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 6: Drama In Life - Chapter 4
"This will be our new temporary home during our stay here, Princess Shirahoshi." I declared with pride, standing before the newly built log house. From the outside, it appeared ordinary and simple, but inside, it was an entirely different story—massively expanded, with a wealth of furniture collected from various worlds.
"Um, Jin-sama… there's something that might need your attention." Shirahoshi mumblednervously, her wide, expressive eyes fixed on something to our right.
I followed her gaze, and sure enough, a swirling purple vortex had materialized out of thin air. Its eerie, pulsating glow cast an otherworldly hue over the ground, distorting the air around it like a mirage.
Without a sound, a figure emerged from the vortex—Ophis, in her adult form. She approached me with her emotionless gaze. Without a word, she produced a small red box from behind her and placed it in my hands. Then, with a single nod, she turned on her heel and stepped back into the portal. The vortex glowed for a moment before closing behind her, vanishing as abruptly as it had appeared.
I stared at the box in my hands. Shirahoshi fidgeted beside me, her curiosity and concern evident.
Not once had Ophis said a word.
"Who was she, Jin-sama?" Shirahoshi asked, curiosity gleaming in her large, innocent eyes.
"That would be Ophis. Someone powerful… and under the command of someone even more powerful than her." I answered, my gaze lingering on the spot where the vortex had disappeared.
Now the real question was: Is this Ophis different from the ones I know? Or could she be Makima's pet? Either way, I had no idea if I'd grown strong enough to handle even an average Ophis—let alone the kind that roamed the multiverse.
Shirahoshi tilted her head, her gaze shifting to the box in my hands. "What's inside?"
"Let's find out." I said, flipping open the lid.
Inside was a single photograph.
Makima.
Dressed in black lingerie.
She held multiple chains, each one attached to the collar of a beautiful woman kneeling at her feet.
At the bottom of the picture, a kiss mark was stamped next to Makima's signature.
I flipped it over, already suspecting there would be a message.
There was.
Hey, Jin. Just letting you know I'm about to go on break soon and will come over to hang out with you. Hope you like the picture I sent you.
I stared at the note, then back at the picture.
Why would Makima think I'd like something like this?
…Okay, I do, but that doesn't mean I want any random beautiful woman. And the collars? What was that about? Did this mean Makima treated these women as pets?
Now that I thought about it… did she have men as pets too?
I bet she did.
Lucky for me, she didn't send a picture of that. Otherwise, I'd have to sit down and have a long talk with Makima about what exactly she was trying to send me.
On another note, how soon is "soon"?
It's fucking hard to tell when no one bothers to mention what time system they're using. Like, seriously—"soon" in Makima's view could mean a thousand years from my perspective.
Now I kind of wish I had Ghost back. Maybe a random true fact from it would tell me what everyone in the multiverse actually uses to keep track of time.
And there's no way I'm using the River of Time just to measure time outside of my own perception. That's a rabbit hole I'm not falling into.
I glance over at Shirahoshi.
Her face is red.
Yup. She saw the picture.
I clear my throat, smoothly tucking the photo into my shadow before turning back to her. "So, do you want to do anything else before Princess Bubblegum shows up in the morning? Or are you good with calling it a night?"
"Sleep would be good." Shirahoshi nods, offering a small smile.
"Alright. Let me whip up something quick for you to eat before you head to bed."
With that, I step inside, Shirahoshi following closely behind.
It's morning, and I have to say, it's quite the bizarre experience—not sleeping after a long session of sex, or sometimes, no sex at all before heading to bed.
I'm sure I can handle it, though. It's just a little strange.
"Thank you for the food, Jin-sama." Shirahoshi smiles at me as we exit the log house.
"No problem. It's my duty to make sure you're fed and taken care of." I reply, keeping my tone calm.
I peek into the River of Time, raising an eyebrow at what I see.
"Princess Bubblegum, there they are!"
I look to my left, where Finn stands with Princess Bubblegum and his adopted brother, Jake the Dog, who can shapeshift and talk. He's also Finn's trusty companion.
Jake has a ridiculous ability to morph into almost anything, though he often defaults to the form of an average-sized, yellow-orange bulldog.
"How the…?" Princess Bubblegum stares at the log house, clearly perplexed.
I glance back at the house and immediately notice my mistake—I forgot to shut the door. Now, anyone passing by can see the striking contrast between the log cabin's simple exterior and the expansive, chaotic interior.
"Do you need something, Princess Bubblegum?" I ask, swiftly closing the door and snapping her out of her trance.
"Uh, yeah. Right." Princess Bubblegum shakes her head, as if to shake off her confusion. "Anyway, I'd like to reintroduce myself. I'm Princess Bubblegum, ruler of the Candy Kingdom. This is Finn and his brother Jake."
Jake gives us an awkward wave, his eyes fixed on Shirahoshi, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Hey, man, do you think you could teach me that trick you did last night that made my arms stuck behind my back?" Finn asks, his eyes full of hopeful curiosity.
That definitely caught Princess Bubblegum's attention. She goes quiet, her gaze turning to me, clearly awaiting my response.
