Chapter 3: Of Lost Memories and Roaming Yetis
A couple weeks had passed since the snow war between Puck, Emilia, and Subaru. A routine had been established where they would wake up, clean the statues, explore and map a small portion of the forest, and Subaru would drag a not so reluctant Emilia to play.
Subaru felt surprisingly content. Though he still missed his parents, he'd made his first true best friend. It had been a bit startlingly to realize, but everyone that he'd had following him around in his antics, everyone that he'd been trying to make laugh, they hadn't been his friend. They hadn't been laughing with him; they'd been laughing at him.
It was a bit of a hollow feeling, acknowledging that most of his relationships until now had been so shallow. Had he and Emilia not crossed paths, he wondered when he would have realized it. All the way in another world with only an elven girl and a talking spirit cat, surprisingly it was here that Subaru finally found a sense of belonging. He wasn't the class clown, he wasn't Kenichi's son, he was Natsuki Subaru, Emilia's friend. And currently her teddy bear, again.
Despite his and Puck's efforts she was obstinate that he sleep in a "real" bed, and every morning he would find himself in this situation. The campaign to protect Emilia's modesty thus led to today's plans: gather pyroxene crystals and sell them off to buy materials to make a proper bed for Subaru.
Today's itinerary aside, there were also long term issues Subaru was beginning to consider. For instance, how were they going to save the frozen elves? Were they going to live in the forest forever? .
Emilia's attachment to the frozen elves worried Subaru. Although she was always happy to have Subaru with her, she would unfailingly insist that she be the one to clean them. Emilia always grew visibly more subdued near the statues. Perhaps more concerning, after some pressing she had admitted to not remembering who most of them were, nor much of her life before being frozen. In some ways Subaru was beginning to feel that the forest was almost a prison to her. She was always reluctant to play until after Subaru dragged her from her "duties", but once he did so she always enjoyed herself.
Still it was time to wake her up, Emilia was very much not a morning person. If left to herself she could sleep in until quite late in the morning. For all her diligence and motherly concern for others well being, on this matter she insisted that Subaru himself just needed to sleep more. Subaru was sure she just wanted him to let her sleep in more. And the thought was tempting, she was adorable when she slept.
"Oi, time to get up," he gently shook her shoulder. She had been getting better about waking up and this time she didn't latch on to him or throw him.
"Five more minutes, it's too early," she answered, still half asleep. Her grip loosened, but she did not let go nor open her eyes.
"It's almost noon," Subaru gave a slight exaggeration, "and we've got stuff to do today."
"You and Puck are soooo mean in the morning, probably because you two don't get enough sleep." Emilia threw a pout and puppy dog eyes his way.
This time, Subaru did not cave in and the two of them were up and about in short order. Emilia quickly found pyroxene crystals for them to sell. Seeing their abundance, Subaru started to wonder if his long term concerns might be just a little bit unfounded. Emilia cast an odd glance his way as she commented on the feeling of gathering them as being like cleaning someone's ear.
Their peace was not to last, however, as a roar followed by frightened screams echoed in the distance. Without uttering a word Emilia took off in a panicked dash and Subaru struggled to follow. She took half-glances back to make sure Subaru was staying close enough to protect if need be.
They quickly arrived on the scene where a monster Subaru could best describe as a yeti had cornered a family. A reasonably nondescript man with brown hair was holding a knife before him, trembling, as his wife and daughter cowered behind him.
"That's enough!" Emilia cried out as she jumped down from the ledge from which they were overlooking the events below. As she jumped down her long silver hair fluttered behind her before falling back into place as she landed. She directed a strong gaze toward both the beast and the family before it. Her hands outstretched, she conjured several chunks of ice that glowed a radiant blue and launched them. The mabeast roared as it was impaled in several spots.
The fell beast known as a Snow Blight turned to face her. As she prepared to face it the family of three seemed frozen in shock. The daughter's lip was trembling as she barely muttered, "It's the witch." Emilia flinched subtly but proceeded to launch several more ice projectiles into the monster.
