|
Location: Corridor of the Index |
|
Sancho's POV |
|
…I must admit, I did not expect this idea to go down as badly as it has just now. |
|
When I was being told this was what was going to happen, I had bated breath. |
|
But, perhaps foolishly, there was also an ounce of faith. Faith that this would turn out okay. |
|
Faith that almost immediately evaporated the moment my own Father decided he had to protect my "pride" in a misguided gesture that led to him squaring up with a man the two of us barely know in my own beloved's home. |
Don Quixote |
You dare… insinuate that my squire, the most gifted Kindred of the Manchegan Bloodline, would ever lose to your daughter in a physical contest? |
Rien |
I do not just insinuate it. I know it as the truth within my very soul. |
Yoshihide |
… |
|
It seems her faith died in that moment, too, oddly enough. |
|
Presumably, we both had assumed the worst for different reasons. |
|
Yoshihide's POV |
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…This wasn't supposed to go like this. |
|
I shouldn't have assumed it wouldn't, but that damn Bloodfiend… she makes me believe in the impossible sometimes. |
|
I look down at Araya, who I'm carefully holding in my arms. |
|
I swear, one of these days, I'm just gonna have to leave. I'm just gonna have to leave and take her with me. |
|
But that's not today. Today's another day in a looooong list of bullshit. |
|
…I shouldn't have let her get that idea. |
|
Location: Corridor of the Pinky, Two Weeks Ago |
| Yoshihide |
I'm headin' out, mom. |
|
On the day I got caught, it was just supposed to be another regular evening. |
|
I'd tell my mom I was heading out, and she'd respond with her typical noncommittal grunt. |
Shiomi Yoru |
…Hmm. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Don't stay out for too long. You know we- |
| Yoshihide |
Yes, yes, I understand. Fuck off with that babying. |
| Yoshihide |
I can handle myself. |
|
It was all fine then. |
|
I tell her I'll be out late, she doesn't question where I'm going. Everyone's happy. |
|
...But that never lasts in the House of Spiders. |
Araya |
Ooooh, are you going to go see your "friend" again, Mommy? Can you take me with you? |
| Yoshihide |
A-Araya?! |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Huh? |
| Yoshihide |
… |
| Shiomi Yoru |
…What did she mean by that, Yoshihide? |
| Yoshihide |
Mean by what? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
By "friend." |
| Shiomi Yoru |
The way she had said it just now felt very peculiar to me. Almost as if she is attempting to hide something. |
| Yoshihide |
I have no clue what you mean by that. |
| Yoshihide |
She's still a kid. For all we know, she's just talking nonsense. |
| Araya |
So that person you're hanging out with all the time isn't someone important to you? But… you tell me you hang out with her every week! |
| Yoshihide |
Araya. |
| Araya |
Why do you never let me see you two hang out, Mommy? You know I want to go back to that park more than anything… |
| Araya |
I wanna go back on the carousel! |
| Yoshihide |
Araya, stop. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
… |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Where have you been going, Yoshihide? |
| Yoshihide |
It's none of your fucking business. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
It'll very much be my business if it ends up interfering with the goals of this House, young lady. |
| Yoshihide |
Nothing is interfering with your stupid House business, Mom. I'm just- |
| Araya |
Please stop lying, Mommy… You said I could have a second parent soon if things go well, remember? |
| Yoshihide |
… |
| Yoshihide |
(Oh, I am so fucked.) |
|
Location: Corridor of the Index, Two Weeks Ago |
|
A meeting was quickly called between my Nursefathers, myself, and my daughter. |
Matthias |
Our baby's growing up… I'm so proud of her. |
Valencina |
Will you be serious for once in your goddamn life?! |
| Valencina |
…Ticket. |
| Yoshihide |
Hmm? |
| Valencina |
Who is she? |
| Yoshihide |
And by "she," you mean… |
| Valencina |
Don't be stupid. Your oh-so-obvious secondary attachment that your brat had the courtesy of spilling the beans on. |
| Yoshihide |
If you call her that again, I'll- |
| Rien |
Relax, sweetheart. Valencina may not be able to mind her words sometimes, but her question is not meant to anger you. |
| Rien |
We simply wish to know who our darling daughter has been sneaking off to meet. Is it not normal for a family to question these things? |
| Rien |
Why, for all we know, you could've fallen into the wrong crowd. |
| Yoshihide |
Right. Like this "crowd" is somehow the right one. |
Callisto |
What's wrong with us, Yoshihide? |
| Yoshihide |
… |
| Yoshihide |
Was that rhetorical? |
| Yoshihide |
Because if it wasn't, I actually have a laundry list of reasons I can state, hang on. |
|
I pull a list out of my pocket. |
| Yoshihide |
Okay, going from Thumb to Pinky… Valencina, you first. |
| Yoshihide |
You regularly beat me. You have an addiction to alcoholic beverages that is slowly killing you. Without that eye to serve as your crutch, you would be damn near useless in a fight. You- |
| Valencina |
He was being facetious, goddamn! |
| Valencina |
…You're lucky I ain't beatin' you right now, all things considered. Would give that kid of yours somethin' to really cry about. |
| Rien |
You are dodging the question, Yoshihide. Who have you been talking to? |
| Yoshihide |
…It's… |
| Yoshihide |
It's no one, really. Just some, uh… Bloodfiend Kindred, or something. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
A what? |
| Yoshihide |
A Bloodfiend Kindred.
