52nd Tick: Options
1115 Words
“A deal?” Episode asked, returning Wish’s gleeful expression with an emotionless expression of his own.
“Yes, a deal.” Wish replied. “Wanna hear about it?”
Episode walked forward, walking through and past Wish, saying, “I do not intend to strike any kind of deal, wish or gamble with you.”
“Ouch, so rude.” Wish pretended to fall backwards.
He caught himself, suspending in the air as he looked backwards. “Is it because I did not grant your wish of immortality one hundred thousand years ago?”
Episode paused. It was less of a pause, more of a hesitation. That brief moment of hesitation was all Wish needed to see. Episode would had obviously heard about the Myth that granted wishes back then. But there was a problem. The Myth WishEarth, was truly a Myth. No one had seen him, no one had talked to him, there was no known way for people, demon, human or Angel to make contact with him. Episode had tried a few ways and failed, the knowledge back then was simply too limited.
“One hundred thousand years ago, I remembered a demon screaming for me. How pitiful, the screams of desperation as he strives for immortality. The pain, the pain.” Wish continued and paused before continuing sarcastically, “So sorry, so sorry. It would have been much better for you if I had answered, huh? Too bad, such a pity.”
Wish saw Episode pause and turn back, his face lit up. Episode glared at him with a lifelessness in his eyes, but the aura around him was different. Episode’s shadow swirled, spreading across the ground like a tidal wave. The souls reached up from the ground, screaming with agony.
“Is this what you wanted to hear, WishEarth?” Episode asked, stepping towards the Myth. “These screams have been around me for a hundred thousand years, is this what you enjoy.”
Wish looked below him and blew slightly. A ball of black flame, burning in the sky, a dark red core in the center, floated gently to the ground. It exploded, the shadows retreating back to Episode. The demon barely reacted as he watch Wish scoop the black flame up. The ball of flame disappeared in his palm.
“Helpful little things.” Wish said.
A figure of black flames appeared on his palm. It was of a demon, crouched low like a beast ready to attack. The demon then crouched and started saying something.
Wish smiled and said in a cute voice, “‘WishEarth! I demand you see me now! Oh no, I need immortality, I need it now! I wanna do something and another thing in who knows how long! Oh no!’ Was that what you had said? No? My memory’s not too good.”
“Are you mocking me?” Episode asked.
“No, no, no.” Wish laughed. “Maybe.”
Episode sighed and started walking away again. Wish saw him and sighed too. “Tough crowd.”
Wish floated nearby, following Episode down a mountain. He hummed as he followed, but Episode seemed unaffected. Wish whispered to himself, “If only this stubborn demon realises I can grant him immortality. What a waste.”
“What?”
Wish had a big smile on his face as he looked at Episode. Thankfully, the slip of paper covering the middle of his face hid his smile too, otherwise it would have been too obvious. He elaborated, “Of course I can give you immortality, I grant wishes. That wish you made a hundred years ago can come true.”
Wish was trying to push it one way, but he had a backup plan if he could not get Episode to make a wish.
“You want to give me immortality?” Episode asked. “I have heard of you granting wishes and taking something in return. Do you, perhaps want to take something from me as well? Is it perhaps my power?”
“Why would I need your power?” Wish laughed, swinging his arms in the air. “I only need something else, and I want to see something too.”
“So what is your aim?” Episode was on to something. “Tell me and I might consider your offer.”
Wish grinned. “I knew you were smart, that’s why I called it a deal, no?”
“Spit it out.”
“I will give you immortality, you will never truly die, sounds nice, right? But of course, I need to take something in exchange, it is how I operate, I hope you understand.”
“What do you want to take?”
Wish could not contain his excitement. “You see, I can give you two options, it’s up to you whether which one you want to choose.”
A black flame floated in the air, forming a number ‘1’ symbol. “First option, this is a long one. You see, by merging the worlds, you gave a certain someone a chance to escape. You only need to go to that guy and take off his mask, I grant you immortality.”
“What guy?”
Episode remembered the ClockKeeper telling him a similar thing. “Who is this person?”
“The second Myth, JoyRide.”
“And what’s the second option?”
Wish smiled and the number changed to a ‘2’. “Second option I present you. I will take some of your memories.”
“No.”
Wish tilted his head sideways. “But why?”
“I will offer something else of my own choice.” Episode demanded. “I will sacrifice half the souls I ha-”
“Hey.” Wish interrupted.
There was a chill in the air, Wish glaring at him. “What gives you the right to choose?”
Wish floated closer and reached out, his hand passing into Episode’s chest and pulling something out. A female demon, her eyes closed. Episode’s eyes widened before she snapped back into his body.
“It is called a deal, but I make the offers here. Besides, who gives you the right to trade the lives of those you unfairly took?”
Episode looked at the Myth. Despite his appearance, he held great knowledge and power, much more ancient and formidable than his own. The air returned to normal and Wish smiled.
“If you don’t want to take the second option, why not take the first then? I’ll even tell you where JoyRide can be found.”
Episode hesitated, the entire idea Wish had proposed screamed of a trick or trap, but he did want immortality. Through a hundred thousand years of passing down memories and knowledge, his personality did not change. Episode still craved survival, and he would do so at any cost.
“Fine, I’ll go to JoyRide.”
Wish grinned wider than before. “Great choice.”
- Writer
