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pi-cat000 · 2 years ago

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MSA time travel idea (part 44)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Vivi POV, 8, 9, 10, Lewis POV, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, Lance POV 18, 19, Lewis POV 2, 21 , 22, Vivi POV 2, 24, 25 Lewis POV 3, Mystery POV , Vivi POV 3, 29, Lewis POV 4, 31, ViVi POV 4 , 33, 34, Lewis POV 5, Mystery POV 2, Lewis POV 6, Vivi POV 5, Lewis POV 7 Vivi POV 6 Vivi POV 7 42 43

Part 45 here?

...

When Arthur blinks back awake his head is heavy like it has been filled with cotton and there is a persistent throbbing soreness to his shoulder. Out of habit, he checks his arm. It is still his arm and still attached to his shoulder. The dull pain is from a shotgun wound and not a recent amputation. After several years of arm-related pains and aches, it is a familiar enough sensation. Easily ignored. Best to just go back to sleep and let the world fade away. Everything is better when he is not awake to feel the press of guilt weighing on his throughs. Fittingly, it is this same guilt that drags him into a more coherent state.

He can’t drift back to sleep yet.

What right does he have to sleep when his Uncle and Lewis might never wake up? For all he knew his last conversation with Vivi had been a hallucination conjured by his exhausted brain and his Uncle was dead and Lewis possessed.

He shifts his attention to the room, immediately spying Vivi sitting at his bedside. The room is quiet enough that he can hear her finger tapping aggressively across her phone. She is hunched under Lewis’s oversized jacket, reading something on her phone, her brow creased into a scowl. The dirt on her face is gone and her shirt is a lighter shade of blue so enough time has passed for Vivi to leave the hospital, get changed, and come back.

He clears his throat to catch her attention, watching how a faint smile tugs at the corners of Vivi’s mouth when their eyes meet. Like she is happy to see him or something.

“Are Lew…” he immediately breaks into a coughing fit before fumbling for the half-full cup at his bedside, shrugging away Vivi’s attempt at helping and gulping the water down.

He clears his throat again.

“Lewis and Uncle Lance? Are they…” alive?

Vivi’s smile falls away, settling into a more neutral line of worry.

“Lance is still in intensive care, but only because he needs a ventilator. The nurse in his ward says he’ll be moved out today as long as there is no further complications with his injuries. As for Lewis’s situation…” She breaths out, face crumpling ever so briefly, “there’s been no change. He’s still in a coma…”

“Do you think I can see them?” Maybe it’s dumb but Arthur wants to confirm with his own eyes that they are both alive. He attempts to wiggle upright and finds it difficult from his prone position.

“I can’t see why not. They’re in different parts of the hospital so it’s a bit of a walk.” Vivi looks him over, gaze critical. Pain spikes in his chest and he fumbles for the bed’s remote knocking over the now empty cup, so it tumbles to the ground.

“…we should ask a nurse first,” she amends, catching the remote before he can knock it off the table as well. She offers it to him, and gives a shaky smile. He tries to return the gesture but the expression feels wrong...disconcerting…He lets his eyes drop to focus on the remote, selecting the setting that would raise him into a more upright position.

Vivi’s hand rests against his shoulder, drawing his eyes back to her.

“Just take it easy Arthur. I checked in on Lance not even an hour ago and Nicholas and Maria are with Lewis almost around the clock. They’ll let me know if things change.” She holds up her phone which is lit up with several message notifications, none were from Lewis's parents.

“Right…” Arthur lets himself relax back onto the bed with a weary exhale. “Okay…”

He doesn’t have the energy to make a fuss or press for more. Not with Vivi looking so upset. Arthur doesn’t think-not even in his own timeline- he has ever seen Vivi look so unhappy. But of course, in his timeline, Vivi had complexly forgotten Lewis and it was hard to be sad about something you couldn’t remember.

Their conversation fizzles out and Arthur lets himself fall back onto the bed in favour of staring at the ceiling.

Remembering was better. It had to be better. Right?

Lewis wasn’t in the clear yet. If Lewis died then…then maybe forgetting was better. The ugly thought twists in his chest. Lewis’s disappearance had been the source of so much going wrong in his life. Would he have been better off completely forgetting as well?

“….” Vivi clears her throat and he twitches. Awkwardly, he shifts his attention back to her, realising he was still staring unblinkingly at the ceiling.

“I’ll go ask a nurse and see if we can visit Uncle Lance,” Vivi says, saving him from what would surely have been a clumsy attempt at reassurance.

“Just wait a second… I’ll be right back.”

Not like he could go anywhere. He has nowhere to go.

When Vivi returns she is accompanied by a harried-looking nurse who, despite not appearing pleased, helps Arthur into a wheelchair, impressing upon him the importance of not making an extraneous movement.

Arthur half follows along with the instructions. This isn’t his first time in the hospital with a serious injury. Everything is very familiar including Vivi pulling out her phone to take notes, nodding seriously. Deja vu. He is really starting to hate the feeling.

“…and please stay on hospital grounds.” The nurse finishes after which Vivi asks a few more questions which Arthur doesn’t pay attention to. The energy needed for him to move from his bed into the chair has left him exhausted.

“Arthur. I’m going to push you now. Let me know if anything hurts or if I’m going too fast or something.” Vivi leans over him, filling his field of view.

He takes a long, tired breath. “Sure…”

Vivi bites at her bottom lip, obviously worried. He tries once again to muster up a smile and give her some indication that he appreciates her efforts. Even if said efforts were undeserved.

All he can manage is a grimace.

…..

Lance is alive.

He had known Lance was alive. Why would Vivi lie about that? Seeing that his Uncle was alive in person makes it real.

Arthur leans as far forward as he can while confined to the wheelchair, attempting to see as much of the man as possible. From this low angle, he can see the profile of his uncle’s face and not much else. Despite it being eerily pale his chest is rising and falling in slow rhythmic patterns. There is a heart monitor counting out steady beats. The beeping is loud enough that it thankfully drowns out the soft tick-tick of the clock on the wall. This wasn’t the room Lance had almost died in but it looks similar enough that makes his skin itch. He focuses on the beep beep of the monitor and the soft breaths of his Uncle instead.

Some small, fractured shard in his chest loosens. The demon had failed. Maybe his cursed luck had rubbed off on it while it occupied Arthur’s body. Maybe Arthur’s unique ability to screw everything up had been passed onto the demon.

Sharing is caring.

He glances away from his Uncle’s chest and up at Vivi who is sitting in the room’s visitor's chair.

She is still chewing at her bottom lip, watching Lance. When she notices him watching, she turns, looking like she wants to ask a question. An uncomfortable question going by her hesitation. There is no shortage of possible topics. Arthur has barely explained anything.

She doesn’t ask her question and Arthur turns back to his Uncle. They both sit in unbroken silence.

…

The hallway between his and his Uncle's rooms has large windows with a view onto a half-paved, half-gravel courtyard. The open-air courtyard separates the hospital’s two main buildings and access to the adjacent research centre. Arthur can't help but let his eyes be drawn to the space. The sun outside is directly overhead, meaning everything is blindingly bright, making the hospital’s interior dim by comparison. Benches and tables are clustered around two sprawling trees at its centre. All were occupied by groups of off-duty doctors, nurses, and researchers. Nobody wanted to sit on the benches placed along the perimeter and under the hash midday sun.

Vivi follows his gaze. “Do you want to go outside?”

Arthur shrugs.

....

They end up sitting on the bench closest to the building entrance, barely shaded in the lea of the hospital. Well, Vivi sits on the beach. Arthur sits in his wheelchair next to her. It doesn’t take long for the sun to beat some warmth into him.

Deja vu all over again. He and Vivi had spent several afternoons sitting in this courtyard, talking themselves in circles trying to figure out what had happened in the Cave. He remembers accidentally trigging one of Vivi’s more severe blackouts on this exact bench trying to get her to remember Lewis. Months later, when Arthur started working on his prosthetic arm at the research centre, Vivi would visit on her lunch breaks and they would eat out here together. He doesn’t know why the memory makes his throat tight.

“It’s a bit hot out,” Vivi comments awkwardly, tugging off Lewis’ jacket to rest across her lap. She eyes him, tilting her head to the side.

“It's nice I guess…the hospital is too cold…” she continues after a beat.

“This place could do with more trees though.” She eyes the space and squints at the sun critically. “There’s not enough shade out here.”

“Yeah…” he agrees in lieu of anything substantial to say. The statement rings familiar. Vivi had complained about the lack of shade in the courtyard back then as well.

He lets out a weary breath, “So…” He might as well do this now while he has some iota of energy. Once he was back in his bed this would be almost impossible.

“So?” Vivi repeats.

“So…do you want to talk about it.”

“It?”

He hesitates, “You want to ask questions, right?” Obviously, she has questions he has barely told her jack, his own mind mocks him.

