"Cap'n!!!" Garf shouted as he rushed towards the man. Otto could see the man's expression turn to confusion as the baby girl in his arms began to fuss. "Who?" he retorted while shifting from confusion to irritation. "Come on Cap'n, I know it's you." Garf said. "Garf, leave the guy alone, its obvious he isn't Subaru." Otto tried to get the boy to stop.
"Hell no, I know its mah Cap'n." Garf retorted as the man began to back away. "Look, if you guys are here to scam me then just buzz off." The man said. "No sir, I'm sorry. My friend here is just being foolish. Now come on." Otto said while gripping Garf's collar. "No, I know its him." Garf defended as he rushed over to the man.
"Get off me" The man shouted while shielding the younger girl from Garf. "Garf stop, you're get us in trouble." Otto begged his friend. The man tried to grapple with Garf despite holding the baby in his arms, yet Garf was winning.
"GET OFF!!" The man shouted louder. "Not until you come back Cap'n. Please, we need ya." Garf said to him while grabbing onto the man's eyepatch. "Garf please." Otto put his hands onto Garf's collar as the boy continued to harass the man.
"I was wondering what was taking you so long." A familiar voice rang through the alley. Otto turned to see the same shop keeper he had been forced to pay earlier. "Please sir, this isn't what it looks like." Otto started. "Really, cause it looks like your friend is trying to rob mine." The man said.
The baby girl in the first one's arms began to cry as he tried pushing Garf off. Garf managed to pull off the eyepatch, gaining a punch in the face from the man. The other calmly pulled out a short sword and approached the squabble. Otto backed away in fear as the other walked up to the gawking Garf.
He calmly put the blade to Garf's throat while resting a firm grip on his shoulder. "Now hand it back and maybe, just maybe, you'll spend the night in jail." The other man offered. "Now hold on." Otto said meekly as he looked at the hogpog guiltily. "I can't let you kill him." he muttered. "Then he better listen to what I have to say." The other said. "Hell no. I know that's mah Cap'n" Garf shouted.
Otto just wordlessly took the eyepatch out of Garf's hand and returned it to the first guy. "I'm so sorry." he apologized as the man just wordlessly took it back. He was staring at the two of them, his faded eye eating away at them.
He took a deep breath, calmed the baby girl in his arms, then cleared his throat. "Knock him out." he said. Otto could only turn as he heard the other mutter Drain Touch and Garf scream in pain. He couldn't turn around to see it as he felt hands rest on his shoulders. Otto began to panic as neither of the man's arms were anywhere close to him.
"Now, let's just forget this ever happened." The first man said. Otto nodded weakly, finally turning back to see as the other man was draining mana from Garfiel. The young boy tries to resist, thrashing his body every which way as he continued on. "Garf just stop, if news of this gets back then we'll have tarnished Emilia's reputation." Otto said to Garf. "But... He's..." Garf trailed as his eyes grew heavy.
As Garf fell limp Otto hoisted him over his shoulder. "Is there any way I can apologize for his actions?" Otto asked. "Don't bother me again." The first one said. "We will, we will." Otto said as he dragged the now unconscious Garf away.
"Look at what you've done. When word gets back we're in deep trouble Garf." Otto began as he walked back to their inn. "I know you want to find Subaru, we all do, but you can't just force your way too him." Otto ranted as they reached the large building.
"You all right?" Kazuma asked as he watched the two wander off. "I... don't know." Subaru replied as he took deep breaths. Sophia was calmed down, grasping tightly onto his collar. "Want me to follow them?" Kazuma asked. "No... I said I'll see them when I want too. I'd rather you just let them leave." Subaru replied as his breathing steadily calmed.
Kazuma shook his head. "Might as well report it anyway." he said as he walked past Subaru. "Report what?" Subaru asked. "Attempted psychical assault, 'drunken behavior'." Kazuma listed off. "But Garf wasn't... Oh." Subaru said as he realized what Kazuma was about to do.
"What will happen to them?" he asked. "Probably just a fine, maybe a couple nights in jail. Not like they can put them into forced labour or execute them. Both worlds are trying to be friendly remember." Kazuma rattled off a couple outcomes. "Still, they found me this quickly. I... I might have to move. Make a whole other identity." Subaru said as he began to follow after Kazuma.
"Maybe, or they might just be asked to leave and never return." Kazuma rambled. "Taks this seriously. What if they haven't actually remembered me, what if they've just decided to use a strange sort of mind game to get me?" Subaru shot out.
Kazuma just gave him a blank stare.
