What follows is an entirely nonprofit fan-based work of creative fiction. This story is a hybridization of Tappei Nagatsuki's light novels, the anime, a good chunk of my own work, and quite a few jokes from different parodies. Though that probably won't last after the first few chapters because there isn't a good abridged series that has more than two or three episodes. And even then, they only cover the first arc. Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts, so please leave your questions, comments, concerns, and criticisms in the comments. Now, please enjoy the story.

Chapter One:

The End of the Beginning

I see where this is going. Subaru thought while reading a manga he picked up. His phone vibrated, so he pulled it out of his pocket, flipped it open, and looked at the time. 11:08 hm?

"I should probably get going before mom and dad get worried." He set the manga down and walked to a different aisle. He bent down and picked up a container of ramen. He turned and took a few steps away before stopping. "Nah, maybe this one instead." He picked up a different one and put the original back. On his way to the counter, he picked up a bag of potato chips.

"That's 363 yen." Said the clerk. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. As he dug through it, he pulled out a jagged-edged ten yen piece. "Aren't those a little rare?"

"I guess so. It's a keepsake from my parents." He paid the cashier and walked out of the store to the street. Subaru Natsuki was an ordinary-looking guy lacking character. His short black hair was rather common where he came from, and his height was average. Not too tall, nor too short. He had a physique that would make you wonder if he ever trained his body. The only thing that left an impression was the sharp, almost glare-like, gaze of his small irises. Where he came from, his eyes were called sanpaku eyes for the way his sclera was visible under his iris. But even his gaze had lost its vigor as it hung low, without a single ounce of ambition. Upon reaching the sidewalk in front of the store, he realized he was a bit tired, so he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. But when he opened them, there was a new world before him.

It was daylight for one. There were people in medieval style clothes—tall soldiers with armor, swords, and shields. Then there were Sub-Humans—lizardmen, people with cat ears, wolfmen too. Among them, Subaru stood out like a sore thumb. Wearing a black, orange, and white tracksuit. Why is everyone dressed so weird? "Where in the hell am I?" Subaru asked himself. He looked around. Vendors were selling various items on all sides of him. He grinned to himself a bit. "Wait a minute, " He looked up to the sky with determination sparkling in his eyes. "Have I just been summoned to another world?"

* * * * * * *

Somewhere else, a blonde girl ran on a rooftop. Then she looked at the object she clutched in her right hand. It was a triangular dark-colored stone with a red jewel in the center surrounded by a gold design of some creature. She smirked to herself, her red eyes showing determination.

"Too easy." She said, looking up and jumping across a street. She landed on a carriage, then jumped to another one. She jumped again and landed on a balcony that she scaled in a matter of seconds.

* * * * * * *

*A/N: In the anime, this is when the OST "March from Another World" begins. Use YouTube or any music playing app while reading for a more immersive experience.*

"Damn." He said as he walked away from a vendor. Of course the value of the currency is different here. What was I thinking? He sighed and walked until he met a fruit vendor with a sign above a basket of apple-looking fruit. He stopped and stared at the sign. Anyway... if I've been summoned to a different world, then where's the person that brought me here? Shouldn't I have seen them by now?

"I can't read any of this." He said.

"Hey, boy." Said the vendor. "Those're some unusual lookin' clothes ya' got. You're not from around here, are you'?" Well at least we speak the same language.

"No, I'm not. Anyway, are these-"

"Appas. The freshest you'll find here in the Capital."

"I see. I'm sorry, but I don't have any money." The vendor's face turned annoyed.

"Oh." He grabbed Subaru's collar and pulled him close to his face. "Then don't waste my time, kid. Get outta here!" Seconds later, Subaru was practically running down the road.

* * * * * * *

Subaru had always thought that he looked ordinary enough that you could quickly lose him in a crowd. Usually, he was. Despite that, though, those that saw him in their peripheral would undoubtedly look at him strangely. Though, now just about everyone that saw him looked at him as though he was dressed as a clown. Their looks were curious, and he was embarrassed that so many people were staring at him. Eventually, he found himself leaning on the short wall of a bridge staring at the water, wondering what to do.

"So assuming that this is a fantasy world, this civilization would be in the medieval era. From what I've seen so far, there aren't any advanced machines." He stomped his foot on the ground and looked at it carefully. "And the way the road's pavement looks like it was done pretty well. I'm assuming this world's currency uses the 'gold, silver, and copper' model. They use precious metals as coins instead of cash." He looked at his hands. "I should probably see if I can learn anything else by wandering around. Maybe I can find someone to give me a crash course on this world." He stood up straight just as a petite blonde girl ran by and pushed him out of the way.

"I'm in a hurry! Move it!" She yelled, shoving him out of the way and sprinting past him.

"Hey, damn it!" He yelled as he tripped over his own feet and fell over the side. A few feet down, he caught a glimpse of another girl running by—her long silver hair flowing in the wind.

"Sorry!" She managed to yell just before he hit the water.

* * * * * * *

Subaru sighed as he tried to wring out his black t-shirt in a back alley near where he had fallen.

"Well, damn." He looked back at his jacket he had set on a crate as it dried in the sun. He smoothed back his hair. "I don't get it! None of it makes sense! This is a different world summons, right!? Where's literally everything I need!?" He looked down at the small plastic bag of groceries he had. "And my starting equipment's a joke. I bet no other hero had to start their quest with a bag of chips and some ramen." He groaned in annoyance to himself then took his phone out of his pocket. Wait how is this thing not shocking me to death? And for that matter, how is it still working? Whatever. I shouldn't question my good luck. "Even if it doesn't make any sense. At all." Scrolling through his contacts, he looked at the top right corner of the screen. No service? Oh, right. Different world. He looked at it calmly but considered throwing it at the wall. "It might work, but there's no point in even having it now!" He flipped it closed and set it on the ground next too him. "Besides, if I were transported all this way, where's the cute girl who brought me here?" He hung his head low and stared at the ground. There's obviously something I'm missing here. Multiple footsteps echoed through the air. Subaru looked up and saw three men. Well, two men and a boy. To the right, a tall man stood. He was muscular and intimidating with tanned skin and a scar from the left corner of his mouth to his left jaw. In the middle was another tall man, just barely shorter than the other with pointed teeth and light brown hair. The boy on the left was short with what appeared to be a large red bowl upside down on his head. As they came closer, the one on the right tripped but didn't fall over a slightly raised stone in the ground. The one in the middle spoke first.

"Give us everything you have, now." Subaru stood and slowly approached the thugs.

