Chapter 19: Can the Worst of People Change?
~Tatsumi POV~
Ok, that was something…
The first thing I see when I wake up is in some field with a huge amount of grass and a small hill with the wind blowing from what I can tell.
Looking around I finally see my person of interest the Witch of Greed Echidna.
As I was looking at her, she took notice of my presence as she talks to me, "You certainly took your time arriving here welcome traveler for what I – "
Sorry, but I came here for a few things and not an introduction scene best to burst her bubble.
Waving my hand at her I simply stated her introduction in a blank voice to her, "Yeah, yeah I get already that you're the great hag of Greed Echidna the oldest lady known to mankind or humanity for that matter."
Seeing her freeze on the spot I guess she wasn't expecting that one.
But why not let this opportunity slip by me since I already know that the others are already listening in to this conversation, "Yeah I get the point although Echidna I don't mind that the other girls or witches listen in I already know that the other Sin Witches are here observing this conversation."
Echidna just looked surprised at me calling her out of her other witches as she seems to smile more about this that was certainly unsettling as she acted hurt, "Hmm… you certainly know more than you let on stranger and you being rude as to calling me an old hag just hurts this maiden heart."
Sigh…
This woman is going to be very difficult to deal with that much I know.
However, Echidna begins to smile as she offers me a cup of tea as she says to me in a curious voice, "Truly it has been a long while that anyone has come over say stranger how about a cup of tea it would surely calm your nerves, mister…"
Walking towards the direction as I finally meet Echidna at a small table with an umbrella providing shades as I respond to her as I drink the tea in one full gulp, "Alright the name is Tatsumi to you Echidna, and thanks for the tea… Gulp! Ah… the taste is certainly bland just as I expected."
Echidna seems to look at me in clear shock as she says to me in amazement, "Wow… you really drank the whole tea… you certainly are brave to drink from a witch you know that?"
Sitting down I just revealed to her what I know what I drank the funny thing is that it's not the grossest or disgusting thing that I ever had.
Luckily the taste of the Devil Fruit has literally made my sense of taste not register this thing as bad.
I guess if there was the perk of eating a Devil Fruit would be, I can't even taste anything that awful for life what worse could happen after I ate the damned cursed fruit anyway?
But just in case I saw that my [Yami Yami no Mi] worked here absorbing Echidna [Miasma] in the process at least this way I won't die right away from her exposure to her anyway.
Seeing myself I noticed that I was no longer in my armor at the moment I guess that means the [Tyrant] wasn't invited…
I wonder…
But returning myself to reality to Echidna I explained to her what I drank as she keeps getting more curious of me the second, "I have to admit tasting the tea wasn't the most disgusting thing I could ever drink because I tasted worst even if it was from your bodily fluid right?"
Echidna didn't look bothered but more interested in the knowledge that I knew judging from her smile at least, "You even know about tea as well and weren't afraid to drink at all truly peculiar indeed… but what I'm more interested in that dark mist you're producing now that has my interest peaked."
Well, this was unavoidable, to begin with, but I wasn't going to explain to her my abilities as I say to her in a blank tone, "Nope not telling you a word about that so how about we discuss something different instead Echidna like the reason I came to seek you."
Echidna seems to be disappointed but returns smiling at this as she replies to me, "Yes! I forgot that you came here for a reason most would want my knowledge from the past from the Kingdoms before me that I knew but I guess you aren't here for that correct?"
Nodding my head to her I begin to explain to her about the Sin Archbishops, "Correct I came here wondering if you're interested in partnering up with me eliminating the Sin Archbishops the cruelest inhumane monsters on the land with their unique abilities corresponding to the Witches of Sin."
Echidna actually looks interested on the subject more so the Sin Archbishops than my partner up as she says the obvious, "Interesting what exactly are these Sin Archbishops and how do they correlate to us in any way?"
With that I began to talk to her about the Sin Archbishops and what they are since Subaru didn't talk much in the previous timeline, "The Cult is made up of followers at the bottom and a group of members at the top known as Sin Archbishops. The Sin Archbishops each govern over one of the seven sins other than Envy that the other six witches were said to represent. They are selected based on whether they are compatible with [Witch Factors], and currently, the representatives for Pride is the only one seemingly be missing from their ranks. In a real sense true evil people in this world."
