Outside

Chapter 6: Strain

Will sat back from the screen, stretching. 'I wouldn't believe any of this if not for already seeing Scout.' He scrolled back up to the top of the doc, clicking the save icon. 'Even then, it doesn't really seem real.'

Speaking of the Puppet, Will looked over to the couch. From underneath it, he could make out two large, yellow eyes. They made eye contact and with a blink they disappeared. 'She's kind of like a cat, if said cat was evil and wanted to eat my soul.'

Stacy, on the other hand, had her head lying limp on the table, a single slice of pizza sitting next to her. It looked barely touched, which worried him a little. Normally he couldn't keep her off the pizza. With a sigh, Will stood and moved to sit across from her.

"So." He waited until she'd shifted her to stare up at him with a single eye. "Evil voodoo Puppets."

"Yep." She deadpanned.

"Mind-raping, soul-eating, evil voodoo Puppets."

"Yep."

"And you decided to bring one home. Of your own free will."

"Why do you doubt me?" Stacy asked, exhausted, as she finally sat up all the way. I know what I'm doing. Mostly."

"I just want to know why you don't seem to think that thing under the couch isn't controlling you somehow." He told her. "Stacy, I trust you, I really do. But you said it yourself it was supposed to mind control you. How do you know it still can't?!"

"Uh, because if she was we'd still be in the HQ, and you'd be a widower." Stacy said.

"Not married yet. I'd just be single." He didn't even crack a smile, and the serious tone made the woman wilt. "I'm being serious here, Stace. How do you know for sure?"

Stacy didn't answer, instead turning slightly to stare at the wall. "I don't know." She admitted quietly. "I just... I don't think she can do that anymore. I wasn't joking when I said we'd still be there if she could."

Will just sighed. Personally, he didn't trust the sock puppet an ounce. But, he did trust his girlfriend beyond that, so he decided to trust her with this. 'God, I just hope she knows what she's talking about.'

Outwardly, however, he said "Fine, then I'm gonna trust you on that. But if she hurts anyone at all, she's getting the Hammer."

"William!" Stacy scolded, but he double downed.

"I mean it Stace! I am not going through this bullshit again! She gets the Hammer, and we move on with our lives." Will told her. "I know she's your friend, but I refuse to let her put anyone in danger."

Stacy opened her mouth to argue, then scowled and crossed her arms. Even if she didn't like it. she had to admit he had a point. Scout could very well be lying about anything and everything. Just because she was friendly, didn't mean she wasn't an evil voodoo Puppet.

"Fine." She finally ground out, fixing him with her best Death Glare. "But for now she's harmless, so you'd better treat her nice."

"I'll be civil." He promised, and her expression softened just a bit.

"Good." And that was probably the best she was going to get out of him. She watched as he opened the pizza box, only to stare in surprise.

"Did you seriously eat almost all of the pizza?!" He asked, as he looked between her and the mostly empty box. Stacy just shrugged.

"Scout really likes pizza, apparently." She explained, glancing towards the couch. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she thought through the possible effects of this. "Like, really likes it. A lot."