Note: I don't own Disgaea 2.
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After the Gargantua docked onto the port, everyone took a good look around the new world that they were in. The sky was blue and the sun was shining brightly overhead, contrast to the skies back in Veldime. Ahead of them was the Prinny Camp with its enormous tents and the numerous piles of crates stacked on each other.
Irene, having being the first to step foot onto the Land of Carnage, saw more than just Prinnies and the young girl's eyes widened in complete surprise as she saw a familiar young boy with short horns and wearing a cow-printed cloak and baggy shorts, helping a Prinny set some of the equipment in a crate down. For a moment, Irene thought she was seeing a ghost but after seeing the boy take a swig from a nearby drink bottle, there's no doubt in her mind that it was neither a ghost nor an illusion.
"T-T-Taro?" Irene sputtered, catching the boy's attention as he turned around.
"I-Irene?" Taro whispered in complete surprise, his voice triggering the Freischutz's reflexes and emotions. The boy dropped the nearly empty bottle to the ground as he slowly walked towards her. Irene did very much the same thing and a second passed both were instantly running towards each other.
"Taro! Taro!" Irene cried, running up to Taro and throwing her arms around him. The palpable touch of flesh and clothing assured the Freischutz that it wasn't an illusion. Taro scooped the young girl off her feet as he spun around with her in his arms before setting her down.
"Irene!" Taro exclaimed joyfully, soothing the young girl, who cried softly, as he embraced her tightly. "It's alright. I'm here now, though I frankly don't know how."
"I must say, Taro. Looks like the angels brought you back as your normal self instead of a Prinny." Catalina remarked as she walked up to them, answering Taro's implied question. "Think of your "wimpy" demeanor as the difference maker, Taro."
"I was really surprised myself." Taro replied with a nervous grin. "I thought something bad might have come after."
"Your title has also changed. You're not Rozalin's slave anymore." Irene remarked slyly.
"Career change I guess." Taro replied with a grin.
"If you're here, then where's Hanako?" Catalina asked as Irene let go of him.
Taro smiled nervously as an orange Prinny walked into view next to him.
"Don't ask." The orange Prinny spoke with irritation. "Heh… to think that Taro's method of only knocking enemies out cold and sitting out of all the other things we did actually scored him high points with Lamington."
"Heaven felt like it ran on a different time rate than Veldime did." Taro added as Irene held his arm in her own.
Being a former angel herself, Catalina had a good idea on how long Taro had been up there.
"One day passed here but it felt like a month up there." Taro continued. "Flonne is alive but she's now an angel. Etna and Laharl have returned as Prinnies bound in a contract of servitude to her."
"What about the others that were in our group?" Irene asked.
"All of them are Prinnies that have to serve Flonne now. I don't know how that came to be." Taro replied.
IIIII::::IIIII
Inside a tent…
"Lemon soda, lemon tarts, lemonade, lemon cheese cake, lemon ice cream… put this in the freezer please." Elise called out as she tossed the package to Trent, who placed it in the refrigerator.
"Lemon cookies, lemon jelly, 1st edition of lemon fan-fiction…?" Elise looked at Sara, who was blushing very red. After flipping through the first page, the Prism Witch, cheeks flushing red, quickly closed the book upon seeing the warning indicating that the content was yuri-related. "Care to explain this, Sara?"
"I have nothing to do with it!" The Master Thief replied, throwing her hands up in defense.
"That's actually Alastor's." Trent spoke and, as Elise turned to the Geo Master, he quickly summoned the book out of Elise's hand and stashed it in his traveling bag. The Prism Witch glared at the Geo Master, who quickly zipped out before anyone could stop him.
"Alastor, you pervert!" Elise snapped before turning to Sara, who relaxed. "Sorry about that Sara."
"Just take what you want out of the crate." The Master Thief replied.
"Even the lemon liquor?" Elise asked as she stared at her friend. "Are you still hung up on that case of citrusphobia?"
"I don't have citrusphobia!" Sara snapped. "I just don't like lemons!"
"I guess it's because of that one prank you feel victim to?" The Prism Witch inquired in a teasing manner.
"What's that all about?" Trent asked, interested in the subject that seemed very new to him.
"Sara took part in a lemon juice drinking contest in order to win a Megiddo Cannon. Unfortunately, she drank so much that she had an electrolyte imbalance to the point that Sara was able to conduct a year supply of electricity as a human battery. You can imagine the people who wanted free energy from her cells." Elise explained.
"Bullshit!" Sara snapped.
