The battle is over. The tense is finally faded. Alfi and his party are having a chat time in the middle of a bonfire while having delicious roasted sausages.
"Alfi, are you all right?" Herman asked.
"What are you talking about? Of course, I am." Alfi said with bruises all over his face.
Kartika, who sits next to him, is seen upset. Realizing it, he smiles at her casually saying, "What is it, Kartika?"
Kartika swiftly turns away evading Alfi with her face blushing. She doesn't understand why, but for now, she can't face him like she used to be. Alfi looks confused by Kartika's behavior, yet that doesn't bother him that he continue the chat with the others.
"What's wrong with her? She just kicked my ass and now she is acting like that. Well, guess I shouldn't ask her why. Curiosity kills the cat though." Alfi said in his mind.
And that's true. Kartika's emotion is unstable right now. A series of random events that involved her feeling occurred just too suddenly back then. She lost him, seeing him berserk when she met him at last, seeing him got tortured by many people, seeing him almost killed her, seeing him meet a girl who cared about him, seeing his origin as a devil, and the girl who cared about him let her become his wife. They just happened too suddenly without any warnings. It is too tough, even for a barbaric woman like Kartika.
"I don't mind if you become his wife."
"You are the source of his happiness."
"Please take care of my precious Alfi."
Levi's words are haunting her mind. She does love him, but she doubts if he feels the same though Levi had told her that he does. She feels pain in her heart. The more it beats, the pain it is. Her mind is full of her feeling about him, a fear of losing him, a hesitation of making a move. She is just not ready.
Aoi who sees her unstable state gently touches her left hand. Kartika turns her head to Aoi. Aoi smiles at her saying, "You know that you can't hide anything from me, don't you?"
"As I thought you would realize it," Kartika told Aoi through telepathy.
"Oh, a private chat, eh? Well, I don't mind." Aoi replied. "So, what is it that made you this upset."
"Well, you know that I still don't know much about him, but I have fallen for him at first sight. The sages told me that the only man who can make me fall for him is the Alfa himself. On top of that, it's just silly, don't you think?"
"I don't think so."
"Why?"
"Kartika, no matter how you define it, whether it's pure love or just a mere lust, you are just happy with his existence around you, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then, it's all right, right?"
"But…"
"I can understand that feeling. You love him just the way you are even without knowing who he is. But, you have seen it yourself, right? He is just a human whose fate is full of misery. The world hates him, and he is a devil now. Do those things make you change your mind about him?"
"No."
"Why? He is just like us, the ones excommunicated and feared by you, humans."
"But, he is still Alfi. He will be Alfi no matter what will happen to him! Though everyone hates him, I'll make sure that I am the only one who loves him!"
"Then, why are you so hesitant if you think that way? You got what it takes to make a move."
"But, still, I hesitate to make a move," Kartika said while she averts her gaze to Alfi who is having a good time with the other, especially Megumi who is sitting next to him.
"You still think that you don't deserve him after seeing Lady Levi, right?"
"Yes."
"I do agree that Lady Levi does love him very much. It's almost hard for me to choose whom should I root for as you guys love the same guy and you don't seem to fake it anyway. But, I think I understand why she let you have him instead."
"Why?"
"Kartika, anyone changes once they face love. Lady Levi once was a loner, but then she becomes a graceful lady after falling for him. And you, you were a feminist who would pull off any dick anytime you see man, but then you become a tsundere after falling for him (seriously, I don't know what to put. I did intend to put 'demure', yet I guess it's just not right for this case.), right? A tsundere and a dandere. Jeje would say that it's a good scenario for a rom-com anime. "
"Please, I don't have a mood to slap your face."
"I am sorry. Well, one wants to have Alfi become her own one and only, and another wants him to be happy. I think Lady Levi believes that he is gonna be happier with you around than with her around. Though you are barbaric and stern that you don't seem to be a good woman for any man, he is still happy with you around. Let me ask you something, why did you fall for him at first sight and you still love him no matter who he is?"
"Well, I don't know either. I am just happy with him around. I am happy to see him smile, laugh, and have fun. I don't care who he is. I just want him. That's all."
"And surprisingly he thinks the same just like what you said. He just wants to be surrounded by his friends like right now." Aoi points at Alfi who is laughing with everyone. "Especially you, Kartika. He doesn't want to lose you, yet he is good at hiding his feeling. I think that you both will make a good match."
"You think so?"
"Of course, you are still beautiful even though you are lack femininity and you are as flat as a board."
Kartika then remains silent, and suddenly she jumps and lands on Aoi's body pinning her down. Kartika, without any hesitation on her face but anger, starts beating Aoi up.
"After kicking my ass, she is beating Aoi up. I wonder what is happening to her." Alfi wonders.
"Does she have her period?" Jeje asked.
"Nah, a woman who uses Doki-Doki doesn't have her period," Alfi said.
"Really?!" Jeje seems surprised by it.
"Yup, they said it's to maintain their femininity so that they won't have an excuse for bullying men," Alfi explained as he sips his Bajigur.
"Not applied for Kartika," Herman added.
