9

"My plans were disrupted." Announced the gravely dressed women, "I can't do anything about that, I know this. But honestly, I can't help but let this frustration swell up a bit." She announced as her white hair softly flew through an artificial wind.

Emilia, silver hair and fair amethyst eyes could only look hesitantly as the women spoke. The environment to its credit was relaxed. Only a mere tea table and umbrella enveloped anything other then grass. And the women who looked dressed for a funeral, she looked back towards the half-elf.

"I don't want to work with you." She spoke out, contempt in her voice.

Emilia only gazed, unsure as the pale women in front of her continued. A slight "tch" in her throat.

The pale figure enveloped in black, squinted in reply, a pause before she continued. "You don't know who I am, I wouldn't expect that. The least I'll do before sending you to the trials is give you my name."

Emilia, she looked once again, aloof to where she was. Was the meeting with this crude women part of the trial? If so that meant she was still in the sanctuary. For what reason did this woman not like her? Was it because of her resemblance once more to the witch, the usu-

"No." The women announced, "It's not because you resemble that ugly wretch of a being. My reasons for disliking you are beyond that."

A pause, "Why then?" Emilia spoke up, clearly uncomfortable. "Who are you? What have I done to make you not like me so much?"

"…" a sigh, "there you go again.." The women nodded to the side before talking once more. Emilia standing still. "No. I'm not going to give you that answer."

"Wh-" but before she could speak, the half-elf was cut off.

"I" the women announced slowly with intent, "Am the witch of Greed, Echidna." The wind blew, "If you wish to free the sanctuary, you'll have to complete three trials." A pause to scoff, "And while you may not be my ideal experiment, and though I may hate you with every cell in my body. Still, I urge you to complete these tasks. Break you or not, I'll wait to get what I want."

"What do you-" but before she, Emilia could formulate a proper sentence her vision begun to flutter, black and white, sparks disintegrating and phasing. Shifting and wrapping, up down, center, left, right. It all focused on the women dressed in black, blurry lines, and Echidna could only stare back with a smile in contempt for her own words.

Chapter Nine

Fairytale Dreams

It begun to rain. A particularly cloudy sky, with this morning being open to a grey sky. Natsuki Subaru quickly threw his hood up, covering his bag under the side of his sleeve, he ran upwards the hill, looking for a place he could take refuge during the oncoming storm. Mostly, the road hadn't been crowded, there were a few demi-humans up ahead, and to his back a lone mother and child quickly ran to the side of the street, they too covered their heads but with baskets containing fruits. Subaru still running took note of a café, it had a purple roof to its front. Below the roof lay an entrance, with the midnight-boy quickly turning in its direction. "Guess I get to wait out the storm." Subaru muttered as he walked into the building.

Across said structure it lay multiple windows, the room he entered had a bar to the left which had two figures in white occupying it, their heads turned to the bartender who seemed to be telling a story. To his right, a few small tables. Two of the tables were occupied with customers of the cafe. One demi-human wolf gave Subaru a skeptical look before turning to their partner and resuming their conversation. Natsuki Subaru sighed and moved to a table by the window. The whole bar had a lot of natural light to it, despite which position an occupant choose. Regardless Subaru sat closest to the windows; he would watch the rain for a few seconds before turning to his bag now hidden under his coat and pulling out a black book from it. Pulling said book out and placing it onto the table, the nasty-eyed boy also took hold of a pencil in his bag.

He opened the paperback and revealed a journal of various sketches and designs. These designs were drawings of devices from the otherworldly-boys previous world. Anything from a pair of nail-clippers to a plane was in that book. With his latest installment, the boy was working vigorously to remember every cranny, nook, and corner of a fridge, to the side of various compartments he would leave notes. These notes that were complied in the journal were Japanese, as to avoid any attempts at copy-right should his 'sacred scripture' (as Subaru liked to put it), get stolen.

