NATHANIEL:

Bartimaeus was gone. Nouda right in front of him. The staff all but disintigrated in his hands and every sort of magic imaginable reigned hell around him in a swirl of bright light. Pain throbbed in him shoulder and side. But then, it was gone, and replaced with something much worse. He was being ripped apart, rearranged, ripped, repaired, then melded with everything around him. Then it was all gone. His body felt light, his pain gone. It was dark.

The light. A familiar, loving light in the distance to a place her had never been, yet knew. His head swirled as things he never knew came into focus, things he had never seen became treasured memories, and people he had never known becoming like old friends.

Where was he? Somewhere familiar, but where? He knew this place, he knew things he never even knew he could know. How?

-*-

BARTIMAEUS:

The first thing I could feel was that familiar whooshing feel as the Other Place opened up to let me enter, as it had before so many times. It was a reliable and comfortable feeling, but I couldn't help but feel empty as I saw the world spiraling away. The boy was still there, and doomed to die. Admittedly, I wasn't his biggest fan, but it just rubbed the salt and lemon juice into the open wound when somone you dislike goes and does something...noble, like saving your own life.

Maybe I just didn't like the idea of being in debt to the brat, but considering all the idiotic and dangerous crap I did for his miserable existence, I think it was about even. But he still managed to linger in my thoughts as I whirled into the everything that was the Other Place. His demise was eerily similar to Ptolmeys, with all that stuff about love and trust (Maybe if they had known each other they could have been worst enemies or best friends, I was unsure which would be more interesting to watch). Honestly, I felt as if I had carried most of the relationship, but regardless, these humans did have their own little charm, kind of like a retarded kitten. (No. you didn't just read that.)

But it didn't matter now, the boy was gone, and leaving behind a wonderful legacy of heroism. No one likes to degrade the guy who just saved their pathetic butts from the ancient demon lord. It would have been interesting to see where the boy had gone, his future and ideals hitting a fan with spectacular carnage, which while hilarious, had changed him. Certainly it was cute to see him finally, finally, break out of that little Londoner-government-power-puppet phase, but honestly, he felt as though he could of done more with his new future than get blown up (Blown up quite spectacularly, but nevertheless, blown up).

For a little bit I just swirled with the flow of the other essence, ebbing from and glombing onto my own. Finally my essence would begin to heal, because who in their right mind would bother summoning a dead demon? (Besides the girl, naturally, but I don't know how keen she would be on summoning demons after watching her little boyfriend-yes, they were so into each other, painfully obvious-being killed by one) The peace of the Other Place practically permeated my deepest essence and I felt peace. For a bit. It was sudden, and jarring: a large, powerful essence was coming in to roost.

At first I feared (fears a bit strong, more like dread? Was perturbed by? Either way...) that the boy had failed and Nouda was coming home. Joy. You could tell it was a big demon from its sheer mass- the more essence the more power- and this thing was big. And then it spoke.

"Hello?" It asked, rolling around like giant interstellar blob of snot. "Bartimaeus?" It asked. I shirked away (While we can't actually harm each other in this kind of state, its best not to be cheeky with the damn big ones). Wait a moment. That voice was a little too familiar. "Is this heaven or what?" It wondered, rolling past me with nothing resembling dignity.

"N-Nathaniel?" I asked, not knowing whether to be terrified, thrilled, or very angry. This was impossible. Two humans (One in the last hour or so), and only two had been able to enter the Gate, and only through complex incantation and pentacle drawings, yet this brat all but blew down Ptolmey's gate, the way he rampaged in without even an invitation...

"Am I dead?" The ugly blob asked, rolling past me, devoid of an dignity it could have recieved for its massive size.

"No, you idiot." I said. Of course he hadn't needed an invitation...he was...that could only mean..."Natty boy...." I said. "....You're a demon."

-*-

NATHANIEL:

"Demon?" He repeated.

"Yes," Bartimaeus repeated in a long suffering tone.

"Thats impossible." Nathaniel-the-blob scoffed.

"Take a look around Nat," The demon replied. "This isn't exactly earth, and you aren't exactly flesh and bone. Thats bona fide essence you got there."

"But how..."

"Would you mind at least attempting to take a form? That blob shape is really unappealing..." Bartimaeus said. "At least Kitty got the hang of it after a bit."

"Kitty?" Nathaniel asked, interest peaking.

"Remember her? Dark haired girl, kinda cute...she beat you here by a bit." Bartimaeus said. "Anyways, my theory is when you blew up, chunks of afrit and whatnot from the staff and Nouda got swirled together and voila! Instant Nathaniel goop."

"Lovely image." Nathaniel said, taking a humanoid form with no features. "When will I be able to go back?"

"Where?"

"Earth," Nathaniel said. "Naturally."

"Natty boy," Bartimaeus drawled. "Maybe you didn't get this: You're a demon now. This is your home now, enjoy it and the whole not dead thing." The humanoid blob didn't answer. "Why would you even want to go back to that mud hole? Unfinished buisness? Buisness with a certain dark haired girl named-?"

"No." He answered too quickly.

"Oh, so that's the way it is..." Bartimaeus quipped. "Well, this is kind of ironic...the master becoming the slave."

"You know, for someone who got his butt saved less than what, an hour ago? You don't seem to grateful." He said. Bartimaeus rolled his eyes.

"I could say the same thing for you," The older demon said. "Basically we wait here until summoned to do some batty magicians will. Now would you at least try to form something less...creepy?" He himself was in the familiar dark skinned boys form.

"Sounds boring." Nathaniel said. "Just waiting around." He said, making no effort to look any different.

"Are you bored?"

"Not really."

"See, thats the demon in you, well, being you. This is your home, you know it." Bartimaeus said. "Better get used to it too, you must be at least an afrit, those were no small spirits you were playing with. I can't think of anyone who would want such a dangerous charge."

"Afrit?"

"You're kind of thick." Bartimaeus drawled. "Either way Nathaniel, better settle in for a long haul, a life of service and punishment, I kind of like this poetic justice." He grinned. "But it's not so bad, scare some magicians, complete some menial tasks, meet some interesting mortals and pop on back home. Not a bad existence, beats the whole 'human' thing."

"Like you would know." Nathaniel snapped. "Its not so bad being human."

"Oh right, right." Bartimaeus said. "Some of the best things in life are for humans: food, drink, Kitty Jones..." That one seemed to strike home.

"Will you get off her already?" Nathaniel raged.

"Just because you want to get on her?" Bartimaeus all but giggled.

"Will you shut up?!"

"Sheesh! Touchy much?"

"You brought it up." Nathaniel seethed.

"Relax." Bartimaeus said. "We have all the time in the world to exploit your weaknesses, just chill and wait to never be summoned."

"Silence already." Nathaniel said, turning away, almost visible ripples of power and anger coming off his essence. Bartimaeus paused. He really was quite powerful, for a demon. "I am glad to see you again, stupid djinni." The essence muttered.

"Yeah," Bartimaeus said, barely above a whisper. "Good to see you too." And he meant it.