In a dingy house, Louise stands in front of Florian, tied to a chair.

Louise: Well, now then. We had you vomit for your own sake. I don't want to see you in more pain than necessary. You're a good boy, aren't you. You're somehow like a finely made doll. Even a woman like myself is jealous. Especially these fingernails, with their faint pink tinge like sea shells.

Florian: Wh...at are you...!?

Louise grabs Florian's fingers in one hand, and a curved wire with another.

{sound f/x su: Louise grabbing the wire}

Louise: Tell me. Where are the jewels? Where are you hiding them!?

{sound f/x pu: the wire pricking Florian}

Florian: I DON'T KNOW! How many times must you ask me that... !

{sound f/x zu: the wire sliding forward}

Louise slides the wire underneath Florian's fingernail and then pulls it out.

Florian: Kk... Ah... AHHH~...!

Man: Hey, face forward!

{sound f/x gui: grabbing Florian's hair}

Louise: You look so lovely when you're breaking down. Where should I go next? That's right. Perhaps those amethyst eyes------ how about it?

Man: I'm sorry for interrupting when you're busy, but Leo and Franco have returned.

Louise: Huh! Where in the world have you been wandering off to! You useless morons!

Behind the man's head, on the street above, feet run by.

Louise: What the...!?

Man: ? What's wrong? Boss.

Louise: It seems that some wonderful guests have followed them home. Those fools!

{sound f/x ban: the door flying open}

Inspector: Paris Police! We recieved information that this is a hideout for the criminal "Black Hand" organization. We'll be searching this mansion.

Man 1: [drawing gun] Dammit~!

Man 2: [drawing gun] No way out, let's do it!

Inspector: Fire at will!

{sound f/x pan pan: gunfire}

Inspector: Where's the woman? The woman is their leader. Find the woman!

Police: I... Inspector, sir...!

Inspector: What's that!?

Outside of the window, a ship sails away down the river.

Inspector: Follow that boat----~!

On the boat, Louise and her men steam away, along with a tied Florian.

Louise: Damn~ what the hell happened!

{sound f/x cha: Louise cocking a gun}

Man: Waa---- Boss, please forgive us! We were captured this whole time! We didn't think we were being followed!

Louise: You were captured?

Back on land, three members of Black Hand are taken away.

Inspector: [shaking hands] Well-- Thanks so much for your cooperation. That woman boss got away, but this will surely be a huge blow to the "Black Hand" in Paris!

Solomon: If you want to give thanks, talk to Mr. Corrupt Loan Shark. This is also due to his cooperation.

{sound f/x hekkusha: SNEEZE}

[In Japan it's believe that when someone's talking about you, you sneeze.]

Man: Ah~ There you are, there you are, boss!

Noir: [rubbing his nose] Maybe I'm getting a cold.

Man: [holding a tie] We found this! It was thrown away!

Noir: This is Florian's tie.

Man: There's a card attached.

Noir: (Hmph.) A predictable reaction, just like I thought.

Tassel: What about myself? Count Courland.

Noir: Stop calling me that. I hate it. I'll ask you quite frankly. What are you going to do? Do you want to be free?

Tassel: ---- I'm not thinking about hiding my own crimes. As a father, I must show Noel the right way to live...

Noir: --I understand. If that's so, then I have something to ask of you. They're demanding to exchange Florian's life for the jewels inside of Betty Deux.

{sound f/x pi: Noir snatching the card up}

Noir: This is their orders. By yourself, take Betty Deux and go to the specified destination.

Tassel: M...me, by myself... they said?

Noir: Yes. They want to sacrifice you.

Tassel: ---- That's an awfully honest way to ask... ---- I understand. Where should I go?

Noir: The most recognizable place in the world. The Eiffel Tower.

(Until it was surpassed by New York's Chrysler Building in 1930, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world.)

{sound f/x ka: click of footsteps}

Noir: At exactly 2 in the afternoon, get in the elevator going up and it will start working. Once you're aboard, go down the ramp at the central junction---- That's the appointed place for the transaction.

{sound f/x gou: Mssr. Tassel's feeling of doom}

{sound f/x gui: squeak}

Mssr. Tassel follows Noir's directions. At the top, Louise and her henchman wait with Florian.

Louise: You brought it as you promised, didn't you, da-rl-ing~!

Tassel: This is it. The jewels are inside. But---- Louise, please think this over and turn yourself in with me!

Louise: (Ha!) Don't say such stupid things. Another bear? Didn't you hate that fake one!?

Tassel: Th... This time it's real, no doubt. ...Hurry, let Florian-kun...

Mssr. Tassel tears the head off of Betty Deux.

{sound f/x jara: jingling of jewels}

Louise: Whooa~!

{sound f/x gui: the henchman's strong grip}

Florian: [being held back] Tassel-san...!

