"People of Madril! Prepare to be drawn into the unyielding blaze of hell and worship that is me, the Great Evil King Stan!"
No one looked at him, or paid much attention. Now that was really annoying. He had his true form back, for cripe's sake. He was evil incarnate, the acme of sheer badness, and they ignored him!
Calling up a burst of magickal power, Stan threw a ball of light at a large spinning gear. The gear exploded in a flash of yellow-red, and that's when everyone noticed him.
Just as Stan was preparing to make his proclamation once more to the now-fearful residents of Madril, he heard a soft murmur growing louder.
"Gear Love, Gear Love, Gear Love," they were saying; 'they' being the crowd of Gear Love misfits. One, the girl the slave had traded the Worn Brush to for the Rare Gear, stepped up and glared at Stan. He smirked back at her, confident and knowing a mere human posed him no threat.
"I-I'd know your voice anywhere! You're the one who tried to stop all the gears in Madril from spinning--"
"—Until the Spotted Cat Team stopped you that is!" a child's voice cried out. Stan moved his gaze disinterestedly down and past the Gear Freak to see that annoying Maggie, the one who had taken up his time to help rescue her cat.
Stan let out a harsh laugh. "What lower class rabble! Do you really think you can stop moi? I am the Great Evil King, the King of Evil!"
As he laughed, Maggie drew visibly agitated. The Gear Freaks were collectively throwing enchanted gears at him, but Stan could barely feel the metal things hit him.
You're not a king!" Maggie shouted. "You're just a pathetic shadow!!" (Even though he was obviously not a shadow at that time) "We can take you!"
Stan's eyes glinted malevolently. "Just a shadow, am I?" He clenched a fist. "Does it look like I'm a shadow now?! Here, girl, have you ever seen a shadow do this!!"
The elevator up to the top floor of Madril exploded. Next, the gear that opened up the way out of town collapsed in a heap of smoldering rubble and twisted metal.
Maggie shrieked. "Hey you! Stop doing that to our town! We'll bash you so--" A hand was then clamped over her mouth and, surprisingly, it was the Young Man Who Believes In Justice.
"Don't listen to her! Please, just leave our town in peace… We-we'll…"
"—Do whatever you say!" Maggie's father broke in. Maggie glared at her father with anger and shock. Stan crossed his arms and laughed again, throwing his head back a bit. "Now this, this is more like it! You shall all become my loyal servants, your lives all devoted to me!"
Before he could continue, enjoying this as the next step toward world conquest, yet another voice rang out. Stan wasn't too surprised to hear the tone, one he had endured throughout his previous journey.
"Hey, you excuse for an Evil King! Stop that!"
Stan turned halfway 'round to see Rosalyn nimbly hopping amid the gear rubble into Madril. She landed on her feet and instantly put her rapier to his temple.
"Now, stop this! I am a Hero and therefore I must stop you! I give you this one chance to retreat before we fine out—uhm…"
The King grinned. "How about, 'If Evil Kings bleed red'? You're still the same empty shell of a hillbilly Hero. My campaign of evil has begun, and no change of clothes can stop me!"
It was true. Rosalyn's outfit had changed since she and the others had parted ways after Beiloune's defeat. Instead of the weird shirt she had had on, there was a ragged white jacket and blue t-shirt. Her parasol was nowhere in sight, yet she had a normal shadow. A dull pink layer of fabric lined the inside of her skirt, through the slits of which blue pants could be seen.
"At least…at least I've been making good of my time! I got accepted back as a Hero since I have this pink lining on my--" Hey!! Why am I telling you this?!" Rosalyn cried, strengthening her grip on her rapier's hilt.
"Probably because you're a scatterbrain Hero," Stan said mildly, ignoring the drop of red blood that exuded from the side of his head. "Anyway, this town is now under my control. If you want to leave in one piece, I suggest you do it now."
"Leave?! Leave you to ransack this city and do who knows what to the citizens of Madril?! Never!" Rosalyn brandished her weapon and took a threatening swipe at Stan's torso, but there to meet her blade was already a floppy black shadow.
"Even if you were quick enough to touch me with that toothpick of a sword, ('Lightning Rapier' you were once called, no?) it could never harm me! Now… to prove my absolute victory of this day, I will have my very new set of slaves drive you out themselves… and then the Hero's Club will be remodeled into an enlistment office for all wishing to save their pathetic existences and become perfectly loyal to moi!" Stan disappeared in a black and red haze, only to reappear above the Hero's Club.
"Now, slaves, attack! Drive the Hero woman from my town!" Stan then shot blasts down into the building below, and a fiery mist surrounded the shifting ruins. Meanwhile, all the residents of Madril advanced upon Rosalyn. The Hero did not wish to harm them, so she kept backing up until she was pressed up against solid rock. The villagers then began to pick up bits of rubble, throwing them near her but purposely missing. Rosalyn didn't have any other choice but to leave, lest her sword be forced upon these innocents.
As Rosalyn was about to begin her climb, a shrill cry resounded, and one citizen pitched forward, throwing a punch. He missed intentionally, she could see that, and struck a full-force blow to the solid rock behind her. Mist formed in the man's eyes.
It was the Young Man Who Believes In Justice.
"Save us, Hero Rosalyn. Please, save us," the Young Man pleaded, his fist shaking, knuckles drenched in blood and dirt against the rock. Tears of pain slid down his face. "Save us."
Rosalyn back up even more, and within an instant she was over the heaped debris, running through Tenel Field, the sound of evil laughter echoing in her ears.