Chapter 10: The Witch and the Band

"Feliciano…" Alfred thought as he clutched his blanket tightly to his chest as if he was cradling Feliciano. His fingers still trembled at the remembrance of how cold and still Feliciano's hand was. Every time Alfred shut his eyes, he saw Feliciano's pale, still face. His heart would have not panged with sorrow if Feliciano was only unconscious.

This was it. Feliciano was really gone. If Alfred did not accidentally make Feliciano drop his Soul Gem, Feliciano would have not thought that he was a zombie. If Alfred did not lose his temper at Feliciano, Feliciano would have not run away. If Alfred stopped Feliciano from running away, Feliciano would still be here.

All because Alfred was too cowardly and selfish to help Feliciano bear his burden.

Alfred's head perked up at the sound of heavy footsteps stepping on grass. "Tony?"

"Oi, I'm not Tony!" Ludwig's psychic voice said.

Throwing aside his blanket and turning on his lamp, Alfred opened the window blinds. Ludwig was behind the shrubs in his magical boy attire.

Alfred pulled open the window. His face was met with a blast of cold night air. "Dude! What are you doing out here?!" he whispered.

Ludwig replied, "Vell… I was vondering… Do you vant to save Feliciano?"

Hope flickered in Alfred's perplexed expression. "There's a way?"

Ludwig scratched the back of his head. "Vell…" He hesitantly started. "Actually, zere is no certainty that he can be saved. If zere is a possibility, I vant to try it. I vas zinking zat he might remember your voice. Maybe if you call to him, he'll remember who he is and turn back to normal! You did say zat he was your best friend, am I right?"

"Yeah, I did say that…" Alfred said.

"Vhat if Feliciano remembers vho he is and his Grief Seed turns back into a Soul Gem?" Ludwig continued. A slight smile appeared on his lips. "It'll be a real-life example of love and courage triumphing evil and despair!"

"Why are you suddenly interested in this?" Alfred asked. "I thought you hate these kinds of stuff."

After looking around his surroundings for any eavesdroppers, Ludwig said, "Zis is between the two of us, but Feliciano reminded me of how much I used to value zese stories. I could not stop thinking about how optimistic, noble, and merciful he is. He just needs to be reminded, just like how he made me realize I am capable of redemption."

"Do you vant to come along?" Ludwig then asked. "I'm not forcing you. It's a very dangerous mission. I cannot guarantee zat I can protect you."

How many times did Alfred not take the opportunity to become a hero? If he became a magical boy, Mathias might have not become witch food, and Feliciano would have not fallen in despair. Right now, Alfred could repay for his cowardice.

Alfred's eyes lit as he grinned in determination. "I'm in."

After changing out of his pajamas into his typical casual clothes—T-shirt, jeans, and bomber jacket, he snuck out of his room to the front door, where, he slipped on his red tennis shoes. Fortunately, Francis convinced Arthur that sleep was more important that finishing a draught the night before.

Quietly sliding his house key out of the lock, Alfred ran up to Ludwig, who was waiting for him on the driveway.

"Your name is Alfred, am I correct?" Ludwig held out his hand.

Alfred gave Ludwig a firm handshake. "Yes. Alfred Kirkland-Bonnefoy at your service!"

"My name is Ludwig Beilschmidt. Pleased to meet you."

It was the first time Alfred saw Ludwig smile.

The beach's weather was much colder when Alfred and Ludwig arrived. While Ludwig's coat whipped violently in the wind, Alfred pulled the zipper up his bomber jacket. Covered by dark clouds, the sky was an entire black void. Where the sea was supposed to be was only more darkness, its presence only hinted by the crashing waves.

"Hey dude," Alfred spoke up, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. "do you think we should've gotten Kiku?"

"Nein, no need to." Ludwig replied. "He always seems to be hesitant in helping us."

"He knows a lot about things. If we asked him, I think he'll be down. He might help us get Feli back."

"Fair point. But I don't vant to continue dragging him into more things." Ludwig stated. "The more hesitant he seems, the more likely it seems zat nothing vill go as planned. Though, I always voder how he has so much knowledge."

Alfred nodded as he and Ludwig reached the entrance of the pier. To Ludwig, his transformation was the same as always. In a flash of green, he was garbed in his green tunic, black shoulder plates, and knee-high boots. The only tiny difference was his Vati's necklace hung around his neck, an accessory usually kept in his pockets until he transformed back.

"All right." Ludwig began sternly. "Once when we enter here, there is no turning back. Are you sure you want to come along?"

"I'm sure." Alfred firmly answered.

The two began their way down the pier. As they entered the labyrinth, the sound of creaking wooden planks turned into the sound of footsteps tapping down an empty corridor. A muffled chorus played over the waves. The stuffy air made Alfred's nose tingle as he unzipped his jacket. Light from the glowing aqua aquariums reflected off Ludwig's focused eyes.

