Episode 4: Kousei Arima, Chouteisha

Kousei Arima adjusted his tie and rolled the lint roller over his signature cobalt blue suit one last time, straightening his mop of black hair as best he could. He pushed his glasses up, breathed in and out, and stood up straight.

"Don't worry about it," he thought to himself. "It's just another performance..."

"Where the fate of this entire WORLD is on the line!"

Kousei shoved those thoughts out of his mind. No, stop overthinking. He had run the piece many times now, and had even taken advantage of Strange Supreme's Time Stone to get in more practice without any additional time passing out here in this world. And of course, he no longer had the dilemma of not being able to hear the notes, having come to terms with his mother's death some time ago.

Which he wouldn't have been able to do had it not been for Kaori.

A single tear escaped Kousei's right eye at the memory of the dazzling—but also capricious—blonde-haired violinist who'd stolen his heart simply by looking at him with those beautiful, pearly dark eyes of hers that penetrated right to his formerly cold, numb soul. Her temper had been unpredictable, sure, and at times such as when they went to the mall, she'd even been somewhat annoying.

But when she had smiled...

Kousei shook his head. No time to dwell on that now. He had to concentrate if he was to make this performance a good one. The Watcher and Strange Supreme had both explained it to him clearly.

"In order to maximize the chance of this peace message getting through to as much people as possible, you must pose as an Eldian from Paradis," The Watcher had revealed.

"Willy Tybur will be more than happy to back that story up following some persuasion from Captain Levi and General Magath," Strange added. "And as you play, remember: you'll be playing to a mostly hostile audience. You cannot let that fear show, nor can you retaliate if anyone in that crowd hurls curses at you. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," Kousei had replied with resolution. "I understand."

Kousei heard a knock at the door, and granted the knocker permission to enter. Strange Supreme opened the door and walked in, along with Captain Carter and Star-Lord T'Challa.

"You ready for this, Arima?" Strange asked with a smile.

Kousei nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks."

"Well, don't you look like a dashing chap!" Captain Carter complimented. Star-Lord T'Challa concurred.

"I've seen a lot of flashy outfits across the galaxy, yet nothing seems to ever beat a simple suit and tie."

"Thanks guys," Kousei appreciated.

"Where did you get that suit from?" Captain Carter asked.

"My dad bought it for me a year after my mom died," Kousei told her. "Though he wasn't exactly always around. He was usually away from home on business trips."

"I see," Captain Carter said empathetically.

In an adjacent room, Willy Tybur conferred with Lady Azumanbito of the Hizuru Nation, Captain Levi, Hange, and the four Scouts. By now, they had brought the Founder Eren Yeager to him in chains. General Magath and Annie stood behind the Scouts as well, ready to back them up lest Tybur tried to double cross them again.

"You're basically giving the same speech as last time," Captain Levi told Lord Tybur with a hard edge to his voice. "WITHOUT the baseless declaration of war on our island."

Willy Tybur solemnly nodded his head. "Of course, Captain. I see now that that whole scandal was unnecessary as the sole aggressor I feared is here now. The world owes you an unpayable debt for taking down the very person with the power to secure victory for your people. This is the least I can do...you do not owe me your forgiveness."

Eren Yeager squirmed in his chains, wanting nothing more than to lunge at the doddering fool who'd provoked the blasted war in the first place. Captain Levi rested his boot against the now powerless Founder's back, uttering a silent warning to the crazed man.

"Pfft, not like we were gonna offer our forgiveness anyway," Connie muttered under his breath.

"Lock it down, Connie," Hange ordered.

Behind them, Magath and Annie were relieved to see that Tybur was not putting up a fight. Now, the next part hinged on the response of the assembled delegates and people of Marley.

"Most of the military will already follow you once you announce your policy of non-aggression to Paradis, sir," Magath told Tybur. "I wasn't the only one within the ranks that had reservations towards our nation's path, and these Scouts garnered the respect of many of my soldiers during the battle against Doom's hordes."

"I'll be willing to provide muscle as well should anyone try to undermine you." Annie volunteered.

"Glad to hear that at least," Tybur replied. He turned and bowed to Lady Azumabito. "We'll need to guard Hizuru as well once it's revealed they've allied with Paradis."

"One thing at a time, Lord Tybur," Strange Supreme said as he entered the room with Kousei and the two other Guardians. "For now, the important thing to worry about is your speech plus how you'll enforce your declarations once they're given."

