Chapter 21: Expedition (12)

"Are weather and the seasons even a thing in here? Because this was definitely not how the climate was in the Fae's lands. Not even close."

"Oh stop your complaining, Nanashi. You should be glad for such chilly weather, it will help with your usual problem of overheating when employing the use of your magic circuits.."

"Too much of a good thing, Manaka."

Shivering violently as a blast of icy wind hit what few patches of exposed skin he was sporting the homunculus hugged his body tighter, the insulated coat, pants, boots and scarf barely enough to keep him functional were it not for his circuits providing a constant stream of warmth and ambient heat. His form had precious little fat or excess weight on it, any and all cold was annoyingly lethal.

"Don't suppose there were any denizens of the Reverse we could have tracked down that live near an active volcano or something? This is brutal."

Manaka gave him a mildly annoyed look, no doubt finding his complaints to be rather irritating since she was actually quite enjoying the whole novelty of the trek.

"The yokai are our next choice of individuals to accost for both materials and possible information on where to acquire them. If we need travel through the winds and slush to find them then so be it, yes?"

"Yeah, I'm aware of that, Manaka. I'm complaining in order to keep my mind off the fact that my nuts are so far up my gut that they may as well be extra kidneys."

The magus sputtered, turning an interesting shade of crimson as she stammered, "H-how crude of a statement! Have you no propriety, Nanashi?!"

"Not when I'm four degrees away from freezing to death…"

Abigail giggled from where she strode aside the arguing duo, lacking the coat and other heavy clothing they sported and seemingly content with her 'priestess' attire as she lightly treaded upon the constantly falling snow.

"You two really do sound like an old married couple."

Manaka made a noise somewhere between a cough and sputter, Nanashi blushing at the comment before affixing the sparsely clothed girl with a peeved expression...and had to just as quickly turn away, the gusting winds picking up the butterfly tassels that mostly covered the blonde's chest and revealing more than he felt was polite to stare at.

"Maybe it's better my dick doesn't work right now...I'd always be sporting an erection if I was around these two the whole time."

Inwardly snorting at the morbid thought the homunculus instead hugged his arms closer to his body, remarking, "Not even close to married. And aren't you cold, Abigail?"

"Hmm? No, I feel fine. Why?"

A genuinely curious tilt of her head was followed by both Nanashi and Manaka giving her dull looks of disbelief, the blonde seemingly cluing in to what they were implying as she coughed into her fist, glancing downwards at her attire before sheepishly responding, "I do not feel the cold as acutely as the two of you do while like this, what with divine power flowing through my veins."

"I've got divine power flowing through my veins. So why do I feel like I'm a snowflake away from turning into a popsicle?"

"Because your body is not nearly as robust as Abigail's apparently is, Nanashi. I would have thought that was readily obvious."

Sending his friend a sullen look at her completely matter-of-fact tone the homunculus decided to just let the matter lie, instead continuing to walk ahead-

-and Abigail suddenly pressed herself into his side, a manly yelp of surprise slipping past his lips at the action as the girl demurely stated, "But if you're worried about me being cold, Nanashi, I certainly don't mind sharing a bit of closeness~!"

Struck dumb by the continiously unexpected and fairly bold actions of Abigail when she was making use of Sut-Typhon's powers - especially in contrast to her typically reserved and innocent nature outside of it - all the boy could do was nod dumbly in acceptance, a low growl much like that of an irate kitten's slipping passed Manaka's lips as she promptly grabbed ahold of his other arm, the physically weak male bemoaning the fact that two paperweight girls felt like they were going to physically rip his arms from their sockets.

"Is such blatant attempts at seduction truly the act of a pious individual?! Do not attempt to so openly deceive and subsume my Nanashi's choice of friends, if you would be so kind."

"Oh hoh, your Nanashi? I wasn't aware that you felt so possessive over him, Manaka."

An utterly unfair batting of eyelashes and watery brightness to her hypnotically blue eyes caused the homunculus to wince, averting his gaze lest he collapse like a house of cards in a hurricane, such was the cuteness of her expression.