“That obvious huh?”

“A little …” he winces which has Vivi looking concerned again, “I know when you’ve got something on your mind.”

“I’m just worried.” She gestures at the hospital buildings around them. “about you and Lewis and everything else. It’s…it’s a lot to process.”

“In the future…” He starts, “In my timeline, I lost my arm like Lewis.” It feels like a cruel joke explaining it but, if the information helps, then little discomfort was worth it.

“It happened just after Lewis…ah…” he swallows, deciding that mentioning Lewis’s death probably wasn’t a great idea if his goal was to make Vivi feel better.

He starts again, “The old mines-the cave where I lost my arm- there was no cell reception out there, not up in mountains. Vivi, my Vivi, had to drive me to the main road so I probably lost just as much if not more blood. It took a few days, but I still woke up abet missing a few key memories. Hopefully, it’ll be the same for Lewis…i mean he’s a lot bigger than me...more blood?”

Shiny blue eyes meet his, unsure, conflicted.

“Lewis should wake up,” he clarifies, “hopefully not missing any important memories. The missing memory thing kind of sucked…a lot…” He tails off lamely, swallowing again to help with his dry throat. Understatement of the century. What if Lewis ended up with memory problems like Vivi? God, if Lewis forgets anyone let it be him and not Vivi. Please don’t let Lewis forget Vivi. Unease sits about him like a well-worn coat.

Vivi sighs, “I…” She shifts to sit a little straighter like she was physically pushing aside their combined gloom, “yeah…I hope so too.”

Arthur grimaces. He had always been terrible at cheering Vivi up. “You can ask more questions. I…I’ll answer them now.”

“I do have a few,” Vivi agrees, and lets a long, frustrated breath, “Okay…I have more than a few questions.” Another pause. “Actually, I have nothing but questions really.” Her open mouth clicks shut and he finds himself the subject of a scrutinising stare. She is scanning his face for something…he doesn’t know what.

“I promise I will answer?” He tries to inject some enthusiasm into the statement, but his voice sounds just as thin and tired as he feels. Vivi’s stare turns troubled.

“I mean…” Arthur starts again, “I’ll tell the truth. I did promise I would."

“That’s not….” Vivi interrupts and frowns. She takes a breath, “I don’t want people lying to me and that includes lies of omission. But look, just rest, get better, and tell me when you’re ready. I know about time travel and the body snatcher. I have Mystery to answer the more general questions now he's actually telling me stuff. You just focus on recovery.”

She nods to herself and sits back on the bench satisfied.

“I’m fine,” he reassures. “Just ask away…hmm…some of it isn’t very pleasant but I’m fine.” If he repeats it enough times maybe it would come true as if that strategy had ever worked for him.

“...” Vivi raises a brow, giving him one of her ‘do you seriously think I’ll believe that’ looks.

“I am fine.” He defends.

Vivi huffs, crossing her arms, “I thought you said you’d be telling the truth.”

Arthur grimaces, “That’s not fair. I’m fine enough for this.”

“You’re really not.”

“I mean…aside from the bullet wound I’m fine. Just ask me anything.” And now he just sounds desperate. Great. Why does Vivi pick this to be adamant about?

Vivi just scans him again, silent, scrutinising, like she is trying to decide what question to ask. It is a familiar expression.

“Arthur. Are we friends?”

Arthur blinks. “What?” Not the question he had expected.

“In the future are we friends?”

“Yes. Of course, we are, were, friends. You've always been my best friend,”

“I’m still your friend, right?”

“Ah…” Arthur hesitates because…because he doesn’t know what to say. Were they friends? Did Vivi still want to be friends? Why, after all his lying and the trouble he caused, would she still want to be friends? His hesitation does him no favours because Vivi is now a mix of indignant and worried.

“Maybe?” He answers. Vivi’s whole forehead lifts in disbelief.

“I mean…Yes?” He tries again.

“Then stop acting like we’re not,” Vivi bites, anger colouring her voice before she takes a calming breath and confirms, “We’re friends.”

She uncrosses her arms, turning so she can give the side of this wheelchair a light tap, “and as your friend, I want you to take it easy. If you’re set on telling me everything, then we can do it later. There will be time for explanations and questions. I’m not going anywhere.”

Oh no. He was not waiting for later. If he didn’t say something now he’d never have the courage to say it. It was now or never.

“The other Arthur, the one original Arthur from this timeline, he wanted to go on the supernatural-themed road trip originally, before I came back and replaced him.” He begins, ignoring Vivi's attempt at interrupting.

“We painted the van and put on that Mystery Skull logo like you always wanted. It even turned out looking pretty cool. Technically I didn’t lie about being afraid of supernatural stuff. Everything bad in our lives started on that road trip and none of it was normal or explainable. I didn’t want you and Lewis to get hurt.”

Arthur scrambles to reorder the sorry saga into something that was somewhat chronological, trying to separate the two timelines out in his head so he could cover any major differences. He could skip the majority of the road trip. He barely remembered enough of the good parts to recap them anyway.

“The road trip ended with Lewis disappearing you see, and I didn’t want a repeat of that. It didn’t work. You both got hurt anyway. Sorry.” He mutters the last bit like saying sorry made any difference.

“Arthur…” Vivi tries to interrupt again but Arthur pushes on.

“We solved mysteries, saw way too many lame roadside attractions, went to every haunted diner between here and California and no one got food poisoning … It was a good road trip. Your…ah…your itinerary was spot on.”

Vivi’s expression is now pinched, pained. He gives a weak almost-smile which Vivi doesn’t return. He quickly looks away, staring at his lap, mouth dry.

He swallows and chokes out, “Then there was the Demon. The Cave. No more arm. No more Lewis. Haha.” Even to his own ears his laugh sound hollow. His chest hurts and he takes a shuddering breath.

“I didn’t remember Lewis dying. Not at first. Not for a long while. Traumatic amnesia will do that apparently.”

Too much of a coward…locking away the memories of his role in Lewis’s death. If not for the demon, who knows if he would have ever remembered?

“Everyone tried to tell me Lewis was gone, but I didn’t listen. Guess I just didn’t want to believe it. To me, it was like he had just vanished. Poof. I always knew something was off about it. Something more to the story than Lewis getting lost in a cave and...and succumbing to exposure somewhere where none of the search parties could find him…I was only partially right."

He blinks rapidly to clear incoming tears. With no demon to dull this physical response, it feels like he reliving that moment of realisation all over again. The grief feels like a lead brick sitting in his chest.

“and Vivi got hit with some memory curse. The memory curse was our running theory because it targeted her memories of Lewis specifically. She forget him, everything about him and most things associated with him. It was too specific to be anything normal. It had to be a curse because a curse was better than brain damage or anomalous, medically inexplicable, memory loss triggered by a traumatic event. At least a curse might have been curable. No one believed us.”

And why would they have believed him? Arthur had barely believed it himself.

“It was bad in the beginning when no one knew what was wrong. We would mention Lewis’s name and you would just not register it or check out like a real-life blue screen. You barely recognised his parents. Anything that reminded you of him kind of zonked you out. After we discovered what was triggering it…” he swallows the familiar old sting of helpless frustration ignites, adding to his grief, “At least we knew what to avoid talking about."

“Once I recovered enough from losing my arm we went searching... ” He chokes out and stops talking because he physically can’t continue.

A glance at Vivi shows that she is understandably upset, her face slightly paler despite the sun's heat.

“I’m guessing convincing me to search for a person I didn’t remember wasn’t easy,” She mumbles and her voice also sounds wobbly like she’s trying to not cry.

He quickly looks away, sniffing back tears and pushing on, “You do like to ask questions and know things. I used to say we were searching for your memories…it was close enough to the truth. I thought that maybe, if we found Lewis, the memories would all come back. I was kind of desperate.”

It had always been a farfetched goal. The kind of goal that sprung from desperate hope. Hope so painful it kept him awake at night on the rare occasions the nightmares didn’t. Hope that he would carefully tuck away in the morning to prevent Vivi from catching on to the fact that something was terribly wrong.

It feels oddly freeing to voice this to Vivi now. He had clung to the belief that finding Lewis would break some mysterious curse and return all Vivi’s missing memories for so long that he had grown afraid that any points to the contrary would cause his motivation to crumble. It had always been a point of tension between him and Vivi. He wishes he could have explained it back then. Back when it mattered.

“Was saving Lewis the reason you came back?”

Arthur blinks rapidly to clear his vision and glances to the side, “No. It wasn’t. Like I said, I didn’t know Lewis was gone gone until I was…” He stops, wincing and swallowing, “I was already here in that past when I found out he was..d..dead.”

