(Any of you rare MFers who read the original Re:zero Shattered realities know this thing is long overdue I promised this back in 2021, the truth is I already wrote it back then but never had the heart to send it out. But since I'm redoing the MGE stuff (maybe) I thought I would see if anyone wants this other piece of trash re-written and finished. RE:SR was not a typical Re:zero fic it has OC characters and follows a unique not cannon-compliant story (for example Reinhard is a girl and the entire world and structure of Re:zero is just much different.) It kinda might be too much for what Fanfic is supposed to be, which is why I never finished it (I'm also just a god-awful writer) so lemme know if it's worth finishing idk. Oh this story might also be slightly Puck/Subaru if this ever gets finished you will see how that works)
*Click click*
Playing log #137
"We went too far." A man's somber voice could be heard even though the room was empty and desolate. It looked as though no one had been in the room for years. It had no windows. Not even a recognizable door or other entry point could be seen. The footage was old and clearly recorded on an old camcorder, but it had no date and time.
"Im sorry. For what we did." The voice again. It was the voice of someone who suffered. Of someone who has no path forward. A man finally came into view a revolver in his hand. Primed, with one bullet loaded. The man didn't show his face. He donned a black gas mask that blocked all of his features with a red logo that seemed to have been hastily scratched out.
"This is the end. The hell that has been unleashed on this world is irreversible im sorry I ever took part." A loud banging sound. Coming from outside the camera's field of view. The man jolted startled by the sound and the voices that came after. The man reached over the top of the camera, seemingly debating turning it off before retracting having one last thing to say.
"There is something special in this world. Someone special in this world they are what he is looking for. There is no one capable of stopping him anymore. Im sorry." The man left forgetting to turn off the camera. A single gunshot was heard before the footage went black.
End log.
*Beeeeep*
"Shit! Would it kill you people to drive normally!" The boy rubbed his head in mild frustration. "Honestly some people need their licenses revoked!" The man was named Subaru. Just Subaru as he would say. "Last names are a formality I can't be bothered with! Subaru will do just fine!"
Now you may be wondering what Subaru is doing on the dark streets of London this late at night anyway. Wait you didn't know he was in London? Here let me set the stage.
EH HEM
It's 2073 I know weird year right? Well, hold on hear me out. Subaru is in London, a company needs his technical expertise. "Like everyone else in this cursed place!" It's very safe to say he isn't enjoying his time in the kingdom as much as he hoped. But! He was hoping to indulge in, as far as he knows the only good thing left in the kingdom after the strict militarization act happened. That's right! A good old cup of tea. A new place opened nearby and from all the talk and memes about it on YouTube. "Yes, that's still a thing I know crazy." It was something worth checking out.
So here he was scurrying about the wet streets of London whilst trying to avoid all the angry men and women bustling around him.
*bzzz*
His phone. He dug it out of his pocket with very little finesse and checked the notification bar. Mobile phones have kinda gotten out of style as lenses, an invention that broadcasts information and can cast a digital overlay right over your eyes. Making it like you were constantly in the world of VR. A great escape for those with pathetic lives. Subaru would know. That's why he built them in the first place! The only reason he doesn't use his own invention more is that apparently surrounding yourself in fantasy is 'bad for your mental health'. What a bunch of killjoys. Subaru knew what was bad for his mental health! Everything else he does! But doctor's recommendations are like the law here. He didn't have much of a choice.
Subaru finally shook himself out of his thoughts and looked back down at his phone.
From kent:
Yo dude we still up fr 2nite or? :]
Subaru stopped dead in his tracks damn near tripping over a passerby by how hard he stopped. "Ah, shit I completely forgot!" Kent is Subaru's best friend. His only friend really. And he wanted Subaru to go to a party with him. Apparently, Subaru is 'too loaded' to be as depressed as he is. Subaru sighed. He could understand his friend's worry. He does mope around quite a bit but he can't help it! The world sucks! That's why he puts so much effort into his technology! But alas responsibilities. Subaru began to type away on his phone outputting a hasty response.
Subaru:
Yeah yeah, I'll be there in a bit bro, im just out at the square getting some tea to relax.
