"Me and Path are the same person," says Isabella. "If something happens to one of us, it happens to the other. And of course nobody except other daemons can touch him, outside of extremely special circumstances that do not obtain. But - well. I guess if you didn't grow up with a Path of your own it might not seem worth it."

"If you live in a world with no other daemons, it's not worth it," says Kas.

"You might want to mention the no-touching rule earlier when you talk to us zombie-types," says Shell Bell. "I didn't reach out and pet Path because it seemed like it would be rude, not because I was aware of any metaphysical reason not to."

"...I will bring that up first the next time me and Path are introduced to someone without a daemon or with an internal daemon. Thank you," says Isabella. "Maybe I'll just leave him home. Only I'm not sure if separation will stretch safely across worlds, so perhaps I oughtn't dare... and of course Kas doesn't have that option at all."

Petaal shifts from linsang to snake.

"Being a daemon in a world with no other daemons would be lonely," says Petaal. "And nobody would know not to touch you."

"A lot of daemons don't even like to talk to non-daemons," Path says. "I don't mind, but Capasyllin does. That's our teacher's daemon."

"Yeah, I don't really understand that," says Petaal. "But it's true."

"So I guess we won't go to your world and see if it externalizes our souls?" says Bell.

"That seems best, yeah. If we're waiting however long for magic to... infect?... you... is there a way I can go back and get my notebook or something so I can continue drafting my spell?"

"Just get Kas to hold the door for you," Bell says. "And then you can come right back with whatever you grab."

"Sure," says Kas. And, teasingly: "Try not to write on the tables."

"I'm not going to write on the tables." Isabella heads for the door, cloud-pine sweeping behind her and Path back in his place on her shoulder. She opens the door, confirms that it leads to her room, and makes the handoff to Kas.

Kas holds the door cheerfully enough.

Isabella goes and scoops up her notes, and jots down what she had on the wall that isn't duplicated in the book, too, and then back to the bar she goes.

"Is that what they call you?" he inquires of Kas.

"It's what she calls me," he says, smiling. "I like it okay. Are you the guy Bell shot? You must be the guy Bell shot."

"I am the guy Bell shot," the Joker agrees. "C'mere, sweetie, let me look at you." He reaches out and puts his hands on Kas's elbows to draw him closer, avoiding contact with Petaal either by luck or by design, it's not clear which.

"Why did you want Shell Bell to shoot you?" asks Isabella.

"Mm," he says, "I figured if I was gonna give her all my guns she'd better know what to do with 'em."

Petaal becomes a tiny, tiny dog and perches higher up on Kas's shoulder. Kas rests his hands against the Joker's chest and gazes in absolute fascination at his scars.