Echidna was eating up the information that was happening around the world with her imprisonment here by the Dragon of their world sealing her off.
Echidna for the first time seeing her frown at the idea as she came to a conclusion that made the [Miasma] density surrounding her increase as she says to me, "Say… Tatsumi if these Witch Cultists are not following us exactly then with Witch would they pledge to…"
Damn Subaru was right about her being the most dangerous form what he fought…
Even what I fought before was monsters didn't have this much pressure feeling but this…
This is a threat from a Witch that pales to any threat that I faced before!
Gulp…
Gulping in my spit I answered Echidna my answer seeing how she would react, "They only swore allegiance to Satella the Witch of Envy and ignore any other witches of their achievements as they say that Satella was the one to create the Mad Beasts that was the Witch of Gluttony Daphne credit, not hers and as well as hold your handy down versions of your [Gospel] for their own benefit."
Echidna hearing this was soon felt like a large amount of pressure was released in a form of [Miasma] as I heard hear her words with clear rage inside it, "Satella… Witch Cultist… my [Gospel]… this is certainly a lot of information that has happened when I'm imprisoned for the last 400 years…"
Next, soon enough Echidna calmed down I have to remember here that there are only three things that piss this woman off Emilia, Hector, and Satella for whatever reason she has.
Best to be on a witch's good side than bad.
As Echidna was calming down, I soon speak to her after her tantrum about the current events happening, "So then Echidna are you calmed down for you to listen? About the offer are you interested in partnering up to help search down the Sin Archbishops it would certainly be more interesting to have you around?"
Looking at her face she seems to recover herself from her earlier outburst as she blushes as she says to me, "Oh! My apologies for that earlier outburst that wasn't the very maiden-like attitude of me to do but from your earlier deal…"
Seeing her smirk I couldn't help but feel nervous about what she does next after all she is a demonically perverse figure to meet.
Of course, I would be fearful even if I have my darkness defend me.
Next I Echidna replies to me handing her hand to me as she tries to make physical contact with me, "Very well Tatsumi how about we make a [Contract] to seal the deal – "
However, I interrupted her as I say to her with a cold tone, "No… that would break your contract with Beatrice so how about you come with me as equals plus I was wondering do who is the person who is waiting to come in her gospel mentioning 'they' in your life?"
Echidna seems stunned that I even knew this much about her artificial spirit, but I didn't care if I offended her or not.
Even if Beatrice doesn't look like a child suffering, she was handling it all by herself trusting in Echidna's incomplete gospel resulting in her into a deep depression of suicide.
I don't care if I piss off a witch to do it.
Echidna looks surprised about this but in that moment, but she soon smiles at this as she then tries a different response, "I see… you even knew about that conversation from 400 years ago truly fascinating of your knowledge you have even though you aren't from that era."
I stood my ground looking at her with no care but it seems to not bother her as she just smiles more at this as she says next with a smile, "Well no matter I see that you won't allow me to form a contract with me but I will consider an alternative then if you tell me how you knew about the contract with me and Beatrice I will be more incline to help on equal terms?"
Yeah… no.
I highly doubt this would be enough to convince her if I told her the truth no matter what happens.
And Echidna is being true to her character describing her to do anything for the search of knowledge.
Seeing her in person I soon realize that having her as a member would be a big mistake to make.
No rather it's a matter of principle to her is the question of how much our lives mean to Echidna if she was offered a vast more of knowledge.
She would do it in a heartbeat for her own greed to satisfy her needs and once she gets into the Group Chat whose to stop her from getting into our memories getting what she wants.
I…
I was a fool to consider that this figure would ever be a member in our group of anything meaningful to anyone and if I tried my Semblance on her [Final Command] it will be a matter of time for her to figure a way around it or cancel it completely.
If anything, she will try to find a way to sell our group off if only for her to find a way to gather more knowledge in her search for greed.