*A/N: In the anime, this is when the OST "Battle Dance" begins. Use YouTube or any music playing app while reading for a more immersive experience.*

"Yeah, how does 'no' sound!?" He said, unleashing a straight right punch with all of his might into the tallest man. He landed a direct hit to his nose. However, his knuckles hit the man's teeth and began to bleed. Holy shit! My first for real punch! And I hurt myself. How sad. The man he punched fell to the ground clutching his nose. Subaru snapped out of the daze of his first punch and turned toward the man in the middle. He tried a roundhouse kick, but he stepped back with barely a second to spare. His kick's momentum carried his foot into the boy's chest, throwing him into the wall and knocking the wind out of him. "Oh my god. That actually worked! Hell yeah!" He turned back toward the last man. "Whatchu got?" The man pulled two knives from under his shirt and twirled them in his hands. Man, I wish I hadn't missed those disarming lessons. Then, another man was behind him, pressing the blade of a knife to his throat.

*A/N: "Battle Dance" cuts off here.*

"Get down." He said, pushing him a few feet away. Subaru dropped down to his knees and bowed his head. "Please don't kill me!" God, I'm pathetic. "Please!"

"Begging for your life, huh?" Said the last man as his associates rose to their feet. The first one to rise was the one holding his nose, pinching it to stop the bleeding. Well, at least I broke something. Subaru smirked to himself as the other got up, breathing heavily. Then one of them kicked him in the stomach. Why the hell am I on the ground? Don't I have any pride? Then another kick to his stomach. Followed by another. Then someone stepped on his back. I've made a terrible mistake. The one with two knives stepped on his head, pushing his forehead into the ground. Then an idea hit him amidst all of the kickings.

"Hey... If you're trying to rob me, I'm penniless." He said.

"Even so, the boys and I just wanna flex our muscles. If we don't get enough exercise, they'll get useless quickly." Said the last one by the wall. He looked over at Subaru's bag and jacket. But rushed footsteps made him turn around. "Hm?"

It was a petite, athletic, blonde girl. Her hair was flowing behind her in a blur as she ran. "Get out of the way! Move it!" She yelled. That voice. It has to be her. Subaru lifted his head to look at her.

"Hey, you! You're the one that pushed me off of that bridge!" She sprinted past him, jumped onto the wall, and ran on it over the man farthest away before landing next to Subaru's jacket. She stepped on the crate and launched herself upward to a ledge she grabbed and pulled herself up on while the thugs stared bewildered at the girl. Damn, she's fast. And she totally just left me. Looks like I'm gonna have to make my move.

"That's enough now." Said a feminine voice. Wait; what? Subaru looked up and was surprised to see that a young familiar-looking girl stood at the entrance of the alleyway. That's the girl that was chasing the other one. She was undeniably attractive. Her braided silver hair reached down to her waist, and her bluish-purple eyes held a look of detest and annoyance. But also determination. Her delicate features had a mix of voluptuousness and childishness, yet somehow possessed an air of nobility. She wasn't much shorter than Subaru, so she was about 5'5. Her white themed clothing did not have any accessories, but rather it was the clothing's simplicity that caught one's attention. The only thing that stood out was an embroidered symbol of a hawk-like bird on her stark white coat.

"Hey, mysteriously attractive silhouette. Please say you're here to help me." Said Subaru.

"I'm looking for something of great importance." She continued.

"You can't possibly mean this guy." Said the tall and muscular thug to Subaru's right.

"Please, please mean this guy." Said Subaru.

"Shut up!" Said the one in front.

"Sorry but no, I'm looking for something of *actual value.* " Damn, rude. "It was an insignia. A little girl stole it and ran off."

"You mean that blonde girl that just ran through here?" Asked the boy to Subaru's left. "She ran right past us an' seemed to be in a hurry. It looks pretty suspicious if ya' ask me." The girl seemed to think for a moment.

"Thank you. I'll be on my way now." Wait, goddamnit, no!

"Yeah. Hurry up an' get outta here." Said the one by the wall. The girl jogged past the group to the end of the alley. Damn. Looks like I'll have to save myself here. Subaru looked at the man in front of him. Just as his expression changed to shock while the sound of a blow landing rang out into the air. The girl had punched the man by the wall—a hard left hook to his jaw. The man stumbled and backed up. He lunged at her with his knife, but she jumped back just in time. She landed close to Subaru's bag, then turned her hand toward the thugs as they spread out and away from Subaru. She formed four balls of light in her hand. They turned into water, then hardened into ice before the men could even muster a response.

"Nars." She said as the lights shot forward. They connected with each thug's chest and sent them onto their backs with a cry of pain. One ball, though hit the boy in the face and blood flowed from his mouth as he fell. Holy shit, she's a badass. Wait, was that Magic? He didn't know what he was expecting. Flashes of light? Bursts of energy? Nope. The actual creation of objects it seemed. Subaru got to his knees and rose on slightly shaky feet.

"Y-ya' know you probably killed that kid, right?"

"I did no such thing. Did I?"

"Pretty sure. Anyway, " Subaru extended his hand. "Thank you for helping me." The girl extended her hand and shook his.

"No problem at all. But you don't seem like you're in good shape. Perhaps I could-" The thug by the wall was suddenly on his feet, throwing his knife at the girl. Without thinking, Subaru was in front of the girl with his back to the knife sailing through the air. The knife's handle hit him directly in the center of his neck, and everything faded to black for him. As he fell, the girl made another ball of ice and shot it forth, hitting the man in the stomach. A light formed in the palm of her hand. The light glowed and grew, taking shape until the light shattered like glass revealing a small kitten. It had grey fur that lightened to white on its chest. Its ears drooped. You could compare it to a breed of cat known as the American shorthair apart from the fact it had a pink nose and tail about two inches long. The brown-haired and muscular thugs rose, then noticed the cat. The one with brown hair's face turned pale.

"A Spirit Art user? I-is that..." He started.

"Name's Puck." Said the cat.

"No way, I know you. You're the Artificial Spirit that wiped out the Pixies!" Said the muscular one.

"Damn right. Now, if you don't wanna end up like them, I suggest you leave." The cat smirked. Well, as much as a cat could smirk. "Just like your fathers did."

"We'll remember this!" Said the brown-haired one as he picked up the boy onto his shoulders and started running away.

"Maybe, but that dead kid won't!" The cat called as the large man picked up the one that threw the knife and ran after the others.

* * * * * * *

Oh my god, this is such a nice pillow. Thought Subaru. Wait a minute.

"Whyyyy is it so warm!?" He yelled, looking upward.

*A/N: In the anime, this is when the OST "Fool" begins. Use YouTube or any music playing app while reading for a more immersive experience.*

"Well, hey there." Said a large, person-sized cat. Subaru jumped up from its lap and fell up against the wall.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Calm down." Said the girl. "This is Puck." She pointed at the oversized cat. "My contracted Spirit."

"Hey there." Said the cat as it waved its massive right paw.

"Sorry if I'm a bit on edge, I was just attacked by criminals. And witnessed a child being killed."