|
| Rien |
You may need to speak up, we can't- |
| Yoshihide |
She's a Bloodfiend, okay?! Says she's a… Second Kindred of her bloodline or something, whatever the hell that means. |
| Araya |
We met her family at an amusement park, and whenever Mommy comes back from there, she looks like she has stars in her eyes. |
| Araya |
I think they're a really good fit for each other! |
| Matthias |
…A Bloodfiend, Yoshihide? |
| Yoshihide |
Yeah? |
| Matthias |
In an amusement park. |
| Yoshihide |
Yeah. |
| Matthias |
… |
| Matthias |
I'm calling bullshit. |
| Yoshihide |
Eh? |
| Matthias |
What park even was it? |
| Valencina |
WHY IS THAT WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO QUESTION? |
| Matthias |
I need to make sure our kid isn't doing hardcore methamphetamine. |
| Valencina |
Because THAT is more concerning than her dating a Bloodfiend?! |
| Matthias |
YES? |
| Matthias |
My babygirl can date whoever the hell she wants to date, but I am NOT letting her go down the path of hard drugs. |
| Rien |
To be fair, I can see Matthias's line of reasoning… however nonsensical it may sound. The House of Spiders is not exactly out in the open, Yoshihide. |
| Yoshihide |
Yeah, well, Araya and I took a trip up north one time. |
| Yoshihide |
Ended up in P Corp., and she saw some bright colors, so I simply took her to the bright colors. Turns out the place was an amusement park. |
| Araya |
It's called La Manchaland! |
| Matthias |
That does not sound real. |
| Araya |
Mommy hasn't let me back there whenever she goes, though. Probably because she's always going on dates with her girlfriend~ |
| Yoshihide |
S-She is NOT my girlfriend! |
| Shiomi Yoru |
You… You met her in an amusement park. A Bloodfiend amusement park named La Manchaland. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
I don't know whether to be proud or furious. Proud because you're actually proving me wrong and developing a future outside of the one I had, and furious because I know for a fact I can't step outside and join you. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
I need you to know that my envy is making me want to kill you badly. |
| Yoshihide |
This is not a normal thing you say to your daughter. |
| Callisto |
I, for one, appreciate that if Yoshihide is going to choose anyone for her future lover, it will be someone versed in the sanguine arts. |
| Callisto |
I do wonder… would a Bloodfiend be appreciative of my Corporism? |
| Yoshihide |
You're gonna have to keep wondering, buddy. |
| Araya |
Ooh, ooh! Wait! Mommy! This is giving me an idea! |
| Yoshihide |
…Araya. |
| Araya |
Weeeee… |
| Yoshihide |
Araya, no. |
| Araya |
Should haaaaave… |
| Yoshihide |
Araya, stop. No. Do not. |
| Araya |
A big family dinner! |
| Araya |
Us and our family and Mommy's girlfriend and her family! |
| Yoshihide |
She is NOT my-... Haaaah. Why do I even bother? |
| Yoshihide |
Rien, could you rein in this nonsense? I doubt Valencina's gonna even want to see a Bloodfiend anywhere near this place, let alone one I'm fond of. |
| Valencina |
Damn right I won't. Not unless they wanna lose another war. |
| Yoshihide |
…Bloodfiends participated in the Smoke War? |
| Valencina |
Yes? No? I think so. Does it matter? They look like they would've. And lost. To me. |
| Rien |
If you wish for my opinion, sweetheart, I think- |
|
BEEP. |
| Rien |
…I think Araya's suggestion is actually quite wonderful. We should do it. |
| Valencina |
Eh? |
| Matthias |
Huh? |
| Yoshihide |
WHAT? |
| Araya |
Yesssss! |
| Yoshihide |
You can't be serious. |
| Callisto |
Oh, for once, the little one and I are in agreement! Wings bless the Prescript… |
| Callisto |
I'm already thinking about all the conversations I can have with your lover's family, Yoshihide. The potential to share notes on our artistic crafts… It's endless. |
| Yoshihide |
Y-You can't actually be serious, Rien. Valencina and Mom are actively giving me a death stare as we speak over this. |
| Yoshihide |
Just take it back. Better yet, say that you're fucking with me and the Prescript didn't tell you to agree. |
| Rien |
Sorry, sweetheart, but the Will of the City knows best. |
|
Even as he was saying that, though, I could see him trying to conceal a stupid smirk. |
|
Araya was trying to push me out of the conversation as hard as she possibly could. |
| Araya |
Ghhh… Go, Mommy! Go! Tell your girlfriend this is happening! |
| Yoshihide |
A-Araya, wait! We don't even… have a date for it! |
| Matthias |
Well, if this is actually happening… how about two weeks from now? |
| Matthias |
It'd give ol' Lencina here some time to get over her Bloodfiend PTSD. |
| Valencina |
I do NOT have PTSD! |
| Valencina |
I just… I don't want our Ticket to end up bitten in the neck, and then we run the risk of losing her forever. |
| Matthias |
That's if she even met one in the first place. Five Ahn says she didn't. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
I'll bet against you. I need to knock your cocky ass down a peg. |
| Yoshihide |
WHY ARE WE BETTING ON THE LEGITIMACY OF ME MEETING A BLOODFIEND?! |
|
Location: La Manchaland, Two Weeks Ago |
Sancho |
… |
| Yoshihide |
… |
| Sancho |
So, if I am to get your hastily done recap accurate… |
| Sancho |
You have five parents. |
| Yoshihide |
My Nursefathers. |
| Sancho |
Right. Your Nursefathers. Whatever that term may mean. |
| Sancho |
And they want me and my family to come to your… "Corridor"… for a joint banquet. |
| Yoshihide |
That's the plan… |
|
I can't help but take a drag from my cigarette as I explain this to her. |
| Yoshihide |
Listen. If you're not cool with this, you can tell me. |
| Yoshihide |
My daughter suggested the idea, but I don't wanna force you into anything you don't want, yeah? It's… hard for me to even be able to properly determine what we are yet. |
| Sancho |
Hmm? Oh, no, I'm okay with this. |
| Yoshihide |
…You are? |
| Sancho |
Yes. But you seem... apprehensive. |
| Sancho |
Are you sure you wish to go through with this? |
| Yoshihide |
…I was supposed to be the one reassuring you here. |
| Yoshihide |
Meeting my parents is a big step. |
| Sancho |
…Is it? |
| Sancho |
I had you meet most of my family almost immediately. |
| Yoshihide |
You- That- Because you work in a damn amusement park! |
| Sancho |
…This is true. |
|
Sancho begins pacing back and forth, looking up at the sky. |
| Sancho |
I suppose such a custom is… moreso commonplace for my Father and I. We spend all our time meeting people nowadays that meeting your parents feels normal to me. |
| Yoshihide |
Really, only one of them is my actual parent by blood. |
| Sancho |
They are still your parents in how you regard them, however. |
| Sancho |
If anything, I assumed I would be the one worried for you here. Father can be quite… eccentric. |
| Yoshihide |
How eccentric are we talking? |
| Sancho |
Well… uh… |
| Sancho |
I suppose the best way to describe it is that he is much like your child, except in an adult's body. Curious about the world, very willing to make friends and stumble into places he shouldn't. |
| Sancho |
This does not discredit his natural intuitiveness and his ability to be serious, however. He just picks and chooses when to do so, which irritates me to no end… |
| Sancho |
But regardless, he is still my Father. And I am his Squire to the end. |
| Yoshihide |
…Yeah. Yeah, okay, that makes sense. |
| Yoshihide |
If… if you seriously don't have any qualms about it, the dinner is in two weeks. Gives you enough time to get affairs in order. |
| Yoshihide |
And it also, ahem… gives us time to not think about anything other than ourselves right now. |