“I don’t know how I came back. We were out on one of our investigations looking for Lewis and we ran into this…Tree creature…looked like a human-shaped tree…. I hit it with the van by accident. It’s kind of hard to remember now...” He slowly sorts through half-truths. His encounter with Lewis directly after hitting the Tree Lady dwarfed everything else in his mind, making the strange attack seem barely important. He hardly remembers events between seeing Lewis at his ghost mansion and crashing into Kingsman Mechanics.

“I ended up crashing the van...” Arthur stops, stalling. Then Lewis killed him…his brain helpfully supplies.

All his fault…he had wanted Lewis dead. So weak and pathetic. It was only fair that Lewis return the favour.

“...and I woke up in my bed. At home. In this body. Two years in the past…” He finishes quickly.

“The demon…”

“Body snatcher.” Vivi corrects. “Don’t call it a demon,” she explains, “Calling it a demon makes it sound impressive. That thing was a parasitic asshole.”

“Ri…Right,” The venom in Vivi’s voice has him restarting, “The… body snatcher…” He shakes off his discomfort and the undercurrent of fear. Arthur remembers how annoyed the demon had been when Vivi called it a body snatcher and a small part of him worries...

“It was just as surprised to find out about the time travel and was really interested in how I did it. I...I didn’t know anything useful …It, ah, went through my memories pretty throwaway so I got nothing…not even subconsciously. The…body snatcher…ah…found the memory of me pushing Lewis of a cliff…in the cave…that’s how I, ah, know I killed Lewis. The demon found the memory and showed me.”

There is a sharp movement and rustling next him and Vivi stands up. Then the crunch of gravel. Arthur tilts his head up to see Vivi standing in front of him, leaning over. She reaches out to put one hand on each of Arthur’s shoulder, grip relaxed so as not to aggravate his injury. She holds him at arm’s length, scanning his face, her expression intense.

“Stop that." She commands.

“Stop what?” Arthur responds dumbly.

“Stop saying you killed Lewis.”

“I…”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“You weren’t there. You can’t know that.”

“I know enough.”

“But…” the words stick again, “that’s just it! You don’t know. You don’t know everything…I…I haven’t told you everything yet. When I tell you, you’ll agree with me.” When he looks up the sun is high enough in the sky that it turns Vivi into a darkened outline, stirring up hazy half-forgotten deams.

He squints up at the blurry Vivi-shaped outline but can’t make out her face. The word around him is too blindingly bright to make out anything.

“It’ll be okay Arthur. Just explain what happened. I’ll understand...We all make mistakes.”

He deliberately averts his eyes, muttering, “Why are you both so stubborn.”

Vivi obviously hears because she pulls back and frowns. Then, slowly, she reaches out with one hand to touch his cheek. Arthur, confused, also reaches up with his uninjured arm to put his hand over hers. Vivi brings her other hand around so she is squeezing both his cheeks together, scanning his face.

“We’re not different people. Me and your 'future Vivi' are the same person. Just like you’re still my Arthur.”

He doesn't meet her gaze. It is a lot harder to do with her holding his face like this.

"I’m just as much your best friend as she was…”

“…” he doesn’t know what to say so pulls one of her hands away from his cheek.

“Any version of me would care if their friend,” She emphasises the word, retracting her other hand without prompting, straightening “went through something awful. I care. We’re the same.”

“But you’re...we're not. I’m not your friend…” Arthur can’t help but protest even when he knows he should give it up and let Vivi believe what she wants. Arthur never won these sorts of arguments. Better to let everything stew and think up an argument with sounder logic later when Vivi was less worked up.

Frustrated at himself he continues, “I came back to fix things, and everybody was worse off for it. I lied to you. I lied to Lewis. Now Lewis’s arm is gone…That was supposed to be me! I was the one who lost their arm. I hurt Uncle Lance. I killed Darrel! I stabbed him. He was nice. A good guy. He always took my shifts at the workshop when I couldn’t work and I couldn't save him. Just like I couldn't save Lewis. I'm cursed. If I had just not been here, he would be alive.”

“Two years Arthur,” Vivi interrupts, hash now, standing taller, hands on her hips, “You’re two years older. Last I checked, that doesn’t make you a monster so stop acting like I’ll pack up and leave because you aren’t 100%, A-Okay after living through all that horrible stuff. Nothing you say is going to change my mind so you can just quit while your ahead.”

When he opens his mouth to argue Vivi beats him to it, “Don’t you dare try and get rid of me.”

“I’ll confess.” He continues hysterically. If Vivi won’t believe him then maybe he should find a way to remove himself from the equation, “Turn myself in. I’ll tell the police I drove Darrel out into the desert and killed him.”

“No.” Vivi objects. Sharp and abrupt. “You’re not going to tell the police you did anything because it wasn’t you who did it.”

“I can’t just leave him out there. He deserves better.”

Vivi’s face spasms, “Not at your expense…You shouldn’t take the fall for this. Not on top of everything else.”

She glances around but the space around them is clear of people and Arthur realises that their conversation had been growing louder and more intense. The courtyard is now mostly empty with many of the hospital employees returning to work

Vivi lets out a long breath then kneels down, putting her at eye level, crouched in front of his chair.

Arthur still can’t hold eye contact. Vivi’s eyes are too intense.

“When the police come to question you,” she says in a lower voice, “you need to say that you came to the hospital to see your uncle then went off for some alone time to gather yourself. They’ll have you on the security cameras so you can’t deny that you were here. Luckily, they also have that asshole Micky on the cameras. Out of the two of you, he is way more suspicious, and they already have him in custody so it’s not completely unbelievable that he would kill some random employee. Guy was a nut case.”

“He’s not some random employee.” Arthur interrupts upset, finding his voice again, “Darrel was a friend, and I killed him.”

“No. No you didn’t,” Vivi snaps matching his upset with equal frustration. “Look, I know you think you deserve some punishment for...I don’t know...having a bad case of amnesia and getting possessed, both of which were out of your control. That bastard parasite probably fed you a bunch of bullshit lies as well. It seemed like just the type to gaslight. Tell me I’m wrong.”

Arthur stalls in unhappy silence, not prepared to compromise or give ground.

“If you confess to the murder then I’m going to say I was a co-conspirator and planned the whole thing.”

Arthur blinks, finally looking up. Vivi’s glare is frosty, intense, and unyielding.

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Why…why would you do that.”

“I told you. I’m going to help you, Arthur. If you’re set on doing this, then I’m not letting you face murder charges alone. What did you think I meant when I said that.”

“Not this,” Arthur cracks, “You can’t.”

“I can and will.” She really meant that.

“But… you’ll be arrested or something…” He is not actually sure what would happen if Vivi randomly confessed to his crime.

“Just the way it has gotta’ be apparently.”

Arthur gets with another wave of déjà vu because he has had this conversation or a similar one with Vivi before. In another life. In a different future. It leaves him floundering as both versions of Vivi seem to meld into each other, like everything he loved about his own Vivi was seeping through to this new one.

“This isn’t …” He starts then stops. “It’s not supposed to be this way,” he says helplessly. Vivi wasn’t supposed to be this way.

“Of course not. What’s the point of changing the future if everything stays the same? We’ve both seen the same moves. You know how this works.”

“Half of those movies end with a lesson on inevitable consequences and fate.”

“And half of them end with everything sorting itself out. Look, we can argue about this until I get kicked out at closing time -remind me to find the paperwork so I can sign myself up as your medical proxy- but I can guarantee that nothing you will say will change my mind.”

Well, he’s not sure about that. Maybe if told her the real truth about Lewis and his role in his murder she would leave. He wasn’t sure. The answer, which moments ago he had been so certain of, was now unclear.

“I can’t leave Darrel out in the desert,” he repeats, exhausted, “He deserves better…”

Vivi frowns, opening her mouth and then clicking it shut, considering him. Her jaw clenches and she flops back so she is now leaning against his chair instead of crouching, half stretched out across the gravel path.

“Yeah…okay,” she props up an elbow against a knee, massaging her eyes. “How about this? You give me as good a proximation of the location as possible, or any landmarks you remember, and I’ll go track Darrel down with Mystery. Then I’ll leave an anonymous tip with the police, and they can handle the rest. How does that sound?”

“Like you’re giving me much of a choice.” He mutters, trying to not let his thoughts wander off into dangerous lands filled with crackling fire and unkind whispers that would berate him for giving in and letting Vivi bully him out of justly deserved consequences.

Vivi glances up at him and she is back to looking sad, anger falling away

“Maybe I’m being too blunt about all this. I’m not good at this sort of stuff,” she says, “but, Arthur, if Darrel was a friend, then he wouldn’t have blamed you. Just like I don’t blame you. Just like Uncle Lance or Lewis wouldn’t blame you.”

He can’t help but shiver. Bright purple flames dance across his vision like ghostly hands pulling his attention.

Lewis’s angry fire catches in in shirt and a sudden drop awaits on either side of him.

“This is your fault!”

He can almost feel the heat.

