Jack vs Joker
Author's Note: Seeing this story grow is quite astonishing for me. I guess the only real thing I can do is proceed writing. Enjoy the most action-packed chapter thus far!
It'd been seven and a half hours since the trio left the castle, and they've only encountered a few parties of foes. While Ralsei and Kris stood strong and bravely stood up to their rivals, Susie wasn't really feeling up to it. She could hardly raise her ax behind her head, let alone swing it. Though, fortunately for her, the enemies seemed to notice her emotion and most of them didn't even target her. It was only a mere form of entertainment to the wild jester as he waited from the balcony window with a pair of long-range binoculars.
"Oh, ho, ho!" He chuckles audibly. "I see my friends are carrying on pretty well without me!" He sighs for a second and keeps watching. "Good for them." Roulx Kaard emerges from behind and grabs the joker by his shoulders. "HEY!" Jevil shouts as he drops the binoculars, they land on the stone floor of the balcony and shatter.
"Gotcha!" The royal duke exclaims. A bunch of Rudinn Rangers and Head Hathys back him up with their spears and staffs raised.
"What the hell is your problem?!" Jevil exclaims as he stares at the broken lenses. "Those binoculars were a special gift my best friend gave me before solitary confinement!" He shouts with fury. Roulx rolls his eyes.
"Didn't we tell you to get out of Spade Castle?" He asks in an agitated tone. Jevil growls subtly.
"Well, you blind dumbass! If you haven't noticed, the balcony counts as 'outside' now doesn't it?!" He asks in anger. Roulx eyes one of the rangers to come forward.
"Put the cuffs on him!" He commands. Jevil bides in all of his anger as the ranger locks his wrists together behind him.
"This is an unlawful arrest!" He exclaims. "I'm not even standing on the balcony floor!" Roulx twirls Jevil around so he can face them. The jester flinches once he notices the number of guards that are against him. "What's the matter?" He asks in a much lower tone. The head ranger slithers forward.
"The problem is we warned you to leave this castle immediately, and then you chose to overstep your boundary." Jevil rolls his eyes.
"Actually, you brainless snake, I simply decided not to go anywhere after I left." He asserts. "And right now, I'm enjoying a front row seat to the adventure of the fun gang I chose to quit." Roulx raises an eyebrow.
"Fun gang huh?" He questions with a dumbfounded look. "You don't seem like the type of person who would leave something fun." The joker sighs.
"I left because they were boring me. They took no agreement in my proposal to murder the Spade King!" He says with tense wrist movements. He wasn't succeeding to make any progress. Roulx stares at him with his arms crossed.
"When are you going to get over your grudge against the Spade King?" He asks. Jevil rolls his eyes and then glares at the duke.
"Perhaps when he's dead!" He exclaims. Roulx sighs deeply as the jester proceeds to hold his hands high. "Now how about releasing me from these annoying wrist traps?!" He asks as everyone shakes their head.
"I'll let you go on one condition." Roulx remarks. "You need to tell me you released the lighteners from the Miraculous Heartthrob." The joker lowers his eyebrows.
"And, do you really want me to lie to you?" He asks as Roulx gasps.
"You didn't undo your curse?!" He exclaims frightfully. All the guards begin chattering at each other with scared expressions.
"What?!" Jevil questioningly exclaims as everyone quiets down and faces him. "You told me to leave the castle, and Susie was asleep in said castle, it's not my fault I haven't run into her today!" The royal duke frowns.
"It's almost Four-thirty and you haven't retracted the card?" The jester sighs in annoyance.
"No, I haven't!" He answers. "But it's not legal to imprison me as a result of it." Roulx points to the elevator inside the castle and faces the head ranger.
"I've heard enough. He's guilty." Jevil growls loudly as the duke continues. "Take him back to solitary confinement." The Rudinn Ranger slithers behind Jevil and pushes him forward.
"You cannot do this!" Jevil angrily shouts as the crowd of guards move aside for them to get through.
"Actually, we can." The ranger remarks. "No one ever approved of your release in the first place." He says as they enter the elevator. He selects the mystery floor button and the door closes behind them. Jevil sighs loudly and his anger turns into sadness.