"Hey, Ludwig?"

"Ja?"

"Do you think I am a coward?" Alfred asked. "There were so many times when I could've turned into a magical boy and saved Feliciano. The only thing is I held myself back."

"Nein. You're smart. You're willing to take zee time to zink if you're able to handle being a magical boy." Ludwig answered.

"Still… I should help somehow." Alfred continued. "I have it good compared to other people. I should be doing things for other people."

"If you're thinking of becoming a magical boy just for your own sake, I von't allow it." Ludwig said. "The only people vho should become magical boys are zoese whose lives depend on it. Anyone else are just asking for more unnecessary trouble. Judging from vhat you're saying, it sounds like you have a happy life and a loving family. You'll ruin zese two if you do."

"I see…"

"Though, vho knows?" Ludwig's eyes lit at the other blond. "Maybe one day you find something you must fight for."

"Yeah, maybe. There are just so many things. Speaking of that, Ludwig, what did you—"

A frantic rattle broke Alfred's sentence.

"He knows we're here! Let's go!" Ludwig said.

The muted melody burst through the doors, revealing the labyrinth's center. Feliciano's witch was perched on a pedestal, swaying his body to the marching band's song. It growled at the two intruders menacingly.

Had it not been for the marching band's entrancing music, Alfred would have frozen in horror at the monstrosity that was once his best friend. Instead, his arms hung by his sides as he gazed around the labyrinth in awe. The cymbals crashed with the bass drum's heavy thumps. The flutes were paired with the clarinets. Alfred could hear the sole sousaphone over the shrill trumpets, tooting saxophones, and blaring trombones.

"Stay back." Ludwig's order broke Alfred from the music's enchantment. Alfred was encased in Ludwig's protective barrier. "I'll ward off zee attacks. You'll call to Feliciano."

Swiping his sword, Feliciano summoned several wheels, hurling them at Ludwig. Ludwig easily dodged and deflected them with his long sword. Metallic clangs rang in the air, followed by his heavy footsteps and grunts.

With the loudest voice he could muster, Alfred shouted, "Hey, dude! Feli! It's me, Alfred! Can you hear me?"

"Shit!" A wheel flew towards Alfred. If it were not for the barrier, he would have been immediately crushed.

"Don't vorry!" Ludwig narrowly dodged a wheel. "Keep speaking to him!"

"Feliciano, LISTEN!" Alfred clutched his fists tightly. "Remember who you are!"

Another wheel bounced off the barrier.

"You wanted to do good for the world when you became a magical boy!"

Ludwig knocked a wheel towards the sidelines. He spotted another rolling wheel from his side vision, nearly getting struck due to the shrieking trumpets breaking his concentration.

"I know you would never hurt anyone!"

The drums thundered as the melody swelled.

"Feli! Turn back into yourself, dude!"

"Feliciano! Snap out of it!" Ludwig turned to yell at Feliciano. "Scheiße!"

Struck by a wheel, Ludwig tumbled onto the ground.

"Ludwig!" Alfred exclaimed in shock.

Gritting his teeth, Ludwig unsteadily stood up, ignoring the aches on his body. He retained his tight grasp on his long sword. "Don't vorry…" he huffed as sweat shone on his forehead. "Zis isn't anything! I've… had vorst…"

Before Ludwig could get into his fighting stance, another wheel struck him, knocking back down.

"Stop it!" Frustrated tears welled in Alfred's large eyes. "Feliciano! Remember, my dude! Turn back into the Feli we all love!"

No matter how many times Alfred yelled at the top of his lungs, Feliciano continued to hurl his wheels at him and Ludwig. The marching band seemed to play louder whenever Alfred opened his mouth. The surrounding audience always cheered when Feliciano attacked, becoming rowdier whenever a wheel successfully struck Ludwig.

Perhaps Feliciano could hear above the band and his boisterous viewers and chose not to listen, still clutching onto the resentment and grudges attained when he was a magical boy.

More wheels were summoned than the start. Ludwig took longer to start his dodges and swing his sword. The wheels that whisked by him began to strike him, continuously tossing him around to each other.

"CLANG!" His long sword clattering onto the ground next to him, Ludwig unsteadily lifted his head to face Feliciano. "So, zis is my punishment for being so selfish. I now know vhy you're so angry. I can't go back and change mein mistakes. Neither can you. No one can take back vhat they did to you."

A noise resembling the sound of glass shattering made Ludwig turn. The barrier he casted around Alfred shattered.

"Feliciano!" Alfred screamed as he avoided a wheel, skidding to a halt when he nearly ran into another.

"Verdammt, Feliciano!" Ludwig deflected an attack headed towards Alfred. "Forgive yourself! You can redeem yourself!"

Before Ludwig could recast his barrier, a wheel struck him, sending him flying far from Alfred.

