Capella Emerada Lugunica stroked Roy's hair; the boy was sitting on her lap, while she was on a cushioned chair Theresia and Kurgan had brought in. They'd also set up an ornate tent for this lovely lady. Her back was settled nicely into the cushion, and Roy settled nicely in her lap. She stroked his hair, and with each motion of her hand, Roy flinched. It was so cute. He truly loved her. Which reminded her, she needed to make sure Roy was on his best behavior today.
She pulled her gospel from her pocket and flipped it open. The text hadn't changed at all. With a bit of boredom, she studied its orders once more. They were quite…exact, likely coming from Pandora directly.
"You better remember these orders," Capella whispered in Roy's ear, "this is important. This lovely lady can't have you eating anyone you shouldn't."
"Yes, Mama," Roy said.
She giggled, jostling the gospel's pages.
Roy trembled, but not from her movement.
In reality it was from love.
"Ah, you're a good little child," she praised him with a light kiss on the top of his head. Roy whimpered out his love.
Knowing his utter devotion for her, she went back to refreshing herself on the plans.
"Roy," Capella said when she finished.
"Mama?" he turned to her. Pure love flashed in his eyes. He gulped, sweat beading on his forehead. His lips tilted up into a shaky smile. He was hers in every way. Nothing about him hid from her. So much affection came her way, making her so warm. She'd make everyone love her like Roy did.
Even Roy's sibling, that little blonde girl.
And Capella had an opportunity to make it happen. They both needed Roy. However, his fear of his Authority's greatest ability—Solar Eclipse—would hinder the boy's survival, especially if Natsuki Subaru had a proper defense prepared.
So measures had to be taken, "Roy."
"Mama?"
"Tell Louis Arneb that she better keep you alive or she'll be all alone."
Roy's loving expression melted away.
His body froze, except his eyes. They changed. Instead of loving her they analyzed, picked apart, made conclusions and judgements, took in every facet of the existence that was Capella Emerada Lugunica.
This wasn't the Bizarre Eating.
"Louis Arneb," Capella took her hand out of Roy's hair and laid it on the chair's armrest.
"Capella Emerada Lugunica," Louis made no expression as she spoke through Roy's body, "why are you threatening us? That's not very kind."
Capella opened her lips, but before she spoke, motion came, no attacks, no transgressions, nothing suspicious at all. Just Louis flexing Roy's face and bouncing up and down on Capella's leg.
As she cracked Roy's neck, Louis leaned toward her and said, "We will keep our useless sibling alive. If your pitiful self tries to threaten him, then…"
Capella threw back her head and laughed, "Hah! You can't kill this lovely lady. You're just a meatbag, like all the rest."
"Ooh, Capella, we have a question, do you reaaaaally think you're superior?" Louis' voice was in some odd middle-ground between mocking and genuine curiosity.
Capella didn't care which, she just answered with, "This lovely lady is superior. Because this lovely lady is Capella Emerada Lugunica, and you are nothing but a meatbag."
Louis leaned toward her, "Ah, you are indeed intelligent enough to grasp it. It is within your grasp. Wait, nevermind, you're just smart enough to feel superior but not really be. We get it now."
The Satiation licked its lips, and with childlike glee whispered, "Your pathetic self might suit our taste after all, ~tsu."
"Don't threaten me," Capella leaned forward as well, grasping Louis' meaning, "you can't do a thing unless Roy keeps letting you. It's not your body."
"Ah, finally you've spoken some truth. We didn't think it possible. Truly, it was out of the ordinary," Louis giggled and clapped, "You're right, you have nothing to worry about… unless…"
Capella leaned back and stared at her. What was Louis planning? She'd intended this to be a simple threat, but it had slipped away from her. That intuition deep within gave her the key to defeating Arneb.
Capella ignored the instinct.
Louis chuckled, "But don't worry, Onee-san. We were wrong, everyone does it, so don't blame us, don't be mad at us, don't be angry with us, don't hit us. We get it now, you can be correct. So you're not like Regulus. You're just mundane. Quite mundane. By all accounts mundane. Mundane by all metrics. Quite boring, you know. So we won't eat you, ~tsu."
"If you try any deception I'll make you hurt worse than Pandora wants me to hurt Natsuki Subaru."
Louis pulled back a few centimeters and stuck her tongue out, "Threatening us is uncalled for, and quite rude, but you don't understand manners anyway, Onee-san."
Her voice was so innocent. So childish. So mocking. So lacking in any seriousness. So annoying. So grating. So unbelievably anger inducing.
Capella grunted, grabbing Louis' neck and squeezing, "Threats? These aren't threats, these are promises, and I promise this lovely lady'll crush your throat, build it back, smash it again, turn it to—"
Louis poked her tongue out, stopping Capella.
The girl beamed up at her, "Hehe, hurt us all you want, but we won't feel it since it's not our body. It's not our body so we won't feel it. We can't experience you squeezing as it's not ours ~tsu. You're smart enough to realize that, right? Unless we misjudged again, and you're actually mundane and dumb."
"SHUT UP!" Capella squeezed tighter, "Stop talking in circles. You're going to love me. This lovely lady just has to find the right shape."
"The right shape? If you say so."
"Yes, the right shape," Capella whispered, as her flesh turned to mush. With the hands of her Authority she molded herself. At a guess she shrank her body down to Louis', earning a flex of the jaw. She was moving in the right direction then. Her skin shifted colors, brown was the one that made the Satiation's eyes twitch. Now, long or short hair? Short did nothing, long drew a tiny shifting of weight. Long it was.
Onto hair color. Louis only moved her lips for brown.
At a final guess, she heaped scars on.
With the image complete she'd drawn out the maximum response from Louis. No other form would stir her heart more.
Her sixth sense, the thing that had always given her the greatest advice, urged her to change course.
For the third time tonight she rejected it and held the form.
Only for Louis' annoying—fucking childish—voice to return, "Wow, that really is weak. You know how embarrassing that is, yes? To imitate such a useless sibling. Commendable participation though, that's good, right?"
Louis laughed while giving her applause.
Capella's intuition shifted, and she looked down, oh, she'd become Ley Batenkaitos by accident. She chuckled, pushing words from her mouth, "A useless sibling that is no longer caring for you. The person who was willing to do anything and everything for you, dead. Well we're him, for all purposes that matter, now."
"So far from the truth, and yet," Louis whispered, her look had gone long. There was a hint of a glassy sheen within her eyes.
"And yet this is someone you can love. We appear as them, so give this lovely lady your love."
"And yet…" Louis blinked, her eyes returned to normal, "just smart enough to be competent, but not smart enough to be self-aware. It's really saaaaaaaaaad."
"…Who do you think you are?"
Louis held her hands to her chin, lamenting, "So far from the truth of love, ~tsu. You're like a little puppy."
Capella's nails dug into her palms. This little bitch thought she could get away with this.
For the fourth time that instinct came.
For the fourth time she tuned it out.
"And yet…" Louis laughed to herself, "to be you. To have your own body. Your own everything, wait, that's sad. Only using it to search for people to obey you. Can we have a funeral for your potential?"
"This lovely lady should have a funeral for you."
Louis tilted her head, "And why's that, Onee-san?"
"Because this lovely lady seeks happiness," Capella gloated, "and can actually get it."
All the words did was make Louis' grin grow predatory, "Happiness? Hah. To have ultimate choice over your form. Ultimate choice over appearance. Appearance which falls to only one's own decision. And you choose Ley Batenkaitos. The Gourmet. That is not happiness, that is not joy, that is not—"
"This lovely lady chooses what she wishes."
"But you have no choice at all, you know."
"I have all the choice in the world."
"Don't worry Onee-san, we're sure that if you keep telling yourself that, it'll come true."
"Bitch! Let's see how you like to not being able to think at all," Capella grabbed Louis' arm, "this lovely lady will make you a husk of a thing."
Louis ignored her grasp, and reached up to Capella's face. The girl bopped her on the nose, "Okay Onee-san, we'll let you get back to your ordinary experience. So much potential, a Witch Factor, a member of the Royal Family, but still you ended up you."
