Chapter 37 - "Two Kings"

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Furuta : "It seems I wasn't as careful as before, please forgive me Associate Royal Election Participate, Jens."

Jens : "It's former associate Royal Election Participate for you… Whatever your real name is.

Furuta : "Furuta Washuu! It's truly amazing to meet you for real. But now that two of my lives as Elis and as Masquerade got shattered, it truly hurts."

Jens : "Get to the topic Furuta, what are you planning to do today?"

Furuta : "You know, I wish I could kill you, right now, right here. But we're literally inside a toy box. We're nothing but toys. Also, we both know, that you can't die, at least, not in my hands."

Jens : "So it really is true… You are Masquerade… You… I mean, I thought you were a friend of mine… Elis, who I could trust and talk to. It was you who gave information to the other bad guys about us, wasn't it?! But now… I really know the truth… You were that clown who erased my memories. Why me, of all people?"

Furuta : "PFT- AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! A BIT SELF-CENTERED, AREN'T WE? DIGUSTING! SO FUNNY! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FUNNY! GROSS! WHAT AN IDIOT! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Jens stood there, in the midst of darkness, surrounded by nothing but Furuta and darkness. He felt nothing, but the presence of Furuta in front of him. Even though he was angry as hell towards Furuta, he did not had the desire to kill him. Not now, not here, for whatever reason.

Furuta : "I was never aiming for you, you fucking dumbass. You left me no choice, but to erase your memories after everything what happened. You, siding with the Kingdom of Lugnica? That's too disgusting. We were the leaders of the world! Yet, you decided to throw everything away, and join them…"

Jens : "Furuta… Can you return my memories back?"

Hearing this, Furuta puts a wicked smile on his face and stares at Jens.

Furuta : "NOPE! THEY'RE GONE! THEY'RE WASHED AWAY! THEY'RE A GRAIN OF SAND IN A MASSIVE FUCKING DESERT! YOUR MEMORIES ARE LITERALLY GONE! THEY WILL NEVER RETURN! NOT EVEN THE CORRIDOR OF MEMORIES WOULD BE ABLE TO REGAIN THEM FOR YOU! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Jens : "Why… Do you act like this? What have I done for you to hate me so much? I don't understand… No, I can't understand. How could a human do something wrong, and make someone else want to kill that person?

Furuta : "You're asking the wrong question. In fact, that's a rhetorical question Jens. There is no real need to have a reason to do things. People who can't act without a reason are trash. I will do what I want. I mean, I've got this precious life and everything; might as well make the best of it, right?"

The two of them kept staring at each other. Even though this was something the both of them wanting. Meeting the ones they hate the most, and slaughter. A Dance to the Death.

Jens : "Precious? I don't know the slightest thing about you, tell me… Furuta. What is the Washuu King? Who even are you?"

The man in front of Jens slowly narrowed his eyes and put a wicked smile on. He glanced at Jens like a snake. Furuta was irritated, angry, but just like Jens, he was unable to attack what so ever.

Furuta : "It really is a bummer that we had to meet here… Now. Together. Here. Due to the Sanctuary's Aura, we cannot fight. Our Aura doesn't allow us to do so what so ever. So I might as well give you a lesson in history."

Jens : "Whatever. Talk you clown."

Furuta : "Why that? Why are you like that? I haven't done anything nasty so far. I am trying to have a nice little chit chat with you. Don't cha understand that?"

Jens : "Furuta… I am really not happy to see your face here. I mean, I never expected it to be you. During the Conquest against the Witch Cult, I was worried about you. Or even now, you ran to the Mansion, and I was worried about your safety. It seem it really was for naught."

Furuta : "Mhm! Of course it was for naught! All your actions are for naught. There is no such thing as friends in this world Jens, I learned that from you. The second you believe you met the one you love, your friends take that one thing away. Same goes for you."

Jens : "We… Were friends?"

Furuta : "We ruled the World together. It was us and the world, against the others. We triumphed. We were victorious."

Jens : "What happened… If I may ask?"

One of Furuta's eyebrows jumped up. As if he was shocked, or at least did not expect that question what so ever.

Furuta : "Obvious, ain't it? A dream that has been a life time, the day that I was hoping for which was drawing near, was crushed because of you."

Jens : "What fucking dream?!"

Furuta : "Ruby Rose… We were born in the Garden of Eden. We weren't related, but it felt like she was a part of me. She was the typical Hero you would see in fairytales. She fought for righteousness and for others, not herself. One night, when nearly the entire Washuu Family got slaughtered by the Endbringers, it was Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long who saved me… But it was Ruby who caught my attention. Everywhere I went… There was death, but when she was at my side… I felt like a whole new person… I felt something for her…"

He leaned against a wall with his back against it, and staring at the other side of the tunnel, where a bright, white light was coming from.

Jens sat down and looked at the light, while listening to Furuta, even though he would love to choke him to death.

Furuta : "I was in love with her."

Hearing this, Jens doesn't feel the slightest sympathy for him.

