Fanfic: It begins in hell - Part 2
Title: "It begins in hell - Part 2"
Author: J.J.
Warning: It's an AU. It's unbetaed, it might look spoilerish and anyway it’s better if you’ve knowledge of the 8 episodes, it contain some Japanese words, some OOC...
Notes: I guess you can see it as a sequel of “A magic spell called ‘hope’”, a what if on how things could have gone had Battler and Sayo continued to live in that fragment.
Disclaimer:
"Umineko no naku koro ni" belong to Ryukishi07. I'm merely using his characters because I love them... especially Battler and Sayo...
Do I own something here? Oh yes, I own the plot and a sensible heart which would surely break if you give me harsh reviews... so please be honest but nice ok?
Summary: 1986. The family conference is about to start and Battler and his newlywed wife are about to take part to it.
“... Should’ve taken the boat... the boat...” Battler mumbled as they finally landed. He looked worn out already and it didn’t help that his parents were pocking fun at him again.
“Really, you’re a disgrace of a man. I can’t understand why you’ve to hate so much vehicles,” his father commented.
“Shut up. Do I have to remind you who forced me on all those goddamn scary riding at the amusement park when I was an innocent child to the point I grew a phobia for everything that shakes? Ofukuro always told you to stop but no, you needed an excuse to go on them and who cared about the rest!” Battler retorted darkly. “And I ended up being dragged into your perverted hobby!”
“Well, you’ve always gone a bit overboard on rides like that, Rudolf Nī-san,” Rosa-san agreed.
“Yes, you even tried to involve my George,” Eva-san added.
“A real man should know how to take them,” Rudolf-san insisted.
“Well, yes, Battler-kun, you should try harder. You don’t want to make Sayo-chan embarrassed about you, do you?” Eva-san commented. “She had to hold your hand through all the travel! Is this how you’ll show her you’re a man worthy of her?”
“I don’t think the worth of a man is measured by which type of phobia he has and, anyway, it’s a wife’s duty to support her husband through everything,” Sayo surprised herself saying, as the words that Eva-san told her in the past echoed inside her.
‘I’m sure that a wonderful man suitable for you will appear, Shannon-chan. I’m sure you’ll find a perfect match for a lowly servant like yourself. …Have you forgotten to be grateful for your education? Know your place, you uneducated, incompetent, unqualified, uncultured servant!’
Battler eyed her in surprise then she blushed as she felt him hugging her all of sudden.
“That’s my wife!” he commented with pride, making her blush even more.
“Well, yes, there’s to say that from when Sayo-chan had started supporting Battler-kun he’s doing much better with vehicles. Who knows, he might even overcome the phobia a certain irresponsible man had instilled in him,” Kyrie-san commented looking at Rudolf-san meaningfully.
“Ange seems to enjoy rides…” he mumbled, as if this could excuse him.
“Yes, and we want to keep things like that, right?” Kyrie-san agreed with a bright smile. Rudolf-san’s sisters both laughed at him and redirected toward him their teasing. Sayo and Battler tossed a grateful glance at Kyrie-san to which she replied with a smile.
“Let’s hurry on the taxi, okay?” she suggested pointing at one of the three lined up taxis.
“Do you feel any better?” Battler asked her as they were on the taxi. She hesitated only a moment to answer.
“Shouldn’t that be my line?”
“Well, of course I feel awesome now that I’m off that plane. I think it shaved off 20 years of my life but, as I’ve still some of them remaining, I’m fine,” he replied cheerfully. She smiled and leaned a bit against him. He was always one to recover fast. “But really, Sayo-chan, are you any better?” he asked her again. He was also a stubborn one who wouldn’t let go easily of things.
“I’ll manage,” she assured.
“Maybe once we’re on the mansion you can take some rest in the room they’ll assigned you?” Kyrie-san suggested. “You really look stressed out, Sayo-chan.”
“Well, of course she’s stressed, she had to babysat that big oaf through all the travel…” Rudolf-san commented.
“You’re just jealous because I get a wife who’s willing to hold my hand when I’m on a plane, while yours is forced to hold your balls in a tight grip all the time,” Battler retorted. Kyrie-san giggled.
“Now, Battler-kun, this isn’t probably something you should say on your father’s face…” she chided in a really not heartfelt manner.
“Fine, fine, we’ll gossip about him only when he’s not present,” he agreed with a grin.
Battler and Kyrie-san had a somewhat surprisingly good relationship despite her being the woman with whom his father cheated his mother… and somehow Kyrie-san had made even more efforts to get along with him after he and Sayo had gotten married. Sayo didn’t really knew how to take them.
On the opposite side Battler’s relationship with his father, although not horrible, had remained one where the two kept on bitching and could hardly agree on a single thing, even if their tone was generally playful. Yet one could see there was a certain distance between the two of them, like a fracture that never got fixed.
“Hey, we’re at the harbour,” Rudolf-san pointed out, maybe wishing to change the topic.
“Good, so it’ll be only 30 minutes before we’ll reach Rokken-jima. That piece-a-junk boat is going to seem heaven after that cursed plane,” Battler commented and silence fell abruptly.
“Uh? Did I say something odd?” he asked looking at her.
“I… I kind of forgot to tell you… they’ve changed the boat…” Sayo admitted.
“So it’s more stable and not looking like it’ll sink in a minute? Well, that’s better, isn’t it?” She didn’t reply. “Isn’t it?” he repeated.
“I… I don’t think you’ll like the new boat’s speed much…” she admitted. “I’m sorry…”
“What? Don’t tell me I’ll have to go through another hell again and in such a short time!”
When Battler left the taxi he didn’t look exactly pleased.
“Maybe I’m just over worrying and you won’t mind the speed much?” Sayo offered. “Maybe it won’t feel that bad to you…” He looked at her sceptically and she lowered her gaze, feeling guilty. He sighed and stroked her hair.
