[Active]

[overlords_wrath]

Character(s): Laharl and this time really anyone. lol
Content: Locked in his own dungeon... but he has visitation rights, at least.
Setting: Netherworld Floor, dungeon of the Overlord's Castle
Time: Night
Warnings: Unhappy demon
Note: Multi-threaded! And derp apologies for another post already ^^;


He still couldn't believe his father had left him locked in the dungeon. He'd been here at least an hour he thought, but he wasn't really sure. It was impossible to tell the passage of time way down here. With only a few torches, the dungeon was dark, no outside light reaching it.

Laharl sat huddled in a corner at the front of the cell, looking horribly unhappy, for numerous reasons. The first was, of course, the whole reason he was down here in the first place. The whole incident replayed in his head, over and over. There wasn't really anything he could have done differently... except perhaps NOT letting on to others what he was considering. As for his dad... he wasn't really sure how to feel about his father's actions. Not to say he wasn't angry about the whole thing--he was, but... Laharl couldn't forget the apologetic and regretful look on his father's face. He hadn't really wanted to do this. His... father was trying to protect him? The whole thing was hard to digest.

The second was, despite his father having loosened his scarf so he could get eventually free, after struggling and rolling around trying to do so, he'd only managed to do the complete opposite. Frustrated and exhausted, he'd finally just given up for the time being, and huddled up where he now was.

The third thing was just simply being stuck down here alone. Sometimes he valued his alone time, but he wasn't enjoying it right now in the least. And especially not when being down here was stirring up memories of when the Organization had captured him. That was definitely not something he needed to be reminded of now.

With still no intentions of backing down, Laharl had no idea how long he'd end up stuck down here. It certainly seemed like it could be awhile, much to his chargin, as he wasn't sure how he'd even get through a night of this, much less days or longer.

Comments

[lovesamidboss]

Gwen had been on the move ever since she saw her son's journal on the network, but she knew that it was too late for her to talk to him with the device. And she knew it probably wouldn't help, either. He was more like his father than he might want to acknowledge, after all.

She left her rounds at the St. Destino camp to hightail it to the Netherworld in hopes of finding any sign, but knew where he would be: the highest floor accessible, but before she had headed off to it, she ran, quite literally, into Krichevskoy.

Now, Gwen was watching her son, just out of sight, her arms folded across her chest. Flonne was gone. Gwen still remembered that first time when she met Laharl and Flonne. At the time, she had no idea what it meant. Or would mean.

Laharl would do almost anything to get Flonne back, even...

She ducked her head down and closed her eyes.

Her family... all three of them... they were a lot alike, weren't they?

She sucked in a breath and approached Laharl's cell, looking at him with sad eyes.

[overlords_wrath]

He hadn't sensed his mother's presence at all while she was there watching him. It was unusual for him, but then he wasn't exactly paying attention, not to mention sitting behind a rather powerful seal. There was little movement on his part while she watched him, other than occasionally shifting or straining against the wrappings around him.

He wasn't exactly comfortable like this, but then again... He wouldn't want to admit it, but it was probably for the best in the end he was still bound like this. He couldn't deny thoughts of trying to break the seal had passed his mind, but stuck like this, there wasn't anything to do, where as if he'd been free, he might've been inclined to try.

Laharl's hearing, however, was still sharp and when she did finally approach, his head jerked up at the sound of her steps. As the low light revealed who it was, he found himself to really be happy to see her, but also embarrassed and even a little guilty. She probably knew... she'd probably worried.

"Mom..." he uttered, only able to look up at her a moment before diverting his gaze downwards.

[divine_storm]

What was it with demons and beings of darkness freaking out when something happened to a girl? Truthfully, it didn’t sound as if Laharl had been about to blow like certain people did back home, but it had been enough to make Priere snap at him. She had been just about ready to rush up the castle after him when Krichevskoy told the rest of the castle that a certain brat was grounded.

Crisis averted at least. At first, she simply thought of leaving the kid alone and simply hope he wouldn’t come back later and force her to do some actual work around the castle for once. But in the end, curiosity got the best of her and she headed down towards the jail cells, looking for her probably very pissed off “boss”.

“Huh… I guess that solves how demon kids get grounded…” she mused out loud as she finally found him. At least she would never complain again about being sent to bed without dinner by the director back when she was a kid.

[lovesamidboss]

He wouldn't look at her... it's what she expected. It meant that Krichevskoy's words were true, not that she had any doubt that he had been lying.