As all of this was happening Subaru slid down to where the family was. He moved with purpose as the snow blight roared in pain. Subaru had every faith in Emilia's ability to win, but if he could get everyone out of there maybe they could avoid taking the risk altogether and just lose the mabeast in the forest. As Subaru approached none one reacted at all, their eyes were fixed forward as they trembled in fear.
"Oi! Snap out of it! Emilia's doing her best to hold it off, so the sooner you get out of here the sooner we can all escape." Subaru beat on the man's chest trying to get his attention.
Despite his best efforts to get the man's attention he seemed even more frightened than they had been before Emilia had intervened. And though the snow blight stayed in the man's field of vision, on closer inspection it was clear to Subaru that it was Emilia who was his current focus.
Subaru heard a pained grunt from where Emilia was fighting and without thinking snatched the knife out of the frightened father's hands, his trembling arms barely putting up any resistance. Subaru dashed madly at the creature as it dangled Emilia by her feet before it. Just as Emilia outstretched a hand, Subaru drove the knife he had stolen into the creature's thigh. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Emilia quickly launched a spike of ice directly at its face. Just as Emilia scored a direct hit on its face Subaru was backhanded to the side, as he pulled the knife back out.
Adrenaline rushing through his body, Subaru quickly shook off his dizziness and stood back up. As he did say Emilia who had been dropped stood back up and prepared to fight again. To their surprise, however, the snow blight seemed to no longer be interested in them. Instead it had set its sights on easier prey, the cowering family in the distance.
By the time the two of them had shaken off their daze from the blows they had taken, the beast was already upon the family preparing to strike. Emilia fell to her knees, as Subaru made a last ditch charge.
"Hey ugly," Subaru roared as he threw a rock he'd found on the ground at the beast. The rock and noise gave the beast but a brief pause, but that pause was enough for Subaru to close the distance. As Subaru went to bring the knife into the creature's back, it turned around and swung its arms, knocking Subaru back several feet. Subaru landed on the arm holding the knife and as he landed the force of the impact drove the knife into the side of his leg.
As Subaru cried out and writhed in pain, Emilia was by his side in seconds. The creature eyed them, and proceeded to amble towards them as if it had decided they were threats that could no longer be ignored.
"Stop! Please!" Emilia cried out desperately as Subaru forced himself back up with sheer willpower.
The snow blight came to a complete stop afterwards as small ice flowers formed and bloomed on its body. They grew rapidly ripping the beast into a bloody mess from both within and without.
"Thank goodness. Is everyone all right?" Emilia called out as she sank to her knees in relief.
Her answer, however, was a pained, frightened cry from the father of the family of three in the distance. A small ice flower had started to bud on the man's hand. At the sight of it Emilia panicked and she frantically tried to reign in her power.
As she did so the young girl of the family proceeded to frantically rant about Emilia being, "The Witch." Emilia shook her head desperately and went to cover her ears before glancing Subaru next to her.
"Subaru, please run away. I can't control it and I don't want to hurt you too. So please!" Emilia was trembling as she begged Subaru to go. Her breaths were more akin to rapid gasps, as her eyes went wide with fear.
"No. I'm not going anywhere. You can control it. And I know you won't hurt me." Subaru gently pulled down Emilia's arms as they went to cover her ears. He brought his gaze directly to hers.
"I can't...Please." Emilia managed to squeeze out as her frantic gasps and sobs robbed her of her breath. Her heart was racing so quickly and loudly in her ear that she was certain it would explode. Pins and needles stabbed at the ends of her fingertips as her head started to feel fuzzy. Every time the little girl in the distance called Emilia a witch she flinched and tried to curl in on herself a little more.
"Yes, you can. You know why, it's because you are Emilia. You're not some witch. You're not whatever they think you are. You're Emilia, the most amazing person I know. And it's because you're so amazing that I know you can do anything." Subaru drew Emilia into a tight hug and gently started rubbing her back.
