AN: Well hello y'all!
To admit some things, I was planning on releasing this chapter on May 5th, however...it was Cinco De Mayo.
Now, that means, Mexican Beers are half off, tacos are on special and fresh Menudo was on the table. So after my ninth beer, I realized that was not gonna happen...especially when my aunt brought out the tequila.
So I am apologizing for my tardiness...VERY HUNGOVER, but here is the chapter nonetheless powered through with determination and Gatorade coursing through my veins.
Anyways, I also watched Avengers Endgame, and I cried like a bitch.
And also...I can see how last chapters twist about Ovidius, was viewed in an awkward light. I mainly based it off of an experience I had at my first job. Yup. One of my co-workers admitted he was gay and had a crush on me; I being heterosexual, turned him down...however, unlike the chapter, in real life...he took it really badly and got teary eyed. I felt like an asshole that day. Though I did remain friendly with him, because I don't care what sexual preference a person has...as long as they don't put Pineapple on Pizza (I HATE PINEAPPLE), I can get along with them. I haven't spoken to him since I quit that job, and I heard he has a boyfriend now, sooooo good for him.
Meanwhile, my single status is hitting a 12 year reign, hooray...
Then again, I could've been like Rowling and revealed, YEARS LATER, that characters were gay, for no reason whatsoever, but to just to be WOKE. But that's just me. I still like Dumbeldore.
But that's enough of that, time for the chapter!
Title chapter, is well, Megadeth.
Please, ENJOY!
Arc Six: The One Day
Chapter 33: The Punishment Due
Everything happens in a relative motion, time constantly moves forward, unchallenged.
And within such rules, there is the fact, that the world's vastness results in so many actions, reactions and nullifying steps within a set moment. More or less, within a span of time, countless events can unfold; big, small, important, or meaningless. Regardless...they can happen simultaneously.
And one would be stunned, to see how in their home, their country, continent, or even their planet, that such a staggering amount of incidents can transpire. An hour, a minute, or even just a second, too many situations would be there to be seen, or unseen.
Thusly, no one would be surprised, how many happenings might occur, in just ONE DAY.
It had been months.
Months of tireless leads, expensive pay offs and bodies left in unmarked graves at the side of ditches, but it was finally here. All that work lead to this fateful gift, a day off. Now she had a chance, to give back, to take back, to earn what she yearned for.
Answers.
Peace of mind.
Freedom.
REVENGE.
NIJINO: More Than Free
In a well off lounge hidden in some tropical jungle, a woman wearing nothing but a slightly see through pink cloth danced on the stage. All the men howled, whistled in that dark filled room, with nothing but smoke using the light etching its way into a crack of the doorway.
These men, who survived the World War, all of them vain people...of Kararagi.
Here in Kararagi, where slavery was indeed legal, the territories that had not fallen into Lugnica's grasp, still held the belief in such a rule. So prostitution was still alive, some voluntary as their economy was badly broken; while others, sold off daughters, poor women, and captured ladies were also prevalent.
So they sat with their current owners, being felt up, licked and just generally mistreated. The men still watched her dance, so extravagant, so sexy.
The owner of this surviving lounge, a well known slave trader, smoked his cigar as he rubbed his yellow moustache. He clicked his fingers and a woman, looking no older than a teen, stumbled over. He pointed down, making her swallow her sosb and got on her knees to service him.
The dance reached its high point, as at this point the woman got on her knees and crawled along the floor. The men went wild as she proceeded to crawl closer to them. Reaching out a finger, a man eagerly stuck his tongue out, so excited to taste a woman...a woman...like-
"Huh?"
Now he noticed it, fixed on that right hand, that finger...a Red Ring.
"Auh-!"
Looking closely, he could see...her form flicker red static.
"OH SHIT! IT'S-"
Her form flickered out, and she stood straight up, the stage light showing exactly who it was.
"Holy fuck! It's Nijino Josho!"
"Th- The Angel of Annihilation?!"
To the very same man who tried to suck on her finger, he earned a powerful kick to the face, smashing all the meat and bone matter to mush. As the women began to scream, Nijino jumped off the stage and used a bayonet construct to stab another man through his stretched out hand and into his eye. Kicking another man in the neck and destroying his windpipe, all the men rushed to the exits...only to find them unable to open.
Looking down in a panic, they could see, constructs of chains and locks in all the exit knobs.
Hearing the screams of the bodyguards, the solicitors and everyone they were enjoying a good time with...they turned around...just to see Nijino.
The darkness of the room, the lights behind her, left everything about her shrouded in darkness, leaving two specks of red dots where eyes would be...and when she smiled her teeth were blood red.
The main trader had his slave, grabbing her hard by the arm and was running to an emergency exit. Running past him, was their most powerful bodyguard, a physically imposing man, covered head to toe in tattoos and wielding two ominously glimmering tomahawks that shimmered light blue. Though escape was in reach, he felt a hot pain erupt from his ankle. He fell hard, making his slave fall with him. He peeked and saw his entire left ankle was blown out, staring back further in the hall, barely lit...Nijino, completely covered in blood walked over to them. The headless bodyguard just behind her, with the two tomahawks in her possession.
He grabbed his slave by the hair.
"Hey now! Look, she has my slave collar, you know right, it's collected to my mana!"
"You gotta keep me alive, so this girl can survive right?"
What followed by his desperate smile, was Nijino giving an impassive stare.
