Before you guys jump in I have something I want to explain how I plan to write perspectives in this story. For now, my plan is to pretty frequently, like once every chapter or so, write a significant portion of the chapter from another character's point of view. So if you don't like it when I do that, I don't know what to tell you. I like it so I'm going to do it. Part of the fun of writing this story is other characters reacting to greed Subaru. So if that isn't a deal-breaker in this story enjoy. P.S. this one took me a bit longer because this is about one thousand words longer than intended, so sorry about that, I guess. P.P.S. Sorry if the grammar is off. That's pretty much my last concern when I'm writing.
"Appas?" Asked Subaru. He quickly began to search around him. He felt at the tracksuit covering him. What the hell? Before Subaru could examine anything else he was interrupted.
"Yeah, kid I was asking you if you wanted any Appas." The shopkeeper explained to the confused boy. Before Subaru could respond the man continued. "Hey, you just went really pale did something happen kid?" The man inquired.
"Yeah, nothing to worry about I'm perfectly fine," Subaru said trying to force his mouth into a smile. The man just stared at him eyes darting around the boy's face.
"Kid-" the man tried to say something.
"Hey is there a girl around her blue hair about yay hi-" Subaru went to make a gesture about the girl's height. As he raised his right hand to show how tall she was he heard a sound. A sound that most from his world would consider normal. But for Subaru, it hurt more than the great rabbit. It was a soft rustle. A sound native to Subaru's world. It was the sound a plastic bag made when it was being moved.
When he heard the sound and registered what it was his eyes expanded. It was as if he'd been hit in the gut by a ground dragon. No please no. Don't be true. That was the last thing that moved through Subaru's mind before he felt a blunt pain in his knees.
"No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No, no, no, no, no no no no no no." Subaru said falling to his knees and trying to deny it. Desperation filled his voice.
"Kid are you ok? What happened?" The salesman asked rushing over he grabbed Subaru's empty hand trying to help him get up. "C'mon kid you need to get up." He dragged Subaru up. "Mhm." The salesman grunted as he struggled to pull him up.
Inside of Subaru's mind, he hadn't even registered the man trying to help him. No please, please, please, please. Why, Why, Why, Why? Rem. Rem. Rem. Rem. Rem. Rem. Outside of Subaru's mind, he began to mumble. "Rem. Rem. Rem. Rem. Rem. Rem. Rem."
Outside of Subaru's mind, the appa salesman had picked up Subaru and proceeded to place him behind his shop. The appa man sat him up. "Hmmm." The man said vocalizing his thoughts. After he was done thinking the man went around the market streets. Picking up any loose pieces of straw he could find. After ten minutes of carefully gathering straw, he began to walk back to his appa stand.
When he arrived at his stand he looked at the boy. He was just sitting there softly mumbling the word Rem over and over again. The appa man's eyes searched around. Examining the strange clothes. An odd suit and pants covered the boy. In his right hand, he held a bag full of strange items.
Then finally his eyes settled on the boy's face. And in his mind, he thought: What the hell happened kid. You looked happy maybe a little confused but at least you didn't look like a corpse. While he was thinking this the man's eyes began to look emptier, and his mouth was turning down into a frown. Better make sure you're comfortable at least.
He kneeled over placing the straw behind his back and under his legs. The man commented, "There now that should be a little more comfortable. Hopefully, you get better kid. Then you better get out, otherwise, you're gonna scare away all my customers!"
A few hours later, with the sun dipping down towards the horizon a young girl was visible. She was walking along with her mother towards a certain appa stand. "Hey, dad!" The little girl called. She was talking to the man who ran the appa stand. She began to run over stopping when she saw a boy. He was whispering to himself. She gazed at him. Her mouth began to twist into a frown, her eyes growing glassy tears forming in the corners.
"Oh, he's just some broke kid who collapsed in front of my shop." The man said dismissing the boy as unimportant but his eyes told a different story. The man stared down into the floor as if guilty. Maybe it's something I said to the kid.
"Oh." The girl said looking downward. Then she began to step forward. She leaned in closer to him and she said, "Hey mister you should go home it's getting dark an-"Before she could finish the sentence she backed away eyes widening. When she'd said the word dark the boy's eyes had snapped into focus. Cold eyes, determined eyes. Before she could say anything else she was forced another two steps backward. As if fleeing from those eyes. All the boy said in response to all this was one name:
"Emilia-tan."
