Author's notes: After that incredibly short Christmas vacation, I'm back and ready to roll. Oh guess what? I got the latest Disgaea novel: 'On Love', a perfect novel for Laharl/Flonne fans. You'll be literally laughing out loud when you see that little scene of Laharl accidentally peeking at Flonne…while she's taking a bath. You just have to see his face. Too bad its only part one. I will be sure to pick up part two as well as the first novel 'Enter the Maoh'.
As for the questions about not making Laharl the cross breed, just wait and see for yourself. Seriously, just because Laharl's has a demon father and a human mother doesn't automatically make him a cross breed or a half demon or whatever you want to call it. It just makes it more likely. I took bio and I know very well that a cross breed occurs more likely if the two parents are of different races, but doesn't actually mean it. This is just to make you guys aware, but wait and see if Laharl is actually a cross breed. Besides, if Laharl were a half demon, then it would screw up all that Flonne has done in the game (Remember, Flonne is trying to show that DEMONS have love in their hearts, using Laharl as an example). Oh and Bella, once again, this was Quick Edit's fault. I don't know why admin. Tells us to use Quick Edit to edit when it adds even more typos and errors (Quick Edit is really messing up my fics. Admin. HAS TO fix it, for they are the one's who say to check everything through Quick Edit)
Anyway, time to get this next chapter out. Like I said before, Laharl and the others begin to celebrate a certain holiday. No, it's not Christmas. This one is a total Laharl/Flonne chapter. Think of this as the calm before the storm. Now read on!
Disclaimer: I don't own any character in Disgaea, except for Yuki, the black-cloaked dude (who'll finally be named at the end of the chapter), and the mysterious duo, Chiroko and Kuroyami.
Episode 7: Taking the Next Step
It has already been two weeks since Yuki's last visit. Flonne stared out into the Netherworld. It was early morning once again, but this time it was…a little too early. Flonne kept looking for any sign of an angel coming down onto the balcony. With her was the feather that Yuki gave her before he left. She waited for his return, hoping to get more out of him. Then…
"Flonne…"
Flonne quickly turned around, this time trying her best not to whack the person behind her. She was relieved. It was only Laharl. "Ah, Laharl-san, why are you awake so early in the morning?"
"I could ask you the same question." Laharl replied, as he came out onto the balcony. He already knew about Flonne's hobby in watching the Netherworld 'wake up', but there was something odd about her coming out here lately.
"Don't you remember? I come out here to watch the sleepy Netherworld become a fully active Netherworld."
"I know that, but you've been coming out here a little too early lately." Laharl was right. Ever since they saved Priere in the Alternate Netherworld, Flonne has been leaving the bedroom earlier than usual. Even ifit were to watch the Netherworld become alive, she wouldn't get up so early just to do that."It's no wonder you've been so wobbly when you go down to make breakfast."
"I'm sorry, Laharl-san."
"It's okay, Flonne. Now tell me why you're out here so early."
Flonne couldn't hide it anymore. She had to tell the truth. "I…just want to see him."
"Him?"
"Yeah. About a month ago…I met a guy, an angel actually. He has become my newest friend…but it's been two weeks since I last saw him. I don't know where he is anymore."
"So you're out here waiting for him?" Laharl asked her.
"Yes. He always comes to me early in the morning. I was hoping he'd come by if I woke up a little earlier."
Laharl began to grin. Soon that turned into a chuckle. There was a gleam in his eye. All these indicated one thing: he wanted to meet him. "Hmhmhm. So the Love Freak is out here for a new friend? I must meet this guy! I wanna turn him into my vassal!!!"
It was just as Flonne predicted. Laharl would only like this guy if he strong in battle or if he were to become his vassal. That's when something popped into her head. "Hey, Laharl-san, can you be his friend?"
"Are you serious…?"
"Yeah! That way all of us can be friends!"
Despite all that has happened, Laharl's view on love and friendship hasn't changed much. He was still the type of demon who would resent it. "No way!! I don't wanna be dragged into your gay friendship thing again, you Love Freak!!!"
"LAHARL-SAN!!!"
He stared back at Flonne, with fiery eyes. It seemed like Laharl had resentment towards a certain person. "I told you before: I hate love! I hate friendship! Besides, that 'friend' of yours makes you wait outside too early in the morning and this has been going on for two weeks!!!"
"I just want to see him again…that's all…"
"Still are you gonna wait here for him all night?"
"Of course, I am. I want to see him."
"I see…"
Flonne saw a pained look on Laharl's face. She didn't know why he was getting upset over it, but it seemed like the more they talked about him, the more he'd get upset. Suddenly, she began to realize why Laharl might be a little upset: he could be a tiny bit afraid of her new friend. He was afraid that her new friend would be the new existence in her heart. In other words, he was almost jealous. Flonne decided to speak no more about it. "I'm sorry…if I…hurt your feelings…Laharl-san…"
"You didn't hurt anything. You're always standing out here, waiting for your friend. It gets really cold out here early in the morning. I don't want to have to take care of you just because you're waiting for your friend…"
So he was also worried about me… Flonne patted Laharl on the head, hoping to cheer him up. "I'm sorry; I won't stay out here so early anymore."
"Good. Now get inside before you catch a cold." As Laharl was about to go back inside, Flonne stopped him. "Hm? What is it now?"
Flonne hesitated a bit. She didn't want to hurt him any further, but she wanted to know, so she asked him. "Can you please answer my question: will you be his friend?"
Laharl stared at her for a minute. He didn't know how to answer back. Even if he didn't like Flonne's new friend, he didn't want to make Flonne sad again. Laharl sighed and decided to nod. "Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt. He should at least become my vassal." Flonne felt overjoyed. Laharl finally agreed with her. Not only that, but Laharl didn't seem all that jealous anymore. Even if he said he wanted her friend to be a vassal, at least he agreed to be his friend. Then Laharl decided to ask her, "By the way, does this friend have a name?"
"Of course he does." Flonne replied. "His name is Yuki."
"Yuki, huh? Doesn't that mean 'snow'?"
