Green's eyes shrank in on themselves, giving the illusion of narrowing. Shold'ler, who are these people?

I gestured to Della (it was impossible to think of her by any name other than the one she'd given me) and Mina, who were backing up with their face-holes wide-open. This is Della Karvendale and her friend Mina! They were just offering me a contract that didn't make very much sense, but I was explaining how we could come up with a better one.

Tilting his head back, Green deliberately sighed. Shold'ler, do you recall what my advice was to you?

I nodded readily. You told me not to make any contracts! But come on, it's just you, me, Della, Mina, Dioda, and that one tree way back there who I forgot to ask the name of. That's not very many people at all! How many can there be?

He stared at me coldly. Billions.

I waited for the punchline. It never arrived.

While I was processing that rather earth-shattering piece of news, Green pointed at Della and Mina. Speak now. What contract did you offer him?

Mina's face-hole started moving in complex ways, but I wasn't watching. Billions? This reality was supporting billions of living sapients!? How in Grandfather's name was that possible? Just one was incredible! I'd thought five was downright unbelievable!

Wait. Green had mentioned he'd had friends. I hadn't thought about it at the time, but how many friends did he have? Were they all on the level of detail that he was on? Was this reality just on a level beyond my comprehension!?

No. No, that couldn't be. At some point, the designs had to start repeating. There were probably lots of Greens and Dellas and Minas under different names walking around the places Green had mentioned. I reassured myself, convinced myself that that had to be the case. I didn't think I could handle it if I was wrong.

I hadn't been paying attention, but motion caught my eye. Green's hands were clenched into fists. I felt a slight twinge of worry. Green? Is everything okay?

No, he stated bluntly. It is most assuredly not. I told you not to. I commanded you not to accept any contracts because there would be many in this world who would take advantage of your naivete, of your willingness to trust and forgive. These are no different.

Raising his hand, he held it out with his palm facing both of them. They are more of the same, Shold'ler. A parasite on the face of the land, conniving creatures striving only to conquer and destroy.

I frowned. Wait, didn't you do that?

He almost tripped in shock. Why would you bring that up!? That was a major mistake of my youth! What purpose could there be in throttling me with it?

Pointing at Della and Mina, who were hugging each other wide-eyed with liquid dribbling down their faces, I retorted, Well, maybe this was a mistake!

He stared at me. How can we possibly be sure?

I am not impartial to this conversation!

Dioda's voice cut in on the conversation, filling my mind with the sensation of sunlight on leaves. I winced at the unexpected intrusion and apologetically turned to Della and Mina. Can you give us just a moment? I need to talk some things over with my friends.

Spinning back to Green and Dioda's trees, I threw my arms wide. Dioda! I thought you left! I glanced at Green, whose arms were folded. And I thought you didn't want to leave your clearing?

Dioda and Green spoke at the same time, which meant I completely lost both of their replies. Waving my arms, I asked, Sorry, but what did you say?

Green pointed at my accusingly. Dioda left you to tell me to step in. I am glad she did, or else you may have made a mistake you would have come to deeply regret.

I raised an eyebrow. I thought she didn't like you?

She doesn't.

Nodding thoughtfully, I added, You don't sound like you like her, either.

I don't.

We have an understanding, Dioda helpfully told me. Neither of us like the other, but both of us are... fond... of you.

She almost seemed embarrassed to say it, which I found endearingly sweet. I walked over to a tree and gave it a hug, although my arms didn't come close to reaching around it. Awww, I like you guys too. You're great to talk to and you're both really nice! I just don't understand why you don't like each other.

He drained my life force for centuries. Dioda coldly stated. Green simply gestured to the trees pointedly.

I nodded, wincing mentally. Right, forgot about that. I paused. Wait, what were we talking about again?

Green pointed past my shoulder at Della and Mina, who appeared to be sidling off into the trees. They froze the moment Green indicated them, the corners of their face-holes stiffly curving upward. I pointed at them. That's another thing! What is the point of those!? You've got one, they've got one, but Dioda and I don't! What are they for?