Also, she has memory manipulation ability that she could've done already by turning my friends into her puppets no matter what happens next, we would follow the strings to her fingers…
I have to remember that she can't feel emotions to anyone only her natural desire of her greed…
But…
Like all these Witches before me, they were once innocent people bestowed upon them with power that made them all-powerful but with their twisted ideologies and beliefs, they were labeled as Witches.
If only they weren't as morally wrong about their actions or how this world has worked then these 6 would've been the greatest helpers for their generation solving this world's problems if they were guided.
Sigh…
Shaking my head off of those what if's and focusing on the reality of the situation here that I'm currently in front of the Witch of Greed.
But…
Do I think even the worst person can change...?
That everyone can be a good person if they just try?
…
Well, let's see this chance work out then!
Viewing at Echidna I ask her a question that I want to hear ignoring her earlier question as I reach out to her holding her hand, I activated my Semblance!
I know this will certainly alert the rest of the witches but…
Like I said before I don't care if I piss off the witches I do how I see fit and care who I care about not anyone else!
Using my Semblance [Final Command] I used this chance to change her completely to once was before the Witch of Greed to the person Echidna who wanted to help, "Echidna… by my command I want you to revert to the person who wanted to be the one to protect others with her wits and knowledge while having the compassion to care for others and loved like a normal human engraved into you!"
Seeing my [Aura] awaken my whole body started to light up as Echidna's eyes turned dull at that moment but then soon returned to normal but I saw something in her eyes…
Something that calmed myself to know that Echidna was feeling more human to me than before…
In her eyes, I saw emotions of care in them.
Fear…
Confusion…
Hate…
Anger…
Love…
Kindness…
Pity…
Despair…
Hope…
And many more types of emotions were happening around her that her world is beginning to crumble apart as the other witches took notice of this they tried to act.
Like hell, I would let this happen!
I guess with the power acting up of Echidna [Castle of Dreams] is breaking down from her emotions being released that she can no longer focus her will on it.
But I didn't care after all with this gone the witches will truly be in a sense be gone.
With that, I activate my [Dark Field: Repulsion]!
Next, a dome of darkness covered me and Echidna as she was going through her emotions for the first time in her life.
When the other witches tried to come through my force field dome of darkness, they couldn't even get close to the gravity activating it to repel anything it makes in contact with, but they will get through soon as Daphne is eating my dome.
Luckily it regenerates more than she can eat but not for long!
As the fantasy world before me starts crumbling down Echidna starts to regain herself again the past version of her with emotions says to me as tears ran down her face, "Please… take me to see Beatrice! I have to… to…"
Echidna being close to me drags me close to my face with tears of sadness shown on her face, "… Apologize to her…! For her loneliness… her suffering that I caused her…"
Smiling at this I ask her quickly as Echidna begins to open up a portal indicating it was time for me to leave, "Very well… Echidna but I would need a medium to talk to you again to let Beatrice know as well."
Echidna brings me the black crystal that was mentioned in the IF GREED story as she says to me again, "I will be able to speak to you again once you hold this black crystal pendent just hold it to speak to me again I will be fine just leave before the others come!"
Taking no chance, I rushed into her portal but I reply to Echidna as I left, "Alright Echidna I will be sure to contact you when I get the chance!"
With that, I was suddenly awake in my armor the activating my devil fruit as I notice inside my armor that I have the black crystal pendant wrapped around me at the neck as I smile at this outcome.
Looking at it made me think to myself in an assured tone, 'Alright with this I have enough evidence to convince Beatrice with the help of Echidna to get her on my side to become my [Contracted Spirit].'
As I was leaving Sanctuary, I noticed it was around sunset at this time I guess I spent a lot of time as well.
But a thought occurred to me and wondered if I could do a summoning, 'I wonder? If Echidna is currently a soul could I summon her as a Servant from Fates magic circle plus with Beatrice [Gospel] it would act as a catalyst for Echidna to be summoned without the system, it would be possible wouldn't it…? Thoughts for later I suppose.'
With that I head back to the mansion avoiding the maids detections but the [Witch Stench] on me is stronger than ever before luckily my darkness is absorbing the stench before I get caught red handed.