"Yeah, I think it doe—" Suddenly, Flonne began to cough. Being exposed to the cold air long enough can make a person a little sick, or at least cough a bit.
Laharl looked at her and shook his head. "I told you'd get sick out here." He could see Flonne shivering. She really was cold, something she got for going outside very in the morning. Laharl sighed, seeing that he had no choice. Before he did anything, he made sure no one else was around. When the coast was clear, he took off his cape and wrapped it around Flonne. "Heh. That's what you get for going outside very early in the morning. I hope this can keep warm you up."
Flonne nodded, blushing all the while. To have Laharl take off his cape and wrap her up with it was unexpected, yet comforting. Flonne closed her eyes and continued to cling to his cape. "Yes…thank you…Laharl-san…"
"Don't get any ideas, Love Freak. I want my cape back right away!"
"But why?"
"Because it's mine, okay!?!"
"Aw…okay…" Flonne moaned. Laharl then turned back towards his room and went inside. As he went towards his coffin, she noticed a pair of very small demon wings on his back. In fact, they were even smaller than Flonne's or Etna's, and they were limp. Flonne began to giggle. "I've never seen Laharl-san without his cape before. His wings look so cute." That's when she heard shouting coming from Laharl's room.
"IF YOU DON'T WANT TO CATCH A COLD THEN GET INSIDE!!!"
"Hai!!!" As Flonne ran inside the room, she looked towards balcony. The person she was waiting for wasn't there, but she was happy to be able to talk to Laharl again. To know that he truly did care for her. I'm sorry if you're out there Yuki-san, but please come and see me again…and one day meet Laharl-san…
From a nearby keep of the Castle, a pair of amber eyes shone through the darkness. His eyes were set on the room with the balcony. He glared angrily at the site where two demons were enjoying themselves. He turned his back towards the room, and jumped off the keep, letting his wings take flight into the moonlit sky. You're next…Overlord Laharl…
That morning, Laharl was once again eating his breakfast, with his cape back on his back. Thankfully, Flonne kept her promise and gave his cape back to him. Why he always keeps his cape on is pretty much a mystery.
Today was a little special, and it was scaring Laharl. He had a really bad feeling. The type of feeling that made his rabbit ear hair stand on its ends. The reason for that was seeing all his female vassals walking around with lists and talking to some of his male vassals. The male vassals either nodded or ran out screaming. Just now, he witnessed Naruto fleeing from Hazuki. Steilhang was fine with Sarah. Hiroshi, however, was surrounded by a lot of female demons. He stood on a podium, with a gavel in hand.
"Okay, we'll start the bid 200, 000, 000 HL." Hiroshi said as he pounded his gavel.
These indications made Laharl tremble in fear. There was something wrong today. He then turned to Flonne and asked her, "Hey, Flonne, what's today?"
Flonne thought about it for a minute and came up with one conclusion. "I believe today is Poisonday 28, the month of Hellpyre." That's when Laharl's trembling became even worse. He knew about that date. Everyone knew about that date, especially the female demons. No…don't tell me today is… "It means that today is Thankstakings day!!!" Laharl smacked his forehead in dismay. Noooooo!!!! Anything but that!!!!! Flonne noticed Laharl's fear and became a little concerned. "What's wrong, Laharl-san?"
Laharl started to sound a little jumpy, which was a little awkward for the normally arrogant Overlord. "Oh nothing!!! Look, let's just leave all the vassals today, including Etna, and just get out of here, okay!?!"
"Wait, but Laharl-san!!"
"Don't wanna go? That's fine! Make sure to terrorize another demon for me!!! Bye!!!" Just as Laharl was about to leave, a hand reached out and grabbed his cape, preventing him from leaving. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
His eternal tormentor grinned as she held her grip on his cape. "Why are you leaving, Prince? It's Thankstakings day!!!!"
"That's exactly why I'm leaving!!!! Now let me go before I rip out your intestines and choke you with them!!!!"
However, Etna wouldn't let go. She almost enjoyed seeing this much fear on Laharl's face. "Wow, I didn't think you had such a vivid imagination."
Soon, Jennifer entered the room. She noticed that everyone was acting a little different, especially Laharl, who struggling his way out her of her grip like a child. "What's wrong with Laharl-chan? And why are all the girls asking the guys out? Is it a special holiday?"
Etna's eyes began to glow and her grin got even bigger. It only happened on this day. "Oh today's Thankstakings day."
As a human who is not familiar with Netherworld customs, Jennifer was a little curious to know more about this holiday. "What's Thankstakings day? Is it like Thanksgivings day?"
As the current expert on the holiday, Etna decided to tell Jennifer about this special day. "Well I don't know what Thanksgivings day is or whatever you call it, but Thankstakings day is that one time of year where every demon get the chance to steal anything they want in the Netherworld. Most of the time, the girls take over this day. They often ask or, most of the time, force the guys into stealing stuff for them. So in other words, this is time of year when girls get whatever they want!"
Jennifer's eyes began to light up. There was only one holiday on Earth, on a certain country that had a similar mechanic. "So this means that Thankstakings day is similar to Girls' Day without having to buy anything?"
Girls' Day had a very similar premise: guys do what girls say. Often times, that leads to carrying bags and spending all their money for them. The difference is that they have to waste their money. Thankstakings Day allows grand larceny, so it all comes down to grabbing whatever they want. Still, this does lead to a lot more fights. Apparently, someone else, however, had a feared this day. It made his suave, straight hair spike up. It was something that would turn a hero-turned-wuss into an even bigger wuss. "D-d-did y-you s-say…GIRLS' DAY!?!" That person was none other than Captain Gordon, who was currently trying to escape. However, just as Etna did with Laharl, Jennifer prevented him from leaving. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
"What do you know? Gordon and the Prince think alike." Etna noted as both Gordon and Laharl tried to squirm their way out of this. No matter how much they struggled, they couldn't get out. Rather than hear them whining all day, Etna came up with another plan. "Well I don't know what to do ol' Slayer of the Netherworld, but maybe it would be better if I let you go with, Flonne-chan." Etna nudged Laharl.
