Chapter 27: Ascension (Part 5)
"You aren't forgetting anything, are you?"
"You really need to stop worrying, we're not as forgetful as someone who's name I won't be so crass as to mention."
Merlin smirked, affectionately ruffling Abigail's hair as the girl preened under his attention, Manaka, Tiamat and Nanashi watching the interaction from a short distance away as they took stock of whatever things they might have left behind in the Magus of Flower's tower...not that there had been much in the first place, their journey had been rushed and frantic to begin with, not exactly time to lay down deep roots or bring anything other than a change of clothes.
"You gonna be okay keeping him company, Palug?"
The fluffy Beast gave a happy yip as Nanashi held him up from under his forelegs, thumbs massaging the being's chest as a fluffy tail eagerly wagged back-and-forth with glee.
"Weird, normally you act like you can't stand being in the same room as him, what changed?"
A short bark left Cath Palug as his gaze briefly focused on the rubbery tentacle laying nearby, something Abigail had manifested and then left for the diminutive quadruped to gnaw on with significant gusto, Nanashi inwardly amused at the fact that a Beast of Gaia was using an Outer God's tendril as a chew toy.
"How cosmically fitting."
"Nanashi, you still haven't explained what it was you and that man of dubious morality were doing so much of the time away from us."
Manaka's pointed question - that she had been bringing up consistently for the past few days - caused the homunculus to awkwardly look away, not in any great hurry to let her know that he'd been fucking an animated sex toy in the magi's basement so that he didn't screw up their first night together.
He wasn't entirely certain she wouldn't get upset and attempt to blast him to his component atoms.
"And I keep telling you, it was to better learn how my body works without having to run the risk of anybody getting hurt."
Manaka sent him a highly skeptical and 100% justified look of doubt.
"You believe we would be in danger of accidental misfires or mishaps, Nanashi?"
"Better safe than sorry, right? And we're still not certain on just how Tiamat or Abigail function after everything that went down. For all we know they may be just as vulnerable as a human to injury and death right now."
Manaka puffed out a cheek in annoyance, acquiescing the point...and yet again withdrew her hand as Tiamat made a tentative grab for it, the blonde pretending not to notice the slightly upset but mostly puzzled expression of the tiny goddess as she was denied once more.
"Why are you repeatedly avoiding her, Manaka? She's not going to rip your arm off."
Flushing at being caught out the magus protested, "Such a state of affairs is not necessary! It was acceptable when she was a proper goddess but I refuse to be comforted and reassured by a tiny little shade of what once was."
"...So you're saying you wouldn't mind being spoiled a little bit if she wasn't as she was now? That's pretty honest of you, Manaka."
A narrowed glare was sent his way as the homunculus reveled in the rare opportunity to catch his friend in a bit of an argumentative lock, reaching out for Tiamat's hand with his own and intertwining his fingers with the dragon girl's, Tiamat's skin soft and warm as she sent him a happy and joyful expression...one that had Manaka grinding her teeth as she inevitably growled out, "Oh fine, I shall be the adult here and not dither in such childishness!"
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Manaka."
Not that he said anything like that out loud, of course. That would be a quick way to be dead and besides, Tiamat looked positively ecstatic as the magus also held her proffered limb with a distant but tight hold, pink eyes alight with joy as her tail waved about like Cath Palug's would when happy.
"Now is everyone ready to depart? It's time we return to the least impressive and poorly constructed abode Nanashi calls a home, is it not?"
Abigail's editorial caused the homunculus to raise an eyebrow, opening his mouth to defend his old house...and closed it just as quick.
The blonde was right, his 'home' really was a piece of shit.
"Now remember, children. Do not carelessly or recklessly display your new abilities and powers unless you are quite certain there are no prying eyes out and about, it would be a shame if after everything you have been through the less scrupulous side of the Moonlit world was to take umbrage with your presence."
Merlin's justified but repeated reminder caused the group to roll their eyes, Tiamat tilting her head in confusion as Nanashi replied, "Don't worry, we'll play it safe. And by safe I mean not go around advertising our presence with bright neon mana lights, like you seem concerned we'll do."
