CHAPTER 14:
SEPARATION ANXIETY
"Hahahahaha! You activated my trap card, you dumb scrubs! Thank you, fuck you, and goodnight!"
Harry sat bolt upright, Kyo's mocking words before he fell unconscious in transit echoing in his ears. He almost immediately took in that they were in a rather foreboding prison cell in what looked like a jail, his Shield changed into something more square-shaped. And Rishia was awake. But she was the only other one present.
"Fweh? You're awake!" Rishia gave him a brief hug.
"Rishia, where's the others?" Harry asked, dreading the answer.
Rishia shook her head. "I couldn't find them elsewhere here, even with the cell door unlocked. Harry, it's worse. I checked my status, and we're down to Level 1."
Harry's eyes widened, and he checked his own status screen, trying to distract himself from where Raphtalia, Hedy, Glass, L'Arc and Therese were. "Shit," he said as he realised that Rishia was right. "And my Shield…the unlocked Shields I had back on your world…they're disabled."
"Fweh?!"
Harry snarled quietly, before he remembered something Glass, L'Arc, and Therese had brought up during their trip to Spirit Tortoise Country, explaining exactly why they were at Cal Mira. "Wait a moment…Glass, L'Arc and Therese said that those who gained experience on one world would have to start from Level 1 on another world," Harry said. "Glass technically doesn't have a level, her strength is tied directly to her life-force, which is basically the same as her SP. But L'Arc and Therese, and presumably Naofumi too, had to start from Level 1. So, in all likelihood, we're somewhere on their world…assuming Kyo didn't send us to some other world entirely. The problem is, he's taken Hedy, Raphtalia, Glass, L'Arc and Therese away from us." He gritted his teeth, before slamming his fist into a nearby wall. "FUCK! FUCK!"
Rishia recoiled, but Harry shook his head. "I'm not angry at you, Rishia. I'm angry at Kyo. He's just given me yet another reason to kill him, assuming we can do so for good. But…you were awake for longer than I was. Have you seen anything?"
"Fweh…there's a portal nearby, but I didn't go through it," she said. "I didn't want to leave you alone."
Harry looked again at his status screen. "Well, the good news is that, even if I can't use the Shields I unlocked on your world, the stat bonuses and special effects from them are still in play. So, we do a bit of reconnaissance first, try and figure out where we are. Then…" Harry frowned. Was there a way to leave this place? He had a vague notion on how to do so, but…
"Fweh? Oh, I did find something in one of the nearby cells," Rishia said in realisation.
She led him out of their cell to a nearby cell, which indeed was filled with items. "I don't get it," Harry said, noting the rather nice furnishings. They were covered with a layer of dust, he noted as he wiped a finger along them. "This is a prison, right? So why are the doors unlocked? Where are the guards? And what's with the furnishings? Nobody's been in this cell for some time."
"Wait a moment," Rishia said, going over and pulling out a sheet of paper. "Fwehhh…I can't read it."
Harry took it from her, before he frowned. "That's weird. There seems to be three different letters, two in Japanese, and one in English." His eyes widened. "Wait a moment…this is Hermione's writing! She initialled it, and I recognise her penmanship anyway."
"Fweh? What does it say?"
Harry cleared his throat. "To whom it may concern. Shame on you for locking away this world's best Cardinal Hero. We've freed Kizuna and are taking her back home. Any attempt to retrieve her will be seen as an act of war against Sickle. HG." He looked around the cell. "The Infinite Labyrinth…that's where Kizuna was imprisoned…that's where we are now."
"Fweh?"
"…From what I understood, Kizuna pissed off some people in Mikakage, an enemy nation to Sickle," Harry said. "Because her Cardinal Weapon does no harm to people, she couldn't fight back when she was bunged into jail. Mikakage didn't tell Glass, L'Arc or Therese about it, so it can't have been for her to act as a hostage to force Sickle to do their bidding."
"Fwehhh…maybe it was spite? Or maybe it was an agent of the Vanguards of the Waves who did it?"
"Maybe. In any case, we now know we're on their world, and where we are. The problem is escaping. Hermione and Naofumi must've done so with Kizuna, so…" Harry frowned. "A Portkey? Maybe, but I dunno if they work between dimensions, and we're in a sort of pocket dimension. Apparition may not work for the same reasons." His eyes widened. "Wait…I have an idea. It's a long shot, but don't get startled, Rishia."
"…Okay," the green-haired girl said with a nod.
"Winky?" Harry called out.