“Well, I guess it wouldn’t have helped any if I had know it beforehand. I would have only be nervous through the trip on the taxi as well… So don’t sweat over it, okay?” he commented.
“Okay,” she agreed. Well, at least it hadn’t come up when the others were present. She was sure they would have made nasty comments toward the both of them. “Will you be okay?”
“Do you think they’ll hand me a life jacket?” he asked back.
“Well…”
“George Nī-saaan! It’s been so frickin’ long!!” a familiar voice called out and they turned toward it. “And, wow, Sayo! It’s been two years! And… Wait a sec... This big guy... is Battler?!”
“…H-hey, you’ve gotta be kidding me. That’s really Jessica?!”
The two of them stared at each other, taking note of the respective changes through those 6 years. Battler had grown definitely taller and bigger than Jessica-san could remember and Jessica-san… Sayo could see she’d gotten even prettier than she remembered and her breasts… well, they had grown even bigger and she knew Battler was bound to notice them.
“Yo, Jessica! What’s this now! You’re kidding me, you look like a woman now! I bet though that deep down you’re still a brute!” he however commented simply and Sayo somehow released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She should have known he wouldn’t comment on it, he’d stopped commenting on other girls’ breasts, at least while she was around, knowing it distressed her. He knew it pained her how she was as flat as a board and, despite him always having had an obsession for breasts, he always took care not to rub salt on her wounds. He surely had noticed them though. How could he not? But the worst part of the problem wasn’t he had noticed Jessica-san’s chest… it was that Sayo too wanted to have something he would notice and yet sadly that would never be the case.
“Don’t screw around with me, I’m a blushing flower of 18! What about you, Battler? You got all ridiculously big only physically but I bet you’re still a weak crybaby!” Jessica-san challenged him which resulted in the two ending up competing on a physical match… which Battler predictably won, even if both Jessica-san and Battler looked surprised at the result. Back in the past it was always Jessica-san who was taller and stronger than him so, to them, it felt weird to have the table reversed. Sayo thought in Battler’s place she would have liked to be on the winning side for once, but Battler instead looked uncomfortable, as if to him it wasn’t right to finally be stronger than his cousin, and tried to cover up his discomfort and Jessica-san’s by joking around. Not that it really worked to improve Jessica-san’s mood.
“Crap… total defeat. It’s like I’m not a match for you anymore,” she commented looking not pleased about it.
“That’s not true. Even Battler-kun must have his weaknesses. Right, Maria-chan?” George-san commented and Sayo wondered why he had brought it up. She had always thought he was a gentle person and yet… now she had the feeling he was having fun at teasing Battler.
“Uu-! Faaall, faaall!!” Maria-chan replied in agreement, confusing Jessica-san.
“Fall? What the hell’s that?”
“It’s good to see you in good health, Jessica-san,” she intruded in the discussion, switching the topic before things started to get worse.
“It’s cool to see you too! Besides what’s with that ‘Jessica-san’? Don’t be so formal, call me just ‘Jessica’, you’re family now and we’re childhood friends!” she stated, taking Sayo’s hands into her own. Jessica-san… Jessica had always been inappropriately friendly with her, despite her being the heiress of the house. While on one side it had been very nice, from the others it didn’t please Oku-sama… Natsuhi-san… much and this had always ended up causing her troubles. “By the way how could you get stuck up with that big idiot of Battler? Isn’t he impossible to live with?”
“Geez, I’m really curious to see the poor man who’ll accept to become your husband… if such person exists in this world,” Battler retorted.
“Shut up! I’ll marry someone one million times better than you!” Jessica countered flushing slightly and Sayo had the distinct impression this meant she still didn’t have anyone in her life.
“That’s impossible. Battler is the best husband ever,” she assured with a smile. Well, differently from Battler she didn’t feel embarrassed when she was on the winning side and had no problems to exploit it. For once she had something Ojō-sama didn’t have, something precious and all for her and she wanted to brag about it.
“Eh? Battler? No way, that’s impossible!” Jessica replied, surprised, at which Sayo replied smiling brightly, amused by how her words also caused Battler to blush.
“Hoh-hoh-ho, what have we here? Oooh! Battler-san, how big you’ve grown! And I’ve to say Sayo-san had blossomed in an even prettier girl! Marriage really causes a woman to flourish,” Kumasawa-san commented as she approached them. A swirl of emotions filled Sayo at her sight.
Kumasawa-san had been for many years the closest things she had to a mother… and when the truth had came down crashing on her she hadn’t known anymore how to look at her. Living at Battler’s grandparents’ home had given her a different perspective on how a family should behave and yet… she almost felt like crying at the sight of her.
“Kumasawa Bā-chan! You haven’t aged a bit in these past six years. Wait, you haven’t gotten younger, have you?” Battler joked looking happy to see her. Sayo remembered he was fond of her even if she had played pranks on him more than once. But Battler never truly got angry with people who pranked him.
“Kumasawa-san. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” she greeted her and she knew she was being too polite in the way she was greeting a servant and that her voice was trembling a bit but that was the best she could do. The woman smiled at her with fondness and a bit of sadness before turning her attention on Battler.
“Hoh-hoh-ho! You shouldn’t praise me so much, Battler-san! You might tempt me to escape with you!” the woman said to which Battler back walked quickly.
“Eh? What? No way, no way, I’m a married man!” he replied immediately, panicking as if he were thinking Kumasawa-san was being serious.
“Oh, I won’t mind being just your lover,” the woman insisted. “Come on, don’t you want to take me away?”
“Absolutely not. Not even if you were Jessica’s age. I don’t want a lover, I’m completely happy with my wife and just with her,” he stated with certain, placing behind himself behind Sayo and resting his hands on her shoulders, causing her to blush as she smiled.
“As I said, isn’t he the best?” she repeated as she rested her hand on top of his.
“Well, he surely has a wife who appreciates and supports him,” George-san countered and his smile seemed… bittersweet somehow. “He’ll be a fool not to appreciate her back.”