"Hey, hey! Answer me!"
"...What a joke."
Continuing forward, the man began to sweat profusely and began to breath wildly, only to watch as Nijino pulled out a strange golden nail glove, with blue gems at the fingertips, joints and wrist. She grabbed the girl's slave collar as the gems glimmered, and then removed her collar.
"Huh?"
'There you go."
The slave trader watched as the girl teared up at her newfound freedom, stumped as to what he just saw.
"HOW?"
"Like it? It's a design by Ovidius. Made to draw in the mana specifically connected to the slave collars. It needs time to charge, as it steals the mana from a specific area."
"...Your dance."
"Yup. My dance."
Nijino had used her sensual dance to collect the mana for her plan to free these slaves, all the while revealing at the clueless victims. He could only confusingly, angrily mutter...
"You bitch."
"Coming from you that must be something."
"Huh?"
'C'mon, look closely at me, you don't recognize me?"
He tried with all his might to try and remember the rainbow colored hair, the orange eyes staring down at him, the sexy smile...then, the image of a small short haired girl, from so many years ago came to him.
"Wait."
"You don't remember a little girl, one without a name, that you sold oh, so long ago?"
'Wait, no."
"And how a filthy bastard paid you good money for her? Do you?"
"Oh no. Oh no. OH NO."
Realizing what all this was, what fate had come to him, he could do nothing, had nothing to give. Knowing what a Red Lantern was, who she was, he had no way to bribe her, to convince her, to appease her. All she wanted was him to die.
"But not me."
"Huh?"
"I have other business to take care of, so I'll leave it to someone else."
Nijino began walking away, leaving the frightened hot shot slave trader to tremble, but then relax and smile...only for it to dash away when a shadow loomed over him.
Gazing up, the girl who was her slave, had a baseball wrapped in barbwire construct in her hand, a single eye of hers reflected his horrified expression.
"Wait, I was good to you! I WAS-"
"-NYAAGGGHHHH!"
She bashed his nose in, then hit him again, crushing in his forehead.
Again, his nose broke off.
Again, his teeth flew out.
Again, his cheek flesh ripped off.
He tried to fight back, but she stomped on his crotch, ending his resistance.
Again, his eye caved in.
Again, his other eye shot out.
This continued, until all that was left, was a flat unrecognizable mesh of crimson meat.
A smile, drenched in chunky meat and slimy blood, plastered on this woman's face, told of her newfound freedom.
The Red Lantern walked out to the main room, which had only six survivors, the slaves brought by their owners, freed but terrified.
All around them, were the corpses of twenty people, bodyguards, and the men that hired them. All in all, her job was done, and all that was left was to dissipate the chain and lock constructs. Turning the knob and opening the door, she peeked behind herself.
"Don't get caught again."
She slowly left, but waved her hand back at them, taking the two tomahawks with her.
"If you ever have a chance, come to Lugnica. You'll be safe there."
Nijino then flew away, as the afternoon sun basked the small jungle this hidden place was in.
Sitting in complete composure, Nijino sipped on some green tea, with the two tomahawks safely at her side, tied by a lovely black waistband. In a cafe, clearly in her old hometown in Kararagi, she glared around at the peering eyes, clearly from residents or even veterans still angry at their loss in the World War. Nijino scoffed at them, and continued drinking. Reaching over next to her traditional cup, she found it, a piece of paper with an address on it. Rubbing it against her fingertips, she stared longingly at it, as if were the apex of her entire existence. And while she had Subaru, the Red Lantern Corps and all her friends that came with it, this is what was driving her. An entire multitude of events and happenings were occuring all at once.
The snooping she did, the flirting and eventual executing, all the lies and thieving. Yes, all of this was to find a single location.
The massacre just earlier, was a bonus.
Here, in this town, after finishing her drink, which was not poisoned, by luck...she made her way. Taking a stroll, she hopped over a crater in the road, most likely left over from the war. Moving through the empty alleyways, even the thugs that loitered there, ran for their lives when they saw her.
Nijino, with her long rainbow colored hair, the black hairband with pink petals embroidered on, kept her composure. Her long legs, which had minimal scarring kept their pace. Everything about her screamed beauty, it would be the desired form of a woman by any hungry man...but everyone kept their distance.
They could lust after her, but knew well to stay away.
A rose, found in a lush grassland, hiding a poisonous spider in it's petals.
There. There it was.
A mediocre looking house, that of ancient japan times, was there.
Her foot stomped down, as the dirt fluttered away, her orange eyes fixed at the entrance. Her hands trembled, out of excitement and anxiety, for she was finally here.
After so many years, she found it.
And when she walked over and knocked, she could hear rustling, footsteps inside. And like that, the door slid open and what came out was a tired looking old woman with orange eyes. VEry skinny, short, wearing a lovely blue kimono, she glanced up at Nijino.
"Can I help you?"
"...Do you know who I am?"
The old woman stared at her, blissfully looking at her up and down.
"Oh, well you're one of those Red Lanterns right? Are you looking for a criminal or something?"
But the woman could see the cold stare coming from Nijino, and how she was shaking, every fiber, and fear being held back.
"No, I was looking for you."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yes...Again, do you recognize me?"
"Well-"
Suddenly, the old woman must have had something click, something check out, something that made her give a good old, "Oh", moment.
The old woman saw everything about her, and came to a realization.
"Oh...Oh no."
