Laharl clunked his sword over his shoulder and looked down at Anna as it seemed she was about to begin rolling around on the castle floor.
"Are you gonna be alright?" He asked flatly.

"Oh dear..." Flonne sighed.
"He certainly is an enigmatic person when it comes to Anna isn't he?" She poked the side of her face and sighed.
"Well....there's really nothing that we can do now...is there?" The Gatekeeper shook her head.

Anna sat there for a minute. Well, this whole thing was OBVIOUSLY Laharl's fault, since he went and forgot his sword.
But everyone forgot things so Anna could'nt possibly blame him for that. But, the portal, they'd left it, so... who had closed it? Maybe Demitri did, after all she used to have alot of fun playing pranks on him...
She shook the thought of and looked up towards Laharl... one of the few times she was able to actually look UP at the tiny little demon Prince. "I'll live, as much as I may freaking hate it, here... but... what if my ship..."
Obviously this was the only thing worrying her. "Aw, crap, I do NOT trust those guys with it! They're gonna mess it up or something... either that or they'll forget to clean the bliges or something, and the ship'll sink..."

Abel watched Anna have her mini-mental breakdown. "I'm sure the ship will be fine. You should be more worried about yourself... after all, the ship isn't the one stuck in the Netherworld. But I don't think there's much to worry about, there, either, since you're not out there on your own or anything."
"Hey. You're not helping, be quiet.", she grumbled, swatting at him slightly.

And someone else wasn't helping, either. "Hey, Prince!", chimed Etna, grinning, practically from ear-to-ear. "So, you might as well put Anna to work, riiight? We could use some help around here!"
Anna's jaw dropped slightly, and one of her eyes twitched a little. "Whaaat!?! Oh, thanks a bunch, Etna, I hate you, too! You son of a--"
"Aw, it's okay!", Etna said, with a slight clap of her hands. "You can thank me later!"

"You're ship....well...even if it does sink...if someone left alive, you can always kill them for letting it die..right?" He offered helpfully.
"Just think, if they end up a Prinny, they'll have to work under me and Etna for a LONG time." He grinned thinking of all the fun he could have punt kicking Martha...or that creepy chick with the spiders.

"Hardly." Laharl said glaring sideways at Etna. He turned and pointed a sharp-nailed finger at his Vassal.
"You don't DO half your work already, why should I give you any help? Besides, Anna isn't offically here, and if she starts to do anything here, I'm not paying you or the Prinnies for some invisible person's job, your wages would be lowered if anything." He smiled then.
"That's not such a bad idea after all...hey Anna, what type of work are you good at?"

Anna took in Laharl's words; yeah, that would be pretty hilarious. But still, if the ship sunk... where would that leave her, especially if she was stuck here.
She lived in her depression... up until Laharl asked her what kind of work she could do. "W-what!? Gah..."
Well, she HAD made him work. She was quite used to the whole 'an-eye-for-an-eye' thing, too... "F-fine... Work I could do around here? I can clean stuff, whether it be weapons or floors or somethin', sense I had to clean my ship before, and I usually clean my weapon... I, uh, won't enjoy it but I won't complain, after all if I recall correctly I made you clean the deck..."


Etna simply looked quite peeved about Laharl's comment. "I DO my work... when I, um... feel like it... but still, that doesn't mean I don't do it or something! Geez!"
Abel glanced away; actually, she did'nt usually do it. He remembered it quite well, as he'd been made to do her job before. "Liar..."

(Can't believe how long it took me to notice a typo in this and fix it XD)

((XDD Can you believe it took me this long to post? XDD Gomen, been busy with class and totally lost this thing after it went to the second page))

Laharl laughed, quirking an eyebrow as if Anna was crazy.
"I wasn't serious, but you can do whatever you want. Work or something I don't care. Like I said you're not offically here any way." He turned to Etna and smirked.
"Yeeeeaaahhhh..speaking of work while we're stuck here, why don't you catch up on some of that 'work'? And actually do it yourself this time." He stood there and leaned his hand on his chin, what could be done..until the gatekeeper found a place that she could open...there was no way to get back to the ship..no way to find Asylum..nothing to do but sit and wait.

