Kapitel 18: Chapter 17

Aper's body appeared in the door frame of the kitchen. He raised a questioning eyebrow at the two silhouettes who were eyeing him in silence.

"Everything good?" the man asked.

"Yeah, perfect. We were discussing the circumstances."

Aper nodded and took a glass out of the cabinet to fill it with water.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well, I need the flower to say more about the dust. I have to research and stuff. Are we in a hurry to find the one at fault?"

"I don't think so", Aper said while sitting on the chair in front of Old Dulles. "We should keep a fast pace, though. I had Charlie Nim last month and now Sasha Shaw. I don't need another corpse."

"What did the guys tell you about the lady?"

"She wasn't in our data either. I wasn't even surprised, to be honest. They are still at the hotel collecting everything possible. I've seen enough to tell that Skyleene had nothing to do with this case, so I'm not suspecting her anymore", he ruffled his hair.

"Why would she have anything to do with the case, young man?" Old Dulles chuckled. "Ever since I met this girl, I was stunned by her determination to prove everyone who doubted her wrong. She isn't mean; as a matter of fact, she might be just like you, lost in a complicated world. She didn't belong to a world even before she died - I can feel that. She is living in this city as herself and nothing more. I tend to think that you two have a deeper past", Old Dulles sipped from his glass, looking up at the man, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, heh" - he puffed - "we kinda do. I remember, two years ago: I heard of a witch who was miraculously good at making souls feel better. I just thought she was at fault for every wrongdoing in the city, only because I never heard of such abilities before. I considered it suspicious how bad things happened, and she saved every soul that came to her doorstep. I couldn't get her out of my head. The look on her face when she first acknowledged me still makes me laugh. She looked freshly woken up, and her hair was all a mess. Then I started appearing at her doorstep very often. She never failed to amaze me each time I saw her. She would either have a very annoyed look, a book in her hands, messy hair, dark circles. I rarely saw a smile from her", he said, scrunching his nose.

"You said <when she first acknowledged me>. You've seen her before?"

"Yes. I used to live with a teacher from her academy, Aaron Fling. You might know him. I came with him to the academy when I was twenty, and I saw Skyleene walking around with some books. She caught my attention, and I kept coming only to see her, but she went missing. I forgot about her until a couple of years ago when I met her again. I thought I would find a witch, but it was Skyleene."

It was weird how that case managed to bring them together, and he found comfort in her embrace. That outburst still lingerded in his head. He never looked that vulnerable in front of strangers. It was also weird how she reacted, somewhat understanding. She did not back away - she approached. That was what made him see that she was not bad, and he needed her to calm down.

"Son, I know it's not my place to say this, but I believe you kind of created an obsession with my student. It's not a bad thing as long as you keep your hands to yourself and keep showing her respect."

"I don't intend to do anything to her if that is what you are implying and thank you for the advice", he said, slightly slamming the glass on the table.

The young man glared at the old goof in front of him and puffed. His hand ruffled his hair, and his lips let a sigh escape.

"I'm not obsessed with her", he whispered. "Now, can we stop talking about this and think of a plan? Outside of the hotel, you told me some things about the dust, which I appreciate, but we need to solve the case. You said you need the flower. How do we get it?"

"There is a field of it. I've seen the flower before so it will be easy to locate it. The only shit is that it's in another district. Do you think I can borrow your little witch for a couple of days?"

At that remark, Aper looked up at the man. Old Dulles just smiled and sipped more of his water.

"I don't mind it. I need to take care of some files anyway" Aper averted his gaze. "And, Skyleene is not a witch."

The last part he said lower than a whisper to somewhat confirm to himself that.

Old Dulles observed that and only smiled, emanating an aura of a father.

"Since we need to be a bit fast, I'll take Skyleene tomorrow in District 4. I don't know how much we will be away, but I'll try to make it quick."

"Why does she need to come with you?"

"This mission of finding the flower was supposed to be fulfilled by her. Once she finds the field, she won't be my student anymore, and I'll have to leave to Lights City. Something tells me you need me here, so I have to delay my vacation."

"Uh-huh."

Aper got up and went to the girl's room, watching behind the door as she slept soundly.

❧

The sun rose upon the forest and into Skyleene's room right on her face. She wiggled under the sunlight and turned on the other side. Mushu went up to her pillow and watched as she drifted back to sleep in front of him. He sighed and placed his paw on her nose, blocking the air to come through. She wiggled her nose, but the small paw would not come off. As the air in her lungs was not enough, her eyes shot open, and her head went to the side of the bed in a lame attempt of finding more air. The paw fell off, and the oxygen made its way to her body.

She took a glimpse at the black ball on the nightstand that was licking its paw.

"Okay, furball, what is it? You know you can't kill me because I'm already dead, don't you?"

"I didn't intend to kill you again. Now get up and pack your stuff. We are going to find that field of purpleness."

His body jumped from the stand in a graceful swing, disappearing through the door. The girl was confused but got up and went after the cat, reaching the hallway.

"Mushu, hold on a second. What do you mean? I need to take care of the case! I can't just leave."

"We are going to that field to collect some flowers for research", a known voice spoke from the kitchen.

