Chapter Text
Arc 1 chapter 1: Kadomon Risch.
The universe in its entirety is a beautiful and very precisely tuned place. One can spend their entire lives studying secretes through scientific or metaphysical methods -depending on which side of it you inhabit- and never find out the whole truth.
However even with this limited knowledge we have of infinite amount of data that is yet to be discovered, is that a lot things depend on these very precise constants and numbers that should they stray even for a fraction of a fraction of fraction of that number the world as we know it will not exits. If you make certain forces too strong or too weak; certain particle weights too heavy or too light; the efficiency of certain nuclear reactions too potent or too weak; certain velocities too fast or too slow; distances and lengths of great importance too small or too large, the entire equation will fall apart. It is too precise to not be made by a higher design.
That something that is grander that our 4 dimensional space can contain. Time; height; width; and depth.
Just how we humans have power over whatever we decide to conjure with our creativity; it isn't so far fetched that the Creator has power over us. Do you ever wonder how it views the world we inhabit?
If dreams are mere replicas of reality lacking certain fullness of sensations no matter how lucid a dream might be, then this another state of awareness must also be incomprehensibly superior to our own reality.
Sights with unforeseen saturation and not only with our rainbow colour visual spectrum, but all wavelengths of light.
Sound of unheard of frequencies and pitches.
Touch of unfeeling textures and temperatures.
Tastes and smells of inexperiencable delights and revulsions.
Higher senses that have not yet been felt.
Perhaps one day we will simply wake up from a dream of reality and realise how limited our input truly was. And then we will seak out our close friends to tell them about weird dreams they had and dreams within dreams, realising how stupid the dreams really were, which will prompt laughter all around.
What kind of ideas those higher beings had?
What ideas indeed...
What if...
Instead of pleasant, idyllic, pure...
They called forth the most vile; foul; repugnant sacrilegious; abhorrent; damnable; atrocious idea that should never have ever been.
What if they enforced their sick perversions; corrupting deviancy; stomach-churnning depravity; immoral debauchery; wicked degeneracy on the poor innocent -lower realm of existence- creation/creator and cleverly disguising their abuse behind a suggestion from a friend.
Friend with such basic lower level requirements fantasies many of children exhibit like: "smashing multiple dolls together, a sort of innocent cruelty uncaring for established biological relationships between their toys, totally unaware of gravity of their sin."
And so our creation/creator after a lot of peer pressure, grabs the power and influences the minds of technically 7 powerful entities that shared a single name: Lunar.
As it turns out each Lunar had a toy. A human toy. A very fragile toy. A toy that might as well be the only person with free will, while the world can only react to her actions. Yes this model of a toy is a girl, and her name is Natsuki Subaru. First name Subaru which held the name of constellation of stars observed from planet Earth orbiting the yellow dwarf called sun. The name originates from Japan and unlike the European version of the name, Subaru has left out one star out of the group due to the significantly lower brightness.
Lunar loved his constellation very dearly, and his other -body and mind sharing- counterpart loved the same person obsessively and desperately. The kind of desperation to put everyone close to her in danger. Because IT fears that IT will never be enough to earn HER love, so the only option IT had is to eliminate all the distractions, and then force HER to love IT without HER consent. IT was an incarnation of ENVY in every sense of the word.
Yet on today's day every single one out of 7 Lunars and every single one of 7 Envies was touched by a higher level of divine -YES, all 14 if them might be Gods-, but they might as well be children inside their kindergarten sandbox...-
And the way they were proded was spectacular:
The higher being made such a rupture in reality; that time-space-continuum tears seem like knee scrapes in comparison to the complete bisection followed by gutting; then meat deboning; taking those meat parts and slicing them into a small cubes.
From such indecipherable tear a substance of incomprehensible attributes bursted out, and crashed into THEIR very: dual; double-sided existences.
Because they were assaulted with higher metaphysical causations from a tear and a substance (among other things) THEY experienced the full timeline of their each respectable realities and the conclusions surrounding their favourite little toy: Subaru.
Each of the 14 entities in 7 bodies unanimously decided that they were NOT satisfied with the story their tiny game peace decided for themselves.
But before THEY could even react they were simultaneously bombarded with a mysterious substance:
The creation-creator simply dumped all the trauma of this damnable idea in even; equally potent; and (thankfully) diluted portions -but poison nevertheless- and the symptoms were of course:
A need to smash THEIR playthings together, rubbing their bodies not realising WHAT nor WHY, THEY just had that unreasonable compelling need to bring them together -no matter what- to satisfy that itch. That itchy itch. That tension so close to erupting; begging to be popped: like a cork of a shaken champagne. Not even their ENVY could distract them from that primal need to take THEIR female doll to the first male doll which was just alternative of their own doll, because they couldn't stand the idea of any person other then HER-HIM because they can only ever acknowledge HER-HIM.
Fortunately all 14 entities had just enough will power which survived the invasion from diluted substance not to break the free will of THEIR toy, but simply put all of HER in a singular sandbox.
And that sandbox of course held Satella and her yet to be husband Subaru. 'A girl can only dream, right? Hehe.'
Satella saw the interference. She saw the permanent window or rather wormhole connecting her world to 7 other realities. After all Lunars and Envies were still trapped in a seal. How would they protect their beloveds without having permanent link to them in another sandbox? In Satella's sandbox.
Satella and her Envy saw this intrusion and simply shrugged. If anything it made the two even happier for getting even more of THEIR beloved. THEY loved all of HER-HIM. THEY loved THEIR beloved no matter what form they might take. Boy or a girl; worm or a God. THEY felt 8 times the joy and love. THEIR love was so overwhelming that THEY even considered allowing the 8 to share the taboo. THEY would allow it, but no peepers. Only THEIR beloved could speak to eachother.
Satella and her Envy will love all of HER-HIM all even if those other THEM won't.
Satella and her Envy will allow Lunar's and their Envies to continue loving only theirs Subaru, only because they brought her 8 times the ecstacy.
If they haven't done that for her, she would simply take all of them. Such is her jealousy after all, an avarice so great to put even the witch of Greed to shame.