"But I don't want to go back to prison!" He pouts emotionally. "Nobody ever comes and visits me!" The ranger slaps him on the back of the head. "Ow!" He yelps.
"You have the right to remain silent." He asserts. Jevil glares deeply.
"You have no legal right to assault a criminal already contained." The ranger slaps him again. "Ow!"
"I said be quiet!" He exclaims in a gruff voice. Jevil sighs as they reach the mystery floor. "Now I hope you have fun in your home sweet jail cell." He tauntingly says as the joker levitates a little higher, but still in the ranger's reach.
"No." He says in a quieter tone. "I refuse to go back." The jester quietly remarks. The ranger frowns and stabs him with his sharp sword. The joker yelps quietly but doesn't verbally respond.
"Get in the damn cell!" He shouts as the joker tugs away from him. He then frowns sinisterly and turns around.
"Oh, knock it off with the police brutality!" Jevil exclaims loudly. The ranger glares at him.
"Technically, I'm allowed to beat you until you bleed if you don't comply to arrest." Jevil makes a horrifying glare.
"OH REALLY?!" He screams. The ranger shrugs.
"You can scream all you want Jevil. No one can hear you!" The ranger reminds him and raises his sword. "Get in the jail cell right now!" He exclaims.
"Never!" Jevil furiously responds.
"Fine!" The ranger fires a diamond spear from his sword.
"Metamorphosis!" Jevil exclaims as his body shapeshifts into the Devil's Knife. The spear ricochets off of him as the ranger gasps and the handcuffs fall to the floor.
"What the hell?!" The ranger exclaims in shock. "How did you do that?!" The joker transforms back into himself and frowns darkly at the ranger.
"I can do anything." He says in a sociopathic tone. "And now," He summons a bunch of spades, clubs, and hearts. "You're going to wish you could do anything about this!" He fires the barrage of suits at the ranger.
"NO!" He exclaims loudly as the projectiles shred him in multiple locations. He falls on his back and releases his pain. "AAAAHHHHHH!" He loudly screams in response to his agony. Jevil rolls his eyes and steps on him. The helpless ranger worryingly locks eyes with him.
"You pathetic dumbass." Jevil comments in a disappointed tone. "You just told me no one could hear us." The ranger shivers madly. "And now you would like to try your luck as nobody comes to your rescue?" He asks. The ranger shivers as tears come out of his eyes.
"Please, don't kill me." He mumbles in a scared tone. Jevil frowns and holds the Devil's Knife to the ranger's heart.
"Really? You want me to grant you mercy?" He asks. "After slapping and stabbing me despite my pleas not to, you have the nerve to lie in pain and tell me you're innocent?" The ranger continues shedding tears as Jevil sneers at the sight of his empty cell. "Perhaps you'd feel better if I threw you in jail and saw how you like it." The ranger rapidly shakes his head nervously.
"No! Please! I'm sorry!" He begs prayerfully. Jevil sighs and withdraws his diamond card.
"You know what? I'm sorry too." He casts the diamond card and helps the ranger up. "In fact, I'd like you to continue living a happy life." The ranger gasps and nearly weeps.
"Really?!" He couldn't believe this. Jevil smiles proudly and nods.
"Yes, in fact, I think it's time you retire your life of assaulting prisoners and go home to your family." He says as he hands the Rudinn a shiny crystal.
"Ooh! It's so pretty!" He exclaims in excitement as he faces the Joker. "How can I ever repay you?!" He asks happily. Jevil gives a coy smile and points at the elevator door.
"You can quit your job as the head ranger and spend your rich diamond on a large mansion for your family." He says as the ranger squeals.
"Are you kidding?! This crystal might as well buy me this entire castle!" He shouts. "Thank you so much!" Jevil humbly shrugs.
"Oh please, don't thank me. Thank the rich diamond card." He reveals the card and the ranger gasps in awe.
"Wow! You decided to use this card on someone who abused you?! You're too pure for this world!" He praises. Jevil shrugs.
"I'm humble, I know." He points at the elevator. "But please, go home now and tell all the guards to fuck themselves on the way out." He says as his expression changes.
"Oh for you, anything!" The ranger shouts as he dashes up the stairs and enters the elevator. Jevil gives a sinister smirk as he reads the label of the card.
