHHH-"
"Eh?" Wait a minute, Reinhard does NOT make a neigh of a horse…and horse doesn't exist in their world!
"Hm~?" Elsa shifted her pupils at the source of the noise…before she releases Subaru's leg and dodges out of the way of the impact that struck the wall which causes dust to cover the surroundings as Subaru grunted and laid back up…to see something after the dust die down.
"A chain?" Subaru voiced out what everyone thought about what they saw…a chain.
"So, a chain can also be used as a weapon huh? That's new" Subaru commented as he thought of the possibility about the usability of a chain as a weapon.
"It's kinda unethical to use it alone" Ricardo voiced out his thought as a warrior since he never saw someone use a chain without the head of a morningstar attach to it
The chain stays connected - piercing the wall until the next seconds it was pulled back into the palm of a fingerless glove which cause Subaru, Emilia, and Elsa to follow the chain before their sight was onto…him. Standing there with the door behind him as flames bursting out of every crevice of the clothing he wore as he look at Elsa with its haunting and hollowed eyes.
Everyone in the theatre felt nothing more but chill and fear as they look at the eyes of the taller skeleton's eyes.
Emilia and her camp widen their eyes at how hollow it is and…how much fury it radiated. If Subaru don't know what the screen was for, he is certain that the skeleton was right in front of him.
Crusch was no better as she begins to shake minimally while wilhelm was calm with Felix was leaning back as far away from the screen.
Julius was an exception as he have swore to protect his lady with all cost…but the rest of his lady camp was a bit fidgety with the two young member was practically facing away the screen by burrowing themselves in the chest of their leader.
Felt has seen many things since as a thief and a slum-dweller, she would seen it later anyway…but never in her life she would see this. Reinhard held her lady's hand as she begins to shake as Reinhard look back at the screen with one sentence in his mind "What a terrifying aura"
Priscilla and Al… wasn't caring much…not quite. Al was sweating bullets under his helmet as he is now worries for the safety of his bro.
Roswaal on the other hand, with the maids by him showing no emotion, was intrigued by this being.
"Ah~, what an honor!" Elsa released Subaru's legs as she does a roundhouse kick to Subaru's stomach which cause Subaru to hit the wall with his back and fallen to the ground.
"!" Emilia reacted with worries as she saw Subaru got kicked
"Subaru!/Cap'n!/Natsuki-san!Subaru-kun" The member of the Emilia's camp shows concern as they yell for Subaru
"Hey, hey guys. I'm here and alright you know?" Subaru grab Emilia by the shoulder, which caused her to look at Subaru before she breathe an air of relief as well as the other member as they soon realized that the knight of their liege is still safe and sound.
"..." the skeleton stay silence…before lifting his hands as he pointed at the Bowel Hunter before a deep and rough sound flow through the mouth of the skeleton "Sinner"
"Fufu~so it is true~" Elsa prepare her position to strike after open her mouth to say "Elsa Granhiert, the Bowel Hunter"
"...Ghost Rider…"
"Ghost Rider?" Subaru pondered at the name
"It sounds really scary" Emilia sounded scared which made some of the members in the theatre nod alongside her with that statement
One second…two seconds…three seconds…on the fourth Elsa jumped towards the wall next to her before bouncing off it and with blinding speed, jumped towards the Rider with her blade to make contact with the legends itself…only to be stopped as the 'Ghost Rider" have the reflex of light speed as he caught Elsa with his hands which is now enveloped around the Bowel Hunter throat and Elsa…is unable to free from the legend's grip.
"THA'FUCK!?" Garfield was flabbergasted by the fact that the Bowel Hunter was stuck with a mere chokehold of the skeleton. Garfield has fought her back in the mansion, which was extremely challenging…and here in front of his eyes, the skeleton got the bitch in black in his grip.
"Garfield! Language!" Frederica yell out at her younger sibling for using a language that was unacceptable…which she realized she not the only one.
"Holy shit!"
"Felt-sama!"