"Nanashi, can you not convince dear Manaka to share you like a good friend would? I would miss your company greatly if your time was so thoroughly monopolized..."

The magus seemed half a second away from popping a blood vessel, volcanically glaring at Abigail as she hissed, "How dare you use such, such...such flirtatious techniques on Nanashi?!"

"Flirtatious? Oh Manaka, did you not know? This is how friends are supposed to act, you know~!"

"E-eh? Truly?! Then that-no, the fact remains that I am Nanashi's first friend and thus you will be relegated to a subordinate position-"

Resisting the urge to sigh as he got stuck inbetween an argument whose cause he wasn't entirely sure made sense the homunculus let himself get pushed around by the two beauties, largely exhausted by the conflict...but a part of him nonetheless couldn't help but enjoy being fought over by two such pretty girls. It sure as hell wasn't anything he thought he would get to experiment in his lifetime, that was for sure.

"Alas, all sort of good things must come to an end."

"If you two are done, we've got the target of our little adventure directly in front of us. Watch out."

"Do not fret, Nanashi. Naturally I was well aware of those that would seek to impede our path. Allow me to reveal them."

As if eager to show off for him Manaka released his arm, negligently waving her freed appendage and causing a violent gust of wind to tear away at the snow and even some of the rock buried beneath it in a wide arc, the homunculus slapping a palm against his face at the wanton act of minor destruction.

"We're not supposed to be killing these people, Manaka. Remember?"

"Do not exaggerate, Nanashi. There is laughably little chance of any of our yokai observers actually perishing to such a feeble assault."

"Hmm...I don't think that's what he was getting at."

Abigail's amused words caused the magus to scowl, Nanashi instead watching the spray of ice and rock settle as a large figure prowled through it, shadowy outline gaining details and eventually revealing itself as a five-tailed fox, gold and red fur standing in sharp contrast to the pale and snowy landscape...after all, only some kind of illusory technique could hide a beast like that, his eyes proving rather invaluable at seeing through the illusion.

And it didn't look all that pleased at Manaka's means of reveal.

"AND WHAT BUSINESS DO LITTLE MORTAL MAGI LIKE YOURSELVES HAVE IN THESE LANDS? SURELY SOMETHING THAT WOULD EXCUSE THE HORRIFIC DISPLAY OF MANNERS YOU HAVE THUS FAR DISPLAYED? OR PERHAPS IT WOULD BE MORE ACCURATE TO DESCRIBE IT AS A LACK OF MANNERS."

The booming and disembodied voice was definitely a woman's, Nanashi resting the urge to sigh at Manaka's more aggressive means of diplomacy as he hobbled forward, the doll-like girl pouting at his complete lack of appreciation for her actions.

"Our apologies, my friend here just takes my safety very seriously. We didn't mean to launch an attack with genuine intent to kill, only reveal."

"YOU EXPECT THAT TO EXCUSE YOUR TRESPASSES AND ACTIONS?"

"Umm...would you be upset if I said yes?"

The five tails thrashed with the fury of a small gale, fox-like features narrowing in displeasure as nanashi braced himself for a potential battle-

"Be at ease, Tomoka. They are not here seeking conflict and you know that."

A far more calm and composed voice joined the growing standoff, the kitsune bristling and growling out, "PERHAPS TWO OF THEM ARE NOT...BUT ONE SEEMS TO CARE LITTLE FOR MANNERS OR PROPRIETY."

Manaka merely smiled, fingers smoothly flexing like the talons of an exotic predator as she stared the yokai down, Nanashi resisting the urge to groan at the girl's less than impressive diplomatic skills as he raised his hands in what he hoped was a peaceful gesture.

"Can we move on from that? I mean, yeah, we're kinda more at fault here than you are but the fae sent us here in the hopes of achieving something approximating mutual aid, not mutual destruction."