“Bah, I think you’re being too nice with him, Sayo,” Jessica snorted.
“Well, then why don’t we let Battler-kun show us is awesomeness during our travel to Rokken-jima?” George-san suggested.
“Ah… well…” Battler could only comment tensing up. She blinked, not quite understanding why was George-san doing this… but maybe it was just an Ushiromiya thing, she thought as Eva-san joined them and tried to bully Kumasawa-san, even though the old woman managed to handle it smoothly. Maybe the Ushiromiya were all bound to bully each other, she wondered, as now Eva-san and Rosa-san were busy picking on Rudolf-san.
“Let’s go on the boat,” she suggested Battler all of sudden.
“Uh? Already?” he asked in a tone that implied he didn’t think at all this would be a good idea.
“You’ll get used to it sooner,” she replied pulling him along. He followed her even if he didn’t look persuaded. “Besides,” she whispered when they were far enough so that the others couldn’t hear them, “I don’t like how they keep on teasing you.”
It wasn’t just because they were teasing Battler. In their teasing she could see an echo of the bullying she underwent and even though her own had been much worse… somehow just seeing even a light version of it still hurt.
“It was always like that, don’t worry about it. I’m used to it, they don’t mean anything bad,” he excused them with ease. She frowned.
“Battler. Sometimes I think you’re too naïve for your own good,” she commented quietly. She didn’t want to criticize him, she actually loved that side of him that could only think good of others but…
“And sometimes I think you see the world in a too dark light but it’s fine. It means we’re evenly matched, doesn’t it?” he offered with a smile. She smiled back.
“I take this means you want me to hold your hand through the travel on the boat as well?”
“Please?” he asked her in an almost begging tone as if he could really doubt she wouldn’t do it.
“Sure,” she said simply.
Sayo would have liked to say that Battler handed the travel on the boat better than the one on the plane, but he basically ended up clinging to her for dear life babbling about how the ship was going to sink and how they all were going to drown, and it really didn’t help reminding him he knew how to swim and therefore won’t drown so easily. And his fear was somewhat contagious because, as he talked of how they would drown she could almost see the two of them sinking, sinking always deeper in the sea, as they hugged each other and… and the boat’s speed mercifully slowed down and short after Kyrie-san informed them she’d asked the captain to slow it down.
Sayo felt Battler sighing against her as he slowly calmed down.
“That speed… it was really too much…” he mumbled.
“Well, now is much lower, isn’t it? Isn’t this much better?” she asked gently, trying to brighten his mood.
“Best husband? Hahahahahah! I lost in that strength contest earlier, but I’m glad to know I’m no worse off where it really counts. You’re really pathetic, you know?” Jessica commended laughing as Maria-chan echoed the words Battler had kept on mumbling before.
“Yeah, yeah, go ahead and make fun of me but one of these days, I’m gonna find your weakness and then I’ll get back at you!” he countered as his hold around her loosened. He sat down, pulling her slightly so as to invite her to sat next to him then, as she did, she felt him wrapping his arm around her, leaning on her a little and snuggling a little. Like that he really looked like an absurdly big kid in search of comfort, she thought as she rubbed his back soothingly. He was the only person in the world who counted on her for support and reassurance and she treasures the feeling of being precious to him.
“Well, at least with this we know Battler-kun hadn’t changed at all,” George-san commented with a grin.
“Uu-. Battler, all weak,” Maria-chan commented and Battler agreed.
“Yeah, Battler, all weak… I want to die on land, not in the ocean or the sky…”
“Honestly I’ll prefer if you were not to die,” she told him a bit anxiously and he smiled.
“Well, I’ll try not to do it anytime soon,” he offered.
“Oh, really, Sayo, you spoil him! I don’t know how you can put up with such a wimp! Me I would have dumped him already!” Jessica commented, still laughing at Battler.
“Well, maybe she’s not an overly pretentious girl like you,” Battler countered and, even if he lacked his usual enthusiasm, she figured it was a good thing he felt up enough to resume bitching with Jessica again. As for her though, she only wanted Jessica to stop.
“I’m not overly pretentious at all! It’s completely normal to want a boyfriend that can handle as little as this!” Jessica retorted sticking his tongue out at him. “Don’t you agree, George Nī-san?”
“Now, now… I’m sure Battler-kun has over qualities to make up for this…” George-san offered.
“Yeah? Like what? He can stuff himself with food a lot?” Jessica retorted causing everyone to laugh, even Battler, who evidently decided not to take that as an offence. Everyone but not Sayo. She didn’t really find this funny. Somehow she felt that Jessica’s constant jabs at how Battler wasn’t husband material were actually directed at her, not at him.
“Battler can be there for me when I need it,” she said quietly. “He can accept the person I am. He listen to me. He won’t make me feel bad for what I don’t know how to do, nor he’ll force me to do something I don’t want to do.” Silence had fallen and she wondered if they thought she had ruined the atmosphere. She didn’t care much, she didn’t like the previous atmosphere. “But still, if Jessica’s boyfriend is this and much more then I can’t wait to be introduced to him. Will he be present today?” she asked forcing an innocent smile. Jessica blushed and turned her gaze away.
“Ah… no… well… you see… Ah, I wonder what they’re doing downstairs! I’ll go check on them!” she commented before running away.
“That was… surprising from you, Sayo-chan…” George-san observed and she realized she had never shown him that side of her. She wondered if his words held a reproaching note, as if to imply someone as lowborn as her shouldn’t have dared to do such thing. She turned to Battler, attempting to wash away that feeling.
“Have I said something I shouldn’t have?” she asked with a small pout. He stared at her, hesitated a moment, then chuckled.