Louis shook Roy's head, sighing, "Onee-san."
Before Capella could get a word in, Louis' eyes changed. Sweat formed on Roy's forehead and streamed down his face. His pupils twitched, darting around the room. He opened his mouth, working his tongue, trying to speak, to find, to vocalize. All for naught.
This was no longer the Satiation.
Roy quivered and stared at her, finally managing to say, "Mama, we're sorry."
Capella patted Roy's head, "It's okay, little Roy. Mama's just a little mad at your sister. You'll have to…make Mama happy."
Roy stared up at her, his lips falling open and eyes misting, "What do you need, Mama?"
Capella put her face up close to his, her breath grazing his cheeks, "Just accept Mama's love."
Capella had to distract herself from her own mind. The instinct was still pounding in her mind, so clear she knew the best course when dealing with Arneb.
She knew but rejected.
The only way for her to survive a fight with Louis Arneb was to run.
The assault had begun.
Mama let Roy Alphard loose on Sanctuary.
Finally, he could sate his hunger. He did as she commanded and sprinted off into the forest. Trees blurred by and bugs zipped past, as his legs carried him at an incredible speed.
His stomach screamed as he searched for something to eat. Where were the people here? Roy dropped onto all fours and leaped into the treetops. Leaves shook as he bounded across the branches. Some snapped under his weight, but he was fast enough to jump to a new branch before it mattered. He let his mouth hang open to catch any bugs that were unlucky enough to be in his path.
From up here, the lights of a village were easily visible. He changed his direction and jumped towards them. Hops and swings let him cross the canopy with ease.
All would fall victim to his hunger.
But as he leaped onto one of the rooftops then ran down to the door, and with a strike of his shoulder shoved the door off its hinges, he realized.
He wouldn't have his feasts.
There was no one here.
Roy stormed through every home in the entire village. Every building. He even dove down the well and searched for identities.
And yet, no one.
Roy climbed out of the well and onto the dirt. Water dripped from his clothes as he searched for any trace of food. There were people here. Mama's gospel wasn't wrong.
Right then, just to confirm Mama, a smell hit his nose. Smoke. It filled his lungs, sending his eyes wild as he looked for its source. Quickly he found it, rising into the sky. A trail of ash.
One that hadn't been there a moment ago.
His legs moved before his mind. Instinct pushed him toward it. After a moment, he was back on all fours, sprinting toward his destination. With each pull of his arms and push of his legs he drew closer. It didn't matter who was there.
He'd eat them. Devour them. Pull them into himself. Erase their identity and make it a part of Alphard.
He was the Bizarre Eating.
When he got close enough, he could make out the source of the smoke. It was a puny little fire. But—thanks to other's memories within—he could tell it was recently lit.
"Come out!" he shouted, "we'll eat you anyway. It's useless to hide. Make it easy. Let us feast on you, ~tsu!"
Something rustled in the underbrush. Twigs snapped and leaves wrestled with a person stepping into the moon. They stood up before him. A green suit draped their body while a hat of the same shade covered their head. Gray hair fell down onto their shoulders, and their eyes glowed against the light of the fire. A confident smile from them pierced Roy, and they met his stare.
The only reason Roy didn't devour them immediately was because he lacked their name.
Roy licked his lips to remedy that, "Who are you?"
"A man who's friend needed some help," Roy's prey responded.
"Help with what, ~tsu?"
"Stopping you."
Roy laughed. He was so confident. Ley would have enjoyed that, but Roy didn't care at all, "Huh. Anyway, tell us your name. It'll be easier than torturing it out of you."
The man toyed with a loop of thread, flipping it around his fingers, "We're going to stop you."
"We know you have no strength of your own," Roy said, "so let's just eat, ~tsu."
The man laughed and stretched out his closed fist, "I said we."
"Hm?" Roy grunted.
There was a mass of black thread coiled up in the man's hand. Roy didn't care. He pulled his two swords from the sheaths at his hips. He'd torture the name out of this guy's mouth.
In response, the man opened his fingers. Thread remained stuck between his thumb and palm, but a little blue gemstone fell from his hand. It hit the limit of its slack and bounced in the air, then swung back and forth. The man closed his hand once more. Drool dripped from Roy's mouth and he gripped his swords.
At the same time, the crystal stopped moving and flashed, shining like a beacon.
A gray cat floated into the air. Its eyes blazing yellow beacons and ice twisting around its body.
The cat reached out, "Sorry, Gluttony. No food past your bedtime."
Garfiel and Emilia stood side by side, looking toward countless trees. The sun had fallen below the horizon, leaving them in darkness. Beneath his feet, the earth hummed. he readied to access that song. This was the direction Subaru had said they'd come from. And even with no indication of danger—just silence all through the forest—Garfiel trusted him. How could he not trust someone that cool?
"How d'you think he does it?" Garfiel asked.
"Huh?" Emilia looked over at him.
"How does Cap'n predict the future?"
Emilia put her hand up to her chin, "I don't know, but he's got some way."
"D'you have any idea what it is?"
"No," Emilia shook her head, but that small smile stayed, "I don't know what it is. And I don't think he'll tell us."
"Why not?"
Emilia shrugged, "Well, if he hasn't told anyone by now, I don't think he even can. He's already told us so much, but not this. If he could, then he'd have told us."
"What if he's jus' smart?"
"Subaru's smart but…" Emilia laughed, "not that smart. He just has some way, and one he promises works."
"Guess that makes sense."
Emilia shrugged once more, "Yep. No use worrying about the tragedy yet to come."
Garfiel thought about that for a little while, then rubbed his scar.
Just in time as well.
The ground had begun to vibrate.
Mabeasts approached. Their paws slammed against the earth; they were running. A roar boomed from above, along with the beating of massive wings. Garfiel and Emilia looked up.
A dragon was diving.
He glanced over at Emilia. Ice was forming beneath her feet. The girl stared up with a resolute expression, her hands curling into fists. Her face seemed to hold no second thoughts.
Garfiel grinned, banishing all his own doubts and readying his shields. There was no use worrying with a Sin Archbishop bearing down on him. All that Garfiel needed in this moment was determination and trust.
The wyvern struck the ground. Dirt, leaves, and dust sprayed everywhere from the impact. From within the haze, bones snapped, flesh slid and bubbled, and the rasping of the dragon softened. When the cloud cleared a blonde woman was all that remained.
She looked them over as the Bowel Hunter, Mabeast User, and the two Swordsmen fanned out at her sides—all having dashed out from behind a line of courtesan bears.
"Are you all that's here to fight this lovely lady?" Capella asked, a mix of disappointment and anticipation on her face. Her tongue ran along her lips.
Garfiel balled his hands to fists, "It doesn't matter how many 'f us thr're."
Capella cocked her head, "And why's that."
"Because n'matter what, you ain't gettin' to Sanctuary, bitch!"
Icy wind curled around Emilia's hands, "What he said."
Capella raised her arms out to the side, "Are the both of you challenging all of us?"
Garfiel slammed his fists together, sending sparks flying off his shields. This was exactly what the Cap'n had said would go down. Garfiel couldn't help but admire the man.
Emilia had a proud expression as she said, "Yes. All of us, against all of you."
"All? Why not say both? There's only two, unless this lovely lady's eyes are wrong."
"Only two fer now," Garfiel raised his knuckles, assuming a fighting stance.
"Interesting, well this lovely lady's waiting," Capella held her arm up. Behind her Kurgan and Theresia unsheathed their swords, Elsa pulled two blades from her clothes, and Meili's bears snarled.
Garfiel laughed, "So ya got this big leg up and yer too scared to throw the first punch? Little bitches."
Capella only started cackling.
Theresia and Kurgan walked in opposite directions so one of them was on the right, the other on the left. Elsa and Meili's mabeasts placed themselves behind. Garfiel and Emilia were surrounded.
Exactly as planned. They put their backs together.
"Y'ready fer this?" he asked his partner.
"Yep. Everyone's expecting us to endure here, we're not going to let them down," Emilia declared as the air itself began to freeze.
