Arata relaxes a bit, looking down at the creature's body. He's just still trying to make sense of everything going on. Wanting to make sense of everything, he drops his weapon. I need to rest and think. I'm tired.
Rachael turns to him, "You're an amateur, aren't you? You just saw the thing regenerate its finger, don't rest until you skewer the brain." She explains, using her blade to pierce the creature's thick skull.
His eyes linger on the sword; he realizes it reminds him of a magurokiri. It has modifications for combat, like a guard and a better grip, but the rest of it definitely is for filleting and not combat. She didn't really come here to fight that thing… fight isn't the right word to describe it.
"Hey, what's up with your sword? Why use a cooking tool for combat?" Arata questions her, genuinely curious but also hoping to get some tips out of her.
Rachael sighs, "I'm not gonna teach you anything, I have this since I'm gonna cook the baku. I was getting hungry. He was going to be my hunt, but you apparently ended up in the same dream world. Hey, you have fire magic, light up my grill for me, and I'll give you some advice." Out of nowhere, it seems Rachael had a charcoal grill with her.
Arata lights it up as Rachael begins to chop off the baku's corpse. She butchers it like this is something she does on the regular. No doubt in Arata's mind, she was insane. As she lays strips of meat onto the grill, she decides to give some advice to Arata.
"Your magic, it's far too slow, that's not going to do anything in practical combat besides edge cases, like a massive being who was really weak to fire. You need to find other ways to apply your magic. Take my magic, for instance, when I turned my shoulder to metal, I tailored that spell to fulfill specific uses, so I could use it for blocking. My second spell, I cast along the length of my sword. Because I had an immediate location in mind, I was able to cut down the speed of casting by a lot. Whether it's the mental aspect of casting or the process of aiming, you've got to find a place to cut down on the time it takes." Rachael explains slowly, Arata ponders back, to how, when he fought Clemence, he didn't get a chance to attack.
Wait… cooking, what about waking up?! What is she planning to do about that? "How do we get out? I'm not going to stay around for the meat… predator animals taste worse no matter how you cook them, it's common knowledge." Arata looks at her questionable grilling.
"Don't go slandering my cooking; this meat is considered a delicacy. We've got time to kill until we wake up. Can't you just wait a little?" Rachael groans, clearly offended over Arata's slander of her meal.
Who would be fine waiting in this place, those hooks… they're disgusting. Is she really unbothered by such an atrocity? Rachael didn't even glance over, either too disgusted to look or too indifferent to be bothered.
The faces they had just met, Rosemary and Lavender, were all hanging around the butcher shop in various fashions. Some of them became steaks, others were put through the meat grinder and others were stuck together by meat glue and hung on the hooks for later.
"Hey, so fairies are immortal, right? These are those three- we need to tell them. We got to do that much for them." Arata explains shakily, not knowing what might happen if they tell the fairies what's going on.
"You do that, I don't care," Rachael explains in an empty voice. Setting the creature's bones to the side.
Arata makes his way over to the door, opening it. There's no more light in the garden, flowers are wilting and the water has completely stopped moving midair. The various lavender plants begin to laugh, as the only ones with mouths, they begin to devour what remains in the garden. At the table remains the saddest sight. The three fairies each with their own reactions.
"Here's your tea… Rosemary, please drink something!" Chive pleads, her hands shaking as she pours the cup, accidentally bumping Rosemary's cup, dousing Rosemary's arms in the hot liquid. Rosemary does not react; from her mouth, she just stands there shivering with a smile. Remembering the feeling of the meat grinder, she could no longer feel pain, but her brain was still hurting.
"Kyahahaha! I'm eating Rosemary~ I'm eating Rosemary~ Season Rosemary with rosemary, she told me slow cooking was best~ I'm eating Rosemary~" The song was horribly out of tune, nonsensical, just like Lavender's personality. The purple fairy had a plate of raw meat, pouring herself a cup of blood to chase down pie made with raw liver. She was drunk on the whimsy of such a joyous occasion.
Rachael… how could she be so indifferent- Rachael enters the room behind Arata, Rachael was gnawing on one of the Baku's bones, like a dog. She was definitely insane in Arata's eyes. Her teeth could tear through it surprisingly well. I guess more calcium is good after all.
She taps Arata's shoulder, speaking to him, "Hey, they've already lost it… Well, maybe except for Onion because she has memory issues, could you put them out of their misery?" She hands him a knife as a disturbing manner of pleading. The child's mind wandered to dark places, even in an act of mercy.
