Chapter 32: A friendship in need
"Master Sora, what are you doing here?"
"I am here because I felt that you were in trouble."
"Fair enough but what are you doing with her of all people?"
"I mean she is the reason I managed to get to this odd place...why does it feel familiar?"
"Ah, how very interesting." Echidna said, interested in how Sora is aware that he has been here before but can't remember since that was in a previous loop. Subaru was very cautious around his master since he wasn't sure if it was really him, causing him to pull out his Starlight keyblade just in case he needs it. As he was preparing himself to fight against a possible imposter of his Master and the witch of envy, he noticed that none of the witches were getting ready to fight Satella. The only one being hostile towards the witch of envy was the witch of greed herself by saying,
"So you cut through my boundary and managed to get in. Brazenly trespassing even into my dream castle...always the egotist, are you?"
Subaru noticed every witch very calm while Echidna was really disliking of Satella's presence. He looked forward and started to question why the witch of envy was even in the dream world only for Minerva to be the one to answer.
"I'm sure she's mad 'cause you went gossiping on and on saying stuff you shouldn't. Blabbermouth men like that are ones I don't think very highly of. I kinda get her indignation."
"Okay but that doesn't explain why she is with Master Sora, considering that he can counter her efforts of punishing me in most cases."
"..."
"Wait what?"
"Right...uh never mind that Master Sora."
"You really are an idiot! Are you trying to make her mad?!"
"Wait, why are you taking her side? Aren't you and the other witches supposed to be enemies with her?"
"Enemies? Such a stupid-sounding thing to hear...I'm going to be checking now if what you're saying as some valid."
"What?" Subaru was surprised by this and watched as Minerva went towards Satella to question her. Minerva was in front of Subaru to get Satella's attention while she began to ask,
"Can you hear this? It's me, Minerva. The Witch of Wrath Minerva. If you remember me, and can hear my voice, say something."
"Wait, as far as I know she wouldn't like someone getting in between-"
"Try to keep quiet..." Sekhmet said to Subaru, which caught the boy's attention and made him be quiet. Subaru watched as Minerva was attempting to communicate with Satella which made him worry until Sekhmet and the other witches prepared a plan to attack Satella should she harm Minerva until Sora spoke up for the Witch of Envy.
"I understand your concerns but Satella here is not a bad person, at least that's what I want to hope. She came here to help Subaru with me here to help my friend as well."
The witches all looked at Sora and were a bit skeptical at first yet when he pulled out his Kingdom Key, it was enough to convince the witches that the one they see next to the keyblade wielder is Satella. Subaru was confused by all of this to which Echidna noticed, making her intrigued by the boy's curiosity.
"You look like you can't comprehend us witches' intentions and are being tossed around and toyed with. Although, believing you could easily see through to our...oop, I mean our thoughts would be a discredit to the name of witch. On that you can't take us cheaply."
"Stop it with the fake bokukko. All I'm thinking is why are you all just leaving your guards down. Isn't she your enemy?"
"You're wr...wrong." Carmilla spoke up which caught Subaru and Echidna's attention.
"The Envy is...is e-everyone's foe, that is...is right, but, t-that...thing and her...are..d-different cases...mm?"
"I don't understand, what are you all saying?"
"What they are saying is that Satella and the Witch of Envy are two different people, I think." Sora spoke with confidence at first until he pondered whether or not he got it right. Subaru noticed this and was slightly annoyed yet he turned towards Minerva for confirmation.
"What the spiky hair boy says is true. It seems like it is Satella."
"Wait, how do you know?"
"Why else would she bring someone who as clearly stopped her before from you talking about your secret in the past? Also the Witch of Envy would've immediately attacked since she wouldn't want anybody getting in her way of getting to you."
"I guess but why are there two of separate identities? Isn't the witch of envy and Satella supposed to be the same person."
"If you forcibly introduce a witch factor into a being with no affinity, you do get these afflictions. The witch personality that spawns from the factor's influence, and the original self conflict...is perhaps what to call it. Though, my view is they're the same being, so I can't really see the point in differentiating them like the others do."