"However, given the talent of our wonderful performer here, you might not need to rely on force too much." T'Challa grinned as he playfully clapped Kousei on the back.

"Your optimism is always appreciated, Onyankpon." Tybur said.

T'Challa scowled. "I'm Star-Lord T'Challa."

Tybur didn't show it, but he was thoroughly embarrassed at his blunder of mixing up this interdimensional hero with one of the Marleyan defectors.

"My goodness, of course! I'm so sorry!" Tybur apologized, trying to laugh it off.

He looked at the young pianist. "Ah yes. The renowned Kousei Arima of Paradis I presume?"

Kousei gulped. This man wasn't hostile at the moment sure, but that still didn't take away the fact that with his words alone the entire world had gone to arms against one lone island. Kousei had to be sure he didn't make a false step, lest the entire plan fall apart and Tybur shift his tone into another proclamation of war.

Concealing his fear, Kousei simply smiled back and bowed in respect to Marley's leader.

"Yes sir," he said. "My ancestors were drafted to play in the palace of King Fritz during the height of the Eldian Empire. Though I'm the first pianist of course, being that the Hizuru nation only gifted us a piano four years ago."

"Ah, I see!" Tybur answered in a cheery manner. "Well, I'm sure your follow-up to my speech will be most elegant then!"

Jean and Mikasa breathed a sigh of relief. Tybur had fallen for the cover story they'd thought out for Arima! The act had been sold!

Now it just had to be played.

"We must make haste now, Lord Tybur," Lady Azumabito urged. "The crowd is getting restless."

"Yes, of course, madam," Tybur said politely. He stood up straight and adjusted his red tie. "Here goes nothing!"

Outside in the Liberio Internment Zone, a great crowd of delegates from around the world plus Marleyan citizens had gathered. Ironically, this second hastily planned assembly was taking place in the same amphitheater where Eren Yeager had tried to assassinate Lord Tybur just a few months ago. There was much excited, dubious, and nervous murmuring among the people; it had only been twenty-four hours since the aversion of the crisis at the coast. Yet Willy Tybur had summoned them already?

Among the crowd, Avatar Korra, Aang, Invincible, and Omni Man were seated in various locations disguised as regular Marleyan civilians. Korra had found a simple yet quaint blue dress and bonnet, while Aang and the two Viltrumites wore average gray and black business tuxedos topped by matching fedoras. Their team's assignment was simple: keep the peace and fly Arima plus the Scouts out of harm's way should things get ugly.

The Eren and Reiner that Watcher had taken from an alternate timeline were currently observing from the meeting pub dimension of course. Alarming the already befuddled crowd would easily cause another riot. Black Widow and Zola-his robot appearance having been changed by a spell from Strange-were perched on a rooftop with some Marleyan soldiers for additional security. Korra glanced about apprehensively, not liking being in these cramped confines separated from allies. Normally she wouldn't have qualms about having to silence a crowd with her combustion bending blasts. But the primary goal of this mission was peace...among long-standing enemies no less! Zaheer and the Red Lotus had never taught her of such things!

As if on cue to her question, she suddenly jumped back in fright seeing Aang's ghost materialize in front of her.

"Ah, so I see this Zaheer fellow taught you how to be spiritually attuned at least," Aang joked.

"Now is not the time for this!" Korra hissed under her breath.

"Don't worry, only you can see and hear me," Aang assured her. "Young Korra, as Lord Tybur makes his speech and Arima performs his number, please open your heart and mind. What Zaheer and his compatriots taught you is only a fraction of your duty as the Avatar in your timeline. So please, observe and listen with an open spirit. Peace is indeed possible, my friend. You just need to work at it patiently."

For the first time in her life, Korra found she had no stubborn or snarky retort as Aang's spirit kindly smiled and faded from her vision. Maintaining her composure, Korra kept her eyes on the stage and waited for the show to begin.

In a row closer to the front, Falco sat beside Gabi, relieved to be alive but sorrowfully grateful for Galliard's sacrifice that made it so. He knew he now only had thirteen years left to live. But that didn't matter to him now. Gazing into Gabi's hazel brown eyes, he gently held her hand and admired her smile. For once, it was nice to see her just being the normal, sweet girl next door he'd known before they'd become warrior candidates.

But the blissful feeling didn't last long.

"Stop being creepy, Falco," Gabi teased as her smile turned into a mischievous smirk.

Falco was flustered. "Wait, what?! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--!"