Elsa tried to free her from the grip of the monster but failed after a few try before stabbing the beast with her kukri…which doesn't do anything…and worst when she pulled it out, her kukri has melted away.
"Dam'" Ricardo said after a whistle from his jaw. He went through time being stabbed in his early career and it was painful. So when there's someone that can melt away the weapon of the enemies and was still alive after being stabbed in the head? He has to be impressed…he's not the only one.
"Wow!Skelly is strong!" Mimi was excited to see someone so powerful that making a person known as the Infamous Bowel Hunter looks like a child.
"..."
Elsa tried to perform a maneuver to dislocated his arm…but to her surprise, the moment she touches his arm, she was immediately burned as her clothing lost its fabric and shows her arm…which lost some of it's muscle and skin as it begins to shows some bones.
Frederica cover the eyes of Petra, the youngest maid and still maid-in-training of the Mather mansion, as Petra look away front he gruesome sight.
"What are you doing?" Felt asked
"Protecting your innocence, my lay" Reinhard said
"I'm not a kid, rein!"
"You killed…many…"
Elsa tried to do all in her might to get out of this bastard's grip but still to no avail as he continue to talk.
"Yet…no guilt"
"Obviously dear, now, can you put me down like-"
Before Elsa can continue, she felt something wrapping around her and when she look down…it was the chain.
"Then…physical pain"
Within a seconds, Elsa combust in flame as she screams with the highest pitch that she could possibly made.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH–"
The scream…shock to everyone's core as questions…and a realization begins to rise-If this…monster could made the infamous Bowel Hunter scream like that?...then they don't want to meet this being.
Question and question begins to popped inside all minds
Who is that?
What is that?
Who or what is it fighting for?
…And can i make it join my camp?
The only two that doesn't seems to be affected by the scream…were the 'guests'. They did nothing as they watched the screen…not talking…no jokes…just their hollow eyes watching the screen.
The Ghost Rider grip his chain as he begins to swirl the chain like a lasso…with Elsa still wrapped in it. The ghost rider continues the flaming vortex before using all his might, as he throws the bowel hunter through the roof of the loot house as she is now flown away from the rider.
Everyone felt dread…but not as much as Subaru.
"Holy shit!" Subaru thought as he look at the screen with his jaw slightly open from the view he saw. The Bowel Hunter, the one that caused his death for the first time, was thrown away as if she was a toy.
The ghost rider look through the roof for a while. Subaru and Emilia was looking at the newcomer with their jaws hanging open…before subaru shook his head and begin to stand up. Which cause the Ghost Rider to look at him…and begins to walk towards him
"!" all of Subaru's friends begins to felt worry for the poor knight as the ghost rider is walking towards him…while Subaru was having a thought…
"Wait-" he looks at the other Subaru before realizing something as he widen his eyes
Emilia tried to rush towards Subaru but was stopped by a wall of flame erupted from below in front of her which cause her to stop as she widen in fear of the person behind it…while Subaru on the other hand.
"Shit" he continue to look for a way to run and when he tried, another wall of flame erupted from below - blocking his path…and when he turns towards the ghost rider…he was in front of him.
"Subaru/Subaru-kun!" Two women that he love so much was yelling for him through the screen.
"Emilia-tan! Rem! I'm still here you know?!"
Subaru widen his eyes in fear as he look at the hollow eyes of the skeleton before him. This was it, he's gonna die, and the chance to know the name of the elven crush that he first met, never ot know the name of the first person to show him kindness in this world…so he closed his eyes and waited for his faith…wait why does he felt something on my his chest.
"Wha?" He open his eyes and look at the skeleton…to see put the skeleton put his hands on Subaru's chest for a seconds, before the skeleton twist his wrist and hands as is he was opening a lock with a key…the skeleton put his hands down as Subaru felt nothing.
"...huh?" Some of the member said…whihc kinda irritate Subaru.
"What do you mean 'huh?' ?! do you want something to happen to me?!" Subaru yell with no malicious intent…ok, just maybe a little.