"Yup, not applied for Kartika," Alfi replied.
"Did you say something?" Kartika turns her head to Alfi with a deadly gaze on her face.
"Nothing." Alfi sips his Bajigur pretending to be calm.
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"Hey Alfi," Herman suddenly called him.
"Hmm?" Alfi replied with a hmm.
"Are you okay? You know, about you killing both of them." Herman asked.
Alfi remains silent after hearing that he stops sipping his Bajigur.
"You idiot! Don't remind him about that!" Jeje scolded Herman.
"I am just wondering," Herman said.
"Don't you know what common sense is?"
"Is that wrong to worry about your friend?!" Herman is getting upset.
"You may worry about anything, but you have to take a hint, you pinhead!"
Herman and Jeje are getting clash of quarrel.
"No, it's okay, Jeje," Alfi said trying to soothe them up. "I am okay, and I am just fine about it."
"Alfi." Kartika stops beating Aoi as she remembers what happened to Koji and Rian.
"That must be painful for him. How could I act normally after what he did? He just killed his friends for the second time" Kartika said in her mind.
"Kartika, can you let me go?" Aoi asked.
JAB
Kartika jabs Aoi's face hard and then lets Aoi go leaving Aoi laying there with her face blushed by the ecstasy surged in her.
"Thank you," Aoi said in ecstasy.
"Please don't push yourself, hun." Megumi touches Alfi's right arm gently as he sees her teary face.
He just smiles as he wipes her tears gently.
"I'm okay, hun. Thanks for worrying me." He kissed her forehead gently.
Kartika gets upset as she sees that. She just wishes that she has switched positions with Megumi. She does want him to kiss her forehead just like that. Would I let that happen? Would I?
Alfi grabs his wooden jug full of Bajigur and takes a sip.
"They insisted me to do so," Alfi said. "Kartika, you must know that there's no cure for brainwashing from one's Iru, right?"
Kartika just nods.
"Even Varz's ability to cut off Iru circulation won't be able to disable the brainwashing effect. Am I wrong, Varz?" Alfi asked.
"Yes, I can't disable the effect," Varz replied.
"So, the only way is just to kill the victim. Painful? It is, but I can't let them hurt you guys. That was tough, but I hope I didn't make a bad choice." Alfi takes out a stone he got from Rian. "Rian gave me this as a memento."
It's an orange glowing stone with a chat bubble symbol on it.
"Don't tell me…" ßenlong looks surprised by seeing that stone.
"Hmm? What is it, ßenlong?" Alfi wondered.
"It's a Ro stone." ßenlong said.
"Ro stone? What is it?"
"Ro stone a part of Ro, a guardian of the gate of the realm of the gods which was strayed to our universe. Ro is a beast made of abundant pure Iru. Ro is the cause behind the Big Bang as it exploded itself as its power kept increasing. The explosion devastated its body into stones like that." ßenlong explained.
"Oh, right. Rian said that as long as I have this, Waku-Waku will never achieve their goal." Alfi said.
"If that's true, then the stone has something to do with their agenda," Varz said.
"Then, I have to keep this. On top of that, it's the precious thing I have from my friends." Alfi looks sad. "They told me to let them go and keep moving forward. They chose to die so that I could get outta here to stop Waku-Waku." Tears are dripping from his eyes.
"I always wonder, to be honest. Have I done something good ever since I do my job as the Alfa? Everyone hates me and I have to protect them, eh? Isn't that ironic? Many people wish me to die, and I just said, 'that would be good. I also want to die though.'." Alfi explained. "It doesn't bother me anyway. It's up to me whether I do my job or just abandon it, right?" He sips his Bajigur again.
"Then, why did you choose to do your job as the Alfa knowing that you won't get any benefit from it?" ßenlong asked.
"ßenlong, why do you protect your people?" Alfi asked.
"Well, I don't know. I was just bored so I took the job."
"Probably it's one of the minor reasons why I take the job," Alfi said. "The main reason is, I feel happy when I do this job. I don't care about the hatred everyone has against me. It's hatred, there's no way to wipe it out. Though they forgive me, the hatred will be remained deep within, right? So, as I care about that. I don't give a shit about that."
Alfi pauses for a while and continues.
"It's because this job made me able to see you guys, the ones who acknowledge my existence and befriend me. I am so happy to meet you. I don't care about the risk of this job. If I fail, I'll just simply die, right? It's either I die with no one cares about me or with those who care about me."
"Alfi…" Kartika is speechless.
"That's why I am always so reckless when you are in danger that I end up getting barely killed. When I do that, I just feel that your lives are more important than mine as you are very precious to my life and I don't know how precious I am to you. But, when I had to kill them, I wonder whether I should kill myself to make up for my sins." He sobbed. "I was supposed to protect them, not kill them. How am I supposed to protect this world if I couldn't protect my friends?! Do I really deserve to be a protector anyway?!" He cried.
Kartika then approaches him. He sees Kartika put a cold look on her face.
SLAP
She slaps him out of the blue.
"I dare you to say that again," Kartika said in a plain tone.
"Kartika…" Alfi was surprised by what just happened.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" Kartika yelled at him.