"Considering the nature of your two companions, young boy, I do not think there would be anything mutual about such potential destruction…"

A contemptuous snort left the kitsune but she nonetheless subsided, settling onto her haunches as snow and wind swirled into a miniature tornado, swiftly coalescing into the shape of a kimono clad woman with blue skin and shining white hair, Nanashi blinking as his haphazard studies informed him that the yokai before him was almost certainly a yuki-onna.

"While there have been tales and word of mouth that children of unusual origin and disposition now walk among us it is still strange to meet such odd individuals, after mankind and those of us in the Reverse went our separate ways. Why have you approached us, young ones?"

Abigail suddenly blurted, "You do not seem aggressive and terrified of my mere presence...why is that?"

The kitsune grunted, mockingly remarking, "BECAUSE WE ARE NOT AS FOOLISH AND BLIND AS A HUMAN TO THE MALIGNANT INFLUENCE OF A BEING AS CAUSTIC TO THE SANCTITY OF THE MIND AS AN OUTER GOD...MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE MEANS OF GUARDING OURSELVES AGAINST IT."

The girl looked overjoyed at such news while Manaka huffed out a breath of annoyance, remarking, "May we return to the topic at hand?"

"A little bluntly put, but she has a point...to answer your earlier query we're here to acquire whatever phantasmal materials or artifacts that may be useful in the creation of a new body for me. This one is fast approaching its expiration date, if you catch my drift."

The kitsune - now known to the trio as Tomoka - snorted out a blast of steam, grumbling, "SO YOU WOULD HUNT OUR KIND FOR YOUR OWN LONGEVITY? HOW VERY MUCH LIKE A HUMAN."

"Uh, if that was the plan I would have just let Manaka here finish turning you into a fur pelt. I'm not here to go on a murder spree."

A noticeable air of pissed off attitude emanated from the towering yokai, tension once again ratcheting up a notch as Manaka eagerly perked at the possibility of violence-

-and the yuki-onna raised a graceful hand, calming the irate kitsune as she idly commented, "Your story matches that of what we have heard from the fae and others who have witnessed your actions."

Nanashi blinked, bewilderingly asking, "Wait, you already knew? What was the point of me telling you this stuff then?"

"You can divine much of a person's intent and personality when you speak to them in person, hear their words drip from their own lips."

An amused lilt entered the yokai's tone.

"Rumors spread quickly through the Reverse, especially when the subject of such rumors are fascinating human children like yourselves."

"I'm flattered?"

"YOU SHOULDN'T BE. MANY OF THOSE RUMORS SUGGESTED THAT EVEN THIS LAND WAS SOON TO BE OVERRUN BY HUMANITY."

"You're right, I'm no longer flattered."

Nanashi decided not to mention the fact that as he was now he likely wouldn't be able to conquer a normal, run of the mill magus, never mind incredibly dangerous and powerful phantasmal beasts. That was more Manaka's territory, maybe Abigail's as well.

The snowy-haired woman clasped her hands together, explaining, "I have no compunctions rewarding you in your quest, young ones...but much like the fae I would ask of you a favor, one that I am incapable of fulfilling."

Shrugging to himself the homunculus stated, "Well, we're in the neighborhood and have a habit of answering any and all requests as long as we get what we're after when all is said and done. What do you need?"

An expression of forlorn sadness appeared on the yokai's features, her words distant as she explained, "A number of months ago my son departed the Reverse and entered the realm of humanity, taking with him a number of enchanted tools and artifacts - the equivalent of your mystic codes - that would allow him to embark on an extended search for his father."

"...As in human father?"

Abigail's curious inquiry was met with a small nod, the yuki-onna's expression one of clear disquiet and regret as she continued with, "I foolishly met and was enthralled with a human magus a number of years ago, when I took a rare trip to the realm of mankind...he was so very persuasive and amicable, nothing like the stories we have heard so often about magi and their obsessive desire for our bodies and intrinsic abilities as creatures born of mystery."

She unleashed a melancholy sigh.