"Oh, do you recognize me?"
"No-No, I-"
"-Forget about the sin you committed? The horrible thing you did almost twenty years or so ago? Hm? Well?"
Nijino leaned in closer, staring menacingly at this woman.
"About the little girl, that you SOLD?"
Now fully in danger, the woman slammed the door...just for a crowbar construct to stop it from fully shutting. Opening slowly, the woman fell on her behind, watching as the crack in the door, an orange light was there. No, it was Nijino's eye, beaming as she glared at her.
"Hey, I just wanna talk, alright….MOTHER?"
Nijino Josho had found her mother, and was there, to speak with her.
The crushing pressure this woman felt, sitting across in a traditional japanese way from her long gone daughter, would've killed her. The trembling, the sweating, did nothing to quell her fears as Nijino gazed at her, giving off no impression from her emotionless composure.
The old woman tried to get up.
"How-How about some tea-"
"-SIT DOWN."
Her actions stopped, for there was no way to go against such cold discerning words from her. And so she sat back down, across from her daughter.
For a while, neither said anything.
Then, it was fine to speak, for Nijino started.
"What's your name?"
"Huh?"
"Your name. I mean, though I was gifted a name only a while back, I'd like to know yours."
"My search never really yielded a name, but a kind of suffix is all. So please, tell me, right now."
Nijino's words stabbed at the old woman, who was left fumbling her words, before finally telling her.
"Gertrude."
"Last name?"
"Gertrude Homolka."
"Homolka...hmmm, good thing I reject this name. So ugly."
Nijino grinned at her, making the old woman tear up.
"Then again, maybe you gave me a name, maybe you didn't, who knows?"
"Well-"
"-Don't interrupt me."
A sharp glare stopped Gertrude from any further words as Nijino continued.
"I have been gifted the name Nijino, Nijino Josho."
"L-Lovely?"
"Thank you, I appreciate that."
Nijino tapped her nails on the floor, furthering a mounting fear within her.
"Such a lovely girl I turned out right? So pretty, so strong, correct?"
"Yes."
"Anyone would've loved to raise me, to hold me close. Hell, that's what my friends and new family would say, right?"
"S-Sure?"
"So, one would have to wonder, why anyone would give up a precious life like that? Why would they throw her away?"
Clearly, she was beginning to fume angry.
"Why would someone allow her to be sold off, huh?"
"Wa-"
"How could someone allow their own flesh and blood to be taken away by complete strangers, and treated as nothing but a quick buck?"
"Please!"
"Why would they let me be sold off, to a disgusting excuse of a human being? To be used for labor of little pay, to have the very preciousness of her chaisty taken from her? To be raped, constantly, and without a moment of actual love to be earned or gained?! Her pride, her values, and her will to live, TATTERED AND SMOTHERED AWAY?! HUH?! ANSWER ME! ANSWER ME DAMN YOU! WHY THE FUCK DID YOU SELL ME?!"
After her tirade, Nijino saw as Gertrude simply shook her head. Though she indeed had tears stream down her face, it was evident that her fate was sealed. How could she get anywhere with the daughter she abandoned, tossed away like old clothes and expect a happy reunion. Plus, her status as a Red Lantern, one infamous in Kararagi for her exploits, meant she had the means to do what she wanted.
Gertrude gave an answer.
"I had no money, to take care of you."
"Why not sell your body?"
"...Because, I was selfish."
"Selfish."
"Listen-"
"-Be quiet."
Her mother offered no other resistance, as Nijino took in her simplified answer. So simple, so easy to understand, yet no one could functionally understand why she had to say it like that. Maybe the stress was too much for her, maybe her time with Nijino was functionally mind straining, who knows for sure.
What was known, was the idea, that Nijino had gotten her answer, after so many years of being unhappy and miserable, the answer was there.
Selfishness.
"Did you ever, ever try and find out where I was? Or what I was doing?"
Almost in a pleading soft tone, Nijino asked this of her birth mother...and Gertrude in her defense, gave the best response she could with a moment like this.
"No, I didn't."
Nijino accepted, a teary eyed smile to boot.
"GRAGGGHHHH!"
"ACK!"
Nijino lunged at her, and proceeded to begin choking the life out of her, gripping her nails into the flesh of her neck. Gertrude tried to resist, save herself as anyone would, but Nijino was strong, too strong.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!"
"ACK! HACK!"
Cracking noises escaped from her flesh, as Nijino glaser, gritting teeth and saliva dripping at the woman who gave birth to her.
"YOU GODDAMN SLUT!"
"HAUUGHHHH!"
Nothing could be done, as Gertrude's face turned bright red, with purple bags under her eyes, eyes bloodshot, drool foaming at her mouth. Kicking clawing at her daughter's wrist, she had no way of saving herself. All she could do, was stare up at the carzed bloodthirsty expression, filled with rage and hate upon her daughter's face.
And with her thoughts coming in and out...she felt some remorse. Wondering what her daughter liked to eat.
CRACK.
Her movements stopped, her hands slid down to the floor and her purple face stopped any sign of life.
There was no life in her, she was gone.
Nijno heaved and huffed, as she brought her face inches away from her dead mother's.
"You see that?! That's the power of my hate for you! My life was ruined by you! You! You! You! You! A filthy skank like you! But guess what! I have friends who back me up, I have a family that understands me! I have this ring! I have everything you no longer have! Right?! RIGHT?! I'm here! I'm really here, and you're not! I'M ALIVE AND YOU'RE DEAD, YOU FUCKING BITCH!"