And lo and behold, the House Elf appeared. For a moment, she seemed disoriented, before she said, "Master Harry Potter? Is that you?"
"Yes, Winky. Winky, this is Rishia. We got separated from the others while pursuing Kyo. Can you take us to Sickle?"
The House Elf nodded eagerly. "Of course, Master Harry Potter…"
The place in Sickle they were taken to by Winky seemed to be right outside a rather nice-looking stone mansion. "…Winky, what is this place?" Harry asked.
"This be Miss Kizuna's house, Master Harry Potter," Winky said.
Harry nodded. If this was Kizuna's house, they were safe, for a given value of safe, anyway. He then looked down at the House Elf. "Okay, Winky…I need you to do me a favour. You remember Raphtalia and Hedy?" The House Elf nodded. "Find them, and fetch them here, along with Glass, L'Arc, and Therese. You know them, right? Please get them."
The House Elf nodded again, and vanished. Before they could settle in to wait what Harry hoped was a short period of time before his friends and allies were rescued, though, he heard an unfamiliar voice call out. "Hey, who are you two?"
Harry and Rishia whirled to find a short Japanese girl striding up to them. She appeared to be in her mid-teens at the oldest, wearing a vaguely Victorian-looking black dress, but with a Japanese-style coat draped over her shoulders like a cape. Her dark hair had parts of it done up in twin tails, while her brown eyes glared at them both suspiciously.
However, Harry asked, tentatively, "Sorry, are you Kizuna Kazayama, the Hunting Tool Hero?"
"Yeah. So, what of it?" Suddenly, she did a double-take looking at Harry, and then at the Shield. "Wait a moment…you're Harry Potter, aren't you? Hermione had photos of you with her." She ran a hand through her hair and chuckled weakly in embarrassment. "Aw, crapbaskets. Look, sorry about the rude greeting, but I've gotten a bit suspicious of strangers suddenly showing up ever since Hermione and Naofumi busted me out of the Infinite Labyrinth."
Harry nodded approvingly. Mad-Eye Moody would have been proud. "It's fine, Kizuna. Anyway, this is Rishia Ivyred, a former member of the Bow Hero's party, now working with me. Unfortunately, Kyo messed around with our travelling here, so you can't meet Raphtalia or Hedy. I dunno where they are, never mind Glass, L'Arc, and Therese. We were left behind in the Infinite Labyrinth, but Winky got us out. I'm hoping she can get the others out." He frowned. "I would've thought she would have done it by now."
"If they're in a prison, maybe Winky has to be careful around the guards?" Kizuna mused. "Well, she's actually assigned to my party, and her stats still look good, so she's fine. Still, it's good to meet you, Harry. I was just doing some fishing to calm my nerves. I mean, with Glass, L'Arc and Therese gone to track down Kyo, I was getting anxious, worried, even. That, and, well, Naofumi and Hermione were getting a bit frisky, and when that happens, they get loud."
"FWEH?!" Rishia yelped, her face turning a bright tomato red.
Harry, on the other hand, chuckled weakly. "Really? Those two?"
"You'd be surprised at how well they hit it off," Kizuna said with a cheeky smirk. "Naofumi and Hermione come from the same timeline, after all, though mine is not that far off yours. Some of the pop culture and history overlaps. Plus, Naofumi's not afraid of strong women or intelligent ones, especially if they have an inkling of the shit he went through. Honestly, I'm glad for Naofumi. I only met him briefly before I was imprisoned. Hell, I only got a brief, garbled explanation about the Waves before I got chucked into the Infinite Labyrinth, as I was summoned to defeat the Demon Dragon Emperor, long story there. And hearing about Kyo…look, we weren't always on the best of terms, but even if he wasn't a friend, I thought him a decent enough Vassal Hero, just a bit of an asshole and an egotist. So hearing about him going full-on genocidal maniac was hard. How bad are things going?"
"It's pretty bad, but I'll wait until Hermione and Naofumi are here to explain it, and hopefully, the others will be here too," Harry said.
"…By the way, I'm sorry about Rifana," Kizuna said in a gentle tone. "I liked her, I really did. I guess that was the first time I lost someone I really cared about. I mean, aside from being taken away from my family back in my timeline, but as far as I know, they're still alive. But I…" Her eyes widened in horror. "No…no no no no! NO!"
"What's wrong?!" Harry demanded.
She looked up to him. "…Winky…she just died. Her HP suddenly just dropped. Not that she had much to begin with, but…"
Harry stared at her in dismay. He checked his own stats for his party. Raphtalia and Hedy were still present and correct, even if their HP seemed the worse for wear. But that did little to reassure him.
