Eldritch 46

Rossweisse could only kneel.

Her body would not respond.

She could only kneel and witness what she had wrought upon this realm.

The moon bled crimson before it shattered into innumerable red shards and a shimmering scarlet mist.

An emerald sun was born from the broken core of the moon, and the once blue sky was bathed in violet.

The bunnywomen, those lagomorph warriors that had tried to hunt and devour her, now trembled before her.

No, not her, but before Him.

And He was right behind her.

She could not look, and she would not dare to try if she could.

But she could hear Him moving, shifting.

Footsteps, and yet, they sounded....wrong.

Breathing, and yet....more.

There was a hand on her shoulder.

But It Was Not A Hand!

And still, she felt no fear as those sensual, hooked digits traced over her neck and cheek.

His voice was in her ear, and he spoke like one meeting a long-lost lover for the very first time ever.

"my white rose."

Then, all Hel broke loose.

Meanwhile

It happened at the same time.

Issei and Asia rounded the street to continue their walk.

Issei and Akeno turned the corner to make their way.

Both pairs started as they looked at one another.

"Hmm? Issei, I thought you wanted to avoid paradoxes tonight?" Akeno asked with a tilt of her head.

"Miss Himejima? Issei, what's going on? Why are there two of you?" Asia asked curiously.

The two Isseis blinked, the Earlier One pointing his finger at his later counterpart. "Do you remember taking Asia home?"

Later Issei frowned. "No? She fell asleep while we sat on a park bench."

Earlier Issei sighed. "Great. What the hell is up?"

Akeno saw that Asia was still rather lost. "Hello, Asia," she greeted with a smile. "Issei time-traveled back to deal with an incident that happened at the mall, and he decided to take me on a date today."

"Oh," Asia said, still confused even if she understood mostly. "Then why...?"

"No idea," Later Issei admitted as he looked down an alley that was right between the two groups. "Yeah, this place isn't real."

"Yog, Yad, this some kind of prank?" Earlier Issei asked towards the open air.

"We were about to ask you the same thing!" Yog declared as she stepped out of her portal and nearly tripped. "Dammit, Issei! What is future you up to?!"

"What do you mean, me?!" Later Issei asked in surprise.

"She doesn't mean you, Kungur, but an even later you," Yad informed, stiffly walking out from behind Earlier Issei. "Far later."

"Wait....there are THREE Isseis right now?" Akeno asked with a wry smile, Asia blushing at the implications.

"Trust me, the third is more than you can handle yet," Yog said with a sigh as she rightened herself.

"Yet~" Akeno said with a purr.

"I don't put anything past you now," Yog said flatly.

"Kungur, we require your- HELP!" Yad suddenly gasped and shuddered as she held herself.

"Yad!? Later Issei called out in alarm as he moved over to her.

"You alright?" Earlier Issei asked in surprise.

"Yeah, just....you," Yad said with a shiver.

"We're sorry to cut your nights short, Ladies, but we need to borrow the Kungur," Yog informed firmly.

Both Issies frowned, Later Issei looking to Akeno. "You mind escorting Asia back to my place? This sounds important."

"Poo, and here I was hoping for a sneak peek ~" Akeno said with a smirk. "But don't worry, I'll make sure Asia gets home safely."

"Issei? Be careful, okay. And try not to....get into a fight with yourself?" Asia offered uncertainty.

"Trust me, that is a mild concern too," Earlier Issei said as both versions of himself traveled down the alleyway with Yog and Yad. They eventually disappeared through an invisible, rippling barrier.

Akeno sighed. "I was rather looking forward to spending the night with Issei."

"So was I," Asia said absently. She blinked and blushed as she realized her slip.

"Oh~?" Akeno asked in interest. "Has Issei claimed another priestess?"

"I-! No, we haven't- I mean-!" Asia hid her face in her hands.

Akeno tilted her head with a curious glint in her eyes. "Oh? Are you still a virgin?"

Asia blushed harder and looked away.

"...Would you like some words of advice?" Akeno asked with a salacious smile. "Because trust me, getting in bed with an Eldritch God is nothing like what you can imagine."

"I-I think I'd like to figure that out for myself," Asia said before tentatively looking at Akeno. "Un-Unless...."

