The Story of the Cipher Brothers

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Despite always keeping a level head, Will couldn't help but worry about his brother.

He had always been a bit worried about Bill. Ever since he could walk, he'd been getting into some kind of trouble one way or another. Will was used to having to chase his brother around, and apologizing to their neighbors.

He might as well have saved himself the effort, however, because Bill had a special knack for worming his way out of trouble. The time he grabbed Mrs. Trembley's cat by the tail? Why, he was just rescuing it from the gutter! The time he planted firecrackers in the Chu's mailbox? No, that wasn't him, that was Nathaniel from two floors up! 

Will knew Bill was never trying to hurt anyone, but it was worrying nonetheless. Kill had given up on trying to control their youngest brother a long time ago, which meant it was up to Will to make sure Bill didn't caught in anything too deep.

The blue-haired Cipher sighed, carefully pouring tea into a porcelain cup. Something wasn't right with this whole affair. It was just too...out of nowhere. Not that Bill didn't have good qualities, but he didn't have a clue what Alcor's right-hand would want with his brother. He set the teapot down, deep in thought. Maybe he was just overthinking again.

"Cipher! The tea!"

He jolted, nearly spilling his elegant platter all over the carpet. Luckily, his hands just missed the tray, which he then scooped up and hurried out of the kitchen.

Will scurried into the Pool's extravagant parlor, all covered in velvet and golden accents. He set up the tea tray on the mahogany coffee table, very careful not to make eye contact with the madam of the house. "So sorry, madam. It won't happen again," he stuttered.

He was completely ignored, but that was a relief compared to being lectured. Mrs. Pool daintily picked up a cup with her green, goblin-like fingers, which contrasted horribly with her bubblegum pink party dress. "Now, 8-Ball, dear, be reasonable." Her voice was far deeper than any woman's he'd ever heard,  and gave the impression of her living in a swamp somewhere.

"No!" 8-Ball howled back, making Will wince. He didn't see the teenage master much these days since he started shadowing his father at his casino, a fact that Will was grateful for. "I want it now!"

"Sweetheart, we talked about this. You're not set to inherit the casino until you're twenty-one, and even then we'll still have to see how business is. We can get you a pony, remember how happy you were when you got Maultooth all those years ago? It'll have eight legs this time, too!"

"That casino's mine!" 8-Ball stood up straight out of his seat, picked up the tea tray, and threw it furiously against the wall behind him. Will and Mrs. Pool both startled at the sudden crash, and Will waited for what he knew was coming next.

"You! Clean that up!"

He sighed. There it was.

Will trudged over and began collecting the shards of china with his bare hands, knowing he would be reprimanded if he want back for a dustpan. Hopefully he wouldn't cut himself too badly.

"Father doesn't even know what he's doing! He just doesn't want to admit that I should be the one in charge!"

"Just wait until you have a little more experience under your belt, start small-"

"Father's been letting humans into the casino!  Our casino, run by the purest of the demon families!" 8-Ball scoffed. "If I had it my way, we'd have just done away with their filthy race the moment we arrived here."

Will's fists trembled. Sometimes he wished he could grab 8-Ball by the neck and squeeze, squeeze until no more grating whines came out of his throat ever again. But Will had to keep his cool, or else he and his brothers would be living out on the streets.