"Give your enemies the illusion of infinite wealth so they'll spend money until the point they can't afford their own clothes." He smiles evilly and levitates toward the elevator. "In one week, he'll be living inside a trash can where he belongs." He waits for about a minute and then taps the button and the elevator comes back to him. After he rides back up and exits the moving floor, the guards are all standing with shocked expressions. "Oh, what is the matter, everyone?" Jevil tauntingly asks. Roulx begins shedding tears.
"It was horrible, our head ranger dashed out and told us to fuck ourselves!" He flinches once he makes eye contact with the joker. "Wait! What are you doing out?!" All the guards raise their weapons and face him.
"I paid your stupid guard off so he would spare me." He reveals the Rich Diamond. "I gave him an illusion that will trap him in poverty forever." Everyone gasps as he slips the spade card out behind his back.
"You cannot do that!" Roulx shouts.
"I can do anything!" Jevil retaliates. All the guards point their weapons toward him.
"Get him!" Roulx exclaims. Jevil doesn't move an inch as the guards charge toward him.
"On the contrary," Jevil says with a sinister frown as the guards approach him quickly. "I'VE GOT YOU!" He quickly flashes the spade card in front of him and suddenly all the guards stop charging.
"Whoa!" One of them grunts.
"Our weapons!" Another shouts. "They're heavy!" Roulx begins crying subtly as he sees the jester hold a mystical shovel up.
"Why?" The duke asks, almost unable to speak. Jevil levitates out of reach and waves around at the guards, now holding shovels instead of spears or staffs.
"Fear not dear servants," Jevil calls out in a savior's voice. "I only have one request upon all of you." The Rudinns and Hathys gasp as he holds the spade end of the shovel toward them. "All you have to do, to get your weapons and powers back, is dig a deep hole to bury the Spade King in." The royal duke holds his hands in front of his mouth.
"Why did you dare play the Spade Slave?" He asks in a broken voice. Jevil sighs and descends next to him.
"Well Roulx Kaard, sometimes the entire world is against you. And the only way to even things out is to play dirty." He faces the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, as punishment for harassing the lighteners, and unlawfully arresting me, I command you to go outside and dig the deepest hole you can imagine! We're going to bury the Spade King in the backyard!" The guards stare at their shovels as Roulx sighs.
"I can't believe you actually played that card." He remarks as the guards walk outside with saddened looks. Jevil shrugs and pats the duke on the shoulder.
"It's alright Roulx. The lesson has been learned." He closes his eyes and holds an arm beside him. "Next time I warn you all that I'm going to get you, please don't make it worse." He shoves the shovel into Roulx's hands and points to the door. "Now get digging." The duke frowns and shakes his head.
"No! You can't do this! This is illegal! Slavery is against the law!" He exclaims. Jevil tauntingly shakes his head.
"Sorry pal, you should've thought about that before you broke the law first and had me imprisoned." He firmly points at the door. "Now get moving pretty boy! That hole won't dig itself!" Roulx sighs and shakes his head.
"Jevil, you're a mad, mad, mad, person." He says in a defeated tone. Jevil shrugs.
"Well Roulx, you're no less guilty yourself for harassing children, setting traps, or making our new King wear a crown that hurts his head." Roulx gasps.
"How do you know all of this?" He asks curiously. Jevil transforms back into the Devil's Knife.
"I've been with the lighteners since they entered in the castle." He transforms back. "Even though despite the lighteners going all out on me, Susie didn't swing my weapon once at anyone other than the Spade King." He sighs in a depressed tone. "And we all know how that battle ended." Roulx nods shamefully.
"I guess you're right." He faces the jester. "But you're not actually serious about murdering King Spade, are you?" Jevil folds his arms.
"I'm done joking Mr. Kaard." He points to the door. "Get out and get to work please." He states.
"You're a nut," Roulx says as he exits the room. Jevil smiles widely.
"Now I feel very well avenged!" He exclaims victoriously.
In the next room, Lancer finished writing a paper he decided to write after spending all day thinking about his friends. He glances over the letter and proofreads it.