The Magus of Flowers haughtily sniffed, turning up his nose before replying, "Hmph, fine. Don't take my advice and do as you will, see what that will result in."
Shrugging to himself Nanashi nodded to Manaka as Abigail skipped close to them, offering a parting statement of, "I know I've said it before, but...thank you. For everything."
The playful air of snootiness was replaced by a soft and understanding smile, Merlin nodding as he announced, "Your thanks is noted but largely unneeded, Nanashi. I am merely happy to have seen your quest come to fruition and obtain something as precious as a joyous ending."
"...I'm not dying so what's with the 'joyous ending' crap-"
Manaka seemed to grow tired of their little back-and-forth, the young lady dragging him through the rift leading back to the Human realm with a roll of her eyes, the last thing the ruby-eyed boy seeing was Merlin offering him a playful wave while Cath Palug yipped in parting.
"...This place seems a lot smaller than I remember it being."
"I think you just got larger, Nanashi. Your house is much the same as I remember it always being."
Giving Abigail's words fair consideration he realized she was absolutely right. The last time he'd been in his old abode he'd been a wasting shrimp that could barely climb the stairs without having to stop for breath. Now he felt like he towered over everything from the perspective of a giant, even if he ultimately wasn't that tall.
"Does that memory include it smelling like a pigsty? Shit, I don't think I've cleaned this place in months."
While there weren't any dead animal scents or such lingering around the place definitely had a touch of mildew, dust and stale air that - to his recently enhanced sense of smell - had him curling his lip in distaste.
"Why do I even feel attached to this dump in the first place?"
Slowly walking around the musty living room, slightly moldy kitchen and dirty carpet the homunculus realized that, no, even now he didn't feel any sort of comraderie or familiarity with the trash heap he'd been mistakenly calling home. He felt magnitudes more comfortable in the Sajyou's place of residence and in all honesty even Merlin's tower felt more calming than this desiccated dumpster.
"Nanashi?"
Manaka seemed to clue in to his distaste as she asked after him, the male snapping out of his meandering thoughts as he replied, "It's nothing, just thinking that there's practically nothing here that really means much of anything to me."
The magus tilted her head in confusion, inevitably settling for a shrug as she stated, "Then if there is little here that needs doing or collecting I had best be returning home for the time being, my family is no doubt quite interested in the results of our little diversion and it stands to reason that we begin preparing for any potential fallout with the Magus Association."
Her brow furrowed, a mild pout of irritation coloring her features.
"Much like Merlin stated, I doubt our activities will continue to remain unnoticed for very long."
Unable to resist the proverbial low hanging fruit Nanashi favored Manaka with a cheshire grin, cooing, "Manaka, are you by any chance becoming far more cautious and careful when it comes to dealing with potential threats? You're becoming more like me each and every passing day."
The girl favored her companion with a sour look, crossing her arms and petulantly responding, "I am not worried about myself, silly boy, but everyone else. I could handle all of these possible threats easily and it is only yourselves that I fret about."
Instead of sighing or acquiescing the point as he normally would have done Nanashi merely reached out and picked up his partner from beneath her arms, playfully swinging her about as he teased, "I'm not so sure about that anymore, Manaka. I mean I never would have been able to do this before, right?"
A cataclysmic blush colored the magus' pale skin, the girl desperately protesting, "S-simple physical strength has nothing to do with such matters, you buffoon! Now unhand me!"
Chuckling to himself Nanashi did as requested, setting Manaka back down as she fiercely pouted at him...and no one present missed the way her cheeks turned a vibrant red, thighs lightly squirming against the other as her breath turned stuttery.
"Err...okay? Didn't think that would be what made her act all weird."
Quickly moving the conversation along Nanashi made to speak-
-and found Abigail quickly occupying his right arm, giving Manaka a sweet smile as she chirped, "You had best be along, Manaka. We'll head to your house once we're done here and talk then~!"
And just like that Manaka's mood turned sour, giving Abigail a pouting expression as she turned her nose up.
"Hmph! Very well, then if my presence is so undesirable then I shall take my leave. You're welcome for everything I've done, by the way."