Inside the boy's mind, an entirely different interaction had taken place. Rem, Rem, Rem, Rem, Rem. Then a girl walked up to him. Breaking him out of his trance slightly. It was the first external stimuli he'd noticed since the sound of the plastic bag. Is she that the girl? The one that Emilia-tan and I helped. Emilia-tan. Where is Emilia-tan? And then she spoke those words, and he listened almost idly trying to flee into his mind again.
Then, she said the phrase: "It's almost dark." Dark. Dark. Dark. His mind flashed to another place. He was in a dark room. A shadowy woman. His gut cut open. His bowels tumbling out. Emilia falling next to him he reached over grabbing her hand. He promised to save her.
Worthless, worthless you did it again Natsuki Subaru. Someone is going to suffer because you couldn't get out of your mind. Another memory flashed through his mind. He was chained up in a dark cave. There was a madman standing before Subaru. Looming over him. She's going to die because you were too afraid to face the world. Idiot, you let her suffer. She is going to suffer. They are going to suffer. Images of Felt and Rom covered in blood. Only I should suffer. That's why I was given this power. Only Me. Only Me. Only Me. All this thinking had only taken a few seconds before he let out the word:
"Emilia-tan"
The girl backed away even further seeing the look in his eyes. Now it was time for Natsuki Subaru to come to a decision. It took him seconds. She suffers in this timeline because of me. Because of Me.
"Hey, kid you finally awake?" The man said wrapping his arm around his frantic daughter. "Are you gonna be ok?" The man got no response. It didn't even look like the kid was acknowledging him. "Can you relax and stop scaring my daughter." The man asked growing defensive.
In response, Natsuki Subaru looked at the man. Subaru said, "I'm sorry that I've caused both of you pain." With that Natsuki Subaru closed his mouth and clenched his jaw.
"Kid what are you going on about?" The man asked. Subaru didn't give a response. After a few moments of total silence, Subaru's body gave out. Collapsing on the stones of Lugunica's streets. Consciousness fled the young boy. The salesman moved forward trying to catch Subaru's falling body. But he was too slow. The boy's body hit the ground a dull thud sounding out. "What the fuck?" The man asked he was so shocked he didn't care his daughter was right next to him.
Before he could ask any more questions the boy's mouth relaxed. His lips parted. Blood gushed forth. The man reacted immediately covering his daughter's eyes. But he wasn't fast enough she had already begun sobbing from the sight. The blood washed out running across the cobblestone street. When the blood had cleared a little more the man recoiled. Eyes widening bile rising in his throat.
Right there on the street, right in front of the boy's open mouth was his tongue. The boy had bitten off his own tongue.
The man began to throw up he couldn't hold in the disgust. What did I just see? The man could barely believe it.
"Mmm." The man hissed a tearing pain could be felt in his chest. The man couldn't decide if it felt like being pushed back or being left behind.
"Hey boy, you want this Appa?" The only response Subaru gave was a determined stare. Then to the salesman's dismay, he walked off without a word.
Subaru began walking in the direction he remembered the slums being. He walked along busy streets full of market stands and salesmen. Two men haggling away endlessly to his right, but Subaru could barely hear them. He was embroiled in thought.
Why am I here? All the way back to the first day? Why? Is it because I killed myself? Couldn't be I've done that more times than I can count. Was it the contract breaking? Was Echidna holding back Satella somehow?
When he thought of the name Satella he remembered something. A memory from right before he'd been returned here. Standing in the garden of shadows Satella herself standing there. Proclaiming her love again. Before that, I hadn't seen her since she surrounded me in shadows in the sanctuary. Was Echidna really holding off Satella? Maybe. It was definitely Satella that sent me back here but why? Why here why not to the save point with Rem next to me. Rem. Rem.
Before Subaru's mind could collapse again he heard a voice. "Hey, kid hand over everything you've got." Subaru looked up at the voice. Standing before him were three men. One a lanky man with a pointed chin. The man to the right was bulky a large man. And on his left was somebody that in most settings wouldn't be considered a man. He was extremely short. And if not for the look in his eyes most would think he was a child. Subaru's eyes moved from left to right examining the men analyzing them. The same chilling look was present the whole time.
"Really?" That was the word that came out of Subaru's mouth upon completing his assessment of them. In Subaru's mind, he was thinking, not again. Are these really the only damn muggers in the whole capital? Outside of Subaru's head he just stared unblinkingly.