"Even now I can scarcely believe how blinded I was. Thankfully I realized his true intentions after his seed was already growing new life within my womb, the man's obsessive and research-oriented drive to plunder my secrets and that of my species showing through the facade of kindness and affection...but my child never stopped wondering what his sire was like, what having a human as a part of his heritage would have been like, despite my protests."

Manaka sniffed, remarking, "There is a reason our peoples have not interacted peacefully for a number of centuries, you know. I would not be surprised if your foolish spawn is already dead-"

"Manaka!"

The pale-blonde blinked at Nanashi's aggravated expression, biting her tongue as she realized she no doubt said something that was considered offensive...even if it was the truth.

The yokai didn't seem to take offense, instead stating, "Please...search for him. For my own closure, if nothing else. His father has a residency in London, England. If he is to be found anywhere, it is there."

The trio were silent for a time...and Nanashi sighed.

"Bets this little adventure is going to take us to the Clocktower?"

"Nanashi, if we are to attempt this foolish stunt then we must tread carefully. The Clocktower expends a great deal of effort and resources to guard and observe the territory surrounding them, to efficiently stamp out or deport any and all trespassers that dare approach without their explicit consent. And you yourself would very much make for an individual of interest."

Manaka's baleful gaze settled on an innocently smiling Abigail, back in her normal clothing and acting far more demure than previously while her presence was masked from normal eyes thanks to the mystic code previously provided.

"Perhaps Williams also. I cannot fathom why anyone would find her of the slightest interest, however."

The longer-haired blonde pouted, responding, "That's a mean thing to say."

"Y-you needn't seem so despondent at my words, that is all they are!"

The homunculus shook his head at how easily his first friend crumbled whenever Abigail so much as hinted she was about to turn on the waterworks.

"Regardless, the point stands! Your mystic eyes and whatever ability complements them, Abigail's nature as a host of an outer god, my own connection to the Root...we are a veritable meal of mystic strangeness that any half-rate magi would kill to acquire."

Nodding in agreement with the girl's words Nanashi couldn't help but ask, "You seem pretty familiar with how the Clocktower operates, Manaka...have you been there before? Your father mentioned that he tries to keep you and Ayaka away from their center of business as much as possible."

Settling for a slight dip of her head the young lady replied, "It was a long time ago, when I was still a young girl...father decided I should see one of the center's of all magi operations at least once in my life."

Abigail hummed, tapping her cheek in thought as she pondered, "So how should we approach things? We have the talisman provided by the yuki-onna that should resonate with her son but no way of accurately tracking it, especially if it's behind countless bounded fields."

The homunculus winced, grumbling, "Which almost certainly means that he's already been captured. Great."

The pale-blonde magus plainly stated, "If that is the case I advise we leave things as they are and return. Becoming involved with and subsequently fighting off the Cocktower is a silly proposition. Myself and Abigail can defend ourselves quite adequately but you would be largely useless, Nanashi. Vulnerable and needing our protection."

Fighting back the scowl at Manaka's admittedly accurate words he settled for grumbling, "I hate that you're right...here, let me see that talisman, I might be able to do something with it."

Wordlessly handing over the slip of paper adorned with a variety of old japanese characters Nanashi belatedly realized he couldn't read the red-eyed boy nonetheless focused on the object, activating his mystic eyes and watching the world burst into streamers and interconnected webs of importance, causality and impact...or at least that's what he was assuming was happening, the exact specifications of his eyes - despite exhaustive tests and experiments - hadn't yet become clear. The only thing he and the others could say with certainty was that it wasn't just the metaphysical weight of things he saw through, or that his mystic eyes were the only power that he wielded.

With that thought in mind...perhaps he could see all the places the talisman might have gone, or been to? Where its presence and importance had laid down inexorable tracks?

Brow furrowing in concentration the homunculus tried to pierce the veil of reality, find any sort of meaningful importance to the object in his hands-

-and almost blinked as a sudden sensation tugged at his brain, a brief flash of light illuminating their path like a spray of sparks in a lightless room.