Flonne was worried about the same thing..she was worried about those on board Anna's ship. She looked down to Abel and cupped her hands to her chest.
"I do hope everyone's alright." She muttered.

(Don't worry about it! That happens, very often to me, except I'm usually just forgetful XDD
Which is proven! I'm also sorry, can't believe I took this long to post. Promise I won't take this long again unless I'm not online or something XD)


Anna blinked, raising an eyebrow slightly; so he was joking? Well, she had completely not caught that one. After all, Laharl seemed like the type to make people work, and just for the fun of it, and especially considering she'd made him clean her ship that one time. "Well, alrighty, then."

Etna on the other hand was not relieved like Anna, but seemed pretty ticked. "Whaaat!? Are you kidding? Augh, fine, fine! I mean... I'll DEFINETLY do it."
She wasn't telling the truth, of course she'd get the Prinnies to do it... but she'd let the big purple one off, seeing as he seemed to keep Flonne pretty distracted. "Okay, then, I'll go, um... get to work!"
She quickly made off, deciding to 'clean' somewhere that the Prince wasn't at, first.

Anna finally stood up, looking extremely disgruntled. "Bein' honest with you, Laharl, and that's something I don't do very often, I don't really know what to do. I mean... I don't know this place very well. As much as it may seem like it, pirates ain't demons, after all..."

Abel glanced over at Anna; yep, he had determined that over the time, she hadn't really done much about her southern accent. He did'nt take long to turn his attention back to Flonne, though, as always.
"I hope so, also, Flonne.", Abel stated in a hushed tone of voice. "My sister's fairly smart as much as it may not seem like it, although no one else there really is, I must admit..."

((XDDD Happens to me too, no worries.))

Laharl lolled his head back as Etna wandered off.
"Yeah...like I believe that." He shrugged, he wasn't going to get anything out of Etna at the moment, and he really didn't care..this was nothing more than a slight delay.
He turned to Anna and then pointed around.
"That's the Dark Assembly, the Rosenqueen shops, the Netherworld Hospital, and then there's the Gate to the Item World, and at last there's the Gate to the other places in this world...anytthing else that you want to know?"

Flonne nodded.
"If anyone can keep Anna's ship floating, it's Miss Martha."

The Captain stared, looking to wherever he pointed to as he explained.
Explained quickly, for that matter, and she was vaguely surprised she had kept up with it. Nonetheless once he was done, she looked towards him and shook her head. "Nah, I'm fine, thanks. But something's still bugging me... why in the world did that portal close? Unless..."
She looked thoughtful for a minute, before snapping her fingers. "Aha, I've got it! Demitri must've closed it! That jerk's probably trying to get back at me for that time I put worms in his shoes, which is probably why he doesn't wear shoes now..."

Abel grew quiet for a minute. "You also... put crickets in his food, hid his shirt from him, later on just completely hid his food, and this was all in just the last couple of days--"
"Okay, penguin, no need to explain.", Anna muttered, glancing over towards him. "Either way I guess he had reason but man, isn't this a bit exteme?"
Abel glared slightly. "Well, combine all the stuff you've done to him, and--"
Anna's eye twitched slightly. "Okay, okay! I get it, geez! Be quiet."

Laharl looked back and quirked an eyebrow.
"Who?" He asked placing his hands behind his head, and leaning against them. He was still agitated that it would take the group a while till they could get back to hunting Asylum, but this 'Demitri' guy sounded like he might have a grudge against Anna.
"Does he hate you that much that he'd want to trap you here?" He muttered thinking about all the enemies that he'd made on Anna's ship...maybe she had some there too.
He kind of snickered at the thought of crickets in someone's food and wondered if they would taste that bad.
"I'll have to try that out next time.." He muttered wondering where the best place to gather crickets was....probably....his own room...waaaaayyy in the back.