| Sancho |
This is also true. |
|
Sancho stops in front of me, holding onto one of my shoulders with her hands. |
|
Within the glow of the moon, those piercing eyes of hers feel… somewhat peaceful. |
|
...She's too calm. I need to throw her off somehow. |
| Sancho |
Would you perhaps like to, uh… That is to say, erm… |
| Sancho |
T-T-The staff have created a new ride in La Manchaland. Have you seen, uh… those rides inside of a tunnel? |
| Yoshihide |
A log ride? |
| Yoshihide |
What about it? |
| Sancho |
We're beta-testing one of those. The "gimmick," as Father would call it, is that a Bloodfiend gets in on one side, and a human gets in on another side, and they ride it together. |
| Sancho |
I believe Father is calling it the… the "Tunnel of Co-Existence." |
| Sancho |
Would you like to, uh… "co-exist" with me, Yoshihide? |
| Yoshihide |
… |
| Yoshihide |
Pffft. |
| Sancho |
Don't- Don't laugh! Do NOT laugh! La Manchaland is a serious establishment meant to better the relationship between man and Bloodfiend! This is a serious test! |
| Yoshihide |
Yep. Mhm. Very serious. |
| Yoshihide |
Let us proceed to "co-exist" together. Sure. And then, maybe I could use some of my spare Ahn so that we can "co-exist" somewhere else. |
| Sancho |
HAAAH? |
|
There it is. That face I like. The one where she gets all red and her eyes start bugging out. |
|
At some point, her mouth's gonna do the thing where it starts to wobble, and she'll start mumbling, and- |
| Sancho |
Y-You can't just… Why are you… I- You know I am saving myself for when we are married! If we do so! |
|
Haaah… Perfect. |
|
In irritation, Sancho hastily grabs my hand to bring me further into the amusement park and most likely show me the ride. |
| Sancho |
Just come here before I lose my nerve with you… |
|
Location: La Manchaland, Tunnel of Co-Existence, Two Weeks Ago |
|
Sancho's POV |
| Yoshihide |
… |
| Sancho |
… |
| Yoshihide |
This ride is slow. |
| Sancho |
That's the point. |
| Yoshihide |
No, like, it's really slow. Agonizingly slow. |
| Sancho |
You were comfortable with these sorts of rides when you were with your daughter. |
| Yoshihide |
Because I was with my daughter. |
| Yoshihide |
When I am by myself, it's not as enjoyable. …Though, I suppose with you here, I can manage. |
| Yoshihide |
…Is this actual blood you're using as water? |
| Sancho |
Yes. |
| Yoshihide |
How did you get it? |
| Sancho |
We have a donation center where humans can willingly offer their blood to La Manchaland. Within reason, of course. |
| Sancho |
In exchange, their safety within the park is guaranteed. |
| Yoshihide |
Smart… |
| Sancho |
…Don't. Do not say it. |
| Sancho |
I know exactly what you are about to say. Do not- |
| Yoshihide |
Do you take direct donations? |
| Sancho |
STOP. PUT YOUR NECK AWAY. CEASE. |
| Yoshihide |
Alright, alright, I get it. I'm just messing with you a little, anyhow. |
| Yoshihide |
…Y'know, actually, I've been thinking about how this ride is supposed to work. What happens if the blood dries? |
| Yoshihide |
Has anyone attempted to drink the blood from here yet? |
| Sancho |
Genuinely, what is wrong with you? |
| Yoshihide |
My family. |
| Sancho |
…Fair enough. |
|
If Yoshihide can make statements such as those while in the middle of a ride with me, I… I am, admittedly, interested in seeing where she gets such audacity from. |
|
I will just need to get my family on board first after this date. |
|
That'll certainly be… a conversation. |
|
Location: La Manchaland Main Office, One Week Ago |
|
I was thoroughly distracted. |
|
What I had intended to speak to Father about directly after my date turned into… something I had put off until the next day. And then the next day. And then the next day. |
|
Internally, I kept dreading it. He has no idea I have been romantically entangled with a human this entire time, nor does the rest of the family. |
|
Telling them now… only after how long it has been going on behind the scenes… might just risk all the effort we've put into my Father's goal. |
|
...N-No. No. I must steel myself. |
|
If I'm getting so nervous about this, how will we ever expect to be respected within the City as individuals? |
|
This is reality. This has been reality for several weeks now. I must confront it head-on. |
|
And hopefully… Father will respect me for it. |
|
I walk over to him slowly, my steps calm and careful as they usually are. |
|
Father notices me relatively easily out of the corner of his eye. |
| Sancho |
Father? I need to- |
| Don Quixote |
Ah, Sancho! I was just about to look for you. |
| Don Quixote |
I have taken your consideration of the latest La Manchaland ride into account, and I am fully ready to address all of your growing concerns. |
| Don Quixote |
Though I've noticed your report is not exactly as diligent as it usually is regarding the finer details… Not that I mind, however. Your verbosity, although splendid, makes reading such notes take some time. |
| Don Quixote |
That human you were with did not distract you too much, did she? |
| Sancho |
She hasn't… Though I need to talk to you. |
| Don Quixote |
About the Tunnel of Co-Existence, yes? Ah, that ride… it is such an adorable spectacle, is it not? I had gotten inspired by my recent trip with Bari to- |
| Sancho |
To Lethe, yes, I am aware. I do not wish to talk about the ride. I-I want to- |
| Don Quixote |
Oh? Forsooth? |
| Don Quixote |
Well, perhaps we should discuss what our next adventure will be, then! With La Manchaland running smoothly, I think the two of us and the rest of our family have earned a vacation of some sort. How would you feel about- |
| Sancho |
I am not here to discuss adventuring right now either. I want to talk to you about- |
| Don Quixote |
Eh? You are not? |
| Don Quixote |
Then… Then what would seem to be the issue, Sancho? You look quite flushed. |
| Don Quixote |
Wait… Oh no. Have you come down with the sickness known as the common cold?! |
| Don Quixote |
I knew I should have told you to take it a bit easier! Stay at that exact spot, my Squire. I, Don Quixote, will make sure you will be nursed back to health in no time! |
| Sancho |
I'M DATING A HUMAN! |
| Sancho |
I… I am dating a human, Father. |
| Don Quixote |
…Sancho… |
| Sancho |
O-Oh… Oh no. Wait. I was not trying to say it so bluntly. |
| Sancho |
You see, I had met this human named Yoshihide weeks prior, and- MMMPH! |
|
Before I knew it, I was pulled into a very tight bear hug. |
| Don Quixote |
Are you being truthful right now, Sancho?! My dear Kindred, finally finding someone to adventure with on her own, away from her dear Father? |
| Sancho |
I-I guess, but- |
| Don Quixote |
This… This is so wonderful! This has to be something the rest of the family knows! Immediately! |
| Sancho |
Father, please don't- |
| Don Quixote |
I will be right back! |
|
And as quickly as I was picked up, I was dropped as Father ran out of the castle. |
| Sancho |
Ugh… |
|
It was at that moment that I heard a portal open from behind me. One of Bari's, most likely... |
Bari |
'Sup, Sancho. |
| Sancho |
…Hello, Bari. |
| Bari |
You finally tell him about your girlfriend? |
| Sancho |
She is NOT- |
| Bari |
She absolutely is your girlfriend, don't try to backpedal. I knew something was going on the first time you two locked eyes. |
| Bari |
Ahhh… Young love~ |
| Sancho |
If it were not for my Father's fondness for you, you would be strangled for such a comment. |
|
About thirty minutes later… |
Dulcinea |
…Sancho, is there any particular reason why our Father has been positively raving about one of his Kindred finally continuing the Manchegan Bloodline while urgently bringing us here? |
