LIGHTNOVELONLINE Arc 4: Experience the Story – Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.
Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
"Speech"
Arc 4: Experience the Story - Chapter 1
"Children of man, today you shall not merely learn through words, but through experience. I shall transport you to various worlds of my own creation, each crafted to demonstrate the impact of settings on storytelling. Prepare yourselves, for what you are about to witness is beyond the realm of your imagination." Featherine stands before the class, her eyes filled with boredom as she gazes at each of us. She raises her hand, conjuring a swirling portal that crackles with energy above everyone's heads. The portal's light casts an eerie glow on the classroom walls.
With a wave of Featherine's hand, the portal envelops the classroom, preventing anyone from asking questions. The swirling energy engulfs everyone, and the familiar surroundings fade away into a kaleidoscope of colors and light.
I find myself seated in a cozy café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods filling the air. Ruby and Weiss are beside me, looking around with curiosity and confusion. The café is with warm lighting and an array of colorful pastries displayed on the counter. However, Namine and Bayonetta are nowhere to be seen.
However, I don't worry too much about it. I notice something on the table: a letter. The envelope is plain but neatly sealed with a wax stamp. As I reach for it, I can't help but feel that something is wrong.
Class Assignments for Ruby Rose & Weiss Schnee
Short-Term Goal: Discover if this world is mundane or not.
Long-Term Goal: Influence one of fate's chosen ones to stray from the true ending, potentially leading to a bad ending.
True Goal: Spread madness.
Duration: Until the story ends.
Restriction: You cannot mind controlling any of fate's chosen ones nor personally killing them. In addition, you're not allowed to disturb the unimportant characters of the world, aka non-assigned characters, that don't have any important parts of the story.
Yeah, that sounds about right.
I handed the letter to Weiss first, knowing she would lose interest faster than Ruby would.
"Okay, I have to ask: Why is Ruby always placed before my name in almost everything else?" Weiss asks as she hands the letter over to Ruby to read.
"Not too sure, but I'm willing to bet it's because I met Ruby before I met you, Weiss." I answered, not going too deep into the question. "Anyway, it looks like I'm still just sticking around to protect you girls and so on, like before. You two, on the other hand, need to complete the class assignments. I wouldn't want to find out personally what happens if you fail. Although it's going to be a challenge, I believe in you two."
"Yeah, this is going to be a challenge, all right. Especially the part about not disturbing non-assigned characters. I'm betting we're not allowed to touch the natives of this world unless we can make their death cause no significant amount of attention." Ruby frowned, then handed me the letter. "Furthermore, if I had to guess, I think we're not supposed to do anything outside the realm of mundane since the short-term goal is to find out if this world is mundane or not. It should be easy for us, yet this was assigned to us to complete. So, it must not be simple."
"That's good and all, but what about the others? You know, the other students and contractors?" Weiss points out an important factor. "Also, is it just me, or is this place extremely quiet except for the three of us? The café is empty, and outside, the streets are deserted. It feels like something's off."
True to Weiss's words, Ruby and I glance out the windows. The streets are completely deserted, with not a single person in sight. Even the usual chirping of birds and the presence of any animals are missing. The once-bustling city now feels eerie and lifeless, as if no one had walked these streets for a long time.
"What's even more off is the fact that this place still has electricity." Ruby says, looking up at the ceiling where the lights are still glowing brightly.
"This means we should be prepared for anything or anyone that might show up with hostile intentions, including the students and contractors, even if we don't see them just yet." I said to the two.
I found it very disturbing that I couldn't seem to expand my En beyond the confines of the café. The sense of restriction was unsettling as I was too used to being able to 'see' everything around me.
"So, should we stick around here or leave?" Weiss asks, her gaze scanning the café as she slowly stands up from her seat. "If we stay, we should find a better place to be rather than staying out in the open like this?"
"I agree with Weiss. It's better if we relocate somewhere else, even if we stay within the café." Ruby leans over and almost rests her head on the table, staring at the back of the letter in my hand. "I don't see anything on the back. So, no clues we might have accidentally missed."
"That's fine. We can stay here. I don't think it's a good idea to explore outside without first finding more clues inside the café." I carefully flip the letter open and use Odin's Lost Eye to examine it from a different angle, hoping to uncover any hidden messages or clues. However, after scrutinizing every inch of the letter, I find nothing unusual. The letter remains blank and unremarkable, offering no additional hidden messages other than the ones on the front.