Gabi laughed. "Calm down Falco, I was just kidding!"

"Gabiiii!" Falco protested. "Don't scare me like that!"

"But it's so fun!" Gabi said.

"SHH!" Gabi's aunt Karina said, her finger to her mouth. "Lord Tybur is walking onstage now!"

As the spotlights fell on center stage where Tybur's slender but fit frame strutted into the circle, the crowd of ambassadors and Marleyan erupted into a throng of cheers and applause. Tybur smiled and waved his hands to quiet them down. As their fanfare faded, he maintained firm eye contact with his audience...and began his speech bluntly.

"I was wrong to declare war on Paradis!"

The crowd was stunned. A single cough could be heard from the back row.

"What?! Wrong to declare war on the devil's who've scourged our world?!" a delegate from the Mid-East Alliance thought in disgust. "What trickery is this?!"

"My friends, I am grateful for your attendance tonight and more so for your support during the crisis we had just one day ago!" Tybur broke the tense silence. "But I must tell you the full truth...the actual truth!"

Omni Man gripped his knees in anticipation, waiting for the inevitable shout of anger or Molotov to fly.

"Come on now, Tybur," he said out of the corner of his mouth. "Keep up the momentum."

"As all of you know, the global fleet assembled at our shores was descended upon by foes with technology the likes of which we've never seen!" Tybur recounted, his resounding grand voice laden with shame. "But that's just it: those enemies were not of Paradis! They were of a different man named Victor Von Doom who gifted the Founder Eren Yeager with very powerful dark magic to form those armies!"

Tybur paused to catch his breath and then continued.

"And the ones who helped repel those terrifying troops, who killed Victor Von Doom, and brought the Founder Eren Yeager to me in chains...are none other than the supposed devils we've vehemently hated without reason!"

As he finished his sentence, another light fell upon the chained Eren, Commander Hange, Captain Levi, Armin, Jean, Connie, Annie, and Mikasa. The crowd uttered another collective gasp once again; what on earth was Tybur insinuating?!

"Good grief," Levi thought coldly of the crowd. "Is it really such a foreign concept to your minds?"

"Does this mean...that we've been wrong all this time?!" a crowd member sitting in front of Invincible said in shock.

"Uhhh...yeah man, no way!" Invincible confirmed, seeing his chance. "I guess the people on that island were never a threat in the first place!"

"Eren Yeager and this new horrible menace Doom were the only threats to the world!" Tybur proclaimed sincerely. "It is them and only them that sought to destroy everything we've worked so hard to build! The people of Paradis were innocent victims caught up in their scheme! But now, Doom is dead and Yeager is in chains, my friends! We have nothing to fear!"

Again, Tybur paused, listening to the hushed arguments among the crowd. Some of them were relieved and expressed their formerly hidden reservations of the world's hatred towards Eldians. Others were less sympathetic, hissing and growling under their breath.

Backstage, Kousei could hear the mixed energy as well. He wiped the sweat off of his chin and itched his wrists. Why did his part have to be so soon?!

"You got this kid," T'Challa comforted, patting him on the shoulder. "Just play it the way you did for us in the pub."

"Thank you, sir," Kousei said appreciatively. As he said that, he saw Tybur's eyes turn in his direction.

"But it is unfair for only me to speak on their behalf," Tybur announced. "So I have brought an esteemed musician from their nation who shall give us a message from the island himself. In the form of music!"

As Tybur spoke that last word, yet another spotlight illuminated the stage, revealing the freshly polished, black grand piano behind him.

Kousei took a deep breath in and out: it was go time.

"Put on a good show, Arima!" Captain Carter encouraged as she nudged the young pianist forward. Kousei stood up straight, pushed his glasses up, and confidently walked out onto the stage. Hange gave him an encouraging nod, as did Jean and Connie.

"Kousei Arima is descended from a line of prestigious musicians who were coerced into playing in King Fritz's Royal Court at the height of his empire!" Tybur explained as Kousei strode over to the piano bench. "The message he brings with his song is not one of strife or war, but peace! Please, remain seated and listen with open hearts as this talented young man performs for us!"

Kousei looked the hostile crowd in the eye and bowed gracefully, hearing some hesitant, scattered applause.

"This child looks no older than 14, and yet he has the audacity to bring a plea of mercy to us after what his ancestors have done?!" one ambassador fumed.

In the crowd, Invincible tensed up. He'd faced down a Kaiju, Battle Beast, and Elephant Man back in his universe sure, but this whole performance thing seemed so much worse!