Satella and Envy after much probing managed to feel up Lunars's and their Envies's minds...
-Satella blushed.
-Envy was simply flabbergasted. For the first time ever: she was conflicted by what she was seeing in THEIR mind
On one hand every HER is trying to steal HIM from Envy.
On the other every single HER is HIM.
If they ever did that in front of her...
Angry- not angry- angry- not angry- angry- (etc)... Not angr-
Lonely?
Perhaps Envy surrounded by HIM and every single HER?
-Envy finally blushed too.
-Satella rolled her eyes. She wouldn't object to being surrounded -but- if her beloved doesn't want her, she can stay back...
AND WATCH.
With all players settled down. It was time for her beloved HIM to start his 4th re:try
There was a bustling crowd in the merchant's district of the Capital for it was the early morning hours. Everyone was getting their fresh produce so they could start preparing for lunch. Of course not all stands sold just vegetables, and since the palate occasionally sought some desert on the side, those that could not afford sweet pastry, would find cheeper alternative. So a steady demand has been established for selling fruit.
One such fruit stand was guarded by a very muscular and firmly built fruit seller who only wore a black vest with a golden outline on his upper torso, thus hardly concealing his bulky stature. As if to dare anyone who'd complained about the nudity the only other clothing article he had in this upper body area was two purple and black stripped bracelets on his wrists. From his hips downwards he wore dark aloof pants, and purple loincloth was held up by a dark waist scarf belt with yellow fringes.
He has green hair which he bands back into a slicked-back style, with a hairband to hold it tightly together. His face is dominated by two large scars running down from his forehead to his chin and right below his left eye. He also has a small goatee and two sky blue eyes also he had raised eyebrows permanently presenting his face in a scowl.
One would hardly believe he was but a simple merchant. A fruit seller...
(" 'Hello, fruit seller. I am going to kitchen. And I want your sweetest fruit.'
'My fruits are too sweet for you, citizen. You better go to stand that sells blander fruits' " -author reference potion seller skit. Go chek it out on YouTube. I don't hate that video at all unlike this fanfic.)
Just a moment ago he spoke to a kid in a strange clothes -probably a traveler- that was staring at the appa display wooden box. He apparently didn't know what appas are; but the fruit seller is not the type of guy to judge people on illiteracy. Given his clean attire and fit yet not labouring appearance, perhaps this kid is from a richer echelons.
Then something strange happen about the boy. He closed his eyes and when he opened it it's as if he just realised he was in the sun: raising his arm to shield his eyes.
But then again who is fruit seller to judge? The fruit sellers appearance is so eccentric that the very next fruit he offers to sell, will permanently stick as his name forever.
"Hey, nii-chan (in this context kiddo). What you say about fresh Appa?" He offered an appa with his massive muscular hands 'right under the boys chin.'
And thus the name 'Appa guy' was born
A dazed raven haired youth with 5 spiky rays of hair reminiscent of a crown or a rising sun, stood there in his mostly black themed tracksuit with white section on the stomach era; orange tracksuit outlines and shoelaces; a black letter N engraved on his heart with orange N shaped outline. He stared into the fruit seller in front of him with his extraordinarily evil eyes, a deadly combination he inherited from both his parents. From his mother he inherited a exposed whites variation called Sanpaku eyes, and from his father he inherited a drooping upper eyelid and extremely angled eyebrows. Truly those were the facial traits of a true villain or at least a serial delinquent. I guess he could be a murderer too, heh.
("Don't listen to him, I wish I could have tenth of Subaru's handsome witch-charming; foolish hero aura." -author)
Don't forget the small girl charmi-
("Shut the fuck up, you're going to get us into trouble, narration" -author)
Make me. Oohhh that's a scary look, oh, oh shiver me timbers as I shake my pants with my hand. That's what I thought bitch! Get back to the closest!
Now where was I?
His unfocused half asleep; with his day dream or in this situation better said day nightmare gaze directed at another unlucky individual "blessed" with a mean look. And after what felt like eternity he blurted out
"Hey O-chan (uncle), how many times have you seen my face by now?"
"What do you mean, 'how many times'? I haven't seen you a day of my life. With a nasty-eyed-stare like that only speaks of trouble, and those stand out garbs, I doubt I would ever forget an upcoming hoodlum"
"Didn't have to straight up roast me 'O-chan, it'll poorly reflect on your business if you treat your customers like that." Subaru waved his index finger in disapproval:
"Anyways do you know the day it is?"
"It's Tammuz the 14th. At this point according to the calendar it's halfway through the year."
"Huh. I see. Tammuz, huh."
Back home it was around January, but it's probably not 1:1 conversion rate. Who knows if even the seasons are reversed, or do they exist at all. Perhaps even the world map is different, and the planet has a weird shape. Hopefully a moon exists so Subaru can determine the planet's shape once it casts a shadow on it.
But then again it doesn't really matter, does it? This is not Earth no matter how you look at it. Beast humans; lizard drawn carriages; silver haired half elves that command floating cat familiars and lesser spirits...
"So anyway kiddo, whatcha say about buyin' an appa" The shopkeeper wore a smile, even at the end of his patience having to deal with someone for so long just to buy a single appa. That smile however severely clashed with his scarred face and sharp looking eyes and brows, producing an entirely opposite effect of one intended. Perhaps intimidating people into buying, a sort of aggressive tactics, would've been much more profitable.
Imagine how that would look like: A Yakuza shopkeeper threatening you into buying his fruits instead of standard bump-into-you for body damage compensation threat. At least with this option you get some fruit in return to sweeten your sour losses.
With a such a silly thought in his mind, his mood improves. Hyping himself up full of optimism, he points a thumb in his face and shouts:
"Tenjō-tenge yuiga-dokuson mazushī"
("I probably butchered it, but it's supposed to be: Throughout heaven and earth, I truly am broke beyond repair. After throwing it against google translate I got got 'Heaven and world, I am all alone and poor.' Let's go!!!!" P.S. read without "-" I just put it there to look nicer. -author)
"Then stop wasting my time, and scram!" The yell was powerful enough to throw him off his feat, and Subaru scrambled away in a hurry.