"No way! Don't you remember what the Love Freak did last year!?!" Laharl exclaimed. It was something that everyone remembered. Something that left a big scar on Laharl.
-Flashback-
"C'mon Flonne-chan, you'll miss the fun. After all, this is your first Thankstakings day isn't it?" Etna nudged Flonne. This was last year's Thankstakings day and like always, everyone was stealing as much as they could. Demons everywhere were caught in a swirling chaos that had no end. Fights broke out everywhere that had a shop, souvenir, or anything that could be stolen. Even whole buildings were ripped off the ground if someone wanted it.
"But I don't want to burden Laharl-san. Besides, I don't really need anything." Flonne shyly replied.
"Don't worry about the Prince. All he has to do is get up and steal it. It's not like you want him to steal a mall or something."
"But…"
"Just make it quick." Laharl groaned. "I have stuff to do afterwards. Just tell me what you want." Having no interest in this holiday, Laharl wanted to make this as fast and as painless as possible.
After a minute of hard thinking, Flonne came up with something that she may want. "Well, then can you get the limited edition Nether Ribbon? I usually have a hard time buying it."
Laharl sighed, but went along with it. "Alright. I'll go see if I can find one. I mean how hard could it be?"
An hour later, Laharl was in one of the shops, searching for the ribbon. He had been through shop after shop, but he couldn't find it. "Geez…why did it have to be the limited edition ribbon? Once I find it, that Love Freak better stop annoying me with her love lessons." After long searching, he finally found it. "Oh there it is." Just as he was about to grab it, someone else was holding the other end. It was another demon, which had been searching all over for the same ribbon. Laharl quickly yanked the ribbon away, but the demon would not let go. "I had it first!!!"
"No, I did!!!" The demon shouted back.
"Well I'm the Overlord, now let go!!!!"
"I don't care if you're even a god!!!" The ribbon caught the sight of more demons. Soon, it became an all out brawl for the piece of cloth. A brawl that Laharl got sucked into.
A few minutes later…
"Laharl-san, are you all right?" asked the worried Flonne. Laharl had returned with bruises, sores, and all sorts of inflictions. He hardly had the strength to get up. He had to crawl over to Flonne just to reach her.
Finally, when he was practically on her feet, he held out the ribbon. "H-here…t-take it…" After that, Laharl's head hit the ground with a loud thud. He was now unconscious.
"Thank you, Laharl-sa--…uh…Laharl-san…why is it tattered…?"
-End of Flashback-
"I'm so sorry, Laharl-san!!!" Flonne bowed to Laharl repeatedly. "I didn't know it you would end up fighting for it!!!"
"Stop doing that, Love Freak!!! You don't have to apologize!!!" Even then, Flonne kept trying to apologize to Laharl. He didn't know what to do with her anymore. He began to think again, observing all the girls that had no guys with them. The only two left, however, were Flonne and Etna. He could not get out of this, and there was no way in hell that he would go with Etna. He could not comprehend how much stuff Etna was going to ask him to steal. In addition, it would be better if he and Flonne were alone, than all of them together. He sighed, knowing that there was no choice. "Fine. I'll take the Love Freak." Everyone in the castle gasped. The thought of Laharl and Flonne together was almost to good to be true. Soon afterwards, whispers followed. "Fools!!! I didn't mean it like that!!!!"
"I didn't think you had in you, Prince." Etna teased him. "Do I sense something going on?"
"Shut up and let's get this over with!!! The sooner I get the Love Freak's stuff, the better!!!" Laharl stomped out of the room, and up into the lobby. Etna just kept on poking at Laharl.
Flonne, on the other hand, walked beside Laharl towards the portal. She turned to him. "Laharl-san."
"What is it, Love Freak?"
"Thank you…for letting me come with you."
"Whatever…"
Meanwhile…
"GET HIM!!!!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" Hiroshi was running from his bidders. Unfortunately, his bidders had realized that since it is Thankstakings Day, they easily run up and take Hiroshi with them. The moral of this story: never hold an auction on Thankstakings Day, especially if you're a high class thief.
At the intersection of Bleeding Ave. and Skull St., Laharl, Flonne, Etna, Aramis, and the Defenders were going over their itinerary for today. Their plan was simple: Etna, Aramis, Jennifer, Gordon, Kurtis, and Thursday would take Bleeding Ave. and take over any store or mall that was there. Flonne would be on her own with Laharl, just as Etna promised. Since Flonne was a little more familiar with Thankstakings day, she did not need Etna around to push her into stealing anything, which was good for Laharl.
After going over all the details, Etna told the Defenders, Aramis, and the Prinnies to head down Bleeding Ave. As they left, Etna whispered in Flonne's ear, "Remember, the Prince is your slave for the day? Go ahead and do whatever you want with him…hehehe…"
"Etna-san, please don't imply anything like that!!"
"Well good luck, Flonne-chan!" Etna turned towards Bleeding Ave. and made her way down the street.
Laharl saw his chance. He was alone with Flonne. There was no Etna in sight, so he made a break for it. Freedom was in sight. Then, his chances of escaping were shattered when his cape was tugged again. This time it was Flonne was clinging to it. "What is it now, Love Freak?"
"I'm sorry, Laharl-san, but Etna-san says that if you leave, she'll bring out those pictures again."
"DAMN IT!!!" Laharl pouted. He had no choice, but to spend the entire day with Flonne. At least Etna wasn't around. "Okay, Love Freak, what do you want?"
The funny thing was that Flonne didn't even know. She wasn't even thinking about getting anything today. Etna pushed Laharl onto her, so she didn't have time to make a list or anything. The only thing she could say was, "Well…nothing really."
"So you don't want anything?"
"Nope."
"Good, then we can head back to the Castle. I'd rather sleep this whole day off…" Laharl began to turn the other way and headed for the Castle. Laharl felt a little better, knowing that he didn't have to worry about diving for some rare souvenir.
Flonne, however, didn't want Laharl to leave. It was a nice day for a normal Thankstakings Day; she didn't want to ruin it. The only thing she really wanted for today was for him to spend time with her. Then, a thought popped into her head, causing her to smile. She the called out to Laharl. "Oh Laharl-san, I know what I want!"