"Unless~?" Akeno prompted.

"Is there anything I...shouldn't do?" Asia asked warily.

"Oh, now that is a good question," Akeno mused. "So, there is one place on him you should never touch, if you see it...."

Meanwhile

Issei blinked as he found himself walking through a dark yellow-green vortex. And he was not just one Issei instead of two, both memories sorting through his not-so-human mind. "Dammit, future me, why are you cockblocking me...?"

"Someone prayed to you for help," Yad informed evenly as they walked. "And since you were already creating a minor paradox, your future self decided to step in."

"How is that possible, exactly? Like, I know it's not impossible, but you two seem to be on the back foot?" Issei remarked in concern.

Yog groaned. "The person happened to be in Fey territory of all places."

"Fey? Like fairies and elves?" Issei asked in interest.

"Yes, but not how you likely know them," Yad remarked. "The Eldritch often call the Fey realms Aglyarfhtagn."

"Literally, Where Time Sleeps," Yog informed in annoyance. "And yes, that is somewhat literal!"

"Ahh. So, basically, this place is a blurry spot for you," Issei accepted. "So, why is a Fey praying to me?"

"Actually, it's a Valkyrie," Yad informed.

"...Why is a Norse baddie in Fairyland praying to me.....?" Issei clarified, even more confused.

"Better question, why are you poking in our blind spot?" Yog asked pointedly.

"I'll try to make it up to you in the future?" Issei offered a weak grin. 

They came to a stop, and Issei could feel a wall that human eyes would never see.

"So, on the other side of this is future-me, huh?" Issei asked with some trepidation. "Think I'll like what I'll see?"

"I don't know why you wouldn't," Yog said with a shrug.

Issei sighed. It was probably something a bit too human for them to understand. Regardless, he steeled himself. "Well, ladies, let's see what's up," he said as he stepped inside.

He should have been surprised by what he saw.

He should have been.

"Did this place always look like this?" Issei asked as he looked at the scenery. The purple sky was filled with yellow clouds that looked like long strings of tendrils rather than actual clouds.

"No," Yad answered factually. "This should be a mysterious yet normal-looking woodland."

"Definitely not that," Issei said as he walked forward until.....

'Below.'

Issei stopped and looked down.

Right in front of him was a small hole in the ground. Through it, he could see....

"We're on a floating island, aren't we?" Issei asked flatly.

"Yep," Yog answered as she looked down, too. There was a series of roots or vines that reached up to this chunk of land, leading down to where a settlement was. "We should, FUCK!" Yog gasped and shuddered.

"Okay, seriously, what am I doing to you two?!" Issei asked in concern.

"Kungur," Yad said with a flush. "Your future countered part traveled through time."

"Okay, and.....Oh," Issei said with wide eyes, flushing a bit as well. "I'm....inside you?"

"More like teasing us," Yog said through gritted teeth. "But, effectively....yes."

"Well.....not exactly how I expected this to happen, but I guess that's on me for having expectations still," Issei said awkwardly to himself.

"Perhaps we should go deal with this situation before your future self takes this too far," Ddraig opined as he appeared as a glow on Issei's hand.

"Please do," Yad requested with an eyebrow twitch.

"Will do," Issei said as he jumped down the hole, carefully sliding and hopping down the vine. "So, why have you been so silent?" he asked to his hand.

"I couldn't speak with two instances of myself so close! I may have some relation to the eldritch, but I am not accustomed to having my existence in two places at the same time," Ddraig informed in frustration.

"Huh," Issei said. "I guess that means this other me is from after you got your own ody."

"!!!" Ddraig grunted in surprise. "You are likely correct, if you caused...this."

"Yeah, trying not to think about that," Issei mused, glancing up at the sky. "Guess your color scheme rubbed off on me."

"Be wary," Ddraig said as they descended closer to the bottom. "Your future counterpart came back for a reason, I imagine."

"Just hope it's a reason I like right now," Issei murmured with a frown.

He jumped off and landed on the ground below. He looked around keenly and found there was a village of some sort nearby, but it was empty and vacant. And right next to where he had landed was a series of large stones, pointing into the air like stalagmites made of a lustrous red stone.

Issei narrowed his eyes as the "stone" twitched.