Furuta : "Then, the Rose Extermination happened… Vincent Vollachia ordered everyone, even the Warriors to slaughter the family of Ruby, due to the disappearance of Summer Rose, her mother. Instead of saving her, you sealed her in a tomb. Till this day, she's still there, all alone, crying in agony…"

Jens : "Then that means… I wanted to protect her as well, Furuta."

Furuta : "Oh… No you didn't. After the mission was finished. You told everyone you killed Ruby. Of course, you told the truth to her team mates, Qrow, Raven, Taiyang… Even Regulus… But me? Oh, No. You told me she was dead. That you killed her. You were the one that deceived me. Why? Because you knew, yes… You knew that this would happen. You knew that I would be the one to Slaughter, Murder, Exterminate the whole Washuu family tree, to become who I am. It was you who brought me past the point of sanity. You turned me into all of this!"

Hearing that, Jens looks at Furuta, who's still looking at the light in the distance.

Furuta : "You… We were friends. We fought every now and then, but we were friends. Even… After you turned me into what I am, you started turning your back against all of us. You started to make Regulus an enemy. You turned me into this. You even announced a war status against Vincent. Yeah…. You really fucked everything up for everyone."

Jens : "Then, with who did I side after all of that?"

Furuta : "The Kingdom of Lugnica. The Garden of the Devil. The Earth's Devil Palace. You just had to fuck… everything up. You just love doing that."

Jens : "…"

Furuta : "What is it? To afraid to talk?"

Jens : "I… You know so much about me. While I don't even know a single thing about myself. I just wish we could've talked—"

Furuta : "BAHAHAHAHAHA! Don't make me laugh! So silly! You're hilarious! Kekchh.. Tsk~… Hnng…. hahahaha. You're so stupid. Do you really think you would've talked those stuff out? Even after you already did? Don't make me laugh, please."

Jens lifted one brow after hearing that.

Jens : "Furuta… You're clearly hiding something from me. Why the hell didn't you kill me then? That day I got tortured in that chair… It was you and Vincent who were there… Right?"

Furuta nodded.

Jens : "You could've killed me, with ease… But you didn't."

Hearing this, Furuta's eyes open more widely. It quite a thing that Jens mentioned there. Not as in that it wasn't obvious, but it's quite a key detail in solving this major conflict.

Furuta : "Didn't think you would skip that many steps. It seems you're not as stupid as I thought, or as I remembered."

After finishing his sentence, Furuta strikes a laugh, which scared Jens, as he didn't expect that kind of a response.

Furuta : "HAHA! Got the joke?"

Hearing that, Jens embraces his knees with his arms and puts his head on his legs to support his tired head.

Jens : "I am tired of all this Furuta. I never wanted any of this, I didn't even chose for this. You did this to me, and I'll be living with this my whole life."

Furuta : "Is that so? Then you really are brain damaged. How hilarious."

Jens : "Tell me at least, why are you keeping me alive?"

Furuta : "Because I need you for something. Isn't that obvious as hell?"

Slightly irritated, yet calm, Jens closes his eyes.

Jens : "I understand that part. But for what? Am I special?"

Furuta : "Stop acting like a clown. Seriously, you could've been part of the Clowns of V with that kind of sense for humor. You being special? HAHA! Kinda self-centered, aren't you? Really disgusting. Obnoxious little shit! Kccccchhhhh! Hahahahahaaaa! You're just like your parents, filthy—"

Jens immediately lifted his legs, opened his eyes and stood up. He walked towards Furuta and grabbed his shoulders. He stared him right in the eyes, but Furuta did nothing but smile right in his face.

Jens : "My parents? Who are they? Are they still alive?"

Furuta : "Oh please, don't be so dramatic. They're nothing but sacrifices. They are the seeds of change. They're nobodies. They were lucky to get you though. They're just like you, mistakes."

Jens : "What are you talking about?"

Furuta : "Hey, don't you realize who you are? You are the paragon of justice! The protagonist of this cute little fairytale where you fight the bad guys, right? Then, as you'll be the one taking the trials, I would hate to spoil what will happen, and what you'll learn from these trials. I rather wait for your 'Oh my gawd, I didn't expect this. Sob Sob, Cry Cry." reaction. Isn't that hilarious? Looking at your handsome face, while you're crying your sins out? HAHA! Fucking idiot. You'll whine so hard after you learn that it truly is you who did all of. The children you mislead, the Kingdom's that fell, you'll watch them all bleed. You severed their trust, and strangled their hearts. You'll never be able to gain trust from them. HAHAHAHAHA! YOU REALLY ARE A MISTAKE!"

Hearing this, Jens removes his hands from Furuta's shoulders and looks at the ground.

Furuta : "Edgy."

Jens : "Shut up you bastard. How are you able to even smile? You are not even human anymore if you can smile at people like me after what you've done."

Furuta : "PLAYING A VICTIM? PFFF! STOP BEING SO FUNNY!"

Jens : "What am I else and Who is the Victim?"

Furuta : "You? Oh, you're the Antagonist. You're the cause of the state of this world. You are the reason there is this war. You caused the Great Calamity. You caused everything, in fact. Who is the victim? The ones that decided to become your sacrifice."

Jens : "Alright then. Nothing new. What about my parents. Where can I find them?"