In response to the look in Subaru's eyes the bulky man on the right backed away a little. The look in the boy's eyes made his bones feel cold. "Hey, I've got a bad feeling about this one maybe we should leave." He whispered to the man in the center.
"What are you talking about idiot? It's three on one and I've got two knives." He reprimanded the bulky man pulling out his Knives. "Hm. What are you gonna do now?" He asked pointing at the boy. But when he looked into the boy's eyes. His own eyes widened. The hair on his arms was standing up. The boy hadn't flinched. He was looking at the knives in the man's hands.
In Subaru's head he was thinking: Man does this guy really think I'm afraid of a knife. Plus I don't think a knife can protect him from Reinhardt. That thought solidified Subaru's course of action. He raised his right foot. Then slammed it into the ground. As if he was a bull getting ready to charge. The men all flinched. They took a step back as if pushed. And then Subaru raised his head inhaled. Got the words ready and:
"Hey move out of the way I'm coming through." Subaru looked at the source of the noise his eyes widening, once again Subaru was truly surprised.
It was a young girl. She had short blond hair that didn't go past her neck. And bright red eyes filled with a determination and ambition that was rare in most people. Before Subaru could call out to her his mind caught on something else. Wait if Felt is here then. Wait did I really take that long thinking about the circumstances. Rem. No, not now. Is this the same as the first loop? If that's the case.
Emilia-tan. That word stopped him from trying to stop Felt. Also, the realization that if he did try Felt would probably kill him. She had used her divine protection to do just that thousands of times. He remembered that night he tried to get her to run away from the royal selection. Another memory flashed in his mind it was Reinhardt's face when Subaru broke the news to him after the success of that loop. Reinhardt's face was full of pain, and the man's eyes were a glassy blue instead of a piercing blue.
But it was necessary with Reinhardt in our camp we were able to protect Priestella. We wouldn't have been able to do that if Felt was there. The same image flashed in Subaru's mind. Reinhardt the man he'd called a friend on the verge of tears. He looked tortured. Subaru had wanted to end the loop there and keep Felt in the royal selection. But a certain voice convinced him it was the best outcome. Where was that voice now? It was necessary. It was necessary. If Felt stayed he would've been even sadder when Emilia won the royal selection. Right? Echidna? Please.
While this thought process went on in Subaru's mind time hadn't frozen. Felt had run away towards twenty holy coins. Towards a better life. The three men had surrounded Subaru once more. They looked at the boy's eyes they had lost that chilling feeling. Now they were just vacant.
As the men stepped forward eyes narrowed. They backed up once more. The boy's eyes had lost that vacant stare. Now he was staring at something. The three men heard the sounds of light footsteps behind them. No, the boy was looking at someone. Emilia-tan. It was the only thought in his mind.
All three men looked into the boy's eyes as if deciding whether to run or continue the mugging. When they looked into his eyes they were a little surprised, and a little relieved too. The boy's eyes had softened slightly they weren't bone-chilling. But there was still an incredible coldness to them. They were still the eyes of a corpse.
"That's enough." The three would-be muggers pivoted turning around to see the source of the words. It was a girl clothed in an outfit of rich purples and radiant whites. She had shining silver hair flowing down her back. Her eyes were a soft blue surrounded by a deep purple. She was one of the two women in the world that could either be seen as extremely beautiful or the ugliest in the world.
Emilia-tan. Subaru thought as he looked upon the girl standing before them. She stood confident, in-control, and independent. An image flashed through Subaru's mind. It was Emilia healing the wounds on his neck. She asked where he got them. And before he knew it her neck was bent backward. Her mana threatening to freeze the mansion.
"And just who in the hell are you?" The lanky man questioned. His eyes narrowed. C'mon, I just wanted to rob this idiot kid. And now another girl has to come to interrupt.
"Stop now and I'll forgive you." The woman declared. Her eyes narrow. Her feet firmly planted. She continued, "If you would be so kind as to give back what you stole."
"You can't be serious." The bulky mugger replied. He let out a quick sigh. I was right robbing this kid is not worth it.
"Please it's very important to me." She requested. "I'll turn the other cheek concerning the other belongings but I can't let you have that, so hand it over." She demanded.