Lewis had blamed him.

He doesn’t know who to believe. Should he believe Vivi, sitting here with him, peering at him with such honest intensity that he can hardly stand to look at her? Or should he believe Lewis, dead by his hand, left in a future that didn’t exist?

For some strange, unfathomable reason, he thinks he believes Vivi. If she was so willing to share the consequences of his failures, then maybe she wouldn’t care that he was so weak and pathetic. He squashes the sentiment. He can’t think like that. It’s wrong.

It must be wrong.

...

Note: a year later and this is finally done.

#MSA #mystery skulls animated #arthur #ViVi #HEAVY ANGST #hospitals #unreliable narrator #fanfiction #fanfic #time travel #dialogue heavy

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the-headbop-wraith · 4 years ago

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1_21 Steal Life

The light went out and he was left in the dark, disoriented and spinning. He heaved another breath trying to find a point of tolerance, a slim wedge of comfort though impossible as it was in his given position. He tried shutting his eyes but somehow that made it worse.

He wasn’t sure how long he was suspended in the dark since the light went out. It could’ve been seconds, it felt like hours. If only he could get a hand free, maybe… maybe, he didn’t think he’d be able too. He lost strength quickly as they waited, admiring their stuffed turkey until the scene became dull and they went somewhere, probably inside to escape the night. When they finally left him, he tried then to get his hand free but after an hour already his head was pounding from his inverted suspension. The black static swirled in his peripheral and a distinct ringing began somewhere behind his ears. He could barely make out the sound of the trees groaning as the wind picked up, rustling the cool green leaves above and below as the sun faded.

Arthur let out another strained gasp, trying in vain to keep circulation rolling through his muscles despite his position. All his organs pushed inside his torso, crushing his lungs and heart with each passing second. The air was sharp on his back though it was summer, when the sun descended the temperature dropped across the open woodland. Probably colder with his blood dragging through his veins, what with how tightly they bound his wrists and ankles. But of course they didn’t want to risk him getting away, he could sympathize with that.

They were fucking lunatics all the same.

He tried again to loosen a wrist, he could feel his skin rubbing but he couldn’t budge his hands through the rough rope. Another harsh groan wheezed out of him, and he wrenched his knees and swung lightly beneath the knot. An eerie creak came from the large branch that suspended above his feet, not unlike that of a hangmen’s tree. Arthur held still as he swayed, listening as the wind picked up through the leaves. He wrenched his arm at his back when something brushed over his neck, and with irritation he realized it was only a leaf.

Only a leaf.

Rustling came from the ground, he couldn’t remember where the ground was and he couldn’t see but for dark shapes huddled somewhere below. He kept silent and still, with nothing else in his arsenal of defense. He’d play dead. There was movement, a flash of something strong and blurry. He heard something. Arthur listened as the sound came again, a low rasping voice.

“Arty?” the deep voice rang. “You there?”

“Sometimes,” he mumbled. It felt like he was spinning, but he could still see the light as it brightened. Vivi’s camping lamp, with the soft blue glow. “I’ve been busy.”

“That’s good,” Lewis went on. Vivi stood in the halo of light beside him, giving the area beyond Arthur a critical glare. “I thought maybe you got caught or something. How should we get him down?”

“I don’t want to leave him,” Vivi said. She cupped her lips in her hand and flecked her eye along the trunk. “It wouldn’t be so bad if you were right side up, but what point would there be to that? Are you holding out?”

“No. But take your time, I’ll just hang around.” Arthur listened. He could hear something rustling through the grass not far, and the light from the lamp caught those frightening red eyes and the flash of a white shoulder as it prowled. A small whine bubbled in his chest, a happy sound. “How was the headmasters lounge?”

Vivi held a lighter and Lewis had his pocket knife, he shined the lamp between the two items and they glistened as he and Vivi muttered over them. Occasionally she fiddled with the backpack strap cutting on her shoulder. “Some documents, nothing really incriminating,” Lewis murmured. “The rope will absorb the heat and you’ll burn him.”

“Then you stand on my shoulders, I’m not going to risk cutting him,” Vivi grumbled. Lewis kept the knife sharpened, but she knew if Arthur hadn’t gotten his hands free, then the rope was bound very tightly.

Lewis clutched the knife in his fist and shook it in her face. “I’ll stand on Mystery’s shoulders if I have to,” he was barely able to contain his irritation, and Arthur was now only waiting to see if they would draw attention to themselves first. “But you’re going to burn him… Is that nylon, Art?”

“It’s a rope,” Arthur mumbled, his voice trembling. “And it’s tied around my wrists. That is the extent of my knowledge.”

“You use ropes all the time,” Lewis said. “Or are you handcuffed?”

“I am tied,” Arthur sighed. “And if I was not delirious with blood rushing to my head, and my skin numb as fuck, I would clarify the ropes nature, Mr. Pepper.”

“Language,” Lewis hissed, with a grin.

“Give me that.” Vivi pulled the pocket knife from Lewis’ hand and snatched the small camp lamp from his hand. “If I even scrape him….” She trails off, as she set her backpack aside then proceeded to shove Lewis over to where Arthur was suspended. “He’s kind of up there. Is there a way to get him down without breaking his neck?”

“No problem. Lemme take care of it.” Lewis knelt on his knee and Vivi climbed onto his shoulders, balancing her shoes on the sleeves of his sweater vest. She stuck the lamp handle in her mouth and crouched down, taking Lewis hands to steady herself as he stood up. “You trust me Arty?”

“Usually.” Arthur wouldn’t admit he was nervous though. The angle of the light altered behind his back when Vivi removed it from her teeth, and he could no longer see the flash of fur or the eyes beyond the blue halo, he could only hear the delicate feet sweeping through the grass. “Did you guys get any other exploration done?” he asked. Vivi snagged his bundled wrists for balance, and he felt the lamp jab him in the small of his back as she held on to him and the light with one hand. The steady grind of the knife on the rope began, but it for some reason made him more anxious.

“Mystery and I climbed through some vents in the west dorms,” Vivi said. “There are some hidden rooms inaccessible from the regular corridors, but I believe they’re only safe rooms or something. How you doing?”

“A little light headed. You should hurry.” Arthur shut his eyes when spots and stars dazzled through the light. “Wait… are you cutting my legs free? Vi—”

Vivi’s voice crashed through, dangerously loud. “You’re doing this Lew?”

“Just say when.” Lewis stumbled back when Vivi sprang off his shoulders. He hadn’t expected it so soon, and a ghastly screech descended and hit him in the chest. “Whoa! It worked! Just like cheerleading.” Lewis grinned when Vivi swung the light to him and Arthur.

“You had doubts?” Arthur hissed, aware their voices were too loud. He regretted letting himself get worked up in his state, a heavy wave of dizziness swung through his shoulders and brain, his consciousness began to crawl. The light lunged into his eyes and he felt himself falling again.

“Hang in there,” Lewis said. “Keep it together for a few more seconds, then you’ll feel yourself swing back.” He set Arthur on the grass and held him elevated slightly from the cold ground. Vivi set the light aside as she stooped beside Arthur, she pressed her palms over his cheeks and rubbed at his face. “He just needs a second.”

“We’re looking good. They should be in curfew around now,” Vivi assured. Just in case, she raised her head back and gave the distance around them a short scan before returning her attention to Arthur. “Don’t move. Can you hear me?”

“Like a bell,” Arthur said. He held leans forward when Vivi moves behind him to begin cutting the rope, some sort of scratchy thing, away. “They took my supplies, my shoes… and my shirt. I have no idea where any of that—” When his hands were free, he barely raised his head back when Lewis pulled away. Arthur struggled as Vivi shoved her sweater down over his head and forced his shoulders up into the sleeves. “Thanks.” Lewis pulled him up to stand once he got his arms through the sleeves. The air was cool, but Vivi would get along well in just her blue T-shirt.

“Mystery,” Vivi hissed. She snatched up the camp light and went back to reclaim her backpack, then moved by Lewis and Arthur. She fiddled with the lamp, adjusting the light intensity until it was dimmed perilously low. “Where are you?”

The white face emerged from the dark, red eyes blazing behind the spectacles as the dog addressed his companion, and bobbed his snout off in a direction. It’s clear for the most part. Mystery turned tail and padded on ahead.

Vivi followed. “Curfew should have been in effect a few minutes ago,” she rationalized, following the white fur as it sank among the shadows. There was no moon tonight, but the night sky was filled with shimmering jewels across its depths. Even the residents didn’t have lights to identify the various buildings built throughout the meadow, one either didn’t go out or the individual used a personal lamp, but it was forbidden to go out past curfew. “Can you guys see enough?”

“Just enough,” Lewis answered. “I found one of the guardian shrines in the north dorms. You know, where the disciples have their apartments. There’s something there I didn’t get a chance to check out.” He didn’t mention it was when they lost contact with Arthur.

