hey... not much to say this time.

-Chapter Six- Such a Wonderful Day

He woke shortly after the fourth time that night he had that torturous dream. They say you dream about seven times in a night whether you remember them or not. He remembered all of them.

Laharl had the same departing dream-vision of his mother four times… 4+37. One was about his father… the snack he teased him with now poison, and Laharl, the child he was then, knew it, and chased him down from afar as if the room wasn't already big enough.

Now it had to be a never-ending void until it was too late and Krichevskoy lay dead on the floor.

Another was about Jennifer, which he dared not think too hard about again… and the last one, still fresh in his mind, burned there as he knew it would always be, for years to come… was of Flonne and Etna.

Flonne, he recalled, was calling out to him, arms outstretched.

He had a terrible urge to go to her quickly, as if her life had depended on it… but then, before he could clearly comprehend it all, Etna had appeared in front of her.

Again. Why did it always feel like he was running on moving planks? The scarf that would have normally allowed him to fly was stripped form him by an unknown face earlier in the dream, and so now, he had no way of getting to her.

He knew Etna's appearance now couldn't have been a good thing. To him, somehow in this dream, and perhaps how he truly felt, she meant grief to him.

He was right.

In one clean swipe of her arm, her back turned to him, blood sprayed from the sides he could not see, and Flonne screamed. He cried out to her, making one last ditch-effort to get to her and jumped. Their hands nearly met…

A light engulfed him, all else and time seemed to slow or stop… Etna was gone… and he stood, tense, ridged, as the light faded, his arm up protectively above his head… the other arm down, fingers clenched over something warm… glowing… calm.

In his hands now, seeing it, he found a soft, glowing white Lilly.

He knew this wasn't right, how anything had happened… but it still sacred him, and he wished desperately to alter the scenes around him.

Lucid dreaming. Fun.

He woke with a slight start, checking his hands over and over obsessedly for the dreaded flower and found nothing but the Harusame laying a ways below him. He could have bet money he knocked it away before he fell asleep some how, and that that was the reason his dreams were so unpleasant.

Atsu nearly rushed into the room in a sombre panic when he hiccupped. Apparently, she'd mistaken it for a sob.

Laharl, realising this, if it were his usual self, would have indeed said 'big mistake' and proceeded to give her a deadly glare… but no such look could he ever manage if it were to Atsu. He just simply couldn't do it. She was the first one to actually care for him the way he needed to be cared for.

Instead, he flashed a smile, sitting more upright in his now strangely flattening mountain of cushions. "Good morning, Atsu-san." He said brightly, shaking away the now pounding memories and images of his dreams. It was as if seeing her made them race back, causing his head to spin.

His face never showed this.

Atsu looked shocked and amazed all the same for a moment, then returned the gentle smile. "Good morning…!" she came closer to him, helping him down from the nest of comforters and things. Anyone could tell he loved this kind of pampering and attention with such tenderness and care. "Glad to see you're feeling better."

If he hadn't stopped himself and thought a second more about his words, he would have said 'me too', but ruled this as rude. Instead, he nodded quickly.

"Well, you slept till noon; I would imagine you're quite hungry!" she exclaimed cheerfully. It hadn't been until then that he noticed the sun blazing so intensely out the nearby window. Atsu placed a counted amount of Hell in his hands, patting his back lightly as he stood. "Go on now; buy yourself something good for bre-- lunch."

He nodded again, but then thought of something quickly before he left. "Hey, Atsu…?" he began softly, glancing innocently up at her.

"Yes?"

"…why do you give me so much money all the time?"

"Oh; simple, dear childe… you see, I am old… and I need it not anymore." She gave him a gentle smile that could have made him cry. "So I want to have it used for something better; by someone who needs it."

"You mean… " he could not and would not bring himself to say it.

"Yes. I mean, that once I die, of course I will have no use for it anymore. And so, I give more to you, seeing as you someone who I hold dear and indeed, someone who needs it more than I certainly do. Laharl…" she stooped to face him directly on, then, and knelt before him. "I do not need material things… I do not have that much more time left to live, you see, so I would not want to waste perfectly good Hell on something I could never want or use."

