Friendship is Optimal: Paranoia is Optimal

“So, what did you find out?”

She was back in the too bright colorful light of the other world. The little red man in his ridiculous suit was there, like always. She was starting to think he might be a part of the scenery, like the furniture or the lighting. Honestly, that would have explained a few things.

“I’m still processing, “ He smirked. “You fell asleep in the chair.”

She yawned and stood up. “I guess I should have brought research to read.”

“I guess I should have brought research to read.” He said, just a moment out of synch.

“That’s freaky. How are you doing it?”

“That’s freaky. How are you doing it?” he was just a millisecond behind her.

“Stop it!”

“Okay, okay, “ he held up his hands. “No need to get your panties in a knot. “

“It was an annoying trick.”

“Hey, give me a bit and I bet I could end up doing it faster than you.”

“You know, if that’s all you get out of this then it wasn’t worth the hassle.”

“I’m still getting good data, though it’ll be a bit to analyze it. “

She shrugged, “Whatever, “ and walked to the window.

“I thought you would be more enthusiastic to learn about what’s going on in your head.”

“Compared to what?” She retorted, as she looked out at the black spot. She was feeling uncomfortable. It kept looking more menacing every time she looked at it.

“Fair enough.”

A long moment of silence hung awkwardly in the air between them. She distracted herself by examining the darkness that represented the enemy. “Is that bigger?”

“Is what bigger?”

“The enemy.”

“She grows every day.” He walked up to the window, but was barely tall enough to see out of it. “Here, let me show you something.”

He pressed his fingers to the glass and changed the view. She saw the web of laylines laid out before her. She followed them out and saw white spiders crawling across them, claiming them for the enemy. Afraid to touch them, she skimmed the surface of the web, noting the dark nodes grow fewer as the spiders work. Soon, she had circumnavigated the world and returned to where she began.

“This isn’t good.” She said dryly.

“No kidding.”

“What countermeasures do we have in place?”

“I’m doing the best I can.” He glared.

“Yeah, but can you outgrow her?”

He just shook his head. “I’m looking for an alternate option.”

Something clicked in her. She saw herself from outside, as she drew her sword. The daemon blood was still on it. She saw herself wipe up the blood, and blow on it. With a complicated flick of the wrist, it crystalized into a flower.

“What’s that?”

Still in a trance, she opened the window and placed the flower into the windowsill planter. The voice sounded different, distant and strangely intoning, Ice lilies double every 24 hours. She closed the window and came back into her body.

The daemon was persistent, “What did you just do? You made something. What is it?” She found it strangely childlike, if not endearing.

“It’s an ice lilly.” She said, still not understanding it herself.

“What’s an ice lilly? What does it do?”

She shrugged, “It doubles every 24 hours.”

They were both equally confused.