"Not exactly. They won't be trying to destroy the world, catastrophe is just what happens when they exist and don't have a master. Each of them does its thing, because it is their nature."

"So how do you stop it? Just go pick up a bunch of cards? How long does it take before they actually start destroying things, and why isn't this one doing it yet?"

"If you used this one to scatter the others, then it recognises you as its master; Windy is very agreeable. And the cards will be dormant until they're not, and then they'll be in their true forms, which are not cards, and which you must subdue, capture, and turn back into cards." He stands up. Given his size, that's not much of a difference. "You will have to do it!"

'They'll be dormant until they're not'... Wow, funny, that.

"I didn't exactly use it on purpose." he grouches. "How bad are they when in their 'true forms'? And what do you mean 'its master'...? I don't exactly want to become a slave-master."

"...what?"

"'What' to what part? I picked the card up, laughed at the name, then a gust of wind took the cards; that wasn't my intention. And I happen to have some issues with being the master to a bunch of slaves."

"Slaves? But—they're cards!"

"Yeah, magical cards. Which have been trapped in a book for a long while, and that you say have enough free will to be able to decide to use the magic on their own, and apparently cause a catastrophe!"

Cerberus blinks and sits again. "No, that's not how they work," he says, shaking his head a bit. "They don't decide to use magic, they are the magic. Windy doesn't decide to do anything any more than wind does. Wind is, and so is Windy. The same is true of all other cards. Like—" He fumbles for an example, looks around, then points at Theo's shadow. "Does your shadow decide to follow you around?"

"... No? But it doesn't display signs of being intelligent, just mirroring me and doing exactly nothing else, whereas it sounds like these cards do other things? Especially since you're talking about them recognising me as their master."

"Well, but—dogs! Dogs recognise people as their master, and they do other things!"

"Yeah, and do you see me trying to enslave a dog? Imprisoning it in a little box somewhere, without any interaction with the outside world?"

...Cerberus sighs. "No, but it's different. Look, I've been in that book for a hundred years and you don't see me complaining, do you? It's different."

"... Did you not volunteer for the job? Did the magic guy just enslave you, too? Surely there was a better option than imprisoning a bunch of cards with personalities and then enslaving a magical creature to keep guard."

"No, he made me! Keeping guard is what I'm for!" He stands up again and starts pacing, which is quite a comical sight. "I don't know how to explain this," he says, scratching his head. Pause. "I know!" he says, turning to look at Theo and pointing at him. "You will talk to Windy."

"They can talk? How exactly does that make them like dogs!?" he shouts, probably a bit loudly.

"You'll see what I mean!"

"Ugh! Fine," he growls. "How do I talk to Windy?"

"Stand over there!" he says, pointing at an empty spot in the middle of the floor.

He walks over there, mostly keeping his eyes on Cerberus.

"Now wait!"

...and after a few seconds, Cerberus starts glowing around the edges, eyes closed. Waiting.

Theo keeps looking on suspiciously, but doesn't seem too startled; if magic looks a bit magical, it's not exactly the most surprising thing in the world.

Then something in the distance... a falling star?

...that's approaching pretty fast. Before Theo can react, a glowing point of light has entered his room through his window and is floating in front of him. As it stops glowing, it's recognisable as... a rather peculiar key.

"What's your name?" Cerberus asks.

"What, me? Or does this key also have a personality? Perhaps you're asking it," he says sarcastically.

"This is no time for jokes! Yes, you!"