"Split personalities?! Then What? The one who swallowed all and did the wrongs to get her lasting in history was one personality, and the other personality's harmless, is that what you-"
"Now that's wrong. The consuming of half the world, and the consuming of us six witches of sin, was entirely by Satella's actions, not the Witch of envy."
"What?! No, but that doesn't make any sense! If the one who swallowed you was Satella and that's Satella standing over there...this..."
"It does fit. And so-haa-we won't forgive the Witch of Envy-huu-but we have no grudge against Satella-haa. That's all it is-huu." Sekhmet spoke with Carmilla being next to speak.
"I-I do...don't like S-Satella-chan...ei...either, but I...guess she's bet...better than the witch...so..."
Subaru stood silent to this, knowing that he isn't getting anywhere with this and it's only confusing him that they would forgive the one who swallowed them and not the other yet he realized in all of this that Echidna just simply hated Satella and the Witch of envy equally. He turned towards his master and asked a basic question,
"Do you know about...my ability?"
"What ability?"
"She hasn't told you?"
"About what? You aren't making sense Subaru."
Subaru looked very confused by this, since he expected at the very least for Satella to inform his master of what was going on or of his Return by Death in order to make it easy for them to talk. While this was on Subaru's mind, Sora turned towards Carmilla and noticed that she looked like Kairi for some reason. This got his attention which caused him to ask,
"I know that the real Kairi isn't here so who are you?"
"Ah I see, you are looking at the Witch of Lust, Carmilla. She is unwillingly using faceless bride, meaning if you see someone else then that is the person you desire to see the most." Echidna spoke, making sure that Sora understood what was happening.
"I see..." Sora thinks to himself as he begins to ponder on how much he cares for Kairi and how much he misses her. As Sora was thinking about this, he turned towards Sehkmet to see what witch she was.
"What is your name?"
"My name is Sekhmet...the Witch-huu-of Sloth."
"Ah I see, so all of you are the seven witches representing the seven sins. Hmm." Sora felt wary being in their presence since he can tell that not all of them are good. Sora thought for a moment before returning his focus back to Subaru.
"All I know is that you have been trying to do things on your own recently. What were you thinking in taking the trial by yourself? That was risky."
"Your one to talk..."
"Huh?"
"How is it that you are this powerful warrior and yet you are younger than me...How is it that you are so ridiculously strong?!"
"Subaru...I have no clue why you are..."
"Mad? I'm not mad at you, if anything I'm just furious on how you are strong and for me I'm pathetically weak!"
Sora was a bit puzzled by this and quickly tried to do something to calm Subaru down yet Subaru pointed his keyblade directly at his master.
"Fight me."
"What?"
"I said fight me, Master Sora."
"But why?"
"Because I...I refuse to stay weak!"
Subaru charged at Sora and started to attack him with all the force he could muster, showing signs of darkness around his body for brief moments before disappearing. Sora noticed this yet all he could do was focus on defending himself from Subaru's attacks, not exactly a problem for him yet not wanting to defeat his apprentice with ease when he knows now that he is jealous of him. During the fight, Subaru continued to shout with anger,
"How come you are strong and I'm not?! Why was I sent to a different world so weak?! Why?!"
Subaru continued to go all out on his offensive attacks until he used his keyblade to summon a dark fireball directly at Sora. The keyblade wielder was surprised by this, never believing that he could also use the power of darkness.
'I better stop this fight now before things get worse.'
Sora waited until he got the chance to disarm his apprentice, seeing that he is just swinging attacks out of rage rather than strategic. As Subaru's keyblade gets sent away from his hands, Sora looks at Subaru with a disappointed facial expression before looking down.
"I know that you are mad at me but I don't understand what I could've done to receive such anger."
"It's not...your fault Master...I just hate how weak I am. How dying is the only thing I can offer."
"Dying? What are you talking about?"
Before Subaru could answer or Sora could press on his apprentice, Satella approached Sora and with a wave of her hand, she indicated that she can help calm Subaru down. Sora looked at Satella for a brief moment before nodding, feeling a bit down. As Satella approached Subaru, all the boy felt was intense fear as he recalled the pain he has suffered with Satella.
"What do you want from me?"
"For so long...For so very long...I have loved you...and no one else."
"Stop..."
"I love you."
"Stop it!"
"I have loved only you for so, so long."