"No need for a crass mouth, Sara." Elise replied. "The bright side is that you're the best of the best in what you can do. Be proud and don't be afraid to eat and drink more lemons and other citrus fruits to keep that incredible speed of yours."
Sara could only sigh as Elise continued to resume sorting out the food and necessities.
"How much lemon liquor do we have?" the Master Thief inquired.
IIIII::::IIIIII
"Good to see you again, Emiria." Mick whispered as the black-clad Battle Master and the black-clad Iron Maiden shared an embrace. The dark-green haired woman smiled before both she and Mick heard footsteps approaching.
"Friend of yours, Mick?" Jin inquired as the Sword Master and the Space Knight Monique walked together, the latter hugging his arm. Behind them were Reiko, Fubuki, and Yukimaru.
"This is Emiria, an Iron Maiden of the Valkyrie Class and a close comrade-in-arms. Emiria, meet Jin, Monique, Reiko, Fubuki, and Yukimaru." Mick introduced and greetings were exchanged.
"You must have such good company after we parted, de arimasu." Emiria remarked.
"It's surprising on how one goal can bring people together." Mick replied.
"I would definitely agree with you, Mick." Jin remarked. "But even when goals have been accomplished, attachment and other ties are difficult to break."
"I'd say that the more we hang around with each other, the more bonded we get." Monique added.
"Indeed." Emiria replied. "So what brings you all to the Dark Assembly?"
"It was something that Fubuki and Yukimaru brought up." Monique replied.
"From some of the demons here, we heard about the Dark World's equivalent to the Cave of Ordeals." Yukimaru explained. "If we can get access, we might be able to train ourselves to the level in taking on much stronger enemies."
"In addition, we could retake Veldime by putting an end to the needless chaos that runs there." Fubuki added.
"The bill we need passed today is Open the Dark World's Cave of Ordeals." Monique spoke. "Back in Veldime, there wasn't a Dark World version of it but, after talking to the Prinnies here in the Land of Carnage, I found out that there is one."
"Indeed." The voice of an old man spoke, causing everyone to see a Druid approaching them with a glowing spear.
"Hey! You're that Wandering Blacksmith!" Yukimaru replied on recognition.
"Indeed and thanks to your group's help, I managed to craft the weapon I've spent so much time on." The Wandering Blacksmith replied. "This is the Holy Longinus, the weapon that can kill the gods. To show my gratitude and to ensure that you succeed in passing your proposal, I present the Holy Longinus as a gift. Which one of you wishes to wield the weapon that holds my pride?"
Jin, Monique, Fubuki, Yukimaru, and Reiko looked at Emiria, knowing that those of the Valkyrie class were expert spear fighters. Mick seemed to be in agreement as he nudged the Iron Maiden, who looked at him in surprise.
"If anyone should be given a powerful weapon like that, it should be you." Mick whispered. "No one else is a better spear-fighter."
"You have to be kidding, de arimasu. Surely, someone like you would do better." Emiria replied.
"Probably but my spear skills aren't matched up to yours. I like using my Master Axe now that it's augmented." Mick replied. "Everyone else has their preferred weapon specialty and we don't have a spear fighter in the team."
"I think you're spoiling me, Mick." Emiria remarked. "Since you have a good set of goals with your friends, will you let me join?"
"I don't see why not." Mick replied and Emiria turned and respectfully accepted the Holy Longinus from the Wandering Blacksmith.
Spinning the spear, Emiria smiled as she felt the weapon seemed to fit her ability. "It's perfect, elder one."
"Use it well, young one." The Wandering Blacksmith spoke before walking out the front doors of the Dark Assembly.
"So, who's ready to raise some hell in the Dark Assembly?" Reiko piped up and everyone nodded as they headed towards the Prinny receptionist, who took a large amount of mana credit from Jin, reviewed their proposal bill before allowing them to enter.
"Sis, are you up to the task?" Jin inquired, handing a large bag to Reiko.
Taking the bribery bag, the Master Kunoichi smiled at the Swords Master before taking the lead with everyone behind her.
"Good luck, de gozaru." Yukimaru spoke.
"Knock them dead, de arimasu." Emiria added.
As they passed through the wooden doors, they reaching a hallway that had ivory doors at the end and Reiko calmly walked through first.
The Dark Assembly was filled as senators packed the aisles. Reiko took the podium in the presence of the assembly.
The Master Kunoichi did a mental count of the senators present before assessing the situation. 'We could always rely on the Wood Golem Party and the Mothman Party as always.' She thought to herself before slipping gold bars into hidden slots that would distribute to all of the Wood Golems. The same was done with the angel cakes for the Mothman demons.