Watching the scenery unfold was a woman in a black business suit that consisted of waistcoat, jacket and thigh high dress, a white shirt and white ruffle collar with a amethyst coloured gem on it. She had a dark pantyhose that hugged her slim legs tightly all the way to the elevated leather shoes with an elegant shoe belt. All in all her suit allowed for surprising amount of freedom of movement while keeping the sophisticated noble like look that blended nicely between woman's and men's fashion. Not to mention how her medium sized breasts were professionally toned down by clever suit design, it really gave her an androgenous look above the waist.
Her hair was reminiscent of the one who she observed with mild interest: with 5 spiky rays up front, however the rest was longer and neatly tied in a sophisticated braid bun in a shape of a crown around the highest most part of the head. She shared most of her facial structure too, with a more feminine accents when necessary. The completely intact features were of course the eyes and brows, except her eyes looked way more tired as he had a dark bags under them. Her skin on the other hand was -for now- well maintained with light makeup.
In her thin slender hand she held a dark crystal,. playing with it in her hands and occasionally whispering to it.
"A path I must take, it's already decided isn't it? This is just a minor setback, prolonging it twice over."
If there were passerby's to listen in on her they would think the woman was talking to herself, but unknown to them a dialogue has been established. A melodious tenor voice spoke directly to the girls mind:
["You say that every time you go back. Don't tell me you're desperately trying to cling on hope."]
The business woman does something quite uncharacteristic. She pours water from a metal container on her 5 hair spikes, and takes her sleeves to wipe it straightening it out. A tired mocking smile curved up on her face.
"If I didn't know you any better I would've thought you were trying to discourage me."
["It would seem so, wouldn't it? After all you just lost all control you've built up, and now you've been tossed all the way back to the zero- no even less than a zero."]
The raven haired woman shook her head disapprovingly:
"Don't speak so wastefully, you will wear yourself down by repeating what I already know. "
["My my, I am a man, but my gentlemanly heart bleeds all the same."]
Her tone was more annoyed than anything and not as nearly demeaning, but it held a few traces of derision:
"A gentleman? Don't flatter yourself Echidon. There is nothing gentle about you in sight."
She was still drying her hair with her sleeves.
("The name is still pending. If you have a better idea, a name of a celestial body / moon, then you're welcome to leave a suggestion" -author.")
["How can you say so after all we've been through? After all the knowledge I have imparted onto you? All the Kings and Mages desperately sought my wisdom, on those days I walked the Earth among the living."]
She was so utterly bored out of his broken record speech -that it only showed what emotional control the woman held- when she voiced only a modest amount of exasperation:
"Yeah, yeah, so you keep reminding me. Even if we take gentle out of the g-man, you're still a man aren't you? Then you should be more direct with what you're trying to say." The woman started walking in a certain direction firmly assured of her purpose.
The warlock inside the black crystal audibly smirked:
["Grief is important you know. Even for woman who has lived as long as you have."]
Completely ignoring him the woman stares blankly at the woman arriving on the scene with a completely unphased expression and no intention to approach her. Instead she walked in her own direction.
["Why aren't you doing something to intervene? You already know what is going to happen."]
This comment however riled her up quite a bit:
"Stop trying to Sabotage me Echidon. We aren't interfering." Slowing down her pace she seemed to approach her goal.
["Why not? You only have to look out for yourself in this world. It bears no consequences what happens to alternatives, they can figure stuff out on their own."]
She had spent enough time with him to recognise when the Warlock, no- the greedy little bastard, was trying to stear her away so he could satisfy his curiosity of a doomed timeline. And what a timeline it would be. With 7 nuclear armed children running around the unforgivable landscapes of the Continent. This motherf- well she was pretty sure the guy is asexual, even if he 'offers himself fully'- the mother...seller? Yeah that's about right. Throw in the son-abandoner for a good measure. Anyways this sociopath doesn't actually care if the business woman is by the end forced to juggle with 7 unbeatable Cataclysms all the while trying to find her way home. She is only interested in "following the optimal path" by giving bad advices like these along the way.
"It is the easiest answer for now, sure. But even I can see how will it backfire later. I might've agreed to use my power more freely, but I won't play on the board unfairly stacked against me." There is a fine line between hard worker and a lunatic. A certain Earth spirit is a good example. Sorry, ex-Earthen spirit... In her old reality. In this reality the poor bastard's hourglass just started trickling away.
Stopping in front of a crowd in front of her desired market stand the eloquent secretary woman disinterestedly watched the silver haired elf girl that was dressed in provocative white clothes with purple embroideries and outlines. Scandalous in a way that her neck held a spiky collar that was probably supposed to connect with her uniform instead of providing coverage; her clavicle was exposed alongside the better portion of her upper breast. Not to mention how her outfit otherwise tightly pressed against her skin would make her (without the outfit) braless brest would stick out. Her outfit had cut away two tails from her side to back direction hinting at an intention to have a more appropriate length dress, but that idea was purposely and audaciously stripped away with a alluring ans alarmingly short frilly dress. Her white -up to her thigh- boots, and her disconnected -less arm sleeves- and more like silky white wings attached to her arms. On those wings's end there was a yellow eagle crest in a purple background. Everything. Everything about her just screamed a man trap, but unfortunately no sane man or woman can ever love such face. No wonder why Echidna abhors her appearance and calls her a promiscuous woman. Not that Emilia would ever know what that means in her brutally cruel innocence.
Totally lacking even a notion of survival instinct or preparation, it most definitely won't go unpunished in every world -especially in this one, where only the strongest can thrive. A toll that is paid in blood, or in this case:
As the solitary elf was carelessly looking around the various stands and wares, a tiny blonde girl in skimpy worn down clothes designed for greater mobility sneaked behind her back. With a masterful silk-like hands and movements in fusion with her sticky fingers she snagged something from her pocket.
The almost impeccable performance from the thief nearly got unnoticed by the elf, but it still dazed her enough for a thief to gain a little more than a dozen meters. Giving how nimble the girl is she has not only gained horizontal but vertical distance by jumping on -what is usually a very flimsily made structure incapable of supporting her weight- the overhang.
