"By the way, I know it's not the right time but... That queen dress makes you stand out, Selene" Nobita scratches the back of his neck smiling "You look gorgeous... I-I mean, you look pretty, I mean, you look good, yes!" He said that last part nervously.
"Thanks Nobita, although I'm not much of a fan of long dresses, I appreciate the comment from a good friend" Selene laughs softly, she missed seeing him react that way.
"Well, enough of this nonsense!" It was clear that the elderly leader of the vampire council didn't have much patience for things that weren't of interest to him, so he quickly approaches Nobita and Selene "What are you supposed to do here, human? You're interrupting the princess's ceremony! Couldn't you wait for it to end to speak? Better said. How do you even remember your contact with vampires? She erased your memory!"
"Donovan, remember that you're on national television..." One of his companions tries to calm him down but the old man was already fed up.
"And what do I care if I'm on national television?! I'm doing MY job!" The elderly vampire points at the silly boy. "Not only did you disrespect me that night on Earth, but now you disrespected an entire planet by interrupting a sacred ceremony!"
The clumsy boy's confidence had diminished a bit because of how the vampire scolded him, he even felt the gazes of the other vampires, confused by the intrusion into an important ceremony, all the cameras were pointing at the boy filming him from all angles, he just stuttered approaching the old man with Selene, who was waiting for an explanation.
"Uh... I... Just..." Nobita feels Selene's hand on his shoulder, who smiles at him so he can relax and talk. The young human inhales and exhales regaining his confidence, and out loud he said what he had to say to avoid a catastrophe.
"You can't do the ceremony, not today, the necklace is poisoned with vervain!"
All the vampires watching, including the Vampire King and Selene's older cousins exclaim "WHAT?!" in unison.
"Nobita, is that true?" The little vampire asks fearfully and her friend nods confirming what he said.
"I'm afraid so, if I didn't get there in time, the collar would weaken you little by little until it killed you Selene, they can't detect it with the naked eye because they did the same thing with the Vampire King's food, I had to stop it, but the Scarlet Moon captured me and my friends and also your cousin before telling you, but we were able to escape."
Selene is startled, now she understands more why she heard her friend in her room but couldn't see him, they had captured him to prevent him from speaking.
"Do you have proof of what you say? Because it's probably just an excuse to prevent the princess's ascension." Donovan arches his eyebrow indifferently. "Princess Vasilescu had to take refuge on Earth because of the danger of the Scarlet Moon, but that human was putting things in her head about leaving us. IT'S OBVIOUS."
Both Selene and Nobita startled, offended, they understood the proof.
But what was that other thing? Were they blaming the human for what the vampire wanted to do? Complete madness!
"That's ridiculous, Nobita didn't push me to do anything, you guys are the ones who pressured me to the point where I got scared and felt bad for myself because EVERYTHING I did if it wasn't perfect for you, it was worthless!"
That's it, they broke the platinum girl's patience. Donovan now wanted to change the subject, wanting to go back to the party as if to say "Please princess, we're on national television, don't say nonsense"
"And what do I care?! I'm tired of keeping this to myself, for a long time I've been putting up with you, putting up with your absurd scoldings, never complaining, keeping quiet because (The responsible heirs don't talk too much), putting up with how you want to control my life just to make it perfect, but I did it because I love my family and because I believed that this way, the people of Amarant wouldn't be disappointed with my actions because you always tell me that if I didn't bow my head and be perfect, the population of Amarant wouldn't love me, I've let myself be manipulated with those ideas but I'm fed up!"
"That's why I did what I did, because I needed a break from you, especially you! Do you know why I didn't want to do this at first?! Because you destroyed my self-esteem about being just like my father, as if I were a porcelain doll that you could control by giving me your opinions and thinking for me! But it was thanks to Nobita and his friends that I was able to reflect on my own life, I felt at peace with myself on Earth, I was able to realize that I could be a good leader when you always told me that I could never accomplish that and that's why I needed you!"
"Now I'm doing it because I feel capable, unlike you who only push me to be perfect while scolding me behind my back, you have been telling me how I should behave, what I should eat, how I should dress! By Nosferatu, I love short dresses because then I can wear the boots that I like very much and that my dad gave me for my 110th birthday! In other words: I will no longer be a rag doll that a group of insensitive wise men can manipulate as they please!"
"Tu! Bătrân fără inimă, decrepit și senil!"
(You! Heartless, decrepit and senile old man!)
