All Hail to the Queen!
I REALLY LOVE THIS BAND!
Not much to rant, I'm just hoping this tale will go somewhere….
Let'g begin…
Mission 8 : On Debriefings, Kissing and the Show.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Fantasy Pic: Henrietta in Trish's costume, posing as she aims Luce and Ombra at you.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Inside the headmaster's office, Headmaster Osman listened to the group's account of what happened.
"Hmm… So M'selle Longueville is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt… Because she's such a beauty I did not think twice about hiring her as my secretary."
"How did you go about hiring her?" M'sieu Colbert who was also present asked.
"In a tavern. I was a customer while she was a waitress there. Where I slowly caressed her from her hands down to her buttocks…"
"Then what happened?" Msieu Colbert asked again, sure that the method Old Osmond used is the NOT best way to hire a competent employee.
Headmaster Osman embarrassingly confessed, "Because she wasn't angry at all after what I did, I asked her whether she wanted to become my secretary or not."
"Why?" The bewildered M'sieu Colbert continued asking.
"Anyways!" Headmaster Osman cried out using vigor unfitting for an old man.
Osman started coughing. And said sedately, "And she could use magic, too."
"Yeah, magic that could kill." M'sieu Colbert mumbled to himself.
Headmaster Osman coughed again then told M'sieu Colbert in a prudent manner, "Come to think of it, the reason that Fouquet allowed me to touch her all over the place, served me wine happily, and praised that I was handsome man, while I was in the tavern, was just to infiltrate the academy. All those praises were most probably just lies…"
M'sieu Colbert upon hearing that immediately remembered that he was also bewitched by Fouquet once, and had revealed the weakness of the vault walls to her.
M'sieu Colbert decided that he would take that secret with him to his grave.
"Yes. Beautiful women are deadly mages."
"I couldn't agree more with you, Colbert."
Dante nods sagely at the statement.
Louise, Kirche and Tabitha stared blankly at the three.
Realizing that the students had given them the cold stare, the embarrassed Osman cleared his throat and regained his solemn composure.
"A job well done for all of you, you have returned the Staff of Destruction and captured Fouquet."
The three besides Dante acknowledged proudly.
"Fouquet will be handed over to the town guards, and the Staff of Destruction will be returned back to the treasure vault. Finally the case is closed."
Gently caressing each of the trio's heads, Osman said, "I have requested the imperial court to confer upon you the title of Chevalier, I believe that we should have news of it soon. And since Tabitha already has the title of chevalier, I have requested that she be given the Elven Medallion."
The trio's faces brightened up upon hearing the news.
"Really?" Kirche said astoundingly.
"Yes. You have done more than enough to deserve this title. Haven't you?"
Louise gazed at Dante who was in deep thought since they entered the office.
"Headmaster Osman, is Dante… won't get anything?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so. Because he's not a noble…"
Dante replied, "Don't sweat it guys, just take this as a free service from me."
Headmaster Osman gently clapped his hands and said, "I almost forgot, Tonight's Familiar Presentation will resume as planned since we have gotten back the Staff of Destruction.
Kirche's face brightened up. "That's right. Let's forget about Fouquet and party all night long after the contest!"
"The main attraction of the this presentation will be you three. So go get ready and dress up!"
The three bowed, and left through the door.
Louise stopped and looked at the devil hunter.
"You go first." Dante told Louise, smiling.
Even though Louise was still worried, she nodded and left the room.
Osman turned to Dante and said, "You have something to ask me?"
Dante turns serious and nodded.
"Please ask. I'll try to answer your question to the best of my abilities. Even though I couldn't confer you a title, this is the least I can do to show my appreciation."
Immediately after, he asked M'sieu Colbert to leave the room. M'sieu Colbert, who was waiting for Dante to speak, was expressing displeasure as he exited the room.
After M'sieu Colbert left, Dante said, "That, the Staff of Destruction was originally from my world."
Osman's eyes gleamed. "Originally from your world?"
"I'm not from this world."
"Is this true?"
"It's true. I was transported to this world due to Louise's summoning."
"I see. If that's the case…" Osman squinted his eyes.
