Disclaimer: "Happy Tree Friends" is copyright of Mondo Media
[I'm back~! Sorry to keep you waiting – again. Here you go!]
Happy Tree Friends: Camp Sanguine
Chapter 19 – Message
"Flippy, Moonlight – you've got visitors!" Pop announced over the speakers. Said green-and-white twins excused themselves and headed towards the Camp Office; smiled widely before rushing and trapping Captain and Starlight in bone-crushing hugs. "Whoa! Kids, ease up a little!" their father wheezed, managing to chuckle.
"Sorry, Dad. It's just – well – we didn't expect you to be here," Flippy apologized. "We missed you guys!" Moonlight gushed, giggling as their mother ruffled her messy white mop. The teen soldier then asked what brought them over in the first place. "To check up on you guys, of course," Starlight replied, "And also, your father's headed back to the military."
At the last statement, Flippy's smile turned into a confused frown. "Dad, I thought you were retired," he reminded. Captain sighed, admitting that he still is but since there aren't any other pilots available, his old boss decided to contact him. "It's nothing big," he added, "Just have to fly over and take scenic shots of the base – I won't be gone long."
"Bet you wanted in on the action, huh?" chimed a familiar voice. "Flaky, I didn't hear you come –!" Flippy began, stopping in mid-sentence as glowing red pupils glared back at him. "Y-You're not Flaky…" he muttered, somewhere between a growl and a whimper. "Of course, I'm not!" the possessed redhead claimed, "As if I'd be a paranoid wimp like her!"
Moonlight growled and was about to lunge when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder; turned to Starlight...only to have her ocean-blue orbs meet with fiery golden irises. "She's not here to fight, so cool your jets," she ordered. "But Aunt Nova –!" the part-albino began to protest, only to be silenced with a glare. The golden-eyed woman then turned to Flippy, smirking as he nodded and stepped back along with his sister.
"Wise choice…" Possessed Flaky chuckled, "Shall we discuss matters elsewhere? Preferably where nobody can interrupt us. Et quidem ego superbiam."
Translation: By the way, I am Pride.
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The possessed redhead led them deep into the woods, a few miles away from the open camp grounds. Already waiting at the secluded clearing were three other possessed teens: Gluttony (Possessed Disco Bear) was feasting on what appeared to be a severed arm; Greed (Possessed Lifty and Possessed Shifty) were snickering and counting money they had stolen not too long ago; Envy (Possessed Toothy) was leaning against a tree, smirking at their visitors.
"Who would've thought this 'Nutty' could taste so sweet?" Possessed Disco Bear mumbled with his mouthful, tossing the leftovers over his shoulder, "And man, I'm still hungry!"
"Is food all you ever think about?" Possessed Lifty and Possessed Shifty asked in unison (this is due to one demon possessing two victims at the same time). "I would ask the same thing about you and money," Possessed Toothy half-growled, "Damn it, I wish I were rich – I could get anything in the world then!"
"You guys are worthless losers compared to me!" Possessed Flaky roared, resulting in four pairs of glowing red pupils glaring straight at her, "It's obvious I'm the best among you!"
"In your dreams you prissy, selfish bitch!"
"How can you be the best? I am since I'm the richest among you!"
"Rich with money that's not even yours to own! As for me, I'd rather –"
"Sulk in a corner about all the things you never had? That's all you're good for anyway!"
"Suae quisque clausus!" Nova yelled, "Ideo tulisti nos hic – videte ne pugnetis."
Translation: Everyone shut up! You brought us here for a reason, not to watch you fight.
Possessed Flaky giggled and turned to Nova. "Still quite harsh, I see…" she purred, turning to her as she smirked, "Nova, verum est quod postquam misisti reliquit domum vobis nisus sursum possidentes humana iustus ut sustinebit?"
Translation: Nova, is it true that after you left home you ended up possessing a human just to survive?
"Aunt Nova, what is she talking about?" Flippy asked. "Nova isn't like your alter-egos Flipqy and Eclipse," Captain replied, "Not long before you guys were born, your mother used to play around with sorcery – I personally thought it was just some weird hobby of hers."
He went to explain that one night, sometime before Halloween, she attempted a summoning spell while he stood in a corner and watched; ready to intervene if something went wrong. Two events happened simultaneously then – a rogue demon escaped from Hell and Starlight happened to summon her, which led to the unwanted fusion of body and unearthly soul. "Luckily, your mother had a strong will and was able to control her," he added, "If not, you guys wouldn't exist today."
