"Your mother is useless, you know that?"

"I would not call her useless."

"She's not working, she ain't cooking, she ain't talking, blue hell, she's doing the opposite of cleaning. What could she possibly be doing for you?"

"Being Mere."

Ray swats away a bit of the slime covering the floor. "You want a dog? Something that loves you? We can get you a dog. Actually, a cat, it'll act more like your mother, standing creepily on your couch and making weird noises."

"I do not want a dog or a cat. It wouldn't be the same."

Mere sniffs in the direction of Ray and makes a bubbling noise.

"Look at this thing called your mother. She's a suffering thing. Put her down. Imagine how much energy you can get out of her."

"I wouldn't do that."

"Of course you wouldn't, you won't do anything." Ray circles Monsieur. "You can't afford to put her somewhere, you can't afford to keep doing nothing."

"You, and your mother are going to die in this pit!"

"I will figure out what to do."

"The whole damn world's going to fall apart by the time you do anything!"

"If that's how long it takes, then I, and Madam, will be ok."

"Madam this, Madam that, where is Ray in your little plans? You know I've been doing everything in my power to do shit for you, and everyone else, and where is my thanks? My "good job"?"

"I'll have you know, I sold the company recently. Got me a nice cushy title, got you one too."

"You don't own the company, you cannot sell it."

"You think ownership is going to stop me? Herr is mangled!"

"He's fine."

"He can't talk, he can't walk, he doesn't know what's going on! He's good as dead, and all cause of your girlfriend!"

Monsieur eyes Mere from the corner of his eyes.

"Herr is fine."

"That woman, and your mother made you delusional....."

"If you won't kill your mother, I'll do it."

"Don't do that."

"Your life would be better. Clean living room, won't have to feed her, might even get a little light in this room for once. Plus, all the energy you can harvest. You won't have to think about food for months. Name one reason why you don't want her dead."

"......."

"Because I like Mother."

"That's the only excuse you have?"

"Will you respect that?"

"....Sure."

Ray trots into Monsieur's room, where he has been sleeping the past few days. "Whatever! Whatever my good pal Monsieur wants. Just throw my attempts to better your damn life out the window."

Monsieur follows behind. "The reason why I didn't think of helping you, is because you did not ask. You should not help people who do not ask for help."

"You telling me if you see a man struggling to push a box you ain't going to help him? That the type of guy you are?"

"Asking for help is simple."

"You should try it."

"Well I don't agree with that." Ray whips his tail against the floor. "You see something that needs to be done, you do it. Can't trust these other idiots to do what's good for them. Whole place would be falling apart if it weren't for me!"

"Yet everyone acts like they hate me for it."

"Because you do things when they didn't ask, Ray."

Ray glides near the unfinished puzzle in Monsieur's room. "Like wouldn't you want help with this?"

"No. Because me and Madam are working on that puzzle."

"This shit is always unfinished when I see it."

"She keeps getting distracted."

"Which is fine."

"Do you want a puzzle?"

"Of course that airhead can't pay attention to a puzzle longer than a few minutes....No, I don't want a shitty puzzle." Ray climbs into bed.

Monsieur is sure Ray wants a puzzle, but says nothing. "Goodnight, Ray. I hope you do what you need to do." Monsieur climbs onto the other side of the bed to sleep.

"You can bet on that, buddy."

"The sun is too bright today."

Monsieur stumbles through the living room. Something is....off. He turns around and spots Mere laying on the floor.

"......................................"

"Ah. Mother is dead."

Monsieur stares at the clock on the wall. "......................................................"

"I have to go to work."