"The Staff of Destruction was a weapon from my world. Who was the person who brought it to this world?"
Osman sighed and said, "The one who gave the Staff of Destruction was my savior."
"Where is the person now? That person is definitely from the same world as me."
"He died. That was over thirty years ago…"
'He? So it was not Lady who brought the Kalina Ann here, hmm...it could be one of her men.'
"What did you say?"
"Thirty years ago, while I was strolling inside the forest, I was attacked by a two headed dragon. The one who saved me was the owner of the Staff of Destruction. He used the Staff of Destruction to kill the two headed dragon and then collapsed. He was already injured at that time. I transported him to the academy and treated his wounds. But to no avail…"
"And he died?"
Headmaster Osman nodded.
"I buried him in the forest, while the Staff of Destruction he used to kill the dragon; I kept it inside the vault in order to commemorate my savior…"
Osman gazed far away and said, "While he was resting on the bed till the day he died, he kept saying repeatedly 'Where is this place? I want to go back to my world.' I guess that he must be from the same world as yours."
'Well, not exactly,' Dante thought.
"Who was the one who brought him to this world then?" he asked aloud
"I don't know. Right till the end, I still had no idea how he ended up here."
'Damn it! Just when I thought that I had something here.' Dante cussed himself. This particular information did not prove anything other than the incident of world crossings tend to be a lot more complicated than he expected.
Osman's savior was most probably one of his Devil slayers Lady worked with. But how did he end up in this world? Even though Dante wanted to know badly, there was no way to know anymore.
Osman held the devil hunter's right hand, "The runes on your hand…"
"Oh yes. I wanted to ask about that, too. What does this actually mean?"
Osman pondered for a moment and said, "…That I know. That is the runes of "Windálfr", the legendary familiar."
"The runes of the legendary familiar?"
"Yes. Windálfr was a legendary familiar who could use and control any magical creature at will."
Dante was confused. "…Then, why am I the legendary familiar?"
"I don't know." Osman quickly replied, and paused thoughfully, he then continued,
"I'm sorry. But there is a possibility that the runes of Windálfr are related to you being transported to this world."
The explanation didn't make sense, so the devil hunter tries another approach,
"There's something else..." Dante said, as he removed his hand from the old man's grasp.
"What is it then?"
"What do you know of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda?"
"Who's that?"
"Don't give me that 'I don't know' crap." Dante snapped at the old man, his eyes flickered red in an instant.
Silence
Then the old man grinned in the likes Dante has never seen before...
"As expected from someone with the bloodline of Sparda..." Osmond said, hobbling back towards his desk.
"So you do know of him,"
"Of course, I travelled with him before. So may I ask, how are you related to him?" Osmond asks
"He's my father."
"Ah, I see. Since you managed to figure this much out, I suppose I'll answer some of your questions..."
"Never mind."
A serious discussion was held behind closed doors...
Later...
"I'm sorry that I could not be of much help on your case as of yet. Just remember, I'll always be on your side, M'sieu Dante!" Osman tried to hug him but Dante evades.
"I guess, I could take my time."
"I must thank you once again for bringing back the possession of my benefactor."
"It's all right…" The devil hunter said tiredly.
Dante already has the original copy of the weapon before anyway...
"That's all I know of the current situation you're in. Anyways, I'm quite sure, you'll get used to this world as time goes by. Maybe by then you could find a wife here too…"
"That's the last thing I'll ever need."
Dante sighed again.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
After giving the lovesick Kirche the slip, Dante returns to Louise's dorm to discuss their presentation…
"Are you serious!"
"Yup, I need you to be on stage to perform with me."
"BB-But I Don't know what to do. What will I do?"
"This." Dante just flicks the pinkette on the forehead, as a flash of light which accompanied it indicated that is no mere forehead flick.
"H-h-how shameful." Louise couldn't help but react at the revelation.
"But this will bring them down on their knees, Am I right?"
Louise just smiled in anticipation.
Before they could actually proceed to the grounds, a soft knocking came to the door. Louise glanced at Dante and he knew that he would have to answer it for her, since Louise is trying to reach for the cloak to cover herself and her costume.
Dante walked over to the door casually.
