Note: Hello hello! Again, hates me and wont let me post the correct version of the chapter. Please go on my AO3 which should have the chapter with the correct format, which should make the reading experience much better. Ill fix the formatting when i have access to a computer, in a few weeks.
Anastasia Hoshin is really starting to hate her luck right now. It's only been approximately one day since she left the royal capital and she is now currently under assault by armed bandits.
Thankfully Subaru has supernatural reflexes and timing, otherwise my head would have become a pincushion.
Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about their earth dragons. Two nicely placed shots were put into each dragon's skull, effectively stranding them in the forest. They were currently surrounded at all sides by around seven bandits, with possibly more hiding within the forest nearby.
Tsk. The odds are against us. We couldn't secure weapons before leaving the capital. The only thing I have is an emergency knife in my bag. Regardless of our armaments, Subaru still looks too weak to fight, he's barely had any time to recover. We need to get out of here no matter what.
A skinny, ugly bandit armed with a whip began moving closer to the carriage.
"Hello, hello! Good morning to you! Now I'm sure you're in quite a hurry to get to wherever you're trying to go. Time is money and all that."
He grinned a toothy smile, despite missing several teeth.
"So, let's get this over with and without any fighting. We're proper folk, despite what you might be thinking, and we don't want any unintentional blood on our hands. So let me lay out what's going to happen: you're going to give me half of whatever is in that carriage of yours and all the coins you have on you. Then we'll let you go free of charge."
Free of charge my ass, they're basically going to take everything we have. Hmm, no use trying to be aggressive. Maybe we can bargain with them? Worst case scenario, hide some coins and see if they don't notice-
"Free of charge my ass! No way we're giving you anything!" Subaru exclaimed.
Anastasia's jaw dropped in shock.
What is he thinking! Is he trying to get us killed?!
"Oh ho ho! We got a mouthy one with us this time boys. Now what do we do with a mouthy type?"
Fwoosh. Thunk.
"ARGH!" An arrow flew into Subaru's shoulder.
"And it is super effective! Now be careful. That's just a warning shot," the bandit proclaimed.
"No!" Anastasia exclaimed before huddling around Subaru.
With her back towards the bandits, Anastasia whispered, "What do you think you're doing?! Stay quiet and let me handle this."
"No," Anastasia flinched at the pure venom laced in his voice, "No matter what we try, it won't end at just them taking our shit."
"How do you even know that will happen?! We should try to negotiate a bit at first. At least buy some time."
Subaru shook his head, "It's a waste of time. Besides, I already have a plan."
Anastasia stared at him in disbelief, "But-"
"Anastasia, please trust me," he gave her a cocky grin while looking her straight in the eyes, "I promise, I'll keep you safe."
Anastasia gulped, despite how worried she was, she felt reassured by his determined gaze.
"… Alright. Alright, I'll trust you!"
"Has the young couple finished? Or do you guys need another reminder?" the bandit said in a bored tone.
Subaru rose to his feet and jumped onto the ground facing the bandits. There were three bandits on his left and two on his right. Two bandits in front, one held a bow and arrow that shot at Subaru and the other seemed to be the spokesperson of the group.
I don't like this. I don't like this at all! Wait, what is he doing?
Subaru grabbed at the shaft of the arrow, twisted, and yanked it and the head out of his shoulder.
Oh my Od!
"What the fuck!? Are you stupid?! Have you never had an arrow in you? You just made everything so much worse," the bandit exclaimed in shock.
"Ugh…" Subaru weakly cried.
"Jeez, the guy is either brainless or broken in the head," the bandit shook his head, "Either way, are you going to surrender or are we going to do this the hard way?"
"…Neither." Subaru lifted the arrow in the air and all of the bandits tensed up, ready to fight.
However, the tension turned to confusion as he then started to use the arrow to stab himself in the legs, arms, and body. Like a madman, he vigorously butchered not only his body but especially one of his hands.
What is he doing?! Is he trying to kill himself? Is he trying to make them think he is a psycho? Oh, I'm going to be sick.
"Okay I guess he is actually broken in the head. Damn, this is just plain sad. Alright, what do you guys think we should do with him?" The bandit looked at his fellow brothers but was met with an alarming sight.