*Dear Susie, I'm really sorry for being so tough on you earlier. After a few hours of being alone in the castle, I still can't get you out of my head. If you'll ever come back and change your mind about letting me stay on the team, I'd love to spend time getting to know you, and who knows? Maybe one day I'll love you back.*
"That looks pretty good." The spade prince comments to himself as he writes one last part. "Your best friend, Lancer." He sets the pencil aside and exits his room. He pauses at the sight of Jevil dancing around manically.
"I won! I won!" He chants. "WAHOO!" He proceeds to celebrate. Lancer frowns.
"Jevil!" The joker turns around and faces the blackjack. "What are you doing?"
"I'm celebrating!" He exclaims. "Because, though your father is still alive, I've secured my revenge on everyone who dare oppose me!" He laughs hysterically as the prince levitates forward and hands him the letter.
"Okay. But is there any chance I can get you to read over this letter and spell check it for me?" The joker chuckles and grabs the paper.
"Oh, this?" He suddenly begins doing origami. "This little airplane is about to take off!" Lancer gasps.
"Wait!" He shouts as Jevil tosses the paper airplane off the balcony. "NO!" He exclaims sadly.
"Wahoo! We have liftoff!" Jevil celebrates as Lancer glares at him.
"Dude! I spent all day thinking over what I'd say in that letter!" Jevil rolls his eyes.
"Do you see any mailmen around here?" Lancer facepalms and points at his bike.
"I was going to deliver it to Susie myself!" He asserts as Jevil shrugs.
"Too bad, too sad. Just write another one." He rudely remarks. The blackjack glares.
"Say, didn't I ask you to leave this place?" He asks under suspicion. Jevil shrugs and shakes his head.
"I'm sorry, the last time checked, you were joining the lighteners on their odyssey." He opens his eyes and makes eye contact with him. "So why do you care where I am?" Lancer sighs.
"Susie told me not to come with them." He shamefully admits. "She said she'd rather die in battle knowing I'm okay rather than surviving a battle when I don't make it." Jevil metronomes his finger.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." He turns around and shrugs. "Typical bullies. They think they're so much better than you and so they need to belittle the people who trust them." Lancer flinches and then gives Jevil a stern look.
"Take that back!" He asserts. Jevil shrugs.
"As if I need to take orders from someone one fifth my age." He gives the spade boy a careless look. "Besides, if Susie said that, that's just a polite way of saying; you're too weak to be part of this team." Lancer's eye twitches.
"Jevil! You're triggering me!" He exclaims as the joker giggles a few times.
"You look hilarious when you're angry." He teases. "Perhaps someone needs a nap?" Lancer stomps his foot on the floor.
"That's it! I'm having my servants arrest you!" He levitates to the hallway and pauses. "Wait, where is everyone?" He asks nervously. Jevil gives him an evil smirk.
"I'm afraid they cannot hear you." He answers as he opens the curtains. "For they are now under my control." Lancer gasps and his hidden eyes widen.
"What do you mean?!" He exclaims in fear. Jevil points out the window.
"Look down." The spade boy levitates closer to the window and gasps at the sight of the servants creating a crater in the grass.
"What did you do to them?!" He asks in panic. "Why are they digging?!" Jevil careless shakes his head.
"These poor fools thought defying a chaos lord would grant them a promising fate." His expression turns sinister. "And now I'm having them dig a gigantic hole we will place your father in after I kill him." Lancer immediately turns around and summons a few spades.
"Alright Asshole! You've stepped over the line!" He poises himself. "You're going down!" Jevil chuckles.
"Go ahead, strike me down." He boldly responds. "Everyone is waiting for it, go ahead and kill me." He dares. The blackjack halts his spades.
"What are you playing at?" He asks as Jevil turns around and faces him.
"I'm playing for keeps. If you make a single move, I'll have the full legal rights to counterattack in self-defense." He folds his arms and faces away. "But seeing as how you're only thirteen, it'd be a shame to have to kill you." Lancer resummons the spades.
"I think you're bluffing." He states. Jevil opens his eyes.
"Am I?" Lancer flinches as the joker levitates forward. "My power is beyond your own. With a little determination, Kris was able to guide his team against me, but you are just one small boy with limited power." Lancer's spades fade.
"I suppose." He continues shooting daggers at the jester. "But still, what do you mean everyone wants you dead?" He asks.