"You mean you didn't come to save this kid?" The bulky man asked. Gesturing to Subaru. When the mugger's eyes glanced to the man he saw the same thing as before. A boy with cold eyes, and a neutral face.
"What strange clothes he has, if you're asking me if I have any connection to him I'd have to say no." She responded.
She doesn't know me. She's independent. Why does she look happier? I needed to take on her suffering. She couldn't finish the first trial. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. She couldn't overcome the trials. Right? Please echidna. Echidna? Echidna?
"Well, then you've got no business with us little girl. If someone stole from you it was that brat who just ran by." He yelled pointing in the direction Felt had run.
"Yeah what he said she ran that way." The short man added.
"Hmm." The girl mused closing her eyes and thinking. "Those three don't appear to be lying, so I need to go after her." The girl thought to herself aloud before running in that direction. She ran past the men after what had been stolen. When she passed the men all three breathed a massive sigh of relief.
Right before the men could continue their mugging the girl stopped at the end of the alley and turning around. "But regardless of that, I can't overlook what's going on here." She said. Raising her hand mana from the atmosphere coalescing into her raised hand. Three distinct pieces of Ice formed. When they had been fully formed they bolted from her hand. They slammed into each mugger knocking all three to the ground.
The bulky and lanky man stood. The lanky man angrily yelled, "I don't care if you can use magic I'm gonna kill you. You think you can win when it's two against one. Do you?"
"Indeed. Two against one may be unfair." She responded so calmly it almost came off as smugness.
"Alright, then two against two should even things up." The girl raised her hand as a new voice came into the conversation. A spirit in the shape of a cat appeared on the girl's outstretched hand. "Meow." He added. Striking a pose.
PUCK. PUCK. PUCK. PUCK. PUCK. She needed you. I had to take on all her suffering. That suffering wouldn't be there if you hadn't abandoned her. It's your fault Puck. Your fault Puck. Your fault. I had to take on the suffering you left behind.
"You use the spiritual arts." The bulky mugger observed.
"Correct retreat now and I won't chase you. Decide quickly I'm in a hurry." The girl warned.
"You bitch next time I see you I won't go easy on you." The lanky man threatened.
"Do anything to her and I'll haunt you and your kin forever." The cat warned. "Not that you'll have any kin if I take care of things now."
Both men gasped. Their backs straightened. The bulky man immediately began to run. The lanky man followed. Stopping right before he left the alley as if forgetting something he quickly bent over to grab his collapsed friend. Once his friend was firmly in his grasp he ran off.
The girl turned to leave. She was in a hurry after all. She needed to find something important to her. "Thank you." The boy said. The girl froze mid-step. She turned to look at the boy her eyes wide. When she looked into his eyes she didn't flinch, she didn't back away, and her eyes didn't fill with tears. Her expression simply turned to a frown with eyebrows pointed down. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could a grey cat interrupted,
"Lia it's rude to just forget about someone that's standing right in front of you." The cat admonished, "Apologize to the boy."
"I'm sorry." The girl said she sounded flustered. "But there is something I need to ask you. Do you know who stole my insignia?" She asked crossing her arms.
"It was the girl with the blonde hair that just ran by here. She was wearing clothes from the slums." He said eerily certain. In his mind, he began to think. Emilia-tan. Maybe if I complete this loop, then she'll understand why I helped her.
She looked to the cat. Eyes questioning. "I'm not getting any malicious intentions." He said shrugging.
"Alright, then I'm gonna need you to answer all of my questions to the best of your ability." She declared. "You see I only saved you so I could ask you these questions. It was entirely for my benefit."
"Ok." The boy responded seemingly unfazed by the whole situation.
"How do you know so much about this girl? Are you working with her?" The girl asked.
"No, I'm not working with her. It's just that she stopped before running past us so I got a pretty good look at her." The boy said. His eyes, face, and body language remained the same while he was saying it.
If she understands me, then maybe I'll… Subaru was interrupted before he could finish the thought.
"Well you don't seem to be lying do you know which way she went." The girl asked.
"Yeah, I can probably lead the way." He responded. At this, she looked up hopeful. But there's another look there. What is that? Subaru wondered.
"Wait no, no, no." She said waving her hands. "You don't need to help me the information you've given me is compensation enough for saving you."
"No, it isn't." He said. I need to do so much more to return the debt for all the suffering I caused her. Only I should suffer not her. Not her. Only Me.