"Make it quick, Love Freak. I don't want to spend anymore time out here."
"I thought that since we're here already, maybe the two of us could spend entire day together."
Now as someone who still hated love, Laharl was a little skeptical about the idea. Two people spending the whole day together sounded like something Laharl would not like. "Are you trying to ask me out on a date…?"
Flonne blushed a bit, but shook her head. "Oh of course not! The two of us are just going to spend the entire day together."
"That's…still a date…"
"Well if that's what you think a date is, then yeah. I'm asking you out on a date!"
"Then here's my answer: I'M LEAVING!!! See you back at the castle Love Freak!!!" Laharl bitterly turned back towards the castle and headed for the castle.
Flonne did not want the day to end like this. There was only way to stop him. "I'll tell Etna-san!!!"
"All right!!!! I'll do whatever you want!!!!" Laharl pouted in disgust. Seems like his Thankstakings day would be another nightmare. "What do you want to do?"
"Well I'm a little hungry. Let's eat."
Laharl sighed. "Fine…" This day couldn't possibly get any worse.
Meanwhile…
"Of all days for your wheels to be rusted!!!!" Gordon groaned as he and Kurtis pushed Thursday, who was carrying a large building. Pushing a robot is harder when he's carrying an entire mall.
"Suck it up and push blip beep."
"Why you--!!"
"We have it better though." Kurtis interjected. "After all, Aramis alone has to carry everything for Etna."
Gordon agreed with Kurtis. Aramis is only a kid, yet he's subjected to all of Etna's order. "I can't believe she force a kid to go through all that!! I mean how can he carry everything Etna steals!?!"
"Blip beep, maybe you should look to your left and see why she chose him." Gordon and Kurtis did as Thursday said and looked to the side. It appears that Aramis has forced his entire zombie team into carrying the Sphinxes building. It all came together. Etna wasn't expecting Aramis to carry everything, she expected him to use his zombies. With a great zombie owner like Aramis, the zombies obediently did what they were told.
As Aramis passed him by, he glanced over at the Defender team and uttered, "It must suck to be you guys…"
Gordon and Kurtis would've killed Aramis by now, but if they were to let go of Thursday, he may drop the mall. The last thing he wanted was a scolding from Jennifer for wrecking her brand new mall, not to mention being splattered like flies wasn't exactly a very nice feeling. Even the nicest of girls can change on a day such as this. The two simply groaned and continued to push Thursday.
Jennifer looked back at her comrades. A tiny giggled escaped her mouth. "Sorry you two. I guess I should've checked Thursday's wheels before we left."
Etna, being incredibly carefree today, kept on grinning. Since Thankstakings Day is Etna favorite holiday, she really couldn't be happier. "Don't mind them. They're supposed to be doing this for you. Enjoy it, cuz this day comes only once a year."
"Teehee. You're right." Jennifer looked back at Gordon. Despite everything he was carrying, he never even thought of leaving, unlike Laharl. No matter what he did, he wasn't going to give up right away. Sometimes that's what makes Gordon a great hero, and Jennifer knew it. However, her thoughts were interrupted before she could think any further.
"Hey Jennifer! You'd better turn around if you don't want to anything."
"Oh, you're right, Etna-chan." Jennifer shook it off. She then tried to search for another building or item she might want stolen. That's when another question popped into her head. "Hey, Etna-chan?"
"Yeah?"
"What do you think Laharl-chan and Flonne-chan are doing now?"
That question caused Etna to grin. The great vassal who teases and pokes the Overlord while he isn't looking replied, "I dunno, but I can't wait 'till Flonne-chan gives me all the details."
Over at a nearby restaurant, blue tiles surrounded it. On those tiles were two geo spheres. One was titled 'No Entry'; the other was called 'Invincibility'. Together, these geo panels prevented any demon from entering the restaurant. Inside the restaurant, the only customers took their orders.
"Yeah, and add extra sugar to that, all right?" Laharl told the waiter. In order for Laharl to stay uber hyper, he has to consume vast amounts of sugar, which is why he has Warheads for breakfast.
"Okay, and what would you like?" The waiter asked Flonne.
While Flonne said she was hungry, she really hadn't thought of what to eat. It was almost an excuse just to keep Laharl with her. All she could say was, "Could I have the same then?"
The waiter then placed the bill right on the table. "Okay, that'll be 500, 000 HL."
Since Laharl doesn't go out to eat too often, the waiter doesn't no how stingy he is. When Laharl heard the price for all of it, he got up and strangled the poor demon. "I have captured this restaurant!!! Why should I pay!?!"
However, Flonne simply pulled Laharl's cape and sat him back down. "Don't worry, we'll pay!!!"
"Flonne!!!!"
"Laharl-san, don't be so stingy!!!!"
Laharl groaned, and paid his bill. He later reminded himself that Flonne owes him 500, 000 HL. When their food finally arrived, Laharl quickly grabbed the plate and gobbled his food in one gulp. He didn't have breakfast that morning, so it could be understood that Laharl was pretty hungry.
Even then, Flonne scolded him. "Laharl-san, I thought I told you not to gobble your food like that!!!"
"And I don't care what you say to me!!! I mean what are you going to do about it?"
"Love and peace…"
"What?"
Flonne blinked for a few seconds. There was something a little odd with Laharl. She tried again. "Um…let's all be friends?"
"Did you hit your head or something, Love Freak?"
She didn't know what was going on. Flonne was using Laharl's weakness against him, yet he didn't seem affected by any of them. She tried once more. "I don't understand. Let's try this one…ETERNAL LOVE!!!!"
"If you're gonna embarrass me or something, then I'm leaving!"
That's when Flonne realized what was going on. Everything she had just said was a part of Laharl's weakness, yet he didn't respond in any way towards them. This could mean only one thing. "Laharl-san, you overcame your weakness!!!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I just said several different platitudes and happy stuff, yet you didn't even cringe or run." Laharl simply stared at her for minute. When that minute was up, he slapped himself repeatedly, hoping that this was a dream. Flonne blinked a couple of times as Laharl tried to 'wake himself up'. "Laharl-san…?"