He sighed once more, "What's so special about a fridge anyway? I'm sure these people have ice magic that can keep things cold." the boy looked dejected before trying again, "Fridges have light bulbs, right?" he muttered. Time passed; it was still raining. After about fifteen minutes, Natsuki Subaru laid back into his seat, he placed his hands over his eyes and let out a frustrated groan. "I don't remember anything." Whatever, maybe Stride could access his memories and recreate every image in his head- which upon further consideration didn't seem like such a bad idea to the boy any longer. Would this be it? A grand breakthrough? It was worth a shot- but before he could ask his complimentary counterpart the nasty-eyed boy was interrupted with a curious-

"What'cha got there, Natsuki Subaru?" Subaru opened a crack between his hand and eye, and leaning over the table before him, Anastasia Hoshin in a white cloak. Who had a wryly smile as she gazed into the boy's work.

"Ah-um." Shifting to quickly grab the book and store it in his bag, Subaru looked back to the mauve-merchant who only smiled. "Nothing. It's nothing."

"Mhmm" The girl backed up a bit and looked to the boy in front of her with her mint-eyes, "How long has it been' a month?" Innocently she placed her forefinger to her lips and looked upwards for a mere moment as too recall the obvious, then she looked back to the black-haired boy before her and gave a smile, "You look good after' everythin', Natsuki Subaru."

Subaru paused, he squinted his eyes, tilted his head, shook slightly and then smiled, "You're flattering me Anastasia, is this another manipulation tactic?"

Undiscouraged, the girl kept the same posture, "Only if ya see it that way." She smirked, "But before anythin' else, I gotta give credit where it's do."

"Yeah?" The nasty-eyed boy raised a brow.

"Yeah, what'cha did in yer situation was incredible. Overcoming those odds were a one in a million chance!" She continued her smile, "It was really impressive indeed, Natsuki Subaru."

The raven-youth paused once more, thinking before speaking, he folded his hands together, relaxed his posture and put his arms to his lap, "Thanks Anastasia."

"Don't mention it." The same smile, "So, how have ya been?"

The relaxed youth put his palms together swiftly, "Hold on, I'm doing fine, but you're acting so friendly to someone, who, last you saw them, you didn't have the best interaction with. It's a bit, crude."

The girl opened her mouth, gave an oblivious expression, and awkwardly grinned, "Well, I was just' doin' business, as I said, nothin' was personal." She raised a hand to her chest politely, "In my defence, I was doin' what was best for my camp, had you been in my situation, you would have done the same thing, Natsuki Subaru."

"Ermm, no?" Subaru now folding his arms, he had a skeptical look, "I'm not as heinous as to take advantage of someone when there at there lowest point."

"Are you sure?" Anastasia rose an eye.

"Yes, I'm sure, I've never done something like that in my life!" he defended himself.

"Who's too say ya haven't been in a situation where that was a present opportunity, I mean, human nature is inherently selfish after all." She smiled once more.

A pause. "Mhm, well I can make myself a promise to never take advantage of the weak, it's the righteous thing to do. Plus." Subaru would add, "What I would do, have done, or etcetera, is none of your business Ms. Hoshin."

She paused, before slowing down her pace, she sighed, "Look, I didn't mean to say anythin' to offend ya, actually, it's quite the opposite." She pulled the chair across from Subaru, she gazed at him as to ask for permission, the midnight boy only gave a nod in response. Now sitting down, the merchant-princess continued, "After' hearin' about yer exploits, I've grown quite fond of ya."

The nasty-eyed boy was curious now, "Is that right?"

The girl pulled down the hood of her cloak, "If ya mind me, with yer denunciation of the Emilia camp, I thought it'd be good if we would work together."

"I see." Subaru smiled cockily, "That's the angle yer going at." He gazed at her as she gazed back, looking completely confident, "I have to say lady Hoshin, it's like your greed has no bounds."

Continuing her smile, she remained in the same relaxed posture, "I did say I was a greedy girl who wanted a whole country to herself', that should 'a gave ya enough' context, Natsuki Subaru."

The raven-youth chuckled a little bit, "Noted, I won't forget next time." He looked to the bartender who had been wiping a single glass before looking back to the possible royalty in front of him, "But unfortunately, I'm a free man, not some product you can buy over."