“Don’t worry, she’ll live,” he assured as if he thought Sayo’s jab at Jessica hadn’t been a big deal. She had the feeling though, he had realized that she didn’t have playful intentions when she said it but wouldn’t comment over it, at least not as long as there were other people around them. But well, Battler couldn’t realize that Jessica really wanted a boyfriend and had none and Sayo knew and had hit her exactly where it hurt. She’d been mean and she’d spoken out of line and again she felt hit by those contrasting feelings, by how she wanted to be a good person and by how… she thought Jessica received exactly what she deserved. But was… she allowed to give Jessica what she deserved or… “Don’t worry. It’ll be okay,” Battler repeated and she tried to believe him. “No one will scold you for teasing her, don’t worry. You’re ‘family’, you can do it,” he assured in a lower tone, his words just for her ears and no one else. “Are you still feeling upside down?” he asked then in a higher tone and he sounded concerned. It was nice. She rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m fine,” she assured without conviction. “Just still a little bit tired. What about you? Feeling better?”
“Well… I guess so,” he replied. “Sorry for the fuss,” he added looking somewhat embarrassed. “One day I’ll manage to cope with all this… I think…”
“I don’t mind,” she stated looking at him fondly. She didn’t mind. It felt good to be needed by him when he was scared. No one else had ever needed her.
Jessica was back short later with Kumasawa-san and glasses with floating ice cubes and canned drinks.
“The captain is throwing in drinks to make up for this,” she announced back in high spirit. From Kumasawa-san’s big grin it was easy to figure that downstairs they were making fun of Battler as well.
“Hey, Jessica. How are Krauss Oji-san and Natsuhi Oba-san doing?” Battler asked as a way to switch the topic.
“Fine, unfortunately. Though they can only say ‘study, study’, which pisses me off. I’m so jealous, since it doesn’t look like Hideyoshi Oji-san or Rudolf Oji-san say those kind of things,” she admitted. Sayo wondered if she realized how lucky she was at having two living parents who cared for her and her studies. If it hadn’t been for Battler and his grandparents encouraging her and supporting her, she would have dropped her own and no one would have noticed nor cared.
“No, no, you’re wrong. When I was slacking off during exams, I was always getting told ‘exams, exams’. I thought it was annoying, but now I’m grateful,” he assured.
“Hah, I knew it, Aniki can be human too! He can slack off here and there! As for my father, well, you’re right, I’ve to look after myself as he doesn’t care about my studies nor doesn’t tells me what to do, though I guess I wouldn’t listen if he were so he’s probably excused,” he commented laughing. “But I’ve Sayo-chan to support me so it’s fine,” he added resting his forehead against hers and making her blush.
“Well, you support me as well so… so…” she stammered.
“Battler-san, you still cannot return to your home?” Kumasawa-san asked him.
“...Well… I’m a married man now so it won’t really do for us to live at my parents’ home, would it? But we kinda go there now and then as they left us have a room. It’s just we prefer to stay at our house, don’t we?” he reported and she nodded. Really she didn’t look forward to having to live under Rudolf-san’s roof and she knew for Battler things were just the same, even if for different reasons.
Maria-chan tried asking why the two of them had two different house and not just one but Jessica purposely distracted her mentioning the harbour and George-san joined in the diversion switching the topic to how they would arrive soon.
Sayo eyed Battler and he looked back at her before shrugging. It wasn’t like he wanted to talk about his family situation… but probably seeing it handled like some sort of taboo didn’t felt right either. It was… complicate.
“…Please forgive my indiscretion. It seems this old woman has said too much already. If I have hurt your feelings…” Kumasawa-san began but Battler was quick to reply.
“Don’t worry, Kumasawa Bā-chan. I don’t mind it and no one’s feelings are hurt. Ne, Sayo-chan, do you want something to drink?” he asked her diverting the attention from the topic. She shook her head and he brushed her forehead.
“Still not feeling well?” he asked, concerned. She smiled weakly.
“Stop asking me over and over,” she asked him. “I’m fine.” He sighed.
“Sure. And I actually like planes very much. When they’re on land. No, actually I’m not so crazy about them even when they’re on land,” he admitted and while on one side it was really very annoying how he could be that stubborn on the other she liked how he cared. “Anyway…”
“You don’t look very fond of boats either, you know?” she pointed out, trying to switch topic.
“Fast boats. With slow boats I’m perfectly fine. Sorta. Anyway I can manage. Mostly.” He pauses, likely realizing she was trying to sidetrack him. She tries to come up with another topic and failed.
“Uu-! Battler, Sayo Onē-chan, the island, the island! There, there, there! Uu-uu-uu-!” Maria-chan called pointing at Rokken-jima, saving her.
“Uh? Where is it… oh, I see it now. Even after six years, the island hasn't changed a bit,” he commented staring at the island. She didn’t even attempt to look at it. She wasn’t really interested in seeing it again and actually she found herself shuddering at the idea she was so close to it they could see it. She heard him sighing and turned to look at him. He was staring at her with a fond, yet slightly exasperated smile. She knew what that smile meant. She pouted.
“You’re a stubborn woman,” he simply commented tapping her forehead, which she knew meant he’ll quit questioning her as she had requested, if only for a while.
JJ's Extra Notes:
So the group is slowly getting close to Rokken-jima and Sayo is trying to get used to her ‘new family’. Well, dealing with the cousins it’s easier than dealing with their parents, I’ll say.
Oh, and yes, Umineko EP 8 confirmed that Battler’s phobia of shaking vehicles was caused by Rudolf carrying him to way too much rides. Just in case someone is wondering from where this info comes.
Dictionary:
-chan: Name ending used to express affection and familiarity or to talk with a child
-kun: Young
-jima: Island
-sama: "Lord" or "Lady"
-san: "Mr." or "Mrs."
Aniki: "Brother" or "Older boy"
Bā-chan: "Grandmother" or "Old woman"
Nī-san: "Brother" or "Older boy"
Oba-san: "Aunt" or "Woman"
Ofukuro: "Mom" or "Mother"
Oji-san: "Uncle" or "Man"
Oku-sama: "Wife" or "Married lady" or "Madam"
Onē-chan: "Sister" or "Older girl"
Ojō: "Princess" or "Young lady"
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Author: J.J.