He walked over to them and placed a hand on it, and found it was not stone at all but some manner of flesh. The flesh receded and shifted to reveal that there were women inside them. Bunnywomen, if he was looking at the ears right. Inside was at least three of them, lined up and compacted within, with their arms bound above their heads.

"Like something out of a hentai," Issei murmured to himself as he noticed the glossed-over eyes.

"We're sorry," the women said suddenly, all in sync and all at once.

Issei flinched back in surprise. "Shit, can you hear me?"

"We're sorry, we're sorry, we didn't know she was yours," they pleaded as one. "Please, spare us, Kungur."

Issei stilled at that and looked forward to the center of these flesh prisons.

There she was.

Issei didn't know who she was, kneeling there, untouched and unharmed. The flesh did not entrap her, but instead had formed as a mound behind her for her to lean and rest again. Her eyes were tired and listless, but her long white hair framed around her. She stood out like....

"A White Rose," Issei said, and he wasn't sure why. He approached cautiously, looking for his other self.

Issei stepped into the small, empty area around the white haired woman.

And so, he did as well.

Issei glanced over to the loud, wet footstep and saw himself.

"It seems you are the nostalgic type," Ddraig opined carefully.

"Yes, looks like it," Issei agreed.

The being across from him was wearing the Scale Mail armor of the Boosted Gear. Or, it had been. The red armor was dulled and cracked, the green gems were gone and replaced by mouths, and the figure beneath the armor was clearly not human. Between the joints of the elongated limbs, Issei could see flesh and tendrils moving like only an eldritch could.

"So, this is me. Or me wearing the old armor at least," Issei said with a head tilt. This was so weird, talking to his future self.  His future self that was a full-fledged Eldritch God, who was warping reality just by existing. "So, you mind if I just call you Kungur? I think you've grown into the title more than me."

The Kungur nodded slowly. And then, he lifted one of his arms and pointed one of his far-too-long digits at the woman in the center of the flesh prisons.

"my white rose."

Issei blinked, the voice like a whisper through the mask, broken at the mouth like a fanged maw. That voice was his, or how his voice sounded when he remembered himself speaking at least. Which was... a very weird thing to think about, normally, Issei admitted. "What about her? What do you want?"

The Kungur stepped towards the woman and stood behind the mound of flesh. He looked directly at Issei, his past self. "help her."

Issei nodded slowly as he began to approach. 

"Do you have any idea what you're about to do?" Ddraig asked warily.

"Not really," Issei admitted with a frown as he stood next to the white haired woman, this 'white rose' as his future self called her. It was true, though, he was lost, and yet....it was like his instincts were taking over. Or trying to remember something that hadn’t happened yet.

He slowly raised his hand, placing the Boosted Gear over her face.

He glanced up at his future self to see if he had any other hint or suggestion, but the large figure just loomed patiently.

Issei took a breath. "Okay, he goes nothing," he said as he closed his eyes and the green gem of the gauntlet glowed.

"BOOST!" 

The echo of Ddraig's voice echoed against the oppressive silence as the green light soaked into the woman's eyes, a green spark flashing in the center of her eye. 

"....Issei?" she murmured, her eyes coming into focus.

"Great, it worked!" Issei said as he looked at the gauntlet. "Now if only I knew what I just did?"

"You mean you don't know!?" Ddraig yelled in disbelief. "You did THAT by accident!?"

"Well, maybe you'd like to tell me what exactly "that" is because you sound like you know?!" Issei retorted to the dragon.

"You boosted her SANITY!" Ddraig explained in shock.

"....I'm sorry, what?" Issei said slowly. "I....I can do that? I can boost that?"

"Apparently?" Ddraig answered uncertainly. "I can boost one's powers in many ways, even their sight, but this? I imagine this is your nature interacting with my own."

"My nature?" Issei repeated, looking up at his future counterpart. "Wait, if I can boost sanity......"

The Kungur nodded at what Issei was thinking.

"Ohhh, hell, I need to visit Koneko after this, asap," Issei said in realization before he looked at the still very weak woman. "But first, I think you need another dose or two."

As Issei placed his hand over her head again, the power of the boosted gear pouring into her psyche, Rossweisse groaned and slowly sat up.

"Take it easy, I got you," Issei said as he placed a hand behind her back.