Kent:
Better hurry up br0, there are some girls here for you
Subaru:
Tell them I said im not interested.
And it was true. Subaru was not.
Kent:
I'll tell them you're on the way! ;3
"God damnit! I better get there fast before this idiot gets me in trouble!"
Subaru holstered his phone and made haste to the café shop just a few blocks down. His movements were much more agile and unnecessary than one would assume from someone like him. Running atop cars and leaping over people, like some type of literal tech ninja. Thanks to his advanced movement parkour however he made it to the shop much faster than if he were to just walk like the average person.
Subaru panting heavily walked into the shop his appearance immediately drawing many people's attention. Not because he was cute or anything, he was slightly above average at best. But because of his angry-looking eyes and heavy breathing. The barista behind the expensive-looking counter seemed to tremble at the mere sight of him. He stormed up to the counter his eyes dark and without pupils. His breath was coming out in short tight seethes through gritted teeth. Like he was trying to hold back his anger before perking up brightly and smiling.
"Heya! Could I get a vanilla iced tea please!"
The barista stared at him for a solid 5 seconds causing him to tilt his head in a confused manner, like a puppy. The barista might have thought it was cute if she wasn't so perturbed so instead, she pulled him over the counter and started beating him with a towel.
"YOU STUPID KID WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN COME IN HERE MAKING A LADY SO SCARED LIKE THAT YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!" The barista went on an angry tangent all the while hitting Subaru with a flick of the towel between every word.
"OK, I GET IT I GET IT STOP HITTING ME!" Subaru was starting to wonder if that tea was worth the physical harassment as he tried fruitlessly to cover himself with his hands. He should call the police. Nah bad idea. They would probably arrest him.
Subaru left the café with tea and a headache. Subaru took a sip of the cold tea in his hand. "Hmm, it is good. Maybe it was worth it after all!" Subaru satisfied with his drink skips away to that stupid party he doesn't want to go to. Talk about bipolar.
Subaru was leaping over rooftops taking small sips of tea as he did.
"Ugh, I don't even want to imagine how much trouble that kid has caused!" Subaru thought to himself. He knows Kent means well but he really causes some problems for him sometimes. A small smile graces Subaru's face, the first genuine one in a while.
"Honestly he's such a -"
*SLIP*
Subaru while lost in his thoughts also seems to be lost in his footing. The wetness from the morning rain didn't help much either. Subaru didn't even scream as he fell from a 4-story building roof, he was more stunned than anything.
"I've never fallen before! I must really be out of sorts huh?" Yep. That would have been his last thought as he fell headfirst, but as he made contact with the ground his body was rolling. Down a snowy hill?
"OOF" Subaru grunted out as he tucked his knees into his chest. "Ah fuck- huh?" Subaru raised his head to see "Where the hell am I?" A forest, a forest covered in snow and ice.
"Shit my laptop!" Subaru swung the bag he was carrying around and quickly undid the zipper pulling out the sleek professional-grade laptop he was carrying and opening it up. "Phew! Not a single scratch! Thank the lord." Subaru checked for the rest of his belongings. Which consisted of his phone solar charger and handgun.
"Well, at least all my stuff is fine. But-" Subaru glanced around. "This isn't where I was before. Hell, I don't think there is a single place in London that looks like this!" And he was right. Subaru could see through the heavy forest trees that snowy mountain peaks surrounded the area.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT!" Subaru screamed high into the heavens and all the birds who were previously resting soundly in the trees scampered away. "Ugh, how did this even happen?" Subaru pauses briefly a brief look of realization coming to his face.
"No…" Subaru took a breath.
"No, it can't be…"
"IM IN A GOD DAMN COMA!" Subaru yelled angrily to whoever may be listening. "God damn it all! Of course, im in a coma! My stupid ass fell headfirst!" Subaru kicks a nearby imaginary rock in his frustration. "Why did my brain cook up a place this cold anyway? I have never been to a place like this before!" Subaru says noticing the cold, even in the autumn weather it's more humid than cold, Subaru isn't in warm clothing. "It's fine, I should wake up any minute now. Then I'll be having a long talk with my therapist about cold ugly forests." Subaru slumped over on a tree preparing to just wait out the problem.
