Webbing gently floats in the smooth breeze. Light seeps in through the wooden cracks of the dingy walls. The golden hue of the webs reveals itself under the warm light. There it flows gently, calm and gleaming when a broom brushes it all away. The store manager groans at the work he has to do.
"Damn spiders! I'm telling you they are everywhere recently."
The clerk skims the page of her magazine. "Sure boss, sure." She isn't paying which annoys the manager.
Another man looks over an aisle. He seems nervous, shaking, and breathing heavily. The store clerk lifts her gaze noticing him. They make eye contact. The man panics and then burst into a sprint escaping the store. The clerk walks where the man stood and discovers a good chuck of pills and medicine are gone.
"Shit! Boss calls the guards!"
Up in the ceiling beams, a tiny cloak figure stands up straight.
The man runs through the crowd. Pushing and shoving anyone in his path. He enters an alleyway where his friends were waiting.
"I got it. I got the-"
"Where the hell were you? We need to move."
"What? Why?"
"Dude," His friend gets closer and whispers. "The Academy captured the Hokage."
"What?! How?"
"I don't know. And that's not all. The Headmaster is in critical condition. The village is moving. Like now."
"Shit. What are we doing standing here? Let's move."
Unseen to them a figure darts from one side to another leaving a thin thread in their path. They run and immediately trip on this line.
"What the hell?"
The robber looks up and identifies the perpetrator. A small mouse in a coarse coat. It furls its coat open revealing modest clothing underneath. On its capable hand is a fishhook shape weapon and on the end is a flowing string. Brilliant orange in color and floating on its own.
"Wh- what? Who summoned you?"
The mouse sprints forward at breakneck speeds, instantly slicing the throats of both. As the mouse skidded over the ground, both fell lifeless. He first scans his work before turning to the thief's pocket. A little spider emerges and gives the rogue an obnoxious gaze.
"How dare you interrupt my work!"
The mouse speaks up. "You bend the conditions given by Lord Rigel. I'm merely doing my task. You should be doing the same."
"I am. The best way to gather information is to be right under their nose."
"Lord Rigel told us not to interact with humans in any capacity."
"Your such a joy kill, you know that? Toying with these foolish creatures is a bonus to the job." The Spider points at the robber's corpse. "A few bites here and there and it drove this man to desperation. Stealing just because I've given him a few illnesses. Studying how they squirm is such fun."
"Are you saying you're openly defining the First Horsemen?"
The spider panics. "N-no! I'm simply conducting an experiment. The Lord would approve."
"Then you wouldn't mind if I send a report to him?"
The spider is flabbergasted. "I challenge your bluff! If we spiders can't reach him directly then you mice certainly can't either."
The mouse suddenly stares in another direction, his ears perked up.
"Don't ignore me." The spider shouts.
"Shhhh, I think someone is watching us."
"Impossible. Our webbing would have detected them."
"Yeah, it should. Maybe I'm just paranoid. I've been here for too long." The mouse focuses back on the spider. "This operation is critical to our Lord, so no more fooling around."
"He is not your Lord." There is venom in the spider's speech. "Your Lord abandoned you."
The mouse grips his hook as tightly as he can. He was trembling and gritting his teeth. The sacred thread is swinging all around as it flows gently.
He points with his hook. "Enough! You will continue your task and nothing else. If you defy, I will slay you and make sure you drown in the fountain for a century."
The spider starts baking off. "Okay, okay..."
"Un- Understood."
The spider spins golden webs before soaring off. A deep breath is taken by the Mouse to ease himself from the situation. He shuts his eyes and concentrates.
His orange string stops and then flows in the opposite direction. The Mouse's movements begin moving back as if going in reverse. The Mouse flows back, dirt returns to place, and time is reversed.
Darting backward, undoing the cuts done to the two men. Then the two men begin to move also rewinding back in time. They keep going until they reached where the robber runs into the alleyway. Time immediately continues as normal.
I got it. I got the-"
"Where the hell were you? We need to move."
"What? Why?"
