Phoebe glowered into the mass of languid tentacles where she assumed the thing's eyes were. "May I ask why not?"
It withdrew its tongue back in its mouth and let out a throaty chuckle. "You may."
Another awkward silence stretched out.
"Why not?"
"I don't feel like it."
Phoebe facepalmed, and the thing leaned back, moving back to its full height, cackling madly. "Oh!" It exclaimed. "Oh, your face!"
A single tentacle writhed slowly under the rest, wriggling under those above its stubbed snout and withdrawing slightly more moist than it started. A single droplet of said moisture dripped off its tip as it flopped back where it was. The mad thing continued to cackle, standing perfectly still otherwise. It towered over Phoebe.
At this point, Phoebe was more annoyed than anything else. "Well, if you're going to be of no help, then I'll just go."
It froze, immediately going dead silent. "Fine." It sounded somehow slightly angry. "I'll help. But I've got conditions."
Phoebe shivered, the cold and the sudden reminder of the possible danger of the situation getting to her. "State them."
"You spend a time without your memories. Just to have a baseline to work with. Right now you're reeling from a loss you can only picture. It's a very confusing circumstance to be in. Take some time. Recover from your loss and see what comes when you try to rebuild without what you've lost."
Phoebe hesitated. "I..."
It continued onward, completely trampling her verbally. "Next, you have to bring me with you everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. I'm never to be more than a mile away from you at all times. If ever you get further under your own volition, I abandon you and you may never find your memories again."
Phoebe tried to speak up again, but was completely unacknowledged.
"Lastly, you are to name me. This will allow us a connection by which I may track you and keep you safe until you no longer need me. It's been far too long since I've had a proper name or someone to name me."
Phoebe remained silent, waiting. When, after a moment, it seemed clear she was allowed to speak this time, she did so. "I don't know. What do you get out of it?"
It grinned again, all trace of anger gone from its voice. "Something to do. It's been a long time since I've been bound by anything, least of all an obligation."
"And that's... interesting to you?"
"It is at this point!"
Phoebe hesitated. It would undoubtedly prove at least somewhat helpful to have a companion. But is this... thing... really the best option?
It sat, its haunches folding under it slightly. Its grinning teeth parted again as it spoke. "I'm your only option right now."
Phoebe started. Can it read my mind?
"Yes. If It suits me."
She bit her lip. Why should I trust this thing? For all I know, it's the reason I have no memories. Then again, I do have no memories. How would I know the difference?
She looked at the thing measuredly. "Stay out of my mind for a few minutes. I need to think without the pressure of you listening in."
It shrugged in that peculiar way it had and turned about, spinning in place.
Deciding that that would have to be good enough, Phoebe returned to her reverie. Let's think about this carefully. What do I really have to lose? ...I guess I don't know, and that's half the problem. But this doesn't sound like the kind of deal that I can walk away from and come back to later. It doesn't seem like it wants to hurt me, but it seems... wrong. Broken, somehow. I don't think I can really trust it. And I'll have to, if it's going to be around all the time.
An idea occured to Phoebe. Wait. What if I were to add my own conditions?
She looked carefully at it as it sat, its broad, starved back turned towards her. She cleared her throat, and it spun back around in place and looked towards her with its snout. "Yeeees?"
Here goes nothing. "I have conditions, too."
"Fair enough."
"You're not allowed to hurt me, or anyone I don't want you to hurt."
"Mmh."
"You're not allowed to touch me without my invitation."
"Well, duh."
"Finally, if I ask a question, you have to answer it."
It let out a sound like a barely suppressed chuckle. Its rotten voice rose as the chuckle built to a loud snicker, then continued to build until it was again cackling madly, rocking backwards slightly as if weakened by the force of its own mirth. It choked out a response between breaths, barely managing, "That... that... won't... be... a problem."
Phoebe frowned. "Accursed Cackle."
It suddenly fell silent. "Oh? That's startlingly apt. I like it."
Phoebe tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"
"Very well! Having been named, I declare our pact sealed!"
A wind rose from the depths of the cave, and the moonlight seemed to be pulled along with the wind, causing the shadows to deepen. Phoebe raised her arms, shielding herself, and lost sight of the thing for a moment as the darkness overtook her vision. When the wind died down, she looked around, but saw no one but a young man in the cave mouth with her. He grinned, and stretched out his hand towards her.
"Well, Phoebe, it's nice to meet you. The name's Cackle. Accursed Cackle. No takesies-backsies"