With her verbal assault over, she got up from her mother's corpse...and fired a beam onto the carpet, as it began to quickly catch fire. Quickly walking out of there, she slammed the door behind herself, and peeked behind, watching as the fire was now lighting up her mother. She spat at the ground and began walking away, as the entire house was being quickly engulfed in flames.
In the sky, with blood still on her body, floating as the clouds continued around her, Nijino glanced ip. The orange hue sky was a beautiful sight to behold, and made her tear up.
Then she began to softly sob, then full on cry. It continued, as she covered her face in her weeping, only for her to begin shaking.
"Ha, ha-"
Then unfixing her hands from her face, showed her teary eyed laughter. Just laughed and laughed, hugging her sides.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! BWAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! AHAHAHAHA!"
The joyfulness, pure and entrancing, was the sense of greatness she felt. The newfound freedom she earned that day, was the greatest yet, and for the rest of her life she would never forget it.
On a beautiful brooke close to the border with Lugnica, Nijino washed herself up and down. Even taking a sip of water.
"Damn, this is harder than I thought."
She continued, before finishing it all up and flying back home.
Time passed, the flight back was so calming, the sights of the small houses below her, not to mention the passing mountains...all led to her meeting with Ovidius Loman outside the mansion. Right as the day was about to reach its crescendo.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Nijino kicked off the wall, as flames around her reached a fever pitch. Nearly landing the hit, the woman dressed in black, revealing only her long thick right leg, leaped back. When she growled back at her, and red scaly wings ripped out, she identified who it was.
"Well well, if I ain't mistaken, you're a Dragonoid, a dragon human. If I'm extra not mistaken, you're Maira Vizard, 'The Claw Fiend'."
Her hood burned off and revealed a buttoned up short trench coat with shiny black boots, and with it, her sensual face of brown bright eyes and maroon hair, styled short like a man's, with streaks of pink. Oh yes, she was definitely, an assassin.
Maira then had her hands slowly turn into red, scaly claws, rushing at Nijino. Using her powerful, rapid kicks to cause the two attackers hits to shake the very carpetened ground. Maira slashed at Nijino's neck, only for handcuff constructs to latch on, chain up to a large iron ball construct and cause her arm to drop, smashing to the ground, and having her body tumble as well.
Landing nicely, Nijino kicked off the ground and kneed Maira in the face, causing her to smash through a wall. The constructs dissipated and Maira got off the floor and wiped blood off her face...then inhaled breath...and screamed out fire.
Nijino answered by launching her projectile napalm blood from her mouth. The two attacks incinerated the room and hall, just for both to begin fighting again. Maira parried one of her punches, only to eat a knee in her sternum. Nijino then grabbed her hair, and proceeded to elbow her, then throat whack her, before letting go and kicking her across the face. With a powerful curving kick she landed a hit on the back of her head. Maira answered by using her dragon wings to smack her away, making her body scrape across the wooden floor, sending pieces everywhere.
Nijino hopped back up and saw Maira twirl around a large curved machete.
Nijino spat some blood on the ground, as Maira calm snarled.
"We'll kill just as well as any other."
"Nah, you are going to pay for what you did."
Nijino readied herself in a muay thai pose. Her tomahawks, still strapped to her waist, glimmering even brighter.
"You'll just end up as another dead body...for my continued freedom."
Maira launched herself, as Nijino squinted her already angry eyes, a red spark ignited within them.
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MIMI: Loved and Lonely, Fire and Rain
"Yay! Yay! Mimi has a day off!"
"Ow, onee-chan, hang on a sec!"
Mimi hopped on her brother Hetaro, who struggled to keep his stride as they walked along the streets. Tivey, her monocle wearing brother lead them forward, as he sighed at their antics.
"Come on now, if we don't hurry, we'll never make to the De La Soul."
"Mimi can just fly us there! Woosh! Woosh! You know?"
"I believe you are relying too much on your flight capabilities to get around, it's nicer to take a stroll."
Mimi pouted as she squished poor Hetaro's cheeks, with him sweating profusely.
Tivey then peeked behind them...and could've sworn he had seen Genau cross the street into an alleyway...but simply left it at that.
Mimi finally got off her brother and skipped on over to be next to Tivey, smiling estatically.
"Hey, hey, do you think we should get the Ojou something?"
"Anastasia-ojousama can buy anything she wants, do you really think it's plausible for us to get her such a thing?"
"Nothing too fancy, but a lil' thing that'd be a 'proof of endearment', huh huh?"
"Proof of endearment?"
"Don't know really, but, but, Subaru-neesan always remembers to get gifts for Emilia-sama and Nijino-nee san!"
"I'm thinking I get your innocent gist of it, so I won't detract from it."
"...Is that a yes or no?"
"Yes, it's a yes."
Mimi hopped up and hugged Tivey around the neck, making his face turn blue from how hard she was doing it, Hetaro waving around his arms in a panic. Such was their day off in the capital.
These three orphans born into Kararagi and left to their own devices, were eventually found and brought in by Ricardo and Anastasia. They worked in the mercenary guild Fangs of Iron, for most of their time with them, showing great power and adversity. Yet, their happy times had changed when Anastasia was confirmed to be a participant of the Royal Selection, thus great travels, conferences and finally a move to Lugnica set them up.