He can see tears dripping from her eyes.
"What do you mean by 'Deserve to be a protector?'. No one wants to be a world protector. Only a fool who has a death wish to be it, and then you came before me. I did think that you'd die in the first battle, but you do survive up until now. You have done your job well." Kartika said. "I was hesitant at first, but I am sure that you are the real Alfa. You are reckless, but I know that you are not dumb. You do love us that you can't stay idle to see us suffer, and so do we."
She hugs him out of the blue. That surprised the others especially Alfi. And Megumi.
"' Your lives are more important than mine, you said? Don't just decide it by yourself! I never think like that. Live is important, nothing is more important nor lesser." She is crying on his chest. "Please, don't demean yourself. You are happy to see us, so we are. We are happy to be your friends. I don't care if I have to be hated by everyone for becoming your friend. Please, have faith in me, have faith in us. We will be always on your side."
"Kartika…" Alfi said stroking her hair gently.
He puts his chin on her crown gently as he hugs her tightly.
"I am sorry. It's just too much for me."
"Alfi, I think you have made a good choice for killing them. In every fight, the casualty is inevitable. There will always casualty on both sides, and we are ready for that. Probably I would do the same if I were in your shoes and I am sure Rian and Koji thought the same. " Herman said.
"I join you not for death, I join as I want to protect this world as well," Varz added.
"We are also with you!" Jeje said. "Even after we manage to get outta here! We'll support you in your journey to defeat Waku-Waku!" He added.
Alfi sees his surrounding. He realizes that he is not alone like in the past. He has many friends now regardless he is supposed to be hated. They do care about him as much as he does about them. He had nothing and first, and now he has so many friends on his side. He remembers the good time he has spent with them including Koji and Rian in the past. He does want to make more in the future. He just doesn't want to stop this happiness.
"I am so stupid, aren't I? Crying over the death of my friends who wanted the death itself and forgetting that I have you guys around me. I wonder how could I lose my cool here" He wipes his tears. "Thank you, guys. I do appreciate it."
He touches Kartika's chin and lifts her head before his head with his finger.
"Thank you for everything, Kartika." He said in a gentle tone.
He smiles at her as he gently is wiping her tears with his fingers. He then approaches letting his forehead touch her forehead. She can see him smiling at her real close. Her face is getting red as she can tell what he is gonna do. She does know Alfi always do what he likes without taking a hint of his surrounding, but it's just too much for her to handle.
"What is it?!!! Is he gonna kiss me in front of them?!!!" Kartika said in her mind with joy and shame mixed in her mind.
She sees her surrounding. They look waiting for the great moment. She even sees Jeje touching his crotch. What a pathetic being for getting horny over a kissing scene.
Kartika is trying to calm her down and slowly protrudes her mouth and closes her eyes ready to take his kiss. She can feel that his lips are getting closer. She is nervous as she never experiences a kiss from someone though she had one on Pandawa beach.
Oh no. Do I really make a romance plot here?! What on earth happened to me?
SLAP
Alfi suddenly slaps Kartika hard.
"That's for the slap before!" Alfi said.
Oh well, nothing really happened to me anyway. I'd rather make a sex scene over a kissing vanilla scene. A hardcore sex scene where the bed gets crushed by their hardcore intercourse. Oh well, carry on.
"WHAT?!!!!" The others are surprised to see the twist.
"YOU BASTARD, WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM ANYWAY?!" Kartika yelled at him.
"AIN'T IT OBVIOUS?! YOU SLAPPED ME, SO I SLAPPED YOU!" Alfi yelled at her.
"YOU, DUMBASS! CAN'T YOU TAKE A HINT?!"
"WHAT?! YOU EXPECTED ME TO KISS YOU?! DID YOU NOT REALIZE THAT MY WIFE IS HERE?!"
"SHE IS JUST YOUR IMAGINATION, YOU DUMBASS!"
"SHE IS REAL! I CAN FUCK HER LIKE CRAZY, SO SHE IS REAL. AND, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I WON'T KISS A WOMAN WHOSE BREAST IS FLATTER THAN A CUTTING BOARD."
"YOU BASTARD!"
Kartika then jumps and starts beating him up. Unlikely the usual, Alfi fights back.
"I guess, this is better," Alfi said in his mind.
"I guess, this is better," Kartika said in her mind.
"I am happy with her around," Alfi said in his mind.
"I am happy with him around," Kartika said in her mind.
After the quarrel, the party has reached the top floor of Ki Bromo palace. They are now standing (please ignore Cocong and Aoi) before the great throne room door. It's a purple door with so many Javanese scripts carved on it. No, it's literally Javanese script, not Java nor Javascript.
"Here we are," Alfi said seeing his surrounding.
Everyone is smiling at him telling him that they are ready for the final battle. Kartika looks brighter and more beautiful now that his heart beats faster, yet he is good at hiding his feeling.
"I am opening it."
KER-CHACK
OPENS
They are startled to see the throne room is on flame. Ki Bromo is seen confronting Nyi Roro Kidul who is standing before her green troops.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Alfi and his party exclaimed.