Figuring he knew just how to disarm this situation the homunculus gathered up his companion in a quick hug, stating, "And it's appreciated. We'll see you soon, Manaka."
Just like he predicted a little bit of attention and comradery did away with her indignation, Tiamat seemingly eager to capitalize on the embrace as she reciprocated the action, engulfing the blushing magus in a three-way hug.
"V-very well, then without further ado I shall expect to see you all within a short amount of time!"
Quickly spinning on her heel Manaka left without another word, Nanashi shaking his head as Abigail merely looked amused, Tiamat tilting her neck as if unsure of what to make of the girl's erratic behavior.
"Don't worry about her, she's always been fairly whimsical. C'mon, let's see if there's anything here that I need to take with me when we leave."
The male cast a glance around the living area, feeling his lips curl in distaste.
"Assuming there's anything here to take in the first place. Christ I forgot how lousy this whole piece of junk is."
Abigail's hand found his own, the long-haired blonde merely offering him a brilliant smile as she said, "Well we might as well explore regardless, perhaps you'll be surprised?"
He snorted.
"Doubtful, but I guess there's no harm in doing so."
Slowly walking around the building with a sort of dismissive nostalgia Nanashi ran his eyes over the accumulated mess, unimpressed with what he found.
Old clothes and unwashed laundry that no longer fit him, a few containers in the fridge full of spoiled rice, water-spotted dishes from where they had been left in the sink...hardly a place that felt like home. Hell, he felt like he was dirtying his new body just by breathing in the freakin' air.
"You don't seem very happy, Nanashi."
"Home...not wanted?"
Both Abigail and Tiamat's comments snapped him out of his rumination, the homunculus quickly shaking his head as they ascended the stairs, voice mildly bitter as he explained, "Can't say that I am, really. All this place is? A reminder of when I was some clueless, wasting away piece of meat with no future and no hope. There's something to be said about humble beginnings but this?"
He grimaced.
"This feels more like a stain than it does important takeaway. An unwanted reminder of a time when I was so much less. And I'm not just talking about my body."
Abigail seemed to understand what he was implying perfectly fine, Tiamat quietly asking, "Then, where live?"
"Well the obvious answer is Manaka's, but...well, I want to clear it with Ayaka and Haruki first. Sure, Manaka wouldn't mind but those two also live there and have a say in things. I don't want to move in if my presence is going to cause more harm than good."
"Quite considerate of you, considering we've already spent so much time within their walls regardless."
Abigail's valid point caused the homunculus to shrug, replying, "I was basically a fast-expiring doll in need of constant care...circumstances are a bit different now."
Eager to finally lay to rest some questions he affixed Abigail's cheerful gaze with his intense own, asking, "And on the topic of different circumstances how are the two of you feeling? After everything that went down I never had the chance to just outright ask you what happened."
Tiamat merely blinked, replying, "No, dissatisfaction."
"Well...okay, if you say so. Abigail?"
The blue-eyed girl took a second to think about her answer, tapping her lower lip as if in thought...and brightened, replying, "I feel quite good, actually. In fact I would go so far as to say I feel powerful."
The blonde squirmed, brow furrowed as if she was searching for the right words.
"While I cannot remember the name of the Outer God that I was once contracted to I can still draw upon its strength, still recall the ways and means it shared with me to make use of its power as its conduit."
As if to prove her point the girl raised a hand upwards, a silent shimmer of reality depositing one of her oversized keys of black metal into her waiting palm.
"You utterly destroyed the mind and controlling intelligence of the Outer God and, for all intents and purposes…"
She affixed him with an uncomplicated smile that caused his stomach to make weird sloshing feelings.
"I think I'm the new Outer God, with all of the original powers and abilities it once wielded."
Breathing a sigh of relief that she didn't feel uneasy or strange Nanashi quirked his lips, commenting, "Well that's definitely an upgrade then, right? Could be worse, you could be some kind of-"
The homunculus collapsed like a puppet with his strings cut, the action so sudden and unexpected that Tiamat and Abigail merely stared, befuddled by the action.
"How about a little advance warning next time, huh?"
