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York

Just a newbie...
A 1x1 Slice of Life(ish) Sidestory with @Gummi Bunnies

This takes place almost immediately after House of M, serving as both an Epilogue and "addendum" as to the whereabouts and the adventures of Reiner Braun and Kiyohime after Wanda brought them "home".




❝ Where I'm from? Well... we can make it work. Even with the steps we have to take around there, I'm sure we'll be able to settle down once we get through those possible obstacles! ❞ Kiyohime wasn't too bothered by that thought. She knew that where she came from was supposed to be a historical singularity, which meant that it wouldn't be a permanent place to stay. However, she knew that she could get some assistance to a more stable location once they met up with the Chaldea Foundation people. That young Master and the Demi-Servant. She couldn't forget them along with other fellow Servants.

Set on what to do, the Heroic Spirit figured that it was time to go over to Wanda and state on where they both wanted to go. Kiyo gave a brief share of thanks and the best of luck to the Scarlet Witch, just before they could leave.

Before Reiner went with Kiyo to leave, he carefully sheathed his combat knife... The only weapon he really had left after his 3DMG had gone missing.

Giving Wanda one last wave, he decided to leave her with at least a few parting words;

"Mother won't be the last of her kind. There are always those that seek to use others... But stay strong, and keep fighting!... You're stronger than you know..."
He said, giving her a warm smile.

He did feel guilty that he couldn't offer too much more to Wanda, in return for the precious moments of solace she had given him in one of his most dire times, but... Perhaps the opportunity to repay her could come again, sometime, someplace.

But alas, that time, and that place... Wasn't right here, or right now. There was a whole new world awaiting him and Kiyo now... And while it wasn't home, it felt alot more welcoming than his own world right about now.



Though by now, Reiner had come to expect the sudden flash of light, and a temporary loss of consciousness, it would be a long while before he could get used to getting moved from place to place.

The concept of "dimensions" or the "multiverse" was quite difficult for someone like him to grasp after all, however... He figured there would be plenty of time to learn about this in the future.

When Reiner regained consciousness, and opened his eyes, he soaked in the peacefull surroundings, at first believing this was Kiyo's home world.

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Nothing seemed to be at fault here. Other than the ominous purple mist that cloaked over an empty sky, the pair found themselves standing at an endless rose garden. Roses in the vibrant gold hue, everything around them was like a place described in a child's fantasy story.

It felt so serene and perfect, like a dream come true... And as he drew in his first breath in what he hoped would be a more permanent place both of them would stay at, he couldn't help but smile a little.

On the other hand, to Kiyohime, transportation through warping wasn't new, not at all. The intended location was supposed to be the singularity of France where the Berserker was located last before the incident occurred, but when she regained consciousness herself, she didn't recognize the surroundings to be even close to that.

❝ ... Reiner, this isn't where I thought we would be left here. Even if we saw... the real Wanda for a short time, I don't believe she'd throw us here on purpose... ❞
Kiyo was already on guard. Something of a greater power brought them here, there was no other way they could've been sent to somewhere unfamiliar. Don't let your guard down... I think some sort of powerful magus is responsible for this. ❞

And just like that the moment of peace for Reiner faded as quickly as it came; Kiyo's words quickly made him alot more cautious of his surroundings.

Gripping the hilt of his combat knife tightly, he surveyed the area, on the lookout for any potential threat.

"Magus? But... Why here? Why us?"
He asked, in quite a puzzled tone.

Now that he knew this wasn't the place Wanda had intended to send them... Reiner did not let his thoughts cloud his concentration too much; his harsh experiences outside the walls taught him very well to be as aware of his surroundings as possible. Especially in a place where almost anything could happen at any time...

❝ I... I don't know. Nothing about this isn't something that a Servant should know... ❞
Kiyo could repeat that over and over, because it was true. Her mind was filled with knowledge of her past life, her status as a Servant, and other minimal things provided by the Grail that summoned her in physical form. None of that could account for this place, or even the concept of it. The thought of endlessly wandering here promised nothing more than a lingering existence. At the very least, there had to be a way out, or some resolution.

Reiner just nodded, keeping the grip on his blade tight. As peacefull as the place looked, he had no idea what to expect, and for all he knew... Some other dark force intended to use them for their malicious means here.

That was when it appeared.

A pair of butterflies fluttering by, easy to track through their eyes alone by the radiant glow of gold. That wasn't natural either. So in conclusion, it was something else, something of the unknown.

The essence of gold was immediately replaced with the rapid burst of blue flames, seemingly scourging the strange insects. Kiyo had done this, directing these flames with the pointing motions of her closed fan. Such as this place was, Kiyohime didn't want to take a chance on letting something of power go as they please. But the flames soon died down to reveal that those two butterflies, were of two distinct individuals.