Nearly all of them were writhing in pain on the ground, with holes suddenly appearing on their bodies. The bandit holding the bow dropped it and he could clearly see the guy's right hand completely covered in wounds.
"What the fuck-"The bandit barely finished as he got the wind knocked out of him by being tackled by Subaru.
"Oi get the fuck off-OW!"
Subaru sat on top of the bandit, landing blow after blow on the guy's face, as he broke his nose. Before he could do any more damage, the bandit managed to throw Subaru off of him before quickly getting back on his feet.
"You bwoke my nose, you asshole! I'm going to fucking kill you!" The bandit quickly reached for his whip but grasped at nothing.
"Huh?"
CRACK!
He was then met with a sudden crack, before feeling a laceration on his shoulder, knocking him on to his back again. Lifting his head up, he managed to see Subaru using his whip to knock out a bandit on his right before the man was able to recover.
How in the hell was Subaru able to do all that?
Anastasia was in absolute shock throughout the whole, barely more than a minute, battle. Her eyes narrowed on Subaru.
The wound on his shoulder. It's gone. So are all the other wounds he made, even his hand is completely normal.
She looked at the bandit that shot Subaru originally.
His right hand is all bloody and mangled. It almost looks like what Subaru did to his own. Could it be?
She quickly shook her head.
Shit. This isn't the time for speculation.
She brought her gaze back to the battlefield and noticed the mangled bandit getting up to grab his bow.
"Subaru! On your left, bandit with a bow!"
Subaru quickly spun to face the aforementioned bandit but was too late to react as he was able to shoot off a volley of arrows before Subaru's whip knocked him unconscious.
Two of the arrows missed but the third hit its target: right in Subaru's throat. Subaru, winded, was brought to his knees while grasping at the arrow shaft lodged in his neck.
No! Please don't die, please don't die! Oh-
"Subaru, BEHIND YOU!"
A bigger, brawnier bandit managed to sneak up behind Subaru as he was dealing with the bow bandit. As the bandit raised his sword to cut Subaru in half, Subaru yanked the arrow out of his throat, blood gushing out of his neck.
Not even a second later, the brawny bandit dropped his sword behind him, instead using both hands to try to stop the suddenly new gush of blood coming from the hole in his neck.
"You fucking bastard! Min-"
The spokesperson bandit managed to pick himself back up, trying to focus mana to form a spell, before Subaru tripped him on his back again, using his whip to pull the guy's right foot forward.
"Damnit, stop knocking me over!"
The brawny bandit dropped to his knees, still ineffectually trying to stop the bleeding.
Subaru quickly lodged the arrow in his hand into the bandit's eye, before picking up the dropped short sword.
With whip and sword in hand, he faced the three still conscious and now recovered bandits.
All three rushed but before they could reach him, he stabbed himself quickly in both legs and then slit his throat. All three wounds transferred separately, one for each bandit.
The one with the slit throat, collapsed from sudden bleeding and pain. The two with leg injuries were brought to their knees.
CRACK.
With one swift motion, Subaru used his whip to swipe at one of the bandits' heads, knocking him out. He then rushed and used the short sword to pierce the remaining bandit's chest before knocking him forward, dead.
"That's enough! Minya!" The loudmouthed bandit was able to finally get back up and launch a spell at Subaru, shooting a stake of yin magic directly at Subaru's chest.
Thunk!
Direct hit, it pierced his heart.
"Haha! Take that you bastard… Oh wait, shit!"
Subaru quickly tore the stake out and immediately, the loudmouth's chest and heart burst.
"You… fucking… monster," the bandit weakly cried before tumbling face first onto the ground.
Gasping, Subaru took a moment to catch this breath.
"…Dumbass." Subaru slowly turned to see if Anastasia was okay before he was accosted by a speeding purple haired missile.
"AH!" Was all he screamed before being knocked onto the ground.
"…" Anastasia was silent, desperately grabbing Subaru and checking his whole body.
"Uh Anastasia?" As Anastasia was manhandling him, he started getting more and more flustered.
