Starting Life From Another Choice Than Zero

Chapter 3 - Welcome to Kararagi

Lost, dazed, shocked and confused. Subaru did not know which he felt more.

All he knew was that a moment ago, just mere seconds after closing his eyes, he was behind a carriage, lying in between sacks of fruits, fleeing towards a much desired new life that awaits him in another land. Kararagi.

Now, having awoken to the provocative glares of very intimidating individuals, whom looked to have never worked an honest day in their lives, claiming that he had, beyond all logic, been here for already a month, left him staring speechless upon the sneering, contemptuous smile of a muscular, sly looking man. Wishing and half believing that he was still dreaming.

"What's with the stare, boy? Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. My metia, where'd you put it?"

Subaru's continued bewildered expression along with a stunned silence, wiped the passive-aggressive smirk off the man's face, worsening the already hostile atmosphere that permeated the area.

"You're a good actor, almost got me convinced here that you ain't had a hand in all this. But you know what they say: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice... I'm not getting fooled twice."

The swelling he felt in his head had not yet subsided, the eccentricity of the situation only worsened his already aching headache, only able to stare dazedly into the man's hazel colored eyes and letting out another confused "Huh?".

But that only made to provoke the man further, bending down and clutching Subaru's shirt, who realized that he was no longer wearing his usual white, black and orange tracksuit, instead, sporting a now crumpled, bloodied and ripped tuxedo, with a bowtie hanging loosely from his neck.

"I played my fair share of games with you already. Now I just want to get my prize back. Where is my metia? Last chance." He growled, a vein bulging out the top of his forehead.

"M-Metia? What metia? I don't understand I-- What did I do?!" Subaru sputtered, panic stricken and petrified under the intense and terrifying stares of the group of people who all gathered closer around him.

"Lost and confused, going with that one, huh? You know, my boys are ransacking your place as we speak, surely you rather not have someone or something dying in your hands tonight now, do you? What say you?"

Subaru blinked rapidly, his eyes phasing between focused and unfocused, breathing turning rapid and rough, a cold icy feeling down the pit of his stomach, and having no idea why, he found himself worried about something other than his plight.

"Wait no! Please don't! I'll tell you everything!" He shouted without warning and without thinking. "Just don't touch, Don't touch-" He trailed off.

What didn't he want touched? He had no idea. But the sudden threat stirred something deep within his aching, pounding head.

"Oh-ho, what happened to having no idea, hm? I guess you finally came to your senses." He grinned, letting go of Subaru's shirt and standing up, his hands folded against his chest. "Now, my metia. Where is it?"

Once again, Subaru found himself lost for words and prayed that an answer would magically come out the top of his head, but none came. To buy time, Subaru opened his dry mouth and out came a few mutters and grunt, sweating profusely with each passing second. He watched the grin gradually fade away and twist into what was now seething fury and knew he was out of time.