The only ones exempt from curfew were the missionaries. They lurked in the dorms and around the village, each guided by a kerosene lamp with a metal shield fixed to the back. When the Mystery Skulls returned to the works and shops of the inner village, Mystery moved closer to his group and kept them alert when he detected one of the nocturnal guards. A fraction of the time missionaries were hidden when the light was cast away, but the shield on the lamps back intensified the soft glow of their bulb in any direction they spun the lamp in. Mystery pressed his side into Vivi’s knees when she was about to turn the corner of a long house, she nearly missed the glint of the shield as the missionary whirled in their direction.

“Close one,” Vivi murmured. She draped her arm around the lamp and glanced back as Lewis and Arthur caught up. She shrugged her shoulders and made a vague gesture, in Arthur’s direction.

Lewis helped Arthur lean against the wood slated wall as they waited. In response to Vivi, Arthur made a yacking sign with one hand and motioned his palms around his head. Not for the first time, Lewis wondered if they just did this to be funny or if there was an actual dialogue passed between the two.

The missionary wandered off to some distant shadow and Mystery was certain he caught the clamor of a door being wedged or swung, but the dog waited. He crouched low in the grass with his head between his paws, the only movement came from Mystery’s ears as they spun and swung to the various sounds that braved onto the open air. No crickets, no birds, no rustling of nocturnal creatures. Unnatural. A small shudder rose in Mystery as he pushed himself to his feet. One rear leg kicked back, tapping Vivi on the shin before he trotted off. Take it slow, keep close to the wall.

“Are we clear?” Vivi whispers. She huddled beside the wall with Lewis and Arthur, while Mystery padded out away from the looming mound of the buildings dark mass. She lost track of Mystery’s outline as he left the range of the lamp, but she waited.

Mystery announced himself with a low gurgle, and resumed his calm stride as the others followed. He paused to wait as they crossed the lawn, and let Vivi bring the lamp closer to his position.

“The north dorms are this way,” Lewis said, as he gestured with one hand. Mystery began into the dark with his group following.

The village was in part rural, with only a few technological areas for modern commodity. A few of the buildings housed the soft purr of generators that powered engines in other lodges for some of the machines.

“Up there,” Lewis uttered. He guides Vivi’s lamp arm, and she adjusts the lights intensity as Lewis directs to one of the overhead lines nearly invisible above in the bleak sky. “The disciples have electricity in their dorms.”

“How predictable,” Arthur muttered. He had recovered enough to follow on his own and kept pace with his friends as they weaved between the buildings through the village. “Does it seem really quiet around here?” They pause to listen, and Mystery gave a confirming bark somewhere in the dark ahead of them. “I was expecting crickets.” He paused, someone shifted uncomfortably and Vivi lowered the light. Despite himself Arthur cringed in the dark. “Now that I think on it, that’s really creepy.”

“There’s nothing that can hurt us,” Vivi assured. She moved to Arthur and pat the hand clenched beside his hip. “Not out here.”

“Yeah,” Arthur breathed. “But we’re about to go indoors, right?”

“No one’s gonna see us,” Lewis further encouraged. “We go in, get out. Nothing between – Er… well, you get the picture.” He followed Vivi when she renewed the pace, Mystery ahead always kept in the edge of the soft light.

The disciples apartments had one of the thick cables connecting to a sharp outcropping of the roof, somewhere behind the lodge. Vivi brought the light down as they entered the small cubby that led into the backdoor. The group huddled with the light as Lewis went through his pockets, until he found an unremarkable silver key.

“Where’d you get that?” inquired Arthur, as Lewis shouldered the door open gently. Vivi raised the light through the doorframe as Lewis stepped through, arm held out in caution.

“Found it in one of the meeting rooms,” Vivi spoke. When Lewis gave no indication of concern, she edged forward and joined him in the open corridor. The floor creaked under Lewis’ weight, and the group paused at the sound. “Easy.” She felt Mystery brush by her legs, his claws ticked on the hard wood floor as he moved up to join Lewis. Arthur eased the door behind him shut, and set his hand on the wall as he followed the hall.

“Everyone should be asleep,” Lewis whispered. The hall was spacious, he could put his arms out and not touch the sides. A large doorway opened to the right and he inched forward to look inside. The lack of light should mean no one was within the room, but the shadows were thick. He crept by and Vivi followed, the lamp illuminated a portion of the room beyond the archway. Mystery made soft sounds as he sniffed over the walls and floor, the dog kept his pace even when Lewis had paused.

“There are strange runes on the doorways,” Lewis mentioned, as they turned the corner at the halls end. “On the floors in the doorways, into most of the rooms. I think these are the separate wings of the bedrooms.” He pointed one of the dark painted marks on the floor, beneath the edge of a door. No light was visible through the crack. Vivi lowered her lamp and examined what was visible. She touched the edge of the mark and shuddered. “You cold?”

She shook her head and stood up. “No. I think… it looks like a protective barrier,” Vivi deduced. “Where was this place you found?” She turns and hands Arthur the light. “Will this help?”

Arthur nods as he takes the lamp. He raised the light to check the end of the corridor they had come from and saw no movement, only wavering shadows. “They said they were going to make an example of me,” he murmurs. Vivi waits for him to catch up, not for the light but she waited for him to go on. “I’m not sure how.”

“Don’t think too much about it,” Lewis replies. He paused at each door checking the symbol as Arthur brought the light, and listened for sounds within the chamber. “We got you back.”

“What sort of… thing do they worship?” Arthur hushed as Lewis set a finger to his own lips and crouched down beside the corner of a wall. Lewis never answered, he went around the corner and only motioned for the others to follow. “Viv?”

“It’s a little vague,” Vivi answered. They followed Lewis into a large room, Arthur felt the air thin as the walls opened up and the ceiling overhead raised in its architectural design. He waited to raise the intensity of the lamp and find where Lewis was exactly, see where they were, but he knew better. “Some sort of guardian, or low level devil. I’ve seen no sort of artwork to signify what, but the runes….” She trailed off when they reached Lewis and Mystery, stepping down a set of stairs that descended beside the wall. Vivi moved around the rail and followed.

At the small cement flat at the bottom of the steps, Lewis fumbled with a door handle and cursed. “Do ou still have your tools?” Lewis twisted the locked knob in his fist.

“They took all my tools,” Arthur shook his head. Vivi swung her backpack off and began going through its inner pockets.

“Will these work?” Vivi handed over a sharp needle and a paperclip. “Our only other option would be to leave and come back later, but the risks involved.” She traded Arthur for the lamp, and he took the tools to the door.

The lock was simple but difficult, its archaic design was what threw Arthur off but he managed to unhinge the mechanism. Lewis commended his skill as he pushed the door open and scoped out the interior. There was nothing but steps descending into dark cement walls, no lights and no visible switch. They crept into the long tunnel down and down, the soft steps cracking against the walls and snapping at their ears drums like the soft crackle of wood on a fire. The small blaze of light that engulfed the group swelled within the tight confines of the wall. Arthur made certain to shut the door before he followed, his bare soles slipping over the cold rock as he hurried after his friends.

“Don’t fall,” Lewis cautioned. “It doesn’t look that far.” True to word, the tight steps led to another door which was not locked. He pressed it open and indicated the runes on the floor as Vivi entered behind him. She handed the light back to Arthur and dug into her backpack for a notebook, and knelt down for a few seconds to sketch.

Mystery gave the symbol a wide distance as he moved out around the room, examining what walls were visible in the dark. As Lewis moved across the room, Mystery snapped his attention to his steps and followed the path of the tall figure.

Lewis found the switch on the wall and flipped it, a large steel lamp above in the ceiling flashed on and a dull hum of outdated electrical current buzzed in the air. The room was spacious with a low wooden ceiling, a series of small pews lined the furthest side of the room, set to face an altar and a large picture behind a wood carved statue of a tall man, inhumanely tall. At the base of the statue was a podium, and a large outdated freezer set into the stands base.

“Groovy,” Lewis said. He pointed to a series of tall drapes hung at the corners of the room which seemed wholly decorative, but Lewis explained, “There’s some kind of drainage chute I crawled through.” Vivi stood up from her sketching and followed Lewis across the room, toward the musty olive green curtains. “I couldn’t see what they were doing, but I could hear them. Some sort of ritual, or some initiation. They did a lot of chanting, but that was about it.”

As Lewis went on about his experience, Arthur walked off to explore on his own. He moved to the back of the room and examined the tall wood carved statue of the man. The statue was ancient, horribly distorted through the years of advanced age; its wood stained and darkened, cracked in many areas and expelled a strong scent of ash. He looked to the podium before the figure and noted a large book set on the stand, the cover gray and leather bound with pale cords of what appeared to be sinew holding the spine of the book together. He reached over to the book—

“¡No lo toques!” Lewis snatched Arthur’s wrist in a painful grip and jerked his fingers away from the book. There was fear in his eyes, and Arthur inwardly cringed. “Lo siento, me… I couldn’t,” Lewis stuttered and took a breath. “You have to be careful.”

