++Smooth Criminal++

[Rikku_Feline]

The nine people around the table seemed to stare holes into Kette's soul, each one a different look in their eyes. One woman was strange looked, her hair flowing out in all direction and was a strange deep reddish purple color. Her clothing was made up of a stange, almost rubbery looking material and seemed to encompass all colors of the rainbow. Two starfish were bound in her strangly colored locks. Another council member sat slightly hunched over in his chair, his dark red brown eyes darting back and forth almost paranoid. He was strange looking, almost too young to be on the such a prestigious court. He had a small goatee, short enough to that he still looked slightly boyish. His face was long, this and his dark red almost black hair hung down in his face. His large coat was made of what almost seemed to be an exoskeleton, dark blacks browns and reds with spins sticking up from the collar and shoulders. A silver crab served as the clasp for it. The next was a young woman with long perfectly straight hair falling nearly to the floor, the top layer being silver and the bottom white. Her clothing was simple, sleak in design and seemed to be an irradescent grey. A dolphin served as the centerpiece of a simple silver circlet that sat on her head. Next was a thin man, his face gaunt and long with wavy nearly curly coral pink hair with a headpiece on with two long antennae like structures sticking from them and curling down his back. His long coat was yellow and orange, coral growing from random places on it. He sat, his arms crossed, skin a strange almost translucent sickly color. A shrimp sat at the center of his headpiece, proud.

~~~

Casticus looked over to see Myfi worriedly staring off into space, hands clasped together and mouth twisted to a frown. He sighed, standing up and snapping her from her reverie. He held out his hand to her saying, "Come one. Let's go look around." She anxiously looked back at the doorway, saying, "But Kette-"

"But nothing. We'll find him once his meeting is over. I won't let you sit around here and worry your head off about some demon."

"Kette is not just 'some demon'," said Myfi, standing up. "He has saved me twice, once at the cost of himself. He is a good man, Casticus. Please give him a chance." Casticus simply crossed his arms, looking away and snorting slightly. Myfi sighed, giving up for now and exiting the building with him.

[DemonicFox99]

Several other council members sat on the opposite side of the table's bend. A younger man with coal back hair sat leaned back in his cushioned chair with his legs crossed and his fingers clasped together resting on his knees. He wore long thick robes that where pattered with black and white, knee high boots, and a leather vest encrusted with bits of oyster shell and a medallion that hung on a silver chain with the emblem of an orca on it. His brown eyes looked Kette over several times. Next to him sat a tall slender looking man with vibrant curly red hair that brushed his shoulders, smiling whimsically at the demon on trial with his hands tucked behind his reclined head. This man wore a high collared maroon tunic and matching trousers, with a knee length coat trimmed in black, and captains hat with the symbol of a squid on the front. Then sitting on the opposite side of the head of the table was a much younger man, about Kette's stature. Gun metal grey hair and almost black eyes, he glared hatefully at the demon. He wore a long black coat with no shirt underneath. The man rested his elbow on the armrest of the chair an leaned his head against his fingertips watching the demon through his fingers, a shark tattoo branded on his chest and matching silver ring on his finger. The head broke the silence once again. "I am Nacre, leader of the council and the one that will decide your fate. The council members you see before you will ask you questions and test you to see if you are qualified to reunite with our society." The girl from earlier was sitting proudly in her chair never taking her eyes off of the fire demon. "Now.. by law to be judged by the council you must bring us some one who is close to you and knows you best. They must be willing to plead in favor of you, however we will know if they lie. Do you have your representative?" Kette slowly shook his head trying to think of some one he could find the only one that came to mind was Ryomi.

"No, my lord. I have not one."

"Very well, you have one month to find such a person and bring them back to this council. Without them you will not be able to clear your name for another 100 years. Is that clear?"

"Crystal sir."

The leader smiled amused with Kette's military like attitude, "In the mean time enjoy the city for the rest of the day. You and your friends are welcome to any of our hosipitalities and you will be escourted first thing in the morning back to the beach. Any questions?"

"No sir."

