A/N: Before anything else shoutout to ProjectIceman for continuing to read the story.
Secondly, with this chapter we've reached the end of the first part/arc of the story. Their may or may not be an interlude chapter. Hopefully it won't take two months to get out regardless of what it ends up being. Thank you for reading.
A Wannabe Hero In Another World!
Chapter 6: Rebel Uprising In Another World
oOo
Aurelius scratches his cheek at the image before him as a soft chuckle escapes his mouth, "Come now Ari, you're a little old to be acting this way…"
Ariadne sticks her tongue out at the man, "Blegh, I'm only one-hundred and eighty, you're the creepy one acting like a kid if you ask me."
"Huh, when do I ever—?"
"You replaced all of papa's scrolls with dirty drawings!"
The tall, blonde dark elf laughs at the memory of his ingenious prank, reminiscing on events that happened almost five decades ago that were threatening to pull him down a nostalgic daydream path. His was the only laughter to be heard as everyone simply stared at him, Izuku was the first to recover from the shattering view of what he once believed to be a calm, cool, and collected business focused elf with a lighthearted disposition. Then what she had originally said clicked for him.
"You're one-hundred and eighty years old?"
"Don't you start too Midori. I'm actually super mature for my age. Sometimes papa even has me be his proxy in meetings." She punctuates this gloat by rubbing her pointer finger beneath her nose.
Mariana tilts her head at Izuku's question, Stronoff sighs at the display before him, a detestable ire building up as he bears witness to what could essentially be a royal family interacting so closely with a mixed blood servant. The back and forth staring goes on for almost a minute before the daughter of Artorius pushes against Izuku's shoulder blade and falls backwards to the floor, back arching her hands reach out and plant themselves firmly on the floor and her legs stretch straight up before her core folds and she stands upright once more with arms wide.
"No applause at my skilled display?"
Mariana shares another look with Izuku who shrugs before they both begin clapping. Stronoff crosses his arm and toward the far left wall, the only wall with no paintings or windows and just pure beige paint from top to bottom.
Aurelius smiles at Ariadne, "Stronoff, take the servants to their quarters and then return here. I'd like some time to catch up with my niece."
The "at once!" that came from Stronoff almost seemed grateful for the command, and the three non lordly types were just about out the door before Ariadne put a stop to their escape.
"Hold it!" She cried out causing everyone to freeze, Izuku was the first to turn around since he was bringing up the rear of their formation he found she had dashed over to them from her place in the room and was shoving a trailing yellow cloth in his face.
"You can have your scarf back, it isn't as nice as any of mine."
"Oh uh, thanks." His hand was slow to rise and careful to grab at the fabric before winding it around his neck, leaving a piece to run down his chest and back. He rose a brow at the pout she gave him before she crossed her arms and turned back to her uncle.
"All right, carry on."
Finally the door closed with the wood elf, the guard, and the other worlder well on their way toward the servant housing. Leaving just the two royal descendants of dark elf royalty to occupy the space. The blonde hair of Ariadne's uncle billowed in the sudden wind that flowed through the room and the windows in the back flung open as the latch keeping them shut snapped and shattered into a shower of splinter. Most might be worried at such a display but the confident smirk on his face might even come off as smug to some people. After a second of listening to the surprised muttering of the servants outside at the sudden noise he brought his hands together and gave his niece a one two clap.
"Very impressive."
"Spare me, you ruined my playtime."
"Ari dear if anyone needs sparing it's me. At the mercy of The Keeper with no witness to my impending doom. Oh woe is me~!"
The dark look on the orange haired elves' face seemed out of place on one who had just been so bubbly and playful seconds prior. Her eyes glistened in the lamp light and if the sound of creaking wood in the walls and ceiling was bothering Aurelius he didn't let it show on his face.
"A woeful time is any exchange with yourself lasting longer than a brief greeting. State your intentions and leave me."
The widening eyes of the blonde elf juxtaposed his smirking lips, "You spent enough time with the gift I brought you surely. His smell, barely a hint to me or any other magically inclined soul. But you, you should know it better than any of us."
If one claimed that a simple stare could kill then the one Ariadne was leveling at him would be a massacre, "Yes he has residue of it upon him, but it is so faint—"
"But it's something, and as strong as you are, what could a drop or two more hurt?"
The ends of the sofa he was sitting upon creaked and groaned before the wood hidden beneath fabric and stuffing snapped and jagged edges erupted out and pointed at him.
"You dare—?!"
"I dare not!" He cut her off, the smirk morphing into a genuine smile, "your father however…well, he was always the most daring of us. Being around for nearly a millennium must do that to you."
The dark shadow cast over her features lightens and the oppressive aura that had settled over the room lightens. Aurelius is just about to stand and leave his niece to her business when he feels his pinky finger begin to cramp. Bringing it up to his face with a frown, his other hand working to massage the muscle, the pain suddenly triples and the short finger starts to twist, and twist, and twist until the skin tears, the muscles rip, and the bone pops free. The dripping digit floats through the air over to Ariadne who grasps it in three of her delicate fingers, her long nails like claws painted a royal blue.
"Your offering is noted," she says, dragging the severed finger across her cheek and over her lips, clamping down on the nail with her teeth for a second or two before tossing it out the window, "Be sure to come by whenever you wish uncle!" The jovial tone she says this in as Aurelius clutches his bleeding hand and hisses out breath through clenched teeth seems to be all the encouragement he needs to make a hasty exit toward the estate infirmary.
oOo
Izuku glares, he can't seem to stop glaring at the slowly shrinking form of Stronoff in the distance. Guided around bends and through a dozen hallways only to be deposited in a cramped room with bunk beds three high and hardly any space between them, left with only the message that their expected to go to their designated areas in the morning, gods know where that might be and what they'll have to do. More so in these last few minutes than in weeks prior the thoughts of escape have resurfaced and nigh countless plans formulate in his mind and layer over one another as backups and improvements. The desire to leave this place behind and start fresh with Mariana a burning urge within him.
"Keep staring love and a girl might get the wrong idea."