"Okay! Give me the most horrible word you can think of! Anything that has to do with love!!!"
"Well…okay…ETERNAL LOVE!!!"
"…er…ouch…wait, what's going on? How come I'm not in any sorta pain?" Laharl kept looking at himself. He couldn't have beaten his weakness just like that. Overcoming the 'sexy bodies' weakness was something so big that Laharl could've had party for it, but to overcome his 'platitude' weakness is beyond impossible.
Flonne got up from her chair and smiled at Laharl. His ill feeling toward sexy bodies and platitudes was over. "I told you Laharl-san!!! I'm so happy!!!!" Just as she was about to run to him, her leg got caught in the table, causing her to trip. This was followed by the table toppling over her, which caused some of their meal to fall on her. Her silk coat was stained. "Ow…
"That was veeerry smart, Love Freak." Laharl sarcastically said. He shook his and proceeded with helping her off the floor. Noticing the stains on Flonne, Laharl took a part of his cape wiped off some of the stains.
Flonne giggled as she felt Laharl's cloak brush against her skin. Her face turned red as Laharl's cloak began to touch more parts of her body. It just felt weird to have Laharl clean her up like that. Luckily for her, Laharl did not touch anything that would make Flonne upset. Then, Flonne smelled something a little foul. The smell was coming from parts of Laharl's body. As the stench grew worse, Flonne finally asked Laharl, "Uh…Laharl-san…when was the last time you had a bath?"
"I believe it was about seven years ago, when my mom was still alive. I don't take my own baths."
Flonne simply stared at Laharl. She gave Laharl a very disgusted look. A few seconds later, she grabbed Laharl by his cape and dragged him out of the restaurant. "C'mon, we're going to the Sea of Gehenna hot springs."
"What for?"
"To give you a bath!"
"Oh ok—WHAT!?!" After his mom's death, Laharl never wanted to take another bath, and that continued on for seven years. Seven years of not bathing can really make someone smell like crap. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Apparently, Laharl didn't care if he smelled like crap. Not the case for Flonne…
Later at the Sea of Gehenna, a blue head was submerged under water. The great user of hell pyre was now drenched all over. The blue head finally sprung out of the water and looked all over, checking to see if the coast was clear. There was no one around. Seeing this as his chance, he sprung out of the small pool and raced for his cape…only to be stopped his 'angel of death'.
"Laharl-san, you need a bath!!!"
"I DO NOT!!!! I don't need it a friggin bath!!!" Our childish Overlord kept on whining, like the child he was.
If Laharl was the child, then Flonne was the mother, firm in her decision to cleanse her brat. The type of mother that uses many methods in order to get her son to behave. "I'll tell Etna-san!" Laharl pouted and got back into the heated pool. He couldn't let Etna hear about any of this. "Don't worry, Laharl-san! It'll be over before you know!" Flonne reached to the side and pulled out her 'cleaning tools', which included very large bath scrubs, heavy-duty soap, and lice-killing acid…er…shampoo, which included 10 head n' shoulders to make sure your eyes don't hurt too much.
Laharl began to freak. Who wouldn't after seeing those 'powerful' toiletries? "W-what do you need those for!?!"
"Well because you stink so much, I have to go really hard on you. Besides, you want this over and done with, right?"
"Wait!!!!" It was too late for Laharl. His angel of death has taken out her weapons of destruction and pierced his very being. The razor edges of her sword (bath scrubs and brush) scratched his body, while the acid (soap and shampoo) purified his entire body. Laharl was drowning. Drowning in a sea of soap…
Few minutes later, Flonne was fixing Laharl's hair. Laharl kept on complaining that he could do it on his own, but Flonne insisted. Luckily, she was able to fix up Laharl's hair. In fact, it looked perfect. It looked like nothing happened to him…though his swirling eyes indicated that he had been 'purified'. When she was finished, she got out of the tub and grabbed one of the towels. "I'm going to wash up on the other side, Laharl-san! Remember, no peeking!"
"Why would I wanna peek at a flat-chested ditz like you?" His remark only got him a bruise on the forehead. When Flonne had finally left his tub area, Laharl sighed, looking up into the sky. "Geez…what's her problem?" Well, at least this is better than staying with Etna…I don't get it. Why is Flonne always like this? She's such a pain! …or at least I think she is. Wait, what am I saying? She's a total ditz!!! Why do I even care about her so much!?! It makes me wonder why I said she was cute!!! What was I thinking? The more he thought about her, the more he began questioning his feelings. Ever since Flonne tried to assassinate his old man, he always thought of her as nothing but a pain. Now…Laharl didn't even know. He didn't know what caused him to change so much. Maybe he was more worried about her ever since her 'death' at Celestia, but there seemed to be something more than that. Could it be…that I…? Suddenly, a shriek rang out, causing Laharl to be on alert. He recognized the scream. Damn it!!! What's going on now!?!
Laharl ran out of the tub and into Flonne's area. When he got there, a demon was laid right at his feet. He looked up, and found Flonne with a disgusted look on her face. "Heh. I didn't think a tiny angel like you could punch this pervert so far."
"Yeah I—Uh…Laharl-san…" Her face was now glowing red. Seeing Laharl in front of her, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed…and angry. That's when Flonne's bright and happy red eyes, soon turned into a demonic glare. That glare was directed towards Laharl.
"What's with the glare?"
Later at the Redemption Icecaps…
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?!" Laharl's face was now totally bruised. Red hand marks were all over his cheeks.
"I thought I told you not to peek, Laharl-san!!!" Flonne pouted with her head turned away from Laharl.
"That wasn't my fault!!! I was trying to protect you from some pervert!!! Besides, why would I go and do something like that!?! Even an ironing board has more rise than you do!!!!"
