Chapter Text
If you’d ask Subaru how he felt about his time in this other world. He’d say it… it’s been rough but it is getting worse Better. He’d gotten through the first week after all that, from here on out it’s looking up No, it won’t. Right now, he was on a quick chore from Ram, to grab groceries for tonight.
‘Honestly I forgot how nice the greenery around here is! especially when you’re not being tortured for information again, and again, and again, and again, and again, an-’.
*thwack*
Before Subaru could finish the thought, he found himself being struck on the back of the head by a pebble. Luckily it was small enough to not leave any marks, but big enough to hurt. As he turned around, looking for the culprit he turned around he found no one.
“Whoever you are, I know you’re there. You should give up hiding” Subaru announced, as dread filled his mind which thought back to how Rem tortured killed him as well as Elsa before.
“…”
And so a silence settled in as nothing, as Subaru looked around, watching for any possible signs of his observer.
Eventually, he started to calm down, then began his rationalization ‘it was the wind’, or ‘maybe it a bird dropping it’, the boy desperately clung on to these explanations, not wanting to deal with another death loop. Soon enough, he got up and continued on his chores, still paranoid, which he was very much right to be. As, watching from a concealed spot, a Man no, Teen wearing a black and orange tracksuit, who had black hair, and those well known mean-eyes was smiling as he observed him. Most strangely, the boy smiled when seeking the effect of his teasing on Subaru, he even blushed when he saw the boy continue his paranoia streak, though only he and Rem had realized so far.
‘I can’t stay here, I KNOW I’m being watched, I know they are still observing. I HAVE to get out…’ Subaru thought, while biting his nails. His eyes had began to develop deep, dark bags. ‘I know, I KNOW, Mili didn’t want me to go with her. But I can’t take it Anymore’. He had stopped Rem from watching him in his sleep or lack-there-of, even though he knew he was worrying her, luckily for now she seemed to be the only one who caught on.
The next day he begged Emilia to take him with her to the capital, he used the excuse that he ‘wanted thank the people he knew in the capital’ which was partially true, but he mainly wanted to avoid that feeling of being watched.
“Even for a dog like Barusu, this is a new low” Ram snarked.
“Subaru” Rem commented, in a quiet voice, observing the boy with a pained expression, clearly wanting to comfort him but unsure of how to.
“Alright, but you haaave to visit a healer and get some actual sleep” Emilia commented, in a concerned voice. She’d noticed something off with him, but it was only when the eye bags started appearing that she finally got some idea of what could be going on.
“What?!?!” Subaru yelped distraughtly.
“I- Concurrrrr” Roswaal spouted, this will be his only line in this.
“Lady Emilia is right, so stop using your fatigue to avoid your work” Ram joined in.
“Wait, you two as well! And I DO my work, and it’s more than you!” Subaru yelps.
“I agree Subaru, you need to sleep, it’s bad for you deprive yourself of sleep. You Need to Rest” Rem commented.
“… Fine, I agree” Subaru muttered in defeat.
All the while, another person listen in, his smile grew even wider. He truly loved this development, in-truth when he was ‘born’ those week’s back he’d begun plotting his move to take control. However, the unfortunate looping’s had stilted his move. But his other half had secured a place of his own in the ‘Happy Roswaal Mansion’ which would soon be his. However, this spot also met being surrounded by Puck, Beako, Roswaal, Rem, Ram, and Mili. Which meant he’d be too protected and they’d let Subaru know the nature of his existence, and he was pretty sure Rem would break courtesy if he tried to take his place. But, with Subaru leaving for the bustling capital and being so sleep deprived, this would be far too easy for him.
After a while, the carriage had left the Mathers estate and was on-route to the Capital. Even then, Subaru remained stubbornly awake, just in case. Even when this weird purple haired guy introduced himself before Emilia, he was too tired and too paranoid to do anything.
“And you’re Lady Emilia’s serv- … servant” Julius asked, before actually staring at Subaru. “… a- are you alright?” He asked out of genuine concern.
‘What do YOU THINK’ is what Subaru wanted to say, instead he said “3 weeks ago I met the Bowel Hunter, 2 weeks ago I got s curse placed on me, I week ago I stopped sleeping…” Subaru said, in a defeated voice.
“Gosh Subaru, you forgot about when you got all those injuries you got from those Mabeasts” Emilia reminded him, in a voice that sounded like silver bells. “Buttttt, you really should get some sleep Subaru”.
“a-alright, I have to go” Julius said, with him trying to eject himself out of this conversation as soon as possible. ‘I thought you were better than the rumours Lady Emilia, but no matter. I will save Subaru from your clutches’ Julius thought. He had to report this back to his Lady.
“Well then Subaru, I’ll see you after the ceremony! Make sure to go to the healer now.” Emilia said, waving to Subaru with a kind smile, unfortunately Subaru was barely functioning.
Resting on the bed at the Healers office(?), he was dozing off, but that sense of paranoia pushed him to stay awake.
*creak*
As the door opened, with the healer walking in. Now Subaru wasn’t the most rested tool in the dog house, but he was sure that tracksuits weren’t in vogue in Lugunica. Unless, he had caused such a splash with his death big debut.
’Huh, it’s weird that he also has the exact same colours, and pants, … and haircut, …..and face. Wait IS THAT AN AXE’ Subaru thought, before quickly dodging to the left.
Soon enough, the adrenaline rush hit and he began grabbing paper weights, boxes, and pens to throw at the doppelgänger.
*Shinn*
*Thwack*
With luck, the doppelgänger had gotten his axe stuck into the wooden floor and began trying to pull it out. Subaru realizing this was his only shot, ran out the room. But then, the doppelgänger panicked, now knowing Subaru’s plan. But before he could respond, he was thrashed by a steel pipe to his shins.
*BASH*
If the doppelgänger had vocal cords, he’d be screaming right now.
“Wellll, Rem and Ram normally listen to me, and Subaru is a bit stubborn but he’s still a good boy it just took a little convincing” Emilia said, sure of her answer, while thinking back to the crying boy on her lap.
“…” The entire hall remained silent. Many in the crowd disliking how she’d phrased ‘convincing’ and that she chosen THAT as her answer.
“Candidate Emilia, the question was ‘How would you respond to criticism of your reign’ can you please restate your answer” Miklotov responded, hoping the Half-Elf would give a better answer.
“Ohhhhh, well then I would get rid of them!” Emilia said while smiling.
The crowd’s unease at the Elf’s ability to rule quickly shifts to downright fear.
“Pftt- the Half-Devil confirms herself to be the Witch Incarnate” Bourdeaux spits out.
“Zergev! Candidate Emilia, would you LIKE to restate that answer” Miklotov asks again.
“Nope! I mean the king knows better don’t they! After all They Are The STATE, not the other way around, that be silly!” Emilia responds.
‘Just as I feared, her abuse of Subaru is representative of her real thoughts’ Julius thinks, while vowing to ‘rescue’ Subaru.
Back at ‘Generic Healers M.D’, Subaru and پلیادها are continuing to fight. The current state of the battle being Subaru standing with some broken fingers on his left hand and a bloody nose, the doppelgänger has scraped shins and broken teeth.
Just then the doppelgänger Rushes Subaru with his axe, going in for a clean decapitation. Subaru dodges to the right at the last second as the axe gets stuck again. Now that the doppelgänger was weaponless Subaru once again winds up his pipe.
*THWACK*
Bashes the poor sod in his shins yet again. Meanwhile, a sudden *click* is heard as Subaru’s Healer enters the room.
“IM SO SO SORRY MAN, THE TRAFFIC WAS CRAZY And… apologies for interrupting” The Healer says, before a *click* is heard again.
“What The FUC-“ Subaru yells.
Back at the Ranch, the other candidates stopped answering questions all together, with most of the candidates and audience members now in agreement under NO CIRCUMSTANCE, should the Elf be allowed to become king. Some of the people would have hesitated had the Elf’s backer, Margrave Mathers, been here. However, his absence and unified most of the people in the audience with Crush and Anastasia exchanging concerned looks as the Half-Elf kept answering.
“So, if the lowest rung are hungry, why don’t we let them eat cake!” Emilia said, unaware of the fear she was inspiring among the audience.
”Wait, what Big Sis?!?!” Felt responded.
“Oh it’s simple Felt, Noble’s have cake and lots of it, so if we simply distribute some of their cake to the more unfortunate, then everyone will be fed! Sure it takes some re-distribution to prevent it from going bad. But, I’m confident it be done!” Emilia joyfully responded.
“And What If The Nobles Reject Your Offer” Anastasia spoke up.
”Welllll, then we can deal with them!” Emilia said.
“How would you ‘deal with them’ exactly?” Crush asked, all the while Felix remained concerned by his Lady asking That Witch.
“Well, we can send them to a school to educate them about the struggle of the poor! And if they still don’t wanna help, then we make them work with the poor to see their struggle!” Emilia chirped.
“….”
The Audience now knew that no matter who won, it would be better than The Mad Half-Elf of Elior.
Back at the plot, Subaru and his doppelgänger were no longer able to be found. However, if you left the check-in room and turned to the right, you’d find the bathroom door open with Subaru pushing his doppelgänger’s legs into a toilet. And attempting to…
*Flush*
*Flush*
*Flush*
*Flush*
*Flush*
*Flush*
*FLUSH*
To little avail. However, he was making progress, the doppelgänger was now halfway flushed with only his legs still sticking out and struggling to break free.
‘This guy just won’t give up… unless’ Subaru thought, before rushing to the hall to grab ‘old reliable’. With steel pipe in hand, he raised it and *BASH* the doppelgänger’s shins over, and over , and over , and over , and over , and over , and over , and over , and over , and over.
If the doppelgänger had succeeded in stealing Subaru vocal cords today he’d be screaming unfortunately for him he couldn’t audiate (Audition?) his pain.
“NOW, FOR THE SAKE OF MY SANITY JUST FLUSH” Subaru yelled out, feeling like he’d fall over as a result of his lack of sleep.
*Flush*
*FLUSH*
*Flush*
Subaru’s eyes started tearing up, as FINALLY, the doppelgänger was fully flushed down the drain. Subaru eyes fell and he collapsed on the floor.
“… i don’t recognize that ceiling” Subaru said, while fighting a yawn
“Good morning Subaru!”
“Morning Rem… wait Rem?!?!”
Subaru sat stunned as Rem sat in a chair watching over him. The suddenly…
“S-Subaru!!! You were out for 3 days. We were so worried about you! But it’s alright now. The healer told us about your doppelgänger” Emilia said, rushing to the room.
‘Well, at least he had the courtesy to do that. Wait…’ Subaru thought, before yelling out “HE TOLD YOU, BUT DIDN’T HELP ME?!?!?!?”.
“Of course Subaru, it’s common courtesy!” Rem answered.
“Wait… Subaru you do know about the Nemesis System right?” Emilia asked, while tilting her head.
“…Nemesis System…. WHAT?” Subaru yelled
“Oh, OH, that explains why you were so worried. Your Nemesis was probably playing tricks on you since it’s your first time” Emilia. Commented, as if realizing the obvious
“It is strange to meet your Nemesis so late, but it’s not unheard of” Rem added.
“Wait wait wait wait… explain this ‘Nemesis System’, you guys act like this is some common knowledge” Subaru asked, in a confused tone.
“Well Subaru, when everyone is born, a duplicate is created from the Earth and shadows your every step! Once you’ve become an adult, the coly will attempt to attack you and take your place by killing you. If you manage to kill it or beat it back, the copy will retreat underground for 1 year before trying again” Rem explained.
“That still doesn’t explain why That Healer left me!” Subaru yelped, still upset about the ordeal.
<“Well, it’s proper courtesy to leave one’s battle to themselves” Rem replied.
“Mhm, Puck left me to deal with my opposite on my own! It’s the honourable thing to do.” Emilia added.
“Wait… but how’d it know where I was and why can’t it talk” Subaru asked, more confused with each answer he got.
“Well it is your copy. It can hear what you hear, feel how your feeling, and has rough idea of what your thinking. But the connection only goes one way!” Rem responded. “Additionally, they can’t talk because they don’t have vocal cords”.
“… so, if it would have killed me…” Subaru said quietly, thinking of the worst outcome.
“It would have gotten any Authority, Divine Protection, or skills you had along with your voice, and then taken your place. Butttt, you beat it, and won’t have to worry about it for a year!” Emilia added, while smiling at him.
“… well, how was the ceremony Mili?” Subaru asked, wanting to change the subject before he thought of what would happen had he died the worst.
”Well, I think it went reaaaally well! Though, it’s a shame Puck and Roswaal were busy with their ‘trap house’ meeting. “ Emilia responded, while preparing to explain to Subaru how amazed everyone was by her platform.
“FIX THISSS” Envy hissed out.
“I Don’t Know HOW TOO, HE SHOULDN’T EVEN HAVE A DOPPELGÄNGER!” Satella cried out.
”FIX THIS BEFORE OUR BELOVED GETS MORE HURT”