Daily Life of A Caretaker

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 5: Break - Chapter 1

So, crazy voices, I may have made a colossal mistake. I've somehow lost my ability to use Nen, my Authority of Greed, and even Reset & Restart. All of them got absorbed into a new cheat called River of Time. It's a power that can accomplish anything time-related, even better than what I could previously do with each individual ability.

Apparently, Glitching led me right to it, convinced it would be an "interesting" cheat for me to discover. Perfect Timing was screaming at me not to touch it—but, well, thanks to Glitching, I already had before the warning even registered.

Now, with River of Time, I hold the power to create, shape, and manipulate the timestream—the very concept of time itself, visualized as a flowing river. Time can no longer affect me unless I allow it, and anyone attempting to influence my time would need to surpass my strength. How much stronger, though, I can only guess, but I'd wager it's on par with entities like Nyarla and beyond.

Oddly, I can feel Glitching and River of Time practically shaking hands as if they're in sync with one another. The other cheats seem to be keeping their distance, apparently intimidated—or in Secret Arts' case, it's just pretending to be.

Alright, crazy voices, I think I may have accidentally slipped beyond the very edges of the multiverse with River of Time. All thanks to Glitching, who is now giving me a big thumbs-up as if this was exactly what it wanted all along.

Honestly, I'm at a complete loss for words.

Just then, Ruby's voice cuts through, interrupting my silent conversation with the crazy voices.

"Hey, Jin. Do you think I was a bit too quick to leave the classroom without getting verbal confirmation from the teacher that we could leave?" Ruby's expression was a mix of genuine curiosity and slight uncertainty.

It's an odd question, but somehow, it grounds me back from the overwhelming scope of River of Time.

"Well, Featherine did leave right in front of everyone." I pointed out. "I'm willing to bet she ended the class period on the spot unless she shows up right now to say otherwise."

Everyone waited a solid minute, glancing around for any sign of Featherine. She didn't appear.

"See? No worries. Now, just eat your food before we do anything else."

Ruby seemed reassured and started eating. Meanwhile, Namine was finishing up some notes, a serious expression on her face as she spoke.

"I've completed my analysis based on what I observed from what I have been informed about Professor Featherine's first class and everyone's experiences in it." Namine began, glancing at her notebook. "There are a few minor issues, but nothing significant. For example, Jin needs to rely more on his instincts as an Eldritch being—embracing his nature further. He should focus on causing more widespread destruction, not just inflicting casualties but destabilizing everything around him and driving people to madness. This would create a more suitable environment for Ruby and Weiss, enhancing their development. Plus, this approach would improve Jin's mental state over time. Any questions?"

"Yeah." Bayonetta interjected with a wicked grin. "What do I have to do to get Jin to finally fuck me?"

Damn, Bayonetta. If you weren't so... freaky in bed, I'd have caved ages ago. But my mind keeps flashing back to those memories—how you fight, the way you handle angels. It's... a lot.

Namine paused, eyeing Bayonetta seriously before checking her notebook with a focused expression.

"My best guess is that your odds would improve if you transferred to the Eldritch pantheon. But I doubt the Hell pantheon would take kindly to losing you." Namine flipped through a few more pages, then reached behind her for another book, quickly skimming until she found the relevant section. "Additionally, you're too well-known for your, shall we say, sexual reputation. That alone lowers your chances of being accepted by the Eldritch pantheon. And, even if the Hell pantheon agreed to release you, the likelihood of a successful transfer is minimal. Overall, my advice is to give up on pursuing Jin unless he has a change of heart—which, based on current circumstances, isn't likely. So, I wouldn't get your hopes up."

Bayonetta rolled her eyes, a hint of annoyance flashing across her face. "You're no fun." Then, she casts a sly grin my way. "Alright, I'll back off... for now. But humor me with just one answer: What did Makima do to get you to fuck her in the first place? I can't help but be very curious."

I paused, letting memories of that chaotic night with Makima flood back.

"Everyone was horny at the time." I admitted, keeping it simple. "One thing led to another, and… well, I ended up having sex with Makima."

Octavia groaned, looking mildly annoyed. "Did not need to hear that while eating." However, her cheeks were tinged with an unmistakable blush.

Weiss took a casual sip from her drink, glancing at Octavia. "You might as well get used to it. Honestly, Ruby and I both have… high sex drives. It's not something we can just ignore. There are a lot of reasons behind it, but let's just say we go a little stir-crazy if too much time passes without Jin."

She said it plainly like it was just a fact of life. Ruby nodded in agreement, though her cheeks were a little pink, too. It was hard to argue with Weiss's honesty.

"Interesting…" Bayonetta narrowed her eyes, casting a sly look between Ruby and Weiss before glancing at herself in a mirror and giving a playful wink—a clear hint that she might already be scheming something.