He sighs and scratches his head, the scarf tied around his throat keeps everyone else from seeing his bare neck, he has no worries of Mariana telling anyone, and Stronoff and Aurelius made no question of it when they came upon him beside Ariadne. The hand that had begun scratching his head moved over to wipe at his eyes, this had to have been the quickest a day has ever gone by them, a quick glance around the room reveals dozens of alien faces with the occasional familiar figure dotted throughout. None of the servants that were already here seem willing to approach him, and the ones that he's grown used to don't seem willing to affiliate when they themselves are newcomers or are busy reacquainting with old friends or lovers. The desire to sit back and process all the new information tempts Izuku to waddle over to the nearest empty bed and collapse but he's stopped by a short figure with stubby limbs and a round face. The collar and worn clothes seem out of place on a youth, the sight of the kid took Izuku back to his first days with Aurelius and seeing the abused little human kid…
"Listen up salad top!"
'Salad top?' Izuku repeated to himself as a half smirk tugged at his lips.
"I'm the warden of this here spot, long as you behave we'll get along just fine." The boys squeaky voice can't seem to pull off the mimicked speech that he's obviously stolen. But the teen from another world doesn't get to question this for long as a tall elven woman with a streak of white going down her ebony hair places her hands upon the child's shoulders.
"My apologies young one, my little Amell can't seem to keep his ego in check. If you have any questions I'd be happy to help."
Mariana seems enthralled by the energetic little youth and crouched down to eye level with him, the pout on his face doesn't dissuade her from making a silly face or two and smiling at his restrained reactions.
"Are there any open beds, and who do we report to come sun up?" Izuku asks the woman, a kernel of worry was beginning to sprout and he desired to be unconscious before the anxiety kept him up all night.
Her smile shrinks just a little bit, "Aurelius brought back more than a few servants, sadly not all of them originally from here. Space is limited for the time being and we must ask any willing to share a bed as we would like to keep as many off the floor as possible."
A dusting of pink brightens Izuku's pale features, true he had slept beside Mariana on the ground, held each other on cold winter nights, but something about it occurring in a proper—or as close to proper as they could get—bed seemed to unsettle some thought within him.
Izuku spoke back and forth with the woman for a bit, she asked of the travels and who he'd come to know. Most of her question were for the purpose of finding out which families to console in the morning. The woman, Amelia, worked the kitchens but had become something of a leader within the dorm they all shared.
After everyone settled out and the loud bell signaled them to crawl into bed they all dispersed. Which is what led to Izuku laying on his back with Mariana resting just off to his side, one arm draped across his chest and leg tangled through his own, blissfully unaware of his embarrassment.
'So much for sleep.'
oOo
A loud clatter and the shrill sounds of glass shattering filled the infirmary and halls just outside. A blonde dark elf with a white wrap all around his hand was practically frothing at the mouth as the medic remained at the far wall with arms held behind his back.
"I am a Vandergraff you damn fool! I demand you regrow it!"
"My apologies master Aurelius, but if the young mistress were to see the severed digit returned not only would she likely take your hand but she'd likely have my head for seeming to defy her."
"Worthless fool, you'll obey me or I'll—"
"Uncle."
Both men froze at the word and slowly looked to the doorway to see the cause of this argument staring at them. Her attire from before had been swapped for a comfortable evening dress with less lace and frills and a simple wrap at the waist the only accessory, aside from the odd leather band around her wrist.
Aurelius cleared his throat, his centuries of experience racing through the different ways this could play out. He almost never saw his niece twice in the same day, seeing her more than once a week could be considered an oddity, and without Stronoff to stand between them—ignoring the fact that it would be like using a sheet of paper to block a rainstorm—he felt ill.
"Ah Mistress, do you require my services?"
"Hmm?" She hymns while patting her biceps, then knees, her head looks at all the parts of herself her gaze can land on, "Nope. Looks like I'm fine. I was just out for a walk through the halls before bed when I heard all the commotion. Thought bandits had made their way in again!" Neither of them missed the hidden smile she had at the thought of the grounds being invaded.
Thankfully the loud footfalls drew their attention away as a massive elf came into frame behind her. Gustav Stronoff looked in and his eyes grew wide with worry at the sight of his master. His shoulders shook as he dropped to one knee.
"M-my apologies! I should have returned sooner—"
"Enough Stronoff, there was nothing to be done. Come, let us return to my wing and settle in for the night. Likely much will have to be done come morning."
The two made their way down the hall away from the infirmary and the medical chief of the house felt his hands grow cold as the young lady turned her head back to him, the blank stare she offered did nothing to assuage him. Both hands rose, palms to her, as he pressed his back to the wall. Trembling eyes flew from one unoccupied piece of the room to another, just so long as they remained clear of her. Her bare footsteps echoed in the room, the barren office since the majority of the beds had been moved down the hall for this to become his study. He made no move as her soft fingers grabbed his face impossibly hard, so much force pressed against his cheeks it felt as though a molar would come loose any second now.
"You were right," she says, forcing his head down and his eyes moving against his will to bore into hers, their orange irises seeming to glow in the dying light of the waning candles, "if I saw that any of you regrew my dear uncles finger I would have taken his hand…and then your head would surely follow. Do spread the word for me, I'd hate to inconvenience the staff by having their chief suddenly become headless."
When she let go all the unnatural pressure vanished and she retreated out of the room with such quick steps that it was as if she was gliding on air.
The thundering beats of the medical chief's heart hammered against his ribs as he placed a hand against the wall and slowly made his way onto his feet. His head swung to the window of his slowly growing office. His hands plucked a candle holder off the desk and he stood in front of the pane, his fingers pinched the wick and he muttered Agi several times until the strand finally catches, he wasn't sure when it went out. His palm passed in front of the flame what could have been a dozen times before he blew it out and made to leave his office and return to his quarters.
oOo
Izuku blinked away the confusion, the futon was gone, he wasn't sure why the fact that it wasn't here made him sad but it did. When he turned to look over his shoulder and found the same man and girl sitting and standing respectfully at the head of the room his shoulders dropped. His feet slowly moved him back to the front row where he took 'his' seat.
"What an unexpected surprise Midoriya! I truly wasn't expecting you back so soon."
The green haired boy had no words, he hadn't expected to be back here either, not that he was totally sure where 'here' was anyway. The girl beside the desk remained in perfect stance though he noticed that instead of holding both hands behind her head she now had them both resting atop a yardstick stick in front of her, something told him he should be mindful of it.
"I can feel it so much clearer now as well. Not like the previous class when you were so restrained and it took the bond forming for you to find your way here. Something has…cleansed you."