"And I understan' that completely, which is why, should ya help me, once I'm King, I could get'cha whatever ya need and more." She blinked cutely.

"What if what I want is beyond your grasp?" Subaru perked up, "What would you do should I ask for more than what we bargained?"

"Well than, we could compromise." The Kagaragan continued solemnly, not detested, never deterred, the girl could come up with an answer to every one of the midnight-boy's questions if she wanted to. "Afterall, yer still talking to me, ya don't seem too unreasonable."

The boy paused suddenly, catching wind of Anastasia's word's he closed his eyes for a long ten-seconds before quickly getting up and moving to the door.

"Wait-" She spoke out, "Where are ya going?"

No response, Natsuki Subaru left.

"What is thine rush?" Stride questioned the midnight-boy who rushed out of the small shop. "Thou believe Ms. Hoshin not to be worth thou time?"

"Ha." Subaru shook his head as he walked, "Anastasia. She's on my list of unfriendly peoples right now, last I saw her, she manipulated me. Wasn't going to let that happen again."

"Thou could see it as that." Stride almost scoffed, "But the lady did have a point, she had done what any leader should do."

"Stride!" Subaru blurted once more, "A good person doesn't coerce someone into doing there bidding!" Now stopping, the youth looked to the ground. The floor was stone and rock, constantly the firm ground was berated with a wet drizzle.

"What do thou constitute as a good person then? Do thou see thyself as a good person?" the Vollachian would continue, "Do thou, Natsuki Subaru, see a good person as being morally righteous? Always doing the virtuous thing?"

"Well, yeah?" Subaru glared his eyes, "If it seems like the right thing and you do it, that would make you a right person."

"But has it slipped thou mind considering that, perhaps the wrong thing could do better in the long run then the right thing in the present? That the sacrifice could harm more then it benefits?"

"What do you mean by that Stride? Wouldn't that make the other choice just as right?" The otherworldly-boy inquired as he looked to a local stall which had a dry roof, moving towards it.

"Consider this. Thou are in a war, there is a group of people that are persecuted. Thou are a good person, as thy venerable Subaru put." The Vollachain would continue, "Thou have a choice when thee authorities come. Either thou may lie and break that rule of righteous but save the innocents. Or thou tell the truth, and thy people die."

"When did this become a philosophy course? I'm just trying not to get manipulated." Subaru groaned.

"Take this into consideration; perhaps what Ms. Hoshin did, was aligned with her world view. To achieve her ultimate good, she choose a necessary evil." Stride would smile had he a body, "Do thou understand?"

A pause, a sigh, "Yes," reluctantly, "I do.. Which means, and what you mean, is that I'll have to learn to make sacrifices despite my personal preference?"

The mauve-man replied, "Mine-venerable-self sees this as so, no great man in history has made a choice without these factors in consideration."

Subaru looked somewhat dejected, "I don't know man, I'm not a normal guy, I can choose multiple options if one doesn't work out, am I really bound to any of that?"

"Well, in the long run, thou are." Stride continued, "If thou had full control, perhaps he could change things, but as of now there will be choices thou can't change, how will thou Subaru deal with these?"

"By making the best choice possible," Subaru scoffed, "I'm not an idiot."

The Vollachian hummed, "If that is in thou's belief." The man continued forwardly despite his contractors' objections. The Vollachian royalty would then move away from his inquiry of the self, and onto that of strategy, "And for thou plan for the merchant, and other candidates? How do thou, Natsuki Subaru plan on handling them?"

"Well." Subaru pridefully, "I have a list." The raven-youth spoke almost earnestly, "To begin with Anastasia, she's slippery, I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust her completely."

Stride almost deterred the nasty-eyed youths' comments, in his opinion, he thought Anastasia was a valuable gateway into the world of commerce, should Natsuki Subaru decide to pursue her, the boy would learn valuable information elsewhere unobtainable. But regardless he let the Japanese boy continue.