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A woman donning an extravagant ballroom dress and a man who appeared to be an adventurer of sorts...

❝ My my, quick to burn what you don't find appealing, isn't that right? ❞
The woman gave a light tease aimed at Kiyo's actions, immediately putting the other in great tension.

Out of instinct, the Berserker stood in front of Reiner to while glaring at the woman, about to build up more flames to burn these people. An action that surprised the strange woman.

Reiner in the meantime, was caught off-guard, and perhaps a little entranced by the strange, ethereal aura these butterflies were giving off. However, Kiyo's sudden attempt to burn them startled him, but before he was able to react too much, the butterflies revealed themselves to be... Two people?

Well, specifically a man and a woman.

How did that even work?! They were even bigger than the butterflies themselves, so it couldn't possibly be like titan-shifting, at all...

❝ Now hold on there, little missy. We aren't here to be of harm to you and the lad. Though... you're more than welcome to try what you can, but we won't do as much as fight back. All it would do was prolong this sudden meet-and-greet... so, there you go. What will it be, hm? ❞
Something about those words irritated Kiyo, but there was a point to it. Nothing could come out of randomly attacking... until she has full reason to do so once those words came out of their mouths. So the Servant glanced back at Reiner, wondering on what he thought on this.

However, the young male had been standing there trying to process all of this for most of the exchange. However, the sudden, and steadily increase tension coming up between Kiyo, and the woman who had recently arrived spurred him into action. While the woman didn't seem to mean any harm, it certainly wasn't a good idea to provote Kiyo's ire, as he knew all too well how that would end.

Quickly stepping to her side, feeling a little strange about someone trying to protect him for once... Rather than the other way around, Reiner put a hand on her arm, attempting to ease the tension a little.

"Why did you bring us here?"
He asked, looking over the two... Er... Butterfly people, at least according to his line of thinking.

Despite the woman's words, and Reiner's gesture, Kiyo remained on edge, ready to summon a fireball to attack. But for now, she refrained from attacking just yet, better to hear what this woman had to say before she could attack. Speaking of this woman, she seemed to be the one doing the talking out of the strange pair, leaving the man with her to be silent.

❝ Well, that's bound for a dreadfully long answer, but I can summarize for clarity's sake and the short time we have before we're possibly interrupted. ❞
The woman casually mused on the matter before proceeding with this possibly lengthy answer. ❝ For starters, I'm known as Beatrice, the Endless Witch, and the young man with me is Crono, the Sorcerer of Life. He doesn't tend to talk too much, but he's quite expressive. Anyways, why we took you both here? It's more of "why we chose you two" specifically. After certain incidents, we decided to keep an eye on events like these, and somewhat assist those who don't know where to go from there. Both of you fit the criteria by chance, and here you are! ... Oh, and to explain where this is, it's a realm above every other world, dubbed as the Metaworld. To be exact, we're standing in the Metaworld's Golden Land, a place that's ruled specifically by me, the Endless and Golden Witch. I don't normally invite people over to my realm, but exceptions can be made~ ❞

After catching her breath from the drawn out exposition, the Golden Witch gestured towards them for an answer or some sort of comment.

And there sure was one. As when Reiner better look at the two that he noticed the man was a bit shorter than the woman to say the least... With a spiky head of orange hair as opposed to the woman, with a more regal, brownish hairdo.

However, something else caught his attention; two distinct glints, of a ring on both of their ring fingers... And a surprised look crossed his face as he blurted something out before he had much of a chance to even reflect on what he was saying.

"Wait... Are you two... Married?"
He asked suddenly.

Unfortunately, his surprise overtook whatever sense of caution he usually had...


Before they could say more... Beatrice immediately realized what Reiner asked other than why they were here, and became rather flustered.

N-No no no, it's nothing like that! ... well, I am married, but to a different person. I suppose this Gamemaster ring I bear could be mistaken for a ring of matrimony... but besides that, does the offer to stay here in the Metaworld ring soundly to you both? ❞


While Crono, who had been remaining in the backdrop for the most part appeared to suddenly panic in response to Reiner's question as well, waving his hands to signal this was far from the case... To which the latter quickly realized his mistake, embarassed that he had blurted out that question without thinking things through too much.

Nonetheless, once Beatrice brought up the fact that they could stay here if they wanted to, Kiyohime could only show a tense expression on her face. She wasn't as tense as before, but she was weary on the deal being put out there. The Berserker couldn't exact trust this Beatrice and Crono yet, but it was true... she and Reiner didn't have much options for where to stay. As if she couldn't trust herself to make the decision, she looked over at Reiner to see what he thought about this. They had to make a decision here, Beatrice was waiting for their response after all.