Flonne's couldn't stand it anymore. The beautiful day she envisioned was nothing but a dream. Furthermore, Laharl's behavior toward Flonne was more hostile than ever. Flonne bowed her head, feeling rejected by the one demon she wanted to be with. Even if she was with Laharl, she couldn't help but feel lonely. With nothing left to do, Flonne ran from Laharl as fast as she could. Her feet pounded the ground, synchronized with her beating heart. The pain she was suffering now was more than anyone could imagine. Laharl-san…you're the worst…
Laharl tried to chase after her, but she was already too far ahead of him. It was too much for him. To him, it was the worst Thankstakings day ever. With Flonne gone, he had his chance to leave and return to the castle. He would think up an excuse for Etna not to show the pictures when he returned. However, he couldn't take another step. In his mind was a big fork in his path. He could either return to the castle or chase after Flonne. His former choice was what he wanted from the beginning, but it wasn't fulfilled thanks to Flonne's threats. It seemed like the right choice, but then again, he couldn't return without Flonne. Furthermore… Oh forget it! I don't care what happens to that Love Freak!!! I'm going home!!!! Just as he was heading towards the castle, images began to flood his mind. All of them were bitter memories of the past that Laharl would rather forget, but each time he took step, the memories became more vivid, and they seemed real. Stop it!!!! I don't wanna see them anymore!!!! Why does it keep burning in my head!?! Wait…burning…? As Laharl checked his cape, he realized that he was carrying something. He shuffled though the newly cleaned cloak until he felt a chain. He hasn't placed anything in his cape recently, so Laharl couldn't help but wonder what it was. When pulled the entire chain out, he quickly realized what he had in his hands. Flonne's pendant…the one she gave me before…The memories continued to flood his mind, memories that have haunted him all his life.
"I'm sorry, my son, but I can't let you die. Please, Laharl, become a magnificent Overlord. Become even greater than your father… "
"MOM!!!!!!!" She…she sacrificed herself. When she died, the disease was gone, but it had already eaten away everything she taught me. I wanted to be the one to protect her…but she protected me in exchange for her life…is this…what love truly means? Then…I…I… "I HATE LOVE!!!!!!"
"Sayonara Laharl-san…please…become a great Overlord…"
"FLONNE!!!!" It happened again…why…why does love always take away…
"Overlord Laharl, do you despise me?"
"…despise you? Of I do you bastard!!!" I never cared about her life, but Flonne didn't deserve to die. All she ever did was stop Vulcanus from dominating the universe. Was this really the love she was fighting for? Seraph, you bastard, you'll pay for all this. I… "…kill…kill…I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!"
Flonne couldn't run any further. She had tired herself out from running away, but she couldn't help it. Laharl, no matter what she did, kept pushing her away. Even after her 'rebirth' and everything they've been through, his feelings towards her haven't changed. No matter what I do…Laharl-san will never change…he has no love in his heart…but…why is he always so selfish? …was it wrong for me…to think that he would l—?
"Hey, my lil devil." Flonne recognized that voice. When she turned around, she realized that the person behind her was the pervert from earlier. However, he wasn't alone. He brought along a couple of friends, along with the bump that Flonne gave him. "Would you like to kiss my booboo?"
"Did I really hit you that hard, Eechi-san?"
"OF COURSE YOU DID!!!!"
Flonne bowed and apologize to the pervert. She, being the helpful person she is, didn't know what she was really getting into. "Oh…then please, lemme take you to the Hell Hospital and…" Just as she was about to leave, the demon grabbed her arm. She tried to shake him off, but his grip was strong. Flonne, hoping that this wasn't going to be what she thought it was, tried to drag him across the ice caps. "Okay, if you can't walk, then I'll gladly drag you over to the Hospital." Unfortunately, Flonne was right. The rest of the demon's friends had surrounded her.
"We are a very powerful demon gang, lil girl, and we always look out for our kind. Our motto is 'if you mess with one, you mess with all'"
Flonne, being the Love Freak she is, brushed a tear off her eye. That motto was a symbol of friendship, even if those guys were complete perverts. "You all look after one another! You guys must be great friends!"
The demon gang just stared oddly at her for almost a minute. "Is she stupid or something…?"
The pervert, however, was only amused. In fact, he was almost turned on. "Don't worry about how smart she is. You know what they say 'the cute ditz is the easiest to control'. Now get her!!!" His gang followed his orders and soon began their hunt. What the gang didn't know is that she knew how to fight, and those who know Flonne know how powerful her attacks are.
If I can just clear out some of these demons, I can get out of here. Better try that new trick that Lah--… Flonne simply cast aside her thoughts and pulled out her staff. For now, she didn't want to even think about him. "Holy Lance!!!!" Flonne took her staff and dug the shaft into the ground. Her energy, which was already charged into the staff, traveled into the ground. When she released its power, her Holy Arrows suddenly shot out of the ground and into the sky, creating a protective, yet devastating energy cage that injured many of her attackers. It worked! Shooting my Holy Arrows into the ground created surrounding energy pillars and blew back the gang. I'm glad Laharl-san showed me how to use Blazing Knuckles. Oh no…I'm thinking about him again…they're all down, now's my chance!! Flonne took the opportunity to run away. She tried her best to escape her pursuers. Then, she felt something hit her foot. Something like a rock. Whatever it was, it caused her stumble and stagger until she finally fell to the ground. Luckily, the gang hasn't really caught up, so she tried to get up, but… Ow…oh no, I sprained my leg!! There was no way she could run any further. Even if she tried to move, she'd have to pretty much wobble her way out, which wouldn't work against an entire gang of demons chasing her at full speed. There was no way out of it. I…I can't move…
Even if she could, the gang was already there. It was all over for her. "Now dearie, be a good girl and sit still. It will only be a few minutes!!" Just as they were about to grab her, a few screams from the pervert's gang rang through the air. "Quiet you fools!!! I'm busy her—WHAT THE—!!!" When he turned around, his entire gang was on the ground, covered in burn marks. What was left was a blue haired demon stand on top of the corpses.
"Laharl-san…"
"Who are you supposed to be?" demanded the master pervert. Laharl didn't answer him. He just slowly approached the leader. "Humph! Fine, then don't introduce yourself. I'll just introduce you to my fist!!!" The pervert charged at Laharl…only to be back fisted by him. In addition to his bruises from Flonne, his jaw was broken, thanks to Laharl, broken and burned.