Ram stared out across a growing horde of mabeasts. A little bag of crystals, which Otto had given her, rested in her left hand. Her right hand was empty, and ready. Rem stood on that same side, flail in her grasp. She wielded it with wondrous confidence.
Ram looked behind her, into the Witch of Greed's tomb. The entire population of Sanctuary and the Arlam evacuees were hiding inside. Village children huddled up to their parents, and elderly demi-humans crouched together. They were all keeping their eyes away from Rem and Ram, trying to hold onto their illusion of safety. It was weak, but Ram couldn't blame them.
Thankfully, they could take shelter in this ancient structure. A girl of silver formed in Ram's mind.
"So that idiot Barusu was correct," Ram said, still in disbelief that Emilia had managed to solidify herself. But that fucking Barusu was persuasive.
"You should give Subaru more credit," Rem responded.
Ram took another look at her sister, "Hah, give Barusu credit."
She said it like the very idea was preposterous.
"That's not nice, Ram," Rem pointed out with a finger pointed to the sky.
Ram crossed her arms, the concept was still completely moronic, "I don't need to give Barusu any credit." She let herself think of Natsuki Subaru. The man she'd been watching for months. The man she respected more than anyone but Rem. "Barusu has earned all his credit. He doesn't need any from me."
"Sister."
Ram blushed, "Don't."
"Fine," Rem sighed and focused back on the mass of mabeasts. Courtesan bears and gabou were streaming toward them. Dozens of each. It was more mabeasts than either could handle in their states. But they didn't have to handle them. Just hold out.
It had been nice to talk and forget about them.
Unfortunately, the time for talking was at a close.
A horn blossomed on Rem's forehead, and a trail of blood leaked from where Ram's horn once was. Both sisters closed their eyes at the same time. Their Synesthesia called to each other. Connection strengthened, showing everything to them. Light flourished behind their eyes, they looked over at each other, seeing a perfect outline even with eyes shut.
They opened their eyes as their mana floated to the surface.
The first wave of mabeasts came against them with roars and hoof beats.
"Rem."
"Ram."
The sisters cast their hands forth.
The mabeasts screamed, barreling for every resident.
The last oni wouldn't let the witch's spawn through.
Wind and ice met fire and flowers.
Courtesan bears descended upon Emilia. She summoned power from her gate. Ice bloomed within the closest beast. It exploded in a shower of blood as she reached for the next. With each movement of her fingers, she killed another. Mana flowed through her finger tips. Cold wind blew around her.
Theresia—sword flashing with moonlight and swishing through the air—struck at her. Emilia threw her hand out, forming a shield to block the strike. Theresia's blade sheared through it with ease as more mabeasts attacked. A dozen fists and a thin sword hunted her. Emilia clapped her hands together. The remaining bears froze. But Theresia's blade was still coming. Emilia ducked under the sword, punching Theresia's hooded face.
The strike knocked her off balance, though Theresia's arm didn't stop. Emilia pulled on the well of power inside her and created a cage of ice around the woman. Emilia grunted while shoving the walls away, throwing Theresia from her.
She tried to catch her breath, but Garfiel howled as he came under attack. Emilia snapped around to help him, but just as she did ice cracked and exploded. Her eyes went right back to the cage she'd made, but Theresia's was already free.
"Sorry about all this, I'm sure you were a nice woman while alive," Emilia leaned forward, a torrent of pure magic running through her. In response, Theresia yanked off her hood, an expression colder than any spell Emillia could cast emerged.
The woman focused directly on her, and charged.
Two blades and six fists assaulted Garfiel.
Kurgan was on him.
Garfiel parried strike after strike with his shield. Kurgan swung a sword at his legs. Garfiel leaped above it, striking Kurgan's chest. The swordsman didn't react, instead he just tried to grab Garfiel.
"Motherfucker," Garfiel shoved his foot into the ground and threw a pillar of earth at Kurgan, tossing him back. Dirt flew everywhere while the eight arms tried to stay upright. Garfiel moved in for the kill, but the Bowel Hunter jumped between them, her blade shooting for Garfiel's stomach.
Elsa's daggers shot toward his side, a slight blush on her cheeks. Garfiel turned and grabbed her wrist. Elsa pivoted and shoved her other knife toward his gut. He batted her blade away with his off-hand.
"Beautiful," Elsa moaned and tried to pull her arm from his grasp. Garfiel tightened his grip, snapping her bones. Elsa yanked her arm and his body toward her, the girl's eyes flashed as she gained just enough leverage. She showed off her teeth and sank them into his forearm.
"BITCH!" Garfiel slammed his other fist into her cheek. Her neck lurched to the side, snapping.
Garfiel yanked his arm from her loosened jaws and gasped for air. Unfortunately he had little time to breathe, as Kurgan had recovered. The swordsman stomped forward, his hands regaining a proper grip on his swords.
Garfiel leaped forward, shoving Elsa into Kurgan's path. The Eight-Arms didn't hesitate in slicing through her. Kurgan's body was stiff as two of his empty hands reached out, tearing Elsa in half and tossing her to the side. With her out of the way, he closed in, looming over Garfiel. The boy hastily stepped back, but the eight-arms swung his swords to the sky.
With a grunt, Garfiel threw his shields up.
Kurgan's robe rippled as his muscles propelled demon cleavers down.
Metal met metal.
Sword met Shield.
Otto sprinted through the forest. Puck could only hold off Alphard for so long. He dashed through the route he'd memorized before all this. Squirrels screeched information at him as his feet slapped at fallen twigs. They were already telling him that Puck was losing again. That didn't surprise him though; most of his and Puck's traps were only methods to slow Roy down.
After a bit more running, Otto crouched down behind a tree, some of the bark flaking off under his hand. Otto ignored that, examining his trap. He wondered if Roy's skin would just break it. Maybe, but it was reinforced by Subaru's Minya so it should hold out. If Roy wasn't boosting his durability with some ability.
If.
He squeezed Puck's gemstone.
"What's up!" Puck said through the crystal.
"Make it seem like you're dying, then come back over to me," Otto whispered, ducking into the grass.
"Gotcha, gimme a second," Puck answered, "see ya in a sec."
Otto peeked out from behind the tree. Puck manifested next to him, then without a word rushed into the crystal. Otto stowed it in his pocket and took hold of his gate. The forest's animals shouted at him as some force tore through them.
Roy was on his way.
Otto jumped up from the grass, standing up in the space between two trees. Roy appeared on the horizon, bounding toward him.
The merchant put his hand up, aiming toward the Sin Archbishop, "Dona!"
Roy grinned, "Thanks for handing yourself over to us, you'll be a nice first course ~tsu!"
The wall of earth shot toward Roy. Alphard weaved out of its way, then dashed toward Otto. Otto's eyes shot toward the trees on either side of him.
Come on, Otto whispered in his mind. This was a real gamble, but he was willing to bet Roy was dumb enough for this. Roy's eyes flashed, and he shoved his foot into the ground for a final leap.
A crystalline cord connected with Roy's neck.
The boy's upper body recoiled, and his back hit the ground.
Roy writhed around, air rasping in his lungs as it tried getting through his tight throat. The boy shoved his hands up to his neck. Healing energy began rejuvenating him.
"So you are dumb enough for that, eh?"
Otto took off before Roy could answer.
Theresia shot toward Emilia. A last second membrane of ice was all that stopped the swordsman from chopping through her neck. The woman switched her sword to her other hand, and sliced for Emilia's jugular once more. The half-elf ducked down and encased Theresia's legs in ice. The swordsman squirmed and tried to break out. Emilia stretched out her palm, shooting a spear of ice. Theresia contorted, throwing her body back.
Emilia's attack sailed harmlessly over the woman's head.
"Stop it, meatbags!" Capella stepped between them. She faced toward Emilia and continued with, "You're boring to watch."
Emilia ignored the woman's words and moved to attack.
Capella's face twisted, "Well, you'll love me in a second."