….
"Is it just me or is it getting colder?" Subaru wonders aloud head in his hands. "Honestly I wish I would just wake up alr-"
GRRRR
"Huh?" Subaru glances up only to see an angry drooling dog creature in front of him, it was raggedy and had a horn protruding through the left side of his skull and what looked like blood. Dripping from its maw"…" Subaru stares at the thing for a split second before deciding-
"AAAAAAAAH!" To scream and run far away from it, a very noble plan.
"WHAT THE FUCK BRAIN!" Subaru screamed in his head. He couldn't quite fathom why he was creating such a hell for himself, "first the cold now the rabid dog? Tch this is utter horseshit!" Subaru thought running through the forest bouncing and leaping over any fallen branch or large stone in his way but even with all that the dog was hot on his tail, snapping its jaw as it got closer and closer. "Shit I need to do something before this stupid thing somehow kills me in my dream! Im sure that if you die in a coma that's the end for you!" Subaru quickly crafts a plan in his head, one that requires skill elegance, and wit. He would turn around pull out his gun and shoot the thing in its head. "Wow, I really am a genius that's a brilliant plan!" Subaru spins on his heel drawing his gun with lightning speed finger on the trigger until.
*SHINK*
The accursed animal just dropped dead.
"H-huh? How in the hell!" Subaru gripped his handgun tighter his head swiveling around, his eyes scanning every detail of the forest around him but saw nothing but snow trees and somebody's cat. "That doesn't make sense! It looks like someone hurled an icicle at this thing! And with such speed and precision! Im getting outta here!"
"Hey! Don't worry your safe now!" A voice, a new voice not his own.
"FROM WHERE! THERE IS NO ONE HERE!" Subaru decided to ignore the ghost voice and crank the worry meter to the maximum.
"Hmm, you're not from around here huh? You're dressed… differently" The voice poorly hid a laugh.
"AM I GETTING JUDGED BY A GHOST RIGHT NOW! COME OUT HERE AND FACE ME I BET YOU WEARING A BEDSHEET! AND YOU DARE MOCK MY TASTES!" Subaru hid his fear with aggression as he always had. Puffing his chest and seething he didn't know what he would do if the ghostly voice did what he demanded, aside from running away in fear of course. You can't shoot a ghost everyone knows that!
It laughed again.
Again.
"Relax, Im no ghost! My name is Puck it's nice to meet you!" The voice sounded cheery and bright. Still, Subaru couldn't tell where the voice was coming from he spun around so much he got dizzy but there was no one to be found.
"Hmm, here how's this?" Suddenly something grey and fuzzy appeared in the corner of his vision.
"AH SHIT!" Subaru fell to the ground already pointing his weapon at the monster in front of him.
"Whoa don't shoot I surrender!" It laughed again raising its paws in a placating gesture. The monster was-
"A STUPID CAT ARE YOU SERIOUS! I NEARLY SHAT MYSELF BACK THERE BECAUSE OF YOU?!" Subaru started to grit his teeth in frustration. "AND WHY ARE YOU FLOATING? WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY BRAIN!" Subaru began to roll around in the snow all of a sudden not minding the cold.
"Ouch, hey things like that hurt my feelings y'know?" The cat said gently. "Look I understand your clearly going through… something? But you gotta calm down. Here let me help you out!" The grey cat began to float closer to Subaru who was muttering to himself as he covered himself in snow.
"Wake up wake up wake up wake up AHHH" Subaru's face turned to stone as he noticed the miniature cats approach and toss snow at it, which it dodged around with little effort. "You stay away from me! I don't want anything to do with-" The cat touched its paw to Subaru's head and all of a sudden, he felt a gentle calm take over his body. His stress fear and anxiety melted away by a gentle breeze. "Whoa hey this isn't too bad…" Subaru glanced up to look at the cat as it still had its paw extended. "Hey, are you alright?"
The cat didn't respond so he tried again.
"Hey? Dude?" The cat slowly looked up at Subaru.