The words were strange, and felt a little invasive to hear but they clicked in his mind with ease, "She took off my collar…"
"She?"
Both Izuku and the girl who accompanies "Igor" turn to look at the man as he tilts his head and wonders about that word. His hand runs though his long beard for a moment before he catches the two silently staring, "Ah, my apologies. You see I have a slight omnipresence and I was going over my memories to see who this girl was."
This grabbed the green haired boys attention and refused to let go, he and his mother weren't especially religious but considering the advent of quirks he believed an individual or seven had come about with a power close to that. Along this train of thought Izuku couldn't help but to focus on the millions of incredible quirks there were and his crippling lack of one which led to this situation. Truly when he mentally laid out the roadmap that brought him before an omnipresent individual inside of a pocket dimension after being transported to another world after his suicide. It sounded a little bizarre.
"You've returned to us, perfect, take a seat. We'll chat." Igor said while gesturing to the front row desk Izuku had occupied during his previous visit, surprisingly the blonde girl at his side set down her measuring stick and moved to sit herself beside his own desk. Noting that after she had taken her seat they both remained silent while he still stood. His teeth bit at the inside of his cheek as cataloged all these details before finally sitting down, "Before I begin today's lecture, any questions?"
If the room, and perhaps the entire dimension wasn't always so quite one could say that the casual air Igor spoke in as he asked this of Izuku had sucked up all the sound in the realm. The green haired boy tilted his head to the side and if one looked directly into his eyes they could see the winding gears of his mind working away to churn out hundreds of words struggling to fall into coherent thought.
"Why?" One familiar with Midoriya Izuku might expect the boys overactive mind to encourage his mouth to run off in a tangent of mutterings that would assist in organizing his thoughts, but in this moment only one word was carried past his lips atop a whisper.
"'Why?'" Igor repeated sitting forward slightly, his left eyes drifting to his blonde student before snapping back to Izuku after confirming she was still patiently sitting there not attempting to harm their guest.
The calloused hands of the boy from another world curled into fist as he looked into Igor's eyes. A twitch at the corner of his mouth implies restraining a frown. He says nothing at Igor for repeating his question and just nods his head up and down for the affirmative, causing the elder man to frown and scratch his chin.
"Might I ask you to be a tad more specific?"
When Izuku parts his lips to clarify a choked sob rasp out first and then a few half words or something resembling syllables. "I…I jumped. But I didn't die—"
"Incorrect."
A green brow rose up at the statement from the old man, "You threw yourself off a building and did indeed die. A wake was held, your mother cried, your blonde bully of a friend damned you and begged for forgiveness, you were cremated. all facts."
"Then, what is this place, and why was I brought here?"
As much as the older man might have wanted to, he can't keep his smile up, "I can not begin to fathom why you were sent to this world specifically, or why I was compelled to bring you here. I only know that you were and I was."
"So it wasn't you who sent me here?"
"No, but I believe you did meet him if my powers aren't failing me entirely."
'Him,' Izuku repeats in his mind as he thinks back to that first day, to that strange meeting before he fell onto that boat… "The office worker?"
"Office worker? Is that what he looks like now? I wonder about that." No one could miss the slight smile on Igor's lips.
"I'm not sure, not entirely at least, as to why you weren't allowed into one of the domains or sent back to your chain's reincarnation cycle. But you've been brought here, your body changed, your essence…how do I even begin to describe all of that," Izuku was ready to move on to his next question when the once familiar sounding school bell chimed to signal the end of class. His head spun to the speaker above the door and then back to see Igor fixing some scattered papers across his desk, "seems that class has been cut short. Until next time, young Midoriya."
oOo
It feels comparable to an earthquake, but instead of the ground shaking it feels like it's his bones trying to shake apart. His eyes split open just in time to see the blue door to the velvet room slide closed and vanish, green eyes dart around the room to find dozens of servants staring at him. Many of them in confusion induced fear causing them to hold their little ones close, the braver ones stare at him with distrust and what could be perceived as anger. But mostly he sees that he's being stared at for disturbing their slumber, an irritating thing considering the long work day they surely have ahead. He blinks when the dry stinging finally becomes too much and like a switch being flipped he can hear again—
"Izuku! Izuku, please answer me!"
—Mariana says trying her best not to scream but he can understand why she isn't controlling her volume better, he imagines he'd be a tad worried if he woke up to find his girlfriend just standing in the middle of a room staring at a far off wall, this kind of thing would make future meetings with Igor bothersome surely.
He turns and she along with everyone else who had closed in on him stiffened at the action. His hand came up to reaffirm himself that his scarf was still obscuring his neck, "Mari? What're you doing out of bed?"
All of them exchange looks and if he wasn't being looked at like a weirdo before he surely was now. Leaving him to return to his shared bunk he sat down and waited for Mariana to ask him whatever questions she surely had, but she continued to surprise him by laying down with her back to him, not even offering a glance to deliver some wordless statement.
'Definitely going to be bothersome.' Izuku thought to himself, letting his eyelids droop closed and his tired mind drift off.
oOo
A week, it had only taken a single week for whatever newfound peace he had discovered to be shattered. The morning started off like any other, unlike his previous work cutting trees with a lumber crew on the road he now healed at the stables or with the smithy. They had let him assist in the library for exactly one afternoon to do scribe work, but the master of the manor ordered the head librarian to be beheaded for this decision and he's since been blocked from entrance to that hallway. But it was this morning on his way to pick up coal for the smith that the master's daughter intercepted him, and he had to take note of the way everyone gave her a wide berth, and commanded him to accompany her.
He didn't think anything of it, assuming it would be a quick interruption for some minor task, many she'd even invite him to tea since she seemed nice enough, or maybe strange was a better descriptor. But he was wrong either way as she led him to the practice fields and commanded all the guardsmen practicing their melee to clear the field. At this point Izuku believed he would simply be here to play the part of witness to her magic practice or a more normal gymnastics routine, but he seemed to be on a trend for being incorrect as she placed both arms behind her back as a sudden gust of wind rolled through to pull of at her white cape, the garb she wore seemed suited for battle, very practical, but the occasional frills made it seem less so. He even noticed the familiar leather band on her wrist that was once his collar, the sigh of it makes his throat feel right.
"Okay Midori~! Show me what you got!"