"Ludwig!" Alfred ran towards him, back facing a wheel spending towards him.

"Alfred! Look out!" Ludwig shouted.

Mysteriously, in the blink of an eye, Alfred was shoved out of harm's way. The wheel was deflected to the opposite side. Standing in its original path was Kiku.

"Alfred! Ludwig!"

"Kiku!" Alfred exclaimed. "How did you get here?!"

As Kiku quickly tried to come up with an answer, Ludwig looked behind him where the labyrinth's entrance was. His blurred vision cleared, finally able to detect the two distinct doors. Given the rate of Feliciano's attacks, if lucky enough, Alfred might barely escape— with major injuries. A normal human could not run fast enough to the exit without a scratch.

However, with Kiku...

Using his long sword as support, Ludwig shakily stood up. "I'm such a dummkopf… Of course! It's not safe for Alfred to come along…"

Ludwig turned to Kiku. "Kiku, take Alfred out of here."

"But, Ludwig!" Alfred spoke up, alarm shining in his worried eyes.

"No, Alfred." Ludwig calmly stopped the blond.

"I can fight with you." Kiku insisted.

"No." Ludwig shook his head. "Ve can't fight and protect Alfred at zee same time. Ve all are just going to get ourselves killed. Both of you get out of here."

Summoning his Soul Gem into his hand, Ludwig faced Feliciano. "I'll take care of 'em. Don't worry."

Kiku nodded in understanding before turning to Alfred. "Alfred, take my hand. Don't let go."

"Wait, Ludwig!"

Before Alfred could rush to Ludwig, Kiku snatched his hand. With a click, time halted, turning the labyrinth grey and silent. Ludwig faced Feliciano, frozen in his stance, about to walk towards the witch.

"What happened?" Alfred asked. "Why is everything not moving?"

"Not now, Alfred. Let's go!"
"But what about Ludwig?!"

With a stern expression, Kiku only tugged Alfred's hand. A hint of grief shone in his eyes. Alfred's dismayed face fell into a dejected yet understanding look. After looking back at Ludwig for one last time, Alfred nodded at Kiku, signaling Kiku to hurry him out of the labyrinth. Neither of them looked back when the doors closed behind them.

At the same time, Ludwig took off his cross necklace and tied it around his Soul Gem, before turning to Feliciano with an empathetic smile, the softest expression he gave for the first time in years.

"I understand, Feliciano. You never got to admit your love. And trust me, I vas also too late to do the same."

Ludwig planted a kiss on his Soul Gem before sending it towards Feliciano. It hovered in front of Feliciano's concealing iron mask. A glowing aura surrounded Ludwig's sword as its blade grew longer and wider.

"But it is fine now." Ludwig added, aiming his weapon at the green jewel.

"I'll be by your side." Ludwig lunged towards his Soul Gem.

"You are not alone."

The last thing Ludwig heard and saw was his Soul Gem shattering, a flash of bright green, and a deafening explosion.

Kiku and Alfred walked out of the pier. The two looked at Kiku's Soul Gem in Kiku's hand. Once shimmering with radiance given Feliciano's presence, the jewel dimmed, returning to its original state.

Without saying a word, the two looked down the pier. The tossing waves continued to tumble and splash onto the shoreland.

Kiku broke the silence. "Alfred, let's take you home."

The clouds briefly parted, revealing the full moon. Its silver light gleamed on Alfred's glasses, concealing his empty, blank eyes.

"Alfred." Kiku repeated, a tad louder. "Let's go."

"…okay." Alfred quietly responded.

Kiku still had not released his grip on Alfred's hand. As the two left the docks, his smaller hands gave Alfred a tight, warm squeeze. Alfred reciprocated the gesture by rubbing a small circle with his thumb finger.

"Oh, it's you again." Kiku said to Tony, who sat on his desk. He blows furrowed slightly as he closed the door behind him.

Kiku opened his drawer, taking out a pair of pajamas. "Tell me the truth. Was it possible for Ludwig to save Feliciano?"

"Of course not!" Tony's answer made Kiku's fingers squeezed his nightclothes. "He should have known that!"

"Then why didn't you stop him?"

"His death serves an important purpose." Kiku pictured a twisted grin on Tony's blank face. "There is one less magical boy left to fight the Walpurgisnacht. All that is left is you. You will defeat it by yourself. The only way for to beat it is to have Alfred turn into a magical boy."

Anger flaring in his chest, Kiku glared at the grey alien. "That will not happen."

"I swear, I will save Alfred this time."

Author's Notes: Here's chapter 10! The story is already completed on my AO3 account, so if people are impatient, check it out. Link to my AO3 is on my profile. I also realized that I never posted the link on my profile, so sorry for any confusion.

For people who prefer , there are 6 chapters left. I just haven't been uploading here regularly due to being busy with life and other projects. Plus, I'm not too fond of 's uploading progress.