"Face it, though your dad is the most heartless demon in the universe, everyone loves him so mercifully since they don't agree with an execution." Jevil pauses and proceeds. "I held a grudge against your purple girlfriend on account of sparing him, and the little goat boy with the toothpaste costume on account of healing him." Lancer raises an eyebrow in confusion.
"You mean Susie and Ralsei?" He asks as the jester nods. "But Susie isn't my girlfriend." Jevil sighs.
"Then it appears you broke her heart." Lancer sighs in shame.
"I already knew that, and that's why I wanted to give her that apologetic letter." He states. Jevil makes eye contact with him.
"You're a nice boy, you know that?" Lancer's expression lightens up slightly.
"Really?" The joker nods.
"Indeed, in fact, I think I can trust you with a little secret." Lancer glooms at the floor.
"Secrets… I suppose so." He says in a sad tone. His eyes light up as Jevil withdraws a bow and arrow. "What the hell?!" He exclaims as the sinister imp pulls the bow back as far as he can.
"If you don't want Susie to feel heartbroken, then let me help you with that." He lets the arrow fly.
"Whoa!" The spade boy quickly fleet-foots to the floor and the arrow flies over his face. He closes his eyes at the sound of the arrow piercing the wall. "Why'd you do that?!" Lancer asks in fear as he gets back on his feet and continues panting. Jevil gives a fake innocent look.
"I'm sorry. I was only trying to help you reach your heart." His grin turns dark. "Like I did with Susie." The blackjack gasps and nearly freezes to the core upon hearing that.
"You…" Jevil nods. "You put Susie in love?" Lancer manages to say with a completely astonished look on his face.
"Indeed I have, and seeing as how happy Ralsei is right now, I don't see how I've done anything wrong." Lancer glares.
"You're the reason Susie and Ralsei fell in love with me and Kris?!" He roars. The joker tauntingly bobs his chin up and down.
"Aw, you look angry again." He starts chuckling repeatedly. "It's so priceless!" Lancer summons a few spades.
"I am going to kill you!" He shouts as he fires the sharp tips at the jester.
"Ha, ha, ha!" Jevil's neck bounces around on a spring as the spades strike him. "That tickled!" He cheers and then poises himself. "Let the games begin!" He suddenly teleports behind Lancer and fires five spades at him.
"AH!" The blackjack manages to avoid them, but when he faces Jevil, he's already behind him. Lancer sways back and forth to avoid the tiny spades as they come toward him. "What the hell?!" He exclaims. Jevil chuckles and teleports back in front of him.
"What? Did you really think I would only attack once?" Jevil asks as he taps his chin with a teasing look. "No wonder Susie was so easy to hurt." Lancer's eyes dart at him.
"That's it!" He hops on his flaming bike. "Take this!" He drives toward Jevil at full force and crashes his wheel onto him. The Joker's head bounces around again.
"Were those spades to small?" He snaps his finger and large ones appear. "Then let's play the ring around!" The spades fly at him in a single file pattern one at a time. Lancer spins donuts on his wheels and successfully escapes the wrath of the ring-around.
"My turn!" He shouts furiously as his bike generates a few spades of his own. Jevil laughs as the items strike his skin.
"Oh, ho, ho. You little sinner." He makes a dark grin. "My hearts go out to you." Lancer pauses.
"Hearts?" His heart rate picks up as a barrage of hearts circle him in a square's formation. "AH!" He rides around in attempt to avoid them all, but unfortunately, a lone heart hits him. "Ow!" He yelps. Jevil chuckles.
"Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry little prince." He taunts. Lancer revs up and slams his wheels against him again. "HA!" He squints as his body shifts. "Metamorphosis." He mumbles as he shapeshifts into the Devil's Knife.
"Oh god!" Lancer exclaims as he drives his bike around four floating knives as they moved toward each other and then propelled back out. After a few waves, he was hit. "Ah!" He struggles to stay on his wheels as Jevil transforms back. "My turn!" He summons five spades and launches them directly at the crazed Joker.
"Ha, ha, ha! This is really fun!" Jevil remarks as he summons a bunch of mystical horses. "Let's ride the carousel!" Lancer slams his fist to his handle.
"This is not a card!" He whines as a carousel propels a bunch of floating stallions his direction. "You can't do this!"
