PMD: Gathering Courage - Part 2

Devonshire's suites were below the level of the law firm being reconstructed. When they reached the entrance, Sophie paused. She could... feel it, ahead. The nothingness, the void of a sableye she'd come to dread. "I... I think he's in." She said softly, grip on Cael's hand tightening.

Cael looked at her worried, holding onto her hand in silent support before knocking softly on the door.

It was a short wait before there was any answer from within. "Come in~" Came a familiar smooth voice. Sophie swallowed, turning slightly to Cael and nodding before she walked forward.

Cael took in a deep breath before opening the door to go inside. Personally he didn't like speaking to Devonshire, the sableye gave him the creepy and the longest discussion he had ever had with him was the Heatran event a couple weeks ago. But he wanted to keep strong for Sophie, support her through this so she wouldn't teleport away. "Hello Devonshire." He said as he walked in. "I-I'm sorry if we're disturbing you."

"Not at the moment, no." He glanced up from his desk as he stood and watched them enter. With gem-like eyes it was hard to tell where he was looking... visually at least. But Sophie felt as if she was being watched, though her only indication of where the gaze came from was where his voice came from. It unnerved her to not be able to sense WHERE the sableye was, and that nearly made her teleport at once. She was about to speak, when Devonshire beat her to it. "Might I know why you've decided to show a rescuer into my lair?" He asked, still silky smooth in his speech, but an undercurrent of danger in his tone.

A shiver ran through Cael at this question, and reactively he moved a little in front of Sophie to protect her. "She... wished to speak with you but the only way we could think of to find you was here." He explained, trying to keep his voice steady.

Sophie was not ashamed to move behind Cael as he moved in front of her. "I'm sorry, I... talked him into it. I... I needed to speak to you." She said, voice quiet.

"Hm." Devonshire walked up to the two, standing in front of Cael and glancing up at him with glinting eyes, then leaned to look around him. "Well, you are here now, what is it you wish to say?"

Cael watched Devonshire and we he got close bit his lip a little to try and control his nerves. This guy was the reason that if he had been given a choice of guild he would have picked anything besides Rogues. How Eva and Dusty could deal with this guy as their leader by choice he couldn't understand at all.

He kept a firm grip on Sophie's hand in silent support but waited to see if she would speak.

Sophie flinched when the voice sounded closer. It was like he'd moved instantly, not slowly as he had, since she could not sense his movement. "I... I..." She faded out, then tried again. "Do you have the book on Kyuurem Cael and his group gave you some time ago?" She blurted out quickly.

Devonshire leaned back in surprise. "The book?" He tilted his head up and to the side, "Ah... oh... THAT book." Folding his hands behind his back he walked away from the two. "Yes, I do... believe it's here somewhere..."

"Are you... finished with the book? Now that Sorbet is gone...?" Cael asked softly, watching Devonshire move away.

"Yes, I do not think we'll require it any longer, not that it proved of much use in the end." He admitted, hopping onto a chair and pointing to it up on a bookshelf. It was a bit higher than what the short guild leader could reach. He then turned back to the two. "What of it?"

The tone made Sophie shiver, and she moved closer to Cael's side. "I... I promised Lexy I'd return it when... when he lent it to me."

The sableye's ears twitched, eyes boring into Cael's. "Oooooh?" He said, raising the tone slowly.

Cael winced as he heard the tone, they had told Gunpowder of the events to acquire the book mainly because they had given the book to him. "Getting the book was a... bit complicated... And..." He went silent, hating to be reminded of it.

"You took the book from your friends?" He said it innocently enough, though Cael could feel the underlying menace below the silky words. Sophie bit her lip, head lowered. This was opening wounds that were only just beginning to heal between her team and Cael's. Between HER and Cael. "It doesn't matter." She said curtly, "It's past, but I still have the promise I made Lexy... I want to return the book."

Cael kept quiet but his face showed the answer to Devonshire's question. He hated being reminded of the event, he still hadn't forgiven Eva for forcing him through that or forgiven himself for not refusing to go through with it.