For failure.
Mimi could remember vividly how her master mocked and used Subaru to her own plans, leaving him in the dust. That very rage, made him the first Red Lantern, and the start of Lugnica's violent shifts in history. Everyone could see what was happening, including Anastasia, who tried her best to compete with Emilia's rising status...only for the Bloodstained Roses War and the Priestella Witch Cult War, to completely derail her chances in the election.
And when the World War had begun, it was as evident as ever, that she would lose.
Priscilla Barielle, was dead.
One of the candidates was mysteriously, "never found".
Felt had dropped out of the election.
It was her against Emilia and her Red Lanterns...and so one month before the Election was set to end, and in the beginning weeks of the World War, she finally succeeded her position, and Emilia was declared the winner.
Not only losing the race, but making the sacrifices of her own men, including the beloved commander, Ricardo...for naught.
Mimi was actually happy about her loss. She didn't want her lady, her master, her friend, to be wrapped up in the inanity that got her father figure killed. But her induction into the Red Lantern Corps, meant otherwise, yet it would provide them protection.
Mimi was given this power, based on her loss of Ricardo, and she could not run from it. Knowing full well, that removing the ring could kill her, and she did not want to die so meaninglessly, she would die only to protect those she loved, nothing more...or less.
Tivey and Hetaro searched in a bookstore, while Mimi chased around a lost puppy outside. Nothing bought.
Tivey and Hetaro spoke to a shopkeeper outside his shop, only for Mimi to arm wrestle the shopkeeper's teen daughter.
Nothing bought.
Tivey and Hetaro asked a Lizardman vendor about his homemade crackers he was selling. Only for Mimi to be already be snacking on some. They embarrassingly reimbursed him.
Nothing bought.
Tivey browsed a clothes store, checking around, only for Mimi to show up out of the fitting room, wearing a jacket, clearly too large for her...she tripped and fell face first, her brothers having sweat drops appear above their heads.
Nothing bought.
Exhausted, they sat on a public bench, Mimi resting her head on Tivey's lap and Hetaro laid his head on his shoulder. That was when…
"Oh my, if it isn't the Pearlbatons, how lovely."
Tivey looked up and saw the long pink haired woman with brown eyes.
Instantly recognizing her.
"Ah, Linnea-san."
"Good afternoon my dears, how are you three doing?"
Tivey, Hetaro and Mimi said their hellos and explained the conundrum they were in.
"A gift then? I see, you three have been through much a journey to find the right gift."
"Yes, but it has been a struggle."
"If I may, maybe you should give Anastasia-san a memento of sorts?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, something similar to, or a near copy of a trinket, jewel or just, a little piece of something from her past with you all."
"Hmmmm, that could be-"
Just then, both of them noticed a yawning Mimi staring past them, and pointing forward.
"That."
"...Oh, it's perfect."
Tivey seeing what she was pointing at, looked up at Linnea.
"Your suggestion yielded us the right solution, thank you Linnea-san."
"My pleasure, now then, if you'll excuse me."
She bowed to them and moved along, most likely readying herself for a sermon for the Church of Crimson Truth. And as a Red Lantern, she had her duties as well, thus she couldn't stick around for long.
"Hey, hey, Hetaro wake up."
Softly he called to his still napping brother, trying to be as polite as possible.
In contrast, Mimi grabbed her staff.
"HEY WAKE UP!"
-BONK!-
"OW! WHAT?!"
"Look, Look! Mimi found us a gift, a really good one!"
"Huh?"
Hetaro held his head, which now had a bump on it, an eye closed as it tried to hold back tears. Then Mimi pointed her staff at the shop in question, mainly at it's window, showing off many different glowing shimmering jewelry for display.
Hetaro's eyes opened wide.
Tivey nodded happily.
Mimi smiled, somberly, but still a smile nonetheless.
Anastasia laid on the large and beautiful guest bed.
"Anastasia-sama, is there anything more you need?"
"Nah, I should be fine, thanks."
"Then if you need me, please feel free to call."
The maid, one who worked at the previous Barielle Estate, was moved to help out and train new maids that were coming for work. Yet she still fulfilled her maid duties to a tee and left her there, only noticing Wilhelm walking down the halls, and rushed to see if he needed anything.
A nap was what Anastasia needed, after her long conversation with Ovidius about her own personal matters, she took a nap.
And thus it was a dream, she was walking through some fog, thick and obscuring. Until finally she could've sworn she seen Subaru, so she went after him. He disappeared, and this made her anxious. Something flew over her, it was pitch black, with pointed ears and a symbol on its chest. A shadowy cape soaring above her, eyes of pure white and sharp like talons, like a dark knight. A red ring flew by her...then an orange one behind her, then a yellow one above her, to only have a green circle around her.
Then, someone walked to her.
Now it was clear who she could see.
He kind of looked like Subaru, but it was evident that he wasn't.
Light purple hair was his, as well as blue green eyes. He was double the muscle mass of Subaru, and two feet taller as well.
His hair was nothing like his; combed back with a long strand to his right side.
His eyes looked the same, but the eyebrows above them were small and cute.
A star tattoo on his cheek, as well as not noticing, his neck was covered in tattoos, including the Red Lantern Corps on his windpipe. Wearing nothing but a long sleeveless black hoodie and orange shorts, expensive looking to be sure. His arm tattoos went all the way down to his knuckles and were so intricate and finely made, only an expert could do so.
