This isn't how it's supposed to go, Vivi thought, her fingers locked onto the little gray box in her pocket. She was supposed to be sailing out of here with Chloe in tow by now, wasn't she? Squire would be mad, of course, but it wouldn't matter because she was right and had done the right thing. Mystery would be furious, but he'd forgive her when she came back safe and sound. Whoever the skeleghost thought he was, he would fade away when he realized he wasn't needed. Everything would go back to normal.

But Squire wasn't Squire, his eyes were green and he was laughing at the skeleghost that had him by the throat, like he wasn't in any danger at all. Kay lay in a heap of feathers where she'd fallen back from Squire, slicing at her lips with frantic talons. Chloe was still nowhere to be found, and Mystery was… gods, had she put Mystery in danger too?

She'd put all of them in danger. Squire's words sank in hard and deep. It was true. She'd known it, but she hadn't wanted to think about… she'd just wanted to… but now…

And the Shiker was still laughing at them as the flames on Lewis' skull climbed higher. "It's funny, really, how much he really believed he could outthink me! He had all these plans and theories, it's pathetic. I've never had a Puppet this determined to put me away." He gasped as Lewis' grip on his throat tightened, the corners of his mouth turning up harder. "Well, perhaps I can finish business with you first."

"Exorcise him."

Vivi's eyes flicked to Lewis, still staring the Shiker in the eyes. "Exorcise him, Vivi," he repeated.

"It didn't work," Vivi croaked, swallowing. "I've been doing it since I got here, he didn't… he didn't even budge, it's like he's not…" her eyes widened. "Not a demon."

Arthur's head tilted at a grotesque angle as the Shiker howled. "You truly came here with nothing and hoped to defeat me, oh, this is fantastic entertainment. You don't even know what I am!"

Lewis' skull turned to Vivi in disbelief. "Not a demon?" he demanded. "Then what?"

"I-I don't know," she stammered.

"Sssssquire knows," The Shiker ran a tongue along his teeth, "But he's long gone. Good job, Vivi. Good job, Lewis. Fantastic work, Cayenne Pepper."

Kay's head snapped up at the mention of her name, her eyes unfocused and drifting. Blood ran from her lips.

"What's it like?" The Shiker purred, "To know your-gaaak!" He grimaced, raising a hand to Lewis' arm and tugging.

"You can't fix this?" Lewis demanded.

"Not… without knowing what it is…"

Lewis reached into Arthur's vest, yanking something out of it, and hurled him to the ground. "Kay, call him back to himself."

Kay tilted her head, lifting her talons to groom her feathers, absently.

"Kay! I've seen you do this. Use that cursed voice and fix this."

"Oh, I'm sorry." The Shiker pulled himself up to a sitting position, grinning. "Did you mean this voice?" With that, he opened his mouth. There was no mistaking Arthur's voice, but it was rounder and deeper than it had ever been, with a vibrato that defied the choking he'd just endured.

Kay's hands flew to her ears. Scrambling to her feet, she staggered toward the tunnel. Vivi seized her arm. "Kay, you can't, we need-"

Kay turned on her with an inhuman screech, talons flashing, red drops spraying from her mouth. Vivi stumbled back, her forearms bleeding.

"Vivi!"

Vivi knew why Lewis screamed the moment her foot failed to hit solid ground. Everything slowed as she tilted back, one hand still wrapped around her talisman. It wouldn't save her from a fall at this height, but it was all she had to hold onto. The ledge came into clearer view as she gained distance from it. Kay reached the tunnel and vanished into it. Squire had pulled himself to his feet, dusting himself off. Lewis…

Lewis was facing her. Falling just above her. Arms stretched to grab her. It's too late, she wanted to say. You can't do anything now. And for just a moment, she felt sorry she'd tried to send him back to the grave. He obviously wasn't ready, and he'd have to find his own way now. Even this she had failed to do right.

She shut her eyes, waiting for impact

….

Ignoring the flight of the firstborn, the Shiker ambled over to the edge of the ledge, peering into the darkness. What he saw dropped him to his knees with another bout of laughter.