Even with her superior elven agility the silver haired girl could hardly hope to ever catch up; so she fired an icicle shard completely shattering the surface of her wall-run to the rooftop pathway. Luckily it didn't harm the girl's body but it certainly disrupted her stability making her fall.
The elf girl then had the audacity to only now shout after she had already shoot her magic:
"Halt! Thief! Return what you stole!" With hastened step she ran after her.
But the Thief is quick on her feat and mind as she used the fall to roll away and rise into a crowd-evading sprint.
"Stop!" The frost elf magician yelled as she pushed through the crowd and disappeared from sight.
Sensing the inability to move from the woman that had observed the scene in the fullest, the echo of a man's voice chastised the unreasonable stubbornness:
["It'd be beneficial if you could stop running away from the storm of emotions, and properly face your loss."]
Sighing out of her hypnotic state the business woman laments:
"My emotions aren't important at all, you know that. That's not why we made the contract." She looked at the crowd that seemed to be thinning out in front of her. Soon it will be her turn at the end of shopping queue.
["Incorrect. We made the contract because I want to know everything about you, and to do so I am willing to offer up all of my knowledge including my body to pay the toll."]
She made an expression as if having the lemon aftertaste when the grimace is already fading, which was quite a rarity for a blank faced woman:
"If you're going to say depraved stuff like that, I am ending this conversation." There was only one person left in front of her in the queue for shopping.
["I only desire what is best for you, don't you remember? I will make sure you and those you choose to protect reach that ideal happy end, without fail."]
In a tone that was closest than ever to hopelessness, no matter how impossible the feeling is for our secretary-bird:
"So you keep telling, but your actions speak louder." The final person leaves it seemed they were just browsing the trinket shop for anything interesting.
["Is that disgust, resentment and distrust you hold for me? But why? I truly wasn't responsible for what happened to you. If anything it was that warlock of Envy."] Echidon spat words of venom at his name.
Suppressing the need to eye roll, she locked her eyes on her shopping prize. She didn't even have to search for it it she already knew it was there:
"That owl face mask, here is 3 gold pieces." A smile crept on her face knowing that a fox was Echidon's preferred animal. She never understood why Earthling's considered owls to be wise. In her extensive research she had concluded that owls weren't any smarter than other generic birds. Crows were a lot cleverer, and they even formed a bond with other 4 legged predators.
The woman now whispered in presence of those that might hear her.
"I always wondered if those are your true feelings toward him, or are you doing your standard routine." The shop keeper returned some silver change to her and gave her the mask.
["How cruel. That would be the same as me calling your animosity for gluttony sisters trivial."] The voice truly bore a weight of parental reprimand at their misbehaving brat.
The woman clicked her tongue in frustration. He really didn't need to go that far, but perhaps she was overstepping some bounds she never bothered to learn:
"We don't have the luxury to converse so frivolously. The next sequence is starting soon. The more variables we remove the better." She started to walk back in a composed manner.
["Oh? I commend you for your GREED but something about your tone tells me you given up on collecting them all like those Pokémon you always mention?"] You can practically hear the demeaning grin on his face.
"If they are as half as stubborn as I am, then there is no use in convincing them. Mrs Mother and spoiled Queen will latch themselves on him. Vigilante-hag will do a disaster in the slums by asking a lot of questions to Rom but she is easy enough to convince to join. Miss Paranoia needs convincing I cannot provide, but I can set the perfect stage for her. Crazy Stalker no.1. won't listen to reason, nor will DID (dissociative identity disorder) stalker no.2. as she will no matter what strike a deal to protect Meili and go with Elsa."
A voice half filled with teasing and half with curiosity, the phantom comments on her analysis:
"So you have already decided to leave out two lose ends. Aren't you loosing your touch?"
Again completely ignoring his tiny manipulations, the girl refused to put more on her plate than she could chew. Instead she started feeling up her hair for moisture, and drawing ever closer to the calculated street position.
"They are too far gone to listen to reason. Luckily DID stalker is deathly scared of dying for some reason."
["Why not simply make her fall unconscious by striking her head?"]
She started to curl her hair in a ark -no longer in her signature 5 spike rays- but waves crashing down on her forehead:
"Making a bad first impression in the public, could cost us later. Besides..." It was rare for any other emotion other than tiredness to paint across her face, much less discomfort. If it were any other person than the blank faced secretary, they would have an expression of gnawing horror.
["Oh, so you have noticed it too."]
She stopped with her hair fixing but for a moment, just few steps before arriving at the desired spot:
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it off. I know I am stupid, but even I can notice a few things on my own." The woman mildly shook her head in annoyance.
["On the contrary, I would say that your deduction skills are quite impressive."]
The woman's eyes narrow:
" 'For a stupid little girl', is what you're not saying, is that right?" She made those few final steps and stood still.
["It pains my gentlemanly heart that we spent so much time together, and you still haven't warmed up to me."]
The mean eyed woman rolled her eyes, and was given her hair a repeat of now reinstated desired form to each locks of hair:
"Don't remind me."
["Perhaps not remind, but we should discuss our course of action once we secure invitation to Mathers domain"]
"No, we shouldn't. One problem at a time. We already have all we need to clear this day perfectly." The woman puts on her owl face mask now that her hair has dried, and it hanged loosely over her white mask.
And as soon as she did another woman in a black kimono decorated with orange Chrysanthemums flowers pattern and orange and white flower pattern obi. Her hair also had 5 rays of spiky hair, however the rest of her long slick straight black but graying hair from stress was loosely tied near the end of her long hair length. She was identical to the last woman in the face however her modest amount of make up was prettier and her eyes didn't have dark bangs under them. She did however look much older, and fearful for whatever reason. Her eyes frantically looked around as she was mumbling to herself:
"How? How am I here? Why am i here? I wasn't supposed to be here. No! Why am I all the way back here?! Back to this messed up country!" she started to have a panic attack as she clenched her chattering teeth.