Ruby, meanwhile, looked around, frowning slightly. "By the way, where are the other students and contractors? It's just us and the kitchen staff back there." She scanned the cafeteria, clearly puzzled. "I thought more people would've shown up by now. We won't be able to get any food points if no one else shows up."

Bayonetta set her glass of red wine down with a soft clink, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "You do remember." She reminded Ruby. "That you've already used up your food points, so no, you can't get more right now."

Ruby's shoulders slumped a little at the reminder.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Weiss muttered, nodding slowly as she took a bite of her buttered toast. "Once we've used our food points, we're basically cut off from everyone else. We finish our meals, mind our own business, and leave. There's nothing left to do but maybe watch the others tear each other apart for food points."

Octavia blinked, a little surprised. "Huh, so that's how it goes for the Action Genre at mealtime." She takes a sipping of her egg drop soup thoughtfully. "In the Drama Genre, it's all about shaming your opponent. The one who humiliates the other the most wins the food point, and the loser has to bear the mockery of the crowd."

"Is fighting not allowed?" I asked, looking over at Bayonetta with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, fighting is allowed." Bayonetta replied smoothly before Octavia could respond. "But only for those with zero combat skills. Otherwise, you have to appoint someone to fight on your behalf—usually a contractor or another student. In the Drama Genre, those who engage in physical fighting tend to be seen as lower-status compared to those who can duel with words." She paused for a moment, considering. "Resources play a huge role as well. Those with more resources at their disposal are often more influential and tend to win disputes, gaining more of the spotlight."

"Exactly as Lady Bayonetta said." Octavia agreed. "And on top of that, those with access to magic are usually held in higher regard than average students and contractors."

Ruby tilted her head, intrigued. "Oh? Why does magic make such a difference?"

"It's because magic can be used for more than just combat." Namine explained. "For example, it became widely known after a few days into high school that those with magic—or similar abilities—can perform tasks that others can't, like moving objects without physically touching them. For students and contractors from noble families, this difference is significant. They view magical talent as a clear distinction that sets them above the rest." She glanced around, adjusting her notebook. "In fact, many form factions based on how useful their magic is in daily life. It's a hierarchy within itself, where the capabilities of one's magic determine one's social standing."

I couldn't help but think it sounded familiar, like something straight out of a few fictional worlds I'd read/watched in the past.

Ruby's eyes were wide with interest as she looked at Octavia. "Were you considered popular in the Drama Genre before you got transferred to the Action Genre?"

Octavia blinked at the question, looking a bit caught off guard, but a small smile crept onto her face. "Well, in the Drama Genre, it's not exactly about popularity. It's more about reputation—who can outwit who, who can capture the audience's attention with the best words. I had my share of the spotlight, but it's… different than what you'd think. In the Drama Genre, your allies one day might be your rivals the next. It's all part of the performance."

Bayonetta's grin widened, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark. "She forgot to mention she's an avian demon, which is a major factor, too."

Weiss raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Octavia let out a sigh of frustration. "What Lady Bayonetta is getting at is that plenty of people are drawn to demons with a humanoid appearance. There's no shortage of… sickos out there who would be interested in fucking me just for my race alone."

Ruby nodded with a sigh of her own. "Oh, we know that feeling. Weiss and I get a fair share of attention because of our bodies."

"True." Octavia replied. "But you two are still considered human—more or less. I, on the other hand, am a demon. Even if I can take on a human form through magic, it doesn't make me human." She took the last sip of her soup and sighed, looking a bit exasperated. "Though I guess my situation is better than some others."

Weiss tilted her head. "And who might that be?"

"Animal people." Octavia replied, rubbing her forehead. "Humans with animal traits or animals with humanoid appearances. You wouldn't believe how many people—mainly humans—are obsessed with them. Especially cat girls. Men seem to be all over cat girls for some reason, with dog girls coming in a close second."

Bayonetta chuckled, clearly amused, while Weiss and Ruby exchanged looks, seemingly caught between fascination and disbelief.

"That reminds me of the faunus back in our world, Ruby." Weiss snorted, rolling her eyes. "I've seen plenty of human guys going after faunus girls more than human girls."

Ruby nodded thoughtfully. "I noticed a few too, though that was only during the rare times I got out of the house… before Jin came into my life."

Namine cleared her throat, drawing our attention. "Not to interrupt this fascinating discussion, but are we planning to stay here, waiting for the other students and contractors to arrive and start a battle royale, or should we relocate? We're done eating, after all."

"Let's leave." Bayonetta suggested, standing up from her seat. "I'd rather not have some random person crash into me mid-conversation."

Most of us nodded in agreement. With the chatter and activity likely to pick up soon, heading somewhere quieter seemed like a wise choice, especially as our conversations tended to drift into… unique territory.

We gathered our things, ready to head out, each of us casting one last look around the cafeteria before moving on.