“What is it?” Vivi all but demanded as she raced over. She looked at the book and her eyes narrowed behind her glasses. Marks were carved into the solid wood of the podium, words she began to mouth to herself silently. “It’s… some kind of language. I don’t understand the grammatical breaks in it.”

“It creeped me out when I got into this chamber?” Lewis apologized again to Arthur and released his arm. Arthur took his hand back and rubbed his sore wrist through the blue sweater sleeve, as he watched Lewis. At the front of the podium, where the outdated freezer sat, was Mystery, examining the white metal carefully. Lewis moved around to join the dog. “Something about ‘The Warden of Names.’” Over the two front doors of the freezer hung separated segments of chain. Mystery shuffled close to Lewis, as he leaned down to inspect the chains. “Do you have a protective dispel for this?”

Vivi rounded the podium and crouched before the freezer with Lewis, and rapped her knuckles on the thick metal door. The paint was chipped along its smooth edges and the whole container seemed fitted into the podium, but why? She pulled off her backpack and went through it, pulling out bundles of sage, a container of salt, all useless. The investigator gave a small noise of glee when she brought out a ring, the same used for keychains. “Can I see your knife?” She held out her hand for Lewis, and took the knife and unfolded it. With the knife she cut nicks into the outer side of the silver metal, carefully directing the blade to cut along the rim and cross over the miniscule symbols. “Mystery. Your paw.”

Mystery sat down and held out his paw. Vivi nicked him on the back of his hand and the crimson fluid slipped through the dark fur of his toes. Vivi rubbed the ring into the red, then pulled his paw up and kissed it.

“Thank you for your blessing,” she said. Vivi blew carefully on the ring until the blood had dried, then approached the two chains that hung beside the doors.

Arthur watched over the podiums top, while Vivi fumbled to connect the two chains with the ring. Lewis pulled Mystery over and had a roll of gauze out to utilize on the cut dripping on the dogs paw. “So, what’s that supposed to do?” he asked.

“The book you’re looking at,” Vivi began, and Arthur glanced down on the stained and worn top of the desk, “basically curses whoever touches the book.” Arthur took a wide step back. “You might want to consider reading more of the lore stuff.”

Arthur put his hands in his empty pockets. “I’ll maybe rely on you for a counter curse,” he muttered. “Is it really that dangerous?”

“Dunno,” Lewis admits. He rubbed Mystery’s bandaged paw, and said, “We’ll put some aloe on it later.” He raises his voice to Arthur. “But I don’t dabble with beliefs, ‘specially ones this strong.”

“Done,” Vivi announced, and stood. “You can take the book now, Artie.” Arthur looked at her and laughed dryly; he took another wide step back. Before Vivi could argue with him, Lewis strolled up to the podium and snatched the book off. Lewis winced and shut his eyes, he held the book in front of his face as if expecting some kind of typhoon of a blow.

That never came.

Lewis cracked one eye and stared at the dark spot on the wood that outlined the space where the tome had rested for years, another rune marked into the polished timber. The faint scent of smoke and ash rose. “I expected worse,” he murmurs, and backed away. “We should probably go?”

“Let me look at that book, first.” Vivi gestured for Lewis to hand her the tome, and she dropped to her knees on the cold cement. Mystery padded over and curled up close to her, the basement was drafty and small trembles began to work up in her bare shoulders where her T-shirt didn’t cover. “’Ward of Names,’” she repeated. Lewis handed her the book, and Vivi set it down. “Bag.” Lewis leaned away and snagged her backpack by one strap. “Thank you.”

The lights, did they flicker? Arthur glanced up as he moved away from the stand to join his friends. He glanced up, unsure if his eyes were reliable after he had been woozy from hanging upside down, but decided he couldn’t tell. Just his imagination, he was unsettled by the scenery, by the atmosphere of the room. He watched Vivi drag her laptop from the backpack and set it down, screen open and her fingers already snapping across the keypad. She kept repeating Ward of Names with each page she flipped, the yellowed sheets crinkled and the texture gave the notion that any moment the parchment would rip into shreds. Arthur coughed at the foul smell of the book.

“Some of these go back to the mid Eighteen hundreds,” Vivi spoke. “The handwriting is nearly impossible to read, and the style keeps changing.” She bit her lip, her eyes move to the computer and back to the book. “It goes on and on.”

“Yes, it goes on and on my friends,” Lewis hummed, grinning. “Some people started singing it not knowing what it was.”

“And they’ll continue singing it forever just because …” Arthur began, and Lewis chimed in with him:

“This is the song that never ends. Yes, it goes on and on my friends! Some people started singing it not knowing what it was. And they’ll continue singing it forever just because.…”

“You’re both grounded,” Vivi snapped. The duo gave disappointed moans, exaggerated but still disappointed. “Both of you, to your corners.” Vivi looked back to the book, and stiffened. “Here’s one. Late 1990s.” She turned back to the laptop and flipped through a database of names, dates, all compiled. Addresses were not given, but dates were prolific through the tome, among various names. “I think I understand what we found.”

“The universes perfect brownie recipe,” Arthur quipped. Mystery reached out and slapped his foot. “Lighten up,” he said to the dog, and returned his gaze to Vivi. “Does it look like most our people are in that book?”

“Exactly,” Vivi answered. “Maybe more, its hard to sift through. I think this’ll be all we need for now.” She shut the tome and turned to the computer, checking the time before closing out of the programs. “Just some quick pictures, and we can call it a night.”

“Yes,” Arthur praised, arms going up. The sleeves of Vivi’s sweater were shortened on him, but that wasn’t as bad as wandering around on the frigid cement barefoot. He’d be glad to get back to the van, but… “Are we going to have to come back?”

“We might.” Vivi pulled the camera from her bag and turned it on. She scanned the room over with her eyes before she raised the camera and began snapping off flashes, first the podium and the ancient carved statue, then the pews and surrounding walls. After every few snaps she’d take the camera and scan through the still images, the scroll screen buzzing as she cycled through the shots.

Arthur moved out of the way, going over to where Lewis stood as the taller figure gestured him over. Without comment Lewis took Arthur’s arm and pulled back the puffy sleeve and examined his wrists. “That doesn’t hurt?” Lewis pondered, aloud.

“Naw.” Arthur didn’t bother to pull his other wrist back when Lewis caught it, and checked the soft blue and yellow shades on his skin. “I didn’t even notice until you mentioned it.” Lewis scowled, contemplative and irritated, and Arthur reflected how glad he was not to be the source of his agitation. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

Lewis eyes snapped to him, but resumed scrutinizing the dark shades on his pale wrists. “Vivi has some aspirin, but you need some water too,” he deemed, and released Arthur’s hands as he stepped away. “And no coffee.”

“Lew,” Arthur groaned. “You’re such a mom. Has anyone told you that?”

“I will hear none of it from you, young man,” Lewis jabbed back. He knelt near the computer to power the machine down and slipped it into Vivi’s bag, he collected the sack and the tome before turning back to Arthur. “Besides, your hands are important. You need to take care of them.“

“Hands? What?” Vivi concluded her photography and returned to Lewis, holding the bag with the book jammed inside. “How bad?” She looked to Arthur, though Lewis answered.

“Bad bruising. A few days of fluid and not getting tied up will help. Ready?” They turned to Mystery already padding to the entrance of the room, he had plucked up the lamp abandoned by the rune and was making his way to the threshold of the door, when a noise jarred him. The fur between Mystery’s shoulders stood on end and he looked back, beyond the Mystery Skulls group as they caught up. Lewis caught on and was turning back, when the first thud clattered in the room. Arthur sprang into him and grabbed his elbow, and another hollow crack reverberated off the harsh walls as each in turn looked back to the freezer door. “What—?”

Vivi’s teeth chattered as she watched the doors, the only security over them a shimmering ancient chain connected by a keyring. “I think the script meant ‘Warden’ of Names,’” she said. Within the freezer came a rasping wail, grinding through the cold air. “Now is the time to move. Move!” She shoved Lewis and Arthur through the doorway. Mystery barks as he followed the three up the stairs and into the dim tunnel.

“I thought you made a protective barrier!” Arthur growled. He was right behind Lewis trying to match his speed.

“I don’t know how strong it is, I don’t know what’s in there!” Vivi cried. “It’ll hold, or it would’ve had us by now.” She ran into both Arthur and Lewis when they stopped on the steps, and Mystery yelped when he collided with the back of her thighs, the harsh clatter of the lamp came when the handle was jarred from Mystery’s teeth and dropped it onto the steps. “Ow.”

