Emilia and Beatrice looked around, confused and contemplating their next move.
Emilia: [How are we going to find Subaru's parents?]
She looked to the raven-haired boy in her arms. She wanted him to see them again. She herself knew how painful it must have felt to be separated from them. She herself felt that pain when she was separated from Puck. From Fortuna and Geuse. She knew they were the first people Subaru would need to see again.
Beatrice: [We will have to ask around, I suppose.]
Emilia nodded as they walked around when Emilia heard something.
???: [Just give me your stuff, old man!]
???: [Just take it. I... don't even care anymore.]
The voice was dejected as if he were barely alive. For some reason, that voice... reminded her of Subaru on his worst days. Emilia hesitated. She didn't want to leave Subaru alone. No, it was more that she didn't want to leave his side. Not so soon after she had gotten back to him.
???: [Haha. You know what? On top of that. Crawl on the ground and bark like a dog.]
???: [You damn brat, who do you?... ugh!]
There was the sound of an impact as if someone had been kicked. After hearing this much, Emilia just... couldn't ignore it.
Emilia: [Beatrice. Take care of Subaru for a second, okay? I'm going to see what is going on over there.]
Beatrice nodded.
Beatrice: [Don't take too long, I suppose.]
Emilia rushed off in the direction of the voices as she saw a man on the floor and a teenager standing over him. The man's face was out of view due to the shadows, but the boy was in full view. He was tall and thin with black hair, in ragged clothes, and he was holding a knife. The teenager threw a wallet to the ground.
Teenager: [Seriously? That's all the money ya got on ya? Fucking poor fucker.]
The man didn't move and just lay there dejectedly.
Emilia: [Stop right there!]
The teenager looked at Emilia.
Teenager: [A cosplayer?]
Emilia: [Cos... what?]
She tilted her head slightly in confusion.
Teenager: [Damn, you're hot.]
Emilia: [What?]
She didn't seem to understand that either.
Teenager: [You know this old man?]
Emilia shook her head.
Emilia: [I don't know him at all.]
She raised her hands at the teenager.
Emilia: [But regardless of that, give him back his money. If you do that, we can forget this all happened.]
The teenager laughed for a second.
Teenager: [Huh? The hell? You some kind of Chunibyu?]
Emilia: [Chu... ni what?]
The teenager sighed, pointing his knife at Emilia.
Teenager: [Just who do you think you are, tryna boss me around. You know what. Take it all off. All your clothes]
Emilia: [You've left me no choice. Please remember that.]
Emilia fired off a slab of ice that hit the teenager in the gut. Emilia felt the difference in the casting of the spell. It was slower and less powerful.
Teenager: [What the fu...?]
The teenager fell backwards and landed on the ground unconscious as the ice melted away.
Man: [Was that... magic?]
He looked completely bewildered as Emilia walked over to him, offering him her hand.
Emilia: [Are you okay?]
Man: [Who... are you?]
Emilia smiled before getting an idea and taking a stance, posing.
Emilia: [My name is Emilia. Just Emilia. And I just saved you from a heinous villain! Are we okay on that?]
The man looked up at her as his heart momentarily filled with a strange and familiar warmth.
Man: [Ye... yeah... we're okay on that.]
He took her hand and slowly got up. His face came into view, the moonlight hitting his face and reflecting off his glasses. His features were remarkably similar to someone she knew. Emilia was shocked.
Man: [What's wrong?]
Emilia: [Are you... Subaru's father?]
Man: [Huh?]
The man looked shocked and then desperate as he grasped her by the shoulders, shaking her.
Man: [Do you know my son? Natsuki Subaru. Do you know where he is?]
Emilia: [Son? Then you're... Subaru's father?]
Kenichi: [Yes. Is he alright?]
Emilia nodded.
Emilia: [He's alright. I can take you to him.]
Kenichi's eyes filled with tears of gratitude and hope.
Emilia: [Let's go.]
She began leading him to the park where she had left Beatrice.
Beatrice sat on the bench, her contractor lying his head on her lap as she stroked his hair.
Beatrice: [Betty is sorry. Betty is sorry for not reacting in time.]
Beatrice: (If only Betty were more cautious.)
Subaru's eyes slowly opened.
Subaru: [Beako? Where are we?]
He slowly got up, and then he saw everything.
Subaru: [I'm... back?]
He started hyperventilating.
Subaru: [Emilia, Rem, Ram, Garf, Otto... everyone is still...]
His face filled with tears.
Subaru: [No I...]
Beatrice: [Please calm down, I suppose.]
Subaru: [I wanted to see my parents again, but not like this! Not by leaving everyone behind.]
His voice was filled with agony. He felt like scum. He felt like he had abandoned them.
Subaru: [Even though I hate that feeling the most, they'll all feel it now, too. I've left everyone behind!]
He wailed in despair as Beatrice began hugging him.
Beatrice: [It's alright. Betty is right here with you, I suppose. You didn't leave Betty behind. You didn't leave anyone behind, in fact.]
Subaru began crying into her shoulder.
Beatrice: (Betty's Subaru is too kind sometimes, in fact.)