I carefully tuck the letter into my shadow, then stand up and start exploring the café with Ruby and Weiss. The three of us begin by checking behind counters, peeking into storage rooms, and examining any odd or out-of-place details. The café is completely silence, with only the soft sounds of our footsteps and the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards.
Honestly, crazy voices, I would have used the Multiverse Basic Guidebook or even Ghost to find out about the world we're in by now if I didn't know that Featherine is likely watching us and would definitely punish me for ruining the class assignments she gave to Ruby and Weiss by cheating.
"Hey, Jin, I think it's best if we set up beds behind the counters." Ruby suggests as she picks up one of the bottles near the coffee machine. "That way, we can handle any potential threats right away without being cramped in tight spaces like the back storage room or the staff room."
"Then we'd better get something to cover the windows. We're sitting ducks here and could easily be seen from the outside." Weiss says, sitting on the counter as she doesn't feel like standing anymore. "And should we set up any security measures while we're asleep?"
"Unless Jin here can't sense everything around us, I could set up multiple summoning circles that would activate if anything makes contact with them." Ruby replies to Weiss's question as she puts the bottle back where she found it.
"What if one of us wakes up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom or for some other reason and accidentally steps onto one of the summoning circles? What then?" Weiss raises an eyebrow at Ruby, then turns to look at me. "And Jin, can you still sense everything around us or not?"
"Don't worry, Weiss. I can make it so the summoning circles exclude specific targets. None of us will have to worry about accidentally stepping on one." Ruby grins at Weiss.
"I can sense everything inside the café." I replied. "However, it's still better for Ruby to set up the summoning circles. Who knows if we might need them at some point during our stay here?" I glanced around, considering the potential unpredictability of our situation.
"Wait, only inside?" Ruby caught on to an important piece of information I hadn't tried too hard to hide. "Do you mean you can't sense anything outside of the café?" Her expression shifts to one of concern as she realizes the implication of this limitation. The lack of awareness beyond the café's walls could mean potential threats might be lurking outside, unseen and unexpected.
"Yup." I shrug my shoulders, not particularly bothered by this sudden limitation on my En. Despite the potential risks, I don't feel afraid or overly concerned about any dangerous entities lurking outside the building at the moment.
"I'll start helping with the summoning circles." Weiss sighs as she gets off the counter. "Just let me know what to do. Frankly, I don't think we have anything else to focus on right now except setting up a temporary base camp before doing any scouting outside."
"Well, we could always have some fun if you're up for it." Ruby playful winked at Weiss. The suggestion caught Weiss off guard, causing her cheeks to gain a pink hue.
"I don't think we should do that right now." I said to Ruby before she could tease Weiss any further. "I want to remind you two that this world was literally created for temporary use, and Featherine will definitely keep track of our movements until it's time for us to leave and return to the classroom."
"In any case." Weiss coughs into her hand, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "While Ruby and I set up the summoning circles, Jin, how about you arrange for our beds and anything else to make our stay here more comfortable?"
"An easy task to do." I say, snapping my fingers. A gap opens up, revealing a large mattress that fits almost perfectly behind one section of the counter. I follow this by conjuring various pieces of equipment and supplies onto the counters, each carefully chosen to make our daily lives more comfortable. The items include blankets, pillows, and some basic cooking tools, turning the café into a more livable space.
"I sometimes envy the things you can do, Jin." Weiss says in a dull voice.
"No time to chat unless we're having dirty talk while having sex." Ruby teases as she gently pulls Weiss away to start setting up the summoning circles. "We can talk with Jin after we're done, Weiss."
"I mean..." Weiss actually considers the idea for a moment, but then I give her a playful slap on the ass. She yelps in surprise and spins around to stare at me, her face of disbelief.
I just wink at Weiss, causing her face to become red. Ruby can't help but giggle at the reaction, clearly enjoying the playful exchange.
"You know, Weiss, the faster we finish, the sooner Jin can help take care of our needs and other things," Ruby lets out a perverted giggle.
Despite her earlier embarrassment, Weiss rolls her eyes with a resigned smile and turns back to her task, her focus returning to the summoning circles. Ruby, still reveling in the playful jesting, continues to snicker, clearly amused by the interaction.
While those two get to work, I find myself staring at the hand I used to slap Weiss' ass. Damn, it's clear that I've made myself a bit too aroused by the playfulness.
I guess having sex before class started wasn't enough for me. It makes me wonder what's making me so easily aroused beyond the fact that Ruby and Weiss' appearance alone could be a factor. I'm somewhat used to being around them, which makes this whole situation feel even stranger.
Well, no matter. I better think about what to use to block the windows other than curtains.