"You- your- how?" The cat was sputtering while looking at Subaru with so much confusion he was going to get a secondhand concussion.
"What? What's wrong spit it out you dream cat!" Subaru received a response he was not expecting. The cat seemingly teleported onto his shoulder and hugged his neck tightly.
"I can't believe it. I didn't think I thought-" The cat never really completed a full sentence or explained its clinginess but Subaru could sense that it was emotionally distraught and sought comfort in the crook of his neck and decided not to say or do anything. Just give it time to relax, it's clear it didn't want to hurt him, if it did it probably would have already hurled one of those icicles at his neck!
"Subaru." "H-huh?" Did this cat just… say my name?
"Whoa, that's kinda freaky cat thing! How do you know my name!" The still-present calm stopped Subaru from freaking out to the levels he should have but he was still rightly concerned.
"Im glad you're here… Finally." It said softly still nuzzling Subaru's neck as if afraid he was going to disappear.
"What? Slow down, dude! What's wrong?" Subaru asked trying to be patient with the cat as it seemed to start to calm down.
"You're my uhm-," The cat paused again still not leaving its spot on Subaru's neck. "You're my contractor… Aren't you?"
"…"
"What?" Was all Subaru could think to say. This cat, this weird figment of his imagination spends the last 5 minutes crying on him and then says something like that!? "What do you mean im your contractor? I don't remember signing anything of the sort!" Subaru still didn't find it in his soul to yell but the tone of his voice still accurately displayed his worry and apprehension.
That caused the furball to laugh again, though it seemed sadder than before.
"Yes, I suppose you wouldn't have huh?" The cat finally left his neck before floating in Infront of his face again. Subaru began to tilt his head again which seemed like something he does often until the cat once again spread its front paws out and Subaru was enveloped in a blinding flash of golden yellow light
Subaru's immediate response was to try and scream and reprimand the cat for doing something so unexpected but paused.
He was in a city. Not London but, almost close. He was standing in the middle of a busy street car and people flew by him like they were moving forward in time faster than he was. All of a sudden he felt a pair of eyes on him but before he could turn around to see who he was thrust out of the golden city and back in Infront of Puck.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS -huh?" Subaru stopped his angry rant before it could begin, Puck now had something in between its paws, a golden yellow string, that was connected back to Subaru.
"What-why?" Subaru tried to grab onto the string to see how it was connected to him but his hand phased right through it, all he managed to do was cause the string to shimmer.
"Huh! I wasn't expecting it to look like this, but it's proof." Subaru gave Puck a very tired gaze still not fully recovered from his trip to that weird city. "It's like im having inception!" Subaru moped in his head barely paying attention to the life-changing information Puck was giving him.
"We're connected at the soul Subaru, do you see?" Subaru did see, but he certainly didn't understand.
"Look cat-"
"My name is Puck"
"I DON'T CARE! This is all some weird dream and I know im going to wake up any second now!"
"Subaru…What do you think is happening right now?" Puck knew that when they found their contractor they would be shocked, they were a great spirit after all, but Puck isn't sensing worry or fear, desperation is all that is radiating from Subaru's pure soul.
Subaru's emotions finally got the better of him as tears threatened to fall from his eyes.
"This is just a dream… I fell on my head!" Subaru couldn't understand what was happening to him. The snow around him was too cold, Puck's fur was too soft. And that city… It felt too real. Subaru for the first time in a very, very long time had the urge to cry to succumb to the despair he felt within his fragile heart.
"Subaru, im sorry but… this isn't a dream. You're not in a coma. This is well, reality."
"How am I supposed to believe that?" Subaru asked quietly. "This doesn't make sense…" Subaru clenched the snow in his hand and watched it fall and join the larger mass at his feet. "Are you trying to say- that I have somehow been teleported across the world? Or was I just declared dead and dropped in this forest for some reason? Or am I in a whole new world entirely?"
"Look Subaru, I don't know what happened to you before I found you but I promise you will be ok now. I will make sure of it." Puck's words struck a chord in Subaru's heart, such simple words, yet even still Subaru was compelled to believe them. Maybe it's because of how genuine Puck sounded. As if the suffering of someone like him truly made them sad.