Beatrice wiped his tears as Subaru looked around.
Subaru: [We... should go find my parents now.]
He got up. He wanted to see them. They were the only ones that made returning to his world worth anything. The only ones that he felt could fill the holes left in his heart from being separated from his friends and from the two girls he loved.
Beatrice: [Betty's Subaru must stay right here, in fact.]
Subaru: [What?]
Beatrice smiled.
Beatrice: [Betty's Subaru should turn around, I suppose.]
Subaru turned around to see Emilia walking towards them.
Subaru: [E...milia?]
She smiled.
Emilia: [It's good to see you awake, dunderhead.]
Subaru rushed to her, hugging her.
Subaru: [No one... no one says "dunderhead" in this day and age, Emilia-tan.]
He said this in choked sobs as she stroked his hair affectionately.
Emilia: [You're teasing me again, Subaru.]
Subaru: [I couldn't help but tease you, Emilia-tan.]
He tried to bottle up his tears and act tough, but he was failing at that miserably.
Subaru: [I thought for a second that... that I'd never be able to see you again! I'm so happy. So happy you're here.]
Emilia: [I'm reaaally happy too, but... there's someone else you need to hug.]
Subaru looked confused until his tear-drenched face looked up to see his father. Kenichi Natsuki.
Subaru: [Da...dad?]
Subaru slowly let go of Emilia as he hugged his father.
Subaru: [I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!]
Tears fell from Kenichi's eyes as he hugged his son. After almost 2 years, the father and son had been reunited. After a few minutes of crying, Subaru and Kenichi finally let go of each other.
Kenichi: [Subaru. I'm so glad you're okay.]
Subaru: [Dad, I... I'm sorry for everything. I was so stupid. I thought that I'd never be able to live up to your name. I thought that you were only keeping me around because I was your son. I...]
Kenichi proceeds to axe kick Subaru in the head. Emilia and Beatrice looked shocked and then enraged.
Emilia: [What are you doing!]
Beatrice: [How dare you, I suppose!]
Kenichi: [You really are a dumbass! Keeping you around? What kind of way is that to talk about yourself, you brat?]
They looked confused as Subaru rubbed his head.
Subaru: [Ugh...]
Kenichi forced Subaru onto his feet, grabbing his collar.
Kenichi: [We weren't just "keeping you around". We love you, Subaru! More than anything!]
Emilia and Beatrice seemed to understand and stood down as Kenichi glared at his son.
Kenichi: [If you can't realise that, maybe I'll just have to beat some sense into you.]
Subaru smiled softly.
Subaru: [You're the same old dad. You haven't changed at all. I'm so glad that I got to see you again.]
Kenichi smiled, wiping the tears off his own face as Subaru looked at him worried.
Subaru: [Mom... is she... doing okay?]
Kenichi: [No... she's not. We should get back to her sooner rather than later.]
Subaru sweated.
Subaru: [Yeah, let's go. Where's your car?]
Kenichi led them to the car.
Emilia: [Um, Subaru. What is this?]
Subaru: [Think of it like a carriage.]
Emilia: [But where's the ground dragon?]
Kenichi: (Ground dragon? Hm? I already understood, but this just makes it more obvious.)
Beatrice: [Carriages in Betty's Subaru's world don't need ground dragons, I suppose.]
Emilia looked shocked as Subaru opened the door for her. She slowly got in, feeling unsure as Subaru helped her put on a seatbelt, which she found strange.
Emilia: [What is this Subaru?]
Subaru: [It's just for safety. Keep it on while you're in the car, okay?]
Emilia nodded as Subaru went to the other side of the car, opening the door.
Subaru: [Beako. You get in too.]
Beatrice: [Betty is waiting for Betty's Subaru, I suppose.]
Subaru: [You can't sit on my lap while we're in a car.
Beatrice huffed in annoyance as she got in, sitting in the middle seat. Subaru clicked her seatbelt in and sat next to her, putting on his seatbelt.
Subaru: (I'm coming home, Mom.)
Natsuki Naoko woke up as she was surrounded by her son's figurines. She'd been sleeping in her son's room ever since he went missing. She'd been there for so long that her tears had stained his sheets.
Naoko: [Subaru, please... please come home.]
She hugged her son's pillow to her face.
Naoko: [Please come back to us.]
Then she heard the door open
Naoko: (Kenichi must be home.)
She just lay there.
Kenichi: [Dear? Can you come down, please? It's important.]
Naoko slowly got up as she walked out of her son's room and down the stairs to see Kenichi with a happy smile.
Naoko: [Kenichi, why are you smiling...]
She was confused when her eyes looked past him to see Subaru in the doorway.
Subaru: [Hi, mom.]
She fell to her knees, tears falling from her eyes as Subaru walked over to her and knelt down to give her a hug.
Subaru: [I'm home.]
Her hands wrapped around him, clinging to him desperately.
Naoko: [Subaru... you're home.]
Subaru: [Um... a bit too tight, Mom.]
Naoko: [I'm sorry.]
She slowly let go of him as Emilia and Beatrice walked over.
Naoko: [Who are... You two?]