"Nope. Plus, it's not something you could learn at all." I answer casually, causing Finn to frown in disappointment.
"Aww, why not? We're both human, right? Shouldn't I be able to do what you can do?" Finn presses, still hopeful.
"Well, first off, yeah, we're both human. But at the same time, we're different kinds of humans. I used to be fully human, but now I'm part human and something else." I smile, meeting Finn's gaze. "Also, I just don't feel like teaching you. In my opinion, there's no point."
Honestly, with Supernatural Trainer, I could easily teach Finn how to use Kido. But why should I?
"Come on, man! As fellow humans, shouldn't we help each other?!" Finn shouted, pouting at me like a kid denied candy.
"Yeah, but as humans, we also sometimes choose not to help—simply because we don't feel like it." I reply with a smile.
The moment my lips curl up, everyone flinches.
I let the reaction settle before shifting the conversation. "Now, since you specifically asked for us to meet up this morning—right after dealing with your problem last night—what exactly do you need from us, Princess Bubblegum?"
Princess Bubblegum offers me a small, polite smile, but through Invasion, I can tell she's re-evaluating every possible reason Shirahoshi and I appeared in the Candy Kingdom at night.
"Could you explain in detail why you two chose to come at night instead of during the daytime?" Princess Bubblegum asks, still keeping that composed demeanor.
"It was the closest place from where we were at the time." I answer casually.
"And where would that be?" Princess Bubblegum asks, still keeping that polite smile up.
"No idea, other than it being the closest place to the ocean." I say with a shrug.
She doesn't react outwardly, but I can tell she's analyzing my words through Invasion.
"Anyway, aside from that, is there anything else you need from us?" I continue. "Princess Shirahoshi here is eager to keep exploring the Land of Ooo."
"Would you two like to come over for lunch? Actually…" Princess Bubblegum tilts her head slightly, blinking innocently. "Maybe Princess Shirahoshi and I could have a little chat while you go off and do something with Finn and Jake. Jin, was it?"
Shirahoshi doesn't respond immediately. Instead, she gives me a quick side glance, waiting for my answer.
"Sorry, Princess Bubblegum, but I must stay with Princess Shirahoshi at all times, especially now that she's outside the Ocean Kingdom." I reply casually. "As of now, I'm the only one protecting her from any dangers. And judging by the fact that you have these two acting as your bodyguards, I'd say you understand exactly how risky it would be for Princess Shirahoshi to be left alone… even with you, Princess Bubblegum."
I feel my smile widen.
The moment it does, everyone flinches—harder this time. Now, none of them can even bring themselves to look directly at me without shivering in fear.
"R-Right…" Princess Bubblegum stammers, quickly shifting her gaze away from me. She refuses to meet my eyes any longer. Instead, she turns to Shirahoshi, doing her best to maintain a friendly demeanor. "Then… would it be alright for all of us to go to the Candy Kingdom for lunch?"
I keep my gaze steady on Shirahoshi, still smiling—a smile that keeps everyone shivering, even when they aren't looking at me.
"Princess Shirahoshi, do you wish to have lunch at the Candy Kingdom with Princess Bubblegum?"
Shirahoshi fidgets slightly, her hands clasped together. "I-Is that… okay…?" She asks with hesitation.
"As long as you wish for it, Princess Shirahoshi, I will do my best to accommodate." I reply calmly. "So, if you're willing, then we shall head to the Candy Kingdom. If not, then no one will force you to go."
I pause. My smile deepens.
"…And I'll make sure of that."
At that moment, I tilt my head slightly, casting a slow, deliberate glance at Princess Bubblegum.
Her body buckles instantly.
With a soft gasp, she collapses onto the ground, her legs failing her completely. She can't stand anymore.
"Careful, Princess Bubblegum." My voice is light, but every word drips with amusement. "We wouldn't want you to get hurt now, would we?"
Finn, through either sheer willpower or plain stupidity, forces himself to stand in front of Princess Bubblegum, shielding her with his trembling frame.
Jake, however, is nowhere near as brave. He stands behind Finn, his frightened eyes darting between Shirahoshi and the fallen princess.
"Co-Could we go then?" Shirahoshi asks softly, offering Princess Bubblegum a small smile as she floats forward, intending to help her up.
But she stops.
Her gaze lingers on Finn, who remains planted firmly in front of Princess Bubblegum, standing protectively over her.
I exhale lightly.
Lifting my hand, I project the River of Time over the area. A brief pulse ripples through the air as I influence the timeflow—just for a moment.
And suddenly, Princess Bubblegum is back on her feet. She stares at her own body, disbelief etched into her face.
I let the River of Time recede, reeling it back into the unseen currents beyond perception. Then, with a simple snap of my fingers, the log house begins to vanish.
Its form slowly fades away, dissolving into nothingness before their very eyes.
I turn to face them, my smile widening.
"Shall we head to the Candy Kingdom, then?"
A quiet thrill hums within me.
I'm… enjoying this.
That realization lingers in my mind, bringing with it an odd curiosity.
Is the Heart of Eldritch turning me into a sadist?
Or was this always a part of me, merely waiting for the right moment to surface?