Izuku wasn't sure what she meant, he had a spare change of clothes, slightly better roughspun clothing given to him on his first day of work, a scarf, and not much of anything else. When the seconds ticked by he still hadn't made a move. She frowned at him.
"Did you forget already that I said you were my student now. Show me how good your Agi is and then we can begin with the rest of your training."
An owlish blink is his response as he remembers that he decided this girl was insane and terrifying. His shoulders don't stiffen and he doesn't attempt any odd maneuvers to backpedal away, as he can't see any of them ending well for him. So he tries to come up with some rational explanation to escape this lesson she seems intent on giving, the very idea of not taking lessons to further his magical aptitude and understanding make him want to blanch but he can put his self preservation before his thirst for knowledge this one time.
Unfortunately for Izuku the orange eyes heiress of the estate seems to have a much shorter fuse than he expected as she points a finger at him, the smile she offers him seems kind enough but he feel it could pass as an illusion as a maw like her own should likely be filled with fangs.
"Bang." She says as the spot right beside Izuku explodes into a dust cloud, her hand swings slightly to the side and every instinct in his brain fires up and commands his muscles to pull him into movement. Just in time he leaves his standing position as it blows up into a cloud of dust.
He begins to sprint away, zigging and zagging his way out of the training field only to feel a pressure wrap itself around his ankle and pull his leg out from under him, suddenly Izuku is pulled into the air and flung to and from, the warm spring air whipping his face as he's taken high onto the air, his ear incapable of perceiving any of the voices that could be exlclaiming down on the ground level. He does however hear a bit of laughter coming from his assailant who seems to be the cause of his predicament as her arm flails in tandem with his own torment. His fingers twitch as an unattractive instinct comes to life within him and he feel the heat that pools in his stomach spread across his body. To the unaware Izuku might looked a bit tense, but to any practicing magician or one aware of the mythic arts the trailing mist like energy wafting off of him is a telling sign of his readiness to cast. The force holding him up and pulling him all over vanishes as Ariadne places both hands upon her hips and smirks at his quickly falling form.
The green haired otherworlder might have panicked if his mind hadn't been clouded by an animalistic preservative instinct, his open hand reared back as his noiseless words echoed in his mind, when he pushed his palm to the earth below the plume of fire the flew from it provided enough thrust to slow his descent. The landing was rough and he had to move quickly as the scorched earth threatened to burn through his foot wrappings.
Anger. He could feel it now that the urgency to act was dissipating, he could just about tell why and at who he was angry, but he couldn't reason against acting on that anger. Her billowing white cape and intricately tailored robe accented her caramel skin and orange hair. Pointer and middle finger extended while the rest curled into the palm. Her smile didn't falter as the smoke from the ground behind Izuku vanished as he stole the heat from it to power up his spells, the flame came to life initially as a spark just an inch away from the tips of his fingers but the attack itself was a bright explosion that washed over the girl. And it was seeing her image vanish that cracked whatever hold had come over Izuku. He had just put everything he had into an attack. Into an attempt on someone's life…
Fortunately for the boy's conscience the smoke dissipates and he's astounded and relieved to see her standing there no worse for wear, though he knew his spell had taken effect when he saw the scorched and blackened earth surrounding her. One hand left her hip and cradled her chin, thumb stroking the line of her jaw as she hummed in thought. She reached out and before Izuku could even think of moving a sudden force pushed against his back and pulled him over to the girl who then reached out and pinched his nose.
"Not bad. Not bad at all, Mi~do~ri~." The singsong tone along with the way she spoke his name felt odd, but considering all the unknowns he was working with Izuku assumed it had to do with her powers, powers that everyone he worked with or alongside refused to elaborate upon or were flat out too afraid to even speak of.
"But fire doesn't seem to be your natural element. Fiery people produce that heat on their own, and I saw you draw it away…did you perhaps learn it from a Skill Card?" The Cheshire grin she had seems almost as dangerous as the glares he would receive from Bakugo once upon a time, only these didn't outright promise pain but instead hid the possibility of it.
"Y-yes," the stuttered word caught him off guard as he hadn't faltered in his speech in a while now, "the tradeswoman I traveled with before taught it to me to test a theory of hers."
"Hmm, okay, sit down."
That seems a baffling command to give someone you've recently tried to explode, but considering Izuku currently looked as though he is property and possesses no agency, there is little he can do aside from bite his tongue and cross his legs as he sits before his "teacher".
His cheeks grow a hint of red as she follows along and takes a seat in his laps, hands rest on his shoulders as her legs stretch off to one side, not the most embarrassing thing but he's thrown out of sorts when he feel her lips press against his forehead, only for a split second before she pulls away and looks into his emerald green eyes. The dark amber tint of her own seems to glow at this short distance between them.
"Psychic…you really do just get more and more interesting." The smile she's had for the longest now fades away as she continues to look into his eyes, falling continuously until it turns into a modest frown, "well that's no fair at all."
Izuku isn't sure what she means by that but he doesn't have time to ponder it as she pushes him back and rises up to her full height. She turns away without offering him a hand, a casual pace as she leaves the damaged field behind only coming to a stop after a dozen steps when she looks over her shoulder at his still sitting form.
"Well come along, or do you expect to learn how to cast psychic spells by playing in the dirt all day?"
It's not what he had expected, and the following three hours in the library along with the shared tea and lunch that's brought to her whilst they are there also are not expected, though the taste of green tea and crisp lettuce on fresh oven baked bread is invigorating after months of ration bars and days of slop and gruel. He stops his meal short when he notices the way she looks at him, her meal and drink mostly gone ignored as instead she drinks up the sight of him with her chin resting on the palm of her hand.
"You should eat. Soggy bread is gross." It isn't the most intellectual reply, it doesn't even sound right to him, but after hours of having his face stuffed into a book and looking over scrolls after the morning he's had it's about all he can manage. Especially since he's only now realizing by spending all this time here he has missed his lunch time meeting with Mariana. When Izuku looks back at Ariadne the gentle smile she had once again vanished as knitted brows and a deep frown occupy her face.
"Is the tea not good?" Izuku asks, his question causing her to raise a brow at the boy. She stops frowning and lets out a long sigh, bringing the cup up to her lips to sip at the liquid inside, gagging as it hits her tongue. She sets the cup down and turns her head to the side and sticks her tongue out.
"Eww, it's cold."