"I can do anything!" The joker responds as Lancer successfully rides along without getting hit. Lancer crashes his wheel against Jevil again. "Join the club young prince."
"Never!" Lancer declares as large clovers hover toward him in pairs of three. The spade boy proceeds to drive around and dodge the clubs as his spades strike the jester again.
"Hearts, diamonds, my powers have no limits!" Jevil exclaims as diamonds begin emerging from the floor. The spade boy drives back and forth as the diamonds miss him.
"Okay, stop that already!" He demands as he drives Jevil down again. Jevil stands up with a dizzy look.
"Who keeps spinning the world around?" Lancer cowers as another fresh circle of spades home in on him. This time he's struck by a loose end.
"OUCH!" He exclaims as he begins losing turbulence. The poor prince uncontrollably drives into another spade. "OW!" He exclaims as he falls off his bike. "Oh." Jevil chuckles and levitates forward.
"Do you surrender now, little boy?" Lancer glares and gets back on his feet.
"Not even close!" He summons more spades, this time seven of them hit the joker.
"Ha, ha, ha!" His head bounces around. "You seriously know no limits. Do you?!" More horses and ducks levitate toward him.
"Not the carousel again." Lancer mumbles as he jumps over and ducks under the moving animals. A lone duck bonks him on the head. "OW!" He exclaims before aiding his injury. Jevil gives him a taunting look.
"Is someone not cut out for the fun? Maybe Susie was right about you." Lancer grabs his bike and drives the joker down again. "You really are fun, aren't you?" He comments as a whole lot of spades branch out in a clock shaped barrage, twelve at a time.
"This is not fun!" Lancer shouts furiously as he successfully dodges the attack. "Screw yourself!" He fires a large spade at the jester.
"Ha, ha, ha!" Jevil laughs and smiles joyfully. "It's so beautiful." More clubs appear, they fire nine pellets out in lines of three at a quick pace. Lancer is grazed.
"Owie!" He takes a deep breath. "Stop being so chaotic!" He demands.
"Aw," Jevil says in a joyful tone as he summons a dark red blade. "Even the Devil's Knife is smiling." Lancer's heart stops once the knives reappear. He makes his best effort to avoid them, but unfortunately, a large red one strikes him.
"OW!" He screams as he falls off his bike again. Jevil levitates closer.
"You really are too week to be among the lighteners." Lancer stamps his foot.
"Shut up!" He fires ten straight spades at the floating jester. He laughs maniacally when he's hit.
"You've got a lot of spirit kid." He shivers tensely. "I can't take it!" He suddenly teleports all around the room and fires a single diamond each time. Lancer steps, right, left, up, up, down, down, left, right, and avoids everything.
"Not bad Jevil." He compliments as he grabs his bike. "But not good either!" His wheels generate spades that home in and strike the jester.
"Oh, this is it, Lancer!" He summons a barrage of everything. Lancer drives back and forth to avoid the spades and hearts, though, a diamond grazes his skin.
"Ouch!" He exclaims as he flips off his bike and lands into a club. "AH!" He painfully cries out. The joker chuckles evilly.
"I really think you should withdraw now." He recommends. Lancer gathers all of his strength and summons a large spade.
"No! I won't!" He sends the spade directly at the joker. Though Jevil doesn't laugh this time.
"Okay, you're beginning to tire me out." He comments as more diamonds emerge from the ground at a much slower pace. Lancer gives a daring grin as he easily avoids them.
"Aw, are you too tired?" He revs forward. "My bike is also two-tiered!" He slams the joker upward on his wheels. Jevil laughs once.
"Just kidding, you've earned my final chaos!" He transforms into the Devil's Knife.
"What?!" Lancer freezes in fear as a bunch of large knives begin falling from the ceiling.
"Bye-bye!" Jevil calls as the knives hit the floor and create a large eruption upon landing.
"AAAHHHH!" Lancer drives back and forth in full effort to avoid this minefield, but his tire trips up and he lands in an explosion. "OW!" He shouts as Jevil transforms into a huge knife and slowly lowers closer to him. "No!" The blackjack shuts his eyes as the knife gets closer, but he doesn't feel any pain. "Huh?" He opens his eyes and sees Jevil dancing around.
"Ha! You were so scared it was hilarious!" He exclaims. The spade boy frowns.