Reiner in the meantime, considered the implications of what Beatrice had to say...

It looks like he and Kiyo had been chosen, as they didn't appear to have a place to go. Though what did that mean for Kiyo's world? She did mention that it wasn't certain if they could return there to begin with.

The entire thing was a little hard to take in, from the concept of being in some realm that lies above others... To the very existence of Witches and Sorcerors, which he had yet to grasp the concept of very well.


Nonetheless, Beatrice was offering them a place to stay here... In the "Metaworld", which didn't sound bad on the surface. However, Reiner knew he couldn't be carefull when dealing with the unknown...

"... Is there a catch... To staying here?"
Reiner asked.

Looks like he was really contemplating the prospect of staying in the meta-world, but... He didn't want to accept without knowing the risks...

❝ No, not at the moment. But with recent happenings... we may request assistance from people we can reach, such as you two. Hopefully it would turn out to be minor assistance that is needed, but you can interpret that as an equal exchange for staying here without any other worries from other places. ❞
Beatrice explained that very extent of what could be expected of them staying here. Nothing could be really done on "sugarcoating" on what was ahead, considering with the recent incidents throughout the multiverse.

With that in mind, Kiyo still had her doubts on the matter, but she did see the point in it. They were dragged into a dicey scenario in the Dark Place, and from Beatrice's words, similar situations in different realms were happening on a regular basis. She felt like the Witch was in part of this, but it could be the other way around where Beatrice could be trying to counteract these happenings. Though, Kiyohime couldn't exactly find herself going to a concrete answer, because she still couldn't grasp on the truth that could be there despite being able to understand what this means for them and anyone else.

Reiner rubbed his chin, looking to be deep in thought; as much as he would like to believe that Beatrice's intentions were good... And if he were to be called upon, he would be lending his aid for a good cause, there was of course a level of uncertainty.

It was hard to say if there would be any strings attached, or if he was being manipulated once again, but... All the same, he had to make a firm decision, here and now. After all, it was evident that Beatrice and Crono both probably had places to be.

Besides, they couldn't just stand here thinking forever, as he doubted it would accomplish much more than stall for time. So at last, he finally spoke up.

"Fine. It's a deal..."
He said, nodding firmly.

It was certainly more of a choice than he had back at home... Even if they could very well be doublecrossed, at least they weren't quite forced into doing something.

For the better or the worse, it looks like they'll be here for a while.

He stole a glance at Kiyo, looking at the symbol that had appeared on his hand. The area still ached a little, but nonetheless, it reminded him that he wasn't just making a decision for himself... But for someone else as well.

"To tell you the truth... I don't know how all of this will turn out... Or if this is the right thing to do..."
He said, lowering his voice so only Kiyo would hear him, or so he hoped.

"But... For now... Let's play along. I believe we'll know what's true and what's not soon enough."
He added, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he smiled a little.

Old habbits die hard as they say; despite how uncertain things were right now... He still couldn't help but try and look at the brighter side of things.

Perhaps his role as a soldier... Hadn't all been a lie...

Judging from Kiyohime's looks, she didn't object to the decision at hand, going with what Reiner answered with. ❝ Then it's settled. From now on, you can call this realm a place to stay! Well... we should show you your living quarters. C'mon now~ ❞ Beatrice sounded delighted by the decision, and waited for when they were both ready to move on. Surely they couldn't stand around in the garden of the Golden Land for too long. It was somewhat like a private hideaway for Beatrice after all.

❝ I understand, Reiner. Only time can tell what we'll see further down the line. Regardless, I will remain at your side, as long as you won't tell a single lie. ❞
Despite how attached to the truth Kiyo sounded to be, she remained focused to the fact that she was putting her trust into Reiner's decision and the Golden Witch's act to stay true to her word. If a lie came to be, she would only burn it down. That was her natural response. But for now, it was time to rest. They needed it.



For the time being... Both Reiner and Kiyo finally had some time to unwind.

Though this place wasn't quite the destination either of them had expected... A home was a home, and it was fortunate for them that Beatrice had decided to make things a little more homely for them before she and Crono left to do their own thing for now...

While the sky was still a strange, purple hue, it was filled with stars.

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"They're beautifull... Aren't they?" Reiner asked, smiling a little.

❝ Yes... it's quite beautiful. ❞ The Heroic Spirit was able to freely say so with a smile. For once, out of the good in her heart. Never was she granted this type of peace in so long, even in times where she was a human and times as a Servant. Lingering doubts about this new realm scratched the insides of her mind, but for now, this was a peaceful time.