"Here, this way."

Abigail and Manaka wordlessly exchanged raised eyebrows before nonetheless following after the youth, his pace hobbled and unsteady due to his cane and weakened limbs but nonetheless relentless, the duo keeping a close eye on their surroundings and somewhat at a loss of how to interact with each other without the homunculus to act as mediator.

"..."

"..."

"...Why did you become the host of an Outer God?"

Manaka's abrupt question caused Manaka to tilt her head, responding, "You're implying that it was by choice?"

"Was it not? I know all through my connection to the Root of All Things, including who you are."

A sad smile was sent Nanashi's way by Abigail, her tone distant as she remarked, "I don't believe the marriage of your mind and the Akashic Records is as all-consuming as you believe it to be...no matter, it's an honest question and you're my friend, so I'll tell you~!"

"Please desist in referring to me as your friend."

Abigail completely ignored the mumbled request, gaze turning distant as she began the tale with, "When I was still human, still Abigail Williams and nothing more...I was a simple girl. Devout, friendly and wishing to be friends with others. But Salem became the confluence of events far outside my control and understanding, the people's converging desires and madness providing a crack in the fabric of reality, a crack that Sut-Typhon saw and exploited."

A humorless smile adorned the girl's features.

"It was merely chance that the gateway turned out to be none other than myself, dreams of the god offering knowledge, power and the ability to call for it. Naturally I ignored such offerings but when a friend was injured, when I thought them killed...I called for the god, wishing for its power so that I may avert what I perceived as a cruel fate."

She darkly chuckled.

"I wonder if I would have made the choice to unseal Sut-Typhon, had I known what real cruelty looked like."

She sighed, continuing with, "Those of Chaldea managed to contain and suppress Sut-Typhon, releasing me from its thrall and Mr. Carter - or perhaps your knowledge of the multiverse titles him 'the gentleman' - offered to teach me how to harness and control Sut-Typhon's power, so that I may one day move and act like a normal girl once more."

Manaka sniffed, remarking, "There is no such thing as normality for us, silly girl."

Abigail morbidly chuckled, musing, "Had you only been there to tell me so at the start...but I nonetheless accepted the offer, naive and believing that I could control the plots and designs of an Outer God. How foolish I was. Was there not an example of how daunting a task that was right in front of me? The Gentleman was notoriously susceptible to possession by otherworldly creatures and it was not long before we were separated by an uncrossable gulf of time and space...and I was alone, without a guide and teacher to show me the proper way to bargain and subdue the designs of Typhon."

A shiver suddenly wracked the blonde, arms clutching each other as if for warmth, her hair hiding her face from view.

"The years - or perhaps it was mere seconds, my mind was no safe sanctuary during that time - following were...difficult. At first it attempted to subdue me mentally, fever dreams and landscapes filling both my rest and waking hours, reality a tenuous concept but I nonetheless held firm...then it attempted to more direct means."

Her next words were utterly inflectionless.

"Defilement. Rape. Torture. Limbs bent and broken, virginity taken, renewed and then taken again. My orifices plugged full of so much flesh that light, sound and taste was taken from me, a never ending cycle of it over and over and over."

A cynical snort left the girl, tone bitter.

"I broke quite easily, believe it or not. My lessons had not prepared me for such base cruelty, no matter how immortal I may be. For a long, long time afterwards I meekly followed the god's desires, fulfilling whatever unknowable and horrific task it set before me like a good little girl...it was not until much later that I once more gained the courage and self-knowledge to begin defying its commands, to resist its compulsions and attempts at coercion."

A helpless shrug of thin shoulders.

"I shall spare you the details but when all was said and done we had come to an understanding of sorts, an uneasy agreement. One that cost me more than I could have possibly imagined."

A single delicate hand turned upwards, as if to present some kind of intangible concept.