"I'm not joking." Subaru said. "I know you aren't, but here we have ways here to see if someone's lying or not. Lie detecting bells and the like." Kazuma suggested. "Not getting close to them." Subaru retorted. "Ok then, well let's just report this. I have to get ready in the morning for my next mission from Wiz." Kazuma said as the two continued to the local guild hall.
"What do you mean they have to come back?" Emilia shouted from within her room, ice slowly forming on the outside of the door. "Apparently Garf attempted to assault someone, claiming a connection to Barusu. Otto had apologized but the actions were still filed. The town of Axel is threatening to sent him back or put him under a three year sentence." Ram explained. "How could it be that bad?" Emilia asked.
"The man in question was a respected merchant and inventor, one of the members of the so-called Shop of Wonders in Axel, and was carrying his baby daughter with him at the time." Ram said. Emilia poked her head out of the door at this, letting a massive blast of cold air out and causing Ram to shiver. "How old was she?" Emilia asked sadly. "A few months, older than the sky opening. But this is beside the point, because of the foolish boy we just risked harming relations between Lugunica and Belzburg." Ram summarized.
"So Garfiel will be shipped back, what about Otto?" Emilia asked. "Otto was said to be a bystander who had attempted to stop Garfiel. It's clear we need to send someone more competent to find Barusu, someone who can still find his scent, but not someone still required here." Ram frowned after finishing this, knowing who they may have to send.
"Can we rouse Beatrice?" Emilia asked weakly. "Sadly we can't find the entrance to her new library, she's almost impossible to get too." Ram replied. "Then, the only other option is..." Emilia began. "Yes, I fear we must do so." Ram said, knowing just who they would have to send.
"Then, we should prepare Rem immediately." Emilia said before she shut her down once again. Ram just sadly nodded, not wishing to do this, but having too anyway.
They were falling apart, and they needed Subaru to put them back together.
"For the last time no, I'm not bringing you?" Kazuma said as he slung his bag on his back. "Come on, I want to see Tempest myself." Subaru said as he put himself between Kazuma and the door. He had been at this since the morning, ever since discovering what Wiz's next mission for him was.
"Do you not just trust me, do you think this is just about Last Night?" Subaru inquired as he stared down Kazuma. "Yes, you've been at it since this morning." Kazuma retorted. Subaru refused to budge. "Come on man, I need to leave before Kumoko discovers this." Kazuma pleaded. "Wiz says she's coming along." Subaru replied.
Kazuma paused before breathing in; "WHAT!" he shouted. "Yes, when Wiz found out Kumoko can set teleportation locations we said that you two will be going together for other world missions." Subaru explained. "How do you know this?" Kazuma demanded. "I asked Wiz last night, why do you think it's just been the morning?" Subaru replied. "You devious bastard." Kazuma narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, and she said I could join you. She'll spent the time I'm gone watching over Sophia while Vanir watches over the shop." Subaru answered as he pulled out his own bag. Kazuma sighed before putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Ok, I know Tempest is interesting and kind of utopian if the words of diplomats are to be believed, but there's something else." Kazuma leaned in as he said this. "What, what could it be?" Subaru asked. "A couple days ago, in the Guild's tavern I over heard some guys talking about a... Red storm of some kind." Kazuma began. "A. Red storm?" Subaru asked. "Yes, they said it struck down near Tempest's borders and began throwing monsters and beasts down, it wrecked havoc and destruction. The executives of Tempest managed to quell in in less than half an hour. But that wasn't what got my attention." Kazuma said.
"What did?" Subaru asked, sweat forming on his brow. "They said, that these storms have been happening out farther east, spreading too the west with each passing month." Kazuma said. "So they-" "They might strike here, or somewhere close too here." Kazuma said. "Does Wiz know?" Subaru asked. "Yes, so do most of the other Generals. I don't know their plan, but I was planning on telling you this last night alongside the mission, but you know what happened." Kazuma said.
"Why?" Subaru asked. "Too warn you, what else. This mission might take months, maybe longer, I'm not sure." Kazuma said. Subaru put a hand on Kazuma's shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "Any idea when it may hit us?" he asked. "Two, maybe three weeks by Vanir's estimates." Kazuma replied.
Subaru breathed in, taking a deep breath in. "I won't change my answer, but I might take something to keep in touch with Wiz." he said. "Still going then?" Kazuma asked. "Yep, just need to make a proper disguise for it." Subaru said. "Then, wait for Kumoko." Kazuma groaned out the last part. "Yep, at least when we reach Tempest we can set up a back and forth." Subaru said, trying to lighten the mood.