He had a feeling today she was in more in a mood to talk for it took her so long just to say this. But in any case he understood what she'd meant at once, and ended up shaking his head in disbelief.

She gave him another heart-breaking smile and patted his shoulder again, sending him on his way. "Go on now, don't fret; I'll be here when you come back."

It wasn't until that moment of catching the scent of the stands outside that he realised just how hungry he really was; his stomach nearly roared at him.

"And be good, you here? No more box-piling… it wouldn't be good if you ended up passing on before I did," she joked, and he couldn't help but smile for her to bring up the little box incident again. "Stay out as long as you'd like."

By now, evening settling down, Laharl had satisfied his hunger a few times over with a nice amount of Hell left over. Now, he simply explored around town looking for something to do under the scintillating orange-red skies.

Unfortunately, something found him instead.

He stood atop a small dirty red knoll looking down the crooked street of outside market-stands that lined the dimming houses, scanning the area as if it belonged to him. He wanted it to, of course, but… what would that mean for the civilians here? They'd probably hate that.

…after tonight, he'd have no idea how much he was correct about this.

He caught glance of two familiar figures, and before he had a chance to comprehend or even react, the red hair and eyed face turned and looked straight up at him.

Crap.

It was Etna and Flonne, both looking directly at him, each with a deadly smirk. In moments Etna had stepped forward in his direction, her eyes flashing something he could recognize from a mile away; mockery. "what'sa matter, kid? Ya lost?" she crooned devilishly.

His fists tightened and he ground his teeth, fighting back the urge to begin any kind of verbal assault or bear fang at her. It was one hell of a task, to say in the least, and he had made a promise so to speak, to Atsu, that he would not cause any trouble in town. Seeing as it was Atsu, he kept to that promise, and held his ground for the time being.

It was only a matter of how much he could take of whatever they threw at him.

For five long minutes, he endured Etna's ranting off at him, as she blasted off numerous, terrible remarks to and about him. He bit his lip, forcing back his harsh comebacks and such.

"Aw, what's wrong? Why aren't you sayin' anything?" she snapped, annoyed with his silence. "…Red Prinny got your tongue?" she ended, chanting cruelly.

Now he had enough. "SHUT UP!!" he roared, stamping a foot down, aura making a quick flurry around him. "You dun have ANY kind of right to say ANYTHING about her, you bitch!!"

Beside her, Flonne giggled and he jerked back at this. So… Etna had gotten her on her side too now?

Looks like he had no protection.

"Laharl, haven't you ever heard of 'freedom of speech'?" she added, her voice cold, so unlike the Flonne he knew.

"You! That goes for you too!" he screamed at her. A few people had stopped beside the streets and made a small crowd to watch. Others, from a short distance, watched silently, intently. Oddly, and most inconvenient as it was, he felt his face grow hot and he gritted his teeth, no longer afraid to bear fang.

"Aww… you're blushing, Laharl…" Flonne murmured, a hand girlishly over her curved lips.

"I hope for your sake you don't start crying again." Etna said coolly, but loud enough for the budding pack behind her could hear as well. Her face was slightly turned so she could ensure this.

She had the prince wondering if it was already too late; he knew what she would try next.

"We wouldn't want to see you go cryin' to your mommy if— oops." She sneered, a smirk creeping across her face at the end of her words. Her sharp fangs were clearly visible under her devious simper. "Guess I forgot she was already dead." at this, a roar of understanding and amusement rose behind her from the crowd.

"Mmm…" Flonne licked her lips, rubbing her stomach. "I hope those biscuits were yummy…"

For a moment, Etna was unsure of what she meant exactly, but when she caught on, she exploded with laughter, and they both chimed; "she bit the biscuit!"

"No-no... wait; that wasn't her. And it wasn't a biscuit; it was… a Dumpling of the Damned!"

"Oh, so true on the damned part; Krichevskoy WAS indeed a fool to the end." Though it pained her to say such a cruel thing about her former master, Etna thought it only necessary if it meant getting to tease Laharl like this in front of so many other people. Most of which, who had not liked the king, added to the noise and howled with laughter and agreement. It was almost too obvious this town was against him.

And his son.

"Pushin' up daisies-" Flonne picked up again.

