The flashbacks rocked him once more. He saw blue fire, a hat with a tree on it, and a sweater with a shooting star. He saw a red book that had a golden hand with six fingers on the cover.
The flashbacks ended as soon as they began.
"What's wrong?" Sixer asked, worried. He must have reacted without realizing it.
"Nothing. Just . . ." He sighed. "I don't know. I thought I remembered something, but it's gone."
"Why did you say 'pine tree'?" Petra asked.
"I think that's what I called him, before. Or maybe some other version of—"
"Petra? Who are you talking to?" Pine Tree asked, cutting Him off.
"You can't see it?" Sixer — Petra — asked.
"Him," He corrected automatically. "I think I've been keeping Pine Tree from seeing me."
"It?" Pine Tree asked warily.
"Don't tell him about me," He said. "Please?"
"Why?" Petra asked.
"I don't know. I just get a sense of . . . foreboding from him."
"Um, never mind, Dad," Petra said.
"Hm." Pine Tree said, suspicious. "OK." His daughter did this sometimes. It worried him but wasn't really out of the ordinary. What was out of the ordinary was her giving up so easily.
Petra left the room, with Him following her. He heard Pine Tree sigh and papers rustle as he got back to work.
It was then that He pinpointed the emotion he was feeling. Fear.
"I think I . . . fear Pine Tr– your father," He said.
Petra looked startled. "Why would you fear him? People say he's nuts."
"I don't really know. Something about a battle?" He concentrated. "A . . . wheel. Circle. Him, standing with 11 others . . . argh! I can't remember! But it's right there!"
They were quiet for a while, and He slowly let down his defenses as He sank deeper and deeper into thought.
Petra was the one to break the silence. "You need a name. I can't keep calling you the Being."
"You're right. But I don't remember."
"I'll help you. Hm. Howard?"
"No,"
"Alex?"
He shook his, well, mind/body/head negatively.
"I'll take that as no. Um, Aiden?"
"Doesn't feel right."
"Peter? That would be funny. My twin brother's name is Peter."
"No, not Peter."
"Aw. Well, how about Bob?"
"Wait. What did you say?"
"Bob?"
"No, before that."
"Aw?"
"Right after that. Something like . . . Will."
"Will? Is that your name?"
"I think so. It sounds right."
"Nice to meet you, Will . . ." Petra paused, the whispered to Him, "Do you remember your last name?"
"I feel it. It's right there. Will. Will . . ."
A voice growled from outside the room.
"Cipher."