Nova turned momentarily to smile at the fraternal twins; turned back with a scowl on her face. "If this is about you coaxing me to come home, it's not happening – I like it out here," she said. "Oh no, it's not that at all~!" Possessed Flaky purred, "Not directed at you, at least."
The possessed teen then turned to Flippy and Moonlight. "Our Master wasn't happy when he heard you've beaten Lust and Sloth," she continued, "He was impressed, though. In fact, he sent us to tell you that if you won't give yourselves up, one of us – the Seven Deadly Demons – would have to come fetch you instead." Giggling evilly, she added, "Whether you like it or not."
"Oh sure~! We have time for a visit – just drop by anytime and we'll surrender over a plate of chocolate cupcakes," Moonlight remarked sarcastically, "You want some extra whipped cream with those?"
"Ego sum gravis hic!" Possessed Flaky roared.
Translation: I am serious here!
"Nihil agis, nihil cooperari," Possessed Disco bear sighed, "Potest nos iustus vade in domum nunc? Sum famelica!"
Translation: It's no use, they would not cooperate. Can we just go home now? I'm starving!
"Go home yourself," Possessed Flaky growled, sending Gluttony away with a flick of her wrist and a snap of her fingers. Disco Bear – finally free – suddenly felt the urge to barf and scurried behind a tree; threw up half-digested raw meat before disappearing back to camp, muttering about a stomachache.
"Come on, Hell isn't that bad!" Possessed Lifty and Possessed Shifty chorused, "We'll even make sure you get the best stuff only money can buy – name it, you'll get it." As they continued to bribe Flippy and Moonlight into surrendering, Possessed Toothy stomped over seething with envy. Grabbing the sea-green twins, he snarled, "You're willing to spend your money on them and leave me out of it? I'm more important than those two!"
"'More important'? All you do is sulk like a baby!"
"I can do more than that! You guys never gave me a chance to prove it!"
"Satis ego a vobis daemones!" Possessed Flaky hissed, sending Greed and Envy home the same way she sent Gluttony. She then booted the confused trio away from the clearing, kicking them high into the air and smirking as the resulting CRACK and THUD echoed through the trees.
Translation: I have had enough from you demons!
Flippy saw this distraction as an opportunity and grappled his possessed girlfriend, pinning her to the ground with Moonlight and their parents' help. "Quantum volunt persuadere immineant, nos egrediemur ad te nunquam," the young soldier yelled, "Relinquere et numquam revenite!"
Translation: Threaten and persuade us as much as you want, but we'll never surrender to you. Leave and never return!
With a final scream/roar, Pride disappeared from Flaky's body; left the scarlet-haired teen to cough and gasp air into her lungs. "W-Where am I?" she whimpered, shaking like a leaf even though Flippy held and comforted her. "Looks like you guys got some explaining to do," Starlight scolded, having re-possessed her body the moment Nova subsided.
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Flippy and Moonlight narrated their 'incidents' at Camp Sanguine over lunch, receiving the occasional nod from Starlight and an uncomfortable silence from Captain. Flaky had already been sent to the girls' cabin to rest as she hasn't fully recovered from being possessed. "Why is it that everytime we leave you alone, something just had to happen…" the mother sighed.
"What should we do?" Flippy asked. "Send them back of course," Captain replied as-a-matter-of-factly, "I don't care how long it takes or if you needed some blood sacrifice, just make sure they don't show up again." Moonlight was silently biting her lip, reminding herself that it was her fault for opening the gate of Hell in the first place.
Looking at his watch, Captain decided that he and Starlight should get going as his mission starts tomorrow. "You're not gonna help us?" Moonlight half-whined. Their mother chuckled and ruffled the part-albino's hair; pulled the twins into a huddle and whispered some words in Latin. After planting a kiss on the twins' foreheads, Starlight left them holding onto Captain's arm; both smiled and waved as though none of the earlier incident had taken place.
Flippy and Moonlight smiled and waved back, but their minds were on a completely different phase. "Memini me docuit – non potest mittere revocati tacita," Nova's words echoed, plastered to their memory.
Translation: Remember what I taught you – only the summoner can send the summoned back.
They have a mission to complete.