Reunited

Jevil stared at Kris, blinking at the opening in his rusted prison. He grinned. "Aaah, some puny lighteners come to fight me, me?" Kris tilted their head. Susie suddenly spoke up from behind. Baring her teeth, she growled. "Not at all, punk. I'd beat your puny ass if Ralsei allowed me." The small goat frowned at her from beneath the shadow of his hat. Turning to Jevil, he spoke. "Yes, that's right. I made Susie here promise not to fight anyone today, and I'll bake her a cake." Susie grinned. "Don't make me break my promise, clown. I like the taste of victory far more than I like baking. No offense, Ral." Ralsei smiled at her. Jevil, apparently forgotten. started at them, utterly confused. "Um." He said.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude of me." Ralsei said. "What's your name? I'm Ralsei!" Jevil sighed. "Jevil, they used to call me," he mumbled through his clenched teeth. "Well... Ralsei said. "Would you like to join our party, Jevil?" Jevil stared at him with his eyes wide open. "Wh... what?" Ralsei grinned. "We're going on an adventure to the dark fountain! We're almost there, I think. We're the three heroes!" Jevil was about to speak when he remembered something. An aching, soul crushing, darkening something. "Do you know," Jevil asked tentatively. "Of a mage, called Seam?"

Ralsei seemed confused. "Um... no... could you mean Seam, the shopkeep? There hasn't been a mage or any performer here in years." Jevil seemed confused. "That can't be right..." he murmured. "Have things really changed that much?" Ralsei shrugged. Jevil looked up quickly. "Wait. What does the shopkeep, Seam look like? Does he have purple fur and two button eyes?" Ralsei smiled. "Well... yes. But he's missing an eye. And he has a black patch sewn onto his head. But he's fine, if you're worried about him!" Jevil clenched his fists. "No, I'm not, only remembering... a bit of chaos, chaos..." his voice trailed away for a few moments and then he snapped back. "How do I get to his shop?" He demanded, all but grabbing the front of Ralsei's cloak and shaking him. Ralsei smiled again, a gesture which was beginning to annoy Jevil. Jevil was already biting his lip with his sharp teeth, wanting all in the world to shout and laugh and scream with rage and impale these heroes with his clubs, spades, diamonds and hearts. But something quieted him. Something about the thought of seeing someone... very important.

Looking back at Ralsei, Jevil could see Ralsei was still smiling, his eyes shining from shiny his round, green rimmed glasses. His small tail shook slightly, like a puppy presented with a treat. "How do you know Seam? I see you have the clothes of a Jester. Did you perform with him? Were you..." his tail shook even more and his eyes shone brighter... "Friends? Oh, could I help you see your friend?" He hopped in a small circle, his cloak swishing, brushing both Kris and Susie, both who had been mute throughout but were watching with interest. Jevil frowned. A friend, a friend. What was Seam? He had performed alongside him yes, back when everything had been wonderful, back before his head had filled with the strange fog and his senses grown twisted. He remembered Seam's hand resting briefly on his shoulder after a performance, and how he seemed to almost enjoy when Jevil sewed a broken stitch in his fur. But now, he probably hated him. Despised him, really. What he had done, and how far his mind had gone... did Seam even wonder about him? He had probably forgotten all about Jevil, moved on with his life.

Seam sat at the table of his shop. His fur was haggard and dull, his hands clenched. And his face was wet with tears. His shoulders shook as he sobbed silently, and as he hunched over slowly until his face was pressed against the cool wood of the table. He sobbed, yes, as he had done more and more ever since he had seen the three hero's and heard they were traveling to the castle, to where... Jevil had been locked away. At his hand. Seam had regretted this for every moment since he had turned the key in the lock, and he missed him.
He missed him terribly.

"Turn right at the fork in the path, and you're there!" Ralsei had just finished explaining how to get to the shop, and Jevil was growing impatient. His green clad foot tapped up and down in the metal floor of his cage. He looked at Ralsei, and gave him a twisted grin. " goodbye, lighteners. I'd say I'd hope to see you again, but I don't think I'll be coming back to the prisons and visiting those locked away anytime soon." With that, he laughed shrilly, lifted a foot or so off the floor, and shot down the dark, barely lit corridor with his ragged black coat billowing behind him.

Jevil navigated every twist and turn through the dungeons, spinning over the heads of guards and flashing past Rouxls Kaard who shouted angrily and gave chase, but Jevil was too fast. He burst out the gates, drinking in his surroundings. Everything seemed darker than he remembered. More blurred, more strange, twisted, as if it was all a dream. Perhaps it was only his broken memory, but...

He ran this time, his feet pounding impressions into the grass. He ran fast because Ralsei's directions were fading from his head. Ever since he had met the strange man who called himself Gaster, his head seem to leak information like the balloons he had once blown and burst as part of his act. Seam had always hated that, the balloons sticking to his fur with static and making his tail bush when they burst. Yes, he had complained whenever they did a show but still, still stood by his side.

Jevil, so deep in thought, was not looking where he was going, and he collided with a cloth wall and tore right through it, falling inside a large patched together tent. As he wearily lifted himself up, Jevil realized it seemed to be a shop. He was about to say something when a voice behind him beat him to it.
"J... Jevil?"

Jevil whirled around, his heart pounding. Seam stood there, his arms full of rolls of cloth, which, as Jevil stared, he dropped as his hands went up to his face. "It's you. It's you, it's you it's you." Jevil shifted his stance. "Um." He said. " Jevil... oh, Jevil it's been so long... I've missed you so, so much." This took Jevil by surprise. "You're... happy to see me?" Seam's face dropped at this. "Why... why wouldn't I be?" His voice was a pained whisper. Jevil was now incredibly confused. "BECAUSE YOU LOCKED ME IN A CAGE! AND NOW I'VE BEEN LET OUT!" Seam seemed startled by this outburst. "Why..." he whispered. "I... I helped the lighteners get the keys. And... I never wanted to lock you away. Did you..." his face was a mask of pain. "Did you think that? All this time?" Jevil was dumbfounded. "Well"- He sputtered. "Yes!" At this, Seam's face fell even further. "No..." he whispered. "No, no, no..." And before Jevil could move, Seam ran forward and dropped to the floor, nearly knocking Jevil over and pulling him into a tight embrace.

Seam was crying. Jevil could feel it, feel his shoulders shaking. And he was in shock. He had never, never been touched like this before. Held like his. Seam began to sob louder and louder, until Jevil could not take it anymore and he gingerly placed his arms around Seam's ragged shoulders. This made Seam hug him even tighter. Hold him tighter, closer. And Jevil closed his eyes, leaning his face into the hollow of Seams's neck.
He hugged Seam back.