Capella made no move to attack Emilia, which she was thankful for. Emilia aborted her offense. This was a rare breather. And with her heart beating so fast she definitely needed one. Emilia took deep pulls of air while Theresia stood completely still. However, an inquisitive look had come across Capella's face, and her eyes grasped Emilia.
They shimmered red, an even deeper one than Theresia's hair.
"What is it you love?" Capella asked from behind those crimson irises.
Garfiel screamed from behind her before Emilia could answer. She flipped around, her silver hair swaying with her, and looked at Garfiel. His arms were wrapped around Elsa's neck.
"Focus on me, or you'll be a fly," Capella growled.
Emilia turned back to her, "That's not very well-mannered."
"Nonsense, this lovely lady is benevolent. Loved by all meatbags," she responded.
"Meatbags?" Why was she calling people who loved her meatbags?
"You all," Capella gestured around, "everyone that isn't this lovely lady."
Emilia's eyebrows tilted down, and she got her magic ready once more, "Why do all 'meatbags' love you?"
"Because this lovely lady can appear as anything," Capella's body altered to match Theresia's look.
Emilia tilted her head, "What does that matter?"
Capella's mouth opened a little, and she glared at Emilia, "Love is only based on appearance."
"Huh…" Emilia shook her head, "I may not know what it means to love a man as a woman. But even I know that love is far more than that."
"Truly a meatbag," Capella whispered.
"You're wrong," Emilia said, "there's definitely more to love. I know Ram and Subaru love each other. The way they look at each other, the way they talk to each other. There's more to that than just appearance."
"Stupid meatbag, I'll show you," Capella stepped toward her.
Emilia formed a long spear of ice in her hand, "Show me what?"
"I'll turn you into that Ram and show you to Natsuki Subaru. Then when he loves you, you'll see," Capella explained with an evil, revolting, expression.
"I won't let you do that."
"Why, meatbag?"
"Because Subaru's already been hurt enough, you don't need to hurt him any more," Emilia stood tall, and gripped her icy spear in both hands.
"Please, meatbag, don't be so thick. My entire reason for being here is to hurt Natsuki Subaru."
Anger rose in Emilia, "That's not happening."
"We'll see," Capella raised her hand, "we'll see."
Her fingers pointed toward Emilia, and Theresia charged. She slashed from the side, Emilia blocked with her spear's haft. Capella jumped in from her other side, long sword-like bones jutting from her arms. Attacks came at Emilia from both directions. She barely managed to block, turn away, and parry all of them. More and more nicks appeared in her spear as Capella and Theresia's assault continued.
It was never-ending. Strike after strike after strike from untiring opponents. All of Emilia's focus was on not being overwhelmed. Her feet jumped back and forth as she continued to counter every attack thrown her way.
Capella stopped slashing and tried to grab Emilia. With a wave of Emilia's cold hand, Capella's legs exploded and ice bloomed from where they'd been. Lust dropped to the ground and Emilia turned on Theresia.
Now it was her turn. Emilia struck with all her fervor. Subaru didn't deserve any more pain. Emilia wouldn't let him suffer so much.
Theresia didn't waste any time in turning away every attack driven her way and slicing Emilia's icy weapon in two. Emilia dropped the spear's remains and punched Theresia in the face. While her neck cracked back, Theresia thrust her sword. Emilia batted it away with the back of her hand and slammed her shoulder into the woman's chest.
Theresia stumbled back, struggling for balance.
Emilia tried to pursue, but Capella's hand wrapped around her neck. Emilia redirected some of her mana to her collarbone, exploding Capella's arm like her legs. Even with the quick reaction, it had slowed Emilia enough for Theresia to lunge forward and stab her shoulder. Blood poured from the wound. Emilia reeled from the pain, but shoved her arms out to the side. Walls of ice shot into the sky, imprisoning Theresia and cutting her off from the battle.
The throbbing overwhelmed her kindness, bringing Emilia to create icicle after icicle in the air, intending to create a trap for Theresia. Glaciation spread across Emilia's legs as the sheer mana coursing within started backfiring.
"Hey meatbag!" Capella yelled and kicked Emilia in the chin. At the same time Theresia sliced through her prison, Emilia ignored Capella and snapped her fingers. The icicles all shot toward the swordsman. Capella threw her hand toward Emilia's chest. Emilia turned her attention to the Sin Archbishop, grabbing her wrist.
Their gazes met.
Capella smiled, "This lovely lady always—"
Emilia pursed her lips, "Forgive me, but you aren't very lovely."
Capella's hand froze.
Emilia pulled it right off, snapping it at the wrist.
A scream ripped from Capella's lips, Emilia's heart only pounded with a cold anger. She grabbed Capella's neck and froze that too. A sneer began emerging on Emilia's face.
"MEATBAG!" Capella shot her other arm toward Emilia.
Emilia's lips curled up, "I'm sorry, but I can't help but feel disgusted by your very existence."
She waved her hand, directing mana out of it. Capella's entire front cracked as glaciation spread across it. The magic continued flowing from Emilia; so intensely that when Capella tried to scream, her saliva turned to ice.
But somehow she said, "You'll love this lovely lady."
"I won't," Emilia replied, voice colder than the ice.
Capella cackled, "You'll love this lovely lady even as she tortures Natsuki Subaru in front of you. THAT IS THE TRUTH OF LOVE! As long as I look like someone you like, then you'll be entirely obedient to me." Capella smirked, "What do you think of that, meatbag?"
Emilia let a torrent of mana through her, "I think…"
Her heart, her kindness, and every teaching of Mother Fortuna tried to stop her from saying it, but this individual had crossed a line.
"I think you should…" Emilia ignored everything she'd ever been taught and pointed her open palm at Capella.
"This lovely lady won't blame you, you'll love her anyway," Capella rasped over the freezing wind.
"…just die."
Emilia closed her palm into a fist, slicing Capella to pieces. Cubes of ice that had once been a person dropped to the ground.
Only one emotion touched her heart as she gazed down at those remnants.
Disgust.
Theresia finally slashed her way out of confinement while Capella's body reformed.
Within a moment Capella was standing there, arms stretched out to the side, "Ah, you'll love me yet, meatbag. Now, it seems the fight has truly begun." Capella held a hand to her chest, "Sin Archbishop of Lust, Capella Emerada Lugunica."
Time for the true battle with the Sin Archbishop to begin then, Emilia channeled that well of mana within, readying for the fight.
Ahead, Subaru envisioned a beautiful future, and was working tirelessly to bring it about. Emilia wouldn't let any of that effort go to waste. She would fight tooth and nail for that outcome, for the happiness yet to come.
Capella tilted her head, "Meatbag, it's only proper to give this lovely lady your name. I can change forms if that would make you more…agreeable."
"My name is…"
Puck had told her to never hide her identity from anyone.
But for this thing, Emilia just said, "No…just die."
Ram held her ground. A courtesan bear lunged at her. She shoved her hand forward and incanted, "Fula."
A blade of wind chopped through the middle of the beast. Another roared and tried to attack from the right. Rem's flail crushed its head. Blood and brains splattered across the ground. Ram leaped over the bear's corpse and sprinted over to Rem.
"What's the plan?" Rem asked.
"You hold the bears off—" Ram started to speak, until her sweat evaporated. She snapped around to find a gabou, an inferno of heat sizzling around it.
Two crystals from her bag shattered as she shouted, "Ul Fula!"
A prison of wind sprung up around the flaming centaur. The blades chopped it to bloody pieces.
Ram finished her sentence, "I'll cover you and handle the gabou."
Rem nodded, and swung her flail forward. Ram made sure to stay right behind Rem, just in case she needed extra support. But for now she was fine, her chain flashing out in every direction, raining death upon the witch beasts.
Right, crushing a skull. Left, destroying a leg. Forward, caving in a chest.
While Rem worked, Ram's eyes scanned around. She waited for any threats to appear. But all that happened was the horde of mabeasts swelled like a great river. They piled up the stairs and over each other. A tide was forming. The favor was shifting further away from them. But there was still a hope, so Ram held firm.
Because Barusu was nothing if not reliable.
A gabou burst through the line of courtesan bears.