Warning: It's an AU. It's unbetaed, it might look spoilerish and anyway it’s better if you’ve knowledge of the 8 episodes, it contain some Japanese words, some OOC...
Notes: I guess you can see it as a sequel of “A magic spell called ‘hope’”, a what if on how things could have gone had Battler and Sayo continued to live in that fragment.
Disclaimer:
"Umineko no naku koro ni" belong to Ryukishi07. I'm merely using his characters because I love them... especially Battler and Sayo...
Do I own something here? Oh yes, I own the plot and a sensible heart which would surely break if you give me harsh reviews... so please be honest but nice ok?
Summary: 1986. The family conference is about to start and Battler and his newlywed wife are about to take part to it.
“... Should’ve taken the boat... the boat...” Battler mumbled as they finally landed. He looked worn out already and it didn’t help that his parents were pocking fun at him again.
“Really, you’re a disgrace of a man. I can’t understand why you’ve to hate so much vehicles,” his father commented.
“Shut up. Do I have to remind you who forced me on all those goddamn scary riding at the amusement park when I was an innocent child to the point I grew a phobia for everything that shakes? Ofukuro always told you to stop but no, you needed an excuse to go on them and who cared about the rest!” Battler retorted darkly. “And I ended up being dragged into your perverted hobby!”
“Well, you’ve always gone a bit overboard on rides like that, Rudolf Nī-san,” Rosa-san agreed.
“Yes, you even tried to involve my George,” Eva-san added.
“A real man should know how to take them,” Rudolf-san insisted.
“Well, yes, Battler-kun, you should try harder. You don’t want to make Sayo-chan embarrassed about you, do you?” Eva-san commented. “She had to hold your hand through all the travel! Is this how you’ll show her you’re a man worthy of her?”
“I don’t think the worth of a man is measured by which type of phobia he has and, anyway, it’s a wife’s duty to support her husband through everything,” Sayo surprised herself saying, as the words that Eva-san told her in the past echoed inside her.
‘I’m sure that a wonderful man suitable for you will appear, Shannon-chan. I’m sure you’ll find a perfect match for a lowly servant like yourself. …Have you forgotten to be grateful for your education? Know your place, you uneducated, incompetent, unqualified, uncultured servant!’
Battler eyed her in surprise then she blushed as she felt him hugging her all of sudden.
“That’s my wife!” he commented with pride, making her blush even more.
“Well, yes, there’s to say that from when Sayo-chan had started supporting Battler-kun he’s doing much better with vehicles. Who knows, he might even overcome the phobia a certain irresponsible man had instilled in him,” Kyrie-san commented looking at Rudolf-san meaningfully.
“Ange seems to enjoy rides…” he mumbled, as if this could excuse him.
“Yes, and we want to keep things like that, right?” Kyrie-san agreed with a bright smile. Rudolf-san’s sisters both laughed at him and redirected toward him their teasing. Sayo and Battler tossed a grateful glance at Kyrie-san to which she replied with a smile.
“Let’s hurry on the taxi, okay?” she suggested pointing at one of the three lined up taxis.
“Do you feel any better?” Battler asked her as they were on the taxi. She hesitated only a moment to answer.
“Shouldn’t that be my line?”
“Well, of course I feel awesome now that I’m off that plane. I think it shaved off 20 years of my life but, as I’ve still some of them remaining, I’m fine,” he replied cheerfully. She smiled and leaned a bit against him. He was always one to recover fast. “But really, Sayo-chan, are you any better?” he asked her again. He was also a stubborn one who wouldn’t let go easily of things.
“I’ll manage,” she assured.
“Maybe once we’re on the mansion you can take some rest in the room they’ll assigned you?” Kyrie-san suggested. “You really look stressed out, Sayo-chan.”
“Well, of course she’s stressed, she had to babysat that big oaf through all the travel…” Rudolf-san commented.
“You’re just jealous because I get a wife who’s willing to hold my hand when I’m on a plane, while yours is forced to hold your balls in a tight grip all the time,” Battler retorted. Kyrie-san giggled.
“Now, Battler-kun, this isn’t probably something you should say on your father’s face…” she chided in a really not heartfelt manner.
“Fine, fine, we’ll gossip about him only when he’s not present,” he agreed with a grin.
Battler and Kyrie-san had a somewhat surprisingly good relationship despite her being the woman with whom his father cheated his mother… and somehow Kyrie-san had made even more efforts to get along with him after he and Sayo had gotten married. Sayo didn’t really knew how to take them.
On the opposite side Battler’s relationship with his father, although not horrible, had remained one where the two kept on bitching and could hardly agree on a single thing, even if their tone was generally playful. Yet one could see there was a certain distance between the two of them, like a fracture that never got fixed.
“Hey, we’re at the harbour,” Rudolf-san pointed out, maybe wishing to change the topic.
“Good, so it’ll be only 30 minutes before we’ll reach Rokken-jima. That piece-a-junk boat is going to seem heaven after that cursed plane,” Battler commented and silence fell abruptly.
“Uh? Did I say something odd?” he asked looking at her.
“I… I kind of forgot to tell you… they’ve changed the boat…” Sayo admitted.
“So it’s more stable and not looking like it’ll sink in a minute? Well, that’s better, isn’t it?” She didn’t reply. “Isn’t it?” he repeated.
“I… I don’t think you’ll like the new boat’s speed much…” she admitted. “I’m sorry…”
“What? Don’t tell me I’ll have to go through another hell again and in such a short time!”
When Battler left the taxi he didn’t look exactly pleased.
“Maybe I’m just over worrying and you won’t mind the speed much?” Sayo offered. “Maybe it won’t feel that bad to you…” He looked at her sceptically and she lowered her gaze, feeling guilty. He sighed and stroked her hair.
“Well, I guess it wouldn’t have helped any if I had know it beforehand. I would have only be nervous through the trip on the taxi as well… So don’t sweat over it, okay?” he commented.