"Now, take a deep breath," Subaru advised as her frantic sobs had brought her to the point of hiccupping.
As she did so she opened her eyes. She glanced at Subaru's shoulder and immediately gasped. On his shoulder was the bud of an ice flower.
"Oi, I said take a deep breath. I'm going to be fine. You're not going to hurt me. You're not going to hurt them." Subaru's voice grew somewhat firm as he pulled her in even tighter.
Emilia pulled back and met Subaru's eyes. The only thing she found in them was unwavering confidence. Deciding to trust im Subaru's faith in her she took a deep breath. She swallowed down a few more panicked sobs and took another. Focusing with all her might she managed to restrain the magic she had set loose. Bit by bit, the ice flowers receded.
Seeing their chance the family that Subaru and Emilia had rescued proceeded to run away as fast as their legs would carry them.
Relief painted across her tear stained face, Emilia collapsed into Subaru. With a pained grunt Subaru stood up, the knife still stuck in his leg. He gently picked Emilia's bonelessly limp body in a bridal carry.
Emilia buried her face in Subaru's coat. As she sobbed, a thought crossed her mind.
"Subaru, your leg…" She weakly tried to squirm her way out his arms.
"It'll be okay. Just stay put, you can barely move right now much less walk." Subaru managed to force his voice to stay calm.
"Just be as careful as you can. I'm fine just take care of yourself." Emilia protested feebly.
With great effort, Subaru limped his way back home. He gently set Emilia on the bed, before collapsing into a chair with a pained hiss. Subaru took deep rapid breaths, sweat dripping down his face as he fought through the pain.
"Subaru!" Emilia cried, as she forced herself into a sitting position.
"Let me take a look," though her phrasing was gentle there was worried sternness in her eyes.
Subaru gave in and moved the chair over so that Emilia could a look. As they looked at the wound, what they saw stunned them. A layer of ice had formed around the knife keeping Subaru from bleeding, and keeping the from moving. Emilia tried to bring forth some healing magic, but was unable to.
"Sorry Subaru, it looks I used all my mana when I lost control of my magic earlier. Hopefully Puck comes back soo…" Emilia trailed off before looking even more upset.
"Puck if you can hear me, I need your help," Emilia called out.
A mere moment after the words had left her mouth Puck appeared. His expression turned worried as he took appraisal of the situation.
"Lia, I thought I told you to call me at the first sign of trouble," Puck's voice carried a gentle scolding.
Emilia didn't respond, and merely lowered her head. Puck satisfied with her self reflection went to look at Subaru's wound.
"That's in pretty deep, you're lucky the ice is stopping the bleeding. Anyways clentch your teeth. I've got to remove the knife before healing you, and I don't want you to bite your tongue from the pain." Puck calmly instructed.
Subaru braced himself, and as he did so Puck called out, "On three. One. Two-". Puck immediately removed the knife on two.
"What happened to three?!" Subaru howled through grit teeth.
"This way you won't be all tense," Puck answered as he quickly sealed the stab wound.
"Now Subaru had a knife in him, and you're over there so exhausted of mana you can barely move. I'm going to want an explanation of what happened." Puck gave off the air of a stern, yet concerned father.
And so her face downturned and cheeks flush in embarrassment Emilia told the tale.
"I see, I see. Subaru from now on I'm counting on you to call for me when Lia gets stupid about doing stuff on her own. As brave as it was for you carry her here like that, I don't want a repeat." Puck finished off his lecture with a playful wink.
"Puck...was it me that froze everyone?" Emilia's quiet question sunk the room into an uneasy silence.
"I've kind of always thought it was in the back of my head. When I was losing control near Subaru I felt like I was losing Aunt Fortuna and Geuse all over agai-" Emilia's speech cut off abruptly as she cradled her head.
"Calm down. You don't need to remember right now-" Puck almost sounded as if he was begging rather than attempting to calm her down.