Her legs carried her towards the voice and found Old Dulles preparing breakfast with ingredients she did not know she had.

"Uh, good morning!" she smiled a bit. Why are you here, and how did you get in?"

"We came last night from the hotel, and I didn't leave. That boyfriend of yours left and came back this morning with some food. Speaking of which, why is your fridge empty, young lady?" he stopped cutting that cucumber and turned to her with his hand on his hip.

"He is not my boyfriend, and why do you care about my fridge?" she asked, raising her voice, angry.

"Well, how else will your vessel manage to keep you standing while staying here? You already knew that!" he also raised his voice.

"I lasted weeks without food; what's your point?"

He gasped - "That's why you're this thin! That's it, you will gain some weight during these days with me, and you can't do anything about it", he said, turning back to the chopping.

"Days with you? What do you mean by that?"

"We are going to the field of Awo Aro; I thought Mushu already told you."

"No... he only said that we are going to the field, not that you're also coming", she shot a glare at the cat who was eating from her bowl.

Mushu just licked his lips and turned back to eating without sparing her another glance.

"Why did you guys have to shout? Aper said, posting himself behind Skyleene, who stood in the doorframe, his breath close enough to reach the back of her neck, making her shiver.

She let her head fall and noticed that she was still wearing the dress from the previous night. Her face turned red as the gaze from behind her began to burn.

"We weren't shouting. Well, not that bad at least", the voice of Old Dulles echoed in the room.

The sound of the knife hitting the chopper followed, and everything felt a bit uneasy. Skyleene turned her body to the doorframe, and her gaze met Aper's. His face looked very calm and serious, his eyes locked with hers.

"Where did you come from?" she asked.

"The bathroom", he replied.

His body left the door frame and sat on the chair next to the table.

"I'll put some coffee in three mugs in a minute. Meanwhile, Skyleene, sweetheart, please go and pack your things. We are going to District 4, get some cool clothes because we will be surrounded mostly by fields. Pack some warm clothes too; it's kind of cool at night", Old Dulles says.

She just nodded, took a glance at Aper and left the kitchen, going straight to her bedroom. She took her black suitcase from underneath her bed and opened the wardrobe. A vast collection of black and dark coloured clothes greeted her. A sigh escaped her lips; she needed more colours, but the dark was so familiar to her, she did not want to let it go. She took blouses, long and short pants, T-shirts and undergarments and splattered them in the suitcase. Mushu entered the room and climbed on the bed. He inspected the clothes Skyleene packed, and an amused sound came from his throat.

"What?" the girl turned to him.

"Nothing, it's just that we are going to District 4, the desert itself. Wearing only black will boil you. And trust me, it's not a nice sensation", he licked his paw.

"You know I don't have light coloured clothes. I didn't leave this district before, and the dark clothes kept me warm. It's pretty chilly here", she sighed. "I'll manage, don't worry. I have shorts and T-shirts; hopefully, I won't need a crop top", she said, shoving a grey strapless top in the back of the wardrobe.

"You can take that."

"What?"

"That crop top you just shoved to the depths of the wardrobe. When did you get that? I thought you don't have such revealing clothes."

"I don't know. I just saw it in a shop, and I liked how it looked on the mannequin", Skyleene rummaged more through the small piece of furniture.

She scooped some sandals and a pair of sneakers. They all fell in the opened suitcase and made a huge pile. She had to organize them a little.

"How long are we staying there?"

"I don't know. Master Dulles knows."

"Well, we should go ask him. We are leaving today or...?"

"I assume today."

❧

Old Dulles lifted the chopper and let the cucumber slices slip in the bowl. He grabbed a spoon and started mixing the salad. The coffee machine beeped, and he placed the bowl on the table next to the other dishes. Aper sat up, got three mugs out and poured the coffee, later on, placing them on the table as well.

"The journey will be a maximum of 5 days. We will research the flower. I have no idea what you could do, but I think you already have something in mind."

"I need to take care of some papers and visit the morgue. I'm sure I won't die in these five days, don't worry."

"Very well then" - after some minutes of silence - "any idea how these bodies got here in the first place?"

"Skyleene said they might've entered through some gate that she walked through to get here but changed her mind. She said there is some halt before reaching Condemned City."

"Yes, the Judgement Chamber. That's where souls get their judgement passed onto them and enter one of the cities."

"Yeah, what you said."

"I've heard of this type of shit. Some academics talked about some crazy maniac, powerful enough to bring a living soul in Condemned and killing the vessel, this way trapping the soul between two dimensions. It is part of some ritual of power which, to be honest, I don't know why that maniac would want it. He needs three souls that have some experience with travelling between dimensions. I believe there's a book with this ritual, an ancient dark arts book."

"Do you know where it might be? I can get it; maybe it helps."

"Last time I heard of it, the book was in Keflir Library, District 2."

"Great. It's not that far; I can go and fetch that book."

"I don't know, kid. I heard it's either guarded or locked somewhere in the building. They won't just give you the book."

"Why not? I can use my police badge, and they'll give it to me."

"Well, yes, I presume. But keep in mind that I have no idea what will happen when you get that book. People have gone mad after touching it, saying they already felt the power."

"I don't want power. I want this whole shenanigan to end and souls to be at peace once again."