Fate (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 23

A/N:
Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the unexpected 10-day-stop! I just got home from Japan and not to mention my writer's block was at its highest (oh God...) But here it is! An update to pay it all off! Thanks for all the support on Fate despite the breaks! UwU
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Survivors' Side
Helena walked towards the main lobby, her walking stick producing the unmistakable tapping sound as it touches the ground. Emily had attended to her and told her to get some rest, but she ignored it.

She hissed in pain as her gauzed back stung, the sensation from Jack the Ripper's claws making its presence.

She was about to make it there when she noticed Naib sitting on his own, his hands fidgeting randomly.

Creases formed on her forehead. The mercenary has never shown any look of concern around people, but as of today, the latter is acting off, his actions palpable from every inch of the appearance in him.

Naib placed his palm on the bridges of his nose as if he is dispelling a headache.

"Naib Subedar?" Helena asked, approaching the mercenary closer.

The green-hooded man gazed at her, a perplexed look drawn on his face. It was when he slumped forward to the table, hands pressed on his forehead.

"Naib! Are you okay?!" Helena yelled, reaching for the mercenary. However, her one and only disability had prevented her from doing so. In fact, she is not going anywhere without her walking cane.

She can only stand there in utter shock as the mercenary cried in pain, tears streaming down his face.

***
Hunters' Side
Joseph walked down the corridor of his side of the manor, his head still trying to process Michiko's words.

Jack had once fallen in love with Naib Subedar.

He shook his head, trying to get the uneasiness out of his system. If it is true, then what had happened? What made him so bloodlust during matches?

The Photographer skidded to a stop as his eyes caught notice of the match details the Ripper had somehow thought of posting in the middle of his rage. And much to his surprise, he caught the name he had least expected to.

Aesop Carl. Going against Jack the Ripper.

He gulped, holding back the bile that rose in the back of his throat. There is no way in hell that Jack would think of harming the embalmer, right?

That can't be, right?

As he made his way back to his room, his eyes caught the letter and the drawing Aesop gave him a few days ago, in which he didn't even bother to open it yet.

He coughed hard into his hands as the memories of Claude popped into his head. As if his day couldn't get any worse, it keeps on going inside his mind, his headache taking over.

"Claude...." Joseph whispered to the portrait of him and his twin, sadness drawn all over him.

"Am I even right to come here?"

***
Survivors' Side
"Naib! Naib!" Eli rushed towards his best friend's room that is now surrounded by people, each of them trying all their best to offer whatever of help they can think of towards the mercenary.

It is true that Naib indeed needs help. His condition wasn't in his prime, and with whatever is triggering all the reaction and pain senses now, there is no doubt that he had gotten so much worse.

"Hey, buddy. How are you? Hey, Naib. Do you hear me?" The Seer said, letting Luke fly all over him, expecting the green-hooded mercenary to at least give him a response, either by waving at him or raising one eyebrow like what they usually do. But no matter how hard and how pleading the Seer has been, the mercenary didn't give any response aside from clutching his head in pain, eyes closed.

It was when Naib finally opened his lips, and much to their utter shock the brunette-haired man had sobbed, his mind in the trance of recalling something.

"Eli....." He said in a very weak tone.
"Just... who... who am I?"

Hunters' Side
"Just... who.. am I?"

Naib's cries had gotten all its way through the hunters' side, and little did the survivors know that the Ripper had been eavesdropping on them since the start.

Jack's hands clenched into fists, his concerned side taking over. He would shook his head left and right in between in attempt of getting it off him, but no matter how badly he wanted to dismiss it, it stays.

***
"Naib! Thank goodness you're awake!" Jack said as the tall man dashed his way through the brown-haired man's hospital bed, the man finally regaining his consciousness.

Seeing Naib's condition makes Jack's heart wrench. His head was wrapped in a thick white gauze with a bit of blood from the shoot poking out. His one hand was hooked to IVs and from the looks of it the brown-haired man seems to have spiked a fever as well.

"Naib! Hey, friend. I'm here. It's fine." Jack said, letting his hand slip into Naib's fingers. He wanted to hold him. He wanted to console him, making him aware that he is not and never alone.

To his surprise, Naib jerked his hand away.

"Who....are....you?"

***
"Fuck it!" The Ripper yelled in anger, his claws shattering the window. He had always been the one to have his fellow hunters take good care of everything in their side of the manor, but at this point he had reached his limit. He couldn't take it anymore.

"I've made all my way here for you and you don't remember me?!" He muttered withour realizing that Joker is walking towards him.

"Hey long nailed freak. What's up? Thinking about a match strategy? Hmm?"

"Get away from me, Joker." Jack said, pointing his claws towards the clown.
"I'm not in the mood for any strategy planning now."

Joker smirked, fixing his rocket.
"What? You still have your attention on that embalmer man? You're putting him as your opponent in the next match, ey? Aren't you keeping an eye on the new camera freak? Why the embalmer?"

The Ripper felt blood running down his ears. He has been in a foul mood the whole day and as if his day couldn't get any worse, he is here to deal with the curious clown.

"Get. The. Fuck. Out, Joker." He said, muttering curses under every word, much to the clown's fear. If it wasn't for his position as a match official, the clown would have gotten into a childish quarreling with that of him.

The moment the clown left, he noticed Joseph walking out of his room all the way towards the matching lobby.

Creases started forming on the Ripper's forehead. The match does not start till three days time, but why is he there?

JOSEPH
The Ripper? Fallen in love with Naib Subedar? In that of the mercenary?

When Michiko started telling me everything about Jack's past, I can't help but feel sorry.

How did someone who had once been kind become so bloodlust?

I stretched my both legs, ridding the numbness from sitting down for too long as I made my way to the matching lobby. Michiko had told me that the next match doesn't start till three days, but Jack had enlisted all the names of those that will partake.

Hunter: Jack the Ripper.

Wait. What?

Jack is the hunter for the next match despite everyone telling him to take it off?

A shiver went down my spine as I scanned through the survivor list.

Oh no. Not him.