After confirming that there were no important wounds to worry over, she let out a deep breath she was holding in the entire time. She then looked into Subaru's eyes and gave him a death glare.
"What is wrong with you!? Are you insane?!"
"Uh-"
"No, of course your insane, no sane man fights like that. Stabbing and giving himself fatal wounds just to transfer it to someone else. Some kind of suicidal, self-harming martial art! Why didn't you at least let me try to negotiate with them? You could have at least had a better advantage without having to almost kill yourself four FUCKING times. Oh my Od, what is wrong with you?!"
"Well-"
"Why didn't you tell me you had some insane power like that," before he could retort, she pointed at him, "Don't you dare say it's only been ONE DAY! Here's what we're going to do: we're going to tie the rest up, loot whatever we can, and maybe interrogate them a bit before leaving. Then, until we get to Kararagi, you're going to tell me everything about you! Every. Single. Thing. NO MORE SURPRISES THAT WILL GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK!"
"…"
"…"
He slowly nodded and said, "Okay."
Anastasia quickly wrapped her arms around him into an embrace, shocking him.
Sniff. Sob.
"You are such a stupid, stupid boy. Thank you."
Subaru's jaw dropped.
Teas dotting her eyes, she said, "You saved me. Despite everything I said, you can't even begin to imagine how grateful I am that you did all that to protect me. I just hate that you basically put yourself at death's door every time you did so."
She looked Subaru fiercely in the eyes while grabbing his face, "We're also going to talk extensively about alternative ways of fighting. I don't care if your way is effective or not! I'm not going to stand here and watch you butcher yourself just to protect us. No buts! This is non-negotiable, at the very least, you will prioritize alternative strategies other than harming yourself. Am I clear?"
"…Yes, ma'am."
"Good, now let's tie the rest of these bastards up. Let's see if there is any more of them we have to deal with."
After rummaging through some of the corpses, Anastasia took some rope from her carriage and tied the three unconscious bandits together.
Winding up a kick, she aimed low, intending to wake the bow bandit out of Subaru-induced slumber.
"WAKE UP!" she yelled as she kicked him right in the groin.
"AUGH!!"
"Ooo, yeesh! You really don't play around Ana."
"It's the least they deserve. And you don't get to talk Mr. 'stabs his own throat to fight.'"
"Oh Od!" The bandit was writhing in pain, "Why the fuck did you do that?"
"Consider it repayment for trying to rob and kill us. Now answer my question: are there more of you?"
"Go fuck yourself."
"Wrong answer."
And she kicked him the groin. Again.
"AUGH! Why? Why in the dick?!"
"Answer my questions and we don't have to figure out how many kicks it takes to crack a bandit."
"…We got a whole camp of us ready to tear you guys a new asshole."
"Where is this camp?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
She winded up her foot again for another pain train to bandit dick-ville.
"Wait wait wait wait stop! Jeez, girl learn to take a joke."
"Where. Is. It?"
"Close by, in fact, so close that hypothetically, if we had a scout watching us in case we got into a whole heap a trouble, it would take barely any time for them to run over and get some backup."
STOMP, STOMP, STOMP!
Suddenly, large footsteps alongside loud rustling of leaves were heard coming from the forest.
"And guess how much time I've been wasting?! YOU BOTH ARE SO FUCKED NOW!"
Subaru readied his whip while Anastasia readied the knife she grabbed from her bag.
However, whatever they were expecting, it wasn't one manic bandit screaming at the top of his lungs.
"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! GUYS WE NEED TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE EVERYONE-"
That's all the new bandit said before he was suddenly tackled by a large black earth dragon that was barreling towards him from behind.
The bandit went soaring into the distance, bouncing twice, before landing on his face.
Collectively, everyone's jaw dropped at the sheer insanity of the situation just as the black dragon roared in the air in triumph.
"Patrasche!?" Subaru exclaimed as he was able to recognize the black dragon.
He knows the dragon's name?!
Patrasche lowered her gaze to the new humans and subsequently found herself entranced. Cautiously, she slowly made her way to the scary-eyed human and started to look over him extensively. Trying to see why this particular human has such a magnificent aura.