"And for Crusch and Priscilla." He pondered placing his thumb to his chin, "Crusch is fine, I sort of doubt her too after everything before the White-Whales subjugation, but something tells me I'm on thin ice with a good third of her camp." The archbishop scoffed. "Regardless she seems honourable enough to at least talk to." The boy then looked to the right as a dragon carriage passed by, and then left as said carriage slowly disappeared from his sight, "As for Priscilla. She's Prideful. But looking to you Stride as my only Vollachain reference, I'm going to blame that on how she was raised." He then put his hands together, "Felt is fine, were on good terms, and I don't even want to think about Emilia. So that should put us at the very least with somewhere to begin-"

A stubborn frustration came from the left and a purple haired girl, partially soaked in the rain had an undeterred look on her face. "Wait, Subaru, really I'm not tryna' con ya' into anythin." Following behind her a cat-girl, Mimi, who had the same stubborn look as her candidate albeit with a smile.

"Yah mister, momma doesn't mean anything bad!" The orange haired child backed up her supposed mother as she practically jumped in front of Subaru.

The hazel-eyed boy paused for a mere second, took note of the two. Slowly he calculated his plan of action, then proceeded to the execution. Subaru roared sarcastically "Anastasia! You can't use children in your little mind games." A false astonishment as Subaru remarkably took a step back. "How corrupt can you be?!" A complete change in his demeanor. Natsuki Subaru was surprised to see Hoshin and her child follow him out here in the rain, he was caught off guard. Logically in his head, the only thing the nasty-eyed boy cloaked in black could do in reply was to be just as unpredictable as the surprise he had just faced.

"What?" The Kagaragan paused as she looked to the midnight boy, "Mind games? Children? Natsuki Subaru what are ya' talkin' about?"

"And here I thought you couldn't stoop any lower!" The nasty-eyed boy put his hand to his head dramatically, "The humanity!"

"What?" Repeatedly Anastasia with her fluorescent green eyes was utterly dumbstruck. What gave with the reaction? As far as the merchant princess knew, she was the one whose mind was being played with.

"Shame on you!" The boy scoffed, "Fool me once- wait, I already- ugh, never mind." Subaru shook his head, Anastasia was still under the rain, both Mimi and the boy were under a dry cover. The teenaged Natsuki Subaru could only ramp up his antics as the Kagaragans furthered any questions, he left the candidate dumbstruck, in awe of his superior intellect as he denied her any right to talk to him.

"Seriously, will ya just listen to what I have ta' say?" The women now irritated was under red drapes of the stall as well. Mimi gazing furiously between the Prideful boy and now disgraced girl that she called her mother.

"This isn't like you Ana-Tan?" The raven-youth teased as he placed his hand to his chest considerably. "You seem a lot colder as of recently?"

Anastasia drenched in rain placed her hands to cover her forehead, she paused. "Who are ya Subaru?" She muttered slightly as if finally giving up.

Subarus eyes widened for a second at the girl's frustration, then he smiled, "Well I'm just Natsuki Subaru!" he placed his thumb to his heart, "I'm slightly lost, a bit irritated, and stuck here until the rains gone, unfortunately with a girl who helped break my heart."

Mimi was silent, quickly gazing to her mother who stared towards the ground, "Yer crazy." Was all the mauve-women muttered before looking back into the jet-black haired boy who had a liable face, with the same cocky smile.

"You're the crazy one for following me out here," he folded his arms and scoffed, "I consider myself infallible if anything."

Anastasia sighed, regaining her posture and moving underneath the dry roof put her hands to her lap, presented a stoic look, and frowned, "So I take it ya don't want to involve yerself with me?"

"Probably not" Silence, a disappointment, a Slothful look and a backing away, the sky still. Whatever.

Time passed, so did the rain, it was noon, still. An apologetic look for a second, "Don't take it to heart Anastasia, it's just business."

"As per tha' usual" The merchant sighed, "Ya got plans?"

"Erm" Subaru squirmed as he put his hands to his pockets, latching onto a piece of paper, slightly crumpled, he opened it, the contents only revealed to him, a mess of red ink. A time stamp, he read it, a location. "Yeah, something like that."