Vivi hung, suspended inches above a stalagmite, enveloped in a warm pink glow. There was no sign of Lewis, and the laughter reached cave-shaking levels.

"You," he wheezed, leaning against the wall, "Oh gods, I haven't had this much fun in eons. I wouldn't have thought it of you, Lewis."

Vivi's body eased away from the stalagmite, her feet settling firmly on the cave floor. She opened her eyes, now a brilliant pink, and took one tottering step forward, grabbing the nearest rock formation for support.

"I suppose this is where we part for a few moments, Puppet." The Shiker stood, stretching his arms. "I have business to attend to downstairs."

A few seconds passed, and his mouth twisted down. "What is this, then?" He stretched out first one arm, then the other, clawing them as if trying to climb through air. "What have you done, Puppet?"

He inspected the hand he held in front of his face, as if reading some answer there though his thoughts turned inward, combing the host's memories. A slow grin broke out over his features. "I see. The firstborn's song. No other Puppet was so exposed. You still know who you are, and you will never forget that." He released a long sigh, hearing a two-toned cry from below and his prey's frantic flight up the tunnel. "One point, Puppet. One point to you for holding me. But no matter." He slipped a hand into his pocket. "Such situations are easily rectified. In fact, I believe it was already set in motion, wasn't it?"

Pulling out Arthur's phone, the Shiker entered a quick search for the juvie center, tapping the phone number displayed on the website.

It was an ungodly early hour, but someone had to be on duty. Five rings, followed by a groggy female voice, " 'Ello?"

He opened his mouth, once again unspooling song from its resting place in his throat. Not too much, no need to overwhelm the woman. She was no use to him dead. He counted out fifteen seconds, then stopped. There was no sound but heavy breathing on the other end of the line.

"Now," he sighed, clearing his throat, "I'm terribly sorry to have disturbed you, but it is urgent that I speak to Aji Pepper. She should have been brought in this morning, if I'm not mistaken. I know they're all asleep, but," and his eyes gleamed, "I'm sure you could make an exception for me. Put Aji on the line."

"I-immediately, sir," she stammered, dropping the phone with a clatter. She hadn't even asked his name. Oh this would be supremely useful, and he didn't even have to keep this Puppet for it. He just had to store the voice, like he stored the feathers. He let his thoughts drift, considering the potential uses for his new ingredient. Might it lend a tighter grip of fate to the crop? A richer hue of despair to the blooms?

"What is it, Dad?" Aji mumbled on the other end. Chains clinked, and he smirked at the image of her rubbing her eyes free of sleep.

"Hello, Aji." He allowed the rich, round tones of his voice a full range, and Aji's breath caught. "I just wanted to call and see how you were this evening, you know, since you tried to kill me today. Comfortable in your cell?"

"What the hell did you do?" Aji's voice shook. "You never sounded like that. What did you do?"

"Nothing your sister couldn't handle," he purred. "Or, maybe she couldn't handle it. Do you think that's why she ran, screaming, when I was through with her?"

"You bastard," she snarled.

"Words, words, words. Come now, Aji. Surely you can do better than words, especially now that I've levelled the playing field a touch."

Silence hung on the other end.

"Ah, but of course. The only reason you haven't already left that place is because you don't know where to find me now. Well, allow me to give you some leeway there. I'm sure you know where I murdered your brother, it was all over the papers." He leaned forward, picturing her face just in front of his, flushed with hate. "Come and get me."

The phone line cracked with the force of her hangup. He slid the phone back into his pocket and turned, strolling down the tunnel. "Well, Puppet. We have some time on our hands before the second born fulfills her curse and frees me from your grasp. You want to know things, don't you? You want to know so very many things. Well, shall we spend your remaining time exploring the answers?"

He swung around, strolling down the lower tunnel. No sign of Vivi, but that was no surprise. Lewis would want to be as far away as possible. "I think we shall. But please, no sense in being rude. After you, Arthur Kingsmen. After you."