"Calm down. Calm down. Your family is probably worried sick after the accident. I must think quickly how to get back to them in Kararagi."
Taking deep breaths she searched for an answer. Travelling alone for a woman is dangerous no matter what world you're in:
"Ah but I don't have enough money, and Kararagian currency won't work here."
She started pacing around, fighting with her fingers whilst holding her arms in a prayer.
"I could sell a few pieces of jewellery on me my engagement ring, and a bracelet, ah but those are my precious gifts from my dear handsome husbando."
Lightly bonking her head with her hands she tried to dust up the old cobwebs, and really turn on the computer.
"Ah! Perhaps the knights or guards will help me out!"
Looking around she searches in the crowd for less threatening individuals she could ask for help, and she decides on kind off nostalgic looking attire:
"Excuse me miss, can I ask you something?"
She tapps the woman that loitered in place her back turned against her, but because the woman quickly turned around with the mask on her face the kimono woman was startled a bit: "Aaahh!"
"I apologise I didn't mean to scare you Mrs." The woman spoke: "I have to keep the mask on due to personal reasons."
"No, no. I apologise for being rude."
"You wanted to ask me something, correct?" She tilted her head slightly.
The raven graying haired lady in kimono was kinda amazed how a simple mask made her associate the woman's behaviour as complementary to the animal she masked herself in:
"Yes, I would like to know where the guard station is."
"I am extremely sorry, but I have just arrived here too. But I'm sure this gentleman there knows the way." The owl woman elegantly moved her arm as if spreading her wing in Appa guy's direction.
"Thank you, for listening to my request." The woman in a traditional clothes bowed politely like a proper housewife.
"I wish you the best of luck in your quarry." The secretary-owl noded. And both went their separate ways.
The housewife approached the fruit stand but as soon as she saw the Appa guy, she froze in place. He gently rubbed her neck trying to remember something but she fell short, so she asked timidly:
"I'm sorry, but have we meet before, sir?"
The Appa guy rubbed his goatee in contemplation:
"Those clothes you're from Kararagi right? Long way away from home, huh? No, you're the first one I've meet from there. Kinda strange that I've been asked the same question twice today."
"I could've sworn I know you from somewhere..." The woman closed her eyes.
"Now that I've taken a closer look, you look like that boy that recognised me too."
With panic clear on her entire demeanour, because for this was a country of utter chaos and a lot of trauma:
"You've seen Rigel?! Why is my sweet little baby boy doing in a dangerous place like this?!" It was a testament to her nerves of steel that she didn't loose her marbles.
"Baby boy? Miss I assure you, the brat looks like he has a few srews loose and he might be low on funds, but he seems capable of taking care of himself."
"Taking care of himself?! I knew you Lugunicans were crazy, but to expect a 8 year old to defend themselves is insane!" She scorned the man with all of her motherly might.
"8 year old? He looked more like double of that age."
"Double... but I only have my rebellious daughter in that age range, she'll be 19 soon." The mother surprisingly had a mildly sour expression when remembering her major brocon daughter.
Appa guy rubbed his head, while fidgeting the twig in his mouth in contemplation. He spoke uncertainty:
"Perhaps he is your cousin or something, he didn't wear Kararagian fashion, but some clothes I've never seen before. Perhaps he is one of your close cousins?"
The dark haired woman crossed her arms and tilted her head from side to side:
"Cousins... You said he looks like me?"
"The eyes, brows and hair colour, even the front aspect of hair styling, they are all the same."
("I don't know if I should keep alternatives names of Subaru's parents Kenichi and Naoko, or this version:")
"Unless perhaps, I had a younger brother who also- but that's just to cruel for Keiko and Naoki..."
And before any old scars could reopen, she shook of the thought, and grasped at her priorities:
"No, that's not what is important I need to make sure my family is safe. Can you tell me where the guard station is?"
Gesturing the path with his hands he shows the path she needs to take while explaining:
"Go straight there take a turn left and head for the noble's district. There ask around for more directions."
From that direction the secretary owl; a white light bulb that hoovered above them and another woman approached. This one was similar to the broke boy and the woman in kimono.
She had a huge scar on her forehead. And one of her eyes was dimly gray almost ghostly. Her hair was white in front, with 5 white rays of spiky hair; and the rest of her hair was tied in a scorpion like tail that gradually had blacker shade as the hair strings were nearing the hair ends. She was also dressed in strange vagabond clothes her shirt was light brown, her jacket was green, her pants were dark gray, she wore a high brown boots, a dark tattered cape and an orange scarf. Surprisingly those colours look good on her, and a green jacket didn't ruin the style points, as it normally would.
The owl woman seemed to whisper something to white woman's ear, and a creepy smile grew across her face.
A woman in a kimono hastily heads while waving the shop keeper off:
"Thank you very much sir, I won't stay in Lugunica for long, but I'll make sure to recommend your shop."
Crossing his arms he smiles that subtly greedy grin:
"Please do. I'd like for more people that didn't stall my business, I have a family to support, after all."
Appa guy didn't have a chance to respite before a white haired girl and to him invisible flickering manifestation of white glow approached. The girl smiled, the smile wasn't attractive at all. But, she looked kinda pitiable, so Kadomon left her be:
"You seem to be a long way traveler, I bet you must be in dire need for something sweet to liven you up again."
"Yes, I would like some, but before I do, O-san do you believe in that we leave a soul after we die?" With a weird intonation on the word soul the woman made her opening move.
"Some say that only good people reach happiness, but I don't know much, honestly."
"I can see souls of the dead from a mirrored world, you know? There every man is a woman, and every woman is a man." Her voice oscillated up and down, if she didn't look crazy before, now she did.
"Listen miss" all the cheerfulness drained from him, but he was still a patient man: "you are either gonna buy, or you are gonna let someone who will."
"How about a wager? Every name I guess correctly I get 5 Appa for free. Every name I get wrong you get a silver out of me. It's a win win."
5 appa against one silver coin did sound enticing:
"Whose name are you going to guess?"
"My friend who has died, Emilio-tan has meet your family in a mirror world. So I have 3 chances." When she spoke of her friend she highlighted it with a sort of adoring you can only reserve for a lover.