"That was an accident, and you know it." This was the first time the girl actually looked at him with those unusual violet eyes of hers. A heavy sense of caution could be seen in them. But even though the girl's voice held no real emotion and her eyes held a tangible caution, Subaru blushed and averted his eyes. Damn it, it's the first time a girl's looked at me for any real amount of time and I can feel my face getting hot. Noticing this, the girl laughed.

"See Puck? He looked away because he had a guilty conscious. It seems I was right."

"I wonder about that; just from that reaction alone, I don't think he'll give us any trouble now. Right?" Subaru nodded. "I don't sense any malice, really..." He stopped and took a long look at Subaru. "I only sense curiosity and admiration."

"Admiration?" The girl asked.

"He thinks you're cute." The girl's face flushed red at the same time Subaru's did. Puck laughed as Subaru stood.

"I wasn't thinking anything like that ya' damn cat!" Puck laughed again while Subaru grumbled to himself. He looked at the girl who had just stopped blushing. "Not that I'm complaining, but why did you heal me? You didn't have too at all, and you were busy. Yet you stopped and healed me. Why?"

"Don't get the wrong idea. I only stuck around because there are some things I want to ask you. I took the time and trouble to heal you as best as I could and made Puck act as your pillow until you woke up. It was all for my own benefit."

"Wait a minute! How so!? I don't get it!" She seemed to ignore him.

"Anyway, now that you're up, I expect to be repaid for my effort." She rose to her full height to look intimidating. "What do you know about that girl that ran through here earlier?"

"You mean that blonde girl, right?"

"That's the one. She stole something essential to me."

"What exactly did she steal?"

"It's called an insignia. It's a little dark-colored stone with a red jewel in the center surrounded by a gold design. It's about the size of the center of your palm."

"Sorry, but I haven't seen anything like that."

"So, you mean we stopped to help you for no reason?" Asked Puck, looking at Subaru.

"It would appear so." She responded.

*A/N: "Fool" cuts off right about here.*

"In any case, she was faster than any normal thief. She must have some crazy Divine Protection. But we should probably continue the search before the others find us."

"Others?" Asked Subaru.

"Long story, lots of explaining." Said the girl.

"And we're just about out of time. I can sense them, so they're not too far away."

"Then let's go. We have to find my insignia before they find us. I couldn't stand the embarrassment of them finding me without it." I think I've just been forgotten. Thought Subaru.

"Hey, wait. I owe you a debt for healing me. So how about I help you find your insignia?" The pair seemed to think for a minute. "Plus, I'm kinda new to this place, so taggin' along with you guys could help me learn about this town." Said Subaru. The pair still thought. Eventually, the cat tapped the girl's shoulder.

"Whatever we're going to do, we'd better do it now. They're coming." I know we just met an' all, but I wish I knew more about what's going on with these guys.

"You got a good look at her face, right?" She asked.

"I mean, yeah. She ran right past me and threw me off a bridge. So not only that, but I got a score to settle with her."

"Sixty feet to the south and closing." Said Puck. "They probably already sense us." The girl started to walk toward the alley's entrance.

"Then let's go. Now. Before my associates catch up with us." She turned around and motioned for Puck and Subaru to follow her.

"Where the hell are we going?" Asked Subaru.

"Anywhere but here." She said. "and on the way, you'll have to tell me your name." Puck shrank down and flew through the air after her. Subaru couldn't believe it. My first adventure in a new world. He smiled widely. I can barely contain myse-

"Hey, wait a second! Wait up!" Subaru ran after the pair as they disappeared around the corner.

* * * * * * *

*A/N: For a more immersive experience, use YouTube or any music playing app to listen to the OST "Night Plot" while reading this segment.*

A short beautiful blue-haired girl in a black and white maid's uniform with detached sleeves and a tall man in black complimented with gray rounded the corner to the alleyway. The girl's short sky blue hair hung over her right eye but was pinned behind her ear, exposing her light blue left eye. She wore a black apron dress with white accents and a white lace headpiece on her head. Her shoes were simply designed and dark black. The man's hair was semi-dark black that stuck up in the front and turned to light gray toward the tips. He had soft, happy eyes that held a hint of seriousness. There were three whisker-like marks on each cheek that were just a few shades darker than the rest of his skin. On his left forearm was a design in the shape of a colored circle with a black dot in the center. His arms had long, spiraling, and curving tattoos that ended at his elbows. On his wrists were two black bracelets made of chains. He wore a simple gray shirt without sleeves underneath his black robe. Across his waist, he wore a thick belt with three pouches for various small items. The robe itself had short sleeves, and the coattail ended just under his kneecaps as it hung open. He had silver knee pads attached to his black pants that he had tucked into his greaves.

"They were here." The girl said shortly as she walked down the alley, inhaling deeply through her nose.

"Yes. But I gather that people of lower class were here." Said the man. "It seems there was some sort of scuffle there." He pointed in front of him. "Then, the antagonists fled." He flicked his head toward the entrance.

"Leaving Miss Emilia and someone else here with her." She sniffed the air, and her eyes narrowed. No, it couldn't be. She thought. There's no way.

"Something wrong, Rem?" The girl shook her head as if to dismiss her thoughts.

"It's nothing. Just a foul stench I'm picking up. It must be the slums." The man squatted down to his knees near a crate in the corner and squinted at the ground.

"Possibly." He picked up a strand of black hair from a crack in the ground. "What do you make of this?" He handed the strand to the girl. She sniffed it.

"It's head hair from the smell. Well washed too. But there's something off about it."

"Off?"

Damn. "It's nothing. Just an unusual smell." She waved her hand dismissively. "Most likely, a boy about the same age as you, Arden. But I do think we should find them quickly. Before something happens." The man stood.

"Do you have their scent?" The girl smelled the air.

"Yes." She turned toward the alley's entrance.

"Then, by all means." He said as he stood, turned away, and walked with the girl out of the alley. He turned at the last second to the alleyway. "Blessed be." He said shortly just before the pair disappeared into the crowd without another word.

* * * * * * *

A/N: In the anime, this is when the OST "Timbre of the Beginning" begins, but skip to about ten seconds into it. Use YouTube or any music playing app while reading for a more immersive experience.*

Subaru thought the view atop the tower was picturesque.

"Nice job, genius." Said Puck as he looked around. "I can't see anything." He looked at Subaru. "You said getting to higher ground would give us a better chance to find that thief, but we can't even spot a single person that doesn't look like a black dot from this height. "

"Yeah, I have to admit." Subaru started, turning toward the floating cat. "We might be a bit too high up to anything with any detail."

"Or we might not even be in the right part of town." Said the girl.

"This town's too damn big. That thief girl could be anywhere."

"This town, " She flicked her wrist toward the town. "Is the capital of Lugunica. Did you really not know that?" Upon hearing the girl's words, Puck remembered there were a few things he and his partner didn't know about their new friend.