Everyone was silent, it was the first time they saw their future queen explode like that, even Nobita was stunned even though he didn't understand that last part, because the vampire said that in her language intentionally so he wouldn't hear her curse. She insulted an old man, deservedly so, but she insulted an old man.
But inside he was celebrating because he also wanted to tell the guy his truths again, even though his friend did it, it was enough. Even the Vasilescu twins could be heard clapping and cheering loudly. "Good job cousin, you shut up the leader of the nosy old men!" Sure, the pair of vampire teenagers bothered their little brother, but they still had a certain liking for their cousin, only they didn't hang out much, they like Zurie were also pressured by the council; they to be warrior guards and Zurie to be a doctor, but on a somewhat smaller scale than Selene for obvious reasons.
The Vampire King also joined the applause smiling, the council members had also been harsh with him when he was younger, but like all the Vasilescu, him weren't able to stand in front of them, because they were practically the vampire children of the pioneers who came to the planet and founded the ancient city, no one was able to judge them face to face, thinking that they should do it out of respect for their founders, they practically did it out of respect for their parents, not for them directly.
"Well done Selene, it seems everyone agrees with you" Nobita smiles as does Selene who observes the behavior of the citizens of Kyuketsu, behavior that made her excited: They seemed to agree.
The council members looked at each other without knowing what to do, the vampires of the population murmured among themselves because of what the little vampire said, the reputation of their ancestors was their greatest pride and it was being stepped on by a speech.
Until a "STOP!" could be heard from Donovan, who angry and tired points at Nobita. "I order that this human be arrested immediately, he will be sentenced for the disturbances caused in the ceremony, for insults and for disrespect to the authority of the council, he as well as his friends! Let's continue with the ceremony, we are late, the deadline is until tomorrow and we will not have time to perform another ceremony, it needs to be done with great care, princess return to conclude the ceremony!"
"No, and I order that my friends be left alone!" Selene glares at Donovan again as she stands in front of her human friend. The guards outside had brought the rest of the Earth children along with Zurie, who are released and approach Selene. The guards were confused because they didn't know whether to follow Donovan's order or not.
"And you didn't hear what I told you?! The necklace is poisoned, you can't put it on Selene, the Scarlet Moon people came in and...!" Nobita tries to reason with the head of the council but he is still a fool, he grabs Selene's wrist and tries to pull her back to the event but the 4 human guys and the robot pull the old man's arm. "Let me go, I'm just doing my job, I'll have you all arrested!"
"Let Selene go, you foolish old man!" exclaims Gian who was the one who was holding on the most.
"I agree with her being the queen, but not now with that necklace!" Suneo pulls as best he can
"Please listen to us and listen to Nobita, you can't use that necklace with our friend, it will hurt her!" Shizuka pleads, looking at the old man with a sad look
"If you let us prove what we say, you'll have to postpone the ceremony but not for long, we swear, but let Selene go!" Doraemon pulls along with the rest.
"Wise Donovan, please let me analyze the necklace, I've already detected vervain in my uncle's food, I can do the same with Selene's necklace!" Zurie stands in front of the old man to prevent him from passing.
"Please, I care about Selene as much as you do, as much as everyone in this city...!" The vampires present and those watching the broadcast had their eyes set on what Nobita was going to say "I'm sure the vampires in this city trust her as much as they trust her father, they won't want to lose her, nor will the Vampire King, just as he is! Give us the chance to prove it, but don't put the necklace on Selene, no one wants to lose her, I don't want to lose her, I don't want to lose my friend, please!"
"Nobita, guys" Selene puts on that sweet look with the emotional words of her friends while her violet eyes shine.
"And what do I care about what a bunch of stupid kids say? You have no idea what would happen if this world was left without its ruler, you are as ignorant as the Scarlet Moons, today Princess Vasilescu will become queen and that's it! Guards, arrest them and keep the Vasilescu kids away from them, I'm the one who decides here until the end of the ceremony!" Of course, to a proud guy, those sweet and emotional words meant nothing.
...However...
"No, I'm the one who decides here." Everyone turned to see Count Caleb, he approaches in his wheelchair that was pushed by Locke, one of Lady Mara's older twins. "For a long time I have let you and the rest of the council make decisions about my life and that of my family out of respect for the pioneers of the planet. But I have put up with it up to this point. Selene always told me that she was fine with the agenda that she was given from a very young age, but now I see that in reality she only did it so that I wouldn't worry."