Nacre chuckled to himself, "Very well then, dismissed." He smiled to the demon tapped his wooden gavel on the table and stood up to leave the room followed by most of the council. The young man at the right of Nacre stayed in his seat longer with an ominous look on his face. Slowly he got up and left the room leaving the demon alone. Once the room had returned to its dead silence the demon heaved a huge sigh of relief. Slowly he walked out of the room to run smack into the woman from before.

"You handled that better than i thought you would have." She slowly began to walk around him. "Kette..? Was it?" She seemed to convieniately forget his name for the moment. "My name is Venus." She smiled her hands clasped together innocently behind her back.

"I wont be so easily frightened Miss Venus." She stuck out her bottom lip and pouted pushing her self onto him looking up into his eyes with her own.

"I dont like it when you talk that way." She spoke with a childish voice sulking. "Say my name like this... Venus." She made her voice soft upon pronouncing her name mimicing the exact way she wanted him to say it.

[Rikku_Feline]

Casticus lead Myfi around the city, arm in arm, careful not to lose her. She seemed somewhat less enthused then earlier, but still managed to drag him around to look at the many things in the city. As they were wandering the streets, Myfi turned, noticing the people flowling from the building they had been previosuly led to. She hopped up excitedly, crying, "Kette's finished!" before pulling away from Casticus and racing to the building.

Casticus only stood in place looking dumbfounded before mimicking her, "OooOOo, Kette's finished!" He lisped the words, rolling his eyes and making hand gestures before sticking his tongue out in a rasberry and trudging off to find her.

Myfi burst into the building, seeing Kette just outside the large council room, but...with that woman form earlier. She hung back, peaking around the door and making no noise, watching them closely to see what she would do.

[DemonicFox99]

He backed up slightly feeling his confidence go down, "Venus." He spoke bluntly not adding any enounciation to her name. She whined more backing him into the large wooden door behind him.

"Thats not right. Try again." Slowly she slid her arms up his chest and looped them around the back of his neck. "Veeenus." She whispered inches away from his lips. His heart was racing until he heard a darker voice from behind Venus.

"You'd better watch yourself, cousin, your father would not like you messing around with a fire demon." The young man glared over Venus' shoulder like a preditor. "Specially the likes of him." Venus slowly slinked off of Kette and turned to face the man.

"Caspien, you're no fun." She pouted again and slowly walked past him and exited through the doors. Kette didnt realize he was gripping the door behind him until he let go. Caspien glared at him then suddenly grabbed him by the throat and growled.

"Watch it demon! I'll make it so you'll never even feel the rain again." Kette swiftly grabbed Caspien's wrist to keep him from crushing his windpipe but released him shortly afterwards to watch him walk after Venus.

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi's face visibly fell as the woman got closer and closer to the demon. Something deep in her chest suddenly felt heavy just before she gasped at Kette's sudden assault. As soon as Kette was alone in the room, she rushed forward, silvery hair bouncing in waves behind her. "Kette!" she cried worriedly, "are you alright?" She reached up, fingers ghosting above his neck, but not quite touching it.

[DemonicFox99]

Kette was surprised to see her rushing to him so quickly, "M-Myfi?" The gentle touch to his neck sent thousands of shivers down his spine causing him to seize up. "I... I'm fine.." He smiled uneasily.

[Rikku_Feline]

She backed away from him as she heard Casticus's lazy footfalls of his heavy boots. He watched them blankly, seeming uninterested and even annoyed. He chose to instead examine the walls of the room instead of watching the two of them. Myfi looked up at him, wondering why he had shivered before turning back to him. "What did the council say?" she asked anxiously, her body tensing up for his repsonse.

[DemonicFox99]

He sighed rubbing the back of his head, "I have to find some one to represent me... I tell the council about me and try to convince them that I deserve to be allowed back into the water" He was trying to dodge the question she was going to ask next. "They said that we could stay in the city for the night."

[Rikku_Feline]

"Where are we gonna stay?" asked Casticus, suddenly popping into the conversation. He looked over, locking eyes with Kette. "We can't exactly sleep on the streets now can we?" He tilted his head forward at the last words, wet looking hair falling into his face.