"Let go, Arima," Aang thought to himself. "Ignore the crowd's hostility. Play freely and authentically. You can do this!"

Rising from his bow, Arima sat down at the piano, positioning himself just far enough from the keys where his fingers had room. The familiar feel of the shiny, smooth keys sent odd tingles up his fingers and into his brain. Kousei took a deep breath in, then out...

And began to play.

As soon as Kousei played the first note of his selected piece, "Piano Sonata H160" Captain Levi felt a completely foreign sensation come over his body. For a split second, his muscles tensed and tightened his grip on the swords. Was someone about to try and attack Arima?!

But no. Slowly yet surely, his mind began to register what this feeling was. Fear? No; he only felt that when Zeke had begun hurling boulders at his troops. Rage? Certainly not! He only felt that when going into battle against Titans or his late uncle's squad.

This was not a feeling of anger, hate, or emptiness, but...

Peace.

Beside Levi, Hange's face lit up with delight as her eardrums were blessed with Arima's excellently expressive playing. Never before had she heard such a beautiful sound in her life. Never before had she truly felt like she had no care in the world. The last time she'd felt this happy was when she was researching the Titans Sonny and Bean nearly a decade ago, happily cooped up in her lab with Mobilit pestering her to not forget lunch.

"This boy's playing, his music!" she thought with joy. "Maybe one day I could research how he does it!"

Annie and Mikasa, for their part, though stoic, were inwardly at ease and felt like they could relax for once. Connie, Jean, and Armin's mouths were all agape in amazement.

"Such skill!" Armin praised. "And all from memory!"

Invincible, Omni Man, Korra, Aang, and the others in the audience were all equally mesmerized by the young prodigy's emotional playing as his fingers danced flawlessly over the keys. Not only did Kousei hit the notes perfectly, but every single progression, every arpeggio, every dynamic, every crescendo, even the time signature and tempo changes!

From her vantage point on the roof with the Marleyan soldiers, Black Widow smiled. Hawkeye would've loved to see this if he'd still been alive. He probably would've brought his whole family with him.

"Shiza!" Zola swore. "He even puts the likes of Stravinsky and Pachelbel to shame!"

"No kidding!" a soldier behind him agreed. "Who are those guys exactly?"

By now, Kousei was getting further into the more intense part of the piece, and he knew it was now or never. Increasing his focus, Kousei began hitting the keys harder, emphasizing the marcattos that signified a more ominous tone. Much of these measures contained diminished and augmented chords; he had to concentrate! Some of the crowd members were confused: wasn't this song supposed to be a message of peace?

Kousei smiled to himself; eventually, the point of the piece would be revealed. Continuing to let his playing flow freely, Kousei allowed himself to be taken away, his fingers transforming the piano into his personal playground.

"How can we call this boy a devil?!" Gabi's aunt Karina wondered. "This young man's playing, his sound...it comes straight from the heavens!"

Just like when Kaori had taken over Beethoven's Violin Sonata #9 the first time they'd met, this piece was no longer Frank Bridge's.

Here and now, it was Kousei who owned this piece. And the audience would be taken on this journey with him.

So Kousei played. And played. And played. And every minute, every second, every millisecond of his performance was pure peace, gracefulness, and raw emotion as his playing filled the ears of the audience with wondrous, timeless music.

Before Kousei knew it, the thirty-minute-long piece was over. And then, silence filled the amphitheater.

Followed by thunderous, glorious applause and shouts of approval from the crowd as they gave Kousei a standing ovation.

"Way to go, Arima!" Omni Man yelled as he clapped.

Korra couldn't believe it...Arima had indeed helped bring peace to this world! With nothing more than his expertise in piano!

Just then, Kousei sensed another presence among the crowd, and his eyes were drawn to a familiar-looking ghostly visage that wore a pretty white dress and whose blond hair was adorned with dainty, pink roses.

Kousei's heart nearly stopped.

"No, stay focused!" he thought. "It's just in your head!"

Nevertheless, he could not take his eyes off of who he knew to be Kaori, even if she was only here in his mind. But rather than turn into the hateful husk he'd seen in his recurring nightmare, Kaori simply smiled at him and applauded with the rest of the crowd.

"Well done, Friend A," Kaori's lips mouthed. "I always knew I was right to love you and your playing."