"Well, I don't know.", answered Anna, scratching the back of her head, looking vaguely confused. "Oh, Demitri... he's the invisible fellow I told you about. Either way, I guess this is just revenge for those pranks I played... but it seems really extreme. I mean, could'nt he had thought of something else? Geez... he doesn't seem like the type to be very good at pranks, though. So, hey, I've got a question."
Raising an eyebrow, she was admittedly very curious as to this one. "What are we going to do in the meantime, exactly? I mean, you don't plan to just sit around the castle, do you?"

Abel watched Anna for a few more minutes. Well, she was right... Demitri wasn't normally into that kind of thing. Well, he was, but usually would'nt go out of his way to pull off a prank. He sighed tiredly, glancing over towards Flonne. "I suppose we're going to be here for a while..."

(Sorry for the wait, I've been trying to work on the pages for my webcomic XD; I keep forgetting to do stuff [/notsmart] )

"Oh...him." Laharl had only been paying half attention to Anna when she'd told him about Demitri, so he really didn't know who she was talking about..but he nodded as though he did.
"No way." He scoffed.
"What kind of Overlord would I be if I just sat in this stuffy place all day. You bored already? Well, can't say that I blame you, this place gets dull real quick." He turned to the Gatekeeper and cocked his head.
"There hasn't been anything new going on around here since I left, has there?"
"No Highness. Only the occasional brawl around the castle, and dispute in the rest of the Netherworld. Our own forces have been able to successfully quell each one."
"Damn." He muttered.What was he supposed to do in the meantime, he turned back to Anna.
"Hell, since there's nothing else to do, we can always go to the training grounds."

Flonne nodded. She only hoped that nothing bad would happen while they were here. They still had to get back.
((XDD Sounds like me. I don't mind waiting))

(I'm glad you don't XD; I can't believe I took so long this time, but I've been tired feeling lately and I can't seem to concentrate well. I guess it's the cold weather.)

Before Anna could really say anything, she watched as Abel gave the Prince a weird look. "I'm surprised you're not making her work or something, Dood. Every time I've seen someone come here who has to stay for a while, you made them clean or something, Dood..."
Anna blinked at the purple penguin thing, raising an eyebrow. "Don't say too much, geez. I hate cleanin' stuff... anyway, there's got to be something to do. I mean, you keep talking about how demons are always up to something... there again, pirates idea of fun involves hurting people and taking their money, but that's beside the point..."
Abel seemed fairly disgruntled. "Don't just ignore me like that..."
Despite this, Anna continued. "Well, whatever you wanna do. I just don't wanna sit around and do nothing all day, you know?"

((OMGEES!!!! >.> Finally found time to get back on here! In between being sick and school, I'm starting to wonder if my hair isn't going gray!!!))

Laharl nodded.
"Then I guess that's it then." He stepped forward to the Gate and shrugged.
"Why don't we....." He thought through all the places that he'd been, or where he'd wanted to go.
"I dunno, you're about as bored as I am right? Why don't we go to Joutenhiem then?" He looked back to Anna awaiting her answer, there wasn't much that they could do until Dimitri got that bug outta his butt anyway.

Flonne giggled.
"OO! Joutenheim! That place is so pretty!"

((Omg, I suck so bad at this now that I'm out of practice XDD))

(YAY, you're back! <33
Man, I see, I hate being busy D: A while back my grandpa was in the hospital, I had a hard time trying to get online to check on things XDD Sometimes you can't help it, though. Dude I am really glad I got on here to check this XD I'll be sure to keep an eye on it again, I'm glad to see you back :'D)

"Jouten... heim? Sure, sounds interesting.", answered Anna, scratching her nose. "It doesn't look like we're gonna be doing anything for a while, anyway."
Of course, the feeling was ruined when Flonne spoke up. "You know, it kinda ruins the whole 'adventure' vibe when you go an' say that."

Abel glanced off to the side, flippers hanging at his sides unenthusiastically. "I can't really say as there was an 'adventure' vibe going anyway, you two seem pretty bored. Besides, from what I've seen, it IS pretty... if not... very... cold..."
A short pause occured as Anna took in the last part of his sentence. Cold? "Atleast I'm wearin' a coat..."