Though one had to wonder... How long such a thing could last.​
 
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At some point, they obviously dozed off while under the stars, lying down on the concrete floor with no problems. Presumably it could feel like an entire night that they were out like a light. So when it came to what felt like morning time...

❝ UU! UU UU UU! Wake up! Wake up please! Uu!! ❞ A frantic voice was surely going to startle them awaken, considering that it was a huge offset from the peacefully quiet nap they're having.

Alert that there could be a possible danger, Kiyohime shot up from the ground, immediately on guard in response.

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❝ Who's there?! I thought that Witch said we were- ❞ The Berserker exclaimed as if trying to pick off the source of noise. To her, any unfamiliar sensations were deemed dangerous in some way, and this was one of them. Except, she stopped mid-sentence once she was able to soon find the noise source.

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❝ Uu! They're not waking up! Not waking up! Uu! Uu!! ❞ The rather abrupt and loud crying came from a young girl. By appearance, Kiyohime figured that the girl had some familiarity with magic, but how they were found by someone else other than Beatrice was lost to her. Even if they would be up by now, the child didn't seem to notice that they were up in the first place.

❝ ... only ones here? ❞ Kiyohime would awkwardly finish her sentence that she was originally going to yell out of perceived defense, not sure what to do with a possibly magically talented child. With no options without blowing up the situation, she turned her attention to Reiner, who should be woken up by the constant crying, and waited for him to help her out. Kiyohime did not have any prior experience with handling children, and she hoped that her new Master had a bit more experience than her.

@York
 
Reiner sprung awake almost at the same time as Kiyo; although they were supposed to have been resting peacefully, and even though it was on a concrete floor of all places... His training and experience in the military had never truly left him. Although, admittedly he had slept heavier than usual after all that they had been through.

Regardless, while Reiner initially had hands on the hilt of his blades... Ready for combat at the drop of a dime, he soon calmed down a little when he realized it was a little girl that was trying to wake them up. Though, it did seem a little odd that Beatrice and Crono seemed absent, judging from the girl's outfit, and staff, it might be safe to assume that she might have been with Beatrice too.

After deducing that the person who had awoken them was at the very least, not a threat, he groaned quietly... Rubbing his eyes as he groggily tried to get his bearings again, recollecting everything that had lead up to this point. Although he had been abruptly awoken and all, he had a throbbing headache, likely due to the fact that he seemed to have dozed off on a rock hard floor (not that this was the first time this happened though).

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"H-Hey... There's no need for that. We're awake..." He managed to mutter.

It was then that he turned to Kiyo, who seemed equally confused, and realized that they would have to find their answers elsewhere. With neither Beatrice, nor Crono in sight, the only option they had left was the young girl who had roused them, and so... With his thoughts collected properly this time, Reiner spoke again.

"What... Are you doing here?" He asked, cocking a brow.

Like Kiyo had mentioned, Beatrice, the Witch she had been referring to did say they were supposed to be the only ones here, so the last thing he had expected was a visitor...

@Gummi Bunnies
 
❝ Uu? All awake? ... all awake! ❞ The child was confused by those words, but immediately lit up with relief and happiness upon repeating the fact that they were awake now. While Kiyohime had no reason to show disdain towards the girl, the Berserker was fairly certain that the Golden Witch Beatrice said that they were the only ones staying in this particular part of the Metaworld.

When given another question, the child blinked in surprise, as if not expecting that kind of response.

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❝ Uu? Beatrice didn't tell you that I'll be the tour guide for today? ❞ The girl sounded a bit off-put by the question. Maybe this wasn't how she thought this meeting would go, and looked a tad disappointed and maybe a little sad.

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❝ ... She didn't. ❞ Kiyohime tried her best not to lose her temper, which was easier said than done. If they were going to see Beatrice later, the Servant had some words to share with the Witch about not informing them about this.

@York
 
Reiner blinked, rubbing his eyes a few times, just to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. This felt almost surreal, but perhaps it was a regular occurrence here.

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"... Tour... Guide?" He said, unable to hide the look of bewilderment on his face.

Out of the corner of the eye though, he noticed that Kiyo was literally heating up by the moment; the apparently lack of honesty, or at least elaboration was about to set her off again, and now that he had sworn to be her master... He felt it was his responsibility to get her under control, somehow. So, he decided to say the first thing that came to his mind.

"Wait. Before we start running around. How about we have a little breakfast first." He said, eyeing Kiyo momentarily.

Granted, he was kind of hungry after the whole fiasco they had gone through the other day, this was more for Kiyo's sake than anything; perhaps she would be able to maintain her composure over a meal while they figured out what exactly they hadn't been informed about when it came to staying in this place...