Subaru was sweating as flashes of having his heart be crushed by the unseen hand, how she got Emilia killed, and all the things he had read on the witch of envy finally boiled together in making the boy be afraid of Satella. He jumped back as he shouted,
"I said stop, damn it! Both you and Echidna are insane! I've had it! I've had it with you both! I won't accept help from any of you! I'll find a way to fix everything myself! I'll solve the problems of the Sanctuary! I'll find a way to stop the threat heading to the mansion!"
"Threat to the mansion? Subaru, what is going on?!" Sora had noticed this and it caused him to get back his serious side, confronting his apprentice on what he said.
"It's not a concern to you, Master!"
"And why is that?!"
"Because you will die if you go!"
Sora was unsure on how to deal with the information he had gained from this, making him curious to ask his apprentice why he knows this. Subaru wanted to tell his master but he was very hesitant to tell him since Satella is literally right there. This eventually drove him angry to the point where he started to say,
"I just know! I've seen this before and many times over and we still fail, we are doomed to fail! You haven't seen true defeat, Master, you've been able to push through any problem that comes your way! I've seen hell many times over and I am just sick of it!"
"That's what happened in the final battle against the organization."
"Huh?"
"We confronted Terra, or well Xehanort possessed over Terra and he wiped almost all of us, forcing Donald to use Zeta Flare which put him out before a giant heartless storm came around and wiped us all out. If it wasn't for the power of waking and for Kairi, I would've failed to save everybody. I know what defeat is Subaru, I know what it is just watching everybody be defeated and taken down."
Subaru looked at Sora with a shocked expression, not having realized that at some point in his master's journey, he ended up coming into a scenario where he failed. He wanted to apologize but he then realized something.
"Master Sora, you said you all were wiped out...how did you manage to save everyone?"
"...well I abused the power of waking and managed to rewind time to face off against Xehanort and his forces. I abused it a number of times until I managed to get everyone back but at a cost."
"What was the cost?"
"I would disappear."
Subaru stood silent to himself for a moment, having realized the implications of this and seeing that both himself and Sora are similar in wanting to save everybody. This made him sad since he had an ability that could've saved Rem and prevented many deaths yet he had valued his life too much until now. He wanted to tell Satella on why she gave him Return by Death when he was a pathetic boy only for Minerva to speak towards him,
"So you are going to keep doing things on your own, leaving everyone behind and making everyone sad." Minerva actively avoided mentioning Return by Death due to the fact that Sora was around and knowing that Satella would not be happy, she did her best to avoid mentioning the exact method of his repeated attempts.
"What are you saying?! That I'm acting as some sort of tragic hero!"
"That's not what I'm saying. A person who thinks of his life as a tool is worse than a witch...worse of all, it's disrespectful towards her."
Subaru looked at Satella as Minerva finished talking, seeing that she was just looking at him with a blank stare while Sora was trying to figure out what was going on. Subaru was reflecting on himself and thought himself as the worst before turning that self loathing into rage towards Satella.
"What the hell?! You're the one who made me like this! All the pain, all the suffering, all of it...everything...only happens to me! If I had done nothing would anything be different?! Aren't I stuck with a horrible future anyway?!"
"Subaru, calm down-"
"No! After everything I've been through, I have the right to be angry, Master!"
"...urt."
"..."
"Don't be hurt. Don't suffer. Don't look sad."
"You have...the nerve to…"
"So...love..."
"So that's what it all comes down to? You're that desperate for me to love you?!"
"No. Love yourself more."
"Wh-" Subaru was taken aback from this.
"What the hell did you just say?"
"Don't be hurt. Don't grieve. Treasure yourself more."
"Subaru, you can't hate on yourself."
"Don't...don't you dare enter this conversation Master Sora, she gave me an ability to fix everything! If that's all I'm good for, then I have to use it even if it brings all this pain because-"
"I love you. So I want you to love yourself and protect yourself." Satella interrupted Subaru, wishing to help him understand yet his rage just kept increasing.
"If I lost this ability out of love for myself, what would I even have left?! Even with the keyblade, there's nothing I can use but my own life!"
"Wait Subaru are you saying that..."
