Leona and Vil (pt3)

While often bickering, there are also times when Vil and Leona are in agreement with one another: both dismiss Crowley’s idea of retiring Malleus in Book 2 (Vil: “For once, Leona is making perfect sense”), and both are unimpressed by the Star Sending event.

When Leona says he wishes to turn Idia’s hair to sand in Book 6 Vil says, “For once we agree on something,” and when Leona suggests they save a STYX staff member from a Charon suit attack “then make him show us the way as repayment” Vil replies, “That’s not a very princely suggestion. That said—I’m in agreement.”

Vil also agrees with Leona’s “inspired incentive” of “The first person to reach the Underworld gate gets to beat up Radish Sprout without anyone there to stop ’em.”

Leona seems aware of Vil’s strength, comparing him equally to himself when he tells Jamil, “Obviously you couldn’t hold a candle to me or Vil.”

Leona and Vil have an extended back-and-forth at the end of Book 6 after Leona and Jamil have had their battle with an overblotted Idia and phantom-Ortho but not yet finished them off, with Leona telling Vil, “If I didn’t give a certain prima donna some time in the spotlight, he’d never let me hear the end of it. Are you done touchin’ up your makeup?,” and Vil responding, “I’d have been happy managing to reapply my lip gloss, but l even had time to perfect my hair, thanks to you two.”

Vil earns a passing grade from Vil with his Fairy Gala performance (Vil: “You see how you managed to bring out your best and then some? Be grateful you had me for a coach”), and when Kalim and Lilia invite Vil and Leona to dance during the Cloudcalling event both characters refuse, sitting back to watch the dancers together, instead.

When Leona sends Lilia and Kalim to their rooms Lilia is displeased, but Vil responds in support of Leona.

During the drama of Playfulland it is Vil and Leona who confirm the situation on the other side of the theme park wall together and they share an interaction with sniping and insults on both sides that conceals Vil expressing concern (“Do you actually think you can win?”) and Leona entrusting the safety of the younger students to Vil (“I was gettin’ sick and tired of babysitting these herbivores anyway. You can take care of them from here on out”).

Both Leona and Vil refuse to go to Idia’s aid at the start of the Phantom Bride event, and when Sebek boasts of how Eliza would choose Malleus over anyone else “as a matter of course” they come together to declare that “Operation Proposal is as good as done.”

Vil adopts a different persona in preparation for his proposal (Leona: “Who are you and what have you done with Vil?”), with Leona saying, “I’d take the regular you over this slimeball.”

When Eliza says that she is flattered but the group cannot compare to Idia Leona and Vil come to together to declare that they are “obviously superior!” (Jade: “Looks like they’ve lost sight of our objective.”)

Towards the end of the event Idia begs them to get him out of the situation and Vil and Leona respond, “It sounds like you’ve found someone who loves you in spite of your bad attitude” and “Good on you for finding your soulmate.”

When Epel fails to recognize hazel and hen bane Leona tells him, “Last thing I need is Vil gettin’ on my case about club meets distracting you from your education. At least get the basics under your belt.”

At the end of the Nightmare Before Christmas event Vil is first through the grave that will take them back to their own world as though to lead the way for the others, while Leona is last through the grave as though to make sure that no one has been left behind.

For all his annoyance with Vil, we still have multiple examples of Leona doing as Vil says: he balances vases on his head and shoulders for Fairy Gala on Vil’s orders despite how they soak him every time they fall (“If you spill any water, your penalty will be an hour-long air chair exercise”) and he does not argue with the commands Vil issues in Book 6.

Leona spends all of Halloween ignoring his ringing phone, saying that he knows exactly who it is and refusing to answer until Vil tells him to.

On the subject of Lilia’s life force, Leona refers unflatteringly to Vil’s experience in Book 6 by saying, “Back on the Island of Woe, Vil temporarily turned into some wrinkled up old man, and…….” but then self corrects as Vil stares at him, saying “excuse me” and rephrasing to, “His magic reserves were drained dry, resulting in physical deterioration,” without Vil needing to reprimand him.