Circling the interesting human, Patrasche searched through her memory banks but couldn't quite remember him, though he seemed to recognize her.
Suddenly, she stopped in front of him, pausing in contemplation.
Regardless of her lack of recognition, she could sense a sort of affinity to him that she can't quite articulate. As a result, she decreed that the human shall be bestowed the right to prove his worth. In celebration, he shall be given a gift.
Patrasche began licking his face.
"Haha, oh jeez, girl, it's good to see you too! I didn't think you would recognize me but maybe gluttony doesn't work on animals. Or maybe you and I were always meant to be. Either way, I am not complaining."
Anastasia stood there baffled, staring awkwardly at Subaru somehow being able to tame a random dragon who he just so happened to recognize.
"So, you going to introduce her to me or not?"
"Hm? Oh, sorry Anastasia. This is Patrasche! She and I go way back. Got her from Crusch when we fought the white whale together and we have been thick as thieves ever since."
Wait, he was involved in the white whale hunt! How involved was he in the royale selection? Ugh, every second with Subaru feels like a brand-new mystery, danger at every turn, or complete bafflement of his personality. Sometimes all three at once.
Anastasia began to walk closer to Subaru and Patrasche. Just now noticing the human girl, Patrasche glares at the frilly purple thing and hisses.
Anastasia, at first confused by the reaction, instinctively glares back. For a second, it's as if lightning sparked between them.
A silent conversation played between them.
Patrasche's glare deepens at Anastasia. Back off, I have decreed this human as mine. Get your own.
Anastasia's eyes dart to Subaru and back. Oh please. This ain't a competition. And even if it was, you can have him.
Patrasche rolls her eyes. You say that but I can see you throwing glances at him as if you want him as a mate.
Anastasia blushes. It's nothing like that!
Patrasche snorts. Well, if it is or isn't, he can certainly do better.
Anastasia's eyes narrowed. Oh, you bitch.
Subaru, who was on the sideline watching this all go down, was thoroughly confused.
"Sooo, are we going to see where Patrasche came from?"
Anastasia blinked and turned her head to Subaru, while simultaneously realizing what she was just doing.
Oh my Od, I'm going insane. It's only been one day and the boy has already driven me to start nonsensical, in my head, conversations with an earth dragon. In two months, I'll probably be talking to the dead.
"Yes, but first we should tie up that bandit Patrasche sent flying, see what he was trying to warn everyone about."
After bringing the new guy into the clump of tied up bandits, they were able to surmise that there was a sudden attack on the bandit camp just a few minutes ago. Apparently, the scout was watching the fight between Subaru and the bandits stationed on the road, and thought to go report to the main camp. However, just as he arrived, explosions and magic rained down on everyone. Seems Patrasche, who was wandering around aimlessly, was captured just a few days previously and was subsequently released during the onslaught.
To Anastasia, it all felt too coincidental and too much good luck at once for it to feel like a random event.
Could someone be following us? For that matter, how could it be that a dragon that has a connection to Subaru just so happened to be here and just so happened to be reunited with us just as we lost our other earth dragons? I don't like this. Either way, our next plan of action is clear.
"We need to leave. Now."
Subaru was confused, "Wait, shouldn't we see what happened to the rest of the bandits?"
Anastasia shook her head, "There are too many variables. We have an unknown entity who was able to wipe out an entire bandit camp singlehandedly. Either they are a monster who just so happened to stumble upon the camp or a powerful individual who may or may not have bad intentions to us. It's too risky. We should cut our losses and just keep moving."
Anastasia looked towards the four bandits, "Now what to do about them."
Subaru looked pensive.
Unfortunately, we might have to kill them. We can't leave a trail where they could be found by knights which will lead them right to us. We can't take them with us either, it's still too far from Kararagi. The only problem is, I wonder if Subaru would be okay with that. Killing in self-defense is one thing. Execution is another.
"…We should kill them," Subaru stated firmly.
Anastasia blinked, surprised and a little curious, "I was thinking the same, but could you tell me your reasons?"
Subaru looked at her and smiled grimly, "Sure but only if you told me yours as well."
Anastasia huffed as if that was a foregone conclusion.
