Nothing Comes Easy (Hiatus)

Chapter 16

(Marco's POV)

"That's not possible!" I exclaimed as I examined my body for any trace of Monster Arm. "Star got rid of you man, she blasted you back into an arm."

"No one truly believed that a spell as simple as that would keep me away for long, even you had your doubts." Monster Arm replied. "I could feel them."

I began panicking as I looked under my desk, and in my closet, again. "Where are you?"

"Relax Marco. I can't manifest my physical form at the moment, and even then I would need your consent to do so; for now it's just my voice and it will stay that way, until you say otherwise."

"Well …" I looked around then lowered my voice. "Your voice is bad enough, I want you gone."

"I can't do that Marco, I'm part of you, remember?" Monster Arm said, a little too happily.

"I know someone who can." I said as I walked over to the door. "Star got rid of you before, and she can do it again."

"Star has no idea how to get rid of me and you know it." Monster Arm replied.

"She'll find a way." I retorted. "She won't stop until you're gone."

"Yes." Monster Arm replied. "The lengths she will go to for you."

I paused when I was about to turn the doorknob. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, you know she doesn't know what spell to use to get rid of me. Do you really think she'll find it in her spell book?"

"Well … possibly." I said, as I looked away from the door.

"No, she won't. And when that option is out of the picture, what do you plan to do next?"

I sat down against the door. "There aren't any other options."

"Yes there are." Monster Arm replied. "And you know what they are … you just don't want to admit it."

I closed my eyes. "Star's mom might know what to do … but if she asks her then …"

"Then the King and Queen find out what their little princes has done, and send her away."

I shook my head. "Star would never knowingly do something that would get her sent to St. Olga's."

"You, yourself, said that she'll stop at nothing to get rid of me."

"But she wouldn't get herself sent away."

"Even to help her best friend?"

I buried my head in my knees. "She won't do it, she'll find another way."

"Listen to yourself Marco!" Monster Arm exclaimed. "You risk losing your best friend for no reason?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean, I'm here to help." Monster Arm replied.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I said as I stood up.

"I'll admit we've had some … issues in the past."

"You tried to kill someone, and you tried to kill me." I said with a leer.

"Nonsense!" Monster Arm defended. "I would never kill you, we are one. As for Jeremy, I was just doing what you wanted."

"I just wanted to beat him, not eat his bowels!"

"I took it a little too far all right? But I've had time to think it over, and I realize what I did was wrong."

"Like I'm going to believe that." I said as I got up and walked over to my bed.

"Believe it or not, here are the facts, we are one, I'm not going away, and I can't do anything without your okay."

"So?" I asked.

"So, I'd like to … repent for my past transgressions."

"Yeah right." I said, as I sat on my bed. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"So does that mean you're willing to give me a chance?" Monster Arm asked.

I scowled. "What do you mean, chance? If you appear again, then Star will know for sure that you're back."

"I can do more than that." Monster Arm began. "I can, with permission, lend you my power to give you increased strength, speed, stamina, and skill."

"And why would I want that?" I asked.

"Because Ludo is getting stronger, and you're not."

I thought about what he said for a moment. "You'll just try to betray me." I replied.

"I will have no control over you, Marco. My physical form has merged with yours. Even if I were to manifest, you could easily change back on your own."

"I still don't believe you." I replied again.

"Then don't believe me!" Monster Arm exclaimed. "Believe your own feelings; you can feel the power I offer without using it, and you can see just what it can do."

I paused for a minute then closed my eyes and concentrated. Sure enough, I felt what Monster Arm was talking about, I couldn't explain it really, but I knew that all Monster Arm could do was give me this power. "You still attacked me, how do I know that you won't be able to do that again?"

"I've had time to understand who you are Marco, and you're not the monster I originally thought you were."

"You thought I was a monster?" I asked.

"I had no idea what a human was, all I knew was your motivation. But now, I've had time to properly understand you; and I can assure you, that even if I could, I won't attack you again."

I folded my fingers and exhaled. "Forgive me if I still don't trust you."

"It's okay. I knew you weren't going to say yes right off the bat, if at all."

My eyes went wide. "Wait, what?"

"Like I said, I'm a part of you now, I know you Marco, I know your motivations, your desires, even how you feel about Star."

"What?" I defended. "Star is just my friend and that's how I feel about her."

"If you say so Marco. Like I said, I know you're not going to trust me right away, so I only ask that for now, you let me earn your trust back. Something Star has never had to do."

I thought for a moment. "You can read my mind; you'll know every way to trick me."

"I only know what you're willing to share and nothing more; surly you don't believe that, but it is true. But as I've told you, I have no power over your actions; I only offer my assistance as a gesture of kindness."

I paused and thought to myself for a while. "I will need to think about it." I answered.

"That's all I ask, Marco." Monster Arm replied. "I promise, you won't regret it."

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