“Okay,” she agreed. Well, at least it hadn’t come up when the others were present. She was sure they would have made nasty comments toward the both of them. “Will you be okay?”
“Do you think they’ll hand me a life jacket?” he asked back.
“Well…”
“George Nī-saaan! It’s been so frickin’ long!!” a familiar voice called out and they turned toward it. “And, wow, Sayo! It’s been two years! And… Wait a sec... This big guy... is Battler?!”
“…H-hey, you’ve gotta be kidding me. That’s really Jessica?!”
The two of them stared at each other, taking note of the respective changes through those 6 years. Battler had grown definitely taller and bigger than Jessica-san could remember and Jessica-san… Sayo could see she’d gotten even prettier than she remembered and her breasts… well, they had grown even bigger and she knew Battler was bound to notice them.
“Yo, Jessica! What’s this now! You’re kidding me, you look like a woman now! I bet though that deep down you’re still a brute!” he however commented simply and Sayo somehow released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She should have known he wouldn’t comment on it, he’d stopped commenting on other girls’ breasts, at least while she was around, knowing it distressed her. He knew it pained her how she was as flat as a board and, despite him always having had an obsession for breasts, he always took care not to rub salt on her wounds. He surely had noticed them though. How could he not? But the worst part of the problem wasn’t he had noticed Jessica-san’s chest… it was that Sayo too wanted to have something he would notice and yet sadly that would never be the case.
“Don’t screw around with me, I’m a blushing flower of 18! What about you, Battler? You got all ridiculously big only physically but I bet you’re still a weak crybaby!” Jessica-san challenged him which resulted in the two ending up competing on a physical match… which Battler predictably won, even if both Jessica-san and Battler looked surprised at the result. Back in the past it was always Jessica-san who was taller and stronger than him so, to them, it felt weird to have the table reversed. Sayo thought in Battler’s place she would have liked to be on the winning side for once, but Battler instead looked uncomfortable, as if to him it wasn’t right to finally be stronger than his cousin, and tried to cover up his discomfort and Jessica-san’s by joking around. Not that it really worked to improve Jessica-san’s mood.
“Crap… total defeat. It’s like I’m not a match for you anymore,” she commented looking not pleased about it.
“That’s not true. Even Battler-kun must have his weaknesses. Right, Maria-chan?” George-san commented and Sayo wondered why he had brought it up. She had always thought he was a gentle person and yet… now she had the feeling he was having fun at teasing Battler.
“Uu-! Faaall, faaall!!” Maria-chan replied in agreement, confusing Jessica-san.
“Fall? What the hell’s that?”
“It’s good to see you in good health, Jessica-san,” she intruded in the discussion, switching the topic before things started to get worse.
“It’s cool to see you too! Besides what’s with that ‘Jessica-san’? Don’t be so formal, call me just ‘Jessica’, you’re family now and we’re childhood friends!” she stated, taking Sayo’s hands into her own. Jessica-san… Jessica had always been inappropriately friendly with her, despite her being the heiress of the house. While on one side it had been very nice, from the others it didn’t please Oku-sama… Natsuhi-san… much and this had always ended up causing her troubles. “By the way how could you get stuck up with that big idiot of Battler? Isn’t he impossible to live with?”
“Geez, I’m really curious to see the poor man who’ll accept to become your husband… if such person exists in this world,” Battler retorted.
“Shut up! I’ll marry someone one million times better than you!” Jessica countered flushing slightly and Sayo had the distinct impression this meant she still didn’t have anyone in her life.
“That’s impossible. Battler is the best husband ever,” she assured with a smile. Well, differently from Battler she didn’t feel embarrassed when she was on the winning side and had no problems to exploit it. For once she had something Ojō-sama didn’t have, something precious and all for her and she wanted to brag about it.
“Eh? Battler? No way, that’s impossible!” Jessica replied, surprised, at which Sayo replied smiling brightly, amused by how her words also caused Battler to blush.
“Hoh-hoh-ho, what have we here? Oooh! Battler-san, how big you’ve grown! And I’ve to say Sayo-san had blossomed in an even prettier girl! Marriage really causes a woman to flourish,” Kumasawa-san commented as she approached them. A swirl of emotions filled Sayo at her sight.
Kumasawa-san had been for many years the closest things she had to a mother… and when the truth had came down crashing on her she hadn’t known anymore how to look at her. Living at Battler’s grandparents’ home had given her a different perspective on how a family should behave and yet… she almost felt like crying at the sight of her.
“Kumasawa Bā-chan! You haven’t aged a bit in these past six years. Wait, you haven’t gotten younger, have you?” Battler joked looking happy to see her. Sayo remembered he was fond of her even if she had played pranks on him more than once. But Battler never truly got angry with people who pranked him.
“Kumasawa-san. It’s a pleasure to see you again,” she greeted her and she knew she was being too polite in the way she was greeting a servant and that her voice was trembling a bit but that was the best she could do. The woman smiled at her with fondness and a bit of sadness before turning her attention on Battler.
“Hoh-hoh-ho! You shouldn’t praise me so much, Battler-san! You might tempt me to escape with you!” the woman said to which Battler back walked quickly.
“Eh? What? No way, no way, I’m a married man!” he replied immediately, panicking as if he were thinking Kumasawa-san was being serious.
“Oh, I won’t mind being just your lover,” the woman insisted. “Come on, don’t you want to take me away?”
“Absolutely not. Not even if you were Jessica’s age. I don’t want a lover, I’m completely happy with my wife and just with her,” he stated with certain, placing behind himself behind Sayo and resting his hands on her shoulders, causing her to blush as she smiled.
“As I said, isn’t he the best?” she repeated as she rested her hand on top of his.
“Well, he surely has a wife who appreciates and supports him,” George-san countered and his smile seemed… bittersweet somehow. “He’ll be a fool not to appreciate her back.”