"No! I want to remember what happened! I want to remember who I was! I can't keep running from it, that's what almost killed that family and Subaru today." Emilia made that proclamation with uncharacteristic fierceness.
Her fierceness was quickly robbed by an even fiercer headache. As she writhed about in pain, Puck approached and put the tip of his tail to her forehead. Her eyes shut and she collapsed onto the bed in a fitful sleep.
"What did you do?" Subaru cried out in confusion.
"Having her take a nap. It seems it's too late to stop her from remembering." Though Puck's phrasing was casual his tone wasn't.
"Keep her from remembering!?" Subaru laid his indignation bare on Puck.
"I'd hoped to give her more time, forever if I could. Her not remembering seemed the best way to keep her happy and safe." Puck's voice carried just a bit of icy warning.
"Make her happy!? She might be remembering what happened just now, but she's felt responsible for whatever happened for a long time. Even I figured out that she's been punishing herself the whole time. The only time she does anything other than her 'duties' is for me. She only plays and has fun for my well being. If it weren't for me she'd busy herself in 'chores' all day long. Were you really going to let her punish herself for her entire life for something she can't even remember? For something that I know wasn't her fault!?"
Subaru was greedily gasping for air after finishing his rant. For a few moments Puck was oddly silent.
"Now that she knows she was truly at fault, it'll be even worse-" Subaru cut off Puck's somber reply.
"Are you kidding me, there's no way she would do anything like th-" Puck cut in with a more serious voice before Subaru could finish his rebuttal.
"She lost control of her magic just like today," Puck paused for a moment to let it sink in, but Subaru took the moment to press onwards.
"Today was a panic attack, once I calmed her down she was fine. My mom used to get them all the time, so I just did what my dad used to do." Subaru reduced Puck to a near stupor with his otherworldly knowledge.
"Yeah some people can have moments where they experience extreme fear and worry, sometimes to the point that they think they are dying. Her fear of whatever happened that day and being called a witch must've set it off today. If Emilia really froze all the elves, and that is a big if, whatever caused that must have been super horrifying."
Puck listened intently, and before he could respond Subaru made one more point.
"Besides, saying she lost control might not be completely true, after all none of the elves are dead. They can all be brought back just like she was." Puck's eyes widened as he took that last point.
"I don't know the exact details, but the village was in the process of being wiped out by the witch cult when it happened. Looking at it that way…" Puck trailed off.
"She might just have saved all of their lives," Subaru finished Puck's thought.
"Not that that'll be enough for Lia, she's so kind it's almost a poison to her," Puck shook his head.
"I won't let you talk bad about one of Emilia's best traits. Emilia wouldn't be Emilia if she wasn't an angel after all." Puck closed his eyes in response to Subaru's proclamation.
"Well you're not wrong," Puck caved.
"Puck, if Emilia became able to use magic as powerful as when she froze the forest, would she be able to thaw out the elves?" Subaru's face was pensive.
"Learning to use magic to that degree would hurt Lia," Puck's face grimaced in distaste.
"Do you not have any faith in her Puck!? She can-" Puck fiercely cut in.
"Of course I know she could do it. But there's no need to make her face her past now!" Puck's eyes took a near murderous fierceness.
"You can't hide her away from everything. Puck I've seen her flinch when she saw her reflection. Keeping her like this will just keep her hating herself for something she can't remember." Subaru's voice was somber.
Puck's fury fell and his face grew morose. He gave Subaru an appraising gaze.
"All right. I'll teach the both of you magic and how to contract spirits. It's probably too late anyways, the seal on her memories seems to have broken." Puck vanished on that note before Subaru could get another word in.
A pained whimper drew Subaru's attention back to Emilia. Though she was still asleep, her face was twisted into a pained grimace as tears ran down her face.
Subaru pulled up a seat near her and took her hand. She grasped on tightly, and Subaru thought she looked just a bit calmer. All night long Subaru held her hand, an unmoving, powerless guardian.