"Takin' the dirt nap-"

"Kicked the bucket-"

For a time the two went back and fourth with stupid puns and saying such as these to represent death. A few others were thrown in by random demons off the street.

Including the man who'd sold him not only his breakfast this morning, but also the Kokoro Kaori fruit and flower.

This was too much for him. "Stop it…" Laharl muttered weakly, his face downcast.

Amidst the rioting laughter the two girls were in, Etna stopped abruptly and straightened to glare at him. "Oh, did you say something?"

"Did the Red Prinny finally let go?" Flonne added.

He shook his head. Not to say 'no', more of like a 'why?'

"Why…?" he began in a small, insecure voice.

"What?" Etna teased, pulling a hand forward to her ear. "I don't think I caught that."

"WHY!?" he stormed, pound a foot to the ground, throwing his arms down in a violent gesture. "Why are you doing this to me!?"

"Uh... lemme think," Etna snapped shortly, eyes flashing a deadly glare. "You're a low-life bastard who throws around my Prinnies like they're trash, even the Red one who you knew was—"

"Shut your damn mouth!!"

At this she smirked and rolled her eyes, plowing on. "y'know, I think I have every right to do this to you. Are we making you uncomfortable? Good, you little—"

Flonne jabbed her in the arm to get her attention and she stopped almost abruptly.

Laharl had his head down, teeth and hands clenched. He trembled softly. To them, it looked like he was ready to blow the whole town apart.

From his side of things… not so much. "Just leave…" he muttered slowly through his bared teeth.

"I'm sorry, what now?" this joke was getting old.

"I said GET OUT!!"

"Fine, fine…" Etna laughed, making sarcastic surrendering gestures with her hands. "But you know…"

"This town belongs to everyone here, and we can stay as long-as-we-LIKE." Flonne finished bitterly, emphasizing the last few words, tying them together with some kind of ethereal string no one could obviously see. A few agreeing shouts erupted from behind them.

"When I said… I didn't need you…" his voice was stressed, shaky, and he dared not trust it any longer, yet he pushed on. "That also meant… I didn't need you and all your crap! All these stupid things you're saying to me, and I DON'T need—"

They weren't listening to him. In fact, they'd comically started a card game with a nearby store owner.

A grumble caught in his throat as he tensed, eyes closed stiffly, brow furrowed; the very picture of impatient annoyance. In a quick, violent movement, he jerked up. "FINE!!" his aura swirled around him swiftly, kicking up loose dust. The red from the sandy hillock seemed to dye the purple down to a depressingly familiar shade of dark red.

Laharl saw it straight away, his face becoming masked with both shock and pleading towards Etna hoping she would not carry further, seeing this.

She did.

"My, my…" she began devilishly, ambling slyly up to him, making a short circle. "Did I see red? Am I right, Flonne? Certainly you saw it too…?"

"Yes…!" she said smugly, a wry smile over her face. "Isn't it normally purple?"

"Yeah, the colour your FACE is gonna be if you—" Laharl snapped, glaring at Etna, eyes tailing her as she circled him further.

She gave a short snicker and stopped beside him, pulling over his shoulder. "You can't fool me, Prince…" she took his chin in one hand and stroked down his cheek with another, reanimating the trail of a tear. "I now you want to cry…. I know you want to run a way and hide…. I know those words won't last for long, and I know, that if I say anything more… what you say will never happen." She gazed up at her accomplice slyly, cueing her. "Didn't that colour remind you of something dirty, Flonne?"

"It did, Etna," they glanced between themselves, terrible smirks across their faces.

"It was so UGLY!" she highlighted the word and added an aggressive gesture to it. "Just as ugly as the colour of that disgusting Prinny!"

Laharl was already loosing his own fight. His eyes lost the sharpness and now held a sense of desperation in them. Please, no more… he thought quietly, please no more jokes about her…

They jeered at him about his mother back and fourth for moments on end until finally he was unable to stand it anymore. He let his head down, gritting his teeth lightly, feeling himself slipping.

Wind kicked up from behind and swept across him, giving him a miserable feeling of loneliness. He tried near desperately to keep down the tears that threatened his eyes and shook his head lightly as if to make it all go away. He clutched at his tight chest and a stifled sob caught in his throat.