Subaru sniffled and took the time to wipe his eyes, he wasn't crying, not yet but any longer groveling in the snow and he would have.
"Thank you, Puck, I-im sorry for all of this, im normally… Much more composed" Subaru gave a small laugh. Subaru spends most of his time pretending to be normal, not even happy just normal. Yet his brain never stops worrying looking for solutions to everyone else's problems. Never thinking of his own. Subaru finally stood up taking one last breath of the cold air.
"Even if I have absolutely no clue what's going on I'll tackle this situation head first! Just like I always do!" Subaru cried out with more resolve than Puck was expecting given that the mess of negative emotions in their contractor's head were still present and stronger than ever. Puck knew that Subaru's bravado was fake but unless they wanted to use more magic to try and make him feel better, that was the best they were going to get.
"Yeah of course! I'll be with you every step of the way!" Puck gave Subaru a very bright smile and their azure eyes seemed to brighten. "Here I'll take you back to the manor, maybe the purple man will help you find your way?"
"Who is the purple man? That's such a weird name to give to somebody!" Subaru joked, and he was right 'Purple Man' sounded like some indie horror game character.
"Oh his name isn't the Purple man silly" Puck stopped their sentence as they laughed, and just like their voice, it was a sweet and comforting sound, now that Subaru took a second to appreciate it. "His name is Roswaal! He is uh, kinda like the temporary ruler of this area. He will definitely want to meet you! And to think he was telling me my contractor wasn't coming with such certainty!"
Subaru nodded "Hm. I still don't get this whole… contractor businesses? What are the terms for this contract anyway?" Subaru already mentally prepared himself for the worst. Contracts, especially ones you don't know about until after you have supposedly signed them, are never good news.
"Oh don't worry it's nothing bad! You can think of me as your spiritual guide, your permanent protector and companion!"
That answer didn't really help Subaru, but he was much too tired to continue thinking about it and instead asked a different question; "How far away is this manor then? Is it in this forest somewhere?"
"No, it's not, even though Roswaal lords this area he doesn't actually live around here." Puck floated around Subaru a couple of times before landing on his head. "Hold on tight ok?"
Subaru scoffed, "'Hold on tight? What does that even mean huh?" Subaru said mild amusement in his tone. "This cat's body is smaller than my hand! What exactly could they have thought I would hold on to?!" As Subaru continued to ponder the sensibility of the cat's words he failed to notice it speak again.
"Ianuae" As soon as the word left Puck's furry lips they were both enveloped in a tornado of snow and ice it was so loud Subaru couldn't think he didn't even realize he was screaming until the tornado vanished, as swiftly as it came and he could hear himself again.
"Are you ok Subaru?" Puck was laughing behind their paw again, "I told you to hang on!"
"This freakin-" Subaru wanted to hit Puck on the head with something but instead decided to survey his surroundings again. He was no longer in the frozen forest, he knew that immediately as he wasn't cold anymore.
The fact that he was in a library was also a decent indicator.
"Puck what did you do? Where did you take us! Why didn't you tell me you could do magic!"
"E-eh? Yes, I did! Were you not listening to me!?" Puck said feigning hurt.
"DON'T YOU TRY TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT YOU WET RAT!"
"WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN?!" Puck was actually hurt that time and before Subaru could pointlessly refute being mean a new voice interrupted them.
"Bubby, why have you brought this loud human to my library?" Subaru turned to the voice and saw a small girl, she had bright pink eyes with butterfly rises. She looked at the two of them with mild irritation.
"Whoa, butterflies!"
"Heya Beatrice, sorry im coming in here all unannounced, the loud human is Subaru my contractor."
"…" The girl, Beatrice didn't respond for a while but her expression didn't change blank as she stared at Puck seemingly calculating their words. Finally, it seemed she exhaled. "F-fine then I suppose. It's nice to meet you Subaru, please treat my sibling well." She gave a curt bow but it seemed forced. It's clear something about the situation irked her but Subaru didn't know what it was yet.
AND SCENE THIS IS ALL I WROTE IN 2019 LEMME KNOW IF MORE SHOULD BE MADE