Devonshire watched the two, very interested in this little drama being played out. "Girl... do you think Mike could have done more good with that book than I could?" He asked. Sophie bristled, but did not answer immediately. Mike had abandoned the guild at the time it needed a leader most... left them with someone no one knew of. And though the ampharos was proving a better leader, it still rankled to know her team had been left behind not only by Chill but now by Mike. Finally she sighed, shoulders slumping. "No."

Devonshire nodded, "I thought so." A shadowy arm took the book down from the shelf and floated it over to Cael. "Seeing as you gave the book to Gunpowder's care, I suppose you should be responsible for it now that we no longer need it."

"T...Thank you." He said softly before taking the book in his free hand. He'd give it to Sophie once they were out of the room.

Devonshire nodded. "See that in the future you and your team do not make enemies where they are not needed, hmm?" He said deceptively mildly.

Cael winced but nodded, "Y-Yes Devonshire." It seemed everyone enjoyed throwing salt on the wounds caused by that event.

Sophie squeezed his hand, then suddenly they were outside, the fresh air flicking over his fiery tail tip. "Sorry, might be rude but I couldn't stand it any longer." Sophie said as the last of the pinkish light faded from around them.

Cael sighed softly and nodded, turning to face Sophie and offered the book to her, "Here."
She smiled and took the book. "Thanks, Cael. Don't worry, I do think it was the best shot we had as a village, for Devonshire to have it. Even if it ended up being of no use, I'm not even sure Mike would have even looked at it."

Cael sighed softly, "Still... I'm sorry... I really am..."

"I know you are." She said softly. "And you helped me get the book back, that goes a long way." She smiled, hugging the book. "I should get this to Lexy then..."

Cael nodded a little, "And I guess... I'll go see Eva and Dusty..." He muttered, frowning a little at that thought.

Sophie hesitated a bit, "What's wrong?"

"Eva and dusty have been... acting weird. I don't know whats up with them..." Cael admitted.

Sophie frowned, "Since when?" She asked. She hadn't seen them at all in the past week.

"About a week now. Ever since I started helping out at the castle." cael explained, shaking his head a little. "They've been rebuilding our base at a new location since the storm destroyed our old home. But they've been... distant."

Sophie didn't like that. While Eva was never much for buddying it with the others, it wasn't like Dusty to be distant. "Maybe I should pay them a visit then." She nodded, "See if I can tell why they're acting weird."

"You really wanna do that to them...?" Cael asked softly. They would probably be upset if she tried reading their minds...

Sophie shook her head. "I never said I'd delve that deeply Cael." She sounded affronted. "You know I'd never do that to friends... right?" It was why they'd been able to use her team so easily to get the book she now held. But even after that she'd never over-used her psychic sensitivity to read their minds.

"I know." Cael muttered but he was thinking the same thing as Sophie, something was up to make Dusty act distant but part of him was worried about what it could be.

"I'll talk to Dusty, see if I can get him to open up. You should talk to Sia too... those two seem.. rather close." She smiled faintly, jealousy hidden in her words. She wished Cael would give her the same affection Dusty gave Sia.

Cael chuckled softly, "They are good friends." He admitted. He had noticed Sia seemed to like Dusty but... Dusty was still such a kid and didn't notice it.

"Yes... Dusty spends a lot of time with Sia, and they seem to enjoy each other's company." She sighed, shaking her head. "It's already dark, I should go back." She nodded to Cael, turning to start the long walk to the castle.

Cael watched her for a moment, fidgeting before walking over to catch up, "I'll walk you back to the castle if you want... My tail could light the way..."

Sophie gave a wry smile. "You do realize I can't see it's light, right?"

Cael fidgeted a little, "Oh... um well... ya... sorry..."

Sophie laughed, "I'd appreciate the company though... while I doubt the sneasels are a problem anymore I'd not like to put everyone to the trouble of having to rescue me again."
Cael nodded a little, "O...Okay then." He said, smiling a little. He hadn't seen any sneasels here in a long time but he was glad to spend time with Sophie.