"Yes. He has been dying over and over to return back to a point to fix everything. I will allow you to know this but you will not remember it after you leave this place." Satella spoke, knowing that avoiding the topic of Return by Death isn't helping at all, allowing Sora to know only for now.
"It doesn't matter if Master Sora knows or not! He always ends up forgetting because every time he learns...I die! As long as I get hurt more than anyone else, so I can protect all of them, no one else will ever have to suffer at all! It's not like anyone cares what happens to a loser like me, right?!"
"That's where you are wrong!" Sora spoke with a serious and slightly angry expression, no longer able to hold the emotions that he has within him.
"You really are stubborn, Subaru. Emilia cares about you deeply, heck your parents care about you, and I care about you as well. You are my friend and I hate seeing that you've been suffering on your own!"
"It doesn't matter! No matter how bad I get beaten up, as long as everyone else makes it to the future...As long as we can start tomorrow without losing anyone...then..."
"That future can never happen Subaru."
"..."
"If you go on this path, then the person who will be gone will be you, meaning that you will lose everybody even if we all make it out of this together. We would rather all fail together than have you be gone. Rem cares about you and wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, she considers you her friend. Emilia holds you in high regard, maybe not like how you hold her but she is getting there, she would be filled with guilt. Your parents seem to care deeply about you, they would want you to be happy. Ram can be a bit mean to you but she has considered you an ally, someone that can be depended on should she need you. Otto sees you as his dearest friend, he would do anything to help you out. Yabuto, Kishida, and Waraki, all three of them hold you in high regard. I myself have seen you as my friend, although a very stubborn friend, you are my friend and my apprentice. I don't want to see you like this at all. Your life holds value to all of us, even if we don't say it every time, your life matters. We would grieve if you did die."
Subaru stood silent for a moment, completely stunned by what his master said, surprised that he was still being nice to him even after throwing a tantrum on him and revealing how jealous he is. Subaru wanted to believe what Sora said to him yet he couldn't. He fell to his knees and started to cry while saying,
"I just...don't want to lose anybody else like how we lost Rem!"
Subaru makes himself into a little ball with everyone watching him cry. Sora approached his apprentice and sat down beside him and patted him in the back, knowing the guilt Subaru has regarding failing to save Rem.
"I know the guilt you feel Subaru, I failed to help Rem too. I had dealt with this before but never failing...which is why I believe together we can save her, save them all."
Sora stood there with Subaru for a bit until Satella started to approach the two, mostly focused on Subaru. Sora nodded at Satella and quickly got up to give her a chance to help Subaru, having some trust towards her. She kneels down and begins to speak to the boy.
"I love you."
"Stop it."
"I am in love with you. Because you gave me light. Because you took me by the hand, and taught me the world outside."
"Stop...it..."
"Because through nights where in solitude I shivered, you kept by my side with your hands around mine. Because, then being alone, by your kiss you told me I wasn't."
"..."
"There are so many things you've given to me...And so, I love you, Because you-you gave me everything."
Subaru has no memories of this, has no recollection of ever being with Satella and doing those things for her. All he thinks is how delusional she is yet somehow Subaru feels something that he desperately wants to reject.
"What is this...feeling inside me? I don't want to feel this. Don't tether me with nonexistent memories...I...I damn...I goddamn..."
Subaru desperately tried to say the words 'I hate you' to Satella, wanting to cut that fondness she has towards him yet he couldn't do it, those feelings he was having were conflicting with him which eventually caused him to do something.
"Baru?"
"Oh, kid..."
"H-He's..."
"You...moron!"
"Subarun?"
"Ah, that is yet another possible choice. Natsuki Subaru."
Each witch called Subaru differently with Echidna interested in the outcome Subaru took, surprising both Satella and Sora since they watched the boy having bit his tongue enough to cause him to be on the path of dying. He coughs blood and falls to the ground, causing everyone to be stunned for a moment before Minerva tries to heal Subaru first only for Typhon to jump in the way, stopping her from healing the boy.
A large explosion happens with hearts happening with Typhon being sent flying a few meters while Minerva's hand shattered. Sora noticed this and quickly attempted to cast Curaga yet he was interrupted when something invisible hit him hard enough to send him flying meters away.
"What the-?"
"Sorry keyblade wielder-huu-I can't allow you to heal-haa-the boy here."