"Ya' know, I don't remember ever catching your name."

"Mine?" Subaru stood up straight and pointed to the sky while striking a terrible yet cliche pose. "My name is Subaru Natsuki! I've got no money, I'm lost, foreign, and can't understand your written language!"

"You know me as Puck, but most people know me as," He smirked awkwardly. "The Harbinger of Death, nice to meet you, kid." Puck flew at Subaru with an arm extended, as if trying to punch him. Subaru caught the punch by holding up his hand.

"Well, that's terrifying, yet comforting knowing you can defend yourself."

"I don't think I've seen someone touch a Spirit so casually before." Said the girl as Puck floated over to her shoulder. "Where did you say you were from?"

"If the geography here is what I think it is, then it's a small island nation to the East."

"That can't be right. Lugunica is the Easternmost nation on our maps. There's absolutely nothing but water East of here."

"Wait, do you mean there's not a single piece of land to the East?"

"You have no idea where you are, you have no money, you can't read, and you seem to have no one around who can help you but me. You just might be in an even more precarious situation than I am. At least I have someone in town looking for me."

*A/N: "Timbre if the Beginning" cuts off right about here.*

"Two someones, actually." Said Puck, suddenly rejoining the conversation. "Now Subaru, you seem to be in..." He hesitated a moment, scanning the young man before him. "Decent shape."

"Thanks. I try to work out as often as I can. You see, when you're a shut-in protected of your house, you gotta stay as fit as possible."

"Fit, huh?" Before Subaru or Puck could respond, the girl was in front of Subaru holding his left hand, studying it. "Your fingers. They're very pretty and soft. They don't seem like the worn-out working hands of a peasant at all, and your muscles don't feel like the kind you gain doing fieldwork. They seem like they should be pretty frail." Subaru blushed a bit and turned his head. Oh my god. A girl just touched my hand. Stay calm, Subaru.

"Yeah, so anyway," He looked at her. "I know your cat's called 'Puck the Harbinger of Death,' but you haven't told me yours yet."

"My name? Oh right. It's..." She hesitated, thinking of a name to give him. She decided after a few tense seconds of Subaru looking at her in the eyes with a small smile and a soft look in his eyes. "Satella." She finally said. Puck looked at her with wide eyes, confusion painted across his face. "My name is Satella."

"Satella, huh?" What a stereotypical fantasy type name. But even I have to admit that for this girl... "It's a nice name." Subaru smiled at the girl. Puck mused a bit to himself. Does he really not know she's joking? I swear this kid's either an idiot. Man, she's got a wicked sense of humor. Puck sighed from atop Satella's shoulder. "Now that we've got the problem of names out of the way, there are a few questions I'd like to ask you, Satella."

"By all means." She said.

"This is the Imperial Capital, right? Where the King's castle's found and is a rather large city compared to others?"

"Yeah." Said Satella, holding her chin between her index finger and thumb.

"With a keen eye for detail and a good memory, one truth prevails."

"And that is?" Asked Puck.

"Not long ago, I encountered the thief girl during a confrontation I had in an alleyway."

"When you were getting beaten half to death?" Puck interrupted again.

"I took note that her clothing was of lower quality than the common citizen. I knew then that she had to be a lower-class citizen. She left me to my fate, possibly hoping you would stop and help me. This demonstrates her intelligence and her judge of character. She then proceeded to easily vault over the wall, displaying a high level of acrobatics. What I noticed the most of, however, was that she was using back alleys as a means of travel. With all these clues, I concluded a little while ago that she was an experienced thief. So my friends, where do thieves reside?"

"The slums." Said Satella, slapping her forehead. "Of course. Subaru, you're a genius. Next time just say that, though."

"I'm pretty sure he just wanted to be a show-off."

"That's why I wanted to come up here." Subaru gestured to the view of the city they had. "Other than my big reveal, I wanted to try and find the slums." He looked out at the town again. "But I can't see anything resembling that anywhere. I'd bet that we're better off asking someone in the market." Satella walked to the top of the stairs and stopped while Puck floated onto her shoulder.

"Then what're you waiting for? Let's go!"

* * * * * * *

They had been wandering for a while now. A straight direction to the West for about twenty minutes without finding a single clue as to the location of the slums. But soon, they slowed their pace as something caught Satella's attention.

"Hey, Subaru?" Said Satella.

"Yeah?"

"D'you get the feeling that little girl's lost?" She pointed to a short girl with light green, chin-length hair wearing a pink and white dress with a hood. She's most likely no younger than ten- no, nine. She had a charming face, though the tears welling up in her eyes as she looked in every direction brought out the sympathy in Subaru. There's no doubt about it. This girl's lost, and Satella wants to help her. Subaru nodded. "What about your insignia? Every second we don't find it brings us a little closer to losing it forever."

"That doesn't matter." She looked him in his eyes. "There's a little girl who's lost, alone, and scared. She needs help, and helping her will help us by giving us good karma. If you don't want to help, then go. I already said you don't owe me anything." Subaru nodded as she walked toward the little girl, stopped in front of her, and dropped to her knees. "Hi, there, little girl. Are you lost?" The girl nodded as her tears began to fall.

"Now, did you come here alone or with your mommy and daddy?"

"I came with my mommy bu-" She broke down sobbing. "I want my mommy." She said through tears. Satella put her hand to her shoulder, feeling empathy for the little girl.

"Don't worry. We'll find her."

"Hey, kid. Wanna see a Magic trick?" Asked Subaru as he approached the pair. She said nothing, yet looked at Subaru with curious eyes. He nodded and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out his jagged-edged ten yen coin. "Behold, the magnificence of this rarity. Observe, ok?" He put the coin between his hands and shook them as if preparing to roll dice. "First, we take the coin and hold it tight. And then..." He separated his hands and opened his fists. The coin was gone. The girl gasped slightly.

"Wow, sir. That was amazing, but what happened to the-" He gently stroked the girl's hair with his left hand, and the coin seemed to fall into it. Subaru grinned triumphantly as she gasped again with awe.

"Found it."

* * * * * * *

They walked for a while, just talking with the little girl as Subaru held one hand, and Satella held her other. She calmed down quickly as they started searching for her mother. At one point, Subaru brought up how to the passerby, the three of them would likely look like a couple with their small child. Much to Subaru's chagrin and vehement disagreement, Satella refused that and instead insisted that she couldn't see Subaru as anything but the girl's older brother. Eventually, though, they found the little girl's mother. Just as the girl knew she was, her mother was searching for her. She thanked them and pointed them in the exact direction of the slums.

"How did you do that trick back there?" Satella asked eventually.

"I'll show you later, but we need to focus on finding your insignia. We can't have any more distractions."