Flonne had witnessed the entire thing. Just like before with Etna's training (see episode 2), Laharl came just in time to save Flonne. However, Flonne couldn't bear to face him. She kept her head down, letting her hair cover her face. "Laharl-san…why are you here…? Why didn't you go back to the castle like you said?"
"I know you're complete Love Freak, but have you really lost your marbles today?" Laharl approached her slowly, kneeling down so that he could focus his attention on her. All he wanted was for her to listen to what he had to say. "Look, sorry about earlier with the 'ironing board' thing. I probably shouldn't have said that…but did you have to get yourself into all this trouble?"
"You were the one who started it…" Flonne muttered. "The reason why I got mad was…"
"YOU IDIOT!!! I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU!!! I ONLY RAN IN THERE TO PROTECT YOU!!!!" Flonne's eyes shot wide open. A small gasp escaped her mouth. To protect me…? She didn't know what to do. It was all too confusing for her. What made this even harder was the fact that Laharl was holding her ankle, trying to see where she sprained it. Laharl continued as he kept running his hands through her bare legs, which occasionally made Flonne moan. "I didn't know you beat up that pervert, so I ran in there to get him. Of course, what you saw was probably different. I wouldn't be surprised that you hit me…but then you kept ignoring me…and even tried to run away. It was almost as if you expected me to do something. I know its Thankstakings day, but seriously Flonne…don't you think you're being a little selfish?"
"Selfish…?" It didn't take long for Flonne to find out what Laharl was talking about. All this day, she had been pushing Laharl into going out with her. In fact, she had pushing Laharl the entire time, from the time they left Etna to even now. However, it wasn't intentional. Every time she forced Laharl to do something, subconsciously without knowing, she was trying to get Laharl to finally tell her what she wanted: his true feelings for her. All this day, she had been wondering about what he would think of her, but her curiosity only seemed to make Laharl drift farther from her. In other words, everything had been caused by her. Even if his comments were rude and painful, she had pushed him to say them. The realization of her fault made her curse herself over and over. The one who could be ordained 'love preacher' had not only known turn Laharl into slave, she had become too selfish to realize her own faults and blamed everything on Laharl. What's even more striking was that Laharl was the one who had to remind her about something that she knew too well. "You could've left me…why did you come back…?" That's when a small pain shot up her leg, coming from the ankle Laharl was holding. She closed her eyes, trying to bear the pain.
"Try not to say anything for awhile? It doesn't look too bad anyway. Just a sprain. We'll have to find something to wrap it." Seeing that he has no other option, Laharl took one end of his cape and ripped a small part of it off. The small cloth he obtained was then used on Flonne's ankle. He gently wrapped it around her soft legs, which made Flonne blush so deeply. She hadn't seen Laharl so…mature and caring. "Look, if you're gonna apologize, don't. Being selfish is a part of Thankstakings day; I just didn't like how you kept turning me away. I guess I should be more grateful. After all, you saved me from having to be Etna's slave of the day…still did you have to destroy my chances of setting the record of 'most years without taking a bath'?"
Flonne couldn't help but laugh. It seems that his attempt to break universal records was the only reason for deterring away from personal hygiene. "I didn't think you were into those things."
"Heh. Well it's getting late. We'd better going…oh wait…your leg is sprained. I guess I have no other choice." Laharl knelt down to Flonne again. She didn't know what he exactly meant, but at least she knew that he was going to leave her. Then a shriek escaped her mouth as Laharl took her into his arms and lifted her off the ground. He staggered a bit as he got up, since Flonne was a little taller than he was, but he eventually got his footing and was able to actually carry her.
Flonne's blush became an even deeper shade of red. To have Laharl carry her like this was just a little embarrassing. "Laharl-san, this is pretty embarrassing."
"Yeah, well it's your fault for running so far. It doesn't matter; the dimensional portal is close by. We'll be there in no time." That being said, Laharl finally began to move with Flonne in his arms.
As Laharl continued onward, Flonne's mind kept drifting. Her heart was still pounding, but this time out of her feelings for Laharl. No…I have to apologize to you, Laharl-san. If I hadn't been so selfish and demanding, I may have actually listened to you. Instead, I was too stubborn and ended up pushing you further away. I know how much you hated this day…but I have no regrets. While I have made a terrible mistake, you have taught me a valuable yet obvious lesson. And then… Flonne simply giggled to herself in her mind. The thought of being taken care of by Laharl, especially to have him carry her, was unheard of. She just felt so comfortable in his arms. Even after all this, you still care for me. You must've tired yourself out just to find me, and even then you're still carrying me to the dimensional portal. This is all I need for now…all I need is to know whether or not you care for me…it's still too early for him to tell me everything. I'll continue to wait until that very day when he finally tells me what he truly feels...for now…I want you to know that I lo—ow! Before she could finish, Laharl playfully punched her head. While punching someone's head is not exactly playful, it was still something that Laharl found pretty amusing. Flonne groaned as she rubbed her head a bit. "Ow…why did you do that?"
"That was for everything you did today!" Laharl playfully replied.
"Then you should've let me apologize…"
"Whoops…I forgot about that…"
"You did not, Laharl-san!!! You did that on purpose!!!"
"Calm down! It was just a joke!"
"Laharl-sa—oh, so it's pretty!" Flonne's eyes began to sparkle. Something obviously caught her attention.
"What is it?" When Laharl decided to what it was, he let out a small sigh. "Oh…that…" It was then that Laharl realized that Redemption Icecaps was one of the best places to catch a glimpse of the Red Moon, the symbol of forgiveness. It luminous light, at certain times, marks the purging of a Prinny, a sinner, and raises the soul which eventually leads to reincarnation. Laharl, earlier, disliked the red moon because his eyes resembled it, which often leads to teasing, but now…
"Laharl-san, is there something wrong?"
