++Smooth Criminal++

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi gripped Kette tightly, wanting nowhere near Venus. She shut her eyes tightly, fearing the woman but feeling safer underneath Kette's warm body. She sniffled as the woman stormed off, still refusing to let go of Kette or even open her eyes. "Kette," she muttered into him, the words that the nymph had said cutting into her like a knife. That strange heaviness had returned and with it had come the stabbing feeling of worthliness.

[DemonicFox99]

Kette stroked her hair. "Its ok, she's gone." He smiled rubbing her back and sitting up to look down at her noticing she was trembling. "Whats wrong?"

[Rikku_Feline]

"I am sorry I brought this upon you," she said, tears sliding down her face. The stabbing feeling had intensified as Myfi cried, pulling away from him. "I should not be here," said the selkie, stumbling from the bed. "Venus was right. You are not mine and I did not have the right to intrude upon your room." She leaned up against the wall, sliding down it with her hands covering her face.

[DemonicFox99]

Kette scrambled to get to her stumbling off the bed and crashing down on his shoulder causing even more pain. "Damn." He muttered under his breath. "Myfi..." His voice had become softer. "Hush, you did nothing wrong." He wiped away her tears. "I am here if you need me regaurdless of what I am to you." He gently rubbed her arm trying not to get too close in case that wasnt what she wanted.

Nautilus was still outside the doorway listening intently smiling to himself at how Kette was treating his girl he had just met yesterday, logging it away in his mind for later appeal in the trial that would come within a month.

[Rikku_Feline]

"See! I am still causing you pain!" she insisted, touching the bandages of his torso lightly. Myfi's tears slowly stopped, but the pained look in her eyes remained, dulling them somewhat. "You say you will be here for me but you and I both know you will leave. I have only known you for one day. You have much more important matters than a woman you only barely know."

[DemonicFox99]

Kette sat back on his heals and looked at her with his deep blood colored eyes feeling a bit hurt. Slowly he stood slipping a shirt on a buttoning it up. "I mean what I say, Myfi...." He stood in the doorway looking at her sadly.

[Rikku_Feline]

She simply looked away, eyes spaced out on nothing in particular with her knees hugged to her chest. One of her hands laid lazily across her legs whilst the other twined itself in her hair. "I know," she whispered hoarsely, not looking up at him. She stood up, walking slowly past him and towards her room to change, dreading having to see that horrible woman again, but then again, something deep within her simply felt numb.

[DemonicFox99]

Kette turned his back to Nautilus, "How long have you been standing there..?"

"Long enough... Dont worry.. I know you meant well." The man glanced up at him with a some what saddened face and placed a hand on his shoulder, "She's not a replacement to fill the void.. dont be so blinded by your broken heart that you take her down with you." He walked down the hallway before Kette could say anything. Kette looked at the gauntlets on his arms.

"They've been keeping tabs on me after all." His thoughts where interupted by Loligo's cheerful smile.

"People iwwill think you're weird if you walk around talking to yourself like that."

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi returned to her room, slipping on her regular clothing and softly brushing out her hair, laying the silver handled brush down on the marble dresser with a dull clicking sound. she sighed, hooking her cloak around her neck before heading downstairs to find the others. Casticus was standing in the center of the main room, looking as annoyed as ever until he saw the dismayed look on his normally perky friend's face. He rushed over to her, questioning softly, "Myfi, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Casticus. I am fine," she lied, looking down at the floor.

[DemonicFox99]

Loligo skipped alongside the demon laughing about any random thought that popped into his mind. Kette managed to tune out the annoying one and focus on how he was going to find Ryomi. Maybe Sabre knew.... or at least how to find out.

"..and then we got him drunk and shoved him down the stairs..." The last part of Loligo's story that Kette managed to catch before the redhead burst into laughter. Slowly he approached the front hall glad to see that Venus was not there and in her place was Nautilus. Kette also looked down at his shoes, trying to stay focused. Nautilus greeted him with a firm handshake, already the brothers where treating him like family. The eldest sent the younger away to fetch the demon's friends allowing time for the two to talk.

"Before you go I have you warn you about our cousin Caspien..." He placed in the demon's hand a cloak clasp with the symbol of a dolphin on it. "He carries a grudge against you so be careful. He will be trying his dammedest to ruin your rep with the council members.... even though you did a pretty good job this morning anyway." The large man laughed patting Kette on the back

Loligo found the pair in a center room and strolled over to them wrapping his arm around Myfi. "Good morning madam... I trust you slept well?"

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi jumped at Loligo's sudden attack, saying, "Yes sir. I slept...very well..." Casticius could tell she wasn't in the mood for someone to be joking around with her this morning and wanted to get her away from the younger of the brothers.

"Where is the demon?" asked Casticus, crossing his arms and getting directly to the point.

[DemonicFox99]

The younger brother looked annoyed, "He's in the foyer with brother. They're having a manly chat." He still hadnt taken his arm from around Myfi, trying to keep the mood light. "Would the lady like a drink?" He smiled sweetly.

Kette didnt find it too funny. "Thanks..." Nautilus smiled brotherly to him.

"Dont worry she'll come around." He bowed low to Kette then walked back towards the doorway to the great hall. "Oh and the next town is two miles up river from here, there will be an ally there waiting for you." Kette stuck his hands in his pockets and kicked at the floor thinking of how the hell he was going to find Ryomi. Well the least he could do was take Myfi back home first.

[Rikku_Feline]

"No thank you," she replied quietly. Myfi clasped her hands together, contemplating Venus's cold words. Casticus tilted his head, attempting to see under her shadowed eyes. He hated see her sad and placed his fingers beneath her chin, tilting her face up towards his.

"Smile for me, Myfi," he said, smiling a large goofy grin in hopes of making her mimic him. She chuckles slightly, a smile curving the very tips of her lips upward slightly though her eyes were still filled with sorrow.

[DemonicFox99]

Loligo sighed, "Alright." Nautilus appeared in the door way smiling at the two.

"Ready to go? You're demon friend is waiting for you." He escourted the two to the foyer where Kette was waiting kicking his boots together. He forced a smile for Myfi hoping she would smile as well. Nautitlus bowed, "It was a privaledge to have you three. Please feel free to visit in the future." Loligo tackled Casticus jumping on his back.

"You gotta come drinking with us one time." He laughed loudly unable to control his outrageous british accent.

[Rikku_Feline]

"Yeah...I'll remember that," said Casticus, slowly pulling away from Loligo. Myfi looked away, face expressionless and hands tucked behind her back. She couldn't get close to him. His heart was so obviously taken by the woman he refused to mention that she couldn't bare to lead herself on. You are being foolish, she scolded herself. Venus was right about some things.

Casticus noticed her unusual ignoring of Kette, remembering to "speak" to the demon about it later. He looked up, eyes narrowing into a leer at the other man who had somehow hurt Myfi.