'Hmm. The Holy Dragon and Bacial parties won't be able to block the bill.' Reiko thought to herself before dropping the empty bag down.
"Now I present Senator Ares!" a voice called out from the PA.
To Reiko's surprise as well as the surprise of the other senators, the Heavy Knight appeared in the middle of the upper aisle, right in between a good number of the Wood Golems and the Mothman demons.
'Oh no!' Reiko thought. 'Well, if worst comes to worst, I hope we're all ready for this. I can't believe Trent has the chloroform!'
Clearing her throat, the Master Kunoichi began to speak.
"Honorable Senators of the Land of Carnage's Dark Assembly! I come before you with the following proposal: Open the Cave of Ordeals within the Dark World!" Reiko announced.
"All senators! Cast your vote now!" the voice on the PA spoke and the room was filled with "Aye!" and "Nay!" The Wood Golems and Mothman demons present all gave their support while everyone else did the opposite.
As soon as the vote ended, Reiko watched as Senator Ares punched several of the Wood Golems and Mothman demons out before shouting "Nay!", signaling that the proposal failed 350 favored to 970 opposed in votes.
Taking a deep breath, Reiko turned to look at her brother and the Sword Master nodded, understanding the glance for a call to arms. Monique and the others drew their weapons and all hell broke loose in the Dark Assembly a split second later.
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Onboard the Gargantua, Tink sighed as he looked at the sky while relaxing on the deck. Things had changed beyond his comprehension with the awakening of the real Overlord Zenon. No longer was this child's play anymore. It wasn't even anything from a story where the good triumphed over evil after facing multiple challenges that tested his or her resolve. Rather, how can he contend with the situation where the hero falls and becomes the very thing he fought against with steel resolve? Death itself wasn't a joking matter as it used to be and survival meant everything now.
ばねは湧き出、川の風その深海である
私を保護しなさい
神秘的な翼の空気を通って飛行その暗い空である
私を導きなさい
While Overlord Zenon continued her fight against the endless numbers of Overlords, Dark Sovereigns, and demons, Adell did what he could to bear with the pain that still ached him. The darkness of Rozalin's true self had left him alone and the young demon began to see visions of things he had neither physically seen before nor experienced from any memory that composed his life history.
夜明けは自由に雨が降る
私の頬をぬらす
私は私を穏やかに握ってほしい
子供のように
Adell saw Holt Village as nothing more than a ghost town. A large gravestone with the names of his siblings and himself stood near his home along with multiple bowl shaped candles, each one having a name carved onto the body. There was no doubt that each one had the names of his allies who tried to fight the real Zenon that had possessed him.
He then saw Taro, his parents, the Clerical Saint Catalina, and the Freischutz Irene laugh at an orange Prinny that sounded exactly like Hanako at the edge of a large camping town that he had never seen before. It seemed like a happy reunion of sorts, one that he wished he could be a part of.
'An impossible wish…' he thought bitterly to himself. 'Can I ever ask for forgiveness?'
The scene changed to see Elise and Trent moving crates with their magic while Sara was making lemonade. He also saw Alastor reading a book and his face turning redder as he flipped to another page.
あなたの熟視は私に燃える
すべてのあなたの中心および精神のあなたの美しい
夢を追跡する力を有する
曇りがない時間に私を連れて行きなさい
He then saw Reiko taking out the Baciel Party with Jin and Monique while Yukimaru, Fubuki, Mick, and an unknown woman of the valkyrie class handled the remaining opposition in the Dark Assembly they were in, no doubtingly having to force a proposal to pass for approval without any hinderance.
神秘的な翼の空気を通って飛行その暗い空である
私を導きなさい
アーメン
Despite being a prisoner within his own being while Zenon laid to waste the enemies that attacked on a field of blood, Adell could only find solace in the fact that his family, friends, and allies were safe. It was a blessing to him that Taro and Hanako were alive, though the former was back in his original form while the latter was stuck as a Prinny for the time being.
But despite the predicament that he was in and despite all the pain he had endured, Adell still held on to that last bit of hope that hadn't escaped him. He may not be able to do anything at the moment but Adell felt that he had to see this through to the bitter end no matter the cost.
'Everyone.' He thought to himself as he felt his vision weigh heavily, a sign that Zenon was about to throw him into her hell once more.
'It's all up to you now. Godspeed.' Adell prayed mentally for his surviving comrades before screaming in agony as the Goddess of Overlords sought to break her captive once more.
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The kanji are official lyrics from "Innocent Days" by Kuroishi Hitomi, though she sings the song in a nonsensical language. I listened to it while writing the last section and just felt that I had to include it in.