Kadomon was unnerved by the mention of his two angels he frowned, and white bulb reacted to it with a shinier glow:
"You know my family. I don't seem to remember you tho."
"Don't worry I never meet you, but the real「Natsuki Subaru」has. I am just a fake copy."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I am no longer her, hit my head to hard." She cutely rubbed her forehead: "don't remember anymore..." The light phased out more in response to the girl's emotions. It seemed to take notice of both speakers.
All the apprehension the fruit seller had, dissipated. The white light pulsed more lightly above his head. He even took a pity on her:
"Let me guess, you then gained the ability."
"I wouldn't know, but 「Natsuki Subaru」 was an amazing gal. Or so I am told..." She lowered her head and sighed melancholically. The white ignis fatuus responded to her higs and lows in kind.
It really pulled on his heart strings. Losing her memory, running away from her family because she was a burden to them, and now just a pale broken imitation both in mind and body. The white Will-o'-the-wisp shone more slowly abd steadily at the somber tone. Not to mention... She somehow reminded him of someone.
"Listen how about this, If you loose you will buy an appa normally, otherwise it's for free."
She showed him an open palm to dissuade him from a bad decision:
"Ahhh but how will Plum-chan get her Reinhard doll then? You gotta be more merciless Kadomon. The next question must be for a silver."
"How did you know about..." The appa guy was unnerved again under his poker face. The light shone pensively above his head.What is with this oddly familiar girl? Why is she manipulating his emotions like this.
"Emilio was a reaaaaaly good friend. He even found Plumel and brought it back with Rakshar back home to Kadomona. Plumel gave him his late grandma's flower hairpin for gratitude." She gave a sweet joyful and of course very creepy intonation for every name and item, even the whimsical magic clump glowed brighter as a highlight.
He was now petrified again. But he only showed a mild discomfort. He was a patriarch of Risch family after all:
"That... never happened for us."
"Haaaa~, you believe me?" The girl tried to give her best smile, but even if she could do it properly the damage has already been done. The light bulb shook in place as if feeling the combined fear.
"When you take your final guess, you'll leave my family out of this, correct?"
"Oh no O-chan, did I say something scary?" She looked devastated a she held her head with both arms trying her best not to painc: "People always say I am creepy. I don't know what am I doing wrong..." She drew a tear. (It was most likely a crocodile tear); the white flame above them flickered as if dying.
And it worked again:
"Sorry it's just... I guess I haven't seen a talent like yours before."
The woman put a hand on her mouth:
"Hehehehe, this is first time someone has complimented me, but won't Rakshara be mad?"
The light bouncy ball danced around in response to the new joyful atmosphere.
"Heh, I guess you don't know everything after all. Kheee! I was worried for nothing. That will be 4 bronze coins." He started to load up a bag with best looking appas.
"Are you sure you don't want a silver coin? That was the deal."
But Kadomon denied her in a bossy manner:
"And I made adjustments to a deal. So you'll just have to deal with it." Having filled the bag with 15 appas he hands it over to her.
In one hand the girl now held her bag and in the other she held a coin pouch. She proceeded to empty all the contents into Kadomon's hand.
It was 4 bronze coins.
Before the Appa guy could react the girl had already walked off, cackling to herself, and as if to mimick her the light bulb did it too.
Realising the connection in her features now he put all 3 people he had meet in a one familial category. A mother and her cousins.
After that he really hoped that would've been the end. But as he saw the next passerby he frowned. Not to mention how the white Will-o'-the-wisp returned, something of great importance was going to happen apparently.
A woman even more identical to the delinquent boy, wore the exact same outfit, the same see- through bag she had never seen before; made from unknown material never heard of: plastic. She had the exact same facial features albeit less masculine. She was mumbling something to her self that he couldn't hear nor recognise but sounded like:
"That damn Red-haired swordswoman with those stupidly large knockers she probably saw me pick up Einz and blown us both to bits."
Already fed up with these people, the Appa guy was its wits end:
"Don't tell me you're also going to recognise my face, huh?"
The light flickered and trembled at the hostile attitude from the two, as the girl with a crazy look glared at him for a moment, before relaxing and grabbing her chin in careful examination:
"Now that you mention it... Appa gal? Hey O-chan do you perhaps have a twin sister with a same scar?"
"Now I know you lot have been messing with me! A twin sister?! Is that the best joke you can came up with?! If you weren't a girl I'd kick your ass!" He shouted his lungs at the girl, trying to intimidate this strange family of pranksters from obstructing his businesses.
Poor; small; shining: fay never ceased quacking from the mean humans, and it enhanced when the girls eyes twitched dangerously as she opened them wide:
"Listen O-san (mister), it was you who taken ME out of MY thoughts. I already have enough of MY own problems, so I don't need you to take out your pathetic frustrations on Me, got it?!"
The murderous aura emitted from the girl, surprised the bear chested muscular shoop keeper quite a bit. He doubted the girl had the necessary strength to harm him, but something about her set off an alarm in his head. If he didn't say something quickly...
"Ah sorry, I was in the bad. Could you please let this one slide?"
The girl still glared him, now even wrinkling the bridge of her nose with her brows. She held the expression just a moment more, before relaxing her face:
"Tch!"
And she walked away. The fae wanted to follow the superior human as an obedient dog, however there was order she had to follow.
The shopper was so out of it that he forgot everything about himself, let alone make a connection between a mother and a daughter in his head. And once he regained his cognisance, the girl was already gone:
"Ah, I really stuck myself out as a jackass didn't I?"
He was left alone with his thought, his mood dampened severely, as the shame at his outburst gnawed at him. What would his wife Raksha say if she saw him like this? He would most definitely apologise sincerely, and do better for her and her daughter. The thought of them made him mellow down from his melancholic stiffness. By the way they are surely taking more time than expected from their shopping run. It started to worry him, but hopefully it's just Raksha conversing with her friends.
He didn't have to spend more than 1 more minute before Raksha returned with Plum in her hand. His daughter was petting a small rat coloured cat sitting on her shoulder with a cute funny little purple bag to its waist.