"Right." Satella looked ahead of them, down the seemingly never-ending street. After about ten minutes of walking, the road opened up into a large square with a rectangular pool of water in the center. A stone bridge was the only possible way to get over it. They stopped about halfway and decided to rest for a little while.

"Ya' know in my opinion that whole string of events with the little girl was kind of a side quest, but what benefit are you going to say you gained? Besides 'good karma' ?"

"Simple. Now we can continue our search with our minds at ease knowing we did the right thing."

"I see."

*A/N: For a more immersive experience while reading, use YouTube or any music playing app to listen to the OST "Longing for Sunbeams" while reading this segment.*

"Speaking of which, why did you help me out back there? I thought you were opposed to stopping the search."

"First off, I wasn't 'opposed' to the idea. Second, well, I'm not gonna lie and say I just wanted to show off my coin trick. I simply wanted to do a good deed."

"A good deed?"

"Yeah. I've decided to set a goal for myself." He struck an awkward pose. "From this point forward, I will accomplish one good deed per day!" Satella looked at him for a moment before chuckling to herself.

"So, you're only here now because you think that you owe me?" Subaru's face contorted in confusion.

"What?"

"I mean, you've already accomplished one good deed, so why are you still here?"

"Ouch. You act like I'm limited to only one deed. I can always do more. As a matter of fact, I'll do enough good deeds for a week in one day!" Satella watched this boy rant and rave about how he wanted to help as many people as possible. It mirrored her own situation. She wanted to help people. Even it meant leaving herself with nothing. It didn't matter to her how much she received, as long as she gave all she could.

"Subaru," She paused until he looked her way. "With a personality like that, you're sure to lose everything one day. You know that, right?"

"So the pot calls the kettle black here too, huh?"

"What?"

"It's an expression from my homeland. It essentially means you've accused someone of having a fault you possess. In other words, you're a hypocrite." She smiled a bit. Then turned slightly away. So he noticed. She thought.

"You really *are* a nice boy."

"How come you treat me like I'm so much younger than you? Just by looking at you, I can't see much of an age difference." By a rough estimate, Subaru thought Satella looked to be about his age. Seventeen, eighteen maybe. However, to Subaru's confusion, she looked him in the eye, narrowed her violet eyes slightly, and spoke.

"However old you think I am, you're absolutely wrong. Because... I'm a Half-Elf." Subaru was at a temporary loss for words. Seeing his silent response, several complicated emotions flashed across her eyes. They eventually settled on an ineffable of resignation and hopelessness.

"No wonder you're cute. I mean, after all, it's a given in fantasy worlds that Elves are attractive." Satella flushed red, but her head tilted in confusion. She blinked her eyes several times. Her expectations were blown away by this boy who had called her 'cute.'

"Excuse me? Didn't you hear what I-"

"Yeah, and? You're a Half-Elf. So what?" Her reaction was unexpected. Completely. She turned away and crouched against the wall. She clapped her hands over her slightly pointed ears. Her actions were inexplicable. She seemed to be pouting, covering her face with her long silver hair. Then Puck appeared from nowhere, charging toward Subaru through the air with left arm extended.

"Haaaaaaaa-aaaahhhh!" He yelled.

Subaru felt a tiny blow land on his cheek.

"Uhh, ow? What the hell was that for?" The cat purred, flicking his whiskers with his hands. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know."

"Hell of a reason there, Mr. Harbinger of Death." The two looked at each other for a moment before chuckling a bit as Satella stood. She turned to Subaru and glared.

"Subaru you, you... Idiot." She said.

"Last time I checked compliments didn't warrant insults."

"Whether or not you understand, isn't my problem." She sassily flipped her hair behind her head. "In any case, we've got more important matters to attend too." With the subject of her outburst cut off, Subaru looked slightly irritated. Though said irritation quickly evaporated as Satella was quick to change her attitude back to her usual friendly and happy demeanor.

"Right." Said Subaru as Puck drifted lazily through the air. Satella plucked him away and set him on her shoulder.

"Let's go."

* * * * * * *

As the day drug on, Subaru thought more and more that finding Satella's lost insignia was a hopeless endeavor. What's so important about this damn thing anyway? Whatever. He clenched his fist with certainty. We'll definitely find it.

"Satella?" Said Subaru. She looked to her right to find Subaru at her side instead of just a step behind her.

"Yes?" Subaru managed to pick up on the barely perceptible amount of hesitation in her voice. It was almost as if she forgot it was her name. I'll have to ask about that later.

"How big *is* this damn city?" She put her finger to the corner of her mouth in thought.

"Well, as the Capital of the Kingdom of Lugunica, I'm pretty sure about three hundred thousand people live here. But lots of others constantly come and go as they please." There was a hint of pride in her voice as she answered. Subaru's eyes widened slightly. That's big for a fantasy city. Subaru tried to use the new information to picture the Capital in his mind. Three hundred thousand people were permeant residents of the town, but that didn't count the numerous travelers, such as merchants or heroes. The number had to be far higher than that at any given time. In this vast and densely populated city, someone had to've seen Satella's badge be stolen. Then the realization hit him—the most basic rule of solving a crime.

"Say, shorty," He said, addressing the girl to his left. "Where'd you get your insignia stolen in the first place?" She rounded on him quickly.

"I am not short. And I think I actually got it stolen up ahead near a fruit merchant." Subaru looked ahead and noticed a familiar face sitting on a stool before a broad array of delicious-looking red fruit.

"Ahhhhh, hell."

* * * * * * *

"Say, Rem?" Arden asked with curiosity as he gazed at the pool of water beneath the bridge he stood on.

"Yes?" She responded from his right side instantly.

"They seem to be heading to the South. What part of the town's in that direction?" She seemed to think for a moment before responding.

"The marketplace, the guildhalls, and-" The realization hit her like a rock to the head.

"The slums." She said with an air of certainty as her eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'm willing to bet that's where they're heading. Whaddya' say we head there and get the insignia first, then wait for Miss Emilia?"

"I'm not opposed to the idea. But what about Our Lady?"

"Puck's with her. And she can handle herself pretty well. But I do wonder about that stranger, though. He wouldn't still be with them if Puck sensed any negative intentions."

"That's true but, what if there's something we're missing about him?"

"I'm hoping there isn't." He looked out over his small view from the top of the bridge. Rem looked onward as well before finally telling him they needed to hurry. As they hurried toward the slums, Rem looked up at the sky and thought: The man Miss Emilia's with... Why does he smell like that?

* * * * * * *

"So that's the situation Mr. Fruit Salesman." Said Subaru as he looked at the man in front of him. The shop owner had a cold glare that seemed unfitting for someone who dealt with customers daily. The muscular man wore a bandanna on his head and had a stern-looking face. His voice was deep and threatening. To top it all off, he had a large white scar that ran down the left side of his face. Probably got that from a knife or something. All in all, the shopkeeper didn't exactly seem like a law-abiding citizen, that's why it felt so out of place to see a man like him behind a fruit shop's counter with its contents so fresh it made your mouth water just looking at it. I think I'm stereotyping him, though.