“Bah, I think you’re being too nice with him, Sayo,” Jessica snorted.
“Well, then why don’t we let Battler-kun show us is awesomeness during our travel to Rokken-jima?” George-san suggested.
“Ah… well…” Battler could only comment tensing up. She blinked, not quite understanding why was George-san doing this… but maybe it was just an Ushiromiya thing, she thought as Eva-san joined them and tried to bully Kumasawa-san, even though the old woman managed to handle it smoothly. Maybe the Ushiromiya were all bound to bully each other, she wondered, as now Eva-san and Rosa-san were busy picking on Rudolf-san.
“Let’s go on the boat,” she suggested Battler all of sudden.
“Uh? Already?” he asked in a tone that implied he didn’t think at all this would be a good idea.
“You’ll get used to it sooner,” she replied pulling him along. He followed her even if he didn’t look persuaded. “Besides,” she whispered when they were far enough so that the others couldn’t hear them, “I don’t like how they keep on teasing you.”
It wasn’t just because they were teasing Battler. In their teasing she could see an echo of the bullying she underwent and even though her own had been much worse… somehow just seeing even a light version of it still hurt.
“It was always like that, don’t worry about it. I’m used to it, they don’t mean anything bad,” he excused them with ease. She frowned.
“Battler. Sometimes I think you’re too naïve for your own good,” she commented quietly. She didn’t want to criticize him, she actually loved that side of him that could only think good of others but…
“And sometimes I think you see the world in a too dark light but it’s fine. It means we’re evenly matched, doesn’t it?” he offered with a smile. She smiled back.
“I take this means you want me to hold your hand through the travel on the boat as well?”
“Please?” he asked her in an almost begging tone as if he could really doubt she wouldn’t do it.
“Sure,” she said simply.
Sayo would have liked to say that Battler handed the travel on the boat better than the one on the plane, but he basically ended up clinging to her for dear life babbling about how the ship was going to sink and how they all were going to drown, and it really didn’t help reminding him he knew how to swim and therefore won’t drown so easily. And his fear was somewhat contagious because, as he talked of how they would drown she could almost see the two of them sinking, sinking always deeper in the sea, as they hugged each other and… and the boat’s speed mercifully slowed down and short after Kyrie-san informed them she’d asked the captain to slow it down.
Sayo felt Battler sighing against her as he slowly calmed down.
“That speed… it was really too much…” he mumbled.
“Well, now is much lower, isn’t it? Isn’t this much better?” she asked gently, trying to brighten his mood.
“Best husband? Hahahahahah! I lost in that strength contest earlier, but I’m glad to know I’m no worse off where it really counts. You’re really pathetic, you know?” Jessica commended laughing as Maria-chan echoed the words Battler had kept on mumbling before.
“Yeah, yeah, go ahead and make fun of me but one of these days, I’m gonna find your weakness and then I’ll get back at you!” he countered as his hold around her loosened. He sat down, pulling her slightly so as to invite her to sat next to him then, as she did, she felt him wrapping his arm around her, leaning on her a little and snuggling a little. Like that he really looked like an absurdly big kid in search of comfort, she thought as she rubbed his back soothingly. He was the only person in the world who counted on her for support and reassurance and she treasures the feeling of being precious to him.
“Well, at least with this we know Battler-kun hadn’t changed at all,” George-san commented with a grin.
“Uu-. Battler, all weak,” Maria-chan commented and Battler agreed.
“Yeah, Battler, all weak… I want to die on land, not in the ocean or the sky…”
“Honestly I’ll prefer if you were not to die,” she told him a bit anxiously and he smiled.
“Well, I’ll try not to do it anytime soon,” he offered.
“Oh, really, Sayo, you spoil him! I don’t know how you can put up with such a wimp! Me I would have dumped him already!” Jessica commented, still laughing at Battler.
“Well, maybe she’s not an overly pretentious girl like you,” Battler countered and, even if he lacked his usual enthusiasm, she figured it was a good thing he felt up enough to resume bitching with Jessica again. As for her though, she only wanted Jessica to stop.
“I’m not overly pretentious at all! It’s completely normal to want a boyfriend that can handle as little as this!” Jessica retorted sticking his tongue out at him. “Don’t you agree, George Nī-san?”
“Now, now… I’m sure Battler-kun has over qualities to make up for this…” George-san offered.
“Yeah? Like what? He can stuff himself with food a lot?” Jessica retorted causing everyone to laugh, even Battler, who evidently decided not to take that as an offence. Everyone but not Sayo. She didn’t really find this funny. Somehow she felt that Jessica’s constant jabs at how Battler wasn’t husband material were actually directed at her, not at him.
“Battler can be there for me when I need it,” she said quietly. “He can accept the person I am. He listen to me. He won’t make me feel bad for what I don’t know how to do, nor he’ll force me to do something I don’t want to do.” Silence had fallen and she wondered if they thought she had ruined the atmosphere. She didn’t care much, she didn’t like the previous atmosphere. “But still, if Jessica’s boyfriend is this and much more then I can’t wait to be introduced to him. Will he be present today?” she asked forcing an innocent smile. Jessica blushed and turned her gaze away.
“Ah… no… well… you see… Ah, I wonder what they’re doing downstairs! I’ll go check on them!” she commented before running away.
“That was… surprising from you, Sayo-chan…” George-san observed and she realized she had never shown him that side of her. She wondered if his words held a reproaching note, as if to imply someone as lowborn as her shouldn’t have dared to do such thing. She turned to Battler, attempting to wash away that feeling.
“Have I said something I shouldn’t have?” she asked with a small pout. He stared at her, hesitated a moment, then chuckled.