"Your father told me what happened," she said, her voice carefully neutral. "I understand why, of course. You're a lot like him. That doesn't make it any less reckless."

[overlords_wrath]

Bangs fell over his face, as he dipped his head lower. The fact his mother knew he was even down here was a pretty big indicator that his father had talked to her. He'd never doubted for a second that his father wouldn't have told her what had happened.

"I'm sorry."

His mother was one of the few people he'd ever apologize so sincerely to.

[overlords_wrath]

It was a mixture of relief and dread that fell over him when he heard the familiar voice. Dread cause he wasn't sure he was at all in the mood to deal with Priere. He was feeling embarrassed enough about his current situation as it was. Who else knew he was down here, anyways?!

BUT, on the other hand, he'd realized when his mother had come to check on him, just how much he didn't want to be alone down here. It had dredged up things he hadn't really thought about in awhile. In light of that, maybe even Priere's company wouldn't be that bad.

"...What are you doing down here?" he asked, still, either way, not particularly happy she was seeing him like this.

[lovesamidboss]

Gwen sighed. "I know you are," she replied. She stepped closer, surveying Laharl's bindings, and the cell more closely. Krichevskoy had told her that the seal on the door wouldn't hinder her, only demons. She opened the cell and stepped inside.

"We should fix this up," she said aloud, more to herself, gesturing at Laharl's scarf. When she got closer, she reached out, hesitant, looking for any signs that he was going to struggle...

[overlords_wrath]

He still couldn't find it in himself to regret his actions, however. Even despite his parent's disapproval.

Laharl blinked and snapped his head up, however, when he heard the door of the cell open. What? What about the seal?! He'd felt it. He still could feel it. How did she...? Maybe his old man's seal was only for demons? That was the only thing that made sense.

His expression was confused at first, till he realized what she was indicating. His expression quickly turned eager, although also a little embarrassed. "Dad... had made it so I could get out, but... he didn't do a very good job," he muttered, not really wanting to admit that it was more his fault than his father's that he'd been unable to free himself.

Despite knowing full well being bound up like this was keeping him out of more trouble... he was more than ready to let his mother free him, cause. Yeah. There was no sign he'd put up any kind of fight at all.

[lovesamidboss]

Unfortunately for Laharl, Gwen had no intention in the slightest to free him. She took up the ends of the scarf, noting that it had been tied once already. "I can see that," she commented. She felt bad, just a little, for what she was about to do, but... Her son's safety was at stake, and she didn't trust that if he got free of the scarf, he'd manage to break the seal.

Gwen sighed again, and very quickly tightened the scarf and knotted it once more. And then she backed away on the chance that Laharl came volatile.

"I'm sorry, Laharl, but this is really for the best."

[overlords_wrath]

He had no reason to think she wouldn't free him, scooting forward a couple times and turning his back to her so she could hopefully untangle whatever had tangled up and free him.

Feeling her tug his scarf tighter, however, had been more than a little unexpected. His eyes jolted wide, as he turned his head to look at her, looking bewildered. "Mom?!" By the time he'd started to get onto his knees to try to scramble away from her, of course not really realizing there was no point to even trying, she was already done.

"M-Mom...!" he protested, turning to look up at her--but he only managed a glance. "Gaaah!" He cried out as he lost balance on his knees, and rather spectacularly face-planted onto the ground instead. Muffled curses quickly followed.

[lovesamidboss]

She cringed as he fell, but helping him up would likely only make him feel worse, so she stood her ground.

"Your father is searching for the door on the top floor. I'm going to go help him. After it's found, we'll release you, but for now... I really am sorry, Laharl."

[overlords_wrath]

Laharl struggled for a moment, finally just rolling onto his side, so he could at least look up at his mother, shock still written all over his face. He couldn't believe she'd just done that. His expression grew more upset and panicked at her words. She was leaving? "B-but...!"

[lovesamidboss]

"The more help he has, the sooner you can be released," she told him. "I know you want to solve this because of Flonne, but that's why as your parents we... can't allow you to." She sat down and leaned her back against the bars. "If anything were to happen to you, what..." She trailed off and glanced away.

[overlords_wrath]

For a brief moment there he was so sure she was about to leave, he'd hear the cell door slam and he'd be alone, stuck on the ground, unable to move... Larxene looming over him, while he struggled...

