"So, did you get everything you needed?" Sunny asked with a deep frown and glare.
They walked to the register, and Mordret handed the young woman the suit he wanted delivered with a friendly smile, causing the woman to blush.
"Indeed, I did Sunless. Where to next?" Mordret smiled while walking away from the register.
"Card games." Sunny walked off to his next destination.
"Oh? I used to love those as a child. I was quite good at winning." The former Prince of Valor smiled pleasantly, then followed Sunny.
"I'm sure you were." Sunny absentmindedly nodded.
"I am sorry, but you'll have to excuse me momentarily, Sunless, Princess Lonesome Howl is contacting me." Mordret pulled out a mirror shard from his suit pocket and walked off.
Sunny sighed and sat on a bench, watching numerous people pass through the mall and give him furtive glances.
He pulled out his communicator to look up card games, but stopped all movement.
The mall had gone dead silent.
Out of his peripheral vision, Sunny could have sworn he saw dozens of mundane people standing motionless, smiling pleasantly at him.
When he looked over thoroughly, the crowd was gone. Every face Sunny thought he saw in the small crowd was typically going about their day, or wasn't there. The sounds of people laughing filled his ears again
'W-what the hell? Did I imagine it?' Sunny shivered slightly. He had not forgotten how terrifying Mordret could be when he wanted to.
Sunny's eyes widened.
Had Mordret already taken the people of this mall?
Were all these people walking around just Mordret in disguise?
Before Sunny had time to think about what he thought he had just seen, Mordret returned with a pleasant smile.
"I am sorry about that, Sunless. Now onward to our next destination." He smiled.
Sunny didn't bother returning the smile; he was still reeling but stood up and started walking. "Yeah."
The Prince of Nothing turned his head to look at the people passing by them and smiled at Sunny.
"Sunless, what is your favorite color?" Mordret asked politely.
Sunny looked at him with a frown for a long moment. "Black."
"Excellent." Mordret nodded.
"I'm not here to play the game with twenty questions." Sunny hissed.
"I am merely trying to get to know you more, Sunless. You are quite the mystery; that is quite the statement from someone like me." Mordret chuckled.
'Now that's a bold-faced lie.'
Sunny didn't know his angle but didn't like it.
After a while, Mordret asked, "What is your name?"
"Sunless," Sunny told him through gritted teeth.
"I see, what rank is your aspect specifically? Sleeper or Divine? " Mordret tilted his head with a friendly smile playing on his lips.
Sunny didn't answer for a long time until the pain of his flaw harshly assaulted his body. "Divine, " he said in a low voice.
Mordret smiled in response and remained silent for the duration of the walk.
Once they reached the game store, Sunny began looking for card and board games—that is, until Mordret walked over to him.
"Sunless, do you trust me?" The former Prince asked.
"What kind of question is that? Of course I don't!" Sunny spat out.
"I see. That girl, one of your assistants, Rain." Mordret began.
Sunny's expression immediately darkened, but reverted to, and the shadows danced and darkened around them, giving away their Lord's rising aggression.
Sunny took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling, causing the shadows around them to expand and contract as if they were taking a breath too.
"What about her?" He asked calmly.
"What is she to you?" Mordret smiled.
"An assistant," Sunny responded.
"Oh my, there is no need to attempt to deceive me, Sunless, because that is not what I've witnessed this past month. You seem quite protective of Aiko and Rain, but more so of the latter." Mordret smiled wider.
"They're my assistants who keep the Emporium running." Sunny shrugged.
"How is she related to you?" Mordret's smile became eerily wider.
Sunny narrowed his eyes. The shadows danced again.
"She is my student," Sunny answered.
"Now that is interesting. You just told me you do not trust me, yet you tell me such information that not even Princess Eunbin would know." Mordret chuckled.
"What? Having a student isn't exactly a secret. Besides, you asked, Eunbin didn't. " Sunny tried to show little emotion so as not to give away anything else.
"No, Sunless, that is not the point. From what I've observed of you interacting with people of Raven Heart, you always answer any questions somebody asks you, even if you do not want to. It is quite clear that you do not want to answer me, yet you still do; it's almost as if you have to answer." Mordret smiled with genuine glee, which disturbed Sunny to no end.
"It's called good manners. Ever heard of them?" Sunny glanced at him.
"Perhaps you have to answer any question, or perhaps you do not. Who knows? Ah, no matter, I've always enjoyed solving puzzles." The Prince of Nothing shrugged and walked off, but still smiled nonetheless.
'Goddamnit.'
Had Sunny been too careless?
No, he hadn't.
That psychopath was just too clever for his good.
Mordret had been watching Sunny since he arrived in Ravenheart. As much as Sunny hated to admit, the bastard was scarily cunning and clever; he had to be, considering his powers were only utility. Yet despite that, the fact that Mordret's powers were only meant for utility purposes made him even more terrifying. There was a reason Sunny strictly prohibited any mirror or reflection inside his shadow mimic.
Due to his intelligence, Mordret likely already knew Sunny's flaw. Or he was getting closer to figuring it out.
'It cannot be helped, so it's pointless to dwell on it.
Mordret could be a major ally against Ki Song and The King of Swords, if only he weren't out of his goddamn mind!'
Maybe Mordret could be convinced somehow?
Could Sunny offer him the knowledge of supremacy?
Sunny immediately dismissed the thought. He had no idea how to achieve supremacy, let alone the first step, and letting Mordret reach supremacy would be a horrible mistake.
'Yeah, right, as if there's any hope in negotiating with that lunatic.' Sunny scoffed inwardly, then continued browsing the shelves full of games meant for multiple people.
After a few minutes, he finally bought one that looked interesting. As he walked up to the entrance from which they came, he got a curious look from the prince of nothing.
"Oh my, that seems like it would be fun." Mordret smiled.
"Yeah." Sunny nodded.
"Now, what are we getting at our last destination?" He tilted his head.
"Eggs," Sunny stated bluntly.
"For omelets? Sunless, my friend, it would be quite beneficial for your business if you expand your knowledge on other food items besides breakfast." Mordret told him with a friendly smile.
"Go ahead and die somewhere, I'm not doing anything like that." Sunny glared at him.
Who did this bastard think he was? Offering advice to Sunny, well, Sunny had the perfect advice for him.
See a damn psychologist!
"Goodness gracious, every time we speak with each other, I can't help but wonder why you hold such animosity towards me. You act as if I've tried to kill you multiple times."
"You have," Sunny spoke through gritted teeth.
"Me? Tried to kill you? Sunless, I have done no such thing; I would have recalled it. After all, I never forget a face or the ones I take." He slightly frowned, then returned to smiling pleasantly.
"Go to hell." Sunny spat out.
"Oh, but you see, I've already been there once, for years, accompanied by a devil. I do not plan on returning to that thing, nor would that creature want me to." Mordret's smile tightened.
"The third one?" Sunny asked.
"Yes. Yes, exactly that, how do you know about him? Who told you?" Mordret's tone was still friendly, but his false smile was gone entirely.
"You told me," Sunny answered casually.
Mordret frowned, then his face went blank. After a few moments, he spoke again. "Well? It is impolite not to answer a question that someone has asked. Who told you?" He asked.
"You told me." Sunny repeated, then took the opportunity of Mordret forgetting his answer to start walking out of the mall without him, getting a bag to carry them to make his life easier. Halfway through the place, Sunny heard dress shoes clicking against the floor, only to see a polite smile enter the peripheral of his right eye.
Sunny let out a sigh.
"There you are." Mordret smiled.
"Yes, here I am," Sunny grumbled.
"If you'll allow me, it will save the walk." Mordret's hand hovered over Sunny's shoulder.
Sunny nodded silently.
Then, in an instant, they appeared from a grocery store window. Sunny stumbled out, while Mordret calmly stepped out the window's reflection.
"You will get used to it; it is like that for everyone the first time," Mordret informed him with a friendly smile.
"Yeah, good to know." Sunny regained his balance, then walked into the grocery store with Mordret to his annoyance, following closely behind.
Not wanting to spend any more time with the lunatic, Sunny quickly went to the aisle where the eggs were, purchased them, and left the store.
"It has been a grand time accompanying you, Sunless. I hope we can do it again." Mordret smiled.
"It wasn't, you held people hostage, yet probably took over their bodies regardless of whether or not I let you accompany me, and I don't hope we do this again, at all." Sunny scowled.
" That is unfortunate, Sunless." Mordret shook his head.
"Not really," Sunny replied.
Not waiting for a response, he went to the dream realm immediately, and Shadow stepped his way back to Ravenheart and soon after the Brilliant Emporium, scaring Aiko again.
"Hey, Aiko."
"Goddamnit! Quit doing that! One of these days you're going to kill me from a heart attack! Anyway, it's good to see you got everything. I just finished cleaning, and Rain already went home for the night. I'm going to bed!" Aiko held a hand near her heart, then floated upstairs.
Sunny shook his head with a faint smile and placed everything in their respective places, eggs in the makeshift refrigerator and the games in the cabinets.
He returned to the kitchen and started making himself a plate of pancakes. After a few minutes, he poured a mug of coffee. Just as he was going to leave the kitchen to sit down, the bell of the Emporium rang out. He set his plate and mug down, putting on a polite smile.
"The Brilliant Emporium is closed-" He stopped midway, looking at the customer.
"Is it? Or is it just another one of your lies? You may have fooled my sisters with your act, but you haven't fooled me, Lord Shadow."