(Aw, no, you're doing just fine XDD Seriously, I had about the same problem when I'd stopped roleplaying for a while, though)

((What's my excuse this time XDD Anti-virus needed on my computer LOL Sorry it's been taking me so long))

Flonne stuck her lip out in a pout.
"That's not fair to say Anna, if you'd ever seen it, you'd say the same thing, I mean the trees are all white with snow, and the ground is covered in a blanket of silver, it's almost like living poetry! I mean--" And so she went, gabbering on and on about the trees, however dead, and the ground, however firm with permafrost, and then the air.......however freezing, like a cold knife, that would rip a body to shreds and then laugh at you while you bled to death.
Laharl...shivered.
"Crap...I forgot all about that....Cold....but it's better than going through Salamander's Breath, I have too many bad memories to go there."
"Oh! You mean about Aramis? The adorable little demon who had the pet Zombies? I like that place too!" Flonne was not helping his mood.

(XDDD I have no excuse, I've been drawing loads for the last few days)

"Look, bud...", sighed Anna, feeling about as grouchy as the demon prince as she stepped over to Flonne. She leaned forward to where her face was only inches away, giving Flonne one heck of a glare as she did so. "I'm a pirate, you got that? We don't find much of anything like 'living poetry'. Now, from what you're describin', this place is awfully cold, ain't it?"
She stood back up straight, crossing her arms. "Cold gives people sickness and frostbite, which can make whatever parts of your body that are stricken with it fall off. In the cold, alot of wild-life dies due to either the crazy temperature change or the fact that most of 'em can't find food, especially if they're herbivores or whatever those were called. When you look and see the harsh side of things, places ain't so pretty anymore."

Yep, that was his Captain, Abel thought as he sighed. She was fairly rude and was the 'glass-half-empty' type, much unlike Flonne, who seemed to be the... well, 'my-glass-is-completely-full' type, being more nice and enthusiastic than anyone else he'd ever had any sort of run-in with in his days. He certainly did like her but her enthusiasm scared him a little, at points.

Anna got bored with bugging Flonne, and stepped away, looking back towards Laharl. "Yeah, I dunno if you're gonna want to go to somewhere cold. I mean, you're not even wearin' a shirt, and all you're wearing pants wise are shorts... what's with that, anyway?"

Flonne didn't say anything..until Anna turned away, then she merely stuck her tounge out. What was the point in seeing everything so blasted horrible all the time, what was life without joy, or happiness, or love...oh wait....it was Laharl and Anna....Etna...well, she was just plain creepy.

"..." Laharl looked down and cocked his head to one side.
"What's wrong with it?" He asked defensively.
"Besides, the cold doesn't bother me." That much.
"And shouldn't you be worried about yourself? With all your talk to Frostbite?" Shiver.
"Even if you can avoid that, I doubt you'd make it past all the demons that are infecting the area. Bah, you'd probably run at the first sign of a Empusa."...Creepy...big..busted things that they were....another shiver, this time, it went all the way to his stomach...and then some.

Anna snickered slightly. "Aw, nothin's wrong with it, it just looks kinda funny. I mean... you're kinda tiny, and your shorts infact look too big for you."
She crossed her arms, grinning widely. "Besides, I'm not worried about the cold, since I'm actually wearing clothes that cover all of me. And this... Empu...sa... thing, I know you and the whole 'big busted women freak me out' thing, which makes me surprised you were able to deal with being around Martha, now that I think about it... and besides, I don't run from anything!"
And that was probably what was going to get her killed but for now, all she knew was that she sounded cool saying it.

Abel watched Flonne stick her tongue out at Anna, and he could'nt help but laugh. She could be very childish but he liked her nonetheless. That, and he knew very well how annoying Anna could get with her extremely not positive outlook on things, and Laharl was the same way, most definetly.