It made him spontaneously smirk with glee, and the light amplifier the importance of his elation but as he saw who was following them he stepped out with intention to shield them with his body:
"What do you want with them, ice witch?" His voice was steady but threatening.
To his suprise it was his wife who stepped out to stop him with an open palm:
"Kadomon, please show some respect. The girl found our lost daughter and kept her safe with her spirit."
The spirit pulsed with awe at their brave and compassionate actions.
The Appa guy closed his eyes, and a wry smile of guilt twice over flashed on his mouth. He goes to scratch his head and neck apologetically:
"Sorry about that... Please ask anything and I'll try to fulfill it to the best of my abilities.
"Ah, b-but I don't have any money." The elf girl cutely fidgeted her fingers.
He waves his hand off:
"It's no problem, I can get you the best I can for free. So what'll it be?"
The Appa guy motions his hand as he names every fruit he had, and of course he had to start with:
"Appas? Baninas? Orage? Piche (peaches)? Peah (pears)? Chorry? Strowberry? Grapp (grapes)? Lemom? Melan (Melon)? Perhaps you want some silver since you're broke as it gets?"
Even the light seemed interested as it followed his directions.
"Ah, y-you don't have to do anything drastic like that. I j-just need some information, t-then I'll be on my way." The girl stammered in nervousness with her bell like voice, probably afraid if the people around her will interpret her as some fiend trying to extort money from an honest hardworking family man.
The man gave a sigh and his face relaxed in understanding:
"It's about that girl that stole from you a few moments ago, ain't it?"
The white mini falling star arched from one speaker to another.
"H-how did you know?" The elf girl carefully eyed him, quite perturbed by the fact that he read her intentions.
Appa guy simply pointed at holes left in the wall, the only remain of her ice shard attack, now that the ice had time to melt. The girl simply let out an 'ah' deadpan, palming her head at her obvious mistake. She really acted like a bit of an airhead sometimes. Meanwhile Plum ran in the house telling that she will get something.
"The thief you're looking for is probably Felt."
"You know her name? Are you reaaaly sure that's her?" Emilia looked at him with a worried glance, signaling that she didn't want to chase the wrong person.
"Messy middle sized blonde hair; red eyes; fanged tooth; and her dull read tattered scarf. Does she fit the description?"
"Yes she is one slippery sneaky guttersnipe, I can't believe I lost her!" She cutely stomped the floor in frustration.
Like a small child the smallest of the bulb laughed at the girls predicament. It stopped when Emilia shoot a glare at her. She had been spotted!
The appa guy motioned with his hands mimicking the path she needed to take:
"Well, don't worry miss. Just head to the Southern water bridge, and further down in the slums all the way to the Loot-house where the Rom-ji lives. Ask the locals for more directions."
"Thank you so much for the information. I'll head there right away." The elf girl bowed in respect.
"No problem miss" Kadomon waved her off-
but before the beautiful lady of white and purple themes could leave, a little girl with rose dress, light green hair and shining cyan eyes run out of the house and shouted:
"Nee-chan (big sister), wait! Please take this with you." She shone brightly as she presented the skilled rosy flower hair pin.
As his daughter has handed out the hairpin, the Appa guy had a dark expression of realisation. The white star was experiencing so many different emotions it no longer knew what to do.
The elf girl was stunned but for a moment before she accepted the girl's gift with grace:
"You be a good girl now, and don't worry your parents. Be sure to hold their hands reaaaly tightly next time."
"I will." The girl in turn squealed happily.
"Promise?" The elf girl conditioned the girls hasty response. For no reason in particular but because it is in her nature to bind people. She mostly means well, but that's because she doesn't yet understand the cruelty of such ties.
"Hm!" The adowable cutie nodded her head with exaggerated motion. It was just too precious for eyes.
Appa guy hesitantly speaks out:
"Hey girl, I forgot to ask. What's your-" he stopped himself, because he needed to make sure that she is compliant: " What's the name of my daughter's saviour?"
"O-oh. It's Emilia. Just Emilia." She shily adds, not expecting to be asked a name at all. She was happy with people not immediately calling her a witch or a half-devil.
The small star was still confused what to feel because to the girls happiness, the shop keeper responded with fear:
"Be careful out there. Something seriously dangerous might happen." He wasn't a superstitious man, however if he had the information to save her life, and she died because he withheld it. Even if she's a witch lookalike, did she deserve death?
Genuinely surprised by the man's kindness it made her feeling really accomplished. She honestly thought that he wanted to get rid of her as quickly as possible, like all those people she tried to save before. This man was without a doubt a kind exception.
The elf girl nods, put a pin on her outfit around her bra, looks back at the family and says:
"I'll be head out now, wish me luck."
The white spark increased in intensity as happiness finally prevailed.
"Good luck Nee-chan!"
"Hopefully you retrieve your stolen item peacefully."
"Come next time in good health to buy from us, and I'll even throw a little discount."
Plum, Raksha, and Kadomon all wished the best of luck in their own way, as the girl was disappearing into the next street.
Raksha takes Plum by her hand and takes her inside the house, while the Appa guy remains at his little "guard post", and like a loyal dog to him invisible light bulb sat like a man's best friend.
Not even a full minute later, and the strange poor boy from before arrives totally out of breath. By now the appa guy learned his lesson. It is not all what it seems at a first glance.
"Hey O-chan. (mister)"
"What do you want, broke kid?" He grumbles in a restrained voice.
"There is something I need to ask you." the boy managed to blurt out between breaths. And he took another longer pause to compose himself:
"Have there been any pickpocketing incidents around here?"
Kadomon was a renewed man but it didn't mean that Appa guy wasn't at least bit annoyed by the kid's antics, he closed his eyes and tilted his head in exasperation
"Asking questions without buying anything? You really do have guts."
He wasn't enthusiastic about trying to give out any information either, because he is sure the kid will pester him until he lists every possible crime until he finds whatever he is looking for. It's not like he is an information broker or some secret organisation accountant or whatever.