Is this really mercy? I get that we should do something but they haven't even retained the mental capacity to ask me what they'd want. Arata was hesitant to follow through on Rachael's plan.
He questions her, "Hey, just a moment ago, you said you didn't care… what's changed?"
Rachael finishes swallowing back some bone marrow, "Sorry, I lied to you about my name. I just give it to people since it sounds less foreign. You may call me Rachamah. My father wanted me to grow up like my mother, to be merciful like the angels up above. Even if it doesn't show in my personality, I dislike sad sights."
Suddenly, through tears, Chive mutters, "Do it, please, it's what they would've wanted…" She can't finish her sentence, but Arata resolves himself; he knows she doesn't need to. He takes the knife from Rachamah's hand.
This is what will become of me within the cycle of death… yet at least I can take breaks if new time can be created from nothing.
He slashes through Rosemary, in her final moments, the disturbed expression leaving her face. Arata strangely feels no remorse, merely gratitude at the epiphany he just had. In the spur of emotion, he lunges at Lavender, promptly executing her too. As Lavender faded, she gave Chive a peck on the cheek. The two corpses vanish alongside the meat made of Rosemary and Lavender. The spirits have been put to rest.
Even in a cycle of death, they were able to live happy days woven in between. Then they died with a smile on their face.
"I- did it, Chive… are you really okay with this? Once you awake, you won't have anything to remember them by? Will you be fine?" Arata asks, worryingly.
"Some things must be forgotten so we… I can move on, Arata… Thank you." Arata begins to feel himself waking up. Arata's and Rachamah's bodies are fading.
Rachamah turns back in horror. She left the meat on the grill, she tried to dash back, she worked hard for that hunt, just to leave out the corpse. Worst of all, her grill, that thing looked pricey, specialized equipment for grilling monsters can't come cheap.
"Waiwaiwait! NO MY MEAT! MY GRILL!" Rachamah ends up being the one to lose the most as she realizes there's some stuff she shouldn't have left behind.
The 1st tea party
Written by:
Act XX
X Ext. The garden of fairies - night
Rosemary (female 324) arrives at the set of the tea party with Lavender (female 187) and Chive (117), where they discuss what happened.
Lavender
Rosemary… where are we, this place, it feels unnatural. I want to go home.
Rosemary
Our home is long gone; the most we can do is settle down here. It's better than aligning with that bastard Erkling, that much is true.
Chive begins to cry like a kid. Rosemary begins to heat a kettle while Lavender moves to comfort her.
Lavender
Do not cry, Chive. I suppose there still is not much solace I can offer you. But we need to be strong!
Chive
Mommy… uuuueeee! I'm sorry, those humans, don't let them close.
Rosemary walks over to the two, simply pouring a simple cup of tea. Placing a cup in the hand of Chive.
Rosemary
Some tea to calm the mind, I believe, letting go of your past could do you some good. You live forever, sweetie; you shouldn't have to carry such grief.
Rosemary
Some tea to calm the mind, I believe, letting go of your past could do you some good. You live forever, sweetie; you shouldn't have to carry such grief.
Chive
Maybe I should, then could I have tea parties with my big sises forever? Maybe that would be nice.
Same scene… later
Lavender is being eaten; the baku is hungry and Rosemary has already been devoured.
Lavender
NONONONO I don't want to die, not again! ROSEMARY, CHIVE SAVE ME!
Cleaver hacks through bone as through a door; the baku disappears yet again, hauling away his harvest.
Chive
Why, I miss the Erkling's forest… it was safe. At least it didn't kill me this time, again.
Cleaver hacks through bone as through a door; the baku disappears yet again, hauling away his harvest.
Chive
Why, I miss the Erkling's forest… it was safe. At least it didn't kill me this time, again.
She was just coping as she covered her face in gloom at what she had just seen. Two figures approach behind her.
Rosemary
Chive, did something terrible occur in your mind? Are you alright yet, dear? Panicking because you forgot the cookies now? It really is fine, we haven't had any guests in a while.
Chive
Why, why must I stress myself with remembering… it hurts my brain?
Rosemary
From now on, Chive, I will handle the preparation of such desserts since I know you're still healing. If your memory is too sharp, then trauma will only pierce deeper, Chive.
Chive glances back towards the door to the butcher's shop. Handing her plate to Lavender.