Chapter Text
"Wow Rouxls, you've gotten a lot done! I'm impressed!"
Rouxls's concentration on his task is broken by the prince standing in front of his teleportation beam. For a moment, Rouxls stands slack jawed, taking in the praise. It felt good. It always felt good.
"But, of courseth, dost ought to not doubt mine skills!"
"I suppose you are right about that, heh," Ralsei says as he takes in all of Rouxls's efforts. The upper rooms should've been about empty now, judging from all of the miscellaneous things within the room. Rouxls was back to barely disguising his huffing and puffing.
"You've earned a long break, Rouxls. Thank you again! I'll uh- call you if I need anything else... If that's okay."
The lanky darkener bolts up at this. When was the last time someone was actually satisfied with the work he did?
"But of courseth Ralsei! I am at thou's service!" He says with a small bow, which Ralsei smiles at.
"Just- get some rest for now, please. I don't want you to get all melty again."
Upon being dismissed, Rouxls leaves to his quarters to get cleaned up. If he was going to meet an old coworker, he wasn't going to meet them all filthy. They already made fun of him enough as is...
Normally, Rouxls would teleport directly to the "Seap," but he had to think about what he wanted to say to the owner. He was sure that they already thought of him as dimwitted, just like all the others. Perhaps they would be right, considering that Rouxls was currently being haunted by a shadow.
"You've been dealing with shadow crystals, Rouxls? That's pretty interesting, ha ha ha..."
Or maybe not? Seam was usually quite nonchalant about these things, and they still were. But something about this conversation was different than the rest.
"It'll be interesting to see you use such a thing. A thing with such great power... I wonder what potential was seen in you of all people," Seam continues, as if Rouxls was barely there. As the supposedly older darkner continued to mumble, Rouxls was left speechless. Sure, Seam didn't immediately dismiss Rouxls's worries. But this somehow felt even worse.
"You remember my old partner, don't you?"
"O-Of courseth I do! That little bastard messes with me every time I check uppe on them!"
"He had a shadow crystal on him."
"What is that supposed to meaneth-?"
"I'd say I'm worried about you, but I'm not. I'm far more curious about what chaos you'll bring, ha ha ha!"
Rouxls felt himself go pale as the seapkeeper laughed in his face. He was backing out, but Rouxls wasn't sure if it was of his own free will.
"Don't look like that, Rouxls. Wasn't power something you've always wanted? Embrace it! Or don't. Your fate is already sealed!"
Rouxls ended up leaving with more questions than answers, but he couldn't bare to stay in the seap for any longer. Seam was messing with him, but with the truth this time. Or, that's how it felt. Either way, Rouxls was going to be avoiding the shadow crystals as best as he could. If Jevil truly had one of those, it couldn't be good. Speaking of, where had that menace gone?