Selene lowers her head sadly "I thought you had changed your way of being because of her statements, you have also been like that with me when I was in her place, but I only see that she has done the same as me: Lower her head and obey. And certainly, I am glad she went to Earth"
The 5 terrestrial children, Selene and Zurie are startled with emotion "Are you serious, father?"
The Vampire King nods "It's thanks to that experience on Earth that you have been able to say all that, although I would have liked you to have been more sincere with me, I think it was a good idea to escape, you needed time to cool your head, I would have done the same. Donovan, release my daughter and let Zurie analyze the necklace, they are very sure of their words."
"But my Lord, I'm in my right to decide while you are..." The old man tried to contradict him but, the Vampire King turns his eyes red.
"I'm not dead, I'm just sick and undergoing treatment. Other than that, I still have the power to decide just as much as you do, I'm not going to listen to any more advice from you today, you've done enough, I'll take care of this now."
"You heard him, old man, get out of the way!" Gian says that in a mocking manner.
"Yeah! What kind of person makes others obey them in an intimidating manner?"
What Suneo says makes Nobita look at him and Gian in a ("Did he really say that?") manner.
Seeing himself cornered in his thoughts, Donovan gave up and threw the necklace to Doraemon, retreating to his group who were nervous about what was happening, after all, they were no different than high school bullies, believing that because they were children of the pioneers, their word was worth more than that of others, giving their opinion for others and deciding for others.
(Editor's note: Not too different from what A CERTAIN PAIR did before Selene appeared, but oh well, cinematic parallels ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
With great care, Doraemon and Zurie carefully check the necklace. Both Selene and the human boys crossed their fingers for the vervain test to be positive, although the little vampire looks from one side to the other confused "Kaige, Locke, where is my aunt Mara?"
"Ah, our mother went to look for the dwarf, but since he is already here, she will surely return" Kaige only shrugs his shoulders, he and his brother had once again become bored waiting.
Nobita looks worriedly at Selene, it was clear that he needed more to say, and that innocent question from the vampire reminded him of something he was sensing, but he was worried that she would be sad if he told her. But, she trusted him, so she had to tell him, she would believe him like now with the necklace "Selene... There is something I have to tell you and I don't know how to say it"
The boy scratches his neck while he sees his vampire friend who pays attention to his words "But I think you more than anyone should know and..."
"DONE! Positive without a doubt" Doraemon's words interrupted the clumsy boy who now fixes his attention on the necklace.
"The hidden amount of vervain in the necklace is twice what they put in my uncle Caleb's food. AND FOR A WHOLE MONTH!" Zurie's diagnosis startled everyone in the room and those who were watching the broadcast, yeah, the broadcast was still going on despite everything by order of the Vampire King.
"But that's the same time when I started to feel something in my body and it started to weaken. So, if she had put on the necklace..."
Doraemon nods in dismay "Selene would have died in minutes even if she only wore it for a moment"
"That's horrible, thank goodness the ceremony was stopped in time" Shizuka covers her mouth horrified by the diagnosis, everyone was, especially Nobita who clenches his fists, he had a mix of rage and... Sadness?
"I don't understand it. Why would she want to do something so cruel to Selene?" The boy with glasses thinks but shakes his head, as if denying what he was thinking "I-it can't be, I wouldn't do it... I'm just thinking something that isn't right. It must be! But if it's like that..."
Shizuka notices the look of terror and annoyance on his face "Nobita. What's wrong with you?"
The silly boy notices how his friend looked at him worriedly "I..."
The new interruption to increase the suspense occurs when one of the large display cases is destroyed with the glass falling like shooting stars to the ground, the Vampire King quickly orders the civilians who were present to withdraw from the room as it was being invaded with hostile vampires who were from Scarlet Moon.
Following their lord's orders, the civilian vampires flee, some flying with their black wings coming out of their backs, and others transforming into bats and fleeing, and if it weren't for the Vasilescu guards who interfered against some of the Scarlet Moon who wanted to hurt the civilians, they would have been injured from the beginning of the attack.
Gathering together, the guys from the land and the inhabitants of Amarant witnessed from among that army of vampires, the woman who had everyone in danger, smiling maliciously at them and speaking with her characteristic authoritative female voice.
"I'm sorry for intruding on this sweet ceremony, but I'm afraid YOU led us to opt for plan B, we will finally take Amarant and its precious magentun BY FORCE"
Lady Belladonna had made an appearance for a possible final confrontation