Undoing the lock, he opened the door to greet whoever was on the side but the devil hunter couldn't get even one word out before someone in a concealing cloak forced their way inside.
"Who are you?" Louise demanded, standing up straight up from her bed.
"It's been a while," the sudden guest murmured, the voice revealing the figure to be female.
And what a figure it is,
Louise blinked in confusion.
The mysterious woman seemed to shiver before she leaped at Louise, much to both their shocks before the woman trapped Louise inside a powerful and obviously loving hug.
The cloak came loose in her rush and fell away.
Much to his surprise, as if the hug wasn't enough, the woman who was hugging Louise so closely was none other than the princess Henrietta herself!
Dante recognized her from the numerous posters scattered throughout town.
"Louise Francoise!" the princess cried happily, clutching the pinkette tightly.
"Y-Your Highness!" Louise gasped out, her jaw dropping in surprise.
After a moment of being surprised, she managed to gently slip her way out of the princess' embrace before bowing on her knee. "Please do not embrace a lower-class person like me or bother yourself by coming to a place like this on your own."
"Oh Louise Francoise, please don't be so formal when we are alone," the princess smiled softly. "We're friends."
"You are so kind to one such as me," Louise smiled, likely the most honest and wholesome smile Dante has seen on her since the devil hunter had met her.
"Ehem, for those of us are apparently not up to date," Dante spoke up, still leaning at the now shut door.
"I take it that you two know each other from somewhere, right?"
"Right," Louise sighed, standing up and gesturing at the princess. "I had the honor of being selected as a royal playmate when both the princess and I were younger."
"Can you not say we were childhood friends?" asked Henrietta, gazing longingly at Louise with her eyes misting up. "I…I missed you so very much."
"Princess," Louise murmured, stepping closer to see if she could comfort her monarch.
"I'm sorry," Henrietta sighed, wiping her eyes. "It is just ever since my father passed away, I have not had anyone I can talk openly with."
Dante watched with amusement as Louise and Henrietta reconnect after apparently a long time of being separated. After a moment of the two speaking softly to one another,
Henrietta seemed to notice of the Devil Hunter and flushed slightly before looking back to Louise, "Please forgive my intrusion though. I seem to have interrupted a moment between you and your lover."
"LOVER?-!" Louise cried out.
Dante just shook his head at the statement.
Although he was fully sheathed, Dante was pretty sure that he could hear Derflinger laughing at the insinuation.
'I'd get him for that later.' He swore inwardly.
"No! No! No! No!" Louise cried, waving her hands in a panic while Dante just looked away, whistled a tune with his hands in his pockets from the statement they just heard.
Not that Louise wasn't attractive, but her attitude half the time was a turn off.
And Dante's not a lolicon. Just, so you know.
"He's my Guardian your highness! My Magical Partner!"
"Your Guardian and not your lover?" Henrietta blinked. "You two seem so close though."
"As if I would lower myself to be a lover of a commoner!" Louise huffed, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks.
"You just keep on forgetting don't ya?" Dante grinned ferally.
"Commoner she calls me," he sighed, ignoring Derflinger's further chuckling.
'That sword is itching for a one way trip to the forge.' Dante eyebrow twitched.
To be honest, the sword must have wanted to come with Dante for laughs.
"She keeps calling me that way. After all she has seen."
"Ah! You are actually a noble?" Henrietta asked.
Both looked at Princess Henrietta and Louise's face lit up in embarrassment for arguing in front of her while her guardian mostly ignored her.
"Well, no," Dante answered. "I'm not a noble. I just happen to be just good at odd jobs at best." he adds, "And I happen to be the best at it as well."
Deciding to change the subject before Louise got any other ideas of breaking in a violent manner a question which had been bugging him for a while. "So, Your Highness, what brings you here tonight?" he asked. There had to be a reason for her to make a late night visit and in disguise to boot.
"I simply wished to visit a dear friend," smiled Henrietta.
"Your Highness, I am not worthy…" began Louise.
"Please, Louise, why not call me by my old childhood nickname?" requested the princess gently.
"Alright, Anne…" Louise answered, blushing. I couldn't deny it at this point; she looked so cute like that.