"It's Kadomon, Mr. Broke." He looked at both kids before him. "What about you, kid? You got any money?" I remember her. Kadomon thought. She's that kid that got robbed right in front of my shop earlier.

"Sadly, no."

"What!?" Subaru practically yelled.

"I'm not exactly sure what you expected of me, but as I said, I'm broke just like you." Kadomon sighed deeply.

"So now that I'm here with not one but two broke kids, what in the hell did you want? I mean, I think I have an idea."

"Well, we're looking for someone and were hoping to-"

"It was a *rhetorical question* boy. I don't have time to deal with a couple of broke kids. Now get outta here, scram!" He waved his hands as if shooting away a bug.

"Hey, mister!" Called a familiar high pitched child's voice from a small distance away. The trio turned and saw a woman with long brown hair walking toward them. Holding her hand was the girl that Subaru and Satella had helped earlier, waving her left arm in the air. They both picked up their pace.

"I want to thank you again for your help earlier." Said the mother.

"Oh, hey, what's brings you two back this way?" Asked Subaru. The mother looked to the left of Subaru at Kadomon.

"It's my husband's shop, so we just wanted to stop by." Beside Subaru, Kadomon grumbled. Wait what? Husband?

"Your husband?" He looked at the muscular man to his left just as the little girl ran up and wrapped her arms around his waist. He looked down and locked eyes with the smiling child.

"Hey, there's my girl." He looked at his wife and pointed to the pair beside him. "Now wait a second. How do you know these two destitute beggars?"

"Beggars? Dear, don't call them that! If it weren't for them, then I might still be looking for Loddie." Kadomon's eyes went wide with surprise.

"What?"

"We got separated in the market, and Loddie got lost. These two found her and brought her back to me." Kadomon grumbled again as his daughter broke away from his waist and walked over to Satella.

"Thanks again lady. Here." She said as she held out her hands, revealing a red flower pin with five petals and a yellow center.

"She was hoping we'd find you two again. Please accept that token as her way of showing gratitude for what you've done." Satella slowly grabbed the pin from the little girl's open hands.

"Thank you so much." She clipped it to the left breast of her white cloak and crouched so that Loddie could see it. They locked eyes, and both smiled brightly. From off to the side, Kadomon cleared his throat.

"Sorry about all that before. You helped my daughter, and for that, I thank you. So tell me again what you wanted to know." With a firm nod, the stern-faced shop owner put on his best smile.

Satella looked at Subaru with a triumphant smile.

"See? I told you we did the right thing." She said with a smile. She acts as though an odd twist of fate was her doing. Satella looked at the sky while Subaru explained their situation. I wonder where Rem and Arden are...

* * * * * * *

Well, this is quaint. For a thief. Thought Arden as he stood with Rem at his side, staring at the building before him. So this is the loot house where the thief that stole Miss Emilia's insignia is going to sell it. He shook his head condescendingly.

"Arden." Said Rem. "Come on."

*A/N: If using YouTube or any music playing app for a more immersive experience while reading, play Antonin Dvorak's "New World Symphony Mvt. 4" for a more immersive experience.*

"Actually, I'm going in alone. Stay here and keep watch."

"But-"

"I said 'no' Rem. Stay out here. I'll have this resolved soon." Just then, they both felt a presence from the loot house disappear. Damn. "And now you're definitely staying here." He looked at her and smiled a genuine broad smile. "For safety reasons." He walked quickly up the steps as another presence disappeared. Arden had just kicked the door off its hinges when he felt something sharp graze his right bicep and tear through his sleeve as his hips began to glow with a bright white light. He had no time to focus. Before he even knew what was happening, a hard blow was landed directly to his left cheek. He was sent flying toward the far wall where he stopped himself by slamming his foot into the floor and turning around. The light on his hips shattered like glass and revealed two simple shortswords with square guards in scabbards attached to his belt. He sensed Rem approach the man in front of the doorway and, with his left hand, sent a sword flying into the door frame, stopping Rem's advance and separating the man from her. Arden looked forward and saw a small shape fly toward him before he was blasted through the wall behind him. Simultaneously, the man raised his hand toward Rem and sent her flying back a few feet onto her back. Arden flew into the outside wall of the building next to the loot house, engraving his shape into it as the wall cracked all over from the impact. He opened his eyes just in time for a knife to bury itself deep in his throat.

Damn it. Rem thought as she picked herself up and stood. She had seen something be thrown at Arden before the wall blew apart.

"I guess I have no choice." She said. "I'll have to-" The man slammed his leg into Rem's arm and sent her flying toward someone. A flash of metal and a split second later, her head fell from her shoulders.

* * * * * * *

*A/N: In the anime, this is when the OST "Night Plot" begins. Use YouTube or any music playing app for a more immersive experience.*

It was sunset now. The sun had fallen rapidly through the cloud-filled sky in such little time. It painted the sky a golden hue. Even though the slums weren't exactly far from the main road, the atmosphere held an almost tangible difference. For one, there was a haze in the air of the lightest gray. The eyes of the people they passed by were filled with a combination of hopelessness and hatred. Though, that was only a few. The rest had utterly blank stares. The atmosphere was one of absolute despair. Man just looking at these people, I almost *feel* like them. Subaru thought as he shivered from the sudden cold. He remembered what Kadomon had said about the slums.

Flashback

"I gotta say even for a broke kid," Kadomon paused and held out Subaru's drawing of the thief girl as Loddie hung off of his shoulders. "This is without a doubt *the worst drawing I've seen in a long time.* My Loddie here could draw better than this, boy. But any way you said she's a nimble little blonde, right?" Satella nodded as Kadomon squinted at the terrible picture of the thief girl that Subaru drew. "Then it's most likely that Felt girl that I see from time to time stealing my customer's belongings. She's a quick one; I'll give her that because it's about all I know about her. She doesn't exactly stick around an' chat. Anyway, most stolen goods are brought to the slums and sold there. If your item was taken and brought there, though, then there's about a fifty-fifty chance that you'll find it *and* be able to get it back. I wish you good luck."

* * *

"Jesus, so this is like, the Detroit of this place?" Said Subaru as he walked with Satella through the slums.

"I don't know, is 'Detroit' a decrepit wasteland infested with malnourished children and toothless women trying to sell their bodies?"

"I mean, I think that about sums it up. Anyway, with this place looking as depressing as it is, it's hard to believe a girl like Felt lives way out here."

"You almost sound like you're defending her."

"I'm not, I'm just sayin' that that girl's eyes had a fire in 'em." He looked to his right and found Satella's head tilted in slight confusion. "What I mean is that she was more alive than the rest of these depressing people." He paused and looked around. All he could see were the untrusting faces of the people living in the slums. They had never had much, and it was every man for themselves here. So it was only natural that everyone was always on guard, ready to die for what they called theirs. To an extent, Subaru and Satella both thought it admirable.