Myfi had a hundred questions racing through her head, but instead of voicing them just yet she simply watched the two of them, praying that they didn't get into an argument.

[DemonicFox99]

Just as Casticus had popped into the conversation, Venus did so as well. "You can stay at my place." Her voice had turned innocent being that there was another female present. "My mansion is on the other side of town." She seemed all to happy to share with them that her house was a mansion. Kette hesitated looking at Myfi to see what she would say.

[Rikku_Feline]

Myfi smiled though it was obvious it was masking the twinge of pain as the heaviness deep within her chest had returned. "Thank you for your," she paused, trying to find the right word, "hospitality." The selkie curtsied towards the other woman before looking off at the floor, eyes clouding over as her fake smile drooped a barely noticeable amount. Casticus watched the two females, noticing Myfi's sudden change in mood and eying Venus suspiciously. Something didn't seem right about that woman...

[DemonicFox99]

Kette noticed that Myfi was acting strange but before he could say anything to her Venus interupted. "Great! Follow me." She giggled grabbing Kette by the arm and dragging him with her towards the west side of town. She was laughing and showing him places the visit in the city not letting him have his arm back or any say so in where she drug him. He seemed to not be enjoying it. He kept trying to glance back at Myfi but once he tried Venus drug him some where else. "Over here's a great place to eat! They have imported pasta from Italy!" Finally, they arrived at her mansion, Kette's arm was throbbing like it was going to shrivel up and rot off. "We're here!" To Kette's pain, she squeezed his arm like an excited school girl giggling. "Come on i'll show you where you can sleep!" She hurried him inside not waiting for the other two. The mansion was twice as lovely as the building he had been in before, massive sea shell chandaliers hung from the high ceilings and rich carpet adorned the floors. Two large stair cases arched up to the second floor from either side of the room and in between lie countless doors and hallways. Kette was in the process of being drug off once again when a strong arm caught his other.

"Venus, geez you'll tear the poor guy's arm off." It was a man he had seen before in the courtroom, the one in black and white.

"Nautilus... stop! He's my guest." He laughed softly shaking his head. "I feel sorry for any of your guests." Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the selkie. "And is she your guest too?"

"No.. only Kette is." She stuck her nose in the air at the girl. Nautilus smiled taking her hand and kissing the back of it bowing to her. "Then she shall be my guest. Miss...?"

[Rikku_Feline]

The selkie blushed, pressing her free hand to her lips in surprise. "Myfi," she said softly. "My name is Myfi." She looked over at Casticus who was rolling his eyes thinking, Oh God, not another one.

"Then whose guest will I be?!" said Casticus sarcastically, throwing his hands in the air before letting them drop to his side, hunched over tiredly.

[DemonicFox99]

Another man Kette remembered from the court stepped beside Casticus and threw his arm around Casticus. "You will be my guest then!" The man dressed in red proclaimed. Nautilus burt into laughter as the gangly young man laughed with him.

"Loligo... you'll scare the life of the guy." Loligo laughed more clutching his stomach hanging off of Caticus.

"Nah I'd never do such a thing." Mischeif rang in his voice with made Kette wonder if he could be trusted. Venus growled at the brothers.

"Such immature children." She mumbled to herself trying to drag Kette off further. Nautilus bowed extending his hand to Myfi. "Would milady like to see her room?" He smiled very gentlemanly. Loligo made a catcall to Myfi.

"Be gentle brother she's a fragile one." The young man burst out laughing once again. Nautilus glared at him, the only thing his brother did to ever annoy him was mistreat a lady.

"That will be enough Loligo." His voice softened when he spoke to Myfi. "Dont mind him Miss Myfi, he's still a little childish and doesnt know how to treat a lady."

[Rikku_Feline]

"I-...I suppose..." said Myfi, looking sadly at Kette being dragged off by the other woman. She looked back at Casticus who was being dragged away by the red-head. He mouthed out the words, 'Help me, please!' with wide eyes and large gestures, making her giggle. Myfi whipped her head around, catching sight of Venus again and allowing her smile to fall. "Yes...I would very much like to see my room," she said listlessly.