"I suppose you'll both be competing later," said the princess. "And I see that she has summoned a fine being to look after her. It puts my mind at ease to know she has someone dedicated like yourself to be at her side." She looked to him. "Forgive me, but I forgot to ask for your name, M'sieu…"
"I'm Dante, odd jobs man," he answered bowing at her.
Henrietta didn't notice the subtle exchange between Dante and Louise, and she began speaking in a cheerful voice.
"Dependable Sir Guardian."
"Yes?"
After Henrietta called him dependable, Dante smirked inwardly, still keeping a stoic visage.
"Naw, that's too much. Just treat me normally."
"Please keep taking care of my most precious friend."
And then she gently held out her hand. A handshake? he thought, but the back of her hand was turned upwards. What sort of gesture was this?
Louise spoke up with an astonished voice.
"That won't do! Princess! To offer your hand to him!"
"It is alright. This person will be acting for my sake, and without a reward, I won't have his loyalty."
"Ah..."
'Offering a hand? The way someone does to a dog? Is that how you treat your dogs?' Dante thought quirking an eyebrow.
Dante stopped and tilted his head to the side in a questioning manner, looking at Louise.
He hasn't grasped how to deal with human royalties, as most royalties he met were demonic ones, which were annihilated by him.
"That's not it. Ooh, this is why ..., a commoner who doesn't know anything. When she offers her hand, it means you can kiss her. That's saying it plainly."
'My, my...how aggressive...' Dante thought.
Dante's eyebrow rose up. He'd never thought that he'd be allowed to kiss a princess or anyone from royalty at all.
Henrietta smiled sweetly at Dante.
His smile appeared stoic to other people, but Dante was thinking, 'I'd love to?' To be liked by such a princess wouldn't be half bad, he thought.
Dante grinned deliberately at Louise. Louise muttered under her breath and turned her face away.
'Somehow, this felt rather embarrassing….'
Dante caught Henrietta's hand, and then firmly pulled her to close to him.
"Eh?"
Henrietta absentmindedly opened her mouth in surprise. Then before they could blink, Dante pushed his lips against Henrietta's.
"Mmph..."
What tender, tiny lips they were. Henrietta's eyes opened widely into circles.
The circles went white. The strength left Henrietta's body, and, slipping through Dante's hands, she fell to the bed.
"Oops."
'Ah, Royalty never tasted this good,'
"What are you doing to her highness? You d-d-d-devil!"
"What? She asked for it." He shrugged.
When Dante turned around, the bottom of Louise's shoe was flying towards him.
Dante took Louise's jump kick in the face and tumbled to the floor.
Well, he could let her get away with this. For now.
"What was that for?" Dante asked, getting peeved.
When Dante said that, Louise stamped angrily on his face.
"It was on her hand she gave you permission to kiss, the back of her hand! A kiss on the back of the hand! Why'd you give her an all-out kiss on the lips?"
Louise was so mad, it looked like she was going to catch fire.
"How should I know? I don't know anything about your rules here."
As his face was getting trampled, Dante spread his hands and spoke plainly.
Getting stepped on was something Dante had experience with, aside from getting bitten, eaten, stabbed, shot, and a bunch of other things that could actually kill a lesser man.
"Y-y-y-you, you, you devil..."
Ah, so true.
Louise's voice began trembling in fury.
Henrietta rose from the bed while shaking her head. Louise rushed to kneel beside her. She then grabbed Dante's head and pushed it down to the bed.
"I-I'm sorry! My guardian's misconduct, is my own misconduct! And you say it, too! Apologize!"
'The ever-prideful Louise was apologizing to someone else besides me. On top of that, she was shaking all over. If I don't do what she says, she'll probably give me hell for it later.' Dante chuckled inwardly.
'Might as well as give her a bit of free rein here.'
"Sorry. I only did it since you said to me that I could kiss you."
"And where can you find someone who would go for the lips when they hear that?" Louise asked.
"I had known a lot."
Louise struck Dante with her fist.
He didn't budge.
Then Louise suddenly assaults Dante with a sweep, causing the devil hunter to lose his footing and fall flat on his back.
'So Louise has been trained in the art of fighting too?' Dante asks himself.