[And what would such a hypothetical warning consist of, precisely? More to the point, what would such a warning even do for you?]
"...Whatever, get to the point."
An amused chuckle emanated from the crimson-cloaked individual, Nanashi finding himself once again 'standing' upon a winding, ethereal path that lead to the distant Swirl of the Root.
[Such interplay aside do you feel as if you have a more firm grasp on your circumstances and position in the world, Fourth? The abilities you wield and how - when acting in conjunction - they pose a very real and very serious threat to the fabric of reality?]
Grudgingly setting aside his annoyance at having been yanked into this space the homunculus merely grunted, "Yeah, I guess so. The Mystic Eyes of Consanguinity allow me to see the path an object or person has that leads back to the Root of All Things while the power of the Fourth Magician allows me to erase things in their entirety...basically the antithesis to the first, right? Creating something from nothing versus making it as if it had never existed in the first place. That's why I kept forgetting shit whenever I used my abilities, I was straight up wiping it from all forms of existence."
The robed being lifted an arm as if to present a blatantly obvious conclusion.
[Quite so. But the depth of your actions, believe it or not, carry weight and consequences far beyond simple erasure from the multiverse. Take young Abigail, for instance. You crafted an entirely new Outer God from scratch, giving birth to a never before seen multiversal individual. And all you intended to do was save her life.]
Nanashi could privately admit that was kind of a big deal, even if he had no intention of ever admitting that aloud.
"So what's the problem? The universe hasn't imploded or anything, no biggie."
[Ah, but now we arrive at the crux of the problem. It is not that we believe you will deliberately seek to undo the fabric of reality, it is that in the pursuit of helping those close to you great damage and irrevocable changes will be made to our existence. We fear that you may - in the hope of aiding a loved one - undo the fabric of all that is.]
Nanashi remained silent, eventually grumbling, "Would you believe me if I said I'd be on my best behavior?"
[Yes. But we also are fully aware that your promise would be cast aside within a heartbeat to protect what new brilliance has entered into your life. You just admitted to having birthed a new Outer God with little actual care for the consequences of such an action, who's to say that you will not further perpetuate such new paradigms?]
The homunculus huffed out a breath, acidly commenting, "Do the other Magicians have to deal with this crap or is that the joy of being the new guy? Doesn't the Apostle or something have the ability to jump across the multiverse at will? Seems like a recipe for trouble, if you ask me."
[The Kaleidoscope's actions tend to be for the best. More pertinently, for all of the infinite realities he may access the Second Magician may only interact with a few of them at a time. And the Fifth Magician has yet to truly grasp what her Magic is capable of. As things stand you are the only among their number that may freely cause such widespread chaos among the entire breadth of reality while still being somewhat of an unknown.]
"Fucking great. I love being special."
The bitter words caused yet another disembodied chuckle to leave the cloaked figure posture suggesting amusement.
[You once said something similar to us.]
"...What? When the hello did we meet before? Is this another case of me erasing something before I knew what I was doing?"
[Something we shall explain at a later date. But our proposed deal is thus. Learn to control and regulate the power of the Fourth Magic and you shall be left to your own devices as the other Magicians are, free to experiment and travel as you will. Fail?]
A tender pause spread between them.
[While it is regrettable to us - your circumstances are not like the others and you did not choose even tangentially to become what you are now - your existence will be too dangerous to allow upon this plane of existence.]
Nanashi stared down the manifestation of what he now confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt was the Counter Force, ruby eyes boring into a fathomless face hidden from even his enhanced vision...and grinned.
"That's it? Shit, I was working under a literal deadline for the past several months. This is a well worn road for me."
The homunculus drew himself up straight, calmly proclaiming, "Proposal accepted, I'll master the Fourth and my eyes and continue living in this world like I always intended to."
The crimson figure raised both its arms as if in benediction.
[We look forward to seeing the culmination of your declaration, Nanashi. We eagerly await your results. Now unless we are mistaken you have a pair of worried souls eagerly anticipating your return. Until the next time we meet.]
And for the second time in what felt like an unfortunately small amount of minutes his world went dark.
"You'd think I would be used to it at this point."