"Dude," His friend gets closer and whispers. "The Academy captured the Hokage."
The Mouse observes from the shadows, satisfied with his work.
"Shit. What are we doing standing here? Let's move." The two men step out of the alley and into the crowd.
After completing his task, the Mouse decides it's time to return home. Orange thread gently illuminates. As strings amass on top of one another to draw up a circle, it swings through the air, slicing up spacetime and forming a portal. Lord Uchū's dominion is on the opposite side.
From the shadows, a cloaked woman observes the event's conclusion. Her amber eyes glow in the dark. The surroundings react to her presence, slowly being scorched. Hinata smiles seeing the other side and returns to the shadows.
Pillars among pillars built on top of each other. The fertile ground beneath them shone like precious gemstones under sunlight. Red-colored leaves fall as the wind carefully brushes them. Over the horizon, a gas giant may be seen in the sky. A massive planet with mighty storms that swirl and shine.
Spiders soar through the air while carrying colorful webs with them. Mice nests were carefully built into the walls in the form of little structures. Under the divine protection of the First Horsemen, countless rodents coexist happily. Mechanical structures that Uchū constructed were on the ground. Several robots with different forms labor in the soil, being held together by tendrils made of strings in various colors.
The Mouse arrives at the primary mission hub, where he is supposed to report. A receptionist mouse anticipates his arrival. She waves for him to come over as soon as she sees him enter.
"Traube! Mister Traube!"
The Mouse walks over to the front desk. "Yes? How can I assist you?"
"Important message from the chancellor! He wants to see you immediately."
"Th- The Chancellor? I'll be there right away!"
Traube sprints up the stairs and through the corridors. He arrives at the Chancellor's office and enters via two enormous doors. He enters finding an elderly male rat musing over a magnificent statue before him. A statue of a female with a longbow in front of her legs.
"Meine Geliebte, I hope our prayers reached you. We rodents are doing well, thanks to Herr Rigel." The Chancellor notices the young mouse. "Ah, the chosen one. Pardon me, my mistress. I have work to do. May the Emanations bless your travels."
Traube sits on one knee. "I'm sorry, Chancellor. I should've knocked. Didn't mean to interrupt your prayers."
The rat turns to face the little mouse. "It's alright youngling. Our Lady wouldn't mind. To be honest, I doubt she even listens to our prayers anymore."
"Chancellor Apfel, don't say such things. She listens to us, she always has."
The Chancellor smiles. "Ahh, it must be nice to have some faith in life. Now then, to business." Apfel looks out the window. "Herr Rigel wants to see you."
Traube is shocked, mouth agape, and taking steps back. "W-what? Me!?"
"Yes, he asked for you personally. Dissipate living under his wings we Rodents hardly make contact with the Horsemen. So before you go, can I ask why he wants to see you?"
"I- I don't know sir. Honestly, I'm still in shock." The young fumbles over his words.
"I see." The Chancellor turns and sits on his desk. "Well, best not to keep him waiting."
"R-right! Thank you for informing me, Chancellor."
Traube darts out the door, traversing the rodents' flourishing city until he finds himself in arachnid territory. He keeps moving forward and enters the portal network. These were developed by Uchū himself, which allows his summons to travel anywhere they like. In the center is the gateway that leads into Uchū's dwelling.
Two enormous spiders advance as he cautiously approaches. One spider made of deep red flesh, pulsing and twitching, covered in stone-like armor. While the other appears mechanical, with gears and light functioning inside. The open joints on their bodies of both had prismatic color strings pouring from them.
"Halt! Identify yourself." Demanded the Scarlet Spider.
"The Horseman has summoned me."
"Mmm, yes. Lord Uchū told us about you." The Metal Spider replies.
Both speak at the exact same time. "You may enter."
Traube walks through the grand portal. The doorway he entered has vanished behind him and now is standing in the midst of a corridor. Countless bookshelves are stacked on top of one another. Walls covered in rows and rows of books. In the distance, he overhears someone moving.