Furuta : "Well, let's just say that meeting your mother, will result into your death. You really fucked up your family relationship."

Jens : "What did I do?"

Furuta : "Nothing much. It's just that if you would've died the second that you were born that nothing of all this would've happened. You really were born under an unlucky star. Poor Jens. I almost feel bad for you. KEK! I don't at all actually. You pile of horse shit."

Jens : "That doesn't make any sense. Furuta, tell me, for real. What did I do? Who even am I?"

Furuta : "Like I said, I ain't gonna spoil zha Turailuso~!"

Jens : "The wha–"

Furuta : "The trials you fucking idiot. Piece of shit."

Jens : "Oh…"

Furuta : "It seems we've talked enough for today. Haven't we? Now that you know that the amazing Washuu King, Furuta Washuu is the one and only disgusting and obnoxious Elis Rose Evergarden and Masquerade, I'll be taking a break from all of this. I gotta be prepared for you after you return from the first trial."

Jens : "You aren't gonna block me? What the fuck Furuta… You say all these mean things, you tell me all those shitty little stories about me, why? You don't achieve anything with it. You're just fucking with my head, aren't you?"

Furuta : "It's just that… It would be kinda sad to have you dead before you saw why all this is going on…"

Saying this, for the first time ever, Furuta looks sad. He then starts to walk from the direction where Jens came from.

Furuta : "I wish you good luck Jens. I really do hope that you'll pass the first trial immediately."

Not knowing what to say, Jens just looked at Furuta who was slowly walking away, until the darkness made Furuta invisible for him.

After that, Jens turns around. He looks at the distance where the Light came from, and started following it.

Slowly, Jens started to feel dizzy. He used his right hand and the stone brick wall surrounding him to lean on. It was a very long tunnel, only made of mossy stone brick. The moss felt kinda tingly to his fingers. It felt more abstract than normal, and so did the atmosphere surrounding him.

The dizzyness felt like Jens was under the influence of some kind of drug. His senses were all weird compared to normal. His sight was flickering, but the light remained clear and bright.

His legs felt like wet sand. Very heavy, and hard to move.His arms felt like they were made of cement, heavy as ever. In fact, his entire body felt extremely heavy.

The light started to emerge and got brighter.

He took one more step, before the darkness surrounding him, disappeared because of the light. He felt something messing with his head, and it felt like nerves in his body started to being turned off.

Suddenly, his left leg and his right arm were unable to be lifted up, and so, he collapsed. After that, his entire body felt turned off, except for his head.

He looked at the ceiling, or the wall, or the ground….

He wasn't able to know to what he was looking at, as his entire body didn't feel anything anymore.

And in that instant, he lost his consciousness, along with control over his body, while being in that tunnel submerged by the light.

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Suddenly, he feels like he is falling. Opening his eyes, he really is falling. Scared, Jens falls into an unknown darkness and starts to scream.

He falls for like two solid minutes, and then lands on his face. But, for some reason, it didn't feel like he fell what so ever. He felt no pain.

He looks around, and finds himself in a beautiful grass field, with a starry sky.

He sees a path made of gravel and follows that path, until he reaches a table. There are two chairs, along with Tea and snacks on the table.

On the other side of the table, there is a beautiful woman…

She gave Jens a white impression, with long snow white hair and beautiful skin. Only her intellectual looking eyes and dress are black, the two colors drawing out her beauty. She surely was a beauty you would be fascinated about.

Jens : "Oh… Hey… I just fell from the sky, and have no idea who you are. It seems you just kept looking at me, and didn't even bother helping me, or even stand up to look at me. Satisfied?"

Irritated because of an headache, Jens throws a sudden and harsh comment to the woman.

??? : "Yup, definitely satisfied. It doubtless seems you're a someone far beyond what I expected. Extraordinary."

The back of her hand pressed to her mouth, she laughs like a maiden as Jens stares back at her with a cautious gaze. He forces strength into his legs, so he's prepared to strike her down.

??? : "You don't really need to be that on-guard. And besides, I'm pretty sure you can judge yourself that even against me, you're not too likely to win? Bravery and recklessness are easily confused things."

Jens : "Right…"

Jens keeps looking at her, and decides to not say a thing until she clearly introduces herself.

Her hair is long enough to span down to her back, pure white as frost. The few areas where her skin is exposed reveal her flesh to be so beautiful as to be nearly transparent. Her eyes host an intelligent gleam, and only her simple outfit is pitch-black—a woman symbolizing dichromaticism and adorned with beauty

??? : "Sorry that this welcome turned into a bit of a tease. I hadn't planned so, but quite haplessly am I a creature of Greed. It's impossible for me to escape what is called the 'thirst for knowledge'."

Jens nodded. Just like that, nothing else.

??? : "Excuse me. I haven't given you a single introduction of who I am. Sorry for these piling discourtesies. It's been a long time since I've had contact with people who're still alive, so I'm not quite back to form."

Different from the tone of her voice, her expression barely changes at all as she shakes her head. She looks at Subaru, who continues to suppress his shivering, as she places her hand to her chest and quietly introduces herself.

??? : "My name is Echidna. But maybe you'd understand it better if I introduced myself as the Witch of Greed?"