@Gummi Bunnies
 
If it wasn't for Reiner's attempt at diverting the situation from any possible escalation, Kiyohime could've made this a lot worse than how it is now. The Berserker's restrained frustration was replaced with the feeling of being "hungry." Heroic Spirits had no reason to eat on a daily basis, but it was still a nice notion to have. Besides, she had a feeling that Reiner was possibly hungry from the fact that they haven't eaten a single thing since the earlier incident.

❝ Breakfast sounds like a good idea. Yet... where would we prepare the meals here? ❞ Kiyohime wasn't exactly sure how they would pull it off, especially in a place that was endless rose gardens. It wasn't like the Endless Witch left a random kitchen in this rose garden field for guests.

❝ Uu... breakfast? I can help with that actually! Uu! ❞ The young girl's eyes lit up upon realizing what they were suggesting, much like she found an opportunity to be helpful. Tightening the grip of her magic staff, she raised it up and waved it side to side.

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❝ Come try and picture it! A bountiful picnic to the start of the day! ❞ Evidently inciting some sort of spell, the girl was able to do what the incantation described.

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An entire picnic set with all sorts of breakfast pastries appeared right before them, all prepared and ready to eat. All while the young girl appeared to be extremely proud of herself to be able to use her magic in this fashion, Kiyohime only stood there with a wary expression on her face. It was obvious on what the Servant wanted to say, but she refrained from doing so. Not when it could potentially ruin the possible agreement they had with Beatrice, under the claim that this girl was apparently their tour guide.

So, Kiyohime glanced over at Reiner's direction, waiting for his input before saying anything.

@York
 
Reiner frowned, looking around the place as he quickly realized that they didn't even have a kitchen to cook with, but... If he had anything to say about it, he would find a way. Though, when the mysterious girl literally conjured food out of thin air, Reiner gawked in surprise, wondering if the food was even real.

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"Wha-... I... You..." He stammered, fumbling to find the right words.

With a carefull motion so he didn't unwittinly injure himself with his 3D Maneuver gear, he rubbed his eyes a few times just to make sure he wasn't imagining things. Although, taking a glance to his side, he noticed Kiyo was quite wary of this whole situation. So, naturally, he felt it was going to be his duty to test the waters.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, he quietly motioned for her to wait as he cautious approached the food, trying not to seem too suspicious of it, despite well... An obvious apprehension due to the potential of it being dangerous.

Giving the young girl a tentative smile, he tried to play it cool as he took one of the... Bread... Things (he didn't know what croissants were) in his hands, and took a bite, hoping for the best.

@Gummi Bunnies
 
476


❝ Uu? How is it? ❞ Maria blinked, a bit perplexed as to why they were being cautious. She didn't seem to realize that they've been like this from the start, but she asked this anyways. Thankfully, Reiner would taste that it was nothing more than a pleasantly sweet pastry. It was nothing like the illusion of food back with the Wanda incident, so despite it being made out of magic, it was certainly physical and not just an illusion.

All the while Kiyo still wouldn't budge to take the food herself, waiting for Reiner to confirm this.

@York
 
Reiner's face seemed to light up; the sweetness, while standard to the average person, was practically a luxury to someone like him. Only residents of the inner walls ever got to experience such a delight, as sugar was rare and difficult to come by from within. He certainly didn't remember having anything like this in his hometown either.

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"This is... Really... Really good!" He said, evidently amazed by the flavor of the food.

Thinking about it, he just would not be able to believe that this food was an illusion at the moment; it tasted much too genuine for that... Though, he didn't exactly understand the process behind their creation, he did know that they were relatively safe to eat.

With a smile on his face, he beckoned excitedly towards Kiyo, seeming confident in his words.

"I think it's real... There's no way you can fake something this good!" He called out towards her.

In fact, he was so fond of the food that he found it difficult (but fortunately, possible) to restrain himself, at least until Kiyo, and perhaps Maria joined them at the picnic. He was hungry after all, but he figured it was just more polite to leave as much as he could for the others as well.​
 
What was he saying? The Berserker couldn't believe those words, it sounded way too good to be true. A young girl using witchcraft to manifest sweets with the wave of her magic rod! How was Reiner even falling for such an absurd story?! Aside from Kiyohime's growing doubt, Maria didn't seem to factor in that the Heroic Spirit was feeling this way. Though, she felt the need to try this herself, so she would have more reason to call out the young witch for her false breakfast delicacies!

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❝ I don't know Reiner, a witch can conjure up anything to prove a point that doesn't exist. And besides! There's no way that a fake pastry like this can be this good! ❞ Kiyohime huffed an annoyed look, glancing at the Witch of Origins for a few seconds before snatching a single biscuit from the picnic pile. With that firm look of disapproval, she bit into the sweet treat as if she were roughly tearing it apart out of spite.