“Don’t worry, she’ll live,” he assured as if he thought Sayo’s jab at Jessica hadn’t been a big deal. She had the feeling though, he had realized that she didn’t have playful intentions when she said it but wouldn’t comment over it, at least not as long as there were other people around them. But well, Battler couldn’t realize that Jessica really wanted a boyfriend and had none and Sayo knew and had hit her exactly where it hurt. She’d been mean and she’d spoken out of line and again she felt hit by those contrasting feelings, by how she wanted to be a good person and by how… she thought Jessica received exactly what she deserved. But was… she allowed to give Jessica what she deserved or… “Don’t worry. It’ll be okay,” Battler repeated and she tried to believe him. “No one will scold you for teasing her, don’t worry. You’re ‘family’, you can do it,” he assured in a lower tone, his words just for her ears and no one else. “Are you still feeling upside down?” he asked then in a higher tone and he sounded concerned. It was nice. She rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m fine,” she assured without conviction. “Just still a little bit tired. What about you? Feeling better?”
“Well… I guess so,” he replied. “Sorry for the fuss,” he added looking somewhat embarrassed. “One day I’ll manage to cope with all this… I think…”
“I don’t mind,” she stated looking at him fondly. She didn’t mind. It felt good to be needed by him when he was scared. No one else had ever needed her.
Jessica was back short later with Kumasawa-san and glasses with floating ice cubes and canned drinks.
“The captain is throwing in drinks to make up for this,” she announced back in high spirit. From Kumasawa-san’s big grin it was easy to figure that downstairs they were making fun of Battler as well.
“Hey, Jessica. How are Krauss Oji-san and Natsuhi Oba-san doing?” Battler asked as a way to switch the topic.
“Fine, unfortunately. Though they can only say ‘study, study’, which pisses me off. I’m so jealous, since it doesn’t look like Hideyoshi Oji-san or Rudolf Oji-san say those kind of things,” she admitted. Sayo wondered if she realized how lucky she was at having two living parents who cared for her and her studies. If it hadn’t been for Battler and his grandparents encouraging her and supporting her, she would have dropped her own and no one would have noticed nor cared.
“No, no, you’re wrong. When I was slacking off during exams, I was always getting told ‘exams, exams’. I thought it was annoying, but now I’m grateful,” he assured.
“Hah, I knew it, Aniki can be human too! He can slack off here and there! As for my father, well, you’re right, I’ve to look after myself as he doesn’t care about my studies nor doesn’t tells me what to do, though I guess I wouldn’t listen if he were so he’s probably excused,” he commented laughing. “But I’ve Sayo-chan to support me so it’s fine,” he added resting his forehead against hers and making her blush.
“Well, you support me as well so… so…” she stammered.
“Battler-san, you still cannot return to your home?” Kumasawa-san asked him.
“...Well… I’m a married man now so it won’t really do for us to live at my parents’ home, would it? But we kinda go there now and then as they left us have a room. It’s just we prefer to stay at our house, don’t we?” he reported and she nodded. Really she didn’t look forward to having to live under Rudolf-san’s roof and she knew for Battler things were just the same, even if for different reasons.
Maria-chan tried asking why the two of them had two different house and not just one but Jessica purposely distracted her mentioning the harbour and George-san joined in the diversion switching the topic to how they would arrive soon.
Sayo eyed Battler and he looked back at her before shrugging. It wasn’t like he wanted to talk about his family situation… but probably seeing it handled like some sort of taboo didn’t felt right either. It was… complicate.
“…Please forgive my indiscretion. It seems this old woman has said too much already. If I have hurt your feelings…” Kumasawa-san began but Battler was quick to reply.
“Don’t worry, Kumasawa Bā-chan. I don’t mind it and no one’s feelings are hurt. Ne, Sayo-chan, do you want something to drink?” he asked her diverting the attention from the topic. She shook her head and he brushed her forehead.
“Still not feeling well?” he asked, concerned. She smiled weakly.
“Stop asking me over and over,” she asked him. “I’m fine.” He sighed.
“Sure. And I actually like planes very much. When they’re on land. No, actually I’m not so crazy about them even when they’re on land,” he admitted and while on one side it was really very annoying how he could be that stubborn on the other she liked how he cared. “Anyway…”
“You don’t look very fond of boats either, you know?” she pointed out, trying to switch topic.
“Fast boats. With slow boats I’m perfectly fine. Sorta. Anyway I can manage. Mostly.” He pauses, likely realizing she was trying to sidetrack him. She tries to come up with another topic and failed.
“Uu-! Battler, Sayo Onē-chan, the island, the island! There, there, there! Uu-uu-uu-!” Maria-chan called pointing at Rokken-jima, saving her.
“Uh? Where is it… oh, I see it now. Even after six years, the island hasn't changed a bit,” he commented staring at the island. She didn’t even attempt to look at it. She wasn’t really interested in seeing it again and actually she found herself shuddering at the idea she was so close to it they could see it. She heard him sighing and turned to look at him. He was staring at her with a fond, yet slightly exasperated smile. She knew what that smile meant. She pouted.
“You’re a stubborn woman,” he simply commented tapping her forehead, which she knew meant he’ll quit questioning her as she had requested, if only for a while.
JJ's Extra Notes:
So the group is slowly getting close to Rokken-jima and Sayo is trying to get used to her ‘new family’. Well, dealing with the cousins it’s easier than dealing with their parents, I’ll say.
Oh, and yes, Umineko EP 8 confirmed that Battler’s phobia of shaking vehicles was caused by Rudolf carrying him to way too much rides. Just in case someone is wondering from where this info comes.
Dictionary:
-chan: Name ending used to express affection and familiarity or to talk with a child
-kun: Young
-jima: Island
-sama: "Lord" or "Lady"
-san: "Mr." or "Mrs."
Aniki: "Brother" or "Older boy"
Bā-chan: "Grandmother" or "Old woman"
Nī-san: "Brother" or "Older boy"
Oba-san: "Aunt" or "Woman"
Ofukuro: "Mom" or "Mother"
Oji-san: "Uncle" or "Man"
Oku-sama: "Wife" or "Married lady" or "Madam"
Onē-chan: "Sister" or "Older girl"
Ojō: "Princess" or "Young lady"
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