The Mouse wanders aimlessly through the First Horsemen's hallways. He finds more books and extensive paperwork. A few automatons here and there cleaning and carefully organizing, all eyeing him when he passed. He stops and finds Megami's old living quarters, the First Horsemen's pupil. She visited the Rodents from time to time, then moved back to Earth to carve her own path.
Traube enters an ample room filled with chalkboards everywhere, complex equations in almost most of them. At the end of the room, he is there. Uchū, the First Horsemen.
"Ah, the little mouse at the right place and right time. Come in, come in."
"Lord Rigel, it is an honor to meet you in person. Is there anything I can do for you?" Traube bows his head.
"So well behaved!" Uchū smiles. "No need to be so formal. Just speak your mind."
"I, uh... as you say, my Lord."
"Now then, to work. My network has intercepted an interesting thermodynamical signature. When I verified them, I found you were at the location when it happened."
"Ah, you mean what I sensed while performing my duties? Yes, yes. Strange feeling."
"Can you explain in detail?"
"Felt like, someone was watching me."
"I see. Ponder for a moment, did you feel anything else?" Uchū calmly asks.
"A- anything else? Um, well... I felt warmer than usual."
Uchū chuckles. "Interesting."
"Does my information bring clarity, my Lord?"
"Oh yes, little one."
"Is this all you needed?" Traube kindly asks.
"Curious?" Uchū smiles.
"N-No! I simply thought you had more planned for me."
"Oh, little one. I planned for everything." Uchū gives the mouse an open hand. "Let me show you."
Traube hesitates a little before climbing awkwardly up Uchū's extended hand. Speaking to a God is one thing but to be held by one is exhilarating. The Horsemen float near a desk where more books were stacked. Next to it is a billboard with multiple moving caricatures of different people. The drawings of moving as they were alive. The specific words "Candidates" are written on top of the aforementioned billboards.
The Mouse observes them. One of the drawings is of a woman playing with cards. Another of a young man expelling earth from his mouth. One of a teenage girl with purple hair and a giant beast beside her. And finally, another young girl with crimson eyes.
"What are you looking at?" Uchū giggles.
"I-I'm sorry!" Traube grabs his cloak tightly.
"Haha! It's fine. That's a work in progress. Ignore it for now."
Uchū pulls a book from the pile and speaks. "When we Horsemen finished our task we left the world in a cycle of violence. Humanity, creating and destroying. We hope they would evolve to point to see that violence is unnecessary. Well, that was the other's hope. I don't think Humanity will ever get it right. They'll keep going in circles forever and ever."
Traube shyly steps up. "My Lord, while not perfect, the peace achieved by the current world leaders is the best since the High War. We can't ignore that."
Uchū laughs. "That I cannot deny." From a book, he pulls out a drawing of the Seventh Hokage. "And it's all thanks to him."
"Sir, are you planning something?" Traube nervously asks.
"Quite a clever one, aren't you little one? I don't believe it when they say there's peace on earth. So, I figured to give a stress test."
"Stress test?"
"Oh yes... but..."
"But what? Is there a problem? We have no issue assisting your endeavor, my Lord."
"No, no. You're doing fine. Continue collecting information for me. Let me handle this challenge on my own. Besides, with what you told me, only I can manage this new situation."
"I understand. Can you tell me what this new situation is? I can start spreading the word."
Uchū looks at another side of the room. Where some of his treasure was gained during his time riding across the earth. He remembers his companions. The other Horsemen.
He smiles. "I believe I found an old friend."
~~===X===~~
A/N: It shouldn't take me so much time to make a chapter. Now, I didn't spend my time doing nothing. Well, I did. But I'm always writing, and this time I wrote more than usual. So expect a new chapter NEXT week!
Hopefully.
Anyway, on to the copy-paste outro! If you enjoy the story go ahead and give it a vote. Feel free to share(recommend) the story with others. And please leave a comment, it's the best way to know your thoughts on the story. Don't be afraid of giving me criticism too, there's no way I'll improve my writing if nobody says anything. With that out the way, have a fantastic day, and hope to see you next time!