"But why?!"
"That idiot! Out of the way Typhon!"
"Baru chose it himself, Nerva! No interrupting!"
"Wounding or suicide or murder or injury to happen in my presence!"
As Minerva was going to go again to heal Subaru, she was all of a sudden hit to the ground with force as a small crater was created. She tried to get up yet she struggled greatly to get up, making her realize that Sekhmet is responsible for this.
"Sekhmet...why?"
"Sentimentally speaking, I'm on the kid's side-huu. And to add to that, I'm also on Typhon's side-huu."
Sora managed to recover from the hit and attempted to once again heal his apprentice yet Sekhmet blindsided him and forced him to the ground, causing him to do everything he can to free himself from Sekhmet's unseen hands. As Sora and Minerva did their best to free themselves from the unseen hands, Satella approached Subaru with a sadness aura coming from her.
"Why haven't you realized that you should be included among the ones you wish to save? It should be so obvious..."
All that was in Subaru's mind was how much he failed everybody, seeing each person he had met on his journey. He felt that if he died, nobody would mourn his death despite what his master told him. He was a weakling, even with the keyblade he was still useless. This made him accept his death once again with the last thing he heard was Satella asking him in sadness,
"What could you have possibly seen in those two trials?"
Subaru was in a dark place where his vision was gone yet he heard voices of people he had spoken with.
("I'm expecting things from you, son.")
("Come home safe.")
'I...'
("Subaru...!")
("He is not dead! He is not Dead. He is not dead...He is just asleep!")
'...no matter what I believe...'
("...Felt-sama will be surely sad of this.")
("Why?! Why did you die so easily?!")
'...No matter what I wish for...'
("I will avenge Subaru!")
("I really am sorry about this, Natsuki Subaru. I failed you as a master...I hope that you can forgive me someday for being a failure of a master.")
'...I...'
...
("You are my friend after all, the apprentice of the one I love.")
'That voice...'
("You leave Subaru...no, my friend...leave me friend alone!")
("Is it really such a strange thing to try to help a friend?")
("Don't bother my friend again!" )
'Those voices are...my...'
("Should this be the end, I just want you to know that I'm proud of you Subaru. You won back your keyblade and even managed to show that you have a strong heart.")
("Glad to see you both didn't die, you idiots!")
("Thank you Subaru...for saving me.")
'...my friends...Emilia...'
Subaru feels the care of all the people who care for him, making him ask himself whether or not he should think about saving his own life as well. Whether he wants to be alongside those he wishes to be fighting alongside. This thoughts eventually caused him to feel something...
I don't want to die.
I don't want to give up, thinking this method is the only one.
I don't want to disappear as I be the cornerstone for protecting the future of those precious to me.
In the future where they're protected, there alongside those precious to me, I want to be too.
These thoughts eventually build up to the point where he said, "I don't want to die..."
"See, that's how you really feel!"
Minerva manages to hit Subaru's head hard enough to heal him, bringing him from the brink of death just in time. Subaru falls to the ground and takes a moment to look around, surprised to see Sora and Daphne confronting Sekhmet while Daphne's coffin holds Typhon hostage. He was surprised by this for a moment before he started to speak.
"My life has value...? Without dying...value other than in dying over and over...exists for me? This person, me, has value other than in Return by Death...is that okay for me to think? That the people I like...like me back too, can I...can I really think like that?"
"...All that's nothing I care about."
Minerva spoke before turning away from Subaru for a moment, rethinking about what she said as she began to turn pale at the thought of her words possibly hurting Subaru. This caused her to turn towards the boy once again to respond properly,
"Your value or whatever has nothing to do with me. But, she's wishing for you to stay alive, so...and didn't you see it too in the second Trial?"
"...But, the second Trial was my mistakes, the sins I committed."
"Are you stupid? That wasn't something to make you take responsibility for the worlds where you died. That was something showing you how sad everyone was as a result of your deaths. And wasn't that the answer you wanted?"
"..."
Subaru plays back most of what the second trial showed, with many such as Emilia, Rem, Sora, and others having been sad about his death. He remembers this and feels all the sadness he brings when he dies which makes him feel like he is wanted by others yet he wasn't sure if he was allowed to think like this.