"Okay, that is it! Fun's over!" He gets on his bike and spins around rapidly, the spades hover in and strike the crazed jester in multiple spots.
"Aw, it's never over." Lancer facepalms. "Metamorphosis." The Devil's knives reappear and come toward the spade prince. As he makes it his best effort to dodge them, the big red one knocks him off the bike.
"OW!" Lancer screams loudly in agony. But the merciless jester proceeds the attack and he's hit again. "OW!" The spade prince falls forward on the floor nearly unable to move or speak. The joker reappears.
"Have you had enough already?" He asks in a more annoyed tone. Lancer nods lightly. "Good. Now I only need you to make one thing clear."
"What?" Lancer mumbles weakly. Jevil lifts up Lancer's head and whispers into his ear.
"Can I please kill your father now?" Lancer frowns.
"No!" He shouts as another Devil's Knife hit's him on the head. "Ouch!" His face plummets on the floor.
"And to think you could've run this tragic kingdom is pathetic!" Jevil pouts. He turns back to a motionless Lancer. "Well, he's dead." He makes a saddened face for a few seconds. "Why did I need to kill my own dear cousin?" He sighs deeply and mourns his helpless relative for a second. "I'm dearly sorry Lancer. But you were in my way, and I never once intended for anyone other than your father to receive this fate." He turns around and faces the door. "Don't you worry, your father will follow you into the tomb." As he's about to leave the room, a large spade blocks his path. "What the hell?!" Jevil turns around to see Lancer holding his head and arm up.
"Jevil…" The joker gasps.
"Lancer! How are you still alive after all that?!" He nearly squeals in fear as a countless number of spades appear in the room.
"I'm just getting warmed up here!" Lancer cries victoriously as he fires every single sharp spade at the floating joker.
"AH!" Jevil suddenly begins blinking. "No." He mumbles weakly as he descends to the floor. "You beat me." Lancer glares and nods.
"Damn right I did!" He summons a few more spades. "Nobody messes with my friends! Nobody!" He sends the spades at the weak jester.
"Ow!" Jevil cries out in pain and flops forward. He holds himself up on his right arm. "What?" Lancer levitates forward.
"What do you mean what?!" He shouts. "You played with Susie's heart! And now you and I are the reason she's heartbroken!" His eyes begin watering. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" The joker sighs.
"Lancer… I am." He says in a quiet, but completely serious tone. Lancer's mystical spades vanish.
"What? You're sorry?" He asks. The joker shakes his head.
"No, I am ashamed." He slowly gets up. "I am ashamed of myself for letting my hatred for the Spade King hurt the lives of other people." He squints. "But I'm not sorry I feel this way about him." Lancer frowns.
"Why do you hate my dad so much?" He asks. "Who did he kill?" The jester sighs.
"He killed almost everyone I knew, and then he threw me in jail." Lancer sighs.
"He killed your family?" He asks as Jevil nods. "Your best friends?" He nods again. "But why?" Lancer asks. "Why did he kill them?" Jevil sighs.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" He asks before frowning. "I will not confirm that to you." Lancer levitates forward.
"No seriously, why did my dad hate everyone you knew?" He asks as the joker turns away.
"I'm sorry Lancer, but I'm afraid the reason behind it is a little deeper than I'm capable of sharing." Jevil states. "But my only spite against your friends was allowing the king to win." Lancer sighs.
"Is that why you made Susie fall in love?" The jester nods. The spade boy sighs and points at himself. "But why me? Why'd you make me her love interest?" The Joker suddenly takes his hat off and faces him.
"I'm so sorry," Jevil says as he begins crying silently. "When I shot Susie, I wanted the satisfaction of watching her struggle to try maintaining a healthy relationship. When I found out you were in the area, my goal was to put her in love with you, and then the pain of being too scared to tell you would hurt her for a long time." The blackjack holds his arm out.
"But she did tell me! She told me this morning." Lancer remarks as Jevil turns away.
"I'm sorry. I actually thought you liked her back." He says. "I wanted a little revenge so she would be hopelessly in love with you, but I never took into account that you wouldn't return the feeling." He glances out the window. "Did you know when Ralsei told Kris how he felt, the young lad returned the feeling?" Lancer nods.