Izuku can't help but chuckle, "Of course it's cold, it's been sitting on the table for twenty minutes."
"Midori be nice, I got distracted." Her pout only makes him want to laugh more, but he instead holds back the expression of mirth and reaches out to her cup. His hand hovers over it and his gaze sharpens as he uses the weak but precise control to turn the now tepid liquid back into a nice hot drink. Izuku pulls back his hand and swears that her eyes light up as she smiles down at the bow steaming cup in front of her. She brings hands together and claps at his display.
"Careful, it's hot."
She says nothing in reply as she brings it up to her lips and blows at it twice before taking a sip. Impossible to comprehend but her smile grows even more as she hums as the taste lingers on her tongue.
"It's perfect!"
Izuku doesn't get much time to appreciate the actually honest smile of admiration she has before it falls into a disappointed frown. His brow arches again, "What's wrong?"
"It's not fair." She muttered, her fingers pinching the tea cup a little tighter.
"What's not fair?" He asks, nearly completely lost.
"Why don't you take a break. Meet me back at the training field in an hour. Don't be late." She says setting aside her tea and taking a large bite of her sandwich.
Part of Izuku would almost rather stay and find out what's upsetting her, sure he hasn't spent the most time with her but she doesn't seem like the worst he's met in this world. But when he thinks of who he could go see during this offered break, well he can't keep his chair from skidding out and all but sprinting out of the room toward the tailoring rooms.
oOo
Artorius folds a single sheet of paper before handing it off to his brother who stands silently at his side, the elder brother and lord of the house can see it. A blind human nearing a century on this planet with brain damage could see it. The seething anger that his little brother held for his daughter that he was directing toward his older sibling.
'Ungrateful welp.' Artorius grumbled as Aurelius read over the form he just finished writing out. The sound of paper wrinkling from a too hard grip was to be expected.
"If you give these peasant fools an acre they'll ask for the nation."
"And if I give them nothing they'll continue to throw stones at my walls and attack my caravans!" Artorius roars back, his wrinkled fist slamming onto the desk.
The position of advisor was a thankless one in the Vandergraff home as far as Aurelius was concerned,true it had been that way long before Artorius had even been born, but never before had there been an advisor as…daring, one might say, as Aurelius.
"What's a caravan or two in face of such a display of weakness?!"
"'A caravan or two'? They've struck at dozens of them this winter alone, my vassals at the coast suffered major food shortages, you as well are to blame for this!"
"What!"
"You dare! You're claims of a brief pilgrimage to man's land, claims of returning with profit and knowledge were empty promises that cost me more than my valuable time…leave me."
"We still haven't—"
"We? You seem misguided little brother. I shall rule my domain as I see fit, and when your council is needed I shall send for you. But until such time you may consider your input unneeded."
That was perhaps the most polite way Artorius could have told his brother to sod off. The younger of the two dark elf royals silently fumed, the contorting facial expressions and tensing arm muscles said more than any words the brash noble would dare to speak to the master of the house. Without the due bow or farewell that one ought to give their lord superior the blonde elf stomps out of the room. The muscular guard Stronoff however dips his head and follows behind his charge.
The two walk in silence, one grumbling his displeasure for any and all to hear, knowing word of it would never reach his brother as the not insignificant amount that leaned toward his court would stop any gossip before it reached the lord's pointed ears. The large guard, in spite of his size, moved silently behind his master, the blade at his hip ready to end any threat that dared stand before him in search of Aurelius. Something would be hard pressed to distract him from his life's purpose.
However the green head of hair that raced by them at the intersection of the hall did pull his attention for a second or two. If he weren't escorting his master around he would've frowned and followed after the boy, for what was an inferior doing running in the halls of this grand place, if the reason didn't have any true weight he would have to beat the boy to impart an important lesson.
"Running in this wing? That one has grown too big for his breeches. Why don't you go and reprimand that one. I'm sure he'll recover before Ari's birthday…"
Stronoff didn't usually know what to expect from his master, the dark elf oft was one to do the unexpected; and ever since he'd been subjected to the madness of Lord Vandergraff's daughter he'd become somewhat spiteful and more unpredictable.
"Should I not—"
"Within these walls I'm as safe as can be, now why don't you do as your master commands. You wouldn't want me to question your loyalties now would you."
"Mm…" the near gasp that Stronoff tried to hold back gave an uncertain reply but at the end of the day he had been given an order and it was his role to follow them without question as a servant to the Vandergraff home, "…at once my master."
And so the large elf departs from the blonde's side and heads off down the hall after the green haired servant. Leaving the younger Vandergraff alone with his thoughts. Casting a look up and down the hall proves it to be deserted allowing him to approach a window and push it open, the midday sun perfectly illuminating the grounds of the estate, but the vibrant springtime forest hides all manner of things. A hand rises to cup his mouth as he whispers his command to the air, an unnatural gust carries it away to the rustling leaves in the distance. And a smile grows on his face. Years of hard work seem to be on their way to pay off, now he just has to find his niece.
oOo
Izuku is out of breath and a bit of perspiration runs down his face, endurance running might have to be returned to his list of activities for the future once he becomes a free man again.
"Izuku?" Mariana asks when she catches sight of him in the doorframe, her spool of twin and seeing needle set aside so she may rise to greet him.
"I-I'm sorry!" He says louder than intended, getting the attention of the other four women in the room trying to ignore him so they don't fall back on their workload, "A-Ariadne c-came to get me and, well I got stuck spending the day with her."
Mariana was more than ready to let him fall into a rambling mess of apologies and rationalizing his absence Freon their usual lunch date so that she could forgive once it was over and cure his conscious, but the muttering and bashful apologizing was beginning to draw on so instead she walked over and pinched his nose.
"All right Izuku, I forgive you."
"Just like that?"
"Ha!" She laughs, "Keep asking those sorts of questions and I might think you're into masochism Izuku."
He doesn't say anything in reply but he does finally realize that in his rush over that he was given an hour break but Mariana has no such liberty…, "Can I stay here and chat while you work. My break will be over soon anyway."
"I certainly won't say no to such a good looking distraction," she says before ruffling his hair and turning to return to her seat where she can continue sewing.
Izuku doesn't even get to move to stand alongside the wall when Stronoff appears in the door frame. The glare he fixes on the boy could wither the blooming buds of spring and wilt the soon to be golden fields of wheat nearby.