Emilia and some his closest friends releases a breath of relief as nothing hap-
"Ah-"
That single word make everyone look up to see Subaru, on the screen, is on his knees as he slowly grabbed his head while the Subaru that sitted next to Emilia have a deadpanned and expected look as it written on his face the sentence 'I knew it'
"-ah. Ah. AH. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH-" Subaru screams as he look up into the skies which the screen follows to show everyone his face…which was burning.
"Oh my Od" Frederica, Otto, julius, crusch, said as they look at their friend and ally burn alive with a horrified look.
"CAP'N!" Garfield widen his eyes as he look at his captain as he jump out of his seat and tried to move forward but was stopped by an invisible forced whihc made him feeling a bit useless. Since he is his shield…and seeing his friend and brother on fire and in agony was something.
"Od sake…" Ricardo hide their triplets into his chest and made them voided the sight while the old butler was looking with sadness and pain in his eyes…who wouldn't? Seeng someone that he felt like was his grandson combust in flames was lke torutes
The knights in the theatre was gripping their armrest as they watches someone they knew, an innocent and a knight, walking through the pian of being burn alive. Reinhard, julius, and felix was frowning at the sight with the redhead was thinking of a sentence "And once more, i'm late…"
Petra was looking away by burying her face into frederica as waterfalls was erupted from her sockets by the scream…she would be haunted by this forever.
Roswaal has his eyes widen. For 400+ years, he once was urned by an enemy since he was distracted…and the pain was unbearable as he, for the first time, sympathizes for the boy.
The twins was no better. Ram, may appear emotionless, was horrified beyond belief. Seeing the boy that she sees as he your brother, burned alive? Will plague her minds forever. And Rem, was putting her hands over her mouth as floods of tears spill out of her widen sapphire eyes over her hero screams of agony, with hint of anger towards the skeleton on the screen and on his seat far away. Sadly she was too occupied by the scream to attempt to kill him.
Same could be said for Beatrice, as she look away with a horrified look as she hug subaru as she sit on his laps with tears endlessly pouring down.
The candidate, exception of Priscilla who look emotionless, was not ok.
Crusch, seeing someone who was the vital point of defeating the white whale and an ally, was heartbreaking as she frowned at the sight and scream of the half-elf knight. Anastasia, despite not really close to the boy, felt pity for him as she could not imagine the pain of being burn alive. Felt was horrified by the sight on the screen as tears begins to spill out of her ruby sockets as she tremble at the scream of her big-bro.
Emilia was devastated.
Subaru was her knight and her first friend she ever made. He is someone she cared with all her heart as he never saw her as witch, but as Emilia - see her as…her. Subaru was someone who have give confidence and had help her with everything he has. Now, in front of her, was a friend she trust burning before her eyes.
As she look at the screen with widen eyes and tears spilling all over like a a cup of water spilled over the floor, she felt something on her shoulder. It was warm…and because of that, she blinked and look at what bothering her…to find her knight smiling at her before saying:
"You do know that's not me, right?" he said with kindness and love for the women he fall for
"B-but-"
"No but, and don't worry" Subaru said with a soft and gentle voice, doing it to calm the lov
"How can I not worry?!" Emilia yell which got the attention of everyone…the calm one that is.
"Well, like i said it's not me…and secondly-" Subaru look over towards the other Subaru "-he still alive isn't he?"
This got the attention of everyone as one piece of information that dawn on them all…this subaru survive…
"ARGHHHHHHH." Subaru scream as bit of flesh and skin slowly burn as it revealing his skull before the scream stop and he begins to grunt for a while to endure the pain…before he laugh
"HA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-"
…and has…
Subaru continues to laugh as the skull begins to show through the skins and flesh as most of them are now gone…And before he knew it, Subaru's flesh and skin have all burned to charred…and was now nothing more but a flaming skeleton like the ghost rider before him…
…becomes like him.
…Subaru slowly lifted his head and look at the screens with his hollow eyes before the screen went black as a title appear instead.
Re: Penance.
Release the world from sins
Thank you for reading. Remember to favorite and follow the story if you want to see more. Cya next chapter.