Images of dragons, skulls, roses, names, and kanji surrounded by swirls of tribal patterns.
Anastasia reached her hand out, as the tall, muscular, but almost recognizable man, opened his lips.
"Mo-"
KNOCK. KNOCK.
Knocks on the door, woke her up.
"Yeah, mfff."
She straightened herself up and sat in a dignified way.
"Come on in."
The door sprung open and Mimi flew to Anastasia, hugging her around the neck.
"Hey Mimi, how are you?"
"Good good, Mimi has been suuuuper good! Mimi was with her bros today!"
Entering after were Tivey and Hetaro, who both sat on the bed.
"What's with the visit? I told ya guys I was fine and you could do what you wanted for the day."
"I know my lady, but we felt we could've used the opportunity to best use."
"What do you mean Tivey?"
"Well, we all pitched in and we got you a gift."
"A gift?"
The three siblings nodded as Mimi reached into a satchel and pulled out her gift.
Once setting her eyes upon it, she began to tear up.
"Ohhhh, you guys."
What they held, was none other than a jewel necklace, looking completely identical to the jewel that Ricardo had, the one on his old slave collar. The memories of her freeing him from his shackles and obtaining the first member of her family was there. Right there in front of her.
Taking it into her hands and proceeding to slowly put it around her neck, she reveled at it. Tears streaming down her cheeks, feeling the love the triplets had placed for her, the adoration...the familial love she yearned for.
Pulling them into a group hug, she and they, relished into the comfort that they had each other.
"Thank you. Mimi, Tivey, Hetaro, thanks so much."
The three siblings also smiled tearfully, grateful for her thanks.
"I feel like a celebratory mood, something we can invite everyone in the mansion to!"
"Like what?"
"Hmmmm, what do you think Mimi?"
Mimi thought a bit, tapping her lips, then a lightbulb went off atop her head.
"Oh! Cinnamon rolls! Cinnamon Rolls! They are so good, and everyone likes them!"
"Ohhhh, that sounds tasty, a great idea."
"Yeah, yeah! And, and, Mimi is gonna go fetch some for all of us!"
Anastasia raised her brows, as did Mimi's brothers.
"Are you sure?"
"No problem, Mimi has been tasked to do stuff like this before, so it's super easy!"
"R-Right. Well, I'd like to see you be a little more independent about things."
Anastasia reached over to a cupboard near the bed, opening the first drawer and pulling out a small bag of gold.
"Okay Mimi, just the cinnamon rolls, nothing else, okay?"
"Yup, got it! Mimi will be handling this sooooo nonchalantly."
"Ahaha, alright, thanks."
Mimi gave a salute to her boss as she got the bag and flew out of the room. Her siblings sat there, somewhat content to see their sister so determined and much more trustworthy. Anastasia saw the open door, and stared out the window...smiling, as the sun was setting.
Mimi cheered as the tiger woman handed the dozens, and just to be clear, DOZENS of boxes of the sweet and soft goodness. In fact, the workers were stunned as Mimi had purchased their entire days stock of cinnamon rolls and apple strudels.
"Gotta make sure Mimi gets all the essentials!"
Mimi also grabbed a purchased strawberry and cream cheese filled croissant, chewing it eagerly, before she gulped the whole thing down. Using her ring, she levitated the boxes and walked out with them.
There, she encountered someone.
"AH! Jolo-san! Hey, hey!"
"Oh, grrrrr, Mimi-sama, hello."
Just at the outside, she was meeting Jolokia and Callaloo, though Callaloo was on his shoulders, like a lizard would be on a rock.
"Whatcha ya doin'?"
"Well, I was out for a bit with Callaloo, and she said she was hungry, grrrr, so we ended up here. But what a coincidence."
"Yeah, yeah, I was just buying snacks for everyone at the mansion!"
Jolokia gazed at her massive purchase and made a wry smile.
"I can see that."
Callaloo, noticed Mimi and waved at her.
"Hey Callaloo!"
"Hello Mimi! Having fun?"
"Yup, just a grand ol' day, hehehehe! And you?"
"Oh yeah, my beloved took me out to soooo many stuff, I have never experienced yet!"
Jolokia grumbled and looked away, clearly embarrassed.
Mimi laughed, and Callaloo playfully bit his shoulder, luckily his huge muscles only made it out to a tender bite.
"Hey, grrrr, not in front of a child."
Mimi tilted her head, but smiled, innocent by what he was referring to.
"Hey Jolo-san?"
"Yes Mimi-sama?"
"Do-"
KRAKOOM!
The building next to them exploded and rubble and smoke smashed around them. Mimi and Jolokia coughed, as Callaloo growled and snarled. Jolokia had a barrier construct protect them from any incoming rubble. Callaloo hopped off his shoulder, biting into a man's shoulder and spun in the air, taking him down. He tried to stab at her, but Jolokia pulled Callaloo off of her and used a massive battleaxe construct to to decapitate him.
"Are you alright?"
Callaloo nodded as her mouth was covered in blood. Mimi sniffed about, then aimed her ring and fired, funny as the red ring was still holding the boxes in place, with its power. The beam hit it's target, a woman with a pickaxe, who fell over and died. Another man rushed at them, but Jolokia made a large club construct and whacked him high into the air...and the suicide bomber exploded.
"Bastards! Grrrr! Careful Mimi-sama, it appears they have magic gems strapped to themselves!"