Sophie held the book awkwardly, a bit too big for her small figure, but kept walking along without complaint. She was enjoying the time with Cael immensely herself. "Seems you're getting better at helping in the kitchens, I haven't had them come begging me for help as much lately."

"Ya... they still don't let me near the actual cooking but I help with preparing the different items for cooking." Cael explained, smiling a little.

"I see, well we all have our strengths and our weaknesses." She nodded. "Just have to know them well enough to be able to use both to our advantage."

"I guess thats true huh?" He said with a chuckle before shrugging. "As long as I can help thats enough."

"You help a lot, Cael, and you're a very thoughtful mon." She said encouragingly.

Cael chuckled softly when he heard that before shrugging again. "Thanks Sophie." He muttered. He tried to be as helpful as possible... never seemed like enough though to him.
She stopped, as if sensing the thought. "Cael, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself." She said, "We all do what we can, and no one is perfect."

Cael didn't say anything immediately, a sad smile on his face when she spoke. "Yes I realize that Sophie."

"Then why do you think so little of yourself?" She asked.

"Cause it's all I deserve Sophie. And I accept that." Cael explained, shrugging a little before smiling at her. "It's fine, really."

"No, it's not, because it's not all you deserve. Stop that! You deserve a lot more than you permit yourself that. And that's the only reason you can't improve. You've imposed a limit on yourself, instead of pushing the limits to see how far you can REALLY go!" She was frustrated. It was frustrating to feel such power in him and see him restrain it behind chains of self-imposed mediocrity.

Cael watched her for a moment, her words bringing pain to him but he just sighed and brought a hand to her shoulder. "Sophie, I'm glad you try to help me but... I really don't deserve it. I don't limit myself, this is my limit and it's all a failure like me can be. And I accepted that fact a long time ago and I just do my best to help others with what little I can do."

Sophie tensed, clutching the book tightly to her chest. "Stop that... please stop that!" She said, shaking her head. "You are NOT a failure Cael... shut up! You are much more, I can SEE it inside you! I may not know how you look physically, but... what I CAN see is very clear to ME. It... it's painful to see..." She turned away from him. "I feel... so sad for that shining inner you that you have locked away so tightly."

Cael winced at her words, hand trembling a bit as he moved it away from Sophie. Remaining silent for a moment before sighing he shook his head, "Come on, we're almost to the castle. I bet Klein and Kay are wondering where you are."

She sighed in defeat but said nothing else as she resumed walking alongside him, wondering what she'd have to do to prove to him he wasn't a failure.

Cael didn't say anything else, Sophie's words having shaken him and he didn't want to continue on with the subject. Of course he was a failure... he had grown up knowing that... being told that by everyone... accepting it made it easier to deal with after so long...

Soon enough they came to the drawbridge, just as Klein was coming out in search of Sophie. "Sophie! Oh... thank god... oh, Cael." He stopped short, tail twitching as he smiled. "Had I known you were with her I wouldn't have worried as much."

"Ya, I was just bringing her back to make sure she got here alright." He said, usual smile back on his face as he was given something else to focus on. "I should probably head back to the village before it gets any later."

"Yeah, I'll take it from here." Klein said, laying down so Sophie could climb onto his back. "Thanks Cael." Sophie smiled, "And... just think about what I said, okay?"

Cael nodded a little, smiling at Klein and Sophie before turning to head back to the village. "Night you two. See you again soon." He said with a quick wave.

As Cael made his way back to town and Sophie entered the castle, two shadowy figures watched from the bushes lining the road. One had a dark black aura, the other a light blue that was dimmed so that it would not glow and give away his position. "The time is almost here." Said the dark one, voice eerie. Jeweled eyes watched Cael as he walked past their hiding place without sensing them.

Duan frowned slightly, but remained silent. The sableye beside him turned to him with a smile. "Follow the herdier around, make sure you don't miss when they leave, and follow them to make sure they do not turn back. If they do... I expect you to keep them busy."

Duan flinched but nodded. "Yes master."

"I will speak to Sia personally to let her know her part. If both of you do well, you know what your reward will be."

"Yes master." Duan whispered again, as both ghosts disappeared into the darkness.