“Shh,” Lewis hissed, he pushed his arms back easing the others down the steps. The soft tap of claws meandered around as Mystery collected himself and moved uneasily under the shadows. “Back. We have to go back.”

Arthur was about to protest, when he heard it too. Voice, and feet scuffling in the dark above. There was a light above, but in the narrow space of the stairs it was only a matter of time. “What’s the worst they can do to us?” he murmured.

“Not kill us,” Vivi reasoned. She tugged Arthur by the shoulders and got him to turn around and follow. She couldn’t see well where her feet were falling in the dull warped shades under her. She could only catch the rapid paw slaps on the cement as Mystery charged onward. The bright cutout of light in the doorframe blazed below. “The drain?”

“Behind the drapes,” Lewis answered. “But that—” A voice from the tunnel, closer than it could’ve been, harped after them.

“You! Who are you?!” The voice was light, but unfriendly. “You’re not in trouble, just stop where you are.”

“Run,” Lewis hissed. He charged after the others as they crashed back into the light, the hostile scraping sounds of the freezer became wild. He glanced at the doors as the chain jerked taunt across the marred white metal, with the force it should have snapped long ago. He prayed the ward held. “They’ll follow us. Unless they try to set that thing free.”

“They won’t risk it.” Vivi raced across the room to the far wall and ran by the pews, toward the drapes Lewis had shown her minutes before. Lewis followed and Arthur hurried to keep up, beside Arthur’s blurred legs was Mystery. Vivi saw Mystery, panting and worry written in his eyes. “You lost the lamp?”

Mystery snapped his teeth. It was an accident, he panicked!

Lewis took the dusty green curtain and swung it back. He exchanged hand holds on the curtains, as he reached to the back of his belt, before Arthur and Vivi managed to catch up. “Here.” He held out the penlight. Vivi snatched the small flashlight and turned to the grate, it was large for a seepage drain for a basement, but looked almost too small for Lewis to have entered through; however, he often surprised her in odd circumstances.

The first through was Arthur, slipping through one space in the bars where one of the steel beams had been bent in the crumbling cement floor. Right on After’s heels was Mystery, and behind them Vivi shoved the backpack through. Arthur caught the bag and slung the straps over his shoulders, he took Vivi by the hand when she was through and heaved her upright beside him.

As the door at the front of the chamber smashed into the wall, Lewis let the drape fall across the grate and shoved his chest through the gap in the bars. The traitorous bar cracked in its loose fitting within the cement floor but remained wedged tight, Lewis coughed as he slid down and hit the cobblestone. His hands claw out for a handhold, though the stone was sleek and polished. The sounds of the intruders, the cultist, whoever, were now in the room.

“The Scripture is gone!”

Vivi grabbed Lewis’ wrist, Arthur took Lewis’ other arm and together they pulled. “Not helping,” Lewis wheezed.

“You gotta exhale,” Arthur grunts, as he digs his bare heels into the cold cement. “Now Lew. Now!”

The voice cried out, “The drapes! There!”

Something in Lewis back ripped as he skid forward onto his face. Mystery yelped with persistent urgency as Lewis lay there, winded and stunned. “Am I bleeding?” He tries to turn over and reach for his back where a cold draft gnawed at his spine. When he looked back, his eyes met those of a pale man on the other side of the bars.

“You!” The man said, eyes narrowing. “How dare you, I’ll— Wait! I’m not finished!”

The tunnel was narrow, forcing the quadrat to race in single file. Vivi led the way with the small penlight directed on their path, and Lewis followed here. “How did you get in here?” she rasped, as they jogged.

“Well,” Lewis began, trying to recall if he actually found his way in or if he fell. He had a habit of stumbling into weird hidden areas, like this drainage cellar. He had to keep his head low or risk scraping his scalp. “I think I climbed down?” He felt at his back and thumbed at the tear in his good sweater vest, but at least he wasn’t cut. Still, it was disappointing ruining another shirt.

“Did you fall?” Arthur asked.

“I’m pretty sure I climbed down,” Lewis said. “Down. From a ladder.” He put his arms out and managed to keep his balance, it was disorientating with Vivi running ahead in the tight tunnel and their only source of light bobbing. He just needed to keep track of the glittering stone that managed to hold the light where his steps fell. A brief speck of alarm hit him when he thought that Mystery wasn’t with them, but as Lewis focused he could pick up on the rhythmic patter of the dogs light feet echoing not far behind them.

“What kind of ladder?” Arthur took a few breaths and smoothed out his rapid breath. “Did you fall from it?”

“Damnit Arthur! I didn’t fall!” Lewis’ shout thundered in the tight curvature of the tunnel, and the group fell into near silence. Their shoe soles and bare feet, slapped onto the polished cobblestone, Mystery claws pattered in their usual rhythm, but slowed at the back of the group somewhat. “I’m sorry,” Lewis muttered. He slowed his strides, forcing Arthur behind him to drag out of his jog as Lewis did. Vivi kept going a ways as she lost momentum under her own pace. “Think they might try and head us off?” The light from the penlight glistened over them as Vivi flashed it around. Lewis held out his hand and Arthur slung off the backpack.

“It’ll take them a bit to get organized. And get to wherever this chute lets out,” Vivi estimated. She trailed a hand along the ceiling curve, and tapped her fingers as she silently counted to herself in silent calculation. “Be careful with the laptop.”

“Yes, my dear.” Lewis stuck the straps over one arm and resumed walking. “I did apologize, didn’t I Artie?”

Arthur shrugged somewhere in the dark. “You didn’t need to.” He moved aside to let Mystery by, and the dog brushed by Lewis to reach Vivi and the light. “I shouldn’t have been an ass. Don’t let me be an ass, especially around Viv-vi.” He glanced behind him into the swell of black they left in their wake, the soft comfort of the pitiful penlight retreats with each step. “Besides, I kind of don’t think they’ll head us off.”

The tunnel was saturated with the stale residue of earth and water, though it was parched of all moisture. It was a drainage chute for the old cellar, built into the home in response to the heavy rainfall that was common throughout the region. In some sections of the wall scraggly bursts of roots twisted through the cobblestone, catching at hair and faces if the group wasn’t careful.

In the midst of Vivi and Lewis discussion of evidence, Mystery stopped mid step and looked back. “What is it?” Vivi asked. Arthur stepped aside and turns to look, as Vivi directed the light on the path they had come from. At their distance the thin light was worthless, and the thick layers of dirt surrounding them were daunting in its immovable way. Thunderous. There existed a faint resonance, a delicate clicking. As they waited, the low twitter weakened. “We should keep moving.” Mystery took off first, and Vivi hastened to catch up.

“The opening shouldn’t be much further,” Lewis pants. If they were still alone, they wouldn’t be for long. Lewis could pick out Arthur stumbling at his back, it was probable Arthur was trying to glimpse into their wake where the sounds originated, or Arthur was fighting to stay in pace despite holding up the rear and receiving the least amount of light at his feet. A minor detail Lewis had overlooked was that Arthur remained barefoot, but that alone wouldn’t deter Arthur if he suspected genuine danger.

The combined clatter of their rapid footfalls either drowned out the timid tremors, or they left the chatter behind entirely; whatever the case it was progress. “Wait-wait!” Lewis caught Vivi by her T-shirts back and looked up, where the tunnels ceiling had a circular opening. “This is it.”

Arthur moved close beside the others and examined the crude ladder in the wall, its surface thick with calcite and rust. “Where does this come down from?”

“The shower rooms from the east dorms,” Lewis answered. He reached out and tugged on one of the rungs. “In a closet of all places.”

“This tunnel might’ve served as an escape route,” Vivi added. She angled the frail light into the space of the tunnel not yet ventured in their path. “Did you get the chance to check down that way?” A distant rustle or grating clattered over the cold stone walls, the acoustics of the tunnel made it impossible to discern where the sound originated from – it seemed to come from both ends around them. The Mystery Skulls stood in absolute silence, the atmosphere was completely devoid of natural reverberation. Vivi felt her heart pumping in her chest. It was following them. “We all… heard that?”

“We shouldn’t be here,” Arthur stutters. He goes quiet as he stares into the tunnel they had ventured from, into the shriveled boundary of light that followed them. “Move. We gotta move.”

“Calm down,” Lewis hissed. “We’re getting out of here.”

Vivi stuck the penlight between her teeth and leaned down, allowing Mystery to climb onto her back. She gave the dog a garbled caution around the lights handle in her teeth, before she took the ladders steps and hurried her climb. The light faded in her ascent and Arthur became edgy in the deepening darkness.

“You next.” Lewis pushed Arthur to the glittering contours of the choppy metal. “Don’t look back, just climb.” Lewis did look back, he didn’t want to but he had to. “Steady Art, don’t fall.”

“You’re telling me to not look back!” The sharp tinge of iron burned Arthur’s nose, and the rough texture of the ladder wore on his sore tender foot pads. “Don’t tell me to slow down.”