He wonders who could it be...
Then she stamped stamped on Dante's head and ground it against the floor.
"I-it's alright. Loyalty must be rewarded, after all."
Henrietta bowed her head, giving real effort to appear calm.
At that time, there was a knock on the door.
"Y-y-yes?" Louise croaked as she frantically casted lock to the door.
The voice belonged to someone who had dueled with Dante before, Guiche de Gramont.
"Master Dante, it's time for the show to start."
"We'll be there." Dante answered for the girl, now fully composed.
That broke the weird atmosphere as the princess pulled herself together and goes toward the door after making sure that Guiche is gone.
"I wish you both luck at the later exhibition then, Louise and Dante."
Then she took one last look at Dante,
She actually blushed, and Dante found her loveliness increased the more…
"You should know this, but that was the best kiss I ever had."
With a dainty wave, she refastened her disguising cloak and exited the room with very little fanfare.
That left Louise and Dante by themselves once again. Louise is in shock at the statement….
'Yeah, I'm good.'
"Nice lady," Dante smiled. "I can see why people are so taken with her."
"For once I agree," Louise nodded weakly, trying to remove the shock,
as she now focused on the task at hand.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Sometime later... Henrietta's carriage...
Henrietta closed the curtains, and deeply sighed, losing the rose-like smile that she just sent to the crowds. All that was left was distress and deep melancholy unbecoming of her age. The Princess is 17 this year. With a slim figure, light blue eyes, high nose, she is an eye catching beauty. Her slender fingers played with her crystal staff. As of Royal blood, she is, of course, a mage.
Neither the cheers along the road nor the flowers flying in the air could cheer her up. She seemed to be holding deep political and romantic anxieties.
Sitting beside her, Mazarin watched her while playing with his beard. Wearing a hat like that of a priest and a grey formal suit, he was a slim and frail man of forty-some years old. His hair and beard have already grown white, and even his fingers looked like skin on bones, creating an appearance far too old for his age. Ever since His Majesty died, his iron grip on both foreign relations and internal politics have considerably aged him.
He just left his carriage and entered the Princess's.
He wanted to talk about politics, but the Princess only sighed, and paid no attention.
"That is your thirteenth time today, Your Majesty." Mazarin noted, annoyed and concerned.
"Hmm? What?"
"That sighing. Those of royalty shouldn't do that all the time in front of their subordinates."
"Royalty? What?" Henrietta was shocked. "Aren't you the King of Tristain? Doesn't Your Highness know about his rumors on the streets?"
"I am not aware." Mazarin replied indifferently. He was lying. He knew about everything in Tristain, and even Halkeginia, down to the amount of scales on the fire dragons living in the volcanoes. He knew all about it. He just pretended that he didn't.
"Then let me tell you. Tristain's Royal family has beauty, but not its scepter. Cardinal, you're the one holding the scepter. Bird's bones wearing a gray hat..."
Mazarin blinked. The words 'bird's bones' coming out of the Princess stung. "Please don't speak of commoners' rumors so carelessly..."
"Why not? They're just rumors. I'll marry the King of Germania as you told me to."
"We can't help that. An alliance with Germania is extremely important to Tristain." said Mazarin.
"That I know."
"Your Majesty understands the rebellion being carried out in that 'White Country' Albion under those idiots? Those people can't seem to tolerate the existence of royalty in Halkeginia." He frowned.
"Impolite, unrefined imbeciles! They're trying to hang that poor prince! Even if the entire world can forgive their actions, Founder Brimir shall not forgive them. I wouldn't forgive them."
"Indeed. However, Albion's nobility has unsurpassed power. The Albionian Royal Family might not even survive tomorrow. One of Founder Brimir's three bestowed royalties is going to fall, just like that. Meh... countries that cannot solve their own internal strifes have no right to exist."
"The Albionian Royal Family is nothing like Germania's. They're all my relatives. You have no right to say that even as Cardinal."
"I humbly apologize. I will ask for forgiveness from Founder Brimir before I go to bed tonight. However, what I just said is the truth, Your Majesty."
Henrietta only sadly shook her head. Even that gesture radiated her beauty.