....Laharl growled. He was NOT tiny, and his shorts fit just right....although....he sneaked a hand around the back to hike them up.....just a little.
He grinned....it was never a good thing when Laharl grinned...especially not the sadistic grin that he had now.
"Oh REAAAALLLLLY?" He challenged.
"You don't run from ANYthing? Fine then, how about a challenge, we both head into Joutenheim and count kills...but only if they're a b-cup or higher, I seem to remember you having a distaste for the bigger chests as well ♪An-na♪"

Anna looked irritated. "Oh, really?"
She leaned down; after all, he was actually a bit shorter than she was, which was actually pretty comical. "OKAY, then, 'Harlie', as they oh-so-humiliatingly call you! It's on, and I'm gonna win! 'Sides, who LIKES them other than perverts?"
She done a thumbs down symbol at him, glaring and grinning. "And, I'm a girl! Atleast they're NOT completely foreign... as... large, bulbous and unattractive as they are..."

She looked grossed out for a minute, before she shook her head and put back on her annoyed expression. "BUT I'M STILL WINNIN' THIS, YOU HEAR ME, TINY!?!"

...Oh hells no she didn't....Anna did NOT just call him Harlie.
"You're so dead. You hear me! D-E-D!" (oh joyus spelling mistakes XD)
Laharl was through the portal before he could finish and the Gatekeeper sighed.
"There he goes again. Watch yourselves out there please...and try not to kill each other." Flonne jumped in after him, bent on not being left behind, and just to get on the whole ordeal (that they really hadn't been present to hear) Dagger and Mint jumped in after like lost puppy dogs, itching to stretch their legs.

Anna snickered insanely, folding her arms across her chest. Apparently he really disliked being called Harlie... she'd keep that in mind--
Wait... did he just say ded?
She snickered insanely, running into the portal after the two, sweeping up Abel under her arm as she done so. "WAIT FOR ME, HARLIE!"
Abel looked extremely uncomfortable. "Sure, sure, just carry me around like I'm a sack of potatoes..."

(Nice spelling, Laharl XDD)

((I know right? LOL And to think, he had wonderful penmanship in the game))

Joutenhiem was cold, no wait COLDER than COLD, it was cold enough to freeze Laharl's bladder....looks like he wouldn't have to go to the bathroom for a while.
He sighed, and gripped his sword tightly.
"Laharl?" Flonne asked.
"Are you alright?"
"Of course I'm alright!" He cried, his voice breaking pitch.
"I'm gonna beat Anna, and show her who's the toughest in the Underworld!"
Dagger and Mint smiled from behind them and nodded.
"Yep, the Prince has that look in his eye again, he's out for blood." They grinned ever wider, so were they.

(XDD Oh, I remember that; he DID, actually... to the extent he might as well had drew some fancy designs all over the sheet of paper)

Although Anna seemed to adjust to the cold quite well, Abel wasn't doing very good with it, being a naked penguin thing and all. "A-augh! It's so cold here!"

Anna dropped Abel, literally, and cleared her throat, placing both hands on her hips and then pointing a finger at Laharl. "I'm gonna win this! There's no way I'm gonna lose to some tiny guy in shorts!"

Abel had halfway sunk into the snow. "I am... way... way too short for this..."
He shoved his way through the snow and finally got over to Flonne, and from there watched Laharl and Anna. Those two confused him; it seemed like they were getting along one minute, and fighting the next. Oh well, atleast they were fun to watch.

((And now of course his spelling sucks...X3 Oh well, such is the way that our pint-sized Prince's cookie crumbles...wow...that was a lot. XDD))

Flonne bent over and plucked the frozen Prinny out of the snow, mangaging to break an icicle off his beak without breaking it off with it.
"You poor thing, how did you get dragged into this?" She asked.

Laharl ignored them both.
"Whatever." He said spying the first of the many large chested horde...Empusa...perfect.
"Stand back." He said taking off.
"And watch how a master takes care of things!"
He skidded down into the snow and under the large leathery wings, coming up behind the bouncing...jiggling...demon. He smirked and with a cry let loose a mighty Nightsever.