Rossweisse weakly looked at him. "Issei. The Kungur," she said slowly. "You're shorter than I expected."

"Give it time," Issei said, nodding up to his future self.

Rossweisse looked over her shoulder and stared.

The Kungur stared back down at her.

And for some reason, Rossweisse couldn't help smiling. "Right, sorry. I suppose I should thank you. Both of you?"

Issei blinked. "Wait, you already know....?"

"That he is you from the future?" Rossweisse finished. "Yes, he told me. I just wasn't sane enough to understand until you arrived."

"Kind of flattering out of context," Issei commented, eyeing the Kungur. "So, he tell you why.....all of this?" he asked, gesturing to the warped realm around them.

"He did, in fact," Rossweisse said as she gingerly stood up and turned to the armored figure. "I can explain everything now. Thank you, Issei."

"you’re welcome, rossweisse." 

With that final whisper, the green sun in the sky glowed brighter until there was nothing but green to be seen.....

And when the light vanished, they found themselves standing in a normal field, between a forest and a village. All around them were the bunnywomen, lying unconscious on the ground.

"Are they...okay?" Issei asked in concern.

"They are, but I need to do something in their village before they awake,"  Rossweisse said, looking at him. "Would you mind coming with me? This involves you, a little."

"Sure?" Issei answered as they began to walk. "So, Rossweisse, huh? Does that mean something, or is that your name?"

Rossweisse smiled over her shoulder at him.

"Hey, just because I can understand Eldritch doesn't mean I know English or German instantly," Issei defended.

Rossweisse chuckled. "It's my name. It means White Rose."

"Fitting," Issei said simply as they wandered through the unoccupied village. "So, why did you pray to me?"

"My Queen told me to. She can see the future, for the record," Rossweisse explained.

Issei furrowed his brow, glancing up. "Yog, Yad? You're both being shown up by a Norse Goddess."

A paper ball hit him in the head, to Issei's annoyance. He caught it and unfolded the paper, raising an eyebrow at what it said.

"Here it is," Rossweisse said as she reached the main hut at the center of the village.

"What, the head bunny's home?" Issei guessed.

Rossweisse shook her head as she pulled back the cloth over the entrance.

Issei stared at the figure within, yawning and stretching in the sunlight. It was a small child, a girl with lime green skin and verdant hair with vines and leaves growing amongst it. "Tully?" She called as she turned to face them, and grew fearful at the sight of them. "Who....who are you? Where is Tully?"

"It's okay, they're all just sleeping," Rossweisse said softly. "We've come to help you find your mother."

"Mother?" the child asked in surprise. "You know my mother?"

"I know she's very sad and misses you," Rossweisse said soothingly.

The child looked suspicious. "What....what is mommy's home called?"

"Her home?" Rossweisse repeated in confusion.

The child's face shifted into a worried, angry mess as her hair started to flow violently, Rossweisse leaning back.  

Issei blinked and glanced down at the note in his hand. "Kr'llyand."

The child stopped with wide eyes. "That's home! That's home! You do know it!" 

Rossweise looked to him in thanks. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Thank my secretaries. They're awesome like that," Issei said with a chuckle. "Now, kiddo, you have a name?"

The child blinked. "Momma didn't give me a name yet. She said she'd help me figure one out when I was older. Everyone here just calls me Lost One or Green God, "she answered honestly.

"....Can we call you Green?" Rossweisse requested.

Green nodded rapidly. "But who are you?"

"My name is Rossweisse," she answered before gesturing to Issei. "And this is Issei-"

Green suddenly gasped, "You're the Kungur!" she said in alarm, her eyes tearing up.

"He-hey, what's wrong? Did I scare you?" Issei asked in surprise.

"I dreamed of you," Green said with a whimper. "I dreamed you came, and this place was gone. Tully and everyone d-died. Please don't kill my friends, Kungur, please! They...they're all I've had...."  

"Hey, hey, calm down. I'm not going to kill them, promise," Issei said sincerely, trying to hide his worry.   

Rossweisse looked outside before turning to Green again. "Come, they're waking up. We'll show you they're alright," she offered while sticking out her hand to Green.

Green looked at the hand, then up at their smiling faces, and slowly took it with her own small hand. "O....Okay."