"I see." Satella shook her head. "Maybe someone'll tell us where Felt is if we ask." Puck was suddenly on her shoulder again.

"No one here seems like they would sell out their own. Especially to a couple of outsiders like us. So I think asking would be useless." He said.

"How important is this insignia thing again?" Asked Subaru.

"Incredibly." Said Satella. "We can't leave here without it."

"Then why don't we just ask the guards for help?"

"We can't." Her incredibly flat out rejection of his idea took Subaru entirely by surprise. I don't think she's done something that outright before. Why doesn't she want the guards to help? "I'm sorry, but... We just can't. I also don't think we can get the guards to act over such a small theft. I have other reasons I can't ask the guards for help." She paused for a moment with her lips shut tightly before looking at Subaru with a pleading look in her eyes. "I'm really sorry, but I can't explain why right now." Realizing that she quite clearly didn't want to be asked, Subaru raised his hands in a conceding gesture.

"So what do we do then? I suppose we can still employ team tactics with just the two of us." He said in a light and joking tone, still trying to keep the mood up. Puck tapped Satella's cheek from his perch on her shoulder.

"Hey, hey!" Said the Spirit.

"What is it, Puck?" Asked Satella.

"My nine to five shift is up."

"But-"

"Sorry, kid," He yawned. "Keeping this form active all day is tiring. I'll see you' tomorrow." His gray coat glowed with weak light, and his figure blurred as if he were going to disappear at any moment. Man, it almost looks like he's dying.

"Wait, nine to five shift?" Asked Subaru. Puck responded as Satella produced a glowing light green crystal from her breast pocket and held it out with both hands before her.

"I'm able to take on this non-threatening appearance, but I'm a Spirit. It takes a lot of Mana for me to maintain this physical form, so when the day becomes night, I return to crystal I was summoned from and rest until the next day. My ideal time on average to stay active is roughly nine to five." That sounds like a regular job from home. Thought Subaru as Puck climbed along Satella's right arm, sat in her hands, and hugged the crystal to his body. He turned back to Satella. "Be careful now, and *don't die.* Alright? If things get bad, don't hesitate to use the Od to call me back. Subaru." He looked to the young man he addressed. "I'm trusting you with keeping her alive. Don't disappoint me." His eyes took on an evil look. "Or there *will* be hell to pay." With those drawn-out words, Puck glowed a pale green. The light expanded and enveloped Puck until it popped into several glowing lights that rejoined into a thin line that descended into the crystal. Its glow faded in Satella's hands. Subaru was in slight awe. Besides the fact that he was a talking cat, he had never seen Puck do anything Spirit-like. Satella dropped the crystal back into her breast pocket, turned to Subaru, and sighed heavily. Subaru thought about how, ever since he and Satella had met, he had only made her look troubled. The few times she did smile, it had nothing to do with him. She does have a sweet smile. I'll have to make her smile somehow soon.

"We should get back to the search." She said.

"You're right. Let's go. I'm feeling pretty confident we'll find your insignia now."

"And why is that?" Subaru shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know; I just have a good feeling about it." Satella shook her head and started walking. What am I going to do with this boy? She thought to herself with a slight smile as Subaru tried to catch up with her.

* * * * * * *

"Hey, I don't think I've been in one of these 'alone with a girl situations' since I was in grade school." Said Subaru.

"Don't get any pervy ideas, Subaru. I *can* use Magic you know."

"I won't, ok? The more important issue, however, is that we're back to wandering around aimlessly." He said as he walked toward a stream of slow-moving water with a poorly made and rickety bridge over it.

"If you're complaining, then your legs must be as frail as your hands." Said Satella.

"Cute. But seriously, we still have no idea where to find your insignia or this Felt girl."

"I'll contact the Lesser Spirits."

"Lesser Spirits?" From the sound of it, they're a step down from normal Spirits.

"Precisely. They're beings that haven't become full-fledged Spirits yet. They grow little by little over time, and when they gain enough strength and self-awareness, they become full Spirits just like Puck." Subaru nodded.

*A/N: In the anime, this is when the OST "Fantasy Lied" begins to play. Use YouTube or any music playing app for a more immersive experience while reading.*

Satella looked away and began to mumble something under her breath that he couldn't hear. The air around her began to glow. She was soon surrounded by hundreds of small multicolored balls of light. They moved slowly and peacefully around her as she clapped her hands together. Wooow. It's super pretty to look at.

* * * * * * *

Night had fallen by now. Darkness had claimed the streets, sending many people retreating to the comforts of their homes or tents. Seeing the deserted streets made the whole place look incredibly eerie. However, Subaru and Satella had no time to worry about that. They still had to find her missing insignia. They tried asking for help numerous times to no avail. Everyone just didn't pay attention or avoided them. Subaru had a sneaking suspicion that it was because of Satella's clothes. The quality practically screamed nobility. And on top of that, there seemed to be blatant racism from the people in the slums toward Satella.

Something about a 'dirty murderous Half-Elf.' He gathered that Half-Elves had a bad reputation in this world for some reason. He figured he'd ask later. Satella had tried to contact her associates. They were a male bodyguard of sorts named Arden and a maid girl named Rem. She was worried for a while because she had deliberately been trying to avoid them in the earlier stages of the search, but now she felt guilty. She couldn't even sense their Mana (whatever that is), which only served to further her worries. At present, though, they were wandering around the dark streets hoping to find anything useful to their search literally.

"I think that above all of it, the quiet is the most unnerving." Said Satella.

"It almost makes this place scary." Said Subaru. Oh well. Satella noted that the Lesser Spirits told her they saw someone that looked like Felt run through here. He clenched his fist and held it up to his chest. So we'll just have to search for her in the dark. The pair noticed a man approach them. He had a slightly below average height and a small build. Skinny, yet about 5'6. With all of that and the look in his eyes that said ' I'm nearly dead inside, 'he certainly was an unsightly one.

Nevertheless, Subaru thought there was something about him that made him look intelligent. As he passed by them, he made sure to keep his distance. That was when Subaru got an idea.

"Excuse me, sir?" Said Subaru. The man stopped and turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Would you happen to know where I can find a girl named Felt? We heard she's supposed to be around here somewhere."

"Oh, you're lookin' for Felt. Makes sense as she's the best thief around. She lives up that way." He pointed down the road they were on in the opposite direction he was headed. "But if you're lookin' for her to get somethin' back, you'll find her up at Old Man Roy's loot house. It's down toward that way too, but you take a right toward the city's wall. It's one of the biggest buildings around, you' can't miss it. But be careful, word has it there was some commotion there earlier."