"Word is that those stupid Albionian nobles have the gall to declare how they're going to unite all of Halkeginia as one. It certainly seems like those people would set their sights at Tristain after extinguishing their royalty. If it really turns out like that, it would be too late if we don't take steps to prepare right now." Mazarin severely explained to Henrietta. She looked out the window, pretending to pay no attention. "Reading the opponent's actions and countering it at the first available opportunity is true politics, Your Majesty. If we can create an alliance with Germania, then we can create a covenant to counter Albion's new government, and ensure this little country's survival."
Henrietta continued to sigh. Mazarin opened the curtain and looked outside, and saw the shadow of his pride. A young, breathtakingly sharp-looking noble, sporting a feather-hat and long beard, marched with the convoy outside. A medal of a griffin fastens his black cape, and one look on his mount shows why. It had an eagle's head, wings, and talons, and it had a lion's body and hind legs. A griffin.
This man is the leader of one of three Mage Guard divisions, the Griffin Knights, Captain Lord Wardes. His division is the most memorable amongst the entire Mage Guard, and especially to Mazarin. Wielding formidable magical prowess, the Mage Guard is organized through extremely selective trials amongst nobles, and each member rides a magical beast to his division's name. They are the Tristainian symbols of fear and pride.
"You summoned me, Your Highness?" Wardes's eyes twinkled, and approached the carriage window on his griffin. The window slowly opened. Mazarin looked out.
"Wardes-kun, Her Majesty is feeling depressed. Can you get something for us that can cheer her up?"
"Understood." Wardes nodded, and observed the road with the gaze of an eagle. He quickly found a small section of the street, and had his griffin head there. Pulling out his long staff from his waist, he chanted a short spell, and briskly waved it. A small gust erupted from the ground, collecting all the petals strewn on the ground into Wardes' hands. He returned to the carriage with the bouquet, and presented it to Mazarin. Mazarin stroked his beard, and suggested, "May Captain please present this to Her Majesty yourself?"
"That would truly be a great honor." Wardes saluted, and turned to the other side of the carriage. The window slowly opened, Henrietta extended a hand to receive it, and showed her left hand to him. Wardes emotionally held her left hand, and lightly kissed it.
Still quite upset, Henrietta asked, "What is your name?"
"Your Majesty's Mage Guard, Griffin Knights leader, Lord Wardes." He gratefully lowered his head and replied.
"A model of nobility. How very fine of you."
"I am merely a lowly servant for Your Majesty."
"There have been fewer nobles who would say this lately. When Grandfather was still alive, oh my... under the great Philippe III's reign, the whole nobility shared that kind of marvelous chivalry."
"Sad times nowadays, Your Majesty."
"May I expect your sincerity when I get in such upsetting times again?"
"When that happens, no matter where I am, in battle or in the skies, no matter what I must leave behind, I will run over to serve Your Majesty."
Henrietta nodded. Wardes saluted once again, and left the carriage's side.
"Is that noble quite capable?" she asked Mazarin.
"Lord Wardes. His runic name is 'Lightning.' Even the 'White Country' can only boast of few people who can prove to be a match against him."
"Wardes... I think I've heard of that place before."
"I think that is close to Lord Vallière's territory."
"Vallière?" Henrietta's memory came to being, and she nodded. That name is now in their destination, the Magic Academy.
"Cardinal, do you remember the name of the noble that caught Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Aren't you about to knight them soon?" Henrietta was shocked.
Mazarin was uninterested. "I think it's high time for knighting rules to change. One needs to serve in the military to deserve that. How can the title of a knight be so easily given away for arresting a thief? Either way, it seems we would be fighting Albion with Germania soon, and it will not be a good idea to lose our nobles' loyalty due to jealousy."
"You made a lot of decisions without me knowing."
Mazarin did not reply. Continuing to mumble, Henrietta remembered that the name Vallière was among the nobles who caught Fouquet. It will all work out, Henrietta thought, and calmed down.
Mazarin looked at the Princess. "Your Majesty, it seems that there is some... instability between the Royal Court and part of the nobility."
Henrietta shook.
"Something about intervening in the Princess's marriage, and destroying our alliance with Germania."
