In Which the Overlord Dislikes What He Sees [Open]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

In roaming the ship, out of an increased sense of irritation and impatience, Zetta had discovered someplace new to him.

Most of the murals and paintings and sculptures in the place, disturbing though they might be to a mortal mind, gave the Overlord no pause whatsoever. In his thousands of years, he had seen the death of worlds, the descent into madness of some truly great minds, the greatest depravities of the Netherworlds, and Mickey in a feather boa. These 'alarming' sculptures couldn't dare disturb the mental integrity of the Overlord! Hyaaa ha ha ha ha!

...What DID shock him, though, was the statues beneath a giant head-sculpture thing. Two of them, in fact: the first an obstinate Overlord, arms crossed and looking stubborn, his back to the second; the second a woman walking away, stoic despite tears.

"What the... What the HELL is THIS crap?!" Zetta demanded of the room in general and the cosmos at large.

Comments

[starbolts]

Starfire looked sad for him, like she always seemed to. "Why did she leave? Is she crying for that reason?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Stupid girl reasons!" Zetta snapped. "Conduct unbecoming an Overlord!"

Seeing the scene and knowing Zetta, is that enough of a hint?

[starbolts]

Starfire thought she understood. The woman looked...broken-hearted to her. Something tragic had happened, but she doubted that it was death. That was routine in Zetta's life, was it not?

"Unbecoming of an Overlord?" She paused thoughtfully. "Were your hearts entangled?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Our bodies, maybe." Zetta had absolutely no shame about being blunt there. "But demons, ESPECIALLY Overlords, don't do things like love and all that crap. I've said that before."

Zetta stared at the statue of Salome for a long moment, then muttered, "Why the hell did SHE have to go and forget?"

[starbolts]

Those matters were always the most difficult. Starfire touched each stone face in turn, clear sadness in her eyes.

"Emotions such as that cannot be easily controlled," she sighed. An unwanted image of Robin appeared in her mind, making her heart clench. "I am certain that she tried to remember, but when you are appealing and always there...love can bloom regardless of the person's wishes."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Pfft. She was appealing and always there and look at me! Freaking fine!" And so he believed down to his core. "She ruined everything and then left! So fine! Good riddance, I say. I'm better off on my own. There are plenty of cute girls in the multiverse who'd love to spend a night with Zetta!"

[starbolts]

Starfire folded her arms, shaking her head. Overlord business sure was strange. "I see. Then...the other cute girls aboard the ship have also been interested?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Starfire earned herself a dirty look. "I was speaking generally. I'm a freaking book right now, I couldn't do a damn thing if I was in a pile of nubile women up to the ceiling. Damn shame, too, since I managed to marry Tenaya during the mission. But when I'm MYSELF, of course every girl wants to be with me!"

[starbolts]

"Yet have you ever wished to be with them?" Starfire asked pointedly.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Tenaya's pretty hot," Zetta said without hesitation. "I'd totally shack up with her."

[starbolts]

Zetta, have you ever been side-eyed by an alien girl? Hello, here it goes.

"I am not referring to that type of 'being with'", she clarified carefully. "You say that it is not like an Overlord to love as mortals do, but have you ever considered it a remote possibility?"

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Hey, wasn't that the kind of 'being with' we were talking about?" Zetta said, confused suddenly by this turn of topic. "No. It's not just being an Overlord. I'm a demon. Evil and cruel and all that. Demons don't do love. It's not part of us. That's like asking an angel to get all brimstone-and-wrath on an innocent kitty."

[starbolts]

"Perhaps not," Starfire whispered, finally understanding his perspective with that analogy. "But that is not all that you are. I have seen that somewhere deep within you there is...caring. Perhaps kindness is too strong of a word to use, but the beginnings of it are there."

Feel free to deny it. She is convinced that it is true.

Starfire is hereby renamed "Angel Trainee Flonne."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"Why the hell would you say that?!" Zetta said somewhere between anger and horror. "What would -- why would you even -- how?!"

[starbolts]

"I am merely reporting what I see," Starfire said matter-of-factly, a soft smile on her face.

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"And how are you seeing THAT?"! Zetta shrieked. "What could you possibly be misinterpreting to think I care?!"

[starbolts]

"You have taken care to train us against the Ohm," Starfire began, "and you have attempted to cheer people up when they are upset. It is not in the usual way, but your taunting is helpful."

She paused, still smiling unwavering at him. "You have tried more than once to spare my feelings. I appreciate it very much."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"O-of course I've done those things!" Zetta said, agitated. "I mean... it's all for ME! I train people so they can fight the Ohm and I can get my Netherworld back! I cheer people up so they CAN train instead of moping! That all serves ME in the end!"

[starbolts]

"I do not entirely believe you," Starfire said with the slightest wink. "If an Overlord can raise so many of us on his quest, perhaps you are not all as evil as you say."

[badassfreakingoverlord]

"O-of course I'm evil! I'm an Overlord!" Zetta protested. "Evil is in my job description! It's not like I'm hauling you onto my quest! We all got hauled onto the same damn quest together, that's all!"