"Why am I not surprised to find you not only shirking your own duties but hindering the progress of others."
Izuku's own countenance takes on the visage of someone sucking on a lemon. Neither of them is sure how a week has gone by without an incident between them, but this is the first time since their initial arrival that they've directly interacted and it makes Izuku itch for action. The desire to talk this out is nonexistent to his mind as his fingers curl into fist. He doesn't want to start a fight, but that familiar twitch in his mind from this morning returns to him. And he stops.
"I'm on break." He grinds the words out, struggling more than he could fathom.
"Luncheon was over an hour ago now."
"Ari—Madam Ariadne gave me permission." He forced the correction and words out in as smooth a tone as he could.
Stronoff only seemed to grow angrier, "Lucky you. Why don't you let these servants do as their told without pestering them then?"
"I'm not—"
As much as Stronoff would've liked to smash his fist into Izuku's face he simply settled for grabbing at the roughspun tunic the boy wore and hauled him forward nearly off his feet, "I grow tired of you lip boy."
A being bulged along Izuku's forehead, the twitch from earlier pulsing again, violently straining against his control, "I'm already tired of you," is what he bit out in reply to the once guard captain now simple bodyguard.
Stronoff looked into the emerald green eyes of the odd looking boy, since their first meeting he knew this was a strange one but every passing day only seemed to reaffirm his initial suspicions. His gaze then moved across the room to Mariana, who attempted to look as though she was still working just like the rest but instead was stealing glances at them from her spot while trying to steady her shaking hands. He was disgusted, at her, at Izuku, and at himself. A traitorous thought flickers across his mind, that if he had told her of Asterox attempts to flee without her she would cast away that gilded image of her past lover and perhaps even feel some good will toward himself. But he stamped that down, seeing no true need for it.
When Stronoff looked back to Izuku he found the boy gripping his forearm, the poorly trimmed nails on his hands digging into the unprotected gaps in his modest armor. That seemed a step too far for the bodyguard.
Izuku was lifted off the ground and spun as Stronoff turned on his heels before flinging Izuku out of the room across the hall into the door opposite of them. The boys back impacted the wood and as a testament to the force of the throw smashed through the sturdy entryway and even crossed a third of the room in the air before sliding and rolling the rest of the way to the wall. The screams of seamstresses and apprentice cloth cutters filled the room at his unexpected entrance. It took Izuku a full second to blink away his surprise, but his control was shaking and the urge was seeping through.
His hand flew out and latched onto the ornate bronze handle before rearing it back as he chucked it like he'd once seen pro baseball players do in his past life. The knob sailed through the air but was batted aside as Stronoff stomped through the now permanently open entryway and made to throttle Izuku.
The boy's lips tugged upwards as he threw a hand out in front of him, "Agi!"
It was less flame and more explosion as the concusivevblast occurred one part beneath the guards feet and another on his chest. The force unsettled his footing and the impact knocked the air out of him, the scorch marks on his armor also just made Izuku want to smile. The guard seemed stunned and the green haired other worlder now had to deal with the consequences of his actions. Turning to the occupants of this room first, "Run! Hurry! Head to the gates!"
Then he bolted across the hall to see a stunned Mariana staring wide eyed at the display of their brief altercation, his hand clamped onto her wrist and pulled her up out of her seat and into a quick hug. One of his arms across her back and shoulders, the other open palm pressed against her lower back.
"I'll get us out of here," he whispered to her, but it almost sounded like a reassurance for himself. She said nothing as her hands pressed against his chest and pushed slightly to create a gap between them, her full green orbs searching his. No more words were exchanged as she gave a hesitant nod and he retook hold of her wrist and began leading them out.
The boom from his blast had gotten more attention than he'd anticipated as they turned a corner and saw three guards standing there with blades drawn. He didn't give them a chance because they likely would give one to him or any of his fellow servants. With a wave of his hands their blades glowed a blinding white that faded into a cherry red as the metal melted. All the guards noted the results of their metal weapons melting in an instance and accepted that mercy by turning to flee.
Mariana offered some praise at his skill but Izuku just bit down on his cheek. The constant fine control of these spells was…tiring, more so than he expected considering the rest he'd had beside Ariadne before lunch. Thankfully the pair ran into little opposition on their way out of the building and the courtyard was a chaotic place with guards running all over and the more opportunistic servants doing their best to take their freedom back by escaping past the gates or over the walls. They'd have to find a hedge witch or some outrage magician to remove their collars but after that a free life was within their grasp.
Unfortunately it wasn't the guards that put a halt to their ambitions, but instead the sudden explosion at the walls either side of the main wall. The left and right barricades had massive holes blown into them and before the dust settled or all the rocks and debris had finished falling, screaming armor clad elves were streaming in. Izuku and many others at first saw this only as a good thing as it would further distract the guards but that idea instantly died as one of them ran a human boy through with their spear before moving to attack a wood elf.
Izuku's grip on Mariana's hand tightened as he pulled her along behind the cover of an overturned wagon. Screaming and battle cries were filling the air alongside the smell of blood. The blonde elf buried her head against his back as he forced himself to stare outward, not to witness the horrors but for an opening to escape through the paths created by these invaders. It took a while but he finally saw one of the Vandergraff guards cut down an invader and the insignia they bore haphazardly painted upon their backs reminded Izuku of his first day at the estate and the reports he'd caught a glimpse of on Artorius desk.
"Rebels?"
"Are you certain?" A voice asked causing Izuku's soul to nearly discard his earthly form and ascend to the heavens above, when he turned to look at the source he found Ariadne crouched just to the side of him, a smile on her lips but a dangerous glint in her eyes as she looked between Mariana and Izuku.
"Unless it's an enemy army disgusting themselves as rebels. But without knowing the dark elf population and borders more accurately I couldn't say."
"A week before my birthday and on the day of your first magic lesson. Really…it ticks me off." The way she concludes that sentence has all the casual mirth in her voice dying off and she disregards the cover they had been using while coming to stand out in the open. Many of the rebels see the daughter of the estate lord and decide wiping her out takes priority over pillaging and slaughtering everything else. The first dozen or so bladesmen that rush her vanish into a red mist with a wave of her hand, the next two spear men pop in a crimson shower that stains her white instructors attire, the fifteen bowmen that send a volley her way panic as their fire is reflected back at them with the added effect of the metal and stone arrowheads erupting into dozens of shards before they make contact and shred them to pieces.