"I'm completely aware." Jevil turns back to him.
"But the courage they show in battle, the bond that allows them to strengthen one another." He pauses. "That power keeps them both determined, and if anyone including the Spade King ever did something to one of them, the other one would die in battle if it meant avenging them." He puts his hat back on. "If the Spade King knocked Ralsei down right now, Kris wouldn't show any mercy until the king was dead. He wouldn't hesitate to stab your father, he'd just bury the blade into his throat at full force." He sighs. "I thought, that as sinister as my revenge was, it'd be necessary, and good things would come later on." Lancer nearly weeps at this.
"So that's why you did this? You wanted to make them stronger?" Jevil shakes his head.
"No, my rage toward your dad lead me to that. But the only reason I didn't undo the spell is because I'd hoped I'd bring the team closer together." He points to the balcony. "But I failed. Here you are in the castle while Susie is out there risking her life for the fate of this world." He turns around. "I'm not a hero at all." Lancer sighs.
"Jevil, you've done some bad things for sure. But are you being honest with me right now?" He asks. The joker nods but continues facing away from him.
"Yes." He answers. "I thought maybe you'd have the heart to be Susie's boyfriend." Lancer flinches.
"Please be more specific." He asks. Jevil turns around.
"I thought maybe since you both come from broken homes with abusive parents and low-quality food, maybe you'd see right into each other's hearts and learn the feeling of love." Lancer sighs deeply.
"Jevil, I'm sorry this happened to you." He states. "However, I need you to understand something." He faces him. "I have to arrest you." Jevil sighs.
"Under what charges?" He asks. Lancer points outside.
"For enslaving my servants and nearly killing me, you need to spend some time behind bars." Jevil sighs deeply.
"Fair enough." He faces the door. "I'll go tell one of the Rudinns to lock me up." He says as he floats out, before stopping and facing him one more time. "Lancer." The spade boy looks up at him.
"Yeah Jevil?" He responds. The Joker gives him a coy smile through his sadness.
"Is there any chance you'll learn to love Susie?" He asks proudly. Lancer shrugs and glooms.
"I don't know." He responds. "Probably not." Jevil floats over to the area on the wall he hit earlier and pulls the arrow out. "What are you doing with that?" He asks as the Joker pulls out the Stop Codon.
"If I can help in any way, I'd like to combine these powers." He sticks the head of the arrow into the stop sign on the cover and the red heart on the end turns whitish. The spade boy hovers forward.
"What is that?" He asks as Jevil turns to him and smiles cutely.
"It's a change of heart." He responds. "You can use this to remove Susie's love for you and minimize it to a platonic friendship." He points at Lancer's heart. "Or, you can use it on yourself to learn what feelings she has for you and then share them." He hands Lancer the arrow.
"Thanks, Jevil, I think I'll reduce your sentence now." He says joyfully. Jevil chuckles.
"Alright, how long?" He asks.
"One week." The spade boy responds. Jevil nods coyly.
"One week, that shouldn't be too hard." He says as he floats out. After the jester is out of the room, the French chef enters the room.
"What did I miss young prince?" He asks Lancer.
"You missed the toughest battle I ever fought." The blackjack responds. "Hey," He faces the chef. "Can I get you to invite my three friends back here for a special feast." The chef gasps.
"A feast?!" He exclaims as Lancer nods. "But, it's almost five thirty! I don't know if I have time to track them down and then cook!" Lancer pats the chef on the shoulder.
"Come on sir, use one of the dimensional doors." He grabs a lighter. "And I'll get the grill started for you in the meantime." The chef smiles.
"Oui! Au revoir my friend!" He cheerfully shouts as he runs out of the room. Lancer looks back at the balcony and glances at his arrow.
"Please hang in there Susie." He says.
Author's Note: And, that was the longest one I've written so far. In case you're wondering about the Jevil battle, I was actually playing that battle as I wrote this chapter, and the times Lancer got hit, represented an attack I failed to avoid. Whenever he fell off the bike, one of the protagonists went down. Ultimately, Jevil's a tough foe and I failed to beat him, but I'm pretty sure if Lancer was playable, he would've been a walk in the park. Lancer's durability is off the charts in this game!
Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Chapter 8 is next!