He'd gotten someone killed, again. True, Winky's death didn't affect him as much as Rifana's did, or even Dobby. Winky had become a loyal House Elf to him, but he remembered her contempt towards Dobby and her helping Barty Crouch Junior during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He couldn't say that he befriended her, not like Dobby. It was more of a professional relationship where he did his best to treat her well.
But it was still a blow. He had flashbacks to the clusterfuck that should have been their seventh year, when Dobby died from a knife thrown by Bellatrix Lestrange. The grave he had dug with his own hands. Winky had not been as close to him as Dobby had been, but she had been a good and loyal House Elf, and didn't deserve to be killed by some random guard on this world thanks to his request getting her into danger.
And of course, it came hot on the heels of Ost dying. Rifana's death hadn't been that long ago either, the scars hadn't healed. More and more deaths around Harry, death clinging to him like a miasma.
With an effort of will, he stomped down on the grief and self-reproach. He needed to focus on the living first. He could mourn Winky, along with Ost, later. Grimly, he asked, "Could you tell where she was? I mean, I heard things are different here in terms of magic and the Cardinal Weapons, but…"
Kizuna shook her head. "No, but…oh!" Her eyes widened, as she looked behind Harry. "Ethnobalt!"
Harry whirled to find what looked like a young man with white hair framing beautiful features, crimson eyes peering at them serenely. He was wearing robes, and standing on a small floating platform. If Harry recalled what Naofumi, Glass, L'Arc and Therese had told him, this guy was actually a Librarian Rabbit, a race of long-lived, transforming rabbit-like beings, and the equivalent of Filolials on this world. "Ah, Kizuna," Ethnobalt said. "My apologies to you and your…visitors, I believe, but I was coming to notify you that Hermione's detection spell has shown that Kyo is back here on this world."
"And we followed him," Harry said. "You're Ethnobalt, huh? The Vassal Boat Hero? I'm Harry Potter, Hermione's friend and the poor schmuck roped into becoming the Shield Hero, and this is Rishia Ivyred, who's in my party at the moment."
"Ah. Well, while I will want Hermione to confirm your identity, it's a pleasure to meet you both," Ethnobalt said, stepping off the hovering platform and shaking Harry's hand, and then Rishia's. "If even half of Hermione's tales are true, then I am glad to have you here regardless."
"…Ethnobalt, as glad as I am to see you being friends with him, it's a bit of a mess at the moment," Kizuna said. "Look…Winky is dead. Harry sent her to try and retrieve Raphtalia and Hedy, along with Glass, L'Arc, and Therese. They're God knows where thanks to Kyo."
"Then let us try to find them," Ethnobalt said. "Scrying rituals take time, and the Point Me spell from your world has a limited range, but I do have an alternative. Once that has been arranged, we can start to search for the others. First, let's rouse Naofumi and Hermione from their post-coital doze. And have them have a shower to boot. I can smell them even from here."
"FWEH?"
Raphtalia glared at the back of the guard as he traipsed away, carrying the remains of Winky away as if he was handling a piece of garbage. Winky had been trying to get them out of the prison cell they had been locked in. She had been about to go to a wall and try to blast them out, given the energy-draining nature of the cell, when a guard had spotted the House Elf. Not bothering to ask what she was doing there, the guard threw a dagger, though it might as well have been a metal stake, given the damage it did to Winky. The guard then proceeded to stomp on the body of the House Elf until Winky looked like little more than roadkill wearing an old pillowcase.
The guard then proceeded to taunt Raphtalia about how this had been her last hope to escape, a hope he had just squashed. In fact, Winky's appearance was just as Raphtalia, Glass, L'Arc and Therese were formulating a way to escape. Winky had told her that she had been sent by Harry, which meant that he was on this world, that he was free from wherever Kyo sent him to. That alone gave her some hope.
And that hope hadn't been squashed with Winky's body. If anything, all that monster did was inflame her anger. Doing what he did was not the actions of a man just doing a job. No, he was clearly a sadist, little better than the likes of Idol Rabier and many of that fat bastard's guards. Was he one of Kyo's lackies? Or was he just one of the nastier sorts of people infesting this country, Raybul, L'Arc had called it?
No matter. Raphtalia had a plan to escape before Glass died from her power being drained. And if that guard got in her way…well, others, she would knock out. But that one? They'd need to make haste to escape, which was why she was only going to slit his damn throat…
CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:
So, Harry, Raphtalia, Hedy and Rishia have arrived at the other world. But…complications have arisen.