Izuku is stunned and motionless at the sight, suddenly the fear all the servants and personnel held toward her made sense. He believes that if everyone just sits back and waits Ariadne alone could push back the tide of this invading force. If not outright end it entirely. The blonde wood elf tugs at his shirt and pulls his attention away from the carnage.
"We have to run!"
'Right,' he thinks as he casts another look back, at the still steady tide of rebel forces pouring in, at the dozens of men and women dropping dead to Ariadne's power, and at the hundreds of servants running around just trying to escape, 'running….'
Desires sparks within him so he tips her chin up and presses his lips to hers. A brief fleeting expression of affection before he holds her hand tight and pulls her along. The back gate is likely their best potion. So the pair run, leaving the sounds of battle at their backs as they sprint headlong toward the pursuit of freedom.
Only to stop as the ground floor wall of the manor erupts outward and Izuku comes face to face with Stronoff, seeming to have finally regained his bearings after his explosive attack earlier. Before he can think to do anything a hand grabs at his face just as he releases Mariana and pulls him into the air.
His arms move, not to grab at the hand holding him up bit instead to point both palms at the elf. The thought of whether or not he could truly take another's life was barely there. But that slight hesitation was all Stronoff needed to whip him around and throw him through the air, stomping after him before he's even landed.
"No, stop! Leave him alone!" Mariana screams as she tries to push the guard over and pummel him with her fist, only to feel the world vanish from beneath her as his open palm connects to her cheek and the slap sends her sideways. The short slide across the ground rips her tunic and skin up and the dust settling over her irritates her now warm skin.
"You've scorned my affection for the last time. No longer shall I fall prey to you."
She was confused but that, confused by the emotion in the words and the way the guards eyes burned with betrayal. But her confusion melted away instead of anger, because despite whatever Stronoff might've felt, how was his feelings any fault of her own.
When the blade left the scabbard at his hip she felt herself go numb, a fear of the end, of losing what little she held so dear come over her. Her fears however were invalid as a wave of fire washed across Stronoff's back, the radiant heat tinting her pale skin red.
"Leave her alone!" Izuku yelled, running back at Aurelius' personal guard with a feral look, ducking beneath a swing of rebel swords and narrowly avoiding being stabbed by spearmen.
Stronoff swipes a hand across the buckle on chest, the burnt armor at his back falling away to leave his upper half exposed. Izuku had only really managed to give some light burns to his shoulders.
"You're only trick is getting old dog!" Stronoff screams as he moves his sword over head and throws it with frightening accuracy as it nearly stabs through his target's foot, missing only by a hair's width as it cuts the foot wraps he wears.
Izuku wants to keep the distance and blast wave after wave at Gustav until the guard is too worn down to pursue him, maybe even too worn down to keep on living… but the warmth in his stomach is fading and along with that comforting heat goes his stamina. The instinctual knowledge that he can't keep up his use of that spell for much longer drags down his spirit but he pushes against that, his only hope to get Mariana and himself out of here.
His arms go wide as he sprints as hard as he can and barrels into Stronoff, the massive elf is hardly deterred by the direct attack and moves to smash two giant fists into the boy's back until he feels the arms wrapped around his middle sink to close around one leg. A yell escapes Izuku as his hold becomes circulation stopping tight and the veins in his arms pulse in time with his harsh beating heart.
"Grragh!" Is the loud bellowed cry from the green haired boy as he manages to lift the leg and rob Stronoff of his balance sending the massive elf crashing to the ground.
The moment he felt his footing falter he tried to reach out to catch the ground and right himself, but the bloody dirt and many jagged stones in the ground of the estate worked against him and caused his palm to puncture and his wrist to twist badly. Izuku scrambles to move on top of the guard and begins throwing a volley of punches, his narrowed eyes drink in the sight of surprise of mild pain on Gustav's face as his fist connects over and over.
A short distance away from the otherworlders brawl the royal descendant of the dark elves woods away a bloody smear from her neck, the ground all around her painted a deep red as the scant remains of her attackers break up the crimson coloration. She can't help but smile as her mind nearly fails to conjure up a time she's had more fun, even ignoring how cramped her tummy feels and how out of breath she is.
'Playing teacher with Midori wasn't so bad was it?' The voice in her head offers up and she smiles, "Yeah… I guess it wasn't so bad."
She doesn't continue with the conversation as she feels a familiar presence enter the range of her senses. Turning to face it reveals to her that her instincts are still as sharp as ever.
"Uncle."
"Ari dear!" Aurelius exclaims as his hands fly overhead, a candle in one and a sickle in the other, "I thought your father told you to play nice with guests?"
Her brow rises just as his arms return to his sides, the comment about her father bugs her enough to make her lips twitch but she hasn't lost her focus yet, she reaches out with her hand and feels the familiar tingle on the air vibrate to her will. Her open hand slowly begins to close and her smile takes over her face as Aurelius clutches at his throat, the soft caramel flesh of the blonde elf pales first then the blood tints his skin as veins fill his eyes, all the while air refuses to pass his closed windpipe by this hands never release the candle and sickle. His glare seems to sharpen as he forces his steps to take him closer to her.
Sure, Ariadne could tighten her hand just a bit more and crush or snap his neck, without a doubt she could have commanded the will of the world to erase her uncle in an instant. But something about this moment poured more joy into her than any of her previous years ever had, something about using her powers in this way to end the cause of the disruption to her admittedly boring but peaceful life felt right.
Until it didn't.
The feeling faded from her fingers as a numbness overtook her, a feeling she had always read about but never experienced. And suddenly another feeling she had never truly experienced before came to her. Fear.
A kick to the stomach snapped her out of her self discovery as her back collided with the bloody ground. A thick and heavy stick was placed on her forehead and she felt her head begin to ache as purple light filled her vision. Her limbs felt heavier than mountains and a terrible cold flooded her veins, the entire time she was forced to watch her uncle Aurelius loom over her with that bronze sickle, his hand taking hold of her wrist and he slowly placed the edge of the blade against her flawless skin. The bite of the metal pierced whatever numbness had come over her and sent chills down her spine at how easily it brought forth the crimson life within her. The disgusting smile still never left her uncle's face as he stared first at it as the red river ran down her arm and then looked into her eyes.