The assault of memories had let out an involuntary gasp, jolting. He looked momentarily shaken as he focused back on the here and now. No the door hadn't been touched. His mom was still here with him. She'd sat down and was talking, though he'd missed half of what she said.

"N-nothing's going to happen to me. Don't underestimate me!" he told her, trying to calm himself in the meanwhile. Had she noticed?

[lovesamidboss]

She frowned at him. While she hadn't been watching him, her gaze jerked back. Had something...

"I'll never underestimate you, Laharl. I'm certain that you're stronger than your father already. That's why I'm worried."

[overlords_wrath]

She hadn't, it seemed. The moment had passed and he returned to trying to get himself upright.

Confusion passed over his face, however. His goal was to be a stronger and better Overlord than his father. He wasn't so sure he was there yet, but as happy as it made him that his mother thought he had surpassed his father, he didn't understand why that would worry her.

"Huh...? Why?"

[lovesamidboss]

Knock over your first mountain, let's see how that goes... just as long as that mountain isn't this very castle holding everyone.

"I think you might end up underestimating yourself and getting hurt because of it. That, and others... I know you don't think it's possible, but... The risk is too great."

[overlords_wrath]

Underestimating himself? He'd never been accused of that before. He wasn't quite sure what to think of that.

By this point, he'd finally managed to get upright again, and looked surprisingly relieved for it.

"But... I know how to control my power, Mom! I destroyed the human's entire armada without killing any of them!" he told her, only realizing mid-way she proooobably didn't know about that. There was still so much he needed to tell her.

[divine_storm]

In a rare moment of self preservation, Priere managed to restrain herself from bursting out laughing at the sight of the "Mighty Overlord" all tied up in his scarf. As hilarious the situation was, she didn't need to be reminded just yet of how he could very well defeat her once more the minute he was out of there.

"Just came down to check on you, I guess," she shrugged off, neglecting to specify that it was less about his well being and more about his temper. "Is there a problem with that?"

[overlords_wrath]

He was expecting some kind of remark--he really was, but it didn't come.

"To check on me?" he echoed, surprised at her answer. Was that really it? It seemed doubtful, but he went along with it for now. If she was going to be reasonable, he had little desire to drive company away right now. "W-well.. no, I guess not."

[divine_storm]

Priere stared at him for a few moments. Huh... he sounded a bit... 'off'. But then again, that should be expected considering his current position. No kid ever liked to be grounded after all, especially not like this.

"Well yeah... you know, just making sure you weren't trying to make the jail explode or something," she sheepishly answered. Obviously she now knew that it would have been impossible, but better safe than sorry.

She remained silent for a few seconds before finally curiosity got the better of her again. "So... if this supposed to be normal for demons or...?"

[overlords_wrath]

"I wouldn't be here if I could do anything about it," Laharl noted, looking definitely still not happy about all this, even if he did understand his parents motives. He did understand they were just trying to protect him, but he still weren't sure they still quite understood his side of things.

"Tch... No," he then replied. "This is a first, even for me." He wasn't too worried about admitting that. This was a very abnormal situation, in more ways than one. He hoped, however, this wasn't going to become normal. His parents couldn't do this to him every time he had to do something that could be dangerous.

[lovesamidboss]

...What?

Well at least he didn't kill any of them, not that Gwen would take exception to it, given her previous line of work on Earth.

Still.

No, really, "What?" Honestly she just sounds, startled and confused.

[overlords_wrath]

Yeah, seemed he hadn't ever told her about that, and neither had his Old Man, it seemed.

"The human world got so messed up and overpopulated, they decided to try taking over the Netherworld with a 2 million spaceship armada. Obviously I couldn't let that happen," he explained, hoping she could somewhat understand. The human world was probably a lot different from when she was last there, given that was a very long time ago in human terms of time.

"Anyways, the point is... I can handle these things. I have to be able to," he said softly, his sense of duty to his crown stronger than perhaps many really believed. "Because I'm the Overlord."

[divine_storm]

Priere really couldn't blame him for his mood right now; no kid liked to be grounded, especially not like this. Even in her nightmares she would have never imagined Father Salade or the Director to tie her up like this.

On the other hand, it did give her an idea for the next time she'd challenge him.

"Huh... well, I guess it kinda makes sense... not seeing how they could have done otherwise..." Not that she agreed with this, it just seemed cruel, to tie up a kid. "At least it looks like it calmed you down..."