And maybe sometimes Barusu faltered.
Ram threw herself between the centaur and her sister.
He wasn't perfect.
Fire bloomed from the mabeast, white hot and careening toward them.
But he was her Barusu, and she trusted him to come through.
She tightened her grip on the bag, four crystals jingled. Ram leaped forward as one shattered, "El Fula!"
There was nothing more to think about. Barusu would come, so hope would never vanish.
Wind shot from her hands. It chopped halfway through the gabou's body, but the thing was still alive. It threw its front legs into the air, fire building within it. Orange light burst up from other gabou. As Ram sprinted forward, she was reminded of the oni village.
The red seared the sweat from her body. Everything flashed back to that night. She was there, fighting against cultists, running for Rem. She grabbed one of its front legs and yanked. That witch cultist was jumping toward her. Tendons tore as the leg ripped off.
The horse screeched. But the horn was gone, thankfully. All the liquid in Ram's eyes boiled away. She aimed with her palm, and another gem broke, "El Fula."
A crescent-moon of wind sailed through the gabou's horn, cutting it cleanly.
The cultist cut hers cleanly. The entire thing collapsed to the ground a moment later. Ram stood still, waiting.
It broke off.
Searing heat bloomed on her left side. Flame crackled in her ears, and smoke invaded her nose.
"Sister!" Rem shouted.
Ram looked to her left, a massive pillar of orange was coming for her. Ram closed her eyes. The black of her eyelids glowed red as flames scorched her left side. New pain tore through her.
Ram bit down on her lip and raised her arms out.
She looked upon a new world.
Instead of ignoring the burns across her neck, Ram dug her fingers into them. Skin sizzled as Ram relaxed.
She didn't run from the pain, instead she revelled in it. Embraced it. Exulted within it.
Finally.
This battlefield had fundamentally altered.
All because Ram understood that enemies could be just as helpful as allies.
Faust had taken her horn, depriving the oni god of its link to her.
Ley Batenkaitos had forced her to think of a way to regain that strength.
This mindless gabou had given her a distraction.
Now she had a way to ignore the constant pain running through her.
Ram activated her Clairvoyance.
Time seemed to slow as she started planning.
In one moment, she collected all the information around her. Her bag of mana stones held two more crystals. She analyzed how best to use them. Then she ran through all the lines of sight around her. There was a gabou on her left. On her right, and behind her. Three, with a few more at the back of the crowd. She didn't have to worry about those yet. So just three.
A plan fell into place within her mind. She opened her eyes, having gathered all that in a couple seconds.
Ram bent her knees, then pointed her vision and palm to the gabou on her left. It shined like a glimmering beacon. The last two crystals in her bag broke, "Ul Fula."
The gabou screamed as a prison of wind formed around it. She turned to her right.
"First shackle, off," she whispered. Pain exploded in her mind. She stepped toward the second gabou. Her leg bone cracked. Ram focused on the burns, and slammed her foot into the ground. Her body soared toward the witch beast. It shot a blast of fire at her.
She waved her hand and dispersed it with a plume of wind. As she rocketed through the air, she cocked her fist back. The gabou burst forward and threw its arms out to grab her. But Ram wasn't so easily taken down. Using a blast of air as propulsion, Ram punched, the beast's horn exploding as soon as her fist connected.
While her feet touched down on the ground, the final gabou pounced and grabbed her leg, then squeezed. Ram's muscles didn't give way. The mana running through her body stopped the thing from being able to damage her. Blood exploded from Ram's scar as she shoved the pain aside and jumped into the air. Her foot kicked into its chest, throwing the beast back and causing it to lose its grip. She stumbled onto the ground, but swiftly regained her balance.
With the new footing, Ram sprinted to the fallen mabeast and pounded her fist into its heart.
Its blood sprayed up, covering her face.
Ram pushed herself up to her feet. Red dripped into her mouth, tasting of disgusting mabeast flesh and her own iron. She cleaned the blood from her lip and checked over her shoulder. A few meters away, Rem was still swinging her flail and cutting down courtesan bears. One made a break past her sister's defenses. Ram aimed her hand toward it. Without an incantation, wind sheared the bear in half.
With the gabou dealt with for now, Ram walked back over to Rem, returning to covering her sister.
"Ram?" Rem asked, her sister's heart filling with concern.
Ram blocked their Synesthesia, "I'm…"
Ram leaned over and vomited blood onto the stone. She wiped her mouth and said, "I'm fine."
Rem tried to respond, but instead had to turn to a courtesan bear and yell, "El Huma!"
Ram coughed, cracking a few of her ribs. They couldn't hold this defense for long.
To illustrate that, a blast of fire shot toward them, Ram closed her fist; a shield of air sprung into existence around them, diffusing the heat.
As Ram sprinted toward this new gabou, she whispered, "C'mon, lazy Barusu."
Garfiel parried a strike from Kurgan, then ducked under a slash from Elsa, who was now fully healed.
"Extraordinary," Elsa whispered as she threw herself at him. He slipped past her strike and punched her in the chest.
"I'm going to have your bowels for that," she said.
"You ain't gettin' any 'f this," Garfiel bashed her in the jaw. Teeth exploded from her mouth and Kurgan shoved her out of the way, laying a barrage into Garfiel. He just barely deflected each attack. Though he got a tiny opening, and punched Kurgan in the chest. The man quickly reached for Garfiel, who was fast enough to lunge back and out of the way.
"Well I'll be, unscathed against the Eight-Arms."
He was, until pain rushed up from his leg. He glanced down to blood running down his calf.
Elsa had stabbed him in the leg.
"Y'fuckin' bitch!" The yelp tore from his mouth as he stomped on her head. Her skull cracked and brain matter smooshed out her ears and nose. Vomit climbed up his throat.
But Garfiel had to shove it down; Kurgan was bringing both swords on him in an x-shaped attack. However, there was no opportunity for defense as Kurgan's other six other arms caught Garfiel and held him in place.
"Shit," Garfiel whispered as steel rocketed toward him.
"He's mine!" Elsa screamed, shoving Kurgan, probably only able to because he let her. The reanimated man lost his balance, giving Elsa time to strike Garfiel, who barely had the chance to throw Kurgan's fists off and shove one of his gauntlets into the air.
Steel met, sparks flew.
Elsa sneered, ripping her blade from his shield and bending down to go for his stomach.
"You ain't killin' me, bitch!" Garfiel grabbed her arm, put his foot to her stomach, and pushed. With the sickening tear of ligaments, he ripped the appendage from its socket.
"Ooh what other things could you rip off?" Elsa leaned forward, her eyes jumping down to her breasts.
Garfiel ignored her suggestion and threw a flurry of punches at her. She blocked and turned back each one. They fell into a cycle of striking, blocking, and parrying. Their feet danced across the ground like winged dragons.
When her arm grew back, Elsa pulled a new knife from her outfit, twirling it over her regrown hand and ducking down. From there, she threw herself forward. Garfiel raised his fists to guard against her charge.
Only for Kurgan to appear behind Elsa. He reached over her, his blades sailing for Garfiel's neck from both sides.
Elsa snapped around, "His bowels are mine!"
Kurgan seemed to listen to her orders, and hesitated.
Garfiel seized the opportunity, leaping forward and wrapping his arms around her neck. He pulled her back away from Kurgan, who was still holding back thanks to her earlier command.
"Ooh, choke harder," Elsa whispered in her sultry voice. She let her fingers trace along his forearms, fingering the muscles on them.
"Yer fuckin' nuts."
Yet even with that condemnation, Garfiel did what she said, and crushed her throat.
Elsa's arms fell away, and a knife swished through the air worthlessly. Her body trembled, and his stomach felt wet. Liquid ran down his skin. Burning pulsed from his abdomen. Garfiel looked down, she'd shoved her knife through her own stomach and into his own.
"Wonderful choking, little tiger," she breathed, pulling the knife from her stomach. Over her shoulder he noticed her moving to stab through her own chest. He dropped one of his hands from her neck and threw it toward the knife.
Elsa dropped her weapon and grabbed his arm, throwing his hand to her breast. She squeezed his fingers, moaning while her legs shook. She turned to him, and their eyes met, "Come on you can do this yourself you know. It'd feel so much better."
A chill ran down Garfiel's skin.
He banished it quickly, neither Ram, Rem, Cap'n nor Sanctuary needed him freezing up. He yanked his hand from her breast and threw it back toward her neck. But Elsa hadn't let go yet. She used his momentum to shove his fingers further than he'd intended.
All four fingers went right into her mouth.
Garfiel's skin went cold, "Oh fuck…"
Her jaws flexed.
Elsa's teeth met.
Garfiel howled as spikes of pain launched through him. His grip loosened. Elsa took advantage and ripped a rib from her chest. He became well-acquainted with its sharpness as she tore gashes in his arm with it. His strength disappeared entirely, and she bucked her torso, throwing him to the dirt.
Air shot from Garfiel's lungs. He wheezed as Elsa gave him a wide smile, his mangled fingers between her teeth. She pulled them from her mouth.
Garfiel struggled, to no avail. Blood was pouring from the wound in his stomach, and his intestines were on the verge of following. Pain from all over sapped at his will, and tears filled his eyes.
He was completely powerless as Elsa licked his bitten-off fingers up and down while giving him a smile. Even with so many injuries, and so much pain, so many tears, Garfiel still fought. He still tried to get his breath back. He still struggled and thrashed. He had to stand.
Had to stand. Had. To. Stand.
But his legs were empty, hollow of strength. He couldn't get up, all he could do was watch while she chewed his fingers up. He flinched each time she bit down, from the sound of bones cracking. His skin gave off a wet and spongy squish which made him want to vomit.
The tears stopped coming, the vomit froze, he froze.
Elsa kept chewing with that disgusting fucking smile.
They both knew there was no healing lost limbs, unless he could reattach his old ones.
Elsa moaned as she swallowed bits of his fingers, Garfiel screamed.
There wasn't going to be any reattaching. He just had to sit here, waiting for his Divine Protection to give him strength, while Elsa ate his fingers.
Any last hope of stopping her disappeared when Elsa tipped her head back and swallowed everything.
Garfiel's tears leaked down his cheeks.
"BITCH!" he screamed out and threw himself to his feet. Using his maimed right hand he held his intestines in while he charged—in reality shambled—toward her. Kurgan watched his hobble. Elsa rubbed her throat and waved her hand. The swordsman stepped into Garfiel's path, forcing him to stop.
Tears rolled down his face.
His fingers were gone, and the hand they'd belonged to barely held his bowels in.
His other hand and arm was covered in lacerations and had a chunk bitten out of it.
All Garfiel could do while he watched Elsa swallow his fingers was have faith.
Nothing more.
"Cap'n, you better get here soon."
Subaru snapped Patrasche's reins. The sun had set on them, and the mansion still wasn't in sight, just more empty grassland. In the silent wind, Subaru realized his mistake.
He'd messed up the timing.
Everyone else would have to continue their fights alone for longer than they'd planned.
Still, he had to keep going. This was no time to give up. He would keep all these memories alive. It didn't matter how hard he had to claw his way toward an impossible future.
Subaru would make it possible.
"I know you're tired, Patrasche, but we need to do this," Subaru said, pounding his knees into her abdomen.
Patrasche looked at him, then back forward. Her legs pounded harder into the ground, and she kicked back into a sprint. The world rushed by. Subaru leaned forward and kept snapping her reins.
The moon glowed down on the world, and in the distance a building rose into the sky. Spires climbing above immaculate roofing. Fantastic masonry and well-kept grounds.
"There it is." The Mathers mansion. "C'mon Patrasche, we're almost there. Just a little longer."
Patrasche dropped her head lower, and bolted. Trees rushed by, and footsteps sent dirt flying. They flew across the land, approaching the manor.
The hedges that marked the grounds came into sight, and Subaru leaned forward. Everyone was trusting them, "Patrasche!"
She sprinted through the courtyard, only changing direction to avoid the veranda outside. Subaru gripped the saddle as they barreled toward the door. Patrasche didn't look back at him or hesitate in the slightest; all she did was bend her neck and bash herself into the wood. The ornate doors exploded, sending splinters everywhere as they burst into the foyer.
Patraache came to a rest in empty hallways. The mansion seemed lifeless and stale. Even though the carpets were perfectly cleaned and the entryway floor was spotless.
Subaru had certainly messed that up.
He leaped off of Patrasche's back and shouted, "Petra! Frederica!"
A calm voice responded from behind, "Natsuki Subaru."
The entire world froze. Patrasche didn't move at all. Subaru turned away from the ground dragon, and toward the voice.
To Pandora, with the look of a Witch.
Everything was completely still around her. Subaru reached toward her, the air moved out of his way, then stopped. Were his movements creating vacuums?
Huh, he'd been here before…she'd stopped time.
"So what is your Authority?" Subaru asked.
"It is that which makes the unnatural natural," Pandora gave a vague response. A little smile rested on her face; she seemed used to this stopped time.
"It's reality alteration, isn't it?" Subaru said, trying to probe her.
"Ah, that is a…familiar…way to refer to it."
"Can you change gospels?" he asked.
She didn't answer, only tilting her head, but that was enough of a response.
"And you command the cult?"
Pandora continued to gaze at him.
"Well you don't need to answer that one, you've already made your offer."
Pandora's smile widened and she stretched out her hand, "If that's so, then let us begin this journey together, Bishop Subaru."
Subaru reached his arm out to her. His face twisted as he stepped forward. Pandora's fingers brushed against his own, they were so warm, "Come. Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, representing Biliousness, Natsuki Subaru."
She gazed at him, ethereal, glowing like a fairy. Her blue eyes pierced him, inviting him in. His heart skipped a beat, as if waiting for her next action. He found his hand rising, closing in on hers. She was stunning, petite, and understanding. Almost exactly to his desire. She was, in some twisted way, beautiful.
But her hair wasn't pink, she didn't insult him, and her name wasn't Ram.
He pulled his fingers away. And for a second he almost felt ill. His hand curled into a fist, and he punched her across the face, creating a satisfying thud as her body hit the floor. From her new place there, she stared at him with wide eyes, "Who…no. I understand you…that isn't right."
Blood was dripping down from her broken nose. An imperfection. Everything in the world seemed to grow bored. His heart returned to normal, and he realized.
Pandora was in no way beautiful.
She was so tiny she bordered on looking like a child.
She was so relaxed she bordered on being an imbecile.
Her hair wasn't silver, it wasn't blue, it wasn't pink, just some shitty platinum. And her clothing was only one smock draped over herself. Not an artfully crafted and tailored maid uniform, not the outfit of a royal candidate.
And her skin, it was so pale it flashed his eyes, not a soft tan which showed every hard-earned blush, like Ram's.
Then her eyes…they were not Rem's warm blue of the sky, instead they were the dead blue of a crystal. Between the sky which dragged him up, and the crystal which dragged him down, it was an easy choice.
Then that look in the eyes, not the warm acceptance of people like Emilia, but a cold misunderstanding of emotion.
Natsuki Subaru couldn't imagine someone more ugly.
"You disgusting bitch, you orchestrated everything here at Sanctuary," he kneeled down, "didn't you?"
Pandora's body trembled, "I u-understand you, so come with me. I know you want to have Miss Leyte despise you."
"Petra isn't gonna despise me anytime soon, not if I have anything to say about it."
Pandora's lips dropped open and she pushed herself onto her butt, "What…no. No, this is wrong."
Subaru tightened his hand into a fist, "Nothing's wrong. You just fucked up. I'm the only person you understand, right?"
Pandora pushed herself back. Their eyes met. She whispered, "I understand Natsuki Subaru."
"And Natsuki Subaru alone, but Pandora," Subaru stood up and kicked her in the nose, "you fucked it all up. What was your plan? To make me your loyal Bishop Subaru?"
"No this isn't right…" Pandora's voice was still one of disbelief. The added trail of blood from her nose made his frown lessen though.
Subaru stood above her as she pushed herself up to a sitting position once more. She looked him over, again and again, searching for anything that could have made her plan fail. If he was in a different state, he'd have laughed.
It was hilarious, "Your whole grand plan, orchestrated across multiple loops failed. And all because you understood me perfectly."
"I do understand you, that's right," Pandora nodded, trying to maintain calm, "I know you. Come with me, Natsuki Subaru. I understand you. Hold me close, show me the depths of your heart."
Subaru kicked Pandora again, "You're right, you know. I would have gone with you. I would have become your Sin Archbishop."
Pandora ignored the attack, even though her nose was mangled now, "Yes, so come. Be Bishop Subaru."
Subaru leaned down and grabbed the piece of cloth Pandora wore, he lifted her tiny body up, "Pandora, you are truly an idiot. You understood me so well."
His fists tightened on her cloth, "But unfortunately for you, I wasn't the only heart at play."
"Natsuki Subaru…" Pandora shook her head and shut her eyes. Her entire plan was falling apart around her.
Subaru would relish this.
"You failed to understand that Ram's heart was at play. Rem's heart. Emilia's heart. Otto's heart. Garfiel's heart. Even Roswaal's heart. You failed to understand everyone but me. You saw them only as unimportant surroundings to me, audience members if you will. To our grand play."
Pandora tried to get a word in, to take control back, but he wouldn't let her, "You simply underestimated Rem and Ram. Your entire plan fell apart because of two girls barely even up to my shoulder."
"Who…"
Subaru shoved the disgusting witch away, "If you'd come to me before all this I could have told you and saved you all the trouble."
Pandora's eyes were wide now, the reality was sinking in. Subaru held the knife firm, time to twist, "It would have been so much easier for me to just explain it to you."
He stepped forward, making Pandora take a terrified step back. Subaru made the depths of Pandora's mistake abundantly clear, with just one truth.
"Fucking with the person Ram loves is a bad idea."
Pandora started trembling. Her eyes were so confused as they jumped around, trying to grasp everything. It was utterly pathetic. Subaru closed his fists.
Time to kill a witch.
Pandora took a step back with each of his forward. All her composure was gone. She'd finally realized that everything had turned against her. He wanted to laugh, a plan orchestrated across multiple time loops foiled by two oni and a ground dragon.
Subaru took another step. Pandora's back slammed into the door frame. Her fingers shook, sweat dripped from her chin, and blood poured from her nose. She tried to speak, but her lips quivered.
What a pathetic simpering mess she'd become. Only a few minutes ago she'd commanded the entirety of the world's attention, but now…even as she held time at a standstill, he couldn't help but wonder.
Why had he ever listened to someone so insignificant and pitiful?
His knuckles ached from holding a fist.
If there was anyone who deserved to get beaten to death it was her. Subaru would murder her. She'd brought Ley Batenkaitos against him, injuring Ram and depriving Wilhelm of existence. Then she'd thrown together the most impossible scenario all to push him into her hands. For all those crimes she'd—
"Who…" Pandora finally forced words out, "just who…I d-don't understand you. Who are you?"
Subaru stood tall above her, and stared down on this filth. He'd introduced himself to so many people. This was one of the few that made him truly sick.
Pandora's expression twisted, her heart shattered, "Just who are you?"
All Subaru said was, "Me."
"No…" Pandora repeated, "no, no, no no no no no nonononononononono. NO! NO NO NO NONONONONONONO! I UNDERSTOOD YOU! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
Subaru stepped forward, "Alter reality then. Make me."
Pandora whispered, "Natsuki Subaru is in the Capital with his friend Reinhard van Astrea."
Nothing happened.
Subaru heaved a deep sigh, "Huh, so the gamble really did work."
"But…I don't…not anymore…" Pandora stared up at him, completely lost. It was the only word to describe her.
"It doesn't work on me, nice." Subaru whispered, "Well, I guess that sucks for you."
He punched her in the nose.
"STOP!"
Nothing happened.
It didn't matter what she said, he'd break her worse than she'd broken him.
"It should work it should work it should work!" Pandora screamed, "I don't UNDERSTAND YOU! IT SHOULD WORK!"
Subaru struck her again. He'd shatter her heart, leaving her broken and alone, without anyone to pull her together. He laid punch after punch into her. His chest pounded from the exertion of his non-stop assault. Grunts shot from his throat. He wouldn't stop until she was dead. Blood poured from her face; her eyes were outlined with the same color.
"STOP!" she screamed, lacing the word with Authority.
"Shut up." Subaru denied her.
Pandora's face changed, acceptance was beginning.
"Pandora isn't here right now!" the little girl screamed. Then she was gone. No disappearance, just gone.
Subaru rose from the ground, standing straight up, "Delay me all you want. Your life'll be a short one no matter what."
He'd hunt her down. A year, two, ten. Maybe a few days. A few minutes. None of the answers mattered. Subaru would still hunt her down and murder her.
Pandora had lost the battle, she'd lose the war too.
The world screamed and sensation exploded within Subaru. Everything overloaded him. Bile rose in his throat. A deafening roar of sound pounded him. His eyes were weak against the garish lights. Subaru grabbed the doorframe and tried to hold his balance. After a few moments he gained a hold on the world. His senses returned to normal.
"Subaru-sama." A voice grabbed his attention, but didn't hold it.
He was too busy exulting, almost on the edge of laughter. It was just too funny. Pandora had done so much, and yet it had all fallen flat. So easily too. All he'd done was punch her, and that incredibly powerful Authority of hers had crumpled like a paper tiger.
No giggles came from him, but still…it was hilarious.
Yet he couldn't laugh forever.
"Subaru-sama." That voice again. Finally it held his focus.
He had another task, someone to save.
Subaru looked up to find Frederica, the sudden motion giving him vertigo.
"Hey, you should go grab Petra," Subaru said.
"Why? And the door…"
Subaru began to hobble—his legs were like jelly—toward the hallway, "The Sin Archbishop of Greed is on his way. And we have basically nothing we can do to stop him. So go get her. I've got an escape plan."
Frederica hesitated.
"Yeah yeah you don't know if you can trust me. Well it's you trust me, or you ignore me and run the risk that I was right," Subaru continued to walk toward the hallway.
"Ah. And where are you going, Subaru-sama?" Frederica asked.
"I have a girl to make some memories with," Subaru answered.
"Oh," Frederica whispered, then rushed off. Good, she'd decided to trust him. Even though he hadn't put up the most warm exterior. But he didn't care about any of that. Frederica was going to get Petra, all he had to do was hold up his end. And he could.
Because unlike so many other times, Natsuki Subaru knew exactly what to say.
A few moments later, he stood in front of his old bedroom's door. Time for her answer. Subaru breathed deep and opened it, stepping through.
Into the Forbidden Library, full of creaking shelves built high, leaking dust onto the mosaic tiles. Butterfly iconography covered the walls, big ones, gilded all over the walls. Some seemed to be directly based on Echidna's hair pin, while others matched more to the shape of Beatrice's eyes.
He preferred those far more, and they reminded him to look right in front of him.
Where a downtrodden librarian waited, and if not saved, would wait eternally. Her head was down, drills touching the floor. Books were splayed around, some open on their faces, some strewn such that pages were stuck in creases. The constant bright light no longer seemed refreshing and uplifting, now it was oppressive.
At the sound of his shoes tapping on the floor, she looked up, a bit of hope slipping into her eyes, "Do you have Betty's answer?"
"I do. Now, you're gonna come out, play in the sun, and get your dress all muddy with me."
"If you have the answer, then…why?" Beatrice asked.
Why? Such a broad question.
"You know, Beako, a few days ago I would have had no clue how to answer that question. I mean, what are you even asking?"
"Just why?" Beatrice asked once more. It was a question which held all of her sorrows. All the pain she'd accumulated over four hundred years.
Subaru touched his chest, reaching into the depths of himself, "To spend time with your friends, and make memories to smile about."
That was his answer to her question.
Her eyes widened, and she stared at him, "That's…that's it? After so long…you only came up with that?"
"Yup," he said, "why is such a simple question. So I gave a simple response. To make good memories to laugh about."
She shook her head violently, "Memories are worthless, I suppose. They don't matter, they just don't mean a thing."
He already knew what to say. And it was a total guess. He had no evidence to back up his next words, but he said them anyway, "Then why do you still think about Ryuzu Meyer?"
Beatrice froze. Ryuzu Shima had told him the story of Sanctuary's origin a couple loops ago. Looks like it had come in handy.
He didn't wait for her response before speaking again, "The memories of Ryuzu Meyer have kept you sane for four hundred years. How long would an entire lifetime having fun with me be worth?"
Her arms trembled and she grabbed her chest, "It doesn't matter, in fact. Even if you are my answer. It won't last, I suppose. Betty has to live for an infinite period. Anything you do will fade. No matter how meaningful. Memories fade, they'll lose all meaning."
"They take a long time to fade."
"Betty has eternity for them to." The hope in her expression was gone. Her eyes were empty and cast down. Her shoulders had slumped.
But the hope within him remained.
He held his own chest and admitted, "Yes, you're right. I'll die. No matter how many memories I give you, no matter how deeply I carve them into you, it'll all fade. You'll live forever. Acquiring more and more empty time."
It was depressing, and he didn't want to think of it, but, "That's just the truth of that course, isn't it? I can make enough memories to erase the eye blinks of empty memories you have now. But you'll never stop accumulating memories."
In that moment he held absolutely no doubt, "So after I die…"
But she held so many doubts she choked up, "After you die, Betty will be alone."
His throat was clear, "After I die, Beako will never be alone."
Tears dripped down her face, and her throat opened enough to let loose a yell, "That makes no sense, in fact!"
"It makes perfect sense."
"NO! Betty will come out into the world. Play with you for as long as you live, then be alone, I suppose. It doesn't matter what—"
"Beako. You're a moron," Subaru wanted to laugh at the girl. And once he relearned how to, he would. This was definitely a memory to chuckle about.
"No, you're the moron, in fact!" Tears were now streaming down her face, from rage, from disappointment, from hopelessness.
The Forbidden Library shook, as if a storm was churning up the land outside.
And there was a storm out there, named Regulus Corneas.
"Ah, there he is," Subaru whispered.
Beatrice ignored the impending doom and kept berating, "You said you'd have the answer, in fact! You claimed you did, I suppose! But you're an idiot. You don't have Betty's real answer. The answer you brought is a terrible worthless excuse for anything. You can't be Betty's answer. You're not permanent! Betty doesn't want to be alone… and you'll leave me alone, I suppose… Betty wants her answer. You can't be it."
"Man…you really are dumb." He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head. "I can't believe it."
"Betty's not…" She let her head fall, she had no reason to continue the conversation.
He looked down at the despairing girl, "If I tried to say that I alone was your answer, then you'd be right."
"What…" She looked up, and met his eyes. Her tears flowed a little slower.
"If I tried to assert that I alone would be enough for you, then I'd be the idiot. If I tried to assert that the time you spend with me would be enough for you, then I'd be the idiot. If I tried to assert that I was your answer, then I'd be the idiot."
Subaru tilted his lips up a little, "But, I never said any of that."
The Forbidden Library's walls loosened, beginning to come apart. For a single moment, he heard Petra, Frederica, and Patrasche screaming from outside.
But Beatrice ignored them, "No. That is what you said, in fact. To make good memories to laugh about."
He almost smiled at her misunderstanding, "To make good memories to laugh about, yeah that's what I said."
Beatrice nodded, snot leaking from her nose. Subaru wanted to walk over to her, to give her the biggest hug he could. But this needed saying, "Beako…I won't deny I said that. But when did I ever say those memories had to be made with me? Who said they had to be with any one person?"
Shadows consumed the walls. Beatrice looked around, finally taking notice of the destruction of the library, "Betty's sorry, mother." Then she closed her eyes, dropping her head again.
For the first time, Subaru doubted his success.
But he wasn't going to give up that easily. "Beako, you don't just get to give up and leave me alone. You're going to come outside with me!"
She fell limp, "You're not enough, I suppose."
A crack formed along the ground. Subaru stepped forward, "That's why you need to listen! There are so many people out there, and when we get outside, we're gonna teach you how to make them your friends!"
"No matter how many friends Betty makes, they'll die. They'll all be gone."
Subaru's heart pounded with rage, "You fucking dipshit stupid spirit. When your friends die, they aren't gone. They're still in your head, you get to remember all the good parts of them. Laugh about all the good memories. Then you make new friends! New memories! None of them ever leave you!"
Beatrice stared at the growing shadows along the roof. The bookshelves being consumed by destruction, "But what if Betty runs out? Even if I make new ones, I suppose. There's not enough."
Subaru couldn't believe it, he just put his arms out to the side and said, "Beako, there's an entire world out there! A world of friends just waiting for you to introduce yourself! So many millions. An entire hoard for you to grab onto and take as many as you can hold."
The Library teetered on the brink of collapse—flooring tore apart, books fell into the void, and wood screeched as it barely held together. Beatrice was completely silent, focused on him.
His yell rose above all the noise for a moment, "There's nothing in here! But out there—"
But his voice only reached her for a moment.
A vast pit of shadow ripped the ground between them away. She stared at him with tears in her eyes, but none wet her cheeks. Beatrice opened her mouth to respond, to deny him, to stop him from finishing, to fall back into despair.
But Natsuki Subaru would never allow that to happen. He wasn't going to let her go quietly into the night. Ram had dragged him kicking and screaming into trust.
He'd do the same for Beako.
So with his heart pounding and pure feeling coursing through him Subaru screamed, "There's an entire world of memories out there, Beako, so let's go take it for ourselves!"
For a brief instant, Beatrice's eyes glimmered, and she no doubt put it together.
This answer was not just hers.
It was theirs.
The Forbidden Library let out a dying screech. Emptiness rushed in from every crack. Subaru sprinted forward, right for the gap between them.
With total and complete faith he jumped the distance, throwing his arm forward. The shadows widened as he soared, leaving the space he'd been trying to jump on gone. He wouldn't make it.
Using all his spiritual affinity Subaru reached out to Beatrice.
Beako.
You.
Wouldn't it be so nice to go outside and play with all of us?
Nothing.
It'd be warm, Beako.
Subaru kept holding his arm out, but he was starting to fall into the void. His reset was drawing near. All of his instincts warned him: death was near.
It'd be so warm outside, and you'll never lose us as long as you remember.
Betty doesn't want to go outside, Betty just wants an answer.
If that was true, then why are you always sitting so close to the door?
Betty…just wants to know and then go to sleep forever.
His feet were being swallowed by darkness, this was it, his death. Most of him accepted, and for a moment he opened his eyes.
Tears welled up, Beatrice was gray.
Beako…
Was it all a lie?
Beatrice whispered, "Betty just wants to be gone."
Something woke, his distrust cultivated over eight loops.
Subaru let out a defiant yell, "BEAKO WE BOTH KNOW THAT'S THE BIGGEST LIE OF ALL TIME! YOU DON'T WANNA DIE!"
The girl flashed with radiant color, and her eyes glowed.
Subaru closed his eyes, his faith returning, he pushed his hand as far out as he could.
You can admit you were lying, and wrong, I'll keep my eyes closed.
Beatrice didn't respond.
But Subaru held firm, and blessedly, small—marvelous—fingers, closed around his own.
A contract began to form. Subaru shook his head, saying, "You don't need me, Beako. Don't limit yourself. Make your contract with the world, full of so many friends."
He didn't see her face, but he could hear her voice, "Betty's not shy. Betty was wrong…I suppose. You were right, Subaru."
Subaru opened his eyes, and met hers, "Finally said my name, eh?"
Her scowl was slipping, "Shut up, in fact."
"Nah. You ready to make some memories?"
Beatrice's frown gave way to a smile.
The Forbidden Library exploded into purple light.
It wasn't the all-consuming void of Regulus' destruction.
It was the warming violet of Beatrice's hope.