"I'll allow it."
Subaru looked up as he noticed Satella answer the question he had been thinking about. As he looked at her, she continued to speak.
"You are the one who saved me, so I will allow you to be saved, too. It is my wish for you to be saved."
Subaru was sad by this as he didn't think he was worth saving yet hearing it did make him somewhat happy, even if it is from the person that would crush his heart should he talk about Return by Death.
"Minerva aside, I'm surprised by the way you two just acted."
Echidna turned towards Daphne and the others to hear Typhon complain to Daphne to stay out of the fight while she was standing beside Sora, wanting to eat him yet due to the food he gave her being extremely delicious, she refrained herself from doing so. She noticed what Echidna said and quickly replied to it,
"You know, Subarun, Sora, and Lia-Lia made some pretty big boasts to me. So I'd love to see them at least try to follow through on them."
"Wait, I don't remember this conversation."
"Really? But you gave me amazing food."
"Did I?"
Sora stopped and pondered a bit, having an odd sensation that his heart has been in this world before but having no recollection of it. This reminded him when himself, Donald, Goofy, and Aqua headed towards a castle where they went to wake up Ventus. He felt like he had been in the castle before yet no memory of it. As he pondered on this some more, Echidna turned her attention to Carmilla.
"You were the one who called him back from the brink of death, weren't you, Camilla. You even used Faceless Bride. Whatever for?"
"N-No...reason...H-he turned down...down your t-temptations, so I'm...all satisfied...but I think...love i-is important. Even if he d-doesn't want to see it, t-there is love there...And I...I can't stand to see it taken and not returned."
Echidna smiled at this response, as she was impressed by the outcome that played out here. She began to speak her mind on it.
"Sekhmet and Typhon respected his wishes, and Minerva healed him. Daphne with the Keyblade Wielder prolong his life, and Carmilla used her Authority to make him aware of the love he didn't see. So while each of you may have your own reasons, you all wish to help Natsuki Subaru."
Echidna paused herself to smile at this, loving the outcome of the situation as it fills her greedy personality.
"This truly is interesting. Don't you agree?"
Subaru started to slowly get up with the assistance of Sora, managing to regain his self composure and mannerisms thanks to the help of his master and the witches. He looks at Echidna and all he thinks of saying is,
"Seriously...what is the deal with all of you?"
"Come on Subaru, be nice."
"Right, sorry Master...it's just I don't understand or agree with almost any of their reasons for backing me."
"They are witches."
"Since you are back to vilifying us with your master, shall I assume you've recovered your strength?"
"I honestly don't even know what to do anymore."
Sora looked at Subaru and patted him in the back before Daphne without her coffin approached Sora and started to hug his leg, which caught both keyblade wielders attention.
"Um..."
"Give me food please."
"...okay, let's see what I got."
Sora using some sort of magic began to search around to see what he had until he came across a delicious meal he thought Daphne might like. He creates a small ball of light that eventually turns into a dish, which makes Daphne excited to see what food Sora will give her this time. As he gives Daphne food to eat, she begins to take large amounts of bites, enjoying everything. This made Typhon a bit jealous, making her approach the keyblade wielder and hug his leg as well.
"Sora, no fair! I want delicious food!"
"Hehe okay okay, let's see what I got."
"Haha seems like you are good with some witches. Rem would be jealous."
"Funny cause last I checked, you have Satella here wanting your love. I wonder how Emilia would feel."
"Darn! I knew I shouldn't have teached you how to tease someone!"
Sora and Subaru both laughed for a moment before Sora managed to find something to give to Typhon, making her really happy while Subaru was approached by Echidna.
"Mind if I ask you something, Natsuki Subaru. If you are still unsure of what to do, then allow me to offer this once again; I lend you my assistance, you can be assured that you will arrive at a future in which you save those you want to save. All you would need is to extend your hand to me. I will take you to the future you desire, without fail."
Echidna extents her hand towards Subaru, wanting him to extend to hers while continuing to speak, "You have my word."
There was silence between the two with the only sounds coming from Daphne making a mess of herself as she was eating while Typhon was making joyful sounds when she took a bite into the food. Subaru thought long and hard on this before finally being able to reach a conclusion.
