Chapter 19: Chapter 16 - Abilities
All air seemed to escape him then. The many fears, the many horrors, a tight constriction hindering breath. The beats of his heart... the poundings in his chest, barely, he could almost feel it - the agonizing compression, the painful embrace of the Witch's touch.
A smile, radiating pride, Irma looked at him, the blue hue of satisfaction shimmering in her eyes, juxtaposing the manifestation of evil that sprouted from her being.
The Unseen Hand swayed at his direction, fingers long, thin and slender - fingers that coalesce with the death and devastation of one too many, fingers that twisted and contorted an unsalvageable trauma, tainting him forever - fingers... that now wiggled playfully towards him. A gesture not unlike one of a warm friendly greeting.
"I was five when I realized I had this. I like to refer to it as my 'helping hand'. It's real... handy when you're up to things you aren't supposed to be doing. Nothing too serious though."
His shocked, mistaken for speechlessness. His horror, mistaken for fascination. Irma remained oblivious to it all.
"Ain't just for display either, I can make it do whatever I want it to do. I can make it stretch longer, make it twist and turn and-"
"Stop, stop it," interjected Subaru, his voice finally surfacing.
Tense, strain - whittling the atmosphere to a sullen solemnity. In his inflection, Irma grew aware of it, frowning with her head tilted slightly. "Pardon? Something the matter?"
Subaru's gaze slowly wandered back to the Unseen Hand, hovering still, before, within a second's pass, the repulsive shape, the elongated darkness - it spurted forward towards him.
Immediately with a shout, Subaru recoiled backward, a deep sonorous thud rippling across the wooden enclosure as his head bashed the other end of the carriage, his eyes stirring in a frenzy, finding Irma in between movement, her body leaning closer to where he once was.
"DON'T," Subaru began, breath in a frantic rhythm, "PUT THAT THING ANYWHERE NEAR ME."
Irma, in a visible state of confusion, was in a fluster of expressions. "Wha - what happened? Did I do some-"
"GET RID OF IT!"
"What? Get rid of what?"
"THAT - THAT THING. NOW!"
"Wuzz happenin?"
Irma had roused abrupt, the thunder and shouts, stirring her within the seams of consciousness and an aimless stupor. Her misty white eyes lazily adrift in assessment to the scene presented before her.
Understanding seemed to dawn on her face, then a tiresome sigh escapes her lips. "Sister, I've warned you plenty already. You show that thing to anyone and they're gonna scream. I don't blame Supa... I don't blame him for freaking out. It's only natural."
"But..."
"Yes, I know you think it's the coolest thing in the world. To others though? It looks as if a demon sprouted from your back, like some kind of purple plant monster."
After a noise of reluctance, Irma finally relented and the Unseen Hand evaporated from sight. Her expression still lingered a trace of grievance as she turned towards Subaru, who breathed with ease at its disappearance.
"Well, uh... My apologies, then. Seems my sister isn't the only one lacking in proper social etiquette. I'll try not to freak you out anymore," spoke Irma.
A pillow was flung and collided with the side of her head.
"Keep talking. I have plenty of pillows still," warned Ilma.
Before Irma could manage a retort, Subaru cut through her, addressing Ilma, "And you? What's your ability? I think you better lay it all out on me because I don't think I can handle any more surprises."
"I have a name you know," Ilma responded, her tone haughty, "Have a little respect, why don't you?"
"Yeah, well I have a name too. I noticed you haven't used it yet though. Why's that?"
"Well, that's because - the reason's quite obvious, actually. It's because... uhh..." a trail that led to a stifle, her lips a thin line across her face.
"You didn't bother to remember it?" suggested Irma, a smugness within her inflection.
"Course I remembered it!" sputtered Irma, the redness of her cheeks suggesting the contrary, "Anyways, my ability, you wanted to know about it, right Suparu?"
"That's the idea."
"Alright..." she muttered, drawing closer towards him, her foggy pupils scouring his being, "Coincidentally, are you hurt anywhere? Broken bones, small scabs... anything?"
His fingertips lightly brushed the gash at his throat, "A cut on my neck here... that's about it. Why?"
Irma pulled a grimace. "Ouch. How did that happen?"
"It doesn't really matter where he got it. Let me have a look at it," said Ilma, sparing Subaru a response.
She only seemed to stare. An unfaltering gaze centered at his wound. Her total concentration palpable throughout the atmosphere. Subaru pondered voicing an inquiry, but a tingling sensation coursing through his entire being deprived him of his voice.
A little while later, Ilma spoke, breaking her gaze, "There you go. All better."
Subaru reached for his injury and felt it. The surface of smooth skin, the absence of a coarse crevice... the lack of pain affirming her statement.
"So you can heal injuries just by simply staring at them?" Subaru said, bluntly impressed.
"Good guess, but not exactly. I simple return things to how they once were. For example, I also removed the bloodstain on your shirt... I concentrate for long enough, you'll end up with a bundle of strings that was once your shirt."
"That's damn amazing, actually. Wow."
A remark received by a feigning indifference that failed to hid how pleased she appeared to be by the compliment.
"It's not something worth to be mulling over for, really," Ilma said, drawing herself back to comfort.
"Yes... it's all rather impressive, isn't it?" said an apathetic Irma, her annoyance transparent on the stark contrast of Subaru's feedback on their abilities, "But I think it's time we flip the table on the whole thing. Now you show us your ability, Subaru."
It took a moment for her words to be absorbed, a process that exerted a variety of noises to pass through his lips agape, "Uhh... umm... ahh."
A reaction that prompted Irma to deliver a reassuring pat on his shoulder, "Come on, don't be shy now. We showed you ours... least you can do is show us yours."