"Hmph." Anastasia folded her arms and deterred away, "Ya got me soaked following ya out here, ya really do know how ta' treat a lady' don't ya Natsuki?"

Rolling his eyes, "More like treating the enemy." Sarcastically speaking, "Besides, I'm not going off status, or reputation, or history, or anything like that." Now he looked to her, as the sky cleared and the rain stopped, "When talking to anyone, I'll treat them as I see fit."

Hoshin almost gawked, "Who died and made ya the judge? Cause I'd like to give em' my mind." Rolling her eyes, and folding her arms as to stare back to the Raven before her, "Yer arrogance isn't gonna' get ya far in this life Subaru, ya can't treat everyone as if their below ya"

"It's gotten me this far." Subaru shrugged, "Just watch me do what I have to do."

"Fine." A long sigh, "you want, you can come with me?" was all the purple haired merchant needed to hear.

Now it was noon, they were at some crummy little bar on the back hand side of the capital. Mimi had a defensive stance as she eyed up the bar. Subaru, well Subaru walked causally, passing by a drunkard, he led the way. "Why are we here?" spoke the candidate with a soft tone, a bit intimidated by the lack of awareness she had for her current predicament.

"You're here because you followed me?" the raven boy replied sarcastically. He continued to move, occasionally he would look back, not being so much of a jerk as he made sure the two girls were safe. "I'm here because I have business."

Now hurrying her way to the side of the boy with nasty eyes, who then squinted towards Anastasia before eventually sighing and slowing down to the emerald eyed merchants' pace, they walked towards the counter,

"Ya don't always have to be in an' angst Subaru." Anastasia blurted out as Subaru stood stoically beside her.

"Im not..?" Subaru staying still. "Anyways." The raven boy continued, "I need you to sit a bit further away. Private business ya know?"

Anastasia a bit dazed merely folded her arms, "hmph. Dragging a girl like me out here and makin' me yer second option. Really yer terrible Subaru."

"Yah, terrible!" Mimi replied as she babbled out her tongue and blew a raspberry.

"It's part of the anticipation." The midnight boy grinned pridefully. "I'm serious though, don't know how my correspondent would react to me dragging around a king's candidate like a lost puppy."

Anastasia could only roll her eyes and nod, "Ya, whatever ya say." Quietly the girl moved to a seat near the far side of the bar with Mimi, they both put the hood of their cloaks over their head and began a discussion outside of nasty-eyed boys field of hearing. Now, Subaru was alone.

So he sat himself, with a goal in mind, patiently beside the cloaked figure previously mentioned. A pause for a second and he began to speak. "You're here on time."

A pause, "Whooo-dya take me for?" slurred speech, "O' course i'm here on time-" a burb.

"Hold up, you can't be serious-" Subaru moved to grab the mans hood, the figure was slouched over and in the palm of his right hand an empty glass. He pulled back the cloak and another drunkard was revealed, "Heinkel.. are you seriously drunk?!"

"Me- what!" a red blush across his face. "Of course not-" A loud burp! The drunken deputy commander then flacked his hands around, "But- it's alwaysss me-! That jusssst has to be!"

Subaru cringed slightly, this was not a good look for subtly. When he looked to the corner where a certain merchant princess sat, the raven boy could only describe her look to be that of a mix between pure amusement and astute observation. The boy then looked back to disgraced Astrea.

"WHY!" Hienkel exclaimed, "Why is it always me messin up? Why not that damn demon of a so-" flinging his arms backward as he spoke, Hienkel then violently turned in that direction. Off the high-stool and to the ground. THUMP!

"Oh- oh god." Subaru stared in disbelief. "This is all going.. wrong."

Elegantly, as a woman in a dress, Crusch sat, tea in hand, "To put it fairly, while his accomplishments are admirable, in retrospect, he's too full of himself."

"Ya thinks so?" Ferris replied to Crush's answer. A question for her perspective all on the black-haired enigma, the nasty eyed boy was being answered.