Subaru: [They're my friends. They've taken really good care of me.]
Naoko: [I see.]
She got up and walked over to Emilia, hugging her.
Naoko: [Thank you so much for taking care of my son.]
Emilia looked surprised before hugging her back. She still wasn't used to people treating her so kindly.
Emilia: [It's okay. If anything, it was Subaru that was taking care of us.]
Beatrice: [You are Betty's Subaru's mother?]
Naoko: [Who is this sweet-looking child?]
Subaru smiled as he stood next to Emilia.
Subaru: [This little girl happens to be mine and Emilia-tan's adorable baby.]
Kenichi: [...]
Naoko's eyes lit up.
Naoko: [I'm a grandmother?]
Kenichi: [Holy crap. I'm...]
Emilia pinched Subaru's cheek.
Emilia: [Don't go tricking your parents, Subaru.]
Subaru: [Ow ow. I know Emilia-tan.]
Subaru smiled.
Subaru: [Sorry. I was just joking.]
Kenichi: [Then who is this little girl to you?]
Beatrice: [Betty is Betty's Subaru's contracted spirit, I suppose.]
Naoko: [Spirit? Are you two cosplayers?]
Kenichi sighed, shaking his head.
Subaru: [Listen, Mom. Dad. You might not believe me, but I was Isekai'd and...]
Naoko: [Isekai'd?]
Kenichi: [Yeah, I know.]
Subaru: [I... huh? You... know?]
Naoko: [Dear?]
She looked worried when Kenichi gestured at Emilia.
Kenichi: [Your girlfriend here used magic, and you went missing for almost 2 years, so it's the only thing that makes sense.]
Subaru blushed.
Subaru: [Huh? Dad!]
Emilia: [Girlfriend? Yes, I am Subaru's girl friend.]
Kenichi: (Not there yet, huh, Son?)
Kenichi sighed.
Kenichi: [And here I thought you'd graduated from boy to man.]
Naoko: (Subaru seems to like her, though...)
Subaru blushed.
Subaru: [You jerk! Stop embarrassing me in front of Emilia-tan!!!]
Kenichi chuckled. It felt as if his heart had filled up again after being empty for so long. However, Naoko felt a bit out of the loop.
Naoko: [She really used magic? Is magic real?]
Kenichi: [Yeah, she did.]
Emilia: [Let me show you.]
Emilia cast a spell to create some icicles.
Naoko: [Amazing!]
Her eyes lit up as Subaru looked to Emilia.
Subaru: [By the way, Emilia-Tan. Why did you use magic?]
Emilia: [Well, um...]
Kenichi: [She used it to save me from a mugger.]
Subaru sweat-dropped.
Subaru: (Feels like Deja vu.)
Subaru shook off the thought.
Naoko: [A mugger?!!]
She quickly began checking her husband for injuries with a worried expression on her face.
Kenichi: [I'm fine, dear.]
Naoko: [I'm just worried.]
Subaru then turned to Emilia.
Subaru: [No one saw you using magic, right?]
Emilia: [Eh? Why would that matter?]
Beatrice: [Because Betty's Subaru's world doesn't have magic users, I suppose.]
Kenichi and Naoko froze at the phrase "Betty's Subaru".
Emilia: [Eh? Really?!!]
Beatrice: [Surely you felt how dense the mana in the air is, right?]
Emilia nodded.
Beatrice: [One wouldn't even be able to begin learning spirit arts here, I suppose. Magic would be difficult as well, in fact.]
Kenichi: [Betty's Subaru?]
Kenichi and Naoko looked to their son in horror as Kenichi grabbed his shoulder. They wanted to deny the possibility but had to ask.
Naoko: [Subaru! You didn't turn into a criminal who likes little girls, right?]
Kenichi: [Son! Even if she is 100 years old or something, it doesn't make it okay, alright?]
Subaru: [What the hell are you talking about?]
Emilia: [Don't be silly. Subaru isn't a criminal. He's a hero and my knight.]
Subaru: (Emilia-tan saved me. EMT!)
They sighed in relief and then looked confused.
Kenichi: [Knight?]
Naoko: [Subaru is a knight?]
Subaru blushed before standing next to Emilia.
Subaru: [That's right. I happen to be Emilia-tan's one and only knight.]
Kenichi sighed.
Kenichi: [Looks like you've been up to some pretty interesting stuff, huh?]
He smiled softly.
Kenichi: [You're going to have to tell your mom and me all about it.]
Subaru nodded.
Naoko: [Don't leave anything out.]
Subaru: [I won't.]
Subaru: (Sorry, but I'll have to leave some of it out.)
Kenichi then looked to Naoko.
Kenichi: [How is Natsumi?]
Naoko: [She's still asleep in her crib.]
Subaru: [Natsumi?]
Subaru looked confused.
His parents led him upstairs as they stopped in front of a room.
Subaru: [The guest room?]
They opened the door to a nursery as Kenichi held up a little girl in his hands.
Kenichi: [Subaru. Say hello to your little sister. Natsumi Natsuki.]
Subaur: [I have a... little sister?]
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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