"Thank you, sir," Subaru said as the man turned around and took a few steps away before raising his hand in farewell.

"As I said, be careful. I wish you luck on bargaining for it. Live strong ok?"

* * * * * * *

The moon rose higher and higher as our seemingly intrepid heroes trudged on. Subaru's mind was occupied with the 'commotion' that the other man had mentioned earlier. That guy said there was some commotion earlier. But what could that mean, though? He wondered. Satella, however, was far more interested in finding a way to come up with something to trade for her insignia. If it came down to it, she would use Magic to solve her problem. Subaru, though, already had something of his in mind.

"I can't help but wonder why that man helped us when no one else did." He finally said.

"It was most likely because of your appearance." His companion said, yawning slightly. "Your clothes are covered in dust and dirt. There're even traces of blood in some places. That and we were lucky enough to encounter a *kind* person for once here."

"Still though, I-" He slipped and fell.

"Subaru! Are you ok?" Satella asked as she helped him up. Subaru groaned and looked at what he had slipped on. It was a liquid from the look of it. It had stained Subaru's pants a dark red.

"What the..." He lifted his hand and saw it was covered in a dirty red liquid. "Hell? Satella, what is this stuff?"

"I don't know, but..." She pointed to a wooden and brick building to the right of them, wide and large. It was right up against the city's wall, just as the man had said. It was at least two stories tall. "I'm pretty sure that's the place."

"Yeah, I bet you're right." Subaru got to his knees and was about to stand up when he saw a tiny piece of torn black fabric. What the Hell is that? He picked it up and showed it to Satella. "Hey, look at this." She took the cloth from him. It can't be. She thought. It's the same material as... but...

"Subaru, we need to get inside now." Subaru nodded his head and approached the loot house. Subaru grabbed Satella's shoulder as they stopped just before the porch.

"So, what's our plan on how to approach this?"

"We'll just be honest and direct. We'll just say, 'We've had something stolen from us, so if you can find it, please return it to us.' " Subaru tried to explain to her that that wasn't going to work, but she wouldn't listen to him. At her core, Satella was too direct and honest herself. If something was twisted or bent, she couldn't help but try to set it straight. Of course, this was one of the reasons Satella saved Subaru in the first place.

"Alright, leave this to me, though. Ok?" Because of Satella's personality, Subaru was all too sure things would get complicated if she were the one doing the talking, so he volunteered himself. His backup plan... Well, it was hard to call it a 'backup plan' if he had already considered using it, but if things got complicated before he had the chance to put it into action, that would also be a problem. Satella was surprised that Subaru wanted to do the talking, and while musing on the face she was making, he hurried to think of a comeback against whatever argument she would have. But his efforts were entirely unnecessary.

"Alright, then. Subaru, I leave this to you."

"Look, I understand that- Huh? You mean it was that easy?"

"Uhhh. Yes? What did you think?" That may be like the classic heroine you'd insult the hell out of me? I mean, I'm not into stuff like that, but still- Subaru waved his hands dismissively, resolving that withdrawal was the only strategy that would yield results other than awkwardness.

"I don't know; maybe you'd insult me or something."

"And why would I do that?" Subaru shook his head. "You certainly are a strange boy. You know that? But, I would be lying if I said you weren't holding me back in any way. Still, it was because of you that we were able to keep that little girl from crying-" Finally, Satella remembered her need for urgency. "Just know that I trust you, ok? Good luck." Subaru gave her a thumbs up and smiled as he turned around and ascended the steps to the loot house.

"You can count on me."

"Hey, wait!" He looked back at her.

*A/N: Ending One begins. Use YouTube or any music playing app for a more immersive experience.*

"Lemme guess, you want me to ask about your friends? Don't worry; I was already planning on it." Satella looked somewhat surprised he knew what to do, but nodded in response as he entered the dark building. I can't believe I may have to get rid of my cell phone to help someone out. Was his last thought before entering.

I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. Thought Satella. It makes more sense for me to go in... But he just charged in there like he owned the place.

* * * * * * *

A sour, spoiled smell drifted from within the house to the entrance where Subaru stood. It was incredibly dark, pitch-black... With a foul odor assaulting his nostrils. Goddamnit, I can't see a thing. And what's up with that smell? He opened the door and looked at Satella.

"Any chance you have anything f-"

"Subaru, it makes more sense for me to go first." Subaru shook his head.

"On the off chance someone tries to ambush us, and you're the one taken out, then it's all over for me. But if I go first them, you can help me, *and* catch the attacker off guard."

*A/N: If using YouTube or another app, listen to the OST "Death Ballet" for a superior and more immersive experience.*

"Subaru, I- Subaru!" Subaru was no longer there. He was drug back into the loot house with lightning speed. Before he had even a second to get his bearings, he was thrown hard into the wall. He looked up to his left, through a large hole in the wall. There was a body stuck to the outside wall of the building over. The body's neck was bleeding profusely, the blood stained everything it touched a deep red as it dripped off of its neck and down its stomach to its feet where the blood had pooled at the ground beneath it. Subaru gasped and gagged. He turned to his right and saw a massive arm missing its body. He squinted into the darkness and saw the outline of a large mass in the corner. Shit! I gotta get outta here! Subaru screamed as he got to his feet and tried to run, but he tripped over a body and fell. He rolled over onto his back and looked backward. The body had no head. He squinted and saw that it was a girl's body in a maid's uniform. He screamed as the door was flung open, revealing his worried companion.

"Subaru!" Before she even took a single step, she let out a yelp and fell to the floor. He reached out to her, but just as he did, he felt something hit his stomach. Followed by immense pain. Subaru coughed up blood. DAAAMN IIIT! This wasn't how things were supposed to go... Someone stepped on his stomach, and blood gushed out of him like a faucet. He looked up, but his face was kicked down.

"Don't move." Said a smoothly accented, Southern American sounding voice.

"You weren't supposed to see anything. But now that you have, I'm afraid we can't let you get out of here alive." Subaru thought it was a woman's voice this time. Low and cold, the voice of a woman seeming to have fun. Die? B-but I don't want too... He rolled over just as the woman moved her foot off of his stomach. He saw Satella, on the ground with blood pooling around her from a wound to her back. She had undoubtedly already passed out from the pain. Her left hand had fallen outstretched toward him. He reached for her hand and gripped it.

"Just you wait..." With a rapidly fading consciousness, he mustered his final thought. I swear... I'm gonna... Find a way to... Save you...

And with that, Subaru Natsuki's life came to an end, but his adventure had only just begun.

Such a tragedy...

Thank you for reading.

Please leave a review.

A/N: The jokes this chapter were from The Boiis parody of Re:Zero,

Re:ZERO Abridged - Episode 1

You should really check out their videos on YouTube. And no, sadly, I'm not working with them or anything like that. *

Until the next Chapter,

Hellbeast115