Cold sweat dripped from Henrietta's forehead.
"You have not been exposed to them, have you, Your Majesty?"
After a length of silence, Henrietta replied annoyingly, "...No."
"I'll take Your Majesty's word for it then."
"I am the Princess. I do not lie." Henrietta breathed a sigh of relief.
"...your fourteenth time, Your Majesty."
"Just something in my mind. All I can do is sigh now."
"As royalty, your country's stability comes before your feelings."
"I'm like that all the time." Henrietta replied apathetically. She looked at the flowers in her hands, and said dejectedly, "...are flowers on the road not a blessing, Cardinal?"
"All I know is a flower picked to a person's hands is the flower's blessing."
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Meanwhile, the event grounds
Preparations for the festival were already underway with the stage set up. The chairs were beginning to fill up with spectators and guests all wanting to get a good seat so they could see the performances. The students and Familiars were to perform on an elevated stage which had enough space for them to do whatever they needed to do. For me, it was barely big enough for the show I had intended. While they waited, students were doing some last minute preparations with their Familiars, adding new tricks in some cases. Louise and Dante spotted Guiche with his mole Familiar and approached him so to see how he is doing. As soon as the blonde saw the coming duo his eyes widened in recognition, terror, and deep respect.
"H-how may I be of your service, Master?" the blonde youth trembled as he nearly prostrated in front of the two.
"Relax," the crimson hunter said calmly, "I'm not here for your lecture."
"Ah…I see…" said Guiche, wiping some sweat off his brow. "What can I do for you both?"
"We're just here to see how are you doing," Louise stated, not quite sure how to make of what the heck will the young man do his presentation.
"But of course, as you can see I'm just fine!" the fop beamed with a twirl of his rose.
Dante thought Guiche was greatly relieved to hear that he won't be dealing lessons on manhood at the moment.
It was the most painful training the boy ever received in his life, and that was just warm ups.
"But for Master to be concerned of this humble person, I'm so touched." Guiche sniffed, wiping his tears with a laced handkerchief, probably acquired from his lady friends.
'Humble my ass.' Dante thought, as he idly observed the gathering crowd in front of the stage.
He definitely needs more training to get his ass straightened out. Guiche...
"Good luck to you then, DJ." Dante said, as the two take their leave. (Don Juannabe)
"I will do my best, Sir."
The way he was standing ramrod straight with his jaw clenched and hands tightened into fists kind of made the image obvious.
Whenever Dante Called him DJ, its a name Dante gave him whenever they train, and it meant a train of painful regimen of exercises said to increase his core strength.
Eventually everyone including Princess Henrietta was in attendance and soon the Familiar Exhibition began.
A lot of the students were pulling out all of the stops. Kirche had Flame shoot flaming patterns from his mouth. Montmorency had her toad croak along to a song she played on a violin. The boy with the owl Dante saw before had his familiar fly through the air with a glowing streamer behind it to create intricate afterimage patterns. Guiche simply struck poses with his mole on a bed of roses, something which seemed to set off his fans rather well, but make Montmorency look like she was about to go on a killing spree.
Then came their turn to give a show.
"Ready Kid?" Dante asks the cloaked pinkette
"Ready as I'll ever be." She muttered as her visage is hidden by the cloak.
"Let's go then..."
Dante strides confidently towards the center of the stage, wearing only his newly tailored red twin-tailed longcoat over his bare, well sculpted torso, black loose pants and combat boot, and his snow white hair brushed down. It's an ensemble he used when he was much younger and just started with his devil hunting business.
"Ladies and gentlemen, and most especially to Her Highness, Princess Henrietta, we would like to entertain you with a musical number. This is a music made by royalty for royalty. Enjoy."
Stage Darkens as the crowd anticipates what will the presentation be like.
Especially when this came from the rumored heroes who captured the infamous thief.
Then a sound could be heard from the darkness. A stomp and clap.
*Boom Boom Clap
*Boom Boom Clap
Louder...
*Boom Boom Clap
Louder...
*Boom Boom Clap
And even louder it went...
The sound combo though never heard before, the crowd instantaneously connected to it as if the beat is the sound of their collective hearts beating in synch.
