Stronger Than He Looks

It wasn't too long ago that Apollo and Sol had said they've pulled his family back from Labynia's Maze. Ellohymn wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it for hinself. Apollo had explained, or rather relayed, that a Void Witch had kept them safe in a pocket dimension. "It was Abe that figured it out, though." He said while cussing since the dimension rabbit in question was hardly around to make any reports. 

Drained of their magic and energy, a working theory was made to take the group back to Lagendia so they could heal and recuperate. If Ello didn't trust in the dimension travelers's prowess (and he was immensely thankful to Sol for vouching for them the first time he needed their help), he would have protested. 

It was to his surprise then, that he learned of his older brother's visit to the Mistland to see him again. 

From his fond memories of childhood, Teddy had always been reliable. He knew about a lot of good things in the world because of him. Teddy had made moving around towns feel adventurous and that strangers can be good people, too. To have such a reaffirming presence back made him happy. 

It's been years since they'd last seen each other and Ello's grown and experienced many things since then. 

Which was why this visit worries him greatly. 

No matter how many times he imagines it in his head, Teddy was too Lagendian. He was everything Mistland would easily take advantage of. Too good for this rough world, and he would hardly have a group that can help him navigate around. It might be pure luck that Ello can rely on so many people around him like Yo and Ru, and Rex and Sol, and the faction.

But what about his brother? To pass between worlds he'd have to go the long way through Hell or get a pathfinder to travel between the worlds. He couldn't stop thinking about it so he had asked Sol and Apollo and even Hya and Aqui for answers. 

"Wasn't it Abe who was going to handle the trip?" they had answered him in question, separately.

It would be nice if he could ask Abe in the first place, he huffed. The dimensional rabbit wouldn't even look his way anymore and even if they crossed paths Abe would turn tail and find an excuse to run off to Altea knows where. A part of him felt bitter and guilty about thinking of him badly when all the other has done was more than what anyone else would do but still, it would be nice if they could talk easily again like when they first traveled together. 

He had learned from Rex after seeing the rabbit sneak out from the office that the other was doing a mission for him to help investigate the situation in Solyeong Dam and to get into the Red Lotus Treasure Vault without Hwaran's suspect. Abe had been working closely with another faction that wanted the same answers and had been making reports to Rex this whole time. 

It frustrated Ello that the rabbit could do all of that and orchestrate it so they would never be in the same place ever. And upon talking with the residents in Red Lotus Palace, he's learned of a suspiciously talented person (or rabbit) that would notoriously do requests and comissions (perhaps to make his travels around the town less suspect). It was from Yonhee he  learned that this person always seem to travel with a handsome shade.

A white specter. Ghosts don't scare Ello, he's been seeing spirits and souls ever since he was born. This world seems abundant with them though. Whether the rumor is real or not, it wasn't going to stop him from trying to find a certain red head and demand answers from him. 

So here he was now, taking a walk to clear his head and help him think. He knew Abe. Knew that if his talent was needed, he'll do his work seriously. He could trust the rabbit as a guide for his brother, the same way he was a guide for their small group.

The Shade, he learns from other people, that he was quite the charismatic fellow. Swift work and skilled in combat. If him and Abe worked together for the time being then Teddy would be in safe hands. 

"Please go to the Goukkon with me, Abe! We're still missing one more person to match the women coming." Ello stops in his tracks. 

"No," Abe replies too quickly. "Rather, give me back the crowns you owed me before." 

Speak of the devil and he'll show up. 

The healer peeks around the street corner and sure enough there was the certain red head in question. The other man was pale and white as snow. He must be the Shade people talk about. Now how to approach them... 

"Oh! Speaking of crowns, can you lend me some again?" Hm?! Despite his clean white look and the smooth silk of his clothes, that's too much of a scummy way of asking for a favor, isn't it? 

"Huh?" Abe growls at him in a dangerous tone. The ghost sings playfully. "Ah, but for the sake of our friendship, please forgive me~?" 

"Don't mess with me." Abe swears. 

Ello's mental image shatters into pieces. Can he really trust these two to guide his brother? These two don't seem to get along and this is the first time he's seeing a different side to the rabbit.

In the end he couldn't approach them and make his worry go away.