"Here, let me kiss it better for you sweet niece," he laughs before placing his lips to the cut lapping at the blood.
Her spine goes from feeling a chill to frozen, disgusted and in pain. Her first instinct to lash out with her Gods given power can't happen because she's exhausted her spiritual well, and her second desire to kick and punch with all her might isn't working as she can't break whatever bond is keeping her from moving. Tears begin to well up in her eyes.
It seems however she should make an offering to the seven stars as something, rather someone, crashes into Aurelius and knocks him off of her, with him gone she can just about force her hand to move and knock away the candle on her forehead, freeing up her movement just a bit. The cold and partly empty feeling however lingers with her. She pants and holds her hand close to her chest, forcing her shoulder to push her over onto her side so she can see what's happened. Her uncle is clutching a bleeding nose while her father looks over him, a feral expression on his face that she hadn't seen in decades. It reminds her of the picture books her mother showed her of the Peerless General…
"Ariadne, run! Get away from this place!" He cries out to her, turning back just in time for his brother to connect a punch to his jaw that sends him spinning through the air.
"Fuck! You hit hard for an old timer!" Aurelius laughs, a bit of blood staining his mouth and neck and his entire body jitters. He seems to disregard her and starts to stomp over to Artorius, she debates it for a split second. But without the voice insisting she do one thing or another, logic fills her mind and insists she can do nothing at the moment and to return when her power is at its peak…
So she slinks away.
Back with Izuku he brings his fist back again to deliver what could be the fortieth punch when two palms suddenly smash against either side of his head. His pointed ears are ringing, and whatever thoughts he might've had vanish from him as he's spun so that his back connects to the earth and a massive hand closes around his throat. His eyes bug out and seem to look in every direction independent of each other for a second before they find the bloody face of Stronoff staring down at them. There's not a drop of oxygen in his lungs and barely a flicker of will in his head, he's more tired today than he's likely ever been, and despite feeling enough heat in his stomach to call forth another Agi… a part of him wonders if it wouldn't be easier to give in, to let this be the end, because who knows—
'Maybe I'll meet the man at the desk again?'
"Is this the limits of your character?"
'Huh?'
Suddenly air floods into his lungs as the pressure crushing his throat vanishes, when he looks up he sees Stronoff backing away grabbing at two thin arms wrapped around his own neck, when he spins around he catches sight of Mariana. Fighting against Stronoff to save him…
'No! You idiot!' He screams in his mind as his mouth fails to produce the words, his hand reaches out to grab for her as if that would do something, his mind failing to bend the spiritual energy within him to combust and burn away the threat.
"Is this the resolve of one who seeks to walk the path of heroism?"
Izuku's green eyes tremble, his hands shake and his stomach burns with new life.
Stronoff backs further away from him until he's back beside the wall of the estate, he smashes against the walls and the pained cry of what could be the love of his life sends a shockwave through him.
'…hero?'
"What is this cruel world without a hero to stand before it and save those who cannot save themselves?"
'I… I…!'
Mariana can no longer keep hold as the force of the hit to the back of her head produces dark spots in his vision, her hands release but before she can hit the ground she's held aloft by the large hand. She forces her eyelids apart to stare at who's kept her from falling, disappointment fills her as she sees Atrokoff stare into her. Regret and hatred fill his eyes. A from tugs at his lips but all of this is quickly buried by hatred after a second.
"I want to be a hero!"
They both turn and look to find Izuku on his feet, his declaration having caught the attention of everyone in the immediate area, but besides the loud call another attention grabbing feature is the blue glow radiating off his skin and the yellow glow that has occupied his usual emerald green eyes.
'Excellent! Then call upon me, harness my power and we shall set forth to purge evil and strike down the wicked! I am thou, and thou art I!'
"Persona!" Comes the cry from the boy from another world as blue fire consumes him in a vortex that rises high into the sky, it's blue glow washes over everything and everyone, the wave of heat sends chills over everyone's as the vortex grows, the ferocious twisting kicks up dust and dirt and rocks with its hurricane winds. Suddenly a black shadow becomes visible within, two piercing golden pin prick dots open near the top, two arms burst from the flames and the fire vanishes after his escape from its restraints. The figure is draped in a ragged dark green jinbei kimono, with a yellowing white waist wrap with two dangling ends that reach the torn hem of the pants near the ankles. The feet sport a pair of wooden geta sandals, and the right hand is partly wrapped with a similarly yellowed white wrap halfway up the fingers. The face is obscured by a dark brown featureless wooden mask with two black almond shaped holes cut out with burning yellow orbs floating within the black space within and the head of hair seems odd too as it's composed entirely of leaves and vines that reach the figure's shoulders. Thick leather pads rest on the shoulders with crossing bands of leather across the chest, but once the sight of the figure has been taken in by everyone paying attention their gaze can finally land on the empty scabbard on his waist.
Izuku stumbles back a step, a second wind battling against his exhaustion, "Let's save the world…Tomaranai Mori!"(1)
Vine and roots crawl out of the figures shrouded in blue flames wrist and form a sword hilt. The tsuba of the blade touches the scabbards opening as Tomaranai falls into a stance, the moment that his sandals twist and make a crunching noise in the first is the same second that he's flown across the yard at Gustav and drawn his blade with an arc of green and purple light.
The guard stumbles as the light fades taking two steps forward before his eyes roll back into his head and a bit of drool oozes out of the corner of his mouth as he falls forward into the dirt.
The blue flames burn a bit brighter as Tomaranai looks out at the densely packed field, rebels and guards alike stand in a clustered melee. As his hand twist the sunlight bounces off the slowly appearing blade of his sword, the tip stabs into the ground and his shoulder twist as he makes an upwards slash that tears apart the dirt and sends a wave that splits the field and melee in two, an uproar ensues as bodies go flying the wall that once looked sturdy is reduced to handful of bricks at the base.
With that task completed the blue flames die down and the embodiment of Izuku's will fades from this realm. Speaking of the green haired boy he's sprinted over to Mariana, finding her barely conscious, with some mild effort he manages to coax her onto his back and begins his run to the newly made escape. A few servants ahead of him had taken advantage of his actions, and some more behind trying to follow his lead. The rebels and the guards thankfully however seem more occupied with each other than them.
oOo
Translators Notes: (1) Tomaranai Mori: Unstoppable Forrest, according to google.