The next moment, the crowd themselves are stomping and clapping along with the beat,
Princess Henrietta joins the crowd participation as well.
A new sound accompanies the beat, which sounded like a lute but much, much louder, metallic and distorted.
Then the spot light turns on pointed at the lone figure on stage, and the crowd sees the crimson coated hunter playing an instrument that looks like an oversized purple lute and has a bat wings as motiff,
Audience meets the Devil Arm Nevan for the first time.
The guitar riff continues to be heard along with the beat
*Boom Boom Clap
*Boom Boom Clap
*Boom Boom Clap
*Boom Boom Clap
Nevan silences, as Dante pulls a microphone out of thin air and confidently swaggers to the edge of the stage.
*Boom Boom Clap
*Boom Boom Clap
*Boom Boom Clap
The source initial beats came from a large box shaped ornately designed speakers connected to the restored IPOD, meet the Devil Arm Kulyog, named after an ancient God of Thunder it is a battle drum, turned HIFI Boombox just for this occasion.
Dante takes a look at the cloaked Louise, still hidden in the stage curtains stage left.
The devil hunter then plays the riff with Nevan, which happily complied giving off the most entrancing rock music ever heard for the first time in this world.
The music combines with the beat once more; and Dante opens his mouth and sang in the closest rendition he could of one of his all time favourite songs.
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
Buddy youre a boy make a big noise
Playin in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo face
You big disgrace
Kickin your can all over the place
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
Although the crowd has never heard of the lyrics before, they seemed to be able to at least grasp the chorus as Dante coaxed them to join in the singing.
This particular song has some sort of, tribal energy stronger than in any other modern/pop song even in Dante's world, the Human world the timeless song still stirs the feelings of those who heard it...
And the crowd cheered Dante on as he skilfully played and sang the chorus, one more time.
'It's time.' Dante thought.
Dante signals Louise to come out, and the pinkette nods.
Louise slowly and gracefully walks towards the stage, still wearing the cloak. And upon reaching the center stage, Dante throws the microphone spinning towards her.
She expertly caught the mic and in one smooth move she casts off her cloak aside
And the male crowd goes wild at what they saw.
The young mage is wearing something similar to one of Lady's later garbs, a white body hugging frilled blouse, a brown checkered short skirt and tall thigh high black boots. And she wears a huge trailing big cape that flapped with the blowing wind. She looked the part of the badass rocker lead, in an adorable way.
She continued the rest of the Song with her cute but powerful voice.
Buddy you're a young man hard man
Shoutin' in the street gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on yo' face
You big disgrace
Wavin' your banner all over the place
Dante and the rest of the audience sang along with the chorus
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
Louise:
Buddy you're an old man poor man
Pleadin' with your eyes gonna make you some peace some day
You got mud on your face
You big disgrace
Somebody better put you back in your place
Together with Dante and the audience:
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
Then Dante rocks out with the outro riffs with Louise casting floating balls of light throughout the stage
As the music comes to an end, Dante powerslides across the stage and sent the Nevan's last notes echoing with his shred.
The non-leathal Shock Reverb ends the song.
The audience falls silent...
Dante and Louise, drenched in sweat after performing all out, stood at the center stage once more to receive the audience's rating...
One by one, each of the audience stood and gave the duo a standing ovation...
Louise was speechless; the applause filled her heart with joy she never felt before.
This proved to them once more that she could be good at something,
She then looked at her partner; the devil hunter who just calmly took the scene in stride.
"It's your night kid, enjoy it while you can." Dante pats her head, brother-like.
Tears seemed to form before the pinkette's eyes as she trembled to hold it back.
No choice then.
With tears flowing down her cheeks, she raised her fist in the air and cried a heartfelt "THANK YOU!" to the audience.
The audience only applauded louder.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Notes:
A rather low key presentation, I was planning something crazier but decided against it, but there's a reason why Dante doesn't show much of his power to a lot of people... especially the true power of the Devil Arms... : )... for me to know... for you to find out later... LOVE AND PEACE!...
Coming Up: Hoping To See more Action? How about some Non Stop Climax Action? I do hope I could pull it off...Then again, Louise's folks might come for a visit... : b