Nicolina |
This better be good. I was just in the middle of curating the new staff uniform! |
|
Nicolina pulls up what appears to be a rough draft from a sketchbook. |
| Nicolina |
Do you like it? I think it really brings out the, uh… what was that term Bari had taught me again? "Gap moe." The "gap moe" of our staff. |
| Sancho |
…It's very frilly. And bright. |
| Sancho |
And why does it have these… small windows of skin showing…? |
| Bari |
What? She asked me to make her more relatable to humans. That's relatability. |
Curiambro |
Bari's… questionable methods aside… |
| Curiambro |
What exactly happened within the family for our Father to call it an emergency? |
| Don Quixote |
Well, my dear Curiambro, that is because Sancho has come up to me with news so delightful! |
| Don Quixote |
She's dating a human! |
| Sancho |
Oh. Okay. We're just gonna let it out like that, then. |
| Nicolina |
…Do you mean the one with the daughter and the red eyes we met like a month or so back? |
| Sancho |
Yes. Why? |
| Dulcinea |
… |
| Dulcinea |
This is… actually somewhat awkward, but the three of us already kind of assumed this. |
| Sancho |
DID EVERYONE OTHER THAN FATHER KNOW? |
| Curiambro |
You were not exactly being particularly secretive about it. |
| Sancho |
I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING! |
| Curiambro |
Didn't have to. It was all within your facial expressions. |
| Curiambro |
The face often tells the truth before the mouth can orate it, after all. |
| Nicolina |
So, Sancho, when are we gonna be allowed to see her again~? Don't think I don't see you two sneaking outside of La Manchaland whenever you need to hang out! |
| Nicolina |
I have plenty of design ideas for dresses I've been meaning to give you for your dates! |
| Sancho |
Nicolina, I- |
| Curiambro |
Why did you feel the need to hide it anyway, if I may ask? Relations between Bloodfiends and humans have steadily been getting better, you know. |
| Sancho |
It's because I- |
| Dulcinea |
You don't have to answer that. It's obviously because you feel some sort of shame for it, and I can't blame you. |
| Dulcinea |
I mean, for Father's sake, Sancho, you could have anyone within this District, and your mind decides to fixate on a woman who wears a tracksuit and probably knows about twenty different ways to slice us, but not one single thing about etiquette. |
| Dulcinea |
What do you even see in her? |
| Sancho |
Well, she's a mother, which I assumed you would respect. |
| Dulcinea |
Oh, please. I doubt she's as good with her one child as I am with my two Kindred. |
| Bari |
Are you… power-scaling maternity? |
| Don Quixote |
Ooh, do I technically win by default? |
| Sancho |
…You're not a mother. |
| Sancho |
Wings sake, this is why I was concerned when she told me she wanted her family to meet us. |
| Nicolina |
She wanted to do what?! |
|
Did I actually just-... Ugh. Of COURSE I revealed that about as casually as Father did my relationship status. |
| Nicolina |
When did she say this, Sancho? |
| Sancho |
…A week ago. |
| Nicolina |
YOU'VE BEEN SITTING ON THIS FOR A WEEK, AND YOU HAVEN'T TOLD US?! |
| Nicolina |
T-That's so much time I've wasted not getting us ready! When are we meeting? |
| Sancho |
…A week from now. |
| Nicolina |
Oh. Oh, okay. Good. |
| Nicolina |
Gives me a lot more time than I thought… I need to make us look perfect. |
| Dulcinea |
Wait, Nicolina, let us not automatically assume that we are going to actually meet Sancho's lover's family. We may be doing better with humans now, but these people are completely unvetted. |
| Dulcinea |
We cannot just meet them casually. |
| Curiambro |
The Princess is correct… A suggestion of this magnitude deserves proper respect. What else did she say in terms of this suggestion, Sancho? |
| Sancho |
Well, in fairness… the affair Yoshihide mentioned was not exactly a casual meeting. Supposedly, her side is organizing a banquet of sorts for us. |
| Don Quixote |
Ah! Sancho, that is an idea most ingenious! |
| Don Quixote |
Her family and us, under the roof of humanity, being able to just… live peacefully. It will be the perfect showcase of how far we've come. |
| Don Quixote |
Sancho, you have it on my honor as not just a Fixer but the leader of the Manchegans that I, Don Quixote, will not embarrass you in front of your beloved. |
| Sancho |
Are you sure you can promise that, Father? |
| Don Quixote |
But of course! …Art thou trying to present myself as someone incapable of following through? When has this family not been able to trust my word before? |
| Dulcinea |
The hemobars. |
| Nicolina |
Adventuring for about fifty years without us before Sancho convinced you to take us along? |
| Curiambro |
The Helm of Mambrino incident. |
| Don Quixote |
W-We said we would NOT speak of that one! |
| Bari |
We literally had to pry the helmet off your head. With hardblood pliers. |
| Bari |
Personally? I think you can do it. But I don't doubt Sancho for doubting you at least a little. Maybe I should tag along. |
| Dulcinea |
Wha- Huh? Absolutely not. How do we even explain what you are? |
| Dulcinea |
"Ah, yes, this is our one human friend who also happens to break reality itself. She gave us books and single-handedly stopped us from going insane. She calls herself The Knight of the White Moon." We would look deranged! |
| Sancho |
Like you aren't already looking that way with all of those practice drills you have for the parade every day? |
| Dulcinea |
It is a DELICATE procedure, and it will be RESPECTED as an INTEGRAL part of this park, thank you very much. |
| Don Quixote |
Relax, dear Dulcinea. If they happen to ask, we could just call Bari my betrothed. |
| Dulcinea |
… |
| Dulcinea |
I suppose I cannot argue with the logic of that. |
| Dulcinea |
Sancho, I must let you know that… while this may be very unconventional, my apprehension is not because I wish to see you unhappy. If she does make you happy, by all means, I'll put in a little faith. Perhaps she can change my mind. |
| Dulcinea |
But imagining someone like her with my dear sister feels so incorrect to me. The reputation of the Manchegans must be enhanced, not sullied. |
| Sancho |
Believe me, I would not have fallen for her if I'd have thought she would only drag me down. |
| Sancho |
I think… I think you will like her, Dulcinea. I think you all will like her. |
|
Location: ???, Two Hours Ago |
|
The wait that week was agonizingly long. |
|
It did not help that the location Yoshihide told my family and me to go so she could pick us up was… out there. We were used to such coordinates due to our travels, but even for us, this place felt somewhat unrecognizable. |
|
I had assumed she got cold feet for a moment. |
| Sancho |
… |
| Sancho |
Where is she…? |
| Sancho |
She was supposed to be here a few minutes ago. |
| Dulcinea |
Perhaps she knew she was unworthy and cancelled without telling you. |
| Bari |
Ooooooorrrr… She's just running late. |
| Bari |
…You okay, Curiambro? You look tense. |
| Curiambro |
Oh? No… I-I am fine, Bari. The concern is appreciated. |
| Curiambro |
I suppose it is just the occasion making me look somewhat worried. I wish to be on my best behavior. |
| Nicolina |
You? Worried about that? You probably have to be the least worried out of all of us that we collectively have to be about any sort of decorum, Curiambro~ |
| Dulcinea |
Second only to myself, of course. |
| Nicolina |
Really, there's only one person I think we need to be worried about. |
| Don Quixote |
Whomst would that be? |
| Sancho |
… |
| Don Quixote |