However, Jolokia and Callaloo could see that there was plumes of smoke, sounds of people screaming and red beams firing down and around the buildings. He then noticed Mimi stare to her right...because in the distance, the area, where the De La Soul Mansion was...it also had a plume of smoke.
She raced off.
"Mimi-sama, wait!"
Jolokia tried to stop her, but he then received a message in his ring, the audio call, from Natsuki Subaru.
Now at the gardens of the mansion, she looked at the corner of her eye and saw the maid...dead outside with other workers. Sagittarius hopped out of a bush, firing blindly into the trees as two bodies fell out. She heard noises inside the mansion, so she rushed in...with the boxes still in tow. Noticing the fighting going on inside, so she went around to the window where she was supposed to go. Noticing it shattered, she could hear it.
"Auughhhhhh!"
"NNnoooooooOOOOO!"
She peeked, it was Ovidius and Nijino...so she flew her small body through the broken window and landed behind them. Taking a peek between them, she could see the room, fully engulfed in flames. The boxes dropped, catching their attention. Quickly turning around, they saw Mimi there, a completely shocked Ovidius and teary eyed Nijino.
Both attempted to stop this.
"Mimi-chan, NO! Don't look!"
"Mimi, come here, don't go in there!"
Mimi stumbled past them, even when they tried to grab her, she made it past them, and stared at the flames. Ovidius continued to beg and scream.
"MIMI-CHAN! NO! DON'T LOOK! CLOSE YOUR EYES! MIMI-CHAN! MIMI!"
His words were meaningless to her.
"MIMI, PLEASE!"
Tear drops hit the unyet burned floors.
"MIMI!"
Mimi let out, the smallest most pitiful yelp, her little body could muster.
"MIMIIIIIIIIII!"
There, three burnt bodies laid in the midst of the flames. One a full sized adult, and two smaller ones, anyone could deduce who they were. Anyone who had bought a noteworthy blue jewel necklace...would know who they were.
Mimi….
"UWAGGGghhghghhhhhhhhggghhhhhGGHHHHH!"
...was now, truly, alone.
A man fully decked in armor turned a corner, and readied his sword.
Only to be pounced on.
Mimi grabbed onto his head and began tearing apart his helmet, but continued, and began ripping off his skin, then his flesh. He screamed and shrieked horribly as Mimi used her small hands to tear out his eyeballs before shoving her tiny arms into his eye sockets, killing him.
Quickly noticing others with weapons in the halls, Mimi snarled at them.
"BAD."
They stepped back.
Mimi's adorable eyes, were now literal swirls of insanity, as tears of blood dripped down them, and blood pouring out of her mouth. She glimmered red, as she took stomps towards them.
"Bad. Bad. Bad."
She roared out, as constructs of glass shards and spears appeared around her, screaming.
"BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD! BAD!"
Then she hovered off the ground.
"My lady has always said...BAD PEOPLE, NEED TO BE PUNISHED."
The constructs shot out at high speed, just as she lunged at another poor soul.
Outside, with the chaos of the day winding up, it began to rain.
The day was coming to an end, for surely the losses made up for the gains. The rage that made up their power, on this very day, would easily consume everything.
Consume...Consume…
"What the hell-"
A white paw stepped through the flames, as several of these terrorists turned around at the upper level of the mansion...and soon began to panic. The fires engulfing the hallway, still revealed a figure.
"What the hell, did you bastardssss do?!"
Genau stomped on over, growling menacingly at them!
TO BE CONTINUED…
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*Spotlights blast on in a dark room, and a certain someone sat on a chair*
Liliana: Hellooooo everyone! That's right this is the final "Minstrel Queen's Corner", but we had fun, didn't we? Ahaha, now here is our final guest! Yup, the Second Red Lantern, he whose insatiable hunger devours all in his path. "The Beast of a Hundred Graveyards", Genau!
Genau: Hey, where issss thissss place exactly?
Liliana: I see you're doing well.
Genau: Sssssure am!
Liliana: Alright, are you ready for questions?
Genau: More ready than a chicken for the sssslaughter!
Liliana: *sweat drop on her forhead appears* R-Right.
Genau: *flexes ears around* Let'ssss do thissss!
Liliana: Yeah, sooooo, Subaru told you about his home in the other world?
Genau: Yup.
Liliana: So knowing the musical gifts from there, you gotta tell us my buddy! What was your favorite music from there?
Genau: METAL!
Liliana: Um, favorite song?
Genau: It'sssss a tie between "Asator by Amon Amarth" and "This Time It's War by Bolt Thrower", ssssooooo indecissssive!
Liliana: Dude, those sound kind of scary, b-but to each his own huh? This is gonna be an overly complicated one for you...buuuuut, what's your favorite food?
Genau: Well-
Liliana: And please keep it short.
Genau: *groans* I guessss, Al Pastor tacossss, with Menudo, if I'm a little hungrier I'll get a bowl of guacamole.
*Note: a "bowl" to Genau is the equivalent of 2 liters, or about 67 ounces*
Liliana: That stuff sounds so good, it's making my mouth drool.
Genau: Right?
Liliana: Ahem, anyways, what's a food you don't like?
Genau: Black licorice, it's jusssst, weird.
Liliana: If you could bring something back from Subaru's world, what would it be?
Genau: Really sssspicy peppersss, like the Carolina Reaper or Ghossst Pepper, I like me ssssome ssssspicy food.