Except, that feeling of spite only lasted for a few seconds after.

❝ U... U-uh... ❞ Her voice stammers, standing frozen after letting that taste settle in. There was no way it could taste this good, something made out of a witch's magic. It couldn't taste as great as the real thing, but it was! Trying to register this fact, the Berserker looked at the half-eaten biscuit and then at Maria. Rinse and repeat. She couldn't hide in her explosion on this revelation.

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AAAAAAAAAHH!! How come this tastes so good?! There's no way that Ma-, I mean Reiner is actually enjoying someone else's food before I even made anything! I don't even know this type of Western style food! And to think that I'm also enjoying this because there's no ill will in it! GOD, THIS ISN'T FAIR!! Kiyohime let out a rather loud outburst. To think that she was more worked up on Reiner's impression of her and only her, rather than the possibility that they were in dangerous territory. Even if she was visibly upset and conflicted, she couldn't help herself to continue munching at her biscuit. Most likely upset that this strange offering of food was genuinely real and not a lie like she thought it was.

❝ Uu! I'm glad that you like it! ❞ Maria laughed happily, unaware of the underlying implications coming from Kiyohime. It was probably for the best that Maria thought that they were enjoying the food only.

@York
 
Reiner nearly spit out his food as he witnessed Kiyo's abrupt outburst. At first, he was worried she wasn't going to believe that it was real at all, but now that he knew for sure that she did, it made the problem worse, somehow. Hiding his face behind his unfinished croissant, he was beginning to get a little flustered.

It seemed she was actually... Jealous that a young girl like Maria could literally summon food that tasted so good, which... ... Made him a little happy that she wanted to cook for him this badly, but... He also knew how volatile this situation could get on a moment's notice.

For a moment, he turned to Maria for help, though... Realizing that she was quite young, and probably not the best person to pick up on the situation, he decided to try and disarm the situation himself.

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"H-Hey... Is there a kitchen somewhere? I just realized Miss Kiyo mentioned something about cooking breakfast the other day." He said, in a desperate attempt to change the subject before things got too out of hand.

Of course, the food here was good, but... Perhaps a little contribution from Kiyo wouldn't hurt; besides... It might be just the thing to help get her mind off of the situation.

@Gummi Bunnies
 
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❝ Uu? Kitchen? ❞ Maria repeated in a mumble after Reiner. It puzzled her at first since the mere concept of actually cooking wasn't considered in the Metaworld. Though, the idea of someone else that was new around here cooking interested her. It looked like Maria hasn't caught onto the Berserker's dismay at the situation, and again, it was probably for the best that it remained that way. On the other hand, Kiyohime blinked in surprise at his suggestion, briefly snapping out of her frustrations on the magically created breakfast food.


❝ O-Oh... You actually... ❞ Kiyo stuttered out her words, unsure on how to take this. Though, at least she was feeling better and not fuming like moments ago. Before Maria could start leading them to the kitchen, wherever that may be...

... a sudden pitch black portal rips open under their feet without warning! The moment that appears, all three of them are forcibly tugged down the spatial rip by an abnormally strong gravitational pull. All within a few moments, they'd land onto the floor without any of that force while falling through that portal.

Their new environment was apparently some sort of empty dance hall, and standing in front of them was a woman who wore a strange dress.

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❝ Heheheh... Was that too sudden for you all? ❞ The woman giggles in amusement at how this played out. Especially with how agitated Kiyohime looked right about now, the person responsible for the sudden portal couldn't hold back her laughter.

@York
 
Reiner, having gotten used to cooking for himself... Hadn't thought his inquiry as to where a kitchen might be strange. However, upon seeing Maria's reaction, he soon realized that perhaps in this world, people were used to creating food out of thin air.

It was probably some form of magic, unlike his titan shifting abilities, something he was unfamiliar with, but at the very least, it meant food and water wasn't too hard to come by.

In either case, he smiled deciding to break the brief silence. He intended to make true on Kiyo cooking some food for breakfast, and he wouldn't mind helping too; all that had transpired before they arrived here had worn him out, mentally and physically. After that nap they had taken, he realized he had worked up quite the appetite after all.

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"Surely you have a kit-" But the rest of Reiner's sentence was lost as he plumetted into a free fall.

He didn't have time to shout, and instead... Instinctively raised his hand to his mouth, intending to bite down on it and transform if need be, using his titan body as a protective cushion against the impact of the fall, assuming he was able to grab Kiyo and Maria in time.

Fortunately, even though he didn't have time to commit to a decision, he felt the ground beneath him once more.