"So how bout I help you out for a little while and then we call it even." He offered. I need to do so much more. So much more. Maybe I should. I mean she already had to suffer the pain of saving me from those muggers. She doesn't need to understand me it's not a requirement. She just needs to not suffer. Maybe I should res-
"There is no malice on his end so you can probably accept. Also the more shields between you and the ruffians the better." The cat said eyeing Subaru.
"Alright fine if you insist. After all, I am getting more out of this transaction so it's favorable to accept it. See my reasoning is purely self-interested." She said crossing her arms.
"Alright, this way," Subaru said as he began to walk. Unfazed by the girl's fake selfishness.
"Wait, hey," the cat said pointing to the girl, "We've been pretty rude we haven't even introduced ourselves yet." I need to get that boy to open up a little. His attitude is throwing me off. And his intentions are all weird. There is no malice but- Never mind. Maybe introductions will help. Puck thought.
"Alright since I suggested it I should start." The cat offered. "I'm Puck nice to meet you." Puck said diving towards the boy. The boy caught the tiny cat casually as if he was expecting that.
"Wow. You're able to touch a spirit just like that, just who are you exactly?" The girls asked.
She's already worried. She is suffering. She shouldn't have to suffer being worried about who I am.
"My name is Natsuki Subaru." That isn't right what am I missing. She'll suffer more if I can't do this right. "And I'm completely broke." She's suffering. She is worried. Need to calm her down. Saving her in this loop would cause less suffering. There was something that always eased her suffering. What is it? What is it? Subaru struggled to remember something that had once come so naturally. What is it? Oh, right.
On the outside of Subaru's mind, a smile had begun to appear on his face. But it didn't appear normally. It was like a battle was going on. It took an agonizing moment for the smile to form. And when it did Subaru looked more worn out and in pain than happy.
The girl tilted her head. Her mouth turned into a frown. Dammit SUBARU. I made her suffer. She's in pain she shouldn't be in pain. All because you couldn't smile. Only I should suffer. ONLY ME. Subaru slackened his jaw. He pushed his tongue through his open teeth. His eyes took on a cold determined look.
An image flashed through his mind. It was the last time he had done this. The appa salesman was holding his daughter. They looked so sad. Why? Never mind. But for a tiny second Subaru hesitated. It seemed as if his entire mind and body hesitated. His knees hesitated in holding him up. His mind hesitated in coming to a decision. It felt like his heart hesitated.
"Hey, are you alright Subaru?" It was the girl. "It looked like you were about to collapse." She had a worried look in her eyes. "I can't have you collapsing until I get my compensation." Emilia-tan? She is worried. But she isn't sad. Dammit. My life is worth less than her being worried. Right? Subaru unable to decide slid his tongue back into its normal spot.
"Hey, now we've both introduced ourselves you should too." Puck said gesturing to the girl trying to cut the odd tension. What was that weird intention I just felt? Puck eyed the boy as he questioned the situation in his head. What is wrong with this kid? Wait, was he about to kill himself? What the hell?
"Yeah Puck's right. What is your name?" Subaru said. When he tried to add an upbeat tone to his voice Puck just looked at him. The girl was staring down the alleyway. Towards the direction Felt had run off to. She turned her head towards Subaru. She looked down a little. Eyes on the ground. She breathed in opened her mouth and said:
"It's, it's Satella."
And that's chapter 2 everyone I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry if it follows Arc 1 a little too closely for your tastes. Before you read more I should warn you I probably won't be diverging extremely far from the main story. The main differences will be the characters, as they are my main focus. So if you read for entirely plot reasons this arc may disappoint you. Although I've got some interesting stuff planned for the rest of the arcs. So maybe stick around a little while. Also, I should probably tell you my plans going forward, as of now I plan on writing this story up to arc 5 where I will end the story, either permanently or until Tappei writes more Web novel arcs. Just to sum it up most divergences from the main story will be in overall relationships and character development. But there will still be some sweeping changes to the remaining arcs. Arc 1 is basically unchangeable without completely throwing out most of the main story and making a new one. Which I probably am not ready to write yet. Anyway, those are my sort of temporary sort of concrete plans moving forward I'll update you guys if I change anything. But if none of that sounds deal-breaking enjoy the rest. Still no plans on dropping this. I honestly love writing this. Also, I've been notified by some readers that I am shit at grammar. They are definitely correct so if anyone wants to proofread this story before I publish it then PM me.