Firstly, I thought I'd have a joke about Hermione and Naofumi sleeping with each other. Considering time moves more quickly on Glass' world than on the main world of the series, well, it's not out of the question. Rishia's embarrassed reaction wrote itself.
Secondly, Kizuna is here! I have to admit, I like her, and she's pretty much the moral centre of the 'good guys' on Glass' world.
Thirdly…alas, Poor Winky. While a useful living macguffin to get people in and out of places, I didn't want Raphtalia and the others to be freed too quickly and reunited, if only to ensure Raphtalia gets the Vassal Katana. It keeps the stakes high.
Fourthly, Raphtalia may seem OOC here, but I think her character at times in canon seems inconsistent, especially in the anime series. I'd like to think that my take on Raphtalia is more consistent. Yes, she is darker and more ruthless, but keep in mind, the few times it has truly happened, it's been against people who have truly pissed her off. Balmus, the Death Eaters, Kyo, and now this sadistic mook of a guard who ganked poor Winky…
Then again, keep in mind, she's been raised on Earth for almost half of her life, with a guardian who was in the JSDF. The reserves, admittedly, but she has been given some more perspective on what it is like to take a life. Balmus was the first time she actually took someone's life, but she's not going all murderhobo. She has an even stronger moral compass than Harry in this fic. But woe betide anyone who pisses her off. She is more than just the Yamato Nadeshiko of the Japanese ideal. She is a warrior woman. So her confrontation with Kazuki/Trash 2 will be somewhat different, at least in terms of dialogue exchange. Especially as she's even more compatible with the Vassal Katana this time.
Review-answering time! Skull Flame: Kyo was pretty fun to write. Like I said, in writing him as he underwent his breakdown, I basically used the Stephen King method of writing villainous breakdowns: turn up the ham and put in a lot of expletives. What happened to Jack Torrance at the end of The Shining (the book, not the film or miniseries) is a case in point. And given how utterly smug he was in canon, having him wrongfooted early and then having to cope with everyone throwing back his knowledge of Earth and his gamer mentality in his face was immensely satisfying.
As stated before, Kyo was also a Squib. I didn't elaborate, but basically, in my mind, he was born a Squib to a Pureblood family in Japan, and thus had a Shinji Matou-sized chip on his shoulder, envying those with magic. Eventually, he was kicked out of his home, though not before he learned of what happened in Magical Britain. He kept abreast of some goings on in the wizarding world, but otherwise stayed out of it. In fact, he committed suicide some years after Harry and Raphtalia were summoned to Melromarc. Remember, the summonings (and thus plausibly the reincarnations) seem to have quite a lot of timey-wimey bullshit, so while Kyo's first life may have died some years after these events, he was reborn at least a couple of decades prior to it. Blame the World Eater.
In the light novels, they used a Soul Eater sealed in an ofuda, I think. As for using the Book as a phylactery, I'm pretty sure that I saw it in another fanfic, but I can't remember where for the life of me. As for Itsuki's former party, well, both they and Motoyasu's ex-party (aside from Elena, who has thrown herself on Mirelia's mercy) have been declared traitors and deserters. Then again, I'd say that, by this point, the Vanguards of the Waves are about to recruit them anyway.
L: That was deliberate, though I feel that even canon Fitoria, for all her many faults, is a far better person than Kratos. Kratos is an absolutely shit father. He's about as shitty a father as you can get without him showing Atreus no love at all. He's always been a neglectful father too, given what he did with Calliope. It takes him until partway through God of War: Ragnarok to truly become the father he should be, from what I know (I haven't gotten to that part of the game yet). And that's just his parental ability. At least the new Valhalla DLC has him coming to terms far more with the darkest parts of his past and resolving to truly become better.
Yeah, this is part of Itsuki's redemption, or at least him rising back up to become the hero he wants to be from rock-bottom. And unlike Mald and his party, he now has Sadeena as a mentor. And while our favourite Orca waifu can be potentially a bad influence, she's also got her heart in the right place. There'll also be a bond of friendship (and ONLY friendship) that forms between Itsuki and S'yne. That being said, Mald and his accomplices will actually end up being recruited by the Vanguards of the Waves, as mentioned above.
OniTenshi500: Yeah, but what does 'L-Ratio' mean? Like, 'Loser Ratio' or something? And Raphtalia is a little too dignified to say something so puerile. The worst she does is call him 'Trash', as well as telling him to go to Hell. But she is vicious in her own tranquil fury way.
No numbered annotations this time.