Unlike the painfull landing he had been prepared for, the impact could hardly be felt.

Making sure Maria and Kiyo was okay, he then realized the latter was apparently quite agitated right now. Quickly motioning for her to stay calm, he frowned, looking up at the woman who had apparently been responsible for that sudden interruption to their converstaion from earlier.

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"Alright, er... Lady. What's the meaning of this?" He asked, a wary expression crossing his face.

As he was unsure of whether or not this was part of Beatrice, nor Maria's plans today... In his mind, there was no telling what their sudden 'drop' into this new area might mean.

At the very least, he hoped he wasn't going to be invited to another house of death and strange... Bizarre games.​
 
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❝ Weeeeell, this is only the tip of the iceberg of surprises! Nothing wrong with a little game to be played as a welcoming gift! Ehehehee! ❞ The woman in red proudly proclaimed, not exactly catching the point that both Reiner and Kiyo were on edge with the supposed "surprise."

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❝ Game? ❞ Kiyohime repeated after the woman's words. She didn't like the sound of that. Not at all. She was this close to setting this woman on fire.

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❝ Uuu... Gaap, I thought Beatrice wanted us to take them on a tour of the Metaworld and then have a celebration party. We didn't plan a fullblown game for them. ❞ Maria was a bit confused by the woman in red's claim, seeing that this was slightly going off of their plans made for both Reiner and Kiyo.

❝ Ooooh I was just kidding! You think the prankster was going to actually enact a big scary game as a prank! You're giving me too much credit, Lady Maria. ❞ Gaap laughed in response. Something about this, even if it were brushed off as a small joke, didn't sit well with Kiyohime, considering that she was still cautious about this new individual already.

@York
 
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"A... Game?" Reiner said, almost in unison with Kiyo.

It had only been yesterday after all... That they had endured the insanity that had landed them here. However, when it turned out to be in jest, he shook his head, the look of confusion remaining on his face.

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"If this isn't a game, what are we doing here? Like miss Maria was saying, we were supposed to be taking a tour, right?" He added, frowning a little as he eyed Kiyo.

It looked like she was on the verge of doing something rash, which... Was understandable, but he doubted it would help the situation. For the time being, he would trust that they would get a reasonable answer that wouldn't set her off, but just incase, he made sure to be ready to intervene if things got to that point.

@Gummi Bunnies
 
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❝ Yeah yeah, I know that because I am your crafty tour guide~! ❞ Gaap laughed at that question, revealing that she was indeed giving them a tour just like Maria said. Just as she said so, Maria made a happy "uu-!" sound with a nod.

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❝ ... then should we... start this tour? ❞ Kiyo took a deep breath to calm herself, and then asked about what they should be doing from this point. Becoming silent for a few seconds, it was like they were wondering how to start it off for both of them.

❝ Uu... we head over to Ange first? ❞ Maria mumbled as a suggestion, soon to be followed with Gaap snapping her fingers in response as if realizing something. Right after the finger snap, another portal opened up under Reiner and Kiyo's feet without warning, not giving them to time to avoid falling right in!

❝ Alright! First stop! The library! Right after yoooou! ❞ They could hear Gaap's voice as they fell through the portal, and it could be assumed that she and Maria jumped in after them. Similar to the first time, the freefall would slow down to a soft landing in an unbelievably large library.

This library was at such an impossible scaling, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that this place was almost as big as a city. There was no telling on how many books were there in the first place, or what kinds of books that can be found.

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An annoyed grumble could be inaudibly heard by a girl that wasn't so far away from them, almost like she was trying to ignore them from further down this aisle of endless books.

@York
 
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"T-... Tour Guide... Right..." Reiner said, seeming a little relieved, and yet exasperated.

At least now that he knew things weren't going to get too crazy (hopefully), he could relax a little. It was just a little tiring having his emotions toyed with like this, but... It was just then that he noticed Gaap's choice of attire.

Deciding just to pretend he never saw that, he averted his gaze, looking towards Kiyo, who seemed to have calmed down too, nodding at her suggestion.

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"Yes. Let's... Get going." He said, trying not to look at Gaap for now.

It was difficult to say what the correct conduct was in a place like this, so for now... He decided to stick to what he felt was the most natural.

After the next, abrupt 'move', VIA falling through a second portal, he found himself in a library. Here, he quietly whispered something to Maria, in hopes of understanind how he was supposed to conduct himself here.

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"U-Um... Lady Maria. Is Gaap's dress code a... Concern to you?" He asked quietly, hoping Gaap wasn't listening.

For some reason, it almost looked like Maria just wasn't bothered at all by this, which made him think that maybe all of this was just normal to her, somehow... That in itself was difficult to wrap his mind around.

