"But why not?!"
This day would have been a peaceful, ambient one were it not for the inevitable fussing that came with - gasp! - Cashmere being told 'no'.
The Snatcher, who had his back turned to her as he went around his abode checking the traps and the cages that hung around Subcon, couldn't help himself to a smug smile. It'd been a few days since the arrival of the mysterious space-glasses, and Snatcher had gathered them all up before dawn had risen in an effort to study them for himself.
Part of this process included simultaneously keeping Cashmere in the dark (no pun intended) as well as making sure he could keep a steady eye on her in some way. But now she was asking him for permission to go and explore the planet, as she'd just pitched to him a pitiful plan for exploration of the outer regions that she had to have come up with independently. And that was a problem for everyone.
"I told you. It's dangerous. Aside from the fact that you signed a contract-" true to form, out from his pocket dimension the Snatcher slid a gold, curved piece of paper with the girl's scrawled signature on the bottom. Cashmere wilted. "-that EXPLICITLY states that you agree to never set foot out there, you're out of my jurisdiction. If something were to happen to you out there, I wouldn't be able to protect you. And as much as I consider your unusual strength a viable means of defense, I would rather NOT run the risk of you coming to any trouble that isn't caused by me and me alone. Get the picture, kid?"
From here, once his tasks were done, the ghost slid into his comfy chair while his charge huffed behind him and tugged on the long-sleeved purple shirt she wore under the black cloak. Over black leggings and just-as-dark boots, she looked as cute as a subconite could look. At first glance one would probably think she was cold, with the way she fidgeted and fussed. But the Snatcher had enchanted her clothes himself so that she'd always be kept warm without needing additional garments. He knew there was more going on here.
Cashmere, meanwhile, took a solid stance at his tail and stomped her booted foot. "Snatcher, I was three years old when I signed that! I don't remember it saying anything about not being able to-"
"Shhhh!" He interrupted, and waved the contract over her with one hand before handing it to her. The other hand he used to teasingly pinch at her cheek while he spoke in a faux-sweet voice. "Why don't you take a closer look at the fine print, kid?"
Cashmere's eyes scanned over the wording, taking in all of what was written, as well as her earliest signature. Stay here and be of help for eternity, the top of the contract read. The specifics were as follows:
- Be as good of a minion as you can be!
- Be there at my beck and call, in a timely manner!
- Obey every word I say without question!
The last one, which Cashmere read while swallowing a lump in her throat, was in bold.
- Do not ever, under any circumstances, so much as THINK of leaving Subcon Forest while under my authority.
Cashmere refused to indulge the Snatcher, or his smug smirk. The girl instead crossed her arms, wondering how the hell she didn't remember agreeing to the glaring words on that paper. "But, I…." She stammered, the previous fire in her belly burned out by written defeat. Her guardian's grin grew wider.
"Even if you WEREN'T one of my minions, why would you ever think I'd consider letting you leave? I need the strength that comes with having a living slave, kid, do the math!" He chortled, one of his taunting, booming laughs coming out to further cement his rubbing it in her face. Cashmere narrowed her eyes, hopelessness giving way to frustration as the Snatcher turned his gaze to his book.
"Well, okay, but think of it like this!" The child spent the next few minutes fuming in place, but the wheels in her head were starting to turn once more. "I know the contract said I shouldn't 'so much as think'. By that wording, wouldn't it be possible for me to argue that the contract says not to THINK about it? You should be more literal in what you say if you want me to do a specific thing or not, yes?"
Snatcher frowned, but he did not address her verbally. She was trying to make a loophole using what he considers the most stupid defense in all his ten years of enslaving people. Cashmere had never exhibited this kind of reasoning before in her life— and her further analysis and rebuttal of the contract reminded him of something he'd much rather keep buried.
She sounded like a lawyer, the way she argued. An amateur one was putting it nicely, but she reminded him of himself at a younger age.
It wasn't a feeling of nostalgia he was in the mood to experience.
"Um, Snatcher?" Cashmere tried to regain his attention. It went without success. "Snatcher. Hey Snatcher. I'm still talking to you. Snatcher. Snatcher, hey! You never answered me!"
The ghost ignored her still. Huffing in response, Cashmere hopped up the side of the chair, pulling herself to lay sideways over his lap. "Snatcher, pleeeeease—"
"You want to know the quickest way to remove someone from your lap? Tickling." The Snatcher deadpanned. But Cashmere didn't move.