"Echidna...I'm afraid of getting hurt. I hate hurting, suffering, and being sad. I don't want to feel pain, and I don't want to see terrible things happen to anyone else. I don't want to die. So, since sacrifice is a prerequisite to taking your hand...I can't take it again."
Echidna's smile had faded away to a serious one, showing how although she accepted the outcome of her being denied once again, it still did bother her. Subaru continued,
"If I might have any value to them beyond my own death, I'm going to look for it. If I can find it, I have a feeling I can repay them in some way other than death."
"That path is lined with thorns. If you thought of your death as a tool, your heart would be all you needed to offer. But deny that and try to claim both your own heart and other people's futures would be exceedingly difficult, and above all..."
Echidna formed a smile.
"Greedy."
"It's true that you've saved me time and time again. No matter what you had in mind, that part is true."
"That poor, stupid Garfiel fears the outside world. Sora arriving and proving to be possibly stronger made him more hostile towards the outside world. If you wish to free him from his circumstances, you'd have to break that spell."
Both Sora and Subaru were surprised by this, with Sora slightly feeling guilty that Garfiel is going to be much harder to reason with. Echidna noticed the two surprised and quickly added more context to her actions.
"Oh, I'm just being a sore, meddling loser. I don't want you both thinking all the other witches were good at heart, but only Echidna was evil to the very end."
Echidna approaches Subaru only to tap his chest while continuing to speak.
"It's true that I am a girl, and that I'm fond of you, Natsuki Subaru."
Echidna turns her attention towards Sora to speak her mind about the Keyblade wielder.
"And for you Sora, I'm very interested in you as well, you have knowledge I desire but knowing that you distrust Roswaal, you'll distrust me as well. Oh well."
Subaru and Sora looked at Echidna walking away to join the other witches. The two nodded at each other before Subaru began to speak.
"You're all monsters beyond my comprehension at least. We'll never understand each other, and I doubt at least for me that I could ever like you. But..." Subaru bows to the witches to show respect to them. "Thanks for being willing to let me die. Thanks for not letting me die. Thanks for letting me hear those precious voices I needed to hear. I do thank you for that."
Sora crossed his arms at this and smiled as he saw that he thought Subaru well in showing appreciation. Subaru then turns his attention to Satella, knowing that he needs to thank her as well.
"I don't understand you. But it's a fact that the Return by Death power you gave me has saved me many times. Is Return by Death one of the options available to me? If not relying on it too much is what it takes to love myself...I can't say that'll be easy. But I'll try to like myself a little more, like you said."
"You'll be all right?"
"Yeah. Compared to dying, it's nothing."
Subaru helped Satella stand, which made her happy yet she had to ask something first before the dream world disappears. She turns towards Echidna to ask her if she could take some of Sora's memories regarding Return by Death. Echidna looked annoyed with Satella's request yet she was interested in one thing.
"Surprised you would ask me to do such a thing. Why should I?"
"Because you would want Sora alive, for you to learn more of the boy. I just want him to not deal with...the jealous witch trying to constantly hurt him."
"My, you have taken quite a liking to that boy even though it is not Natsuki Subaru, mind asking why?"
"He is someone important to Subaru. He will protect Subaru from dying. That is why I want him to live but not know about the ability I gave my love."
Echidna smiled at this and nodded as she did not wish to lose Sora and the knowledge he possesses. She nodded and quickly tapped Sora's chest before retreating back to the other witches with Sora being fine with losing the knowledge of Return by Death. As the dream world begins to crack, Satella has one last thing to tell Subaru.
"Don't fret all alone. Fight alongside the people who care about you. Don't forget that there are people who grieve when you die."
"I..."
"And one day, you must come..."
There was a pause before the darkness that was covering Satella revealed to be an exact image of Emilia, being a silver haired half-elf.
"...to kill me."
Subaru and Sora were both shocked by this and quickly were silent for a bit before they looked at each other and nodded. They turned towards Satella and together they said,
"We are going to save you."
Subaru and Sora both managed to wake up at the same time with the view of a worried Otto and a worried Emilia. The two keyblade wielders looked around with Emilia asking them if they were alright. The two were surprised that they were outside, mostly Subaru since Sora recalled that Emilia and his goal was to get his apprentice outside of the graveyard.