"Incidents like that aren't uncommon at all. Although, the last one was unusual." Appa guy's demeanour softened just after the last mention, not that anyone would notice, he is hardboiled man after all.
Showing the exact same evidences as he did for the Ice witch in the indents of building walls, he continued describing what he knew, even if he wasn't sure the broke kid asked for this particular crime:
"They threw magic around in a street a few times."
Crossing his arms the Appa guy thought about the precision and effortlessness the ice magican displayed. It demanded a feeling of caution in the stature of well toned Appa guy. Even if he knew the girl was kindhearted, she is also not the type regular people can mess with -or do anything against.
"Things that looked icicles flew around and lodged inside wall." A signature move for the ice magican, and it seems it sparked a look of recognition in broke kid's eyes. Perhaps this talk wasn't so useless after all.
"But they disappeared fast." A few minutes is not a long amount of time -from certain point of view.
Still the time the ice shard disappeared is a valuable information that distinguish a fire mage from water mage. A useful information for the raven spiky haired youth if he knew about it, or cared for that matter. But we won't be too harsh on him since this is only his 3rd consecutive 1st day. Even the small white dwarf star took a shining interest to the boy as he quickly processed his emotions:
"I'm too late?" He had taken too long reconciling with his new cheat ability. Well not quite, that's too positive of a word to be fitting. Death is not something so easily brushed of, the pain and fear of unknown. Not being sure if this is his last try. Then abruptly awaking from the exact moment of death, while your mind still lags behind, expecting pain and used to the position your body had during dying, to standing in middle of the street where the reflective ray of sun that bounce off the walls fry your retinas. There is no pause between the two sensations. One moment you are losing that imperceptible self and in the next your back on your energy full charge wondering where and when the hell am I? No human can get used to it, nor crave it.
But that's not all. The tracksuit kid experienced a moral dilemma. He had the option to hold his head down; tuck his tall in and let the events unfold leaving two criminals to die, and a foolish life-wasting girl to soon follow her fate.
And why wouldn't he? It's not his business. He ought to take care of his own life, cash in his phone, now that he knew he could get above 20 holy coins for it. In the end he would probably get scammed for less but he wouldn't start of the streets. He would find work, while using his knowledge of other world to make inventions, earn a small fortune and be set for life.
However he just couldn't. Perhaps Felt was a petty thief, and Rom-ji (Rom gramps) was at the very least an enabler, and on the absolute incriminating spectrum a gang leader of sorts or perhaps The Guy. You know The Guy that can fix you up with whatever you need for a price. Simply resourceful like that.
They weren't saints but to say that they deserved to die, no matter how the former student exercised himself to be completely unfeeling for those around him, due to his experiences. It didn't feel right.
Perhaps he could've convinced himself he couldn't do anything for bringing this death onto themselves with their Greed. But what excuse would he have to make to abandon not Satella?
"I thought I could keep insignia from being stolen, then maybe..."
Maybe he would prevent this entire situation from happening...
She was so desperate to get her insignia, yet she saved a useless boy; healed him; made sure he was safe; making a weak excuse once he woke up that she did all of that for information, so he wouldn't feel bad for wasting her time. Not to mention how she was adamant on finding Plum's mother...
What excuse would he have for leaving not Satella? That she didn't entrust him with her name?
It was probably his fault for being suspicious and useless.
'I will simply work harder, so that she gives me her real name.'
He had to hold his thoughts from uttering: 'at least for easier next time.'
He will try his best to save her and survive!
"Maybe, what?" The Appa guy pondered aloofly, not particularly interested what the boy would do if he stopped the crime.
"Oh just, talking to myself but... Thanks for letting me, even if I didn't buy anything." In an endearing tone -for some reason- he felt really grateful and he expressed that emotion in the fullest. At least the white light appreciated his attitude.
"It's not big deal! A broke kid, like you, just helped my daughter, after she got lost earlier." Not a witch; not a calamity, but a kid. Stronger than most but still struggling like anyone else. The Appa guy finally accepted that fact.
"Guess the fate is a compelling force, too..." The mean eyed boy gaze softened as he remembered his time with Plum and not Satella that ended with not Satella obtaining the hair pin. Although the pin mismatched with not Satella's outfit she still wore it with pride.
"What are you smiling about?" The light seconded the Appa guy's question but for a different type of curiosity, much lighter and innocent.
"Nothing. I'll buy appa next time." If it was a deal between two men, no matter what he would see it through, absolutely certainly.
The appa guy bit into it, and the with a frivolous joking tone encouraged him to find purpose:
"Sure. Buy one, and you'll be a customer. Get to work. Broke kid."
Subaru flashed him a thumbs up:
"Right!" As he disappeared into the crowd. He was rushing but the falling star was even faster. She was late in fact to her new destination.
The appa guy shaked his head chuckling to himself... But then he palmed his forehead
"Ah, I forgot about telling him about his cousins." He scratched the back of head: "Distracting me with his weirdness, honestly." Crossing his arms he leans back into his chair:
"Well, not that it matters anyway. I'm sure those guys will meet eachother eventually, no matter how cluelessly they miss the timing." He wished them best of luck. Family is pretty important after all. As a simple man he knew that the best.
His wish did enter One's ear, however that entity is no God, nor a Star that looks down upon the Continent from a night sky that govern the luck and chance of mortals.
Appa guy should really stay in his lane as a fruit seller, because as a foreboding forecast man he is rather inaccurate. They won't meet by the intervention of the fate; but the small miracles created by the puppeteering hands of a relentless Perfectionist.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
God I hope this doesn't catches on popularity.
I will listen only to the name suggestions
1. For fem versions parents should they stay Naoko and Kenichi (pros: everyone has same name parents to bond over) , should they stay with names I've given them (Pros: Ma(i)nbaru won't be as revolted to more frisky comments from his essentially twin sisters.) or do you have a better suggestion for a name.
2. Ecidon. If you have a better name than this I'll listen. It has to be a name of the moon around planets... Lore stuff I guess.
3. The witches for gender reversal universe. They will probably be mentioned.
Any other comment: again I couldn't care less about.
Don't leave a kudos because I'll have to work more on this revolting fanfic