there are eyes within the trees

DON’T COMPARE US.

AND IF YOU’RE REFERRING TO WHATEVER MORPHO’S DOING. THAT’S NONE OF MY BUSINESS. I HAVE MORE PRESSING MATTERS TO ATTEND TO.

THAT’S SURPRISING, COMING FROM YOU.

vklw

Bill, I… I won’t, I’m sorry, I– I can’t, I just–

–there’s nothing for me there anymore. And I don’t know what you mean by ‘souls’.

I’m going now–

--NAH, NOT YET.

[He catches the smaller demon between his fingers, like an annoying housefly.]

YOU’RE A BAD LIAR, MORPH. YOU’RE NOT SORRY.

I DON’T THINK YOU GET IT. WHEN YOU MADE THAT JUMP WAY BACK WHEN, YOU MARKED YOURSELF MINE. YOU WILL NEVER NOT BELONG WITH ME. THAT’S WHY THE HENCHMANIACS EXIST. YOU DON’T GET TO DECIDE YOU’RE THE ONE VERSION OF AMORPHOUS SHAPE THAT GETS TO BAIL BEFORE IT’S YOUR TIME.

THERE’S A VERSION OF YOU THAT’S STUCK ON EARTH. IN A HUMAN BODY, HEHEH. YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY’RE DOING?

THEY’RE MISERABLE AND ALONE. THEY’RE DYING. AND THEY KNOW IT. THEIR CIPHER IS DEAD, AND WITHOUT HIM, SO ARE THEY.

BUT I AM A GENEROUS GUY, SO IF THAT’S WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOURSELF, I’M NOT GOING TO STOP YOU. HELL, YOU CAN KEEP THOSE PRETTY LITTLE BUBBLES, TOO. BE THE GOOD FAIRY WATCHING OVER ALL THOSE SLEEPING BEAUTIES. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW YOU’LL NEVER GET THEM OUT WITHOUT MY HELP.

YOU’LL BE BACK. IF NOT WITH ME, THEN SOME OTHER CIPHER. YOU CAN’T DENY YOUR NATURE. BUT IF YOU’RE REALLY SET ON LEAVING ME, I’LL LET YOU GO... ON ONE CONDITION:

GIVE ME THAT OTHER LITTLE THING YOU’RE HANGING ONTO. YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.

[He lets them go.]

I’LL GIVE YOU PLENTY OF TIME TO SLEEP ON IT! HAHAHA! GOOD LUCK OUT THERE, YOU LITTLE FREAK!

The only thing that had really done Cipher in was the fact that he’d gotten sloppy near the end, and called in some ‘help’ that had brought their troubles in with them.

But Sixer didn’t bring up Maria to Bill’s face, however. He didn’t want his world jumping friend to get involved.

“I am not about to sign myself off to you just for the sake of protection,” Sixer replied. His voice took on a low growl. “I don’t need another eye watching my every move. I had the one in my head, I don’t need another.”

Puppeteer was in his head for all the centuries he was trapped; he didn’t want another one to get free reign.

Bill laughed heartily. It sounded weirdly jolly, something one would associate more with a grandfather who just told a joke than a demon proposing a dubious arrangement.

CLASSIC SIXER! YOU MISUNDERSTAND; THIS IS A GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE! YOU DON’T HAVE TO SIGN AWAY A THING! YOU WON’T EVEN KNOW I’M THERE!

He fired off a lazy pair of finger guns. WELL, IT WAS GREAT CATCHING UP WITH YOU, BUT I’VE GOTTA DASH-- I’M A BUSY DEMON AND ONE OF MY LACKEYS IS GETTING UP TO NO GOOD, I’M SURE. SEE YOU AROUND, SIX-TAILS!

“He will. He paid his debt with his life. He’s not going to be coming back.”

Sixer frowned suspiciously at the bottle of champagne. “You’re the second Cipher who’s mentioned it’s a good thing Puppeteer is dead. Why? Was he really that disliked among the rest of you?”

Nightmare saying he didn’t like Sixer’s Cipher was one thing. But another Cipher saying the same thing? There had to be more than just a coincidence to that, unless Cipher was saying what Sixer wanted to hear.

Bill shrugged with exaggerated nonchalance. OH, YOU KNOW. WHEN YOU’RE A MEMBER OF CLUB, AND ONE OF THE MEMBERS TURNS OUT TO BE A SCREW-UP, IT REFLECTS BADLY ON THE REST. SO THAT GUY GETS KICKED OUT! OR IN OLD PUPPETEER’S CASE, LEFT TO HIS OWN DEVICES UNTIL HE DOES HIMSELF IN.

The “gardener” leaned in, steepling his inky black fingers. NOW, ABOUT THAT LITTLE GIFT...

UNICORN HAIR ALONE WON’T CUT IT. AS I’M SURE YOU KNOW, THE STUFF WEARS OUT, AND ANYWAY, I’M TALKING TO YOU NOW, AREN’T I? MOST OF US CAN FIND A WAY AROUND IT EVENTUALLY. BUT I CAN MAKE THE OTHER CIPHERS A WORRY OF THE PAST! 

Sixer gave Cipher a dry, deadpan look, then nudged the arm off his shoulders as his tails twitched in annoyance.

“It’s been six years,” Sixer replied. Six years since Bill “Puppeteer” Cipher had paid his six-hundred-year debt to Sixer and his family by way of his life. “And you’re right; this does feel like a good time to remember that.”

OH BOY. ONLY THAT LONG AGO? YOU’D BETTER HOPE HE’S GONNA STAY DEAD.