"Subaru, Sora, are you two alrigh?"
"Yes, sorry to worry you Emilia-tan."
Emilia took a deep breath for a moment before slapping Subaru in the face for having entered the graveyard on his own. Otto was shocked by this while Sora expected this.
"You idiot! Why would you this stupid thing, you dunderhead! Idiot!"
"Hehe sorry about that Emilia-tan..."
"You should be!"
Subaru looked down while Sora asked Otto why he was there only to just notice Patrasche.
"She was going crazy and when I let her out of her cage, she rushed here as fast as she can."
"Wait, that would mean that..."
Sora and Subaru both turned towards their right side to see Patrasche next to them, injured for having entered the graveyard. This made the two question why she would do such a thing yet Otto gave the two an answer.
"You both really don't know why?"
Otto looks at the two slightly disappointed in them before having a brief conversation with Patrasche, catching the two boys along with Emilia's attention. As the two have a conversation, Otto turns his attention back to them. Sora was extremely curious to ask Otto what Patrasche said.
"She said 'Don't make me say why'. You both really don't know?"
"..."
"Now listen you two, leaping to save someone when you think they're in danger, saving them regardless of the risk to yourself, and smiling when they wake up...I believe the feeling behind that are the same, whether you're a human or a ground dragon."
Sora understood what Otto was saying and quickly healed Patrasche before patting her while Subaru was still dumbfounded by this statement. Otto noticed this and was annoyed.
"You're beyond dense. It must be nice to be you, Subaru-san."
Subaru turned towards Patrasche and his thoughts were of the question he had to himself of whether others really cared for him. The fact that Patrasche did make a tear fell from his left eye which caught everyone's attention.
"Subaru?"
Emilia asked in a worried tone of voice which caused Subaru to shake it off for a moment before turning his attention to Patrasche. He looks at Patrasche and begins to say,
"I see. You actually like me, huh? Never thought you'd be the first one I learned that from. Thanks, Patrasche."
Subaru petted Patrasche along with Sora, making the ground dragon happy while both Otto and Emilia asked if he was alright. Subaru shrugged it off and quickly tried to go back to the graveyard, curious on whether he did pass the second trial yet Emilia stopped him.
"Don't go in Subaru! I...I don't want you to suffer...I hated seeing you get hurt and scream in pain again..."
"I know Emilia-tan, I'm just stubborn but I do want to check on something."
"But Subaru..."
"I need you to trust me on this, Emilia."
Emilia stood silent for a moment before looking at the boy with a serious facial expression.
"Okay but I won't let you go alone."
"Okay Emilia-tan."
"You sure about this, Subaru?"
"Don't worry Master Sora, as long as Emilia-tan is by my side, I'll be okay."
"Okay Subaru."
Sora nodded at him before watching Emilia and Subaru enter the graveyard only for Subaru to be stopped when he went away from the entrance to throw up. Emilia, Sora, and Otto all three went to Subaru when they noticed this, making them worried for him.
"Subaru-san!"
"Why...Was I rejected from the trial?"
Subaru looks at the graveyard and begins to think on why until he realized that Echidna took away his qualifications. This annoyed him yet he turned towards Sora to ask him if he can go inside the graveyard. Sora nodded and tried to go in and to Subaru's surprise, he was able to go in without being harmed.
'Damn it...that fucking witch...she took my qualification.'
Subaru got up and told everyone that they should rest for the night, with only his mind being that he needs to talk to Roswaal on his own. Subaru went to take Emilia back to her room to comfort her before going into Roswaal's room on his own.
"Suuuubaru-kun, it's gooooood to see you. How can I be of assistance?"
"Roswaal. I'm here to talk about the trial."
Author's note:
1. This is the last chapter that will be with the anime, from here on out will have it's own story that follows a few things from the web novel but it does have it's own spin on things and may spoil things from Season 2 cour 2.
2. Sora is poweful but since Sekhmet's unseen hands are much powerful than Petelguese's unseen hands, he would have a much tough time dealing with them.
3. Satella respects Sora at this point yet she will get jealous if he did know about Return by Death since well is still the jealous witch.
I hope you all continue enjoying the story, I'm going all out with these next few chapters.