Liliana: What would you want to see over there?
Genau: I wanna ssssee thissss fellow called Godzilla, he sssseems sssstrong.
Liliana: If you went, where would you go?
Genau: United Sssstates of America! All the different foods, each sssstate having itsss own special cuisine? Barbeque, ssssushi, burritossss, twinkiessss, beer, whisssskey, hot dogssss cheeseburgersss, clam chowder-
Liliana: Uhhh, Genau-
Genau: *proceeds to drool profusely* Philly Cheesesteakssss, New York Sssstyle Pizza, Buffalo Wingsss, Sssshrimp Gumbo, sss, Sssloppy Joessss, Ice Cream Cakessss, Oreosss, TURDUCKEN-
Liliana: -Okay, thank you, we get it!
Genau: Yeah….oh, and Fortune Cookiessss.
Liliana: Hahhhhhh, so um, favorite color?
Genau: Green and Black.
Liliana: Hey, so I noticed your face tattoo, do you plan on getting more?
Genau: Dependssss if I feel sssso, maybe get ssssome ssssmall sssskulls on my neck.
Liliana: Ouch, doesn't it hurt?
Genau: Ssssure, but I like how it endssss up, it makes me, well...me.
Liliana: Hmmm, maybe I'll give it a shot. Onwards with this fun,
what's your favorite animal?
Genau: Great White Shark. I ressspect them.
Liliana: What do you want your gravestone to say?
Genau: "Thosssse who want peace, should prepare for war, and be sssstrong."
Liliana: How do you spend your time off?
Genau: Eat some ssssnacks, then fly around in outer ssssspace, maybe explore the moon by foot.
Liliana: I heard you and Subaru are trying to introduce Football and American Football to the world?
Genau: Yeah, we feel like it'sssss a great sssstress reliever, plussss it addsssss great community within the citiessss and territoriessss.
Liliana: Anything you can tell me?
Genau: Assss for Football, we have six confirmed teamssss in Lugnica, four in Kararagi, and another four in Vollachia. For American Football, of which we are calling Forceball, we have ssssix teamssss in Lugnica, another six in Kararagi, two in Gusteko and a WHOPPING eight in Vollachia! They sssseem to love it more in the ssssouth.
Liliana; WOW!
Genau: Yeah, we're trying to plan a kind of world tournament, where the two best of chossssen division blockssss will face in the Capital to be crowned World Champion.
Liliana: What are your favorite teams in Forceball?
Genau: For our own territoriessss, I'd say the "Flanders Dragons" and the "Picoutatte Owlbears". For the otherssss, hmmmm, well Gusteko'ssss "Talvisota Bulettes", are very good and Kararagi's "Banan Samurai" have great coaches, but! But! Vollachia'ssss "Rupgana Eagles" and "Garkla Berserkers" are no joke!
Liliana: I can't wait to see these games!
Genau: Me too!
Liliana: Let's get back on track here, Humanities or Sciences?
Genau: Cooking.
Liliana: Do you have any regrets?
Genau:...Rem, Beatrice, I….I messed up a lot.
Liliana: Sorry, but I had to know. If you could watch a movie, which would you watch?
Genau: Cujo!
Liliana: What can you not live without?
Genau: Food? Kind of a dumb question.
Liliana: What weapon do you like?
Genau: Mace, Rem made them look cool.
Liliana: Which Red Lantern do you enjoy your time with?
Genau: Mimi, Nijino, Ovidius-
Liliana:- Which is your favorite?
Genau: ...Maybe, Ovidius, I've known as much as I have Subaru.
Liliana: Who is your least favorite?
Genau: ...Hmmmm, maybe Wilhelm, he keeps to himself way too much.
Liliana: How blissfully unaware.
Genau: Huh?
Liliana: N-Nothing, forget it.
Genau: S-Sure?
Liliana: Next up, who do have the most affection for?
Genau: Beatrice, well, she is my little sister.
Liliana: She's not small anymore though?
Genau: All the same, I hold her to a high esteem.
Liliana: And about my singing-
Genau: -Not a fan.
Liliana: SO FAST! Hmph, honestly, you, Garavito, and the current prime minister of Gusteko are the only ones in the whoooole world who don't like my music!
Genau: Non-conformistsss?
Liliana: Booo!
GEnau: Bwahahaha!
Liliana: Ahem, now...where do you see yourself in five years?
Genau: …Alive or dead. It doesssn't matter what I want.
Liliana: Huh?
Genau: I wanted to live, sssso I did. Halibel wanted to live, but he died. Rem wanted to live and did we, but sssshe died. Ssssome of our prisonerssss want to die, but they are alive. Look, that kind of quessstion, I find at leasssst...not very ssssmart.
Liliana: Really smart of you to say, Genau.
Genau: Thansssks...do I eat after this?
Liliana: And there it went, ahaha. Thanks for spending time with us, it means a ton.
Genau: No problem, I do what I can.
Liliana: Well my good audience, I am afraid that the time has come to put an end to "Queen Minstrel's Corner". But don't be stressed about it, cause we will back to bring us all some much needed fun, some surpises and much more too boot!
*She smiles, into the abyss of the dark, lonely room*
Liliana: Afterall, tomorrow is another day.
*Her spotlight goes out*
AN: Two chapters left.
Next time, Chapter 34: Kill.
See ya then.