"Clearly Ferris." To take a sip and then put it back. "His success is driven by ego, an unfilled need to prove himself over and over despite that fact that he's accomplished much. Maybe he grew up with this little self perceived view of his identity- low self esteem." The Valkyrie continued, "Least he clamper on his pride, I can see bad things happening to him, it's this stuck-up character and unrelenting view of things that can lead to his ruin."

"Oh yeah?" Ferris could only reply earnestly, "But he seems really smart, yow down't think Subaru will see this?"

The duchess had a slight squint to her eyes, "I may see it like an addiction; Subaru has experienced power, sheerly terrifying as I saw his raw strength firsthand. With this rush, I fear that our Subaru may seek more, leaning more and more into his ego with this self identity that is fixated on- 'proving himself." She continued to speak, tracing from one thought to another. "As a leader myself, ego is dangerous. It is one of the first things we must learn to subdue." She continued, "However, Natsuki Subaru is not in charge of anything currently. It may prove disastrous for him should he take any initiative in the field." Now moving her amber eyes to Ferris, "Should we expect him as a rival in any area? Perhaps. But initially as a competent one-" a natural pause, "I don't believe so, which is why it's inherently important that we find a way to subdue him, or at least get him on our side before its to late."

"You want Natsuki Subaru to join are camp?" Ferris, the cat-knight perked up. Excitement in his eyes.

"Well, maybe not directly associated with the camp, I could seem him as a valuable ally should the time come." The duchess's look became slightly meek, "While our relations with the boy aren't good, I believe I at least owe him a conversation to clarify my intentions as a leader aspiring to become the King of Lugnica." Another nod, "How much of that conversation will get through to him Ferris, I am not sure.

A nasty smirk on the cat-boys face, "You could aways seduce him~"

"Ferris!" The duchess slightly shocked. "Are you sug-"

"Nawh, not in that way," The cat paused, "but maybe showing him your natural beauty and feminine attributes, you may convince him to join our side." A slight teasing laugh.

"While I'm terrified for your definition when it comes to 'feminine attributes.' Ferris" The duchess twirled her green hair slightly in an uncommon display of fragility, "I am focused on becoming King. Rightly so, Natsuki Subaru is powerful.." a memory of the boy facing the whale to be quickly over shadowed by her next thought, "But he lacks the status and upbringing.."

"Relax." Ferris dismissed his lady while waving his right hand with a nod to the same side, "I didwn't want you, Lady Crusch to actuwally considewr it." Now he looked to his lady, "I was kidding."

A slightly embarrassed blush formed on the face of the emerald haired Kings Candidate, the two paused awkwardly but would resume their conversation to talk politics related to their more current local climate. One better suited for the realm outside of potential suitors are egotistical heroes.

Shuffling in warm sheets, the light in the room shun through to cover his aging eyes. A headache in his head, at once the sharp pain ushered in. Slowly but surely reality came to the forefront of his vision. "wha-"

But a reply came all too fast, "Hey, you, you're finally awake. You passed out in that bar."

"Who is this speaking..?" vision still blurry, Heinkel the Deputy Commander to the Knights of Lugnica rose in bed, slouched over a holding a hand to his forehead.

"Don't be ridiculous." The voice, exasperated it was-

"Subaru, the hell are ya doinging in my room?!" quickly he rose.

"Calm down. Were not in your room, just A room in the Asrea manor. I took you here myself, but I'm betting you don't remember any of it." A sigh, "Anyways we have to go." Swiftly the raven rose, firmly he stood up.

"Go- where?" Confused, tired, and increasingly frustrated, the aged Astrea did not have any patience. "Ya can't drag me around like a puppet! Do you even understand my position and what im doing for you."

"I do. Simultaneously, I made you a promise." Somberly with a pragmatic expression Subaru turned once more to face the man who was now reaching to get out of his bed. "I told you I was going to help your wife? Where were going." A pause before he continued. "It's essential in that process."

Heinkel would halt to a stop silently, now sitting at the right side of his bed. Regaining himself, he paused for a moment before looking back to the Raven youth. "Where are we going?"

"The Matthers Domain."