Because if we're implying it's Sancho, I think we all know that she can be quite reserved when she wishes to be! |
| Sancho |
Haaaah… |
|
Just when I'm about to bring Father back to reality for a moment, finally, Yoshihide arrives. |
|
Yoshihide's POV |
| Araya |
Mommy! Look! They were waiting for us, like you said they would be! |
| Yoshihide |
Mhm. |
|
I walk up to Sancho and her group while holding Araya in my arms. |
|
Been a while since I've seen some of these guys. The Barber, The Priest, and The Princess… These guys are in charge of the three central areas of that park. |
|
Though the blue-haired chick and the guy behind Sancho are new. |
| Yoshihide |
Yo. |
| Sancho |
S-... Salutations, Yoshihide. |
| Yoshihide |
Pffft. Relax. 's just me and my kid, like how we met. |
| Araya |
Shūre's nice to meet ya! |
| Don Quixote |
Oh, it is most definitely nice to meet you as well, small child! |
| Sancho |
Father, don't- Okay. |
|
"Father", huh… So this must be her dad. Biological, maybe? They look similar. |
|
In any case, he quickly walks up to me, past Sancho, and shakes Araya's tiny hand. |
| Don Quixote |
I am the Manager of La Manchaland, Don Quixote! |
| Don Quixote |
I do very much appreciate the opportunity to meet the person who has made my dear Sancho feel so happy as of recently. I surmise that you are this "Yoshihide" that she has mentioned? |
| Yoshihide |
Uh… Yeah. That's me. |
| Yoshihide |
Could you stop shaking my kid's hand? You're gonna make her dizzy before we even get to eat. |
| Don Quixote |
Ah, of course! |
|
Don Quixote finally lets go. |
| Araya |
Whoa… Pretty colors… |
| Sancho |
Forgive my Father for his excitement. Once I had told him about you, he, uh… |
| Sancho |
He got really excited. |
| Dulcinea |
Certainly one way to put it. |
| Dulcinea |
So, Miss Yoshihide, is there any particular reason why you called for us to meet up here, of all places? |
| Yoshihide |
Huh? Oh yeah. Check this shit out. |
|
Dunno if they're ever seen this before… |
|
One quick walk over to an alleyway showcases just one of many Corridors that lead to the House of Spiders. |
| Don Quixote |
What is this…? Some sort of stationary portal? |
|
As I expected, some slight confusion is afoot. |
| Yoshihide |
They call it the "Corridor." It's tech that connects an endless number of locations by creating connected doors. |
| Don Quixote |
Oh… I see… |
| Don Quixote |
Bari, art thou familiar with this "Corridor" technology? It looks quite similar to something you do. |
| Yoshihide |
Huh? |
| Bari |
Mmmm… I dunno if this is the same thing as that. My stuff's more temporary. This looks like it's been set up here for a while. |
| Yoshihide |
…I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly? |
| Bari |
We can talk about it when we're inside, yeah? I'm not trying to interrupt your date much~ |
| Sancho |
B-Bari! |
|
...Who the fuck is this? |
|
And why's she just walking through the Corridor like she's seen it before? |
| Sancho |
Haaah… This is already not going well. |
| Sancho |
Well, we might as well follow her. |
| Yoshihide |
Oi, you might wanna be careful. We have a buncha Corridors set up, so it's hard to tell if we're all gonna land in the same place. |
| Yoshihide |
The third person to enter is probably gonna end up within Callisto's gallery, for example. |
| Sancho |
…Why? Why does it work like that? Why would we not just all end up in the same place? |
|
I can't help but shrug. |
| Yoshihide |
I didn't make the thing. |
| Dulcinea |
…I suppose the best way to handle this would be getting into a single-file line and- |
| Don Quixote |
I shall be next! I am quite interested to see where I end up! |
| Dulcinea |
Or we could just… do that. Sure. |
|
One by one, Sancho's family all entered the Corridor. |
|
Eventually, after some confusion, we were able to get everyone within the same general location. |
|
Location: Corridor of the Index |
|
An hour and a half before disaster… |
| Rien |
This should be everyone, correct? |
| Nicolina |
Yyyyyep! All of us present and accounted for! |
| Rien |
Good, good. |
| Rien |
Welcome to the House of Spiders. Any friend of Yoshihide is most certainly an ally of mine. |
| Nicolina |
Goodness, the size of this place… Is it as large as our park, or is that just me being disoriented by how much is here?! |
| Matthias |
Holy shit… I owe Shiomi Yoru five Ahn. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Easy money. My Yoshihide is insane, but if there is one thing she is not, it is a liar. |
| Matthias |
You guys are straight-up Bloodfiends? |
| Don Quixote |
Absolutely, sir! I am Don Quixote of the Manchegan Bloodline, the proud Father of this dear family of mine. |
| Don Quixote |
These are my Kindred, Sancho and Dulcinea. And over there is Dulcinea's Kindred, Nicolina and Curiambro. |
| Matthias |
…This is… so goddamn cool. |
| Valencina |
For you, maybe. |
| Valencina |
The hell is that blue-haired girl doin' with em? Did you kidnap her? |
| Sancho |
Kidna- What?! |
| Valencina |
I know y'all sick fucks keep, uh… what're they called again… Bloodbags? |
| Sancho |
We don't even do that anymore! |
| Don Quixote |
Somehow, this is not the first time someone's asked this. |
| Bari |
Oh, don't worry about me. I'm just Bari, their reality-breaking human friend who gave them books to stop them from going insane a long time ago. People call me the Knight of the White Moon. |
| Bari |
Also, I'm dating their dad. |
| Yoshihide |
… |
| Yoshihide |
Eh, sure. Not the weirdest thing I've heard in my 25 years of living. |
| Yoshihide |
Anyway, uh, if we're doin' introductions here… |
| Yoshihide |
The drunk one's Valencina, the suited one's Rien, the one in the glasses is Matthias, the tophat one is Callisto, and the last one is my mom. She's the Dihui Star of the Pinky. |
| Don Quixote |
The Pinky, huh…? |
| Yoshihide |
Obviously, you all met my kid already. Her name is Araya. |
| Araya |
Hello!!! |
| Callisto |
In fairness, Valencina is not drunk yet. |
| Yoshihide |
Easiest way to identify her. |
| Valencina |
Guess we're really doin' this, huh? Conversin' and eatin' with a buncha people from God knows where for God knows how long… |
| Valencina |
This is either gonna be super entertainin', or the longest dinner I've ever had in my goddamn life. |
| Dulcinea |
Believe me, you are not the only one not particularly enthused. |
| Valencina |
Bold of you to think you could ever relate to Valencina della Familia Bognatelli. |
| Dulcinea |
Ah, but why would I ever assume that an individual such as yourself with alcohol as your vice would understand the woes of a princess? |
| Valencina |
…The fuck did she just say to me? |
| Bari |
Hey, hey, easy, Dulci. Recognize the outfit? That's a member of the Thumb you're talking to. |
| Bari |
I like a good verbal sparring as much as anyone sometimes, but you should probably let this one go. |
| Dulcinea |
Ah… Right. From your books. |
| Dulcinea |
Now that I think about it, she and the robed one aren't the only people from the Five Fingers here, are they? |
| Nicolina |
Ohhhh! Yes, yes, that outfit from the one named Matthias feels somewhat familiar to me as well! These chains, this bold and flashy sense of fashion, that Book… Would you perhaps be from the Middle? |
| Matthias |
Damn, y'all catch up fast for bein' in the middle of seemingly bumfuck nowhere. |
| Yoshihide |
They're all part of the Fingers, yeah. Long story. Something about having to raise me to atone for stuff they did… I forget. |
| Rien |
Atonement is such a black and white way of looking at it, Sweetheart. I prefer to say we've been assembled for a higher calling. |
| Curiambro |
