Pass It Along/6
"There's more?" Aaron thought he had never been so inquisitive. "But your dad said..."
"That a Pixie lives here?" Jack knew exactly where the question was going. "He does. Has done for about 400 years as far as we can tell. We call him Imir."
"Is it safe, for us to live here with a Pixie that steals kids?"
"Oh yes quite safe." Jill nods calmly. "Our family has lived with him for four centuries without any problems."
"Do you just ignore him then, or do you have to use rooms like this to keep him out?" Brittany appeared disappointed. She wanted nothing more than to investigate this mystery properly, and meet the Pixie for herself, but she had to be the responsible one who made sure her siblings were safe.
"Oh quite the opposite". Jack and Jill seemed to alternate their responses. "We play with him all the time, and the other children."
"We know the rules." Jack took over with no hesitation. It was almost as if they shared one voice between them. "And you should too. It would be nice to have some more playmates, we've been feeling outnumbered for a while now."
This was the first pause in conversation. Aaron and Brittany looked at each other, both of them with the same hesitation. To them, it felt like minutes that they spent communicating silently. Eventually, they shared a nod and turned back to face the twins. Neither of them, however, had the chance to open their mouth as their, once again forgotten, sister spoke for them.
"What are the rules? We have to know how to play properly." Jack and Jill were completely unphased by the child's irresistible charm. Were they even human?! They began alternating the rules between them, barely leaving a gap long enough to process them.
"2. If you win, you may choose your reward and, if it is possible, Imir shall grant it for you."
"3. If you lose, he will choose for you to join him forever."
"4. You can only act within games when consenting to do so. The more you play, the more you will consent.
"5. He will never harm you, nor will he allow anyone else to bring you harm."
"6. Only those of us who can see Imir are allowed to play."
"7. If anyone tries to stop you playing, he will simply make them forget."
"8. As long as no one gets hurt, nothing is off limits."
"9. Anyone may be involved in games, but only if they consent to the acts in question."
"10. Imir may provide you with abilities to help in games, but it comes at a cost."
"11. The games will change you. Your parents probably won't like those changes. It's best not to tell them."
"12. If you break any of the rules, or bring about harm to any player or non-player through your actions, you will lose."
The Schultz's still had no idea what these games actually were, what they would have to do if they want to join in with the Pixie. The rules made it sound so simple, but yet so complicated. Brittany was fixed on the first three.
"So those kids who went missing, the boy and girl. They played the games and lost?" She asked curiously, trying to piece together as much as she could.
"On the contrary." Jill picked up the reply. "They played the games to the end. They won."
"Then why did the Pixie, Imir, why did he keep them anyway?" Aaron was finally on the same page as Brittany once again.
"That was their wish, to stay with him and continue playing forever." Jack could see the confused look on both of the faces in front of him. "Rule 11, the games will change you."
Aaron and Brittany paused to look at each other again. If they know all this why are they playing?! They were both excited about the games opening up before them. They were both eager to find out what was lying behind all this mystery. They were both too cautious, focused largely on what might happen to them if their parents ever found out. They were both too late, their shared thoughts rudely interrupted by the sweet voice of a six year old.
"I want to play!" Amanda signed herself up without hesitation.
--Jackmaster (talk) 00:20, 22 August 2018 (CEST)