"It's nothing. Let's go." Laharl once again moved towards the supposed dimensional portal with Flonne in his arms. As he continued on, the image of the red moon kept reappearing in his head…followed by a white flower… Now I remember. I remember why I can never let her go. I don't want anyone to be forced to go through so much pain because of me. When my mother killed herself to protect me from my illness, I couldn't help but feel hatred towards love. For her to sacrifice everything my sake, only replaced my disease with a guilt that continued on for almost eternity. Then, when Flonne received her punishment and tried to protect us from the Seraph, I lost control and tried to take it out on him. I can't stand and watch someone close to me get hurt because of me. That is why I can't let her go. This time I want to be the one to protect her. I don't care about what she feels; I don't want her to burden herself anymore…after all… "…you're cuter when you smile…" …uh oh…
"Laharl-san…"
"Forget what I said! Let's keep moving."
"Hai!"
During the entire walk, Laharl glanced back at Flonne. She was already fast asleep on her shoulder. After all that has happened, of course she'd be tired. Laharl couldn't help but smile. I want to be able to protect her and her smile…
A few minutes later…
"Akai tsuki, akai tsuki…"
"Now that song is really annoying, Love Freak."
"But I like it!!" Just as they were about to argue, a panicked voice rang out through the night.
"PRINCE!!! FLONNE-CHAN!!!!"
Flonne recognized the voice right away. "It's Etna-san!!!"
Laharl began to cringe and panic. A scene with Laharl carrying Flonne was the last thing Laharl wanted Etna to see. "Damn, I'd better put you down before she thinks—"
"Wait, Laharl-san. It seems like Etna-san is worried about something."
"There you are!!!" Etna finally caught up to the two, heaving and panting, which was odd. Etna wouldn't tire herself to search all over for them, unless it was urgent. Something was definitely wrong. "I'm glad I found you."
"Is there something wrong, Etna?" Flonne asked her.
Etna looked up at them, with a worried on her face. Now when Etna has that kind of face, you know that something really bad happened. "Prince, you have to get to back to the castle right away!"
"Why? What happened?"
Now that same face had a grim expression on her face. It really was bad. "You have to see it for yourself."
When they all got back, Laharl and Flonne were in complete shock: Everywhere from the lobby to the front of the throne room was covered with bodies. Bodies that belonged to Laharl's vassals. Everyone, including Krichevskoy's five greatest vassals lay on the ground, passed out. Some had a severe burn marks; others had a couple of bruises.
The silence was finally broken when Flonne worriedly asked, "Are they all--?"
Laharl checked a couple of his downed vassals. He sighed as he noticed a few signs of life on them. When he turned back to Flonne and Etna, he gave them a nod to confirm their conditions. "They're not dead, but they're badly injured. Etna, get Esmeralda and the rest of squad at the Hell Hospital right away!"
"Okay Prince!" As Etna headed for the hospital, she looked back at Laharl. The serious face turned into a calm smile. She obviously noticed that Laharl was holding Flonne, but instead of teasing them, she said, "Thank you for taking care of Flonne-chan today." With that, Etna left them for the Hell Hospital.
"Was she trying to tease me…?"
Flonne shook her head and smiled. "No, it was more of a compliment."
"Heh. I can never tell with that girl." As Laharl checked on more of his vassals, he could hear a fading voice coming from Zommie. Laharl walked up to his injured body. He knew that Zommie had the answer to whatever happened, so he tried asking him. "Hey Zommie, what the hell happened here? Did an intruder come in or something?"
Zommie just kept flinching. Zommie and the rest of Krichevskoy's top vassals were incredibly strong, strong enough to defeat some of the Alternate Netherworld demons that crossed over. If someone beat them like this, then that someone must've been as powerful as someone like Seraph Lamington or Overlord Krichevskoy. As Zommie began to lose consciousness, he uttered the name of the invader. "Damn you…you damn dark priest…Setsuna…"
"Setsuna?" The name cracked through the air like thunder. Laharl couldn't figure out what was going on or who this Setsuna was. All he wanted to know was one thing. "Is he really that powerful…?"
"He is…unfortunately…" Both Laharl and Flonne turned to the only other demon standing. It was Steilhang. He was clutching his arm, which was bleeding. Everything else was bruised, but he seemed in pretty bad shape. In fact, his condition was a little worse than some of the other vassals, but he was still standing. Then again, the leader of Laharl's vassals should be the last one standing in the end. "It is hard for me to explain how he can cause so much damage, but please let me inform you of what happened, Laharl-sama."
"Yes, please tell me everything that transpired here."
Next episode:
Etna: Attention all demons, the Netherworld has been taken over by the Overlord. Our way of life is no more.
Priere: What the hell are you talking about?
Etna: The Overlord's greatest ally, agent Love Freak, has infected the demons with her love lessons, causing them into turn copies of her!!!
Priere: Ooookay…
Etna: Fear not, demons!!! For I am the one who'll bring order back to the Netherworld!!! I am the sexy one!!!
Priere: Sexy? I don't think so, flat-chest!
Etna: SHUT UP!!! I mean… Next time on Enter the Makai: Opposites Attract!!! All right Agent Love Freak, bring it on! Whoa!
Priere: I'm sooo outta here…
Cliffhanger!!! Yeah, it was a really weird chapter with a lot of characters OOC, especially Flonne. This chapter wasn't always like this. Originally, I was aiming for a normal, sweet, yet incredibly humorous date. Something like them going to the carnival and screwing stuff up. In fact, one of my original ideas was to have them go into the carnival and do that dunk tank thing with the annoying guy in it. When he starts insulting Laharl, Laharl gets so pissed that he torches him, which leads to him and Flonne sneaking away. What caused this chapter to be so different was because of how Thankstakings Day worked, and I thought 'why would they be trying to win prizes when everyone was stealing them already?' Plus, I was already working on my Hamtaro fic 'Aishiteru' (Yes, people, take this time to laugh at me), and working on the two caused a bit of confusion, so in the end I chose this storyline. The reason for the hot springs was that 'On Love' scene (You can take a look at it the Yahoo groups 'hourofdarkness' or 'netherworldgallery'). Those groups, btw, have all the scans from the novels, which were done by me, so you may wanna take a look at them. As I have said, this was supposed to be the calm before the real storm. Now that you all know the name of the black hooded man, it is time to see what he can do. Can Laharl defeat this Setsuna? Tune in next time.
