Under My Skin...

[Wyll Wyldclay]

Continuing their whistling, Wyll Wyldclay made their way down through the levels of the house, deeper than most had a reason to go. This was deep down in the bowels, the very functional bits and bobs. Both the physical -- the wiring, structural supports, the plumbing -- and the more...esoteric aspects of the house's functionality were down here. Lines of runes and wards in languages obscure and forgotten, foul-smelling substances of dubious origin -- whatever the Society needed to protect itself was put into place here.

With nimbleness granted by experience, the Wyldclay weaved their way around the wards, careful to not disturb anything, as they walked their way down, down, down.

[Wyll Wyldclay]

It was, perhaps surprisingly, the more mundane parts of the infrastructure the Wyldclay was headed for, with the grin plastered to their face.

"Ah, good, I caught you. Hanging in there?" they asked, giggling to themselves.

One section of pipe lay on the ground, disconnected from the grander plumbing. In it's place was Will Stanton, his mouth stretched wide and fused to the pipe ahead of him, clay melding into the ceramic of the pipe almost imperceptibly. That would be bad enough, but the external mainline emerging from behind him left him dangling helplessly in midair, his muffled response to the Wyldclay further muffled by the sound of rushing water.

"Yes, yes, those are all very good points, but you never ask me about my day," the Wyldclay scoffed. "It's alright, I forgive you. I couldn't stay mad, anyway; I have had the most wonderful realization."

[Wyll Wyldclay]

The Wyldclay gripped the back of Will's head, tugging on his hair as he pulled the shifter free; an audible *pop* as the seal between his lips and the water pipe broke. Will sputtered and gasped a little bit, dramatically, but Wyll ignored that as they continued.

"Something happened, you know? Whatever it was that made you special and unique? It's back. And this time, I could feel it; an electric tingle from my head to my toes. You know what that means, right?"

Will opened his mouth to answer, but the Wyldclay quickly moved to pinch his lips shut with one hand, using their other arm to squeeze Will out and make sure he was fully emptied.

"It means it was working the whole time. Oh, we have so much to catch up on; so much to do from here on out! We'll have to work triple time to make up for lost time, but, well, we shall attack it with an enthusiasm hitherto unknown to mankind, won't we?" the Wyldclay grinned, patting Will on the back. "When we're done with each other, we'll be whole new men. Or something like that."

[Wyll Wyldclay]

_______________

--Later, Elsewhere--

The Wyldclay paused mid-step, and then grinned.

"See, I ~told~ you it would work. It just took a couple more run throughs than expected," they said, rocking back and forth on their heels. "Not that we're close to finishing yet, mind you, and we might have to slide our timescale up, but I think we're making some progress here. After all, can't you feel it? The portal open again?"

The Wyldclay slid one foot out of his shoe, glancing down at the squashed frame of Will Stanton inside. "Oh, still not being talkative today? That's OK. That's good, after all. Just keep that mind switched off and live for the moment, mein freund, and the Wyldclay will take care of everything," they grinned, slamming their foot back in and continuing on their way.

[Wyll Wyldclay]

♪♫ No more worries, no more wandering
Life's a breeze when you're a thing
Oh the joy it surely brings
When you're nothing but a thing ♪♫

Tap dancing may not be the most pleasant experience when one is a shoe.

♪♫Here in my universe, where all my magic sings
I found a familiar face whose better of as things
And with a little bit of elbow grease, and a little tough love
The two of us will work together like my hand in your glove!

Better as a thing, oh how this new style fits
My molding clay wonder trapped in my midst.
Better as a thing, oh you'll find the full delight
As a cup, or as a hat, or as a lantern bright! ♪♫

Oh god. It's a patter song.. Rapid fire, tongue dancing around the beat...

♪♫ Your spirit, my friend? Well it just can't be tamed. I know this of course, because we are the same.
Two peas in a pod, two clays in the wild, with desires unspeakable, loathed and reviled
We come towards the same point by two different paths, following rules to avoid our God's wraths
But as we limit ourselves to fit other's demands, we find that our lives are torn our our hands

Sworn by my oath to Titania and Oberon, I'm cursed to forever be one who's relied upon
Cursed to obey with no Will of my own, following orders like a glorified drone
The Wyldclay rules when nobody sees 'em, free to pull pranks and spread patented mayhem
But at word of a king or beggar or child, I quickly am tamed; no longer am Wyld.

That's why our clays must now become one, because you have free Will where I just have none
To sit there and smile and have my own mind; it's a dream that I've had and will have when combined
No more mindless obeying from this honest Puck; with a mind of my own I can make my own luck
Freedom and power is what I desire; what you take for granted I'm hoping to hire

But never believe that I don't pay my dues; I too know the joy that it is to be used
A world of submission makes everything clearer; but you're too afraid, you just hide in your mirror
They just do not get it; they can't understand; the freedom and peace of obeying command
They all only see you as a foe or a friend, and never as a means to be used towards an end

They'll try, oh they'll try, to please and to humor you, but there's just some pools that a horse can't be driven to
Your most secret shames, your inner desires; I'll help you fulfill them and stoke all your fires
By taking your clay, my freedom I gain, and in fair return, I shall grant you my chains
You want to shut down; you want them to be rough; you want them to know that you're only their stuff.

A happy medium, is what we must find -- you with your Will and me with my mind.
We two become one; this must come to pass. Why else would I keep you pinned under my ass?
With our powers combined, we will both become better, so just keep on obeying my word to the letter
Give in to enjoyment, let your desires sing, for we both know that you are just better...as...a thing ♪♫

The Wyldclay kicked their shoe off, catching it in midair as it lengthened to form a cane, re-entering the more melodic portion of the song for the finale.

♪♫ Shift and change and take new shapes
Bound to my whims, there's no escape
Hear my laugh! It's pure delight
As you change from night to night

Used to have a mind, now it's just my play
A shoe for my feet every single day
Change you into a chair for my weary rest
Who knew being things was the very best?

Just try and relax, Will, we both know you love it
A little degradation; and I'm not above it
Empty your mind and let your true heart ring...

For your friend Wyldclay knows *da da*
Which way the wind blows *da da*
There's no need to brownnose *da da*
Your queen of the dead crows *da da*
You don't have to disclose *da da*
The life you never chose *da da*

Life is better when you're just a thiiiiing!

Yeah...♪♫