"My empathy, my devotion to god, my wish to meet and befriend strangers...all gone. Empathy? What empathy could I have for a universe that consigned me to such cruelty, that birthed creatures like Sut-Typhon? God? As if. Where was god during my trials, during my defiling and ravaging? All god is to me now is a funny, quaint little ritual reminding me of a time long passed. Friends? All strangers see when they lay eyes on me is an abomination they either run from or try to slay...those that have some knowledge of the god within know enough to stay away or wish to experiment upon me."

She stared at Manaka with an empty gaze the other girl, for reasons she couldn't even begin to describe, deeply unsettled her.

"You and I are rather alike, at least in some ways. Our lives were overtaken by otherworldly powers so much grander than any one person, that connection defining us rather than who we used or wished to be…"

Something approximating life once again sparked in Abigail's deep blue eyes, lips curving upwards in a genuine smile, not the false ones from before.

"We also share the fact that a certain, scraggly little boy has awakened something resembling human connections within us, has he not? Friends that I may freely travel, laugh, confide secrets and eat with have been nothing more than a dream to me for so long...and now here you two are, like an ephemeral prize that I can scarcely believe are even real…"

Manaka could barely comprehend what she was hearing, what she was feeling.

"I understand that you are wary and suspicious of me...but I would truly desire nothing more to prove that I wish only for your affection and trust, Manaka Sajyou. Because that, after all, is why I accepted being the host of an Outer God. Because I wanted to help and save those I would consider friends."

…

The pale-blonde felt like running into a corner and screaming her head off, frustrated beyond belief at the raging and befuddling emotions that she hadn't the slightest clue how to process, ones different than the ones she felt around Nanashi...mostly. Magma boiled within her chest, ice percolated along her limbs and something stung her eyes like an acrid spice, her hands trembling as with an internal shriek of bewildered rage the magus decided to let her instincts do the talking for her.

Her left hand rose up, unbidden and free from her oversight-

-and patted a shocked Abigail on the head with awkward motions, mouth following suit and going with the first thing that came to mind.

"You needn't be so dramatic and morose, foolish girl. Merely remember that I was Nanashi's first friend and have the right to the majority of his time and affection...and I would have no complaints about being your friend. An Outer God? Pathetic, I am much scarier than any craven deity, you do not frighten me any more than a newborn kitten would."

Letting the statement stand Manaka remained silent, shocking even herself with how blunt and honest those words had been...and released a wheeze as Abigail crushed her with a frantic embrace, sniffling slightly as the magus felt a completely indescribable warmth blossom in her chest, different than the caustic magma from before.

"...Thank you, Manaka."

"T-there is no need for such blatant affection, silly girl! U-unhand me!"

Doing so the pale-blonde felt her cheeks pinken as she saw Abigail's expression, flushed red with happiness and a beaming smile upon her lips as she merely held onto her hand with desperate strength.

"I'd be happy to be your friend! For real, this time."

"Urgh, fine...let us put this foolishness behind us and focus on the task at hand, understood?"

"Of course!"

Practically floating on cloud nine Abigail followed Manaka's suggestion without further protest, the cerulean-eyed girl awkwardly matching her pace as she lightly ran a finger across her chest where Abigail had hugged her.

The skin felt...warm. And tingly, with an odd pressure to it.

Deciding to yet again let her instincts decide her actions Manaka felt her hand reach out...and intertwine with Abigail's, the opposite blonde almost stumbling at the unexpected gesture-

-and simply beamed with the strength of a solar sun, all but skipping down the road as she tightly returned the grasp, arms swinging widely between them as the magus felt heat suffuse her face.

"Why does such simple skin contact feel so...comforting? It feels a bit like with Nanashi but...also different? UGH, I need to speak with Ayaka and father as soon as we are home about this…"

The train of thought was brought to a halt as Nanashi suddenly stopped, the two girls also pausing in their tracks as he stared directly into the ground beneath them, features twisted into a displeased scowl.

"Well, I think I found our target...inside a magus' workshop."

He huffed out a breath.

"This complicates things, wouldn't you say?"

Manaka proves herself helpless before the most dangerous weapon of all...empathy and adorability.