Seeing that Gaap left them to their own devices temporarily, Reiner couldn't help but stare in awe at the pure magnitude of books and shelves in this room. You could probably fit a City district in there...

Shaking off his initial surprise, he remembered what they were supposed to do, and upon hearing that annoyed grumble, drawing his attention to a red haired girl who seemed to be trying to ignore them.

Although he felt like he was intruding on someone else's space somehow, he figured he would cut to the chase and keep things simple.

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"Excuse me miss. Are you... Ange?" He asked, in the friendliest tone he could muster.

@Gummi Bunnies
 
❝ Dress code? Uuu... ❞ Maria didn't seem to get what Reiner was getting at. Maybe she just wasn't so aware of the possible indecency that Gaap's attire gave off. Either way, it didn't look like Gaap was visible for the moment. It didn't mean that she wasn't watching, but it did mean that they would have no idea when she'd decide to abrupt move along their tour of the Metaworld.

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❝ ... Yeah. ❞ The redhead gave a dry answer, giving a quick lookover at Reiner and Kiyo for half a second. Much like her attention was more directed to a specific book on the bookshelf.

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❝ Not to be rude, but you don't seem to know about a tour taking place around here? ❞ Kiyo brought up a point, remembering the fact that this tour arranged by Beatrice and monitored by Gaap was apparently planned. Planned to which that they were to meet up in the library and to see Ange.

❝ Of course... another abrupt event that Beatrice never told me about. ❞ Ange deadpanned once it was clear that this was Beatrice's doing. It sounded like she had her daily annoyances with Beatrice.

❝ Uuu... sorry Ange for bothering you. Beatrice put together this tour for Reiner and Kiyohime on short notice... ❞
Maria butted in to quickly apologize to her for the intrusion, and then going ahead to introduce the redhead in question, ❝ On the other hand, Ange is known in the Metaworld to be the Witch of Resurrection. She may not look so talkative, but she's actually really thoughtful! ❞

As Maria said that, Ange only stared at the opened book she had in her hands.

❝ Even if we are the only ones in this city of books, it's still a library. So mind to keep your voices down. ❞

@York
 
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"What...?" Reiner muttered under his breath, not loud enough for Maria to hear fortunately.

He didn't consider the fact that Gaap might have been watching them, despite not being in view at all, given that he had not seen such things occur, even back where he came from.

Though, what he did seem to realize upon hearing Maria's answer, was that this kind of dress code was apparently deemed as... Normal here. Just the thought of it boggled his mind. Back home, such things were frowned upon at best, punished severely at worst. Such a way of dressing wasn't something he had ever thought someone would so casually do.

Nonetheless, he soon turned his attention back to Ange, feeling almost like he was intruding on someone else's space with the way Ange was handling their arrival, and it soon became obvious why; she hadn't even been informed that they would show up.

Apparently it was normal for such things to occur, at least for Ange, likely the others more familiar with this place too. Looking towards Kiyohime, and realizing the potential risk her thinking someone might be lying posed, he decided not to dwell on the subject of... Ange being informed or not.

Instead, he tried to concentrate on their current 'task' at hand, which was the actual tour.

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"Right, um. If it doesn't trouble you, would you like to show us around this... Library of yours?" He asked.

Though if he were to be honest, just referring to this place as a 'Library' didn't feel right, almost like he was underselling the sheer volume of shelves and books in this place.

Not to mention, he was curious just how much information was held here... Perhaps a question that can be asked later...

@Gummi Bunnies
 
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❝ ... I don't own this library. ❞ Ange bluntly corrected Reiner. For a moment, it appeared as if she didn't want to have anything to do with the supposed tour group that Beatrice had arranged, given with how distant the redhead came off. However.

❝ Let's make this quick, there isn't much to see here anyways. ❞ Her following words made Maria cheer happily, glad that Ange was okay with helping out with the tour. With the Witch of Resurrection leading the way, they were to make a few steps through a few hallways that practically jampacked with all sorts of books.

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❝ Um... I wonder how many books are here, and what kind of stories are in them. ❞ Kiyohime made a brief comment, sounding hesitant at first to speak her thoughts out. As if she were wondering about something for later.

❝ Anything really. I was told that this library contained any imaginable story, so if there was something that couldn't be found, it would cause an uproar with the locals here. ❞ Ange answered in a plain voice, continuing to gradually lead the way through. The Berserker didn't say much in response to that, silently considering something to herself.

Further along their walk through the expansive library, they would catch sight of a section of the library blocked off by what looked to be a repelling magic barrier. Though, both Ange and Maria didn't make any comments about it, as if that section of the library didn't exist and merely passing by it.

@York
 
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