"C'moooon, please! I only wish to see the world once, just so I don't ever have to worry about it again! I just want to know… If I were able to take a look one time, I'd never need to do it again! Please? Please?!"
Snatcher turned a page wordlessly. Cashmere narrowed her gaze, sitting up in his lap and fussily grabbing onto his spectral wrist to tug at it. "Snatcher!" The girl snapped. "Snatcher! SNATCHER! Snatcher! Snaaaaaatcher! SNATCHER! Are you kidding me?!"
She stood up, increasing the force of her yanks, but she didn't notice that his other hand had crept behind her until she'd been grabbed and held in his grip. Cashmere gasped. Snatcher grinned wickedly. And true to his previous warning, he made quite good on his threat as girlish, high-pitched laughter echoed throughout Subcon. Her mirth was so pleading and frantic that even other minions from all over had turned to see what all the fuss was about. But all they could see was their boss teaching their fellow minion a lesson through some ticklish torment while she lay trapped and squirming on his lap.
"Okay! Okay! OKAYOKAYOKAY! Okay! I give, pleeeease! Lemme go!" Cashmere begged through gasps and giggles, and the Snatcher relented after a few more moments.
It took her some time to catch her breath, but when she did, she hugged herself sheepishly, still curled up on his lap with a teeny smile on her face. Then he spoke up. "I get it, I know you think I'm being unfair on this. But I want you to tell me something, Cashmere. What's the difference between you and my other minions?"
The girl turned, surveying her home and all who lived in it. After a while she clutched at her arm, a puzzled look coming to rest on her face. "Ummm…. They're all.. Magical?"
"You're getting warmer."
"What, then?"
"Think about it. Look at yourself, and look at them."
Cashmere did just that. Their hooded garb, their single, pale yellow cyclops-esque eyes. Their lack of features…
"Have you ever heard anything but voices rattling around when you're near them, kid?"
"I dunno. Why?"
"Why do you think? They don't have hearts. They're souls in bags. They aren't alive."
"And what?"
Snatcher put his book down. With both of his hands, he scooped the tiny girl up and looked down at her.
"You've got a soul, but you also have eyes. Skin. Teeth. Brute muscle. A brain, even though you don't always use it."
This earned him a shove from her tiny hands, but he continued anyways. "You're not brain-dead, like they are. You have a soul AND a living body working in tandem to keep things interesting around here. I got to you before you turned out like they did— why would I want to risk the Spark I so admire, everything that makes you a worthy and exciting presence, being taken away from both of us?"
Cashmere paused. Rested her head on her hand. She'd never really thought of it like that before, but now that she was…. All she could do was shrug. "I guess you have a point.."
"As much as I don't tend to express social niceties, I think you and I have a decent thing going on around here! And I'd rather not risk losing it if I have the chance to keep you safe!"
Cashmere's pleased smile had returned, but the minute things started to get sappy, the Snatcher placed her down on the floor in front of him. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't read too much into it, kid! Get on with your chores— what'd I have you doing? Oh, mail delivery! Go on, now!"
And off she went, snickering in amusement at his attitude while Snatcher settled back in his seat.
She can't know… a raspy voice whispered in his head. If she knows, she'll leave for good.
Snatcher winced. But it kept on.
If she finds out about the Destruction, or the role she played in it, she'll never look at you the same way again.
The last thing that ties you to your kingdom will be gone forever.
Her trust will be shattered.
The home you've made will crumble.
You'll lose your only—
Reflexively, his arms shot forth, smacking himself solidly in the face with his book. It was the only thing he could do to silence the nasty little voice in his head after it went off on one of it's rants.
All Snatcher could do was hope that his "pep talk" did the trick by quelling the desire in her to explore.
Because if his lies wouldn't appeal to her now, then he had bigger problems to worry about than some random hourglasses from space.
HELLO THERE, GUYS! Aaaaa, I'm sorry I wasn't able to post on time this week😥 Irl crap has me backed up a day or so and it's got me stressed out like you wouldn't BELIEVE. I can't get into details, but let's just say it's something that you would never guess would happen to you, UNTIL it happens to you. Everything is fine, but I will be posting a smaller, bottle chapter in the morning in addition to this one as an apology for not being on time. You guys deserve better than that from me, and it's not fair. That said, I'll be adding the answers to reviews on the next chapter! Ily guys!