Almost abruptly, he threw Etna aside away from him, most likely making her fall or stumble, and bolted down the hill, compelled to push Flonne out of his way as he went.

It was a terrible sense of weakness; of vulnerability. He was running – crying to a devil he trusted yet barely knew.

A number of demons from the street, even some random Prinnies he's never seen before laughed and pointed at him all the way. He hid his face as best as he could, the scarf shielding him occasionally from the stones or other unappreciative objects thrown at him.

When at last he reached his destination after nearly being chased most of the way there, he was out of breath – breath that was already ravaged by sobs. He was frightened, to say in the least now.

Laharl tore open the small old wooden door, whipping inside, slamming it shut after him, his back propped up against it. Slowly, painfully, for his chest and legs burned from running, he sank to the floor, covering his face, burying it in his hands.

There were a few disturbing cracks from the other side that jolted him forward from the shock, followed by harsh shouting.

"C'mon, boy! Let's go! That ain't your mommy!" an almost angry voice cackled. "Why you goin' to her?!"

"Go away!" he pleaded to the shut door. "Leave me alone!!"

Atsu rushed in then, a small dish towel in her hands as she dried them. "What is it? What's going on?" she noticed Laharl, cowering behind the heaving door, his arms up protectively. "Laharl! What's going on? What do those people want?"

"They were— they were ch-chasing me…!" he tried to stop, but he couldn't hide the fact that he'd been frightened enough to hyperventilate himself. She would have found this cute in a sense, ad it not been for such a cruel reason.

"There… come now..." she helped him up and away from the door. "Go over there and lie down for a moment…"

Atsu swung the door in and a man fell forward. She seized the collar of his shirt and pulled him up with such strength Laharl could have mistaken her for a younger adult. She pushed him back and pressed her larger body in the door to block them from getting in again. "Now listen here you folk," she commanded bitterly. "I am caring for this childe, and I will never allow any of you to harm him! Leave here at once!"

A few disappointed, heavy sighs escaped from the mob and they dispersed however slowly. Others just made strange downward motions with their hands as if to say 'forget you', and walked off. She watched every one of them go, being sure they would not return.

When at last she was convinced they had gone, she returned inside, pulling the door closed lightly and turned to Laharl who was at the base of his little mountain of pillows and such. He had his knees up to his forehead, arms wrapped protectively around his legs. "Did you do anything to upset the townsfolk, Laharl…?" she asked gently.

"No…!" he shook his hidden head and swayed uneasily. An outward sob escaped his chest and he clenched his hands tightly. "They just started chasing me… after I ran away from…" his voice was thick and muffled behind his tears.

"Who…?" she coaxed softly, kneeling to him. She wanted to get to the bottom of this... But when Laharl confessed the names of the two he dreaded most at the moment, she had not a clue. "Are they…?"

"They're who I came with… but we got—got into a fight and then I left them… but they found me again and—" he forced himself to slow down, for he noticed that he was beginning to sound like a desperate child. "They said terrible things about my mother… and…" it had finally hit him at full force; some of the things they'd said were inexcusable, and he'd done nothing to protect his mother he… loved so dearly…

Atsu came closer to him, and he clamped down on her arms, crying freely as if to say 'I'll never do the same to you if you die'. He would protect her with all his honor.

So what? He thought. Right now… it's okay to cry… she understands.

"It's alright, Laharl…" she coaxed. "They're gone now… I won't let them hurt you." she pulled him close and rocked with him gently, stroking through his soft blue hair. She pulled back his backward-facing forelocks and kissed the top of his head. "They know better than to mess with me!" she joked lightly.

He rested his head close to her heart to hear its faint beat. The steady sound gradually relaxed him and he let his drying eyes close. He hadn't realised she had the Harusame Flower close to him now.

Gratefully, he took it gingerly and held it to his heart. "…thank you, Atsu…" he said quietly, glancing up at her with soft, settled eyes. "And… I'm sorry for all of this…"

"No…!" she said, almost shocked. "Oh… don't be sorry… you did nothing wring, dear Laharl…" she cradled him closer to him and began rocking again, hoping to get him to relaxed enough to sleep. "If it's anyone who should be sorry, it's those demons…"

He nodded, assuming it was one of those things she didn't want an answer to.

free to flame