Oh? Would that make you the Index member, then? |
| Rien |
To be able to guess that from so few immediate clues is quite impressive. |
| Yoshihide |
…You have the most Index-coded outfit I have ever seen, Rien. |
| Curiambro |
He is missing the cape. |
| Yoshihide |
Okay, but besides that. I do not know if he could be any more obvious with his vibes. |
| Rien |
Speaking of vibes, Mister Curiambro, is it? Would you happen to also be religious? |
| Curiambro |
One could perhaps call what I do a religious undertaking, yes. My purpose is to exhibit endless forbearance for the sake of withstanding all the harm the family feels, to listen to them as they state their doubts and worries. |
| Matthias |
Y'all got therapists in your amusement park? |
| Sancho |
The correct title would be a Priest, technically. |
| Sancho |
Speaking of titles… Nicolina over there is our Barber. |
| Matthias |
Real shit? Oh, Ricardo would love you. |
| Nicolina |
He would? Perhaps I should give you my business card in case he needs a new outfit! |
| Matthias |
Outfit? |
| Nicolina |
…Yeah? |
| Matthias |
That's… That's not… I-... |
| Matthias |
Oi. Don't barbers do hair? Why's her thing outfits? Wouldn't she be called a Seamstress? |
| Nicolina |
I do both, alright?! Sheesh… Everyone always asks me that. "Why are you called The Barber, Nicolina? You do outfits way more than you do appearances! You should be called The Seamstress!" What, do you see me asking you about your profession when you come through the entrance of La Manchaland? That's kinda rude! Imagine if I assumed what your profession was based solely on appearance. |
| Matthias |
…Touché. |
| Matthias |
(I'll let the disrespect slide. For now.) |
| Callisto |
I'm sure you all have easily presumed that I am the Ring representative. |
| Callisto |
I have so much I need to ask you all about the sanguine arts. Surely, with the history of Bloodfiends as a group, you all have made so many art pieces out of humanity in your many, many years of living. Would you please- |
| Yoshihide |
Hey, hey, hey. Don't talk about that shit with the kid here. Tryin' to set a good example. |
| Yoshihide |
(Because I know you five won't…) |
| Sancho |
…What is she doing to your hair? |
| Yoshihide |
Braiding. She does this sometimes. |
| Araya |
All the cool kids at school do it. |
| Sancho |
She goes to school? |
| Yoshihide |
Did you not? |
| Sancho |
Uh… |
| Valencina |
Ain't no way my Ticket fell in love with someone who didn't even go to school. |
| Sancho |
P-Perhaps we should get the festivities started, yes? I-I-I am v-very… parched all of a sudden. |
| Rien |
Of course, of course. I should probably check how the food is doing… |
|
Surprisingly, at first, the dinner itself was going great. |
|
Valencina and Dulcinea found something in common in thinking they were better than literally everyone else in the room. |
| Valencina |
So, wait, this parade o' yours, you're just trusted to manage it all on your own? |
| Dulcinea |
For the most part, yes. I even have a Prince assigned to me. |
| Dulcinea |
He is quite the pain to make prim and proper like myself, but taking care of a third child is nothing once you've managed two others before him. |
| Valencina |
Oh, I hear ya. Even havin' the one brat is a struggle. Can't imagine seein' myself takin' in a second. |
| Yoshihide |
(May God have mercy on us all if she ever finds a second kid to "raise.") |
| Valencina |
Question. Y'all got anythin' fancy down there in La Manchaland? Blood Wine or somethin'? |
| Dulcinea |
…Why would you wish to drink blood fermented into an alcoholic substance? |
| Valencina |
I dunno. Just to try it, I guess. |
| Valencina |
Sounds like it'd be some good shit. |
| Dulcinea |
…Haaaah… |
| Dulcinea |
I suppose, should we ever have another one of these again, I could let you sample such a delicacy, yes. Though you'll have to trade me that Old Parr bottle as recompense. |
| Valencina |
Hell yeah. Would be nice to have a drinkin' buddy again. |
|
Matthias and Callisto seemingly got along with Nicolina and Curiambro well, too. |
| Callisto |
How long did you say your family has been around for again? |
| Curiambro |
Hundreds and hundreds of years, sir. |
| Nicolina |
We've seen warfare, general smaller District disputes, everything! |
| Callisto |
How… How delightfully enlightening. You must tell me everything you've seen within your time, okay? You must! |
| Matthias |
Whoa there, Cal. Comin' off a bit strong, aren'tcha? |
| Callisto |
Don't you see the opportunity forming, Matthias?! The chance to not only enhance Corporism, but to truthfully perfect it, to bring it leagues above every other Ring artform…! |
| Callisto |
My mind yearns, no, ACHES for every detail you two may have. |
| Curiambro |
Uh… Well, actually, we haven't really harmed humans in a long time. |
| Callisto |
YOU HAVEN'T? |
| Curiambro |
B-But we can still potentially tell you about what we've seen through adventures with our Father, if that will suffice! |
| Curiambro |
There are also quite a few, erm… accidents Nicolina's had with those scissors of hers. |
| Nicolina |
So I take a little bit off the top sometimes by accident, who really cares?! People can live with parts of their brains missing! |
| Callisto |
Parts of brain… missing… Are you referring to the process of lobotomization? |
| Nicolina |
Oh, is that what it's called? |
| Callisto |
This… is absolute perfection. Why have I not thought of this before? Intentional severing of key parts of the brain. There's potential here…! |
| Matthias |
Oh, great. Perfect. Guess I'm gonna have to hear about how he'll want to lobotomize us for the next couple of days. |
| Matthias |
Hey, Nico, you happen to have coupons for your salon place in La Manchaland? Got a Big Brother I know who likes going to places to get his hair done. |
| Nicolina |
Just his hair? I do outfits, too, y'know! |
| Matthias |
Ehhh… Might be hard to convince him to let you do that, but I'll put in a good word, eh? |
|
My mom was having a somewhat tense staredown with Sancho, which… was to be expected, honestly. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
… |
| Sancho |
… |
| Sancho |
Is there… something wrong with my face, ma'am? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Outside. |
| Sancho |
Hmm? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
How does it feel… outside? When you're exploring with your father? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
I haven't been allowed to step outside of these walls for the past 25 years. Two and a half decades of raising the daughter you wish to have a future with. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Do you know what that can do to a person? Do you know how stressed a person can be when caged? |
| Sancho |
… |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Have you ever dreamed before, Sancho? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Have you had aspirations of wanting to be something greater? Of reaching for the stars? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
I used to, Sancho. I used to before Yoshihide came into my life. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Do you know how it feels to have your dreams be crushed? To know that the heights you want to reach are obscured by a glass ceiling? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
I do not know how much longer I have left in this world. Time erodes me every day. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
And yet, even with that, I am still expected to spend every single waking moment I have left stuck inside of these walls. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