“I’m telling you to climb and be careful,” Lewis retorts, still staring into the absolute wall growing thicker and closer in his eyes. It is there – whatever it is – barely visible but it is there and it creeps towards him. The passive nattering tumbles over the walls but he can’t discern if they’re getting louder, if it is getting closer. It weaves along the floor and sweeps up hovering beneath where the ceiling must be, but he knows it is only hunched low beneath the ceiling. “I don’t want you to fall.” Lewis begins up the ladder crusted steps, his eyes kept constant vigil of the pale wispy thing as it slopes down to the floor and hastens its progress. “Please don’t fall Artie.”

“You okay, Lew?” That was Vivi. Arthur was unnerved by the quiver in Lewis’ voice, but Vivi managed to ask first. This inquiry was a cousin to another question, but she refused to ask it and Lewis didn’t know if he could manage the lie.

“Don’t worry about it,” Lewis said, assuring with a gentle undertone. Keep calm, stay cool. They were getting out of the tunnels, it wouldn’t follow. He didn’t want them out of the loop. “Just keep going.”

The passage echoed with Mystery’s barks, the dog voice was strained, alarmed. Vivi’s voice came under his sharp cry, but Lewis didn’t catch what she said.

“I’m climbing as fast as I can,” Arthur snapped. “I got dog butt in my face!” The tunnel vibrates with Mystery’s incredulous yaps.

The scratching was below, at the base of the ladder but that was impossible to gauge. He didn’t want to know but it was getting louder, he couldn’t deny that.

“Can we save the arguing for topside?” Lewis groaned. Two more rungs of the ladder, and the scratching was right beneath his feet. “Y’know, for no particular reason.”

“Give me your hand.” Vivi’s scream was muffled, and the glow of the penlight danced around as she bounced along the horizon of the curved edge. Arthur’s silhouette swung out of view, over the semicircle side of the open drain. It was clear, he just needed to climb. Fast. “Lewis!”

Hands snatch at his ankles. Gnarled, icy, clammy hands. “Get out of the way! Get back!” Lewis howled. He dragged his sneakers out of the jagged clutches and vaulted up the last few bars of the ladder, the cold stone walls battered his shoulders as he scrambled up over the curved edge. “It’s coming! It’s coming! Move!” The drain was in the floor of the closest, its tight space surrounded by low shelves fitted at the walls, each shelf was stacked with clean linen, towels. Lewis ducked out from under a low shelf and grabbed in the direction of the light, Vivi squawked when Lewis caught her shoulder and he continued to shove her backwards out through the doorway. As Vivi went stumbling into a room, Lewis slung the backpack off his shoulder and pushed the bag into her arms. The fevered barks alerted Lewis before he was aware, that Arthur wasn’t among them. “Art!”

The insignificant gleam of the penlight caught the whites of Arthur’s eyes, a strangled choke echoed when the scrawny figure dove forward and out of the lights range. Lewis lashed out catching the soft fabric of the sweater, Lewis thought the strained fabric would rip as he hauled them backwards. “The door Vi!” Lewis launched away from the closets interior, he felt the wool rip in his fingers but Arthur collapsed with him. The door cracked in the frame, and the wild movements of the small light dart around the base of the carved wood panel.

There was a pause, Lewis and Arthur groan where they lay. Then came the knocking.

“Shh,” Vivi hushed. She pressed one hand into the door as the slow knocks came through, a pause between each. She counted them – five, six…. “I don’t think it can enter until it knocks… a certain number of times.” The backpack had been ‘set’ on the floor beside the door, and now she tore through it seeking out one notebook and a piece of graphite.

“How long do we have?” Arthur burbled, leaning up and wincing to a pain in his side. “Vi. We should get out of here.”

“Give me a sec,” Vivi says, distracted. She flips through the notebook, snapping the pages aside and reading over the jumble of notes overwritten atop early notes. She kneels against the door with the notebook on her skirted knees, penlight in one hand and the graphite in the other. “A lil patience will take care of you.” She mumbled something under her breath and began scrawling the black marks onto the bare space of wood floor before the door.

“That thing didn’t grab you,” Arthur spat.

It wasn’t long before the knocks ceased, the space behind the door projected emptiness, but Vivi finished the rune anyway. It paid to be thorough. “Did you get a good look at it?” she asked.

Arthur chuckled nastily as he rose up onto his feet. “What do you think?” He jumped when Mystery brushed into his legs, and crushed at his own jumpiness. “It was dark.”

“What were you trying to do, anyway?” Lewis tried not to chuckle, he tried. He pushed himself to his feet and gave the room they had tumbled into another look over, verifying there was no missed company or ‘presence’ lingering in the further edges beyond the dull brush of the light. It was just the room, void of identity aside from the mounds of dark piles – nondescript furniture. Arthur wobbled further from the door, into the dark pool of shadows beyond the glows range.

“I was trying to cover the grate,” Arthur replied. It was too dark to judge where the sofa was exactly, but the side was stuffed cotton that absorbed the blow of his toes. “It… didn’t look that heavy.” He cast edgy glances to Vivi as she worked at the floor, the absence of the knocking was disconcerting now.

“It was dark,” Lewis added. “Is that the same mark from the floors?”

An affirming sound hummed from Vivi. “Don’t worry,” she went on, “if it didn’t work, then I would have just salted the door. I might do that anyway.” She finished the mark, and lay salt along the doors edge for good measure. “We’re still in danger.”

“Still?” Arthur blurted. “How do you know that rune will work? Locking those door didn’t work.” He threw his arms up and walked around the room, stumbling into another chair. “Damnit.”

“That doesn’t count.” Vivi shines the light across the room, to Lewis’ shape beside a door across from she and Arthur. “They must’ve let it out, or they set it on us.” Mystery joined her as she crossed the room. “I can dispel this when we reach the van. We’ll be safe then.”

“You sure?” Arthur urged. He was still looking at the silent door, probably estimating the length of the unexplored tunnel below.

“Confidence,” Vivi said. “We know where we are, and where we’re going.” She was about to say more when the door beside Lewis smashed open, the group collectively winced at the sound and the sudden light that engulfed the room.

“All of you!” the voice at the door bellowed. The sudden light was blinding, Lewis stumbled back from the intrusion of sound and possible danger. “Come with us! Don’t resist.” A hand snared Lewis by the arm, and he struck out with a right hook. Lewis didn’t hit a face, but the blow did knock someone down and they crashed onto the floor.

Mystery yapped and hopped onto the sofa in the middle of the room. Vivi blinked the shimmer of white in her eyes away and looked to the dog as he barked and pawed at the cushions. “Lew! Catch!” Vivi slung her backpack onto her shoulders, and took up one of the dull olive green cushions. She tossed it in Lewis’ direction when he backed away from the three tall figures now advancing through their only exit.

The sizable chair cushion was snared between Lewis’ fists, and he swung it out as he pivoted and smashed it across the two nearest men before they had a chance to realize what he was doing with a couch cushion. “Guys! Run!” Lewis hooted, as he barreled into the group poised in the doorway. Lewis stumbled over the fallen, groaning bodies on the floor and plowed into the next set of people that had stood over them. The entire hall shook with the force of Lewis colliding a pillow into people and a wall.

“You’ll return the Scripture!” One of the men, dressed in a sweatshirt and khakis, shoved himself up from the floor and caught up to Lewis as Lewis spun to him. The figure snagged Lewis’ ascot in his fist and yanked. “You’ll do as I say, or suffer—” His preaching tapered off into a winded gruff when a battle cry from Vivi collided with his lower back, along with her shoulder. Lewis stumbled sideways, but Vivi caught him by the arm and dragged him into the lit hall after Arthur and Mystery.

“Are we going the right way?” Vivi asked, as they cut around the next corner. Arthur didn’t slow, but he did pick up the pace. The doors of the numerous rooms that they whizzed by cackled with voices jabbering on top of each other, groups of missionaries struggling to coordinate and corner the intruders. Bellowing shouts echoed out, calling across the dorm in a foreign tongue Vivi didn’t recognize. This was dangerous, she couldn’t discern who was where or what they knew.

“This will lead out,” Lewis answered. It wasn’t a wrong way, but it was the longer way. That could work, but it would be tricky. “But don’t stop! Whatever happens.” He used the hand Vivi wasn’t dragging to loosen his ascot from being pulled tight. “That door, the one you just passed!”

Arthur skid on his heels and back peddled to a door, no different from any other, in the hall. “Huh?” He didn’t bother to wait for Lewis or Vivi, he snapped the polished wood panel back and stared onto the gloomy steps that ascended into the musty atmosphere. “Where does this go?”

“Upstairs,” Lewis said. He let Vivi go first with Mystery, the sharp glimmer of their light slithered across the ascