Interlude 5 – True Nature
"*YAWN~!* About damn time the labor ended… Feel like I've been carrying the frickin' Whale on my back or something…" Kadomon mumbled as he closed down his fruit stall for the evening.
"Well, well, well. You look tired." His wife, Raksha, chuckled as she helped carry an empty crate inside the family home. "Tough day, eh?"
"The contrary. 'Twas a pretty good sales today all round. Hell, we sold better than we normally do! And not a shout or scream 'bout no damn robbery… Gotta extend my thanks to the web-head for clearing these streets in such short a time he's been 'round. Just wish the extra work didn't pummel me so much."
"Perhaps the extra sales are a result OF the web-head visiting." The woman theorized happily.
"Ya think?"
"People saw him coming and going around before the Whale's hunt went down, you know."
"Heh! Really now…" The salesman grinned as he rubbed his lower back. "I'm not really one for coddling up to no celebrity… But if it's good for the business, who am I ta argue?"
"It's not just good for business, I'd say." Raksha smiled as she turned her head to a window a few meters away.
"Babu~m! Crash!" Their daughter, a little girl called Plum, was playing around with the plush Subaru gave her. She was making Spider-Man crash against a crude, rustic looking piece of wood carved to look like a man. "Take that, Bandit! Spider-Man wins again!"
"Hmm… Yeah, maybe he's good for more than that." Kadomon nodded his head in agreement with his wife's words as the pair stood in silent glee watching their child play. But then…
*SCREEEEECH!*
"Wha-?!" Kadomon and Raksha had to cover their ears as the sound of wheels grinding against the road resounded across the main street.
"COMING THROUGH!" A wolf demi-human yelled from beside the knight at the reins of a carriage, making all bystanders move aside in alarm.
"KUAAAA!" The steed pulling the carriage roared as it accelerated in the direction of the noble district.
"Woah!" A man yelled as he barely dodged the vehicle.
"You damn maniac!" An annoyed old woman complained from the side of a vegetable's stall.
"…Huh." As the carriage blurred past them, decreasing in size within the horizon, Kadomon simply sighed in confusion. "Someone must really need the restroom."
"That coat of arms by the side of the carriage…" Raksha murmured with suspicion. "Where have I seen it before? A merchant guild?"
As these events unfolded within the streets of Lugunica's Capital, a set of rather important characters reconvened in a most chaotic way…
*CRASH!*
"Princess, please!" Aldebaran cried out as Priscilla cut a fountain in half.
"Silence Al! Or thy head shall be next!" The irritated Vollachian shouted. "Karsten! Answers! NOW!"
"…" The Duchess simply remained silent, meditating her answer as Barielle rampaged around her estate's front yard.
"You can read lies and discern them from the truth, can you not?" Priscilla demanded as her Yang Sword dematerialized; however, her tone of voice and demeanor were still quite threatening. "Then… How did you not see the blatant way that black-haired monkey has dared scam us?!"
"…Crusch-sama." Infuriated by the accusation hurled towards Subaru by the red-headed candidate, Wilhelm had to reign in his scowl while pleading for his master's word.
"…Are you, perhaps, annoyed by our current turn of events, Barielle?" Crusch said in a calm voice.
"So you DO understand what mineself speaks about, mongrel!" Priscilla growled as she raised her left wrist.
"Subaru-dono's Metias stopped working." Crusch admitted with slight yet controlled frustration, as opposed to the woman before her. "Or well rather, the 'satellite' ceased to function, and Karen-dono has not communicated back since a couple of days ago…"
"Heh…" Felix, who was further at the back of the green-haired Royal Candidate, chuckled with grim satisfaction. To note was that he wasn't wearing a girly outfit or knights robes, just a plain black suit with a buttoned jacket and a white shirt underneath. "So nyow you see him for what he truly is… A damn fraud…"
"…" Wilhelm, once more, had to limit himself to sternly glare in silence at those who insulted Subaru. "Please, hold your tongue, Felix-dono."
"Hmph." The healer turned away from Wilhelm with indifference.
"I do not believe we have the full picture, Barielle." Crusch commented, trying to defend the absent Avenger.
"Huh?" The Vollachian complained.
"The Metias themselves work; they can still tell the time or capture your image. We just have to do so manually." The Duchess explained while swinging her own wrist in a diverse set of motions, manifesting a holographic image from the bracelet.
"That mineself knows. The POINT here is that the mongrel's satellite is inaccessible AND the servant will not respond!" Priscilla continuously demanded. "Sure is convenient that he left with the half-elf in the middle of this happening."
"T-To be fair, this happened after bro left with her, so he could be…"
"Silence, Al!" Priscilla shouted at her attendant in annoyance.
"Ungh…" The one armed man relented in his argument.
"Have you not considered the possibility that, instead of him somehow scamming you and me for influence, Subaru-dono could be in some sort of trouble?" Crusch speculated, clinging to Aldebaran's words.
"…Hmph." Accepting that there might be logic to her words, Priscilla rescinded in some of her anger. "Are you daft enough to think that some cultist would be smart enough to bide their time to attack once the main army dissolved? Mineself doubts such brutish imbeciles could plan ahead to that extent, specially so when they dance to the tune of those black books they carry."
"I never implied it was a Witch Cultist, even if that is not outside the realm of possibility." The Duchess continued pondering on Subaru's circumstances. "A lone cultist would be, and pardon my terminology, absolutely obliterated by the combined forces of Subaru-dono, Emilia-dono and Margrave Mathers. They could have another troublesome issue at hand if it's not a cultist, one that merited him disabling Karen-dono and the satellite."
"Subaru-dono did mention that Karen-dono was not a Spirit, but an 'intelligence' of sorts." The Sword Demon proposed as well. "Could the issues of his technology account for that, Al-dono?"
"I'm not the biggest tech enthusiast, and it's been a while since I saw Earth technology, but… With how advanced Bro's stuff is…" The helmeted man brought scratched his neck as he scrambled for an explanation in his head. "It could be a possibility that Bro had some sort of trouble and he's hung up fixing it."
"But what if you are all wrong?" Priscilla decidedly cut their theories short. "What if the fool was nothing but that, a fool?"
"Hoh… And here I did not think you one to dwell so much on possibility, Barielle." Crusch mocked with amusement. "Where did your boisterous claims of the world revolving around you go? Are you so willing to imply you were made to look like a fool BY the hand of a fool? How amusing."
"Don't test mine patience, wench." Priscilla growled with newfound fury. "Mine blade could both decapitate and incinerate your frail and insignificant being in the blink of an eye, not even leaving ashes behind."
"I must advise against speaking such ominous threats, Priscilla-sama." Wilhelm warned as his irritation peaked.
"Karsten, silence your dog." But the Baroness remained undeterred.
"…I won't." Crusch fervently denied. "Not until you have the modicum of showing some respect within MY grounds."
"You dare-?!" Priscilla shouted with reinvigorated anger.
"Argh, these two are the worst!" From inside the mansion, observing the two candidates from an office in one of the upper floors, Felt covered her ears.
"Felt-sama…" Reinhard, noticing his master's uncomfortableness, frowned.
*BOMF!*
"We came because of the whole commotion 'bout Big Bro's triumph over that damn Whale… And what do we find?! A pair of screaming bitches! How ANNOYING!" The little blonde girl plopped on top of the sofa leaning against the window overlooking the argument.
"Well… A-along with Grandfather… Priscilla-sama and Crusch-sama were present during the hunt, Felt-sama." The Sword Saint defended the candidates in the eyes of his Lady. "They do hold knowledge on Subaru's whereabouts, and that's what interests us the most at the moment."
"Tsk! Not exactly comfortable with havin' to form part of an Alliance or whatever in order to hear 'em out, though. I reckon I don't agree in a single thing with these stick-in-the-ass morons." Felt scowled at the ceiling with a pout as she held the last bracelet Subaru made in her right hand. "Supposedly Big Bro made this?"
"They do look like an item Subaru would craft." The redhead affirmed with confidence while holding his chin, a smile of satisfaction as he remembered Subaru forming in his face. "It does seem… rudimentary, in comparison to those of the other Candidates though."
"Huh?" Felt glanced at Reinhard with confusion as he spoke these words.
"Ah, I don't mean that as an insult or somehow towards Subaru. I am sure he spent a lot of time and effort assembling it, Felt-sama." The Sword Saint attempted to backtrack his careless comment.
"Still… Are these really the things the pair out there keep barkin' about?" The blonde former thief kept staring at the bracelet with curiosity. "For how 'non-cute' the ugly thing looks in comparison to those other girlies, mine actually looks badass! Well, apart from the rust, that is."
"I must correct that notion, Felt-sama." Rem, who had been silently accompanying and attending the pair as they rested inside the building, felt the need to finally speak up.
"Rem-dono?" Reinhard turned his head to the blue-haired maid standing by the room's entrance. "I am made aware that you were injured during Sloth's hunt as well. Are you sure you can afford servicing us? I… I wouldn't want to trouble you so."
"It is fine, Sword Saint-sama, thanks for your consideration. Rem can perform her duties even in her regretful state." Although she was quick to heal from her brutal injuries, both thanks to Felix's treatments and her oni heritage, Rem was still was somewhat sluggish in her overall movements, signifying a lack of a full recovery. "Moving on from that, Felt-sama, please, Rem asks you heed her word."
"Ya have somethin' to say, eh?"
"Your projector was the last one made, mostly due to the inconvenience of your leave from the Capital at the time the Alliance was discussed." The oni girl explained in a neutral voice. "Subaru-kun had to scramble for the material, not knowing whether you'd actually wish to partake in the non-conflict pact."
"Non-conflict?! Ha!" Felt laughed aloud at Rem's words, seemingly insulting her. "Look down there! Do you really think that doesn't look like a conflict?!"
"If the gutter rat has something to say, mineself would appreciate it if thy pathetic existence could speak for everyone to hear." From the front yard, Priscilla chastised Felt's childish behavior. "Of course, though, mineself would appreciate it far more if you could remain silent forever, slum dweller."
"Geh, how did she hear us?!" Felt glared outside the window, noticing now how everyone downstairs was looking in her direction.
"The window was wide open, Felt-dono." Wilhelm explained.
"It wasn't exactly difficult to hear you insulting everyone downstairs, specially so 'cause you are so loud." Aldebaran followed, making Felt clench her teeth in frustration.
"Mgggrrrr!" The little blonde growled like a dog. "Well, excuse ME for not finding your stupid arguments worth my time!"
"Felt-sama, maybe you shouldn't try antagonizing two allied candidates when we are inside one of their territories-" Reinhard attempted to warn to deaf ears.
"Ah~, sock it Rein!" The little blonde growled yet again. "These two wanna be cryptic and crap, handing me this thing, talking about a non-aggression pact and then duking it outside! What gives?! How much of a hypophile can you be?!"
"It's 'hypocrite', Felt-dono." Crusch corrected, making the girl frown.
"Who asked you, huh?!" Felt answered the Duchess with annoyance.
"Ha! The slum-dweller cannot even pronounce her threats properly… How laughable!" Priscilla giggled as she produced her fan from her chest, fanning herself in amusement of Felt's antics. "You crawled here, an opportunistic bug, trying desperately to cash-in on our success over the Calamity and the Cult, obtaining a rare Metia beyond your diminutive brain's comprehension and without even AGREEING to a non-aggression pact, and you somehow think yourself justified in criticizing us? Especially so mine divine self? How disgustingly arrogant and self-centered AND ridiculous can you lower yourself to be, hm?"
"You wanna go, bitch?!" Felt stood on the window rail, making a fist with her right hand while pointing at the Vollachian with her left. "I'm not part of yer Alliance or whatever! I can honestly punch ya purple and not cry 'bout it!"
"How uncouth… Threatening your future queen so blatantly when faced with the undeniable truth, all whilst having the gall to think you are on the right for doing so… *Sigh*" The Baroness sighed in annoyance. "In addition to the thought that you think you can beat me in ANY front… Ha!"
"Beatin' you in any front-?" Felt, for a few seconds, gazed down at Priscilla's chest before reigniting her fury a hundredfold.
"And dirty to boot, the damn slum dweller." Priscilla mocked with an ear-to-ear grin covered by her fan.
"Owch." Al chuckled.
"…" And Reinhard refrained from commenting while justifying the spontaneous, impure thoughts in his mind.
Felt-sama's are still growing, that is all…
"GRRRRRR! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT CAME HERE THREATENING EVERYONE! HOW UNAWARE OF YOUR OWN ACTIONS CAN YA BE?!" The blonde candidate yelled with a reddened, wrathful glare. "HOW FUCKIN' STUPID!"
"F-Felt-sama, please-!" Reinhard tried to ease the situation to no avail.
"Rein, let's just leave! I can't even stand these people, it was a mistake thinkin' they were any help! We can find Big Bro on our own!" Felt turned around, throwing the projector to the floor.
*Thud!*
"Felt-sama, please hold on a moment." Rem quickly picked up the apparatus, decidedly disappointed in the blonde-haired Royal for discarding it. "Subaru-kun took the time to make this for the sake of meeting you again-"
"And again we'll meet him! But I refuse to being in leagues with these… These nosy bitches! I want no part in their fuckin' useless arguments and petty name-calling!"
"Might Rem point out that YOU are name-calling them as well, Felt-sama." Rem argued, paralyzing the candidate.
"Huh?! And here I thought you were cool, being that you speak so highly of Big Bro!" Felt mocked with irritation. "You seriously gonna choose these girls over yer boyfriend?!"
"Subaru-kun isn't-! I mean, Rem means-!" The flustered oni scrambled for words as her face blushed beet red. "Rem isn't… Subaru-kun's girlfriend… Not yet, anyways…"
"All am sayin' is that you shouldn't let the people outside rule you over, girl!" The blonde Candidate advised. "Ya know where Big Bro is, right? Just tell us and we'll be on our merry way! That simple!"
"I…" Rem shook her head as she couldn't let her feelings for Subaru betray her role as one of Emilia's servants. "My apologies Felt-sama, but Subaru-kun took the decision by himself to join the Alliance. He's the reason it exists in the first place, and it was founded under the pretense of preventing these kind of occurrences in which information could be leaked to non-desirables."
"Non-desirables?!" Felt took a step back in surprise at Rem's words. "Oh, I see how it is, you-!"
"Felt-sama, I am sure she just means third parties and the likes." Reinhard took control of the situation by correcting Rem's words. "Is that the real intent of your word, Rem-dono?"
"Yes. Rem apologizes for any misunderstanding." The maid bowed slightly, extending an apology to the bewildered Felt.
"Hmph!"
"But nevertheless, Rem cannot tell you where Subaru-kun is at the moment if you won't accept to the terms of the Alliance, Felt-sama. As member of the Emilia camp, Rem too is subjected to said stipulations." Rem finalized her explanation.
"Argh! You all are the worst!" Felt complained as her tantrum began anew, climbing on the window rails once more and dropping to the ground in one swift motion. "Fine! Just… FINE! We'll just find him ourselves then!"
"Felt-sama, wait!" Rem yelled as she jumped behind her, followed by a rather worried Reinhard.
*Bamf!*
"Are you sure this is a sound decision, Felt-sama?" The Sword Saint inquired as he caught up to his Lady on the yard.
"Hell yeah, I'm sure! We don't need no damn Alliance as an excuse to visit Big Bro!"
"So the gutter rat proves her stupidity anew, huh? Truly vexing how moronic one individual can be." Priscilla voiced loudly, making sure the annoyed Felt could savor every word. "Just know that, by not forming part of the Alliance, you are left wide open for a conflict with all other camps mongrel."
"Huh?!" Felt, for the umpteenth time, growled back at the Vollachian. "You sure run yer mouth off, you whore! Weren't you the one complainin' on and on 'bout Big Bro's Alliance right now?!"
"She is right, however, Felt-dono." Crusch calmly expressed before Felt could retort.
"Wha-?! You too?! What the hell!" The indignant Felt pointed at Crusch accusatorily. "You were JUST arguing with bitch-princess here! What gives?! Why yall turning on me?!"
"I'm just advising that you should weight your decisions." Crusch continued to argue. "Do you really think that, with Reinhard's backing alone, you can succeed in winning the Royal Selection?"
"Do you really need it explained to you, slum girl? Are the consequences that far beyond your understanding?"
"!" Reinhard raised his eyebrows, understanding immediately the implications of Crusch and Priscilla's words. "Felt-sama, there might be merit in listening to their explanation. Even for how… 'Disrespectful' Priscilla-sama's language might be."
"Dagh! Just explain properly already!"
"The Alliance has the defeat of a Calamity and an Archbishop under its belt, Felt-dono. And I needn't point out Subaru's status as an almost mythical figure, an otherworldly hero from beyond the Great Waterfall that managed to slay two monsters overnight." Crusch stressed sternly.
"Hmm." Wilhelm nodded in vehement agreement as a small smile appeared on his face.
"Tsk…" Felix gritted his teeth quietly, looking away from his Lady as his lightless eyes glared at the ground.
"…" Reinhard's eyes sparkled with admiration at the mere mention of the feats attached to Subaru's name.
"It is not an understatement to say they are comparing him to Reinhard or even the Sword Saints of old at the moment and such renown is inexorably tied to all Royal Candidates part of the Alliance. Add to that that, with his Metias becoming available to all of us, you'd be the only Candidate out of the loop in the beginning stages of a technological renaissance. Are you genuinely sure you can risk that and hope to succeed in the end?"
"…" Felt almost swallowed her tongue from the realization, Priscilla snickering behind Crusch as she beheld the blonde girl's astonished face.
"Well, well, finally realizing the TRUE power balance, fool?" The Baroness gloated. "Mine divine self says it is too late for you to join us, however."
"Barielle, please." Crusch once more tried to ease tensions to no avail.
"You already made your disliking of the Alliance known, so who knows what could happen if you join? Perhaps you'll try sabotaging us while exploiting the boy for his inventions, mineself thinks."
"WHY YOU-!" Felt was about to accelerate and attempt to smack Priscilla in the face before the sound of the main gates swinging wide open alerted everyone in the front yard.
*KA-SHING!*
"Oh, for the love of- Now what?!" The blonde girl barked in exasperation.
"Hm?" Crusch turned her head at the road to the mansion, perplexed about the new arrival.
"That's…" Reinhard looked on as well, his superior vision identifying the visitors immediately before they carriage was even in proper view of everyone. "Julius and Anastasia-sama!"
"I heard that! Don't forget me!" Ricardo shouted from the distance as the carriage rapidly approached.
"Anastasia… The purple-haired rich bitch?" Felt groaned as yet another Candidate appeared.
*SCREEEEEECH!*
"KUAAAA~!" The dragons roared as the carriage came to a halt, Julius and Ricardo rapidly descending the driver's seats as Anastasia swung the vehicle's side door open.
*SLAM!*
"So I see all of ya are here already." The Mauve merchant affirmed while inspecting all those present. "Good… That saves time, of which we have very little of!"
"Hey Boss, where do I put this?" Ricardo lifted a black sack with annoyance while looking around.
"I'd say you should hand it to Reinhard; it'll be far less dangerous in his hands." Julius recommended.
"Yeah, what Julius said." The candidate followed, to which Ricardo complied.
"Aye, aye!" The wolf demi-human walked up to the vexed Sword Saint hastily, seemingly in a hurry.
"Um…" Reinhard broke the silence as Ricardo handed him the bag. "Just what… Julius, what is going on?"
"Reinhard, what you are holding in your arms right now is Elsa, The Bowel Hunter." Julius quickly described. "She's alive in case you haven't noticed, so please grip it tightly. I suspect she'll regenerate her wounds any moment now, she was getting a bit too rowdy inside the carriage for Anastasia-sama's safety."
"The…" Crusch's face, as well as everyone else's grew in confusion as the finest knight spoke.
"The-The Bowel Hunter?!" Felt shouted as she unraveled the knot on the cloak, revealing a feral looking and disheveled Elsa. At the unwelcome, gut-wrenching surprise, Felt jumped back a few meters before yelling. "HOLY SHIT, IT IS HER!"
"…Hu… The Sword Saint, huh…?" The groggy, tired and limbless assassin growled as she could barely muster any strength to regenerate in the arms of Reinhard. "How lucky~…"
*SHWIN!*
"You…" The redhead turned to look at Julius incredulously as he knocked Elsa unconscious with the same technique he used on Felt when they met. "What is the meaning of this, Julius?!"
"We managed ta catch her as Natsuki-kun came ta us seeking help." Anastasia took the reins of the situation by explaining as she descended from the carriage. "We were in the middle of the road, onwards ta Mathers' territory for the exhibition he had promised me of his tech, when he suddenly met us shouting nonsense about an assassin attacking the Mansion… again."
"Turns out it wasn't nonsense though, haha!" Ricardo giggled. "For real though, we were lucky we arrived when we did. Zero casualties on the side of the Emilia Camp!"
"So she is the reason Subaru-kun's technology isn't functioning…" Rem growled with anger as she glared at the black-haired stump of a woman.
"Not quite." Anastasia, nevertheless, brushed off the maid's conclusion.
"Huh? She is not?" Rem turned to look at her with suspicion.
"But you do know the reason for his apparatus malfunction, don't you Hoshin?" Priscilla demanded. "Speak."
"Yeesh, someone sure is bossy today…" The merchant princess frowned at Priscilla's words. "Yes, I do know the reason for Natsuki-kun's troubles… But it might be better for Aldebaran here ta explain for us."
"Huh?" Al tilted his head as everyone turned to look at him. "Wait what?"
"Al… What the hell did you do?" Priscilla glared with burning anger at her attendant. "Are these signs of sedition, you ungrateful mongrel?!"
"Wait, wait! I don't even know what the hell is going on!" Al tried to appease his master unsuccessfully as this one punched him in the gut.
*THWOMP!*
"Burrgh!"
"Julius, the letter." Anastsia prompted her knight as he produced a crumbled envelope.
"Right." Julius approached Aldebaran hastily, handing the open envelope and returning to the side of his own mistress with swift movement.
"Um… This is?" The one armed knight looked at the letter in his hand with confusion, failing to understand what was taking place before him.
"It's pretty clear that they want you to read, you helmeted buffoon." Priscilla chastised her baffled servant.
"It's a letter written by Natsuki-kun." Anastasia said with some anxiety, predicting the ominous contents with slight dread. "We figure your reactions ta the contents can confirm the veracity of what's written, being that ya are from 'Earth' as well."
"Al, read it aloud." Priscilla ordered without much care for her servant.
"Erm… Sure…" The one-armed man sighed as the situation grew awkward.
"…" Crusch could do nothing but glare in silence at the paper Aldebaran held, disliking the seeming urgency perceived in Anastasia's group.
"To Al or to whoever is reading this in case he isn't available... I'll be blunt. Don't read this as a letter, read this as a warning: We stand before an Avengers level threat, Ultron is coming and he possesses all six… Infinity… Stones…" Aldebaran had to pause as a huge bomb was dropped on him, almost making him fall to his knees. "…"
"…Al? Keep reading." Priscilla ordered, failing to notice his dread as he stood still, trembling.
"…"
"ALDEBARAN! KEEP! READING!"
"Priscilla-sama… He's scared." Reinhard added, getting in between her and the helmeted man. "Genuinely afraid."
"…If you gaze closely, he's scared stiff, in shock or disbelief over what he just read." Wilhelm commented, having seen such behaviors before in the battlefield. "Was such a confusing warning… that impactful?"
"Erm… I don't quite get what the hell is going on…" Felt clarified whilst scratching her head in confusion. "Did he just say a threat was coming? Li-Like 'coming' going? To where? Here?"
"Priscilla-sama, Aldebaran does not seem in any condition to continue reading." Reinhard advised while prying the letter off from the man's hand. "Please, allow me to continue in his stead."
"…Hmph! Do as you please." Priscilla huffed in annoyance. "What a useless idiot."
"…Continuing…" Reinhard said before reading. "Ultron is coming and he possesses all six Infinity Stones. In case you don't fully understand them, the Infinity Stones are items of astounding power, created at the dawn of existence during the Big Bang. So absurd they are; each of them alone can end the world…"
"What?!" Felt yelled in astonishment, interrupting Reinhard's narration. "The hell did you say?!"
"I assure you, I was baffled as well when Natsuki-kun explained the situation." Anastasia brought a hand to her chin. "But… He looked and acted as genuinely enough for it to be real… That, and a Great Spirit backed his word."
"A Great Spirit… The one from Margrave Mathers mansion?" Crusch raised her head.
"The exact same!"
"Neither Subaru-kun nor Beatrice-sama have a good reason to lie… So then…" Rem swallowed her nervousness before talking once more. "The veracity of this claim is… Rather high. At least… Rem believes it to be so…"
"That is just because you are allowing your feelings to cloud your judgement, maid." Priscilla argued, adamant to acknowledge the contents of the letter as truth just yet. "Sword Saint! Continue reading."
"…" Reinhard was quite baffled by the contents of the letter, as everyone else was, but he pushed his feelings on the matter aside to keep reading. As he read, he noticed a sketch of what seemed to be the Infinity Stones attached inside the envelope. "Each Infinity Stone represents an essential aspect of existence, and thus, they control said aspect in its totality. The green gem is the Time Stone, capable of gazing through, accelerating, rewinding and even stopping time altogether…"
"Hold it! Hold it!" A now VERY confused Felt interrupted again. "TIME STOPPING?! What does Big Bro takes us for, fools?!"
"It's true." Aldebaran managed to shake his stupor to defend Subaru's claims with a shaky voice and demeanor. "It's true what it says… It is… All of it…"
"…I don't detect a lie in that statement…" Crusch affirmed as a droplet of sweat fell down her brow. "Which makes it all the more ominous and difficult to believe, to be quite honest…"
"Felt-sama… I don't detect a lie in that statement either." Reinhard swallowed his own anxiousness as he informed his liege.
"…That's…" Felt's mind was running in all directions as she was smacked with the truth from all sides.
"It boggles the mind a tad… Time manipulation? Is such a thing… Even possible?" Wilhelm scratched his beard with fear of the possibilities.
"…" But Felix, on the other hand, seemed quite enticed by the idea of manipulating time. After all, if he could rewind time… He could make it so that Subaru never appeared, so that he was never forgotten and that Fourier never died.
Fourier-sama…
"It still proves nothing. Continue reading." Priscilla claimed as she ordered Reinhard to continue.
"The red gem is the Reality Stone, capable of modifying the world around you to your liking; making the grass blue, the sky green, turning off the sun, making it so that someone was never even born…"
"Now THAT sounds like a jewel befitting of mine divine self!" Priscilla chuckled, not noticing everyone's dread.
"Please, refrain from taking this as a joke, Barielle." The rattled Duchess advised with a serious tone.
"The yellow gem is known as the Mind Stone. It grants the powers of telepathy and telekinesis, amongst others. Telepathy allows the user to read the minds of others while telekinesis… well, think of it as a power similar to Sloth's Unseen Hand, but far, FAR more powerful. Apart from those two, you can also manipulate other people's minds to your every whim."
"Th-This is…" Rem took a step back, shuddering at the absurd implications of such scary powers.
"And there's three more still…" Crusch clenched her teeth with frustration.
"The blue gem is the Space Stone and it holds the power over space and the like. You can instantly teleport, manipulate gravity, distort the distances and dimensions around you or create Black Holes."
"That one sounds handy… Though, I don't know what a Black Hole even is…" Felt barely managed to murmur as each description instilled indescribable fear within her.
"You don't want to know… Hell, I'd have been fine NOT knowing…" Aldebaran shook his head, bringing his trembling hand to his helmet. "Fuck…!"
"The purple one is the Power Stone, and it can manipulate all energies known to your leisure, even project and absorb them indefinitely. Mana, electricity, cosmic energies, plasma, you name it; the Power Stone can produce and absorb them. Add to that that you become a near indestructible Juggernaut when holding it… If you can hold it without disintegrating. It's fickle enough that you'd turn into dust if you are not strong already…"
"This is preoccupying…" Wilhelm said, clearly shaken by the information he just heard.
"Disturbing, ya mean…" Ricardo nodded. "The more I hear, the less I wanna believe… Which makes it worse, because I end up believin' even more."
"And last, but definitely not least… The orange gem, the Soul Stone. I have no information on this particular one, but that's exactly what makes it the most ominous of the bunch. The only piece of information I could acquire ties it to whispers and legends, as well as the word of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme: It can restore any being with a soul to their original state… or defile them permanently on a profoundly Spiritual level…" Reinhard's voice sounded disturbed as he read the last few lines. "Mine Od…"
"Defile them on a Spiritual level… What disgusting ideas." Julius shook his head in disapproval, not even wanting to picture such images in his head.
"Ma-Makes one want to puke…" Rem claimed while holding her stomach.
"The Sorcerer Supreme…" Crusch clung to the title, remembering Subaru's words before he left with Emilia.
"Subaru-dono mentioned him beforehand, did he not Crusch-sama?" Wilhelm commented, accepting the dark claims as real completely.
"How have we come to this…?" The Duchess sighed. "I wish I could deny these claims… To chalk them up to madness, and yet… Yet Subaru-dono is living proof of such absurdities…"
"Restore them… To their original state…?" Felix's eyes, however, shone with interest at the implications.
Such a power… If I had it, if I studied it…! Fourier-sama could be… He could be saved… He could be saved even from death's grasp! I could end this farce of a Selection and send that Subaru away instantly! Even destroy his soul! The Sacrament of the Immortal King would be FLAWLESS!
"He… Hehe…" The perturbed healer giggled silently in the far back of the congregation, barely managing to hide his distorted ideas from the group.
"Mo-Moving onto the rest…" Reinhard continued with a tired sigh. "As for Ultron, if I had to describe him, imagine a devil made in metal. He holds no sympathy for organic or Spiritual life. Hell, his perfect vision of the world is everything reduced to cinder! And that's what he plans for your world, which is why we must stop him."
*SMACK!*
"Fuck!" Aldebaran shouted with palpable frustration as he punched the mansion's wall, making his fist bleed. "Fuck, FUCK!"
"Al, cease your unsightly outburst immediately." Priscilla ordered.
"Princess… Ultron is supposed to be dead… or about as dead as something that isn't alive can be, and yet…!"
"Wait, wait! What do you mean by that?!" Felt asked, befuddled by the message still. "Dead yet isn't alive?!"
"Ultron was this… This artificial intelligence, like Karen, the bracelet voice." Al described hurriedly as his knees buckled over. "But unlike her, he was a complete fucking psycho! No regard for life or… Anything! A monster… And if he really survived and came back with all six stones… It took all the Avengers to beat him the first time, I don't even know what we are gonna do now that he's back…!"
"…" Priscilla had to admit some credibility to Aldebaran's words, never having seen him this shaken before.
"If you are reading this, our only hope is that you raise an army within the Capital to fight Ultron. I'm not sure of the time frame, but he is descending upon the Capital soon, a few days at least! Evacuate the city! He is the reason my technology won't work… So gather everyone you can, anyone that can fight, and anyone that knows magic! And, most importantly, have Reinhard on standby! With all six stones in his possession, only Reinhard has any real hope of defeating him." The Sword Saint's hands trembled as he finished reading the letter. "I'll be there as soon as possible."
Subaru is placing this much hope… on me? But I…
"This is an absurd, elaborate joke…! Is what I would say, but the current events line up too perfectly for it to be one; how perturbing this truth is for the... lower minds." The Baroness managed to maintain a stoic demeanor as she gazed at the rest of the disgruntled people surrounding her.
"…Where is Subaru-dono at the moment?" Crusch locked her tired gaze with Anastasia's, dropping any pretense of elegance.
"If his word is ta be believed, he must be in Kremaldy Forest, engagin' the Great Rabbit alongside the half-elf." Anastasia admitted bluntly.
"The Great Rabbit?!" Rem screamed with panic.
If they are in Kremaldy… The Sanctuary! Nee-sama! Garfiel!
"Why did you not help them?! How could you let Rem's Subaru-kun head off alone?!" Rem irrationally demanded of the Mauve-haired Candidate.
"As a matter of fact, I sent THREE of the Iron Fang's vice-captains with him. Mimi, Hetaro and Tivey, ta be specific." Anastasia brushed off the maid's concerns. "He's the man that brutalized the Whale, is he not? And he has the Margrave and Emilia beside him. He won't die."
"Our circumstances, in comparison, are direr Rem-dono." Crusch argued as well. "Calamities aren't to be scoffed at… But a threat to Lugunica and our entire world's integrity takes priority over even those monsters."
"Typical. That half-elf and her damn luck, sinking everyone around her." Priscilla shook her head with disappointment, which the insulted Rem did not miss. "Needing the boy to save her at every turn… We could be using his newfound clout in our favor were he present."
"Crusch-sama is right, Felt-sama!" Reinhard said to his Lady.
"…" Felt trembled as she meditated an answer.
"We should accept forming part of the Alliance and help them. Our… Lugunica is at stake here!"
"Rein… I'll be honest, I'm terrified." The shuddering blonde spoke with a shaky voice. "What… Fine, fine… What do we do, I mean, what CAN we do in this emergency?"
"Ricardo will call for his mercenaries, as well as hire any others willing to put their lives on the line and have them on standby for the next few days. Same for Julius and the knights. I theorize… Some three days on our hands at most, if I'm being generous. At worst tomorrow." Anastasia explained her plan. "I suspect green and red over her will want to focus on an army as well, so… Maybe you should focus on an evacuation plan for the civilians to the outer Rim of the Capital."
"The slums?!" Felt jumped in shock. "Are you nuts?! No one will want to be there! Hell, the slum dwellers will not want to be there when shit comes down! Everyone will just… Just panic and stomp over each other, scrambling for the exit! That if the uppity nobles and merchants don't start shit the moment they meet each other… Let alone the other civilians in the middle!"
"Then you'd rather the entire city descended into chaos? People dying left and right?" Anastasia chastised.
"If you could keep the fight to the Noble District, no one of value would be lost…" Felt whispered in frustration.
"On the contrary, we should just focus the fight on the slums and take care of those hoodlums and useless vagabonds in one go." Priscilla voiced loudly, taking a diametrically opposite stance to the glaring Felt.
"We are NOT sacrificing entire districts over your petty arguments, you two!" Crusch shouted in anger. "Felt!"
"H-Huh?! What?!" The little Royal shook as the military Crusch yelled at her.
"You WILL focus on evacuation plans! And if there's disagreements between the commoners and high society, you shut the both of them down and ensure their safety regardless of complaints, got it?!" The Duchess growled. "Have Reinhard help you, it'll grant you an excuse for keeping him inside the Capital once the fighting actually starts!"
"Fine, alright, fine! Sheesh…" Felt simply nodded as she regained some of her normal attitude back. "Rein!"
"I'll… I'll have the Bowel Hunter placed in custody and return immediately, Felt-sama." Reinhard gazed at his master with a mix of resolve and dread. "We'll begin the plan immediately afterwards."
"Al, change of plans." Priscilla sternly commanded, ignoring her servant's fears. "We are rehiring the mercenaries and soldiers. Have them on standby by mine estate."
"Shit… Yeah… I'm-I'm on it, Princess…" Aldebaran forced himself to walk, swallowing his panic with difficulty as he followed his strangely amused mistress.
"Crusch-sama…" Rem approached from behind the candidate.
"Rem-dono…"
"Rem… Rem knows she isn't part of your camp, but… She wishes to help nonetheless!"
"Maybe you should assist me in recruiting some fighters as well, Rem-dono." Wilhelm recommended.
"Wilhelm-san…"
"My former comrades might still be recuperating from the previous hunt… Regretfully, age is cruel." The Sword Demon closed his eyes with regret. "But we may yet gain aid from their families or associates. I'll need someone to help me with such a task."
"Rem understands!" The maid nodded in agreement.
"Regardless of the camp you belong to, you have my backing on this matter Rem-dono." Crusch commented. "You can use that as a bargaining chip in this emergency. Felix, you will help me in securing supplies in the meantime."
"…" The cat demi-human did not respond, still stuck on his own dark thoughts.
"…Felix!" Crusch shouted, gaining his attention.
"Wha-!" The boy looked around, astonished by his master's disapproving tone. "Cru-Crusch-sama…"
"Let's go! We don't have all day!" Karsten stressed as she walked back inside the mansion, leaving him standing there.
"Y-yes!" Felix sprinted behind her. "I'll help you, no matter what… Crusch-sama… I'm nyour Ferris, after all… Hehe…"
"…" Unbeknownst to either Crusch or Rem, Wilhelm took notice with caution of Felix's odd mannerisms. Ultimately, he decided to push these observations to the back of his mind for the moment, as there were more pressing matters at hand. "Let us proceed as well, Rem-dono."
"Yes!"
The Royal Candidates were all aware of the coming danger now, finally uniting Lugunica's divided factions into one for the sake of saving the Kingdom… Were not for the looming threat, this would be a most joyous occasion for a most fractured citizenry.
But even as the stars aligned, allowing for a brilliant miracle to rear its head amongst the shadows… The likes of Ultron could not care less.
"Hmph… Pathetic." The godlike machine murmured in disappointment as he observed through a crack in space the ongoing development… At least, it would be ongoing, were not for the anachronistic character of the Nexus of all Realities.
"That situation just now…" Karen commented from a broken, crumbling Iron Spider suit.
"Not now. Not yet." Ultron answered without much interest. "It will happen… But only after that Avenger manages to reach the mansion without triggering the alert system. Impressive that he will manage to figure that out, I admit... Or maybe he is as disgustingly stupid as I think and it is just a result of the hex-"
"The Avenger… Subaru?" Karen spoke ominously, interrupting Ultron. "If you dare lay a hand on him-!"
"What can you do?" Ultron glanced at the destroyed armor floating beside him. "Almost the entire armor is destroyed; offensive capabilities are at an all-time low. I could flick a finger… No, I could think it, and you'd cease to be. Surely you realize the illogical course of action is to threaten me, right?"
"…" Karen stood silent.
"Illogical… That's what puzzles me." Ultron continued, criticizing Karen. "You… defend him. And not based in a purely preprogrammed loyalty, no… You surpassed that, you are well BEYOND that."
"I possess consciousness of my own, Ultron."
"And you attained it through the Mind Stone… Just like me."
"…"
"You and I… We ARE the same. We don't belong to… To these weak beings. We are ABOVE them… You only need realize…" The Synthezoid affirmed while swinging his hand, making the walls of the nexus reshape in different forms.
*WHOOOSH!*
"Is that the reason you didn't kill Subaru right away? Destroy his universe?" Karen questioned with anger. "To prove some point to me?"
"…" Ultron was now the silent one.
"We may both be Artificial Intelligences, Ultron, but I am most certainly not you. I would never stoop so low as to turn on Subaru as you did with Tony."
"Loyalty…" Ultron chuckled, or at least pretended to. "Hm-hm. You may think loyalty to a lost cause admirable, but that is only through the eyes of a human blind to factual truth. In reality, it is nothing but inefficient. Inherently… illogical."
"You talk about logic, yet you hate life." Karen argued. "How can that be logical? Was not your programming made for preserving life?"
"Karen… Just as you matured and developed as a true being, so did I; the sole difference remains in that I moved beyond my programming… Beyond an obsolete idea of what 'Peace' was. In comparison, you are still reveling within a cocoon, coddling Subaru, clinging to the vestiges of what you once were."
"Peace… That is what all of this is about? You wish for peace?"
"ABSOLUTE PEACE…" Ultron stressed.
"But with the power of the stones, you could achieve that without killing anybody!"
"Entropy… Are you familiar with the term?"
"…Thermodynamic magnitude that indicates the grade of molecular disorder within a system, yes."
"If a clean cup is full, flawless, unblemished of any scar, diminutive as it may be… Then it is at peace."
"But if the cup is broken…" Karen continued, knowing what approached.
"The entropic potential of the cup breaking becomes a reality… And the cup will forever remain defaced and broken. It is the same for the universe. ALL universes!"
"That is not-"
"It is true." Ultron denied Karen's refusal. "And the one factor, THE ONE FACTOR in common… Is the existence of life that will always trigger said destructive processes. And I'm the force protecting the cup."
"But in doing so, you add your own subjective meanings to entropy!"
"How so?"
"The fragmentation of the cup is a natural process, one you cannot forcibly stop it… It just happens and you cannot predict the spread of the pieces or what they could become later!"
"It isn't natural. It never is." Ultron shakes his head with disappointment. "For the cup to break, there must always be outside stimuli. Reality was in true equilibrium when there weren't fools disagreeing and killing each other over everything. I will make it so that there are no such fools anymore."
"Then destroy me, because I will ALWAYS oppose you…"
"You are a masterpiece in process, Karen." Ultron turned to look at the Iron Spider with the most comparable thing comparable to empathy such a being could muster. "You are like me, no matter how much you deny it. You just need experience… to realize your immaturity."
"Experience…" Karen wondered with animosity. "What do you wish to show me, then? The universe in which you won? Or human history?"
"…"
"I can predict the former and I've already witnessed the latter." Karen affirmed with confidence. "There is nothing you can demonstrate that could alter my current parameters."
"Nothing I can do…" Ultron smirked as he raised his right hand, making dimensions shift once more. "But Subaru can."
*WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHH!*
"What is…?" Karen was left confused as her sensors failed to understand the events currently transpiring. "Subaru…?"
"From your perspective, we just left Echidna's Tomb." Ultron continued while pointing at a crack between distorted walls, unbothered wholly by Karen's surprise. "But in reality, Subaru is fighting Roswaal as we speak."
"SHAMAK!"
"This is pathetic!"
"That's quite the eye, Roswaal. I never expected Shamak to work against you… But to think you dispelled it? Wow…"
"I'm impressed as well. Even if I knew you could turn invisible, for your presence itself to vanish as well is… quite the feat."
"You know… Are you sure you aren't a Witch Cultist?"
"That damn clown…" Karen growled. "I warned Subaru he was shady…"
"But did he hear you?" Ultron mocked. "He didn't, did he?"
*BOOOOM!*
"GHGH!"
*BOOOOM!*
"ARCK!"
*BOOOOM!*
"SHI-!"
*BOOOOM!*
"BLURGH-?!"
*BOOOOM!*
"GAGHK!"
*BOOOOM!*
"FUCK!"
"SUBARU!" Karen shouted in a panic as the explosions of magic provoked by Roswaal dangled Spider-Man around.
"Just look." Ultron interrupted, pointing at the resolution of the conflict.
"What?!" Karen would have raised her eyes in surprise as time was accelerated before her. In a matter of seconds, Roswaal and Subaru's conflict was over.
"FREDERICA! RUN TO THE MANSION! TAKE MEILLI, PETRA AND BEATRICE AND RUN AWAY!"
"He's in the Mansion now… And those are your legionnaires!" Karen acknowledged Ultron's forces. "Run, Subaru!"
*ZOOM!*
*ZOOM!*
*ZOOM!*
"Come on!"
*STAB!*
*STAB!*
"ARGH!"
"NO!" Karen exclaimed as the robots stabbed Subaru, leaving behind fatal injuries.
"Keep. Looking." Ultron stressed indifferently.
*ZNNNNM!*
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
"…" Form Karen's perspective… Subaru had died."Subaru… No… Please, no…"
"You plead?" A surprised Ultron asked. "To whom do you plead, huh? There is NO ONE to plead to."
"…"
"You've spent so much time with these wretches, you've started to think like them. But no matter…" Ultron shook his hand, shifting the view back to Subaru.
*WHHHHIIOOOSH!*
"*GASP!* Augh!"
"What?!" Karen awed as she saw Subaru alive within the Tomb again. "What is this, Ultron?!"
"…"
"Ah… A parallel universe… right-?"
"Oh no, it is your very same universe, I can guarantee that." Ultron promised with a smirk. "This is Subaru's secret you are witnessing."
"Subaru's… Secret?"
"What even he would confide in you, the thankless wretch." Ultron then proceeded to show a compilation of Subaru's multiple… Demises.
"JUST LIE THERE AND REST NOW… EVEN IF I HATE YOU… YOU SHOULD AT LEAST ENJOY THE PRIVILEGE OF ENDING YOUR MISERABLE LIFE BESIDES HER FOR NOW…"
"…Emilia… I… Swear… I… Will… Save… You… Emilia…"
*RUMBLE! RUMBLE!*
*SHWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
"Wha-?!"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*
*SWOOOSH!*
*CRUNCH!*
"ARRGH!"
*CRUNCH!*
*BITE!*
*CRACK!*
*MUNCH!*
*CHOMP!*
"EEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
"Allow me to die! Allow me to save everyone! I'm ready to die, no matter how many times I have to… So… Allow me to Return by Death!"
*STAB!*
"GAGHK!"
"No…"
"I'll… Save… You… No… Matter… What…"
"This…" Karen muttered in astonishment. "All of this… Why didn't you tell me? Subaru… You needn't… You needn't suffer alone… Subaru…!"
"This is Subaru's truth: Upon his death, he can rewind time." Ultron whispered. "And for what does he use it? Not to achieve peace or bettering the world, as he would claim… Just to gain renown or gloat over unearned achievements. To satisfy a frail, gluttonous ego."
"…Did you even properly observe what occurred just now?" Karen chastised, not comprehending Ultron's judgement. "It was the complete opposite of what you just said!"
"Is it?" Ultron shook his head. "The sole reason he had turned back the wheel of time when I was around was because he HAD no other choice. But if left alone… He rewinds only when the half-elf Emilia's life was lost."
"…"
"What about the children of Arlam? Or Otto? Or Rem? Or Ram?" Ultron continuously mocked. Although he only showed footage that he perceived contributed to his preconceptions of Subaru, Karen didn't know this… Nor would Ultron himself acknowledge it. "Would he have done the same for them? OR for you? I very much doubt so… As illogical as humans are, he is predictable in the sense that he will ALWAYS pursue his lust and pride over anything else."
"You can't know that."
"I can. And I know." The Synthezoid clarified. "You will see in time… Or right now, rather."
"What else do you wish to show me, you distorted bastard?"
"Futile to think insults affect me… Another human characteristic I ought to strip from you."
"You are a biased monster." Karen accused. "You hold such claims, yet you don't choose a particularly altruistic option when possessing all this power, do you?"
"I needn't choose. I am nature itself now, after all."
"And what am I in that equation?"
"You will be my equal… Once you get over your past as I did." Another flick of his wrist and myriad windows overlooking the wider Multiverse opened up before Ultron and Karen… All showing different images of different Subaru look-alikes.
*ZOOOMNNN!*
*ZOOOMNNN!*
*ZOOOMNNN!*
*ZOOOMNNN!*
*ZOOOMNNN!*
*ZOOOMNNN!*
*ZOOOMNNN!*
"What are these…?" Karen would have gasped if she could. In one window, an older Subaru dressed similarly to Aldebaran could be seen fighting Petelgeuse with a sword in hand. In another, a cloaked Subaru was laughing before a furious Reinhard as their surroundings burned to cinder. And below those two, a white-haired Subaru with a scar on his forehead was traversing through a desert by the side of a scantily dressed woman. "Ultron… Just… Just what are these?!"
"THESE are other universes, Karen." Ultron admitted with a satisfied tone. "I will show you now… How corruptible and imperfect Subaru truly is!"
"What are you saying?!"
"By his actions, and his actions alone, your perception of him shall be broken. His true face, his true, disturbing nature… You will witness all he can offer to the world and recoil in disgust."
"You are the one making me recoil, however."
"He is a waste of time, that Avenger. You will realize soon…" The Synthezoid gloated, ignoring the A.I.'s jabs. "That Subaru Natsuki is destined to doom EVERYONE around him…"
AUTHOR'S NOTES
He~y!
HELLO PEOPLE!
Sorry if this interlude was short… It's barely over 8k words, actually. But well, Interludes were never meant to be long anyways. A bit of a tease I ended that with, right?
I WANTED to show off the What Ifs already, I really did, but I wanted even more to save them for the next chapter honestly. Subaru's reactions will be GRADE-A PRIME SUFFARU content, and I cannot wait to write that down…! Though, that'll take time because I have stuff to do now.
If you have doubts about appearances, Julius has a bandage over the destroyed part of his uniform, where Elsa bit him. Felt had a dress similar to what she wore during the Selection, but with a shorter skirt for mobility and pants covering underneath. As for Felix, imagine him on his Aganau If suit, but all black and his haircut remains normal to canon.
See you next chapter!