"My reasons were that we can't leave a trail for the knights to follow us. Plus, we can't take them with us as Kararagi is still too far and we will have to feed them," Anastasia summarized.
Subaru nodded at her explanation, "I had similar thoughts, but I had two more reasons. One: they are still bandits and letting them go means putting others at risk of getting robbed in the future."
Subaru contemplated for a second, before he looked back towards the bandits with a steel gaze, "And two: if we were captured by them, they would have done far worse to us than just kill. This is frankly a mercy."
For a second, Anastasia could feel as if Subaru had an even deeper reason for it, but she refrained from asking. There are just some things you shouldn't prod, at least not until they were closer.
"Alright then, so we agree, I'll take two and you take two."
Subaru blinked, "Woah, what do you mean? You're not going to do any killing."
She rolled her eyes in response, "Don't be absurd. Remember what I said: this is an equal partnership. That means we share all burdens, including situations like this."
He shook his head and pointed at her, "You're the one who talks to people while I protect you. It's my job to take care of stuff like this."
Anastasia gazed into his eyes and stepped closely to him. "You say that, but I can tell you really don't want to kill them."
Subaru winced before looking down. "…"
She placed her hand on his heart, "The way it took you a second before you were able to follow through, mentioning they need to die. How you hesitated before confirming your last reason. Deep down, your heart doesn't want to take a life so easily."
"…I'm sorry, you must think I'm weak-willed," he whispered as he gazed back into her eyes.
Anastasia's eyes softened and she gave a faint smile, "It's not a bad thing. Frankly, I think it's wonderful how despite all you went through, you still have compassion in you. Even if these guys don't deserve it."
She continued, "I don't want that compassion to die within you Subaru. Having an honest and just heart is needed in this world, more than ever. But given where we're going, we'll have to make more decisions like this, and I will not let you face such situations alone," she put both of Subaru's hands in her own, "We're in this together, thick as thieves as you say."
Subaru snickered, "… Thank you."
I should be thanking you. Saved my life twice and was willing to make a hard choice on my behalf. My debt keeps rising. This is the least I could do to repay it.
They turned towards the four bandits and both started marching towards them, hand in hand.
"Oh! Has the lovely couple finally finished flirting? Please, get a room, there is only so much mushy gushy lovey nonsense I can take," the bow bandit joked with a grimace.
"…" They kept marching in silence as Anastasia brandished a knife while Subaru a short sword.
"Oi! What's with the silent treatment?" The bandit began to get nervous.
Four.
"H-hey, what the fu-" his words were cut off in the same instance as his head.
Three.
"OH SHIT! They killed him!" The scout hypocritically screamed.
Anastasia dug her knife into another bandit's throat before quickly taking it out.
Two.
"W-we told you what you wanted! Come on man, let us go. We won't rob anymore. Honest!" The scout kept trying to bargain.
"…I'm sorry," said Subaru as he cut the head off one more bandit.
One.
"Monsters! BOTH OF YOU ARE MONSTERS!" Screamed the scout.
"Yeah, we are. Wonder what that makes you?" Anastasia coldly replied before finally ending the scout's life.
For a second, they both just stood there, before Anastasia gently took Subaru's hand and guided them back to the carriage. Patrasche followed silently behind and allowed them to tie her to the reins of the carriage.
Anastasia took the reins in one hand still holding onto Subaru's in the other. She squeezed his hand as they both looked at each other with somber smiles. With a quick flick of the wrist, they set off down the road.
Meanwhile, as the two stars began their journey once more, two pairs of eyes were watching them silently from the forest.
"…Are you sure this was a wise decision?"
"…"
"You are only delaying the inevitable. The more you wait, the less chances you will get. In time, you will come to regret your hesitation."
"…"
One of the eyes sighed before both disappeared once more, following the two bright stars on the horizon.
Notes:
EN:
Anastasia: we ride together, we die together, we bury bodies together.
Patrasche: I've only had Subaru for 2 seconds, but if anything were to happen to him, I'll kill everyone in this country and then myself.
Bandit: *explodes Subaru's head*
Subaru: no u
Bandit: wait wat *fucking explodes*