Louise: The treasure comes first. Otherwise, we'll push him down from here.

Tassel: I... I understand.

Louise: [holding the bear] (A-HAHAHA) With this in hand, I have no use for you any more!

Louise's henchman pulls his gun on Mssr. Tassel.

Henchman: Tough luck. Die.

Tassel: !

Florian: Tassel-san, get down!

Florian rams himself into Louise's henchman.

Louise: Ah~!

Henchman: Uwa~!

Tassel: Florian-kun!? WA~!

{sound f/x dan: large thunk}

Louise's henchman shoves Florian to the ground.

Henchman: Little brat.

{sound f/x cha: gun cocking}

Henchman: If ya wanna die that much, I'll start with you!

Florian: Ku~...

{sound f/x gakon: large thudding noise}

Tassel: Waa~!?

Louise: Wh... what's going on~

Henchman: The other elevator started moving all by itself!?

{sound f/x ba: whacking noise}

A whip comes out of nowhere, striking Louise's henchman.

Henchman: UWAA~!

Noir sits on top of Mssr. Tassel's descending elevator.

Noir: You're a truly annoying little girl.

Florian: Noir!

Louise: Did he say Noir!? That mysterious thief!?

Noir: Jump, Florian!

Louise: Ah~ wait, you bastard!

Florian flings himself off of the building, caught in Noir's arms.

Noir: Don't make me worry so much.

{sound f/x basa: rustling of rope uncoiling}

Florian: Noi...

Louise: Ah~ my treasure!?

Noir's whip wraps around Betty Deux and pulls it back to him.

Noir: Sorry, but I'll be taking this back home.

Louise: I'm not giving it up~!

Henchman: Boss!?

{sound f/x ba: Louise darting forward}

Louise: That's mine! Give it back~! THIEF! [looking over the edge] Wh... where did they go!?

Nearby, Noir crouches with Florian

Noir: Au revoir.

Louise: Don't mock me! Come down from there!

Noir: There are some wonderful callers awaiting you down below, Madame~.

Louise: What...!?

Down below, hordes of policemen gather around the Eiffel Tower.

Louise: P... police!? But you're in the same trouble, aren't you. There's nowhere to run.

Noir: Well then, whatever shall I do.

Policeman: ! What's that!? An a... airship!?

Noir's men pilot an airship towards the tower. Noir and Florian grab onto a ladder hanging down one side.

Noir: Always be prepared, I say.

Florian: Tassel! Tassel-san... are you going to abandon him, Noir!?

Noir: Don't worry. If everything involved in this incident was done by the "Black Hand", he'll get off free of charge. If that's what he wants.

Policeman: Ah...! Aren't you the missing Monsieur Tassel!?

Inspector: What in the world happened?

Louise: [getting taken away] Damn~

Noir: He's involved. He wanted to turn himself in.

Florian: That's so like you. As long as the jewels are safe, who cares what happens to anyone else!

Noir: (Hm!) Jealous of the jewels?

Florian: NO~! WHY WOULD I FEEL THAT~!

Noir: Watch.

Florian: Noir!?

Noir pulls out the jewels from inside of Betty Deux, kisses them, then throws them down over Paris.

Florian: Ahh~! You ----what are you thinking!?

Noir: I'm returning the deposits of the people of Paris for Sir Tassel. Now, do you understand?

Noir raises Florian's head.

Noir: For me, those amethysts have more value than any jewel.

Florian: Noir.

Back in Noir's mansion...

Florian: ------ so he says.

([on the sheet of paper] IOU)

Florian: You added ALL of those jewels to my debt, didn't you! You corrupt loan shark!

Noir: But I'm lending to you at a very special low interest rate. You should be grateful for my generosity.

Noel: DON'T TEASE FLORIAN~!

Noel dumps a flowerpot on Noir's head.

{sound f/x gabo: large clunk}

Noir: Wa~ That munchkin still here?

Florian: [smiling] Until Tassel-san returns, we're in charge of him. Isn't that right? Noel.

Noel: [smiling] Yup!

Noir: Who decided this? Who!

Florian: Oh my, you mean a GENEROUS person such as yourself would get angry over something like this?

Noir: ! Do what you want. I don't care!

{sound f/x batan: door slamming}

Florian: [chuckling]

{sound f/x jiwa: giant tears welling up}

Noel: Uhhikku ----ukku Won't... cry, I... decided I won't cry. If I'm not always happy then Papa will worry...

Florian: Noel. You're a strong boy.

Florian hugs Noel. Outside, Noir listens in.

Laila: Noir!?

Noir: Can't be helped. Sorry, but can you return these to Betty Deux's eyes?

Laila: The star sapphires?

Noir: In the Orient, they're called "Stones of Good Fortune". For me, they're "Stones of Disaster"! Well, maybe they're different for everyone.

Part 2d | Part 2e | Part 3a