Nightmare kind of Dream

Sing

The doors burst open like they now do weekly whenever Bill walks into the room. But this time I got a feeling that this entrance is different. Well, also the fact that he was dressed even more gaudy than usual. A silk, yellow spartan-like cape spilled over his shoulders, a black greek scholar toga covered him and was intricately detailed with gold threaded symbols. Yet the clothing was uncharacteristically plain compared to the detail of and in his accessories that I can't even begin to describe. But I wonder how even he can walk around that that much weight of solid gold.

"Dfoip," He looked around the room as Dani and Dallia materialized from thin air. "Qebob fp x pent qlkfdeq. Aobpp qebj rm."

The two bowed their acknowledgement of the mysterious request, their arms magically filled with stacks of folded fabric, and approached me and Marmibelle first. Within seconds Marmibelle was in a fitted white women's toga with a transparent sea foam blue sash that flowed like a waterfall from her waist. Her long locks in braids laced with gold and blue beads. A beaded Aztec choker adorn her throat with matching blue and black beads to accent the ones in her hair, sand dollars hung from her earlobes somehow passing as earrings.

I found myself in an airy yellow Egyptian priests attire with black thread sewn triangles over my shoulders in the wrap on shawl. Obsidian cuff clips balanced each other out in my hair, arm cuffs snaked around my upper arms as Bills's 'property' cuffs formed into simple wristbands with small chains linked to the growing number of rings on my fingers.

There was a whine and a thump attracting attention to our demonic pet that now wore a gold and obsidian breastplate with an onyx studded collar holding it up. Beufo was not happy with the sudden change.

After the girls dressed my uncles, Ford looked like an attempted mimic of Bill (minus the black) and Stan looked the image of the Greek wine god with glasses.

"Good," Bill grinned with approval of our new attire. "Now we all can make an appearance."

I didn't need to look back at my family to know they'd like to ask but didn't want to question. o as usual I take it upon myself to deal. "Appearance to where exactly?" I asked.

The demon looked at me blankly for several moments as I didn't understand the first amount of gibberish he said when he walked in. Then he remembered he didn't speak English and shook his head. "There's a performance tonight." he explained. "And we are all going so behave." His gaze mainly fell on to Beufo, who was trying to shake off his outfit and whined at the obvious discomfort of the breastplate.

Marmibelle clipped the leash on his collar with sympathetic smile as she stroked his ears.

Without another word, Bill led the way out, pulling me along by the suddenly appeared blue chain connected to my own collar. Stan and Ford followed alongside me, Marmi pulled Beufo along before hooking her arm around mine like she does more commonly now when she's afraid of losing me in a crowd. Knowing where we were headed there is most-likely bound to be a crowd.

Bill looked back and quickly cast a disapproving frown upon my clinging niece that only made her cling tighter in fear of him. He stopped the group and spun on his heel to face us with a bemused and cruel grin. "Mermaid," he began smoothly, leaning close over his cane. "I can feel your fear and it's very right to be fearful outside of your room but please understand." The demon tapped his cane on her arms wrapped around mine. She unwrapped her arms and held her hands in front of her with and upset yet guilty look to the stone floor. Bill smiled wider and patted the top of her head gently despite her flinch. "Please keep in mind I only tolerate you and the others in my palace to keep Pinetree here." The bastard made it sound like he was doing us all a favor by imprisoning my family to uphold our contract.