"That was totally wicked!" Invincible screamed. The crowd clearly agreed, for the voices of praise towards Arima far outnumbered the few hard-hearted dissenters.

"Guess his skill really did come in handy, ay Zola?" Widow asked.

No response.

Widow turned; Zola wasn't there!

Immediately she keyed her earpiece. "Everyone! Zola is gone! Did anyone see where he went?!" The Marleyan soldiers frantically scrambled about, searching for the disguised Ultron drone.

"What?! We thought he was with you!" T'Challa answered.

In response to his question, Zola suddenly swooped down on the rockets built into his Ultron body's boots, his human disguise faded by now. He swiftly blasted the Scouts away with his repulsors, grabbed the chained Eren Yeager, and sped off again. Screams of fright and alarm could be heard among the crowd.

Black Widow's blood boiled; she knew that no good son of a gun couldn't be trusted!

"You better not let my efforts to rescue you be for nothing, Founder!" Zola's mechanical voice told Eren as he set him free from his chains. "Use your power to escape now, and I can explain more later!"

As Zola threw Eren down, Eren immediately bit his hand, setting off a massive shower of sparks as yellow lightning struck his transforming body. Zola cackled evilly; soon, the Founder would be his and he would rebuild Hydra in this universe.

Or so he thought.

Feeling the ting of a hook latching onto his left ankle, Zola turned in shock to see Captain Levi speeding towards him with his ODM gear. How in the hell had he managed to pursue him that fast?! Before Zola could have his answer, Levi's enchanted blades completely annihilated his Ultron body, tearing him limb from limb and covering the city block he'd been flying over in a glorious shower of wires, metal limbs, and circuits.

Landing on a roof, Levi surveyed the rapidly developing scene as Eren completed his transformation. Like last time, Eren chose to maintain a form of only fifteen meters instead of growing to his full form. He no longer had the Colossal Titans after all; what was he to do if he allowed his transformation to reach the full three hundred meters?

Levi readied himself for Eren to charge his position. Instead, Eren turned and began to sprint down the main street. Levi cursed himself; Eren was going to turn this into a complicated pursuit!

"Captain Levi!" Strange Supreme shouted as he flew up behind him. "Swing towards those two buildings over there, swords at the ready!"

The captain knew better than to question the plan of the man who'd literally swallowed a galaxy-ending explosion, and shot his ODM cables at the buildings Strange had pointed at. Brandishing his blades, he waited for a few seconds as his ODM gear closed the distance between him and the buildings. Then, an orange circle suddenly opened up in front of him.

That was when Levi saw Eren's nape.

"NOW!" Strange yelled.

Captain Levi sailed through the portal, spinning faster than a whirlwind and slicing Eren's nape clean open. The once mighty Founding Titan dropped to the ground, the glow of his dark green eyes fading away and his body beginning to dissolve in a cloud of steam.

Eren Yeager was dead.

And Strange Supreme made sure the crowd saw as such, as he used his sling ring to first separate the Founder's head before transporting both that and Captain Levi back to the stage. The crowd gasped in horror, then they pointed and exclaimed in relief upon seeing the Scout captain covered in the Founder's blood. Willy Tybur took advantage of this moment to secure his part of the deal.

"And as you can now see, esteemed ambassadors, it is no longer possible for the scourge of The Rumbling to return, for the Founder is dead!"

Once again, the cheers of the crowd rose to an impenetrable din as they whooped and clapped for joy at their newfound security. Omni Man and Invincible had to cover their ears again. Falco, meanwhile, clutched his side, somewhat confused as to why this pain had suddenly come upon him. Had the death of the Founder had some adverse effect on him as a shifter? It must've, for he even saw Annie and Armin having similar reactions onstage! Was this sudden pain a good omen or a bad one?

Mikasa simply looked down, appalled yet understanding at the world which took approval to the death of the man she'd loved. Part of her wanted to scream in rage at the fools who'd wanted war in the first place. But Mikasa restrained herself, for she could not in good conscience undo the peace that the pianist had worked so hard to deliver.

Sensing her sorrow, Armin put a consoling hand on Mikasa's shoulder.

"There was nothing we could've done to change his mind, Mikasa," Armin said. "You did all you could."

As the crowd's elated cheering died down, Tybur beckoned Lady Azumabito to stand beside him, and made his final most important declaration.

"Starting from this day forth, the nation of Hizuru and Marley have joined in a policy of non-aggression towards the people of Paradis!" Tybur proclaimed. "Let it be known that an attack against Paradis is an attack against us all, and the same applies to my ally of Hizuru! If anyone has any disagreements with this, speak now or forever hold your peace!"