You have no idea how lucky you have it, do you? The life you lead. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Your father's been telling stories all night, and you have the audacity to look embarrassed? To not be prideful of the opportunity life has given you? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
How do you see this precious gift of life you've been given and feel the need to humble yourself, to feel like none of this is as big a deal to you as it would be to someone like me? |
| Sancho |
… |
| Sancho |
It's not… all good, Miss Yoru. |
| Sancho |
When my Father found me, I had no idea of where my birth family even was. I was left isolated on the ground I now walk, dirty, tired, and with nothing to my name. |
| Sancho |
I've been outside for so long, I… I feel as though I'm calmer inside than I am out in such a free world. |
| Sancho |
I've lived for many more than 400 years, and aside from my Father and the family, I'm not sure if anyone's really made me feel as centered as your daughter. |
| Sancho |
I may… I may look particularly uninterested and embarrassed, but that is only because I want to look impressive for her. I want to look… I want to look cool. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
… |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Over 400 years… I could not possibly imagine. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Perhaps… I have have misjudged you ever so slightly. Tell me more. |
| Yoshihide |
Mom… |
| Shiomi Yoru |
What? I am simply making conversation. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
This is the person you trust with the daughter you wish to raise. The grandmother must vet her. |
| Yoshihide |
…I hate that you're right. |
| Sancho |
By all means, go ahead. Ask me anything you wish. |
|
This left Rien talking to Sancho's dad. |
|
It went fine at first, but… |
|
Mere minutes before disaster… |
| Don Quixote |
So this visage you undertake now is not your original, you're saying? |
| Rien |
Typically, I wouldn't admit this so easily to people I've just met, but yes. I've had to modify my appearance in the past. |
| Rien |
Not just my appearance, either. One day, the Prescript told me to change my name, so I made a new one. One day, the Prescript told me to start a family, so I got married and raised a child. |
| Don Quixote |
How do you so confidently let this… this "Prescript" guide you into telling you how to live? |
| Rien |
Well… |
| Rien |
It's easy when you've had nothing else, right? Take your daughter, for example. |
| Rien |
I had overheard her say she was practically forced into orphanhood. No recollection of her birth family, no prior life to speak of… and you turned her into your Kindred. For what purpose? |
| Rien |
You had no reason to do that, did you? |
| Don Quixote |
Mmm… I suppose I see your point somewhat. But you would be wrong. There was reasoning involved in making Sancho my Kindred. |
| Don Quixote |
I had adopted my dear Sancho into what would soon grow into the Manchegan family because I had seen her at her lowest and wanted to restore her will to live. |
| Don Quixote |
And yet, at the same time… I was quite selfish. Sancho was the first step in solving an issue of mine as well, my lethargic boredom on this planet. |
| Don Quixote |
The choice… was not easy by any means. |
| Rien |
I see. |
| Rien |
Well, a reason is a reason, I suppose. |
|
BEEP. |
| Rien |
…Though now that I am mentioning your daughter, allow me to ask you this, Don Quixote. You have been to war before, correct? |
| Don Quixote |
Ah, yes! The latest of which being one where Bloodfiends had fought against humans! |
| Rien |
And I am assuming you had trained your children to be as experienced with battle as yourself, yes? |
| Don Quixote |
Indeed, I have done as such. |
| Don Quixote |
Would you like for me to regale you with one such legendary tale of when the family and I had fought in combat? There was this one time where we had- |
| Rien |
Between my daughter and yours, who do you think would win in a fight? |
| Don Quixote |
…Hmm? |
| Rien |
Did you not hear me correctly? Allow me to ask again. |
| Rien |
If we were to put my daughter and your daughter in a room and tell them to fight until one can no longer stand, no holds barred, anything goes, who do you believe would win? |
| Don Quixote |
That is… quite the intriguing thought puzzle. |
| Don Quixote |
…Well, I have no idea how Miss Yoshihide was raised in terms of combat prowess, so I'm not entirely sure if it would be fair for me to- |
| Rien |
I think my daughter could obliterate yours. |
| Don Quixote |
Huh?! |
| Rien |
I fully believe that, if we were to put my Sweetheart and yours into a room, Yoshihide stomps Sancho with no difficulty. Barely any difficulty at worst. |
| Yoshihide |
What? |
| Araya |
…But why would Mommy and her friend fight in the first place, Mister Rien? That makes no sense. |
| Rien |
This is all purely hypothetical, Araya. |
| Rien |
I know that, hopefully, your mother and her beloved would never have a reason to fight. But if such a time were to come to pass, I believe Yoshihide would win. |
| Don Quixote |
That… That is… Wow. |
| Don Quixote |
Well, what type of father would you be if you weren't confident, right? |
| Sancho |
Father, you do not have to engage in a discussion like this. I don't- |
| Don Quixote |
Stay back, Sancho. I've got this. |
| Don Quixote |
…So. You fully believe it, hmm? |
| Don Quixote |
You dare… insinuate that my squire, the most gifted Kindred of the Manchegan Bloodline, would ever lose to your daughter in a physical contest? |
| Rien |
I do not just insinuate it. I know it as the truth within my very soul. |
| Don Quixote |
Within your very soul. Okay, hang on. |
| Sancho |
Father… what are you doing? |
| Sancho |
Don't stand up just to- Oh, goodness. |
| Don Quixote |
Do you see this? This is a lance that Sancho herself made for me through hardblood. |
| Don Quixote |
I have fell many an evildoer with lances like these. This is but one of many weapons Sancho herself knows how to wield and create. |
| Sancho |
We really don't have to do this. |
| Don Quixote |
You would think we do not, but we do. The humans have to learn. |
| Dulcinea |
You're embarrassing yourself… and me. |
| Don Quixote |
We are talking about an individual who has lived for hundreds of years. Trained under myself and a very talented Fixer for hundreds of years. |
| Don Quixote |
And you expect me to believe your daughter can match up to mine? |
| Yoshihide |
Does any of this even matter in the grand scheme of things? |
| Rien |
I don't believe you understand the conversation you've willingly entered into, Don Quixote. |
| Rien |
For my daughter… is not any average fighter. She has been trained, primed for combat by myself and these other four Nursefathers for over two decades. |
| Rien |
We are amongst the best of the best within the Five Fingers, which is part of why we were entrusted with the task of raising her. |
| Rien |
Your daughter may be an excellent craftsman when it comes to weaponry, but does she know how to perceive and bend time itself to her will? Because that is what mine is expected to do. |
| Don Quixote |
Bah! A load of nonsense, that claim is. A mere human like her being able to utilize time to her advantage? What does she even do? |
| Yoshihide |
Why did you have to ask him that. |
| Rien |
Sweetheart, show him your blade. |
| Yoshihide |
I really don't want to- |
| Rien |
Show him. |
| Yoshihide |
Fuck's sake… |
| Yoshihide |
Fine. Araya, could you get down for a second? |
| Araya |
Okay, Mommy… |
|
Reluctantly, from my back, I show my odachi to Sancho and her dad. |
| Rien |
This blade. It may look like any regular blade, but only the most gifted of people are entrusted to wield and utilize it. It is the Relic known as the Arayashiki. |
| Rien |
Upon usage, whatever gets cut will never be made whole again. Wounds are made to burn, and within the presence of its user, said wounds may even reignite and reopen. |
| Rien |
How do you expect your daughter to be able to compete against that? If she's sliced hard enough and enough times, I doubt you will even be able to remember her name. |
| Sancho |
They are… really into this hypothetical, are they not? |
| Yoshihide |
Perhaps too much. |
|
| Don Quixote |
The audacity. The AUDACITY of you, sir, to claim my Squire wouldn't have an answer for that sword! |
| Rien |
It is quite simple logic, really. Not much can stand up against a weapon which can literally erase your opponent. |
| Yoshihide |
You're forgetting the part where it fucks with my memories if I use it too much, Rien. |
| Rien |
Sweetheart, don't- |
| Don Quixote |
Aha! A weakness! |
| Don Quixote |
Say that to me again, Miss Yoshihide? So the whole table can hear? |
| Yoshihide |
…It… |
| Yoshihide |
Using the Arayashiki has the detriment of taking away my memories. Usually the most precious ones first. |
| Yoshihide |
Meaning that if I were to get too comfortable with using it unsheathed… eventually, I'll end up not remembering anything at all. |
| Don Quixote |
Sounds like a win condition to me. |
| Sancho |
F-Father! |
| Don Quixote |
What, am I wrong? |
| Don Quixote |
If we simply use the training I've given you and dodge all of her hits, eventually, she won't even remember that she was trying to fight you, and you'll have an easy victory! |
| Sancho |
Is now really the time to be theorycrafting how I would defeat my girlfriend in combat?! |
| Yoshihide |
…Wait, did you just- |
| Rien |
Ah, but that devolves the art of combat to a simple "memory" anyone can just turn on and off. Combat is not that simple, Don Quixote. |
| Rien |
Even with the Arayashiki safely sheathed within its scabbard, Yoshihide is a lethal killing machine. The methods we have taught here are not just things that can simply be erased through the Arayashiki. It's muscle memory. It is her life. |
| Don Quixote |
Aha! But then, it comes down to experience again, which my daughter has way more of! |
| Rien |
This is true. But it also gives Yoshihide way more to study from. The majority of her fights, on the other hand, have been so covert that I doubt anyone other than the people in this room would know about them. |
| Don Quixote |
Mmm… Perhaps, but how many ways can one truly wield a sword? Yoshihide's moveset would be quite predictable compared to my Sancho! |
| Rien |
I do not see how this will help you when my daughter will literally erase yours. |
| Don Quixote |
M-My daughter can do that, too! She can cause the blood of her enemy to coagulate with ease! |
| Rien |
Pfft. A typical Bloodfiend trick. Another factor Yoshihide can easily prepare for. |
| Don Quixote |
You-... You cannot just claim your daughter would be prepared for every single thing mine can throw at her! |
| Rien |
I absolutely can. |
| Don Quixote |
No, you cannot! Realistically, there is bound to be at least ONE thing Miss Yoshihide would not be able to predict from Sancho! |
| Yoshihide |
...Ehhhh. |
|
I can't help but shrug at that assertion. |
| Yoshihide |
If I can put my hat in the ring here, I think I disagree. |
| Sancho |
Hm? |
| Yoshihide |
I'd like to see her try, don't get me wrong, but I have time blood, man. It's kinda hard to catch someone like me off my ga- Huh?! |
| Sancho |
… |
| Yoshihide |
…Did you seriously… kiss me on the cheek just now? What was that for? |
| Sancho |
Did it catch you off-guard? |
| Yoshihide |
…Yes? |
| Sancho |
Then I think I proved you wrong. It is, in fact, quite easy to get you off your game. |
| Yoshihide |
… |
|
Oh, this fucker. |
|
I can feel my face going bright red right now as I'm still standing… and out of the corner of my eye, while Araya's being carried by my mom, I can see the both of them giving me very contrasting smiles visually, though both carry the same message. |
|
"She got you." |
|
...The worst part is that I can't even argue she didn't. |
| Bari |
Huh. Suppose that's one way to end an argument. |
| Matthias |
Right? Like, damn. Guess we can call it a draw? |
| Don Quixote |
E-End an- Who said it had ended?! |
| Don Quixote |
Upon my honor as the Patriarch of the Manchegan Bloodline, this duel will not end until Mister Rien admits her daughter, however skilled she may be, would lose valiantly to mine like she has just now! |
| Rien |
It was… quite the lucky strike. But it was not combat, so technically speaking, it did not matter for the sake of our conversation. |
| Valencina |
Oh my fucking GOD, who cares?! |
| Dulcinea |
Finally, someone says it… |
| Dulcinea |
This was entertaining at first, but quite honestly, I am bored of how simple this contest has become. |
| Dulcinea |
…I would clearly win against them both anyhow. |
| Sancho |
Are you serious? |
| Dulcinea |
What, am I wrong? Tell me who won the last duel between us, sister. |
| Sancho |
…You, but- |
| Dulcinea |
Exactly. |
| Sancho |
I was distracted! You had- |
| Dulcinea |
Shut. |
| Sancho |
You DISTRACTED me, and then- |
| Dulcinea |
Don't wanna hear it. There were witnesses. I won. |
| Sancho |
You had distracted me with an underhanded trick, and by the moment I- |
| Dulcinea |
History says I won that day, and nothing else. So naturally, I would also win against your lover. |
| Sancho |
What type of logic are you using to- |
| Yoshihide |
Ohoho… Now this is interesting. |
| Yoshihide |
Wanna bet? |
| Valencina |
God damn it, Ticket, we JUST got out of this fuckin' loop… |
| Nicolina |
When it comes to pride, The Princess is definitely the most prideful out of all of us… Or is that ego rather than pride? |
| Dulcinea |
What was that? |
| Nicolina |
Nothing!!! |
| Valencina |
Look, either way, I'd beat the hell out of damn near all of you, so I don't see the point in tryin' to make a competition over it. |
| Callisto |
You lose to gravity every time you drink too much alcohol, Valencina. I do not think you want to be part of this conversation. |
| Valencina |
Oh, FUCK OFF! |
| Curiambro |
…We were supposed to be having dinner, were we not? |
| Shiomi Yoru |
At this rate, the conversation's more interesting than the food. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
Then again, Rien's never really been the best cook for as long as I've known him… When are you ever gonna follow recipes from cookbooks that don't have pictures in them? |
| Rien |
I cannot make the best food if I cannot envision the best food. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
It will be middling either way. |
| Rien |
My wife didn't seem to think it was middling. |
| Shiomi Yoru |
YOUR WIFE IS DEAD. |
|
BEEP. |
| Rien |
…Ah, speaking of food, however, I just got a suggestion from the Prescript about dessert. |
| Rien |
How would you all feel about… what does this say, hang on… |
| Rien |
Hemobars? |
| Don Quixote |
… |
| Sancho |
… |
| Dulcinea |
… |
| Nicolina |
… |
| Curiambro |
… |
| Bari |
… |
| Rien |
What exactly is a hemobar? |
| Yoshihide |
Compressed human and animal blood. |
| Matthias |
YOU WANT US TO BECOME CANNIBALS? Fuck's sake, Rien. |
| Rien |
I-It's the Prescript! I can't not follow it! |
| Shiomi Yoru |
I hope the Prescript tells you to join your wife in the afterlife one day. |