Putting a finger to the bridge of where his nose might once have been, Green tiredly said, Those are mouths, Shold'ler. We use them to breathe and speak to each other.

I blinked. First off, you've got to tell me what 'breathe' means later. Second, how do use a hole in the front of your face to talk? It doesn't make any sense! That has nothing to do with talking!

He dragged his hands down his face exasperatedly. Shold'ler, are you deaf?

I stared at him. What does deaf mean?

There was an unexpectedly long silence, during which neither the trees nor Green moved an inch. I uncomfortably shifted, fidgeting with my robes defensively. What?

That... explains a lot. Green said quietly, and I felt a distinct sense of agreement from Dioda.

I folded my arms irritably - no one liked being the butt of a joke they didn't understand. Okay, seriously. What's any of this supposed to mean? Oh, and Della and Mina left.

Green's eyes - eye orbs, whatever - widened. They what? When!?

I shrugged. I don't know, while we were talking. I thought you'd noticed.

I will fetch them. Dioda sounded deeply excited about the prospect, which I couldn't help but think was a little odd. Whatever the case, who was I to tell her what to think? She was her own person, even if she was a whole forest.

I had far too many questions to cover in one conversation, most of which were related to the concepts of 'deaf' and 'breathe', but they could probably wait. Let's focus on the task at hand for now. Dioda, where are Della and Mina?

Right here. A massive cluster of vines lowered from the canopy of leaves above, holding both people in its clutches. I am slowly understanding my own dexterity. Dioda proudly explained, and Green gave the trees an odd look. I filed it away under the exponentially growing file labeled Questions I Have To Ask At Some Point and paid attention to Della and Mina.

Let's start over from the top, okay? They struggled in the vines, eyes wide, and I glanced up at the trees. Dioda, would you mind putting them down?

She paused for a long moment before admitting, I have the strangest urge to crush them. Green, would it be unacceptable to do so?

Yes, it definitely would! I cut in before Green could respond. For some reason, I don't think he would agree with me. Turning to Della and Mina, I pleasantly asked, So! About that contract.

My terms were hastily made! Mina promptly screamed into my mind, and I jumped. I am confident - no, I am certain we can come up with a far more advantageous deal for both of - for you! She wasn't looking at me. Her attention was solely devoted to staring with an expression of blatant terror at Green. But - but do not kill me! Accept my sister's soul as an offering if you must!

I wasn't sure what 'sister' meant, but I could figure it out from context. Two was added to two to equal an extremely unpleasant four, and I recoiled. You what? How could you give her soul to someone? It's not yours!

She backtracked faster than I thought possible. Accept my sincerest apologies, O Great and Magnificent Old One. I prostrate myself before your power and allies. Please, do not kill me!

Green's expression was one of absolute disgust. Do you see it, Shold'ler? Do you see the lengths to which humanity will go to save its own sorry skin? Why should we spare them?

I actually had to stop and think about it for a moment. Death had far more permanent consequences here than it did back in my original dimensions. Sure, there were a few ways to separate a physical body from its soul without damaging either - I used to do it to myself all the time, after all - but I had a feeling it wouldn't be so easy here. Even though Mina was so casually putting her life before Della's, it didn't mean that it was what she would do under less stressful circumstances. She was talking to three complete strangers, although I wasn't sure she knew who Dioda was.

Thinking back to my first meeting with Della, it was easy to figure out she was trying to attack me with her tool. I'd just met her - I hadn't even said hello yet - and she whacked me over the head with it. Her opening was to try and hit me. Did she do that to everyone? Green's head kind of looked breakable - what if it'd been him she ran into instead of me?

Finally, I shook my head. We should let them go.

Green put a hand on my shoulder, staring into my eyes. Why?

I straightened, putting more confidence into my voice than I had. Because... it's their lives. We don't have the right to take it from them any more than Mina has the right to give Della's soul away.

He nodded solemnly. Fine, then. But no contracts! He added sharply, pointing a sharp finger at me.

I nodded obediently. Okay, no contracts. Now then... I walked over to them, putting my hands on my hips. Let's have a decent conversation.