Amazingly, no one said a word.

"Very well then!" Tybur shouted out. "TO PEACE!"

"TO PEACE!" the crowd roared, applauding and cheering like overbearing sports fans once again.

Later, backstage, Annie knelt before Captain Levi and offered him a tearful apology for the Scouts she had slain all those years ago, including his first squad. Kousei was surprised; had his piano playing really moved her that much?

"I know my words change nothing of what already occurred," Annie said between sobs. "All I ask is I be given a fair chance to be put on trial and answer for my actions!"

Captain Levi sighed. He appreciated the Marleyan warrior's gesture, sure. But frankly, he was worn out from all this talk of the past and atonement for one's sins.

"I appreciate you saying this," he told Annie. "You've done enough for now. Until then, we need to get back home and help our people start rebuilding."

"I can have an airship ready for you very soon," Tybur offered.

"Thank you, Lord Tybur," Strange chuckled. "But I think we'll manage."

Utilizing his sling ring, Strange Supreme brought Kousei, the six Scouts, and the seven other Guardians back to Shiganshina instantaneously. Bowing in respect, Strange and his team bid the Scouts farewell and good luck in rebuilding their world.

"You played so well, Kousei Arima!" Hange praised. "Please, come back soon!"

"Well, we'll see about that," Strange winked. The portal back to the pub opened behind them, and the nine Guardians of the Multiverse walked through, free from their mission at last. Immediately, the other Guardians began clapping Kousei on the back and eagerly shaking his hand.

"That was killer, Arima!" Reiner said with a big smile. "Don't come to our timeline with that playing though, you might steal the heart of this guy's crush!"

"Oh shut up, Reiner!" the other Eren laughed, shaking Arima's hand firmly.

"If only we had musicians of your talent on Viltrum!" Omni Man added, extending his large hand. Kousei shook it and grimaced as the Viltrumite hero shook his hand. Omni Man may have looked old, but his grip was strong!

"It was nothing guys, really!" Kousei insisted meekly.

"Oh come on now lad, don't put yourself down!" Captain Carter teased. "I bet the ladies in your class all wanted you to be their date to the dance."

Kousei blushed. "Um, not exactly."

The Guardians unanimously insisted to the Watcher that they have just a small celebration before they return to their timelines, as their missions together would most likely not be frequent. The Watcher, though reluctant, agreed, and the next couple hours were filled with drinks, food, and laughter as the interdimensional allies traded jokes and stories from their timelines. Kousei couldn't drink any alcohol of course, so he settled for some milk and seasoned egg sandwiches. As Arima gobbled down the much-needed sustenance, he glanced at Strange Supreme. Up until now, Kousei hadn't noticed, but he saw great, dark bags under the sorcerer's eyes plus a general look of tiredness and regret in his face. Kousei's curiosity got the better of him, and he politely asked the sorcerer what exactly had happened to him.

"Well...the same thing you went through," Strange smiled at him. "Love."

Soon enough, the heroes were all wanting to go home having eaten and drank their fill. The Watcher began sending them all back to their timelines, eventually getting down to just Black Widow and Kousei. Widow was less than pleased with the prospect of going back to her devastated world, and expressed as such to the Watcher.

"We're the last two people alive in our world," Widow protested, gesturing to Kousei. "Do you really think we want to go back there?"

"Widow, I understand your grief," the Watcher said empathetically. "But I cannot just bend the rules for everyone as I wish."

"You had every. Last. Chance. To stop Dr. Doom before he even got that powerful!" Widow continued resentfully. "But you just sat there! And watched! Does our suffering even mean anything to you?"

Kousei looked at the ground, not wanting to escalate the argument. He always felt awkward when on the sidelines of a tiff. Especially when part of him agreed with what one of the parties was saying. 

"Your stories are precious to me," the Watcher told her. "All of them."

"Excuse me, Watcher," Strange chimed in. "A word?"

Kousei didn't hear what they said, but the next thing he knew, Widow had walked through a portal presumably to their world, leaving only him. He suddenly felt a newfound anger and longing welling up in his chest, and looked The Watcher in the eye as a lump formed in his throat.

"Bring her back." Kousei said.

The Watcher was puzzled. "What?"

Kousei swallowed the lump still forming in his throat, trying to hold back his tears.

"Bring. Her. Back."