"Yeah Suparu, what kind of man forces two young girls to show him their goods without even bothering to take responsibility for it and show his own?" said Ilma, her face as stoic as ever.
Silence overtook the carriage. There were no words. Only awkwardness. And the redness seemed to glow on Ilma's face as she grasps her blunder.
"Oh no. That's not what - wait look - I..." She sputtered desperately, before ultimately sinking her face in a pillow on her lap, "I hate talking to strangers."
The discomfort overcame, Subaru replied with haste, "In any case, I can't even show you if I want to. I don't have an ability."
"Liar! You can't even lie right when you want to! Try again, Subaru." Irma spoke in a boisterous melody.
"Okay, maybe I do have an ability! I just... don't know what it is yet."
"I see. You have an ability and you'll only tell us after I coax it out of you. I understand. In that case, I'll just keep bothering you until you do!"
"No, that's not what I said."
"Yes, but that's what you meant."
An unyielding resolve a glimmer in her eyes.
He gritted his teeth.
Danger did not mingle with the casual air that encompasses them. Long already he had concluded he won't be harmed in their company. That factor he did not want unchanged. But the Witch had no care nor heed for his wants, his desires.
So what if he were to say it once more?
("I can return by death.")
A proclamation that risked the most devastating of outcomes, the least being a painful wrench of his heart. The most could inflict fatally on their well-being. He did not desire to think of the aftermath that would result in the death of one of the princesses, especially with himself in such close proximity.
"My questions." He suddenly spoke aloud. "I'm not done asking questions yet. I told you I'll tell you everything once you've answered everything."
He was greeted back with a weary sigh. "Ooh, you remind of Father. With your 'All in due time, my sweet Irma. Patience is a virtue'. Welp, fire away, then. But you better keep your end of the bargain."
Though the change of subject was one of impulse, he only then grew aware of the blaring question staring at his face. "Come to think of it - just where the hell are you taking me?"
The question was followed by a spontaneous "Shoot!" as her hands rose, veiling her lips and masking poorly her aghast expression.
"I completely forgot!" She turned to Ilma, whose bewilderment was equal to Subaru's own. "Irma, we took this guy off the street and made him ride with us in our carriage. It's basically kidnapping, isn't it?"
Her sister did not share her sentiments. "Correction: You took a guy off the street. I was sleeping peacefully, unbeknown to any wrongdoings that may or may not have occurred."
"You're an accomplice, either way, don't try to worm out of it!" In a swift motion, she turned to Subaru, "I'm really, really sorry Subaru. I'm sure my entitlement was showing the entire time, doing whatever I want with no regard - you probably have your own things to do. Look, just... ah! Where do you live? We'll take you home ourselves, it's no problem at all!"
"No problem for you, perhaps," said Ilma, sighing feebly, "But I'm close to starving, so I rather-"
"Hush Ilma! We've inconvenienced Subaru, so we have to make amends. We have standards to uphold as the princesses of Karara-"
"Take him with us to the castle for all I care. We're nearly there anyway, all his needs will be taken care of. We'll probably find him some proper clothes other than those strange pajamas he's wearing right now."
"No Ilma, stop suggesting silly things. We're taking Subaru home first, then we go back to the castle. Is that clear?"
"Not clear at all. I say bring Suparu along. Why do I have to suffer because of your carelessness? It's not really fair, wouldn't you say?"
"We can't just bring a stranger into the castle! Even if he is blessed, we don't have the authority!"
"Why not?" Ilma challenged, casual, but with a sudden edge in her voice, "you already brought him in the carriage - a rather strange notion to be bringing up authority and rules, when you have little regard for them anyway."
Irma glared at her sister, a definite imprint of anger in the furrowing of her brow, the tightening of her lips.
"Ilma, we can't just simply-"
"Okay time out!" Subaru spoke out loud, diverting their gazes onto him, "You wanna compensate me? Here, you don't need to take me back home. Just drop me off at a place where there's a fountain with dragon statues next to a sushi restaurant. That's where I was headed. You girls know where it is?"
A momentary pause in a tense quiet. Irma casting furtive glances at her sister, and Ilma in contemplation.
"We know where it is." Irma finally spoke, her eyes still elsewhere, "But apparently I'm lacking in authority on the matter, so..."
Her trailing off led a trail to Ilma, who sensed the stiffness in her voice, for she gave a tiresome yawn. "It isn't far off from here. So I guess I'll bear with any discomfort along the way. Good for you, Subaru, I'm willing to deal with my sister's mishaps. So you better be grateful."
"Ilma, don't be rude," reprimanded Irma, but already she drifted away, far gone in the world of slumber.
"It's fine," Subaru said, gesturing a wave of his hand, "Believe it or not, I've dealt with worse. You aren't the only one with a sharp-tongued sister. In fact, I'd wager to say Ram had the sharper tongue."
"Seriously," She sighed, a hand massaging her forehead, "She only gets like this when she's really hungry. She's normally very timid... as you saw. Guess she wasn't lying when she said she was starving."
Another sigh, then she knocked thrice on the walls, and spoke with etiquette, "Almor. To Pascal's if you would. Our guest wishes to disembark at the fountain in the area and is short on time, so with haste if at all possible. I leave the speed all to your discretion."
Through a muffle, Diona was heard with a roar as the carriage strode faster in pace.
"It's kinda unnerving hearing you switch from proper to improper in a dime," remark Subaru.
"Ah, nevermind that. It's exhausting being prim and proper," She gave a deep inhale, and suddenly clapped her hands, "Now! No more questions from you, Subaru. It's my turn."
"I barely even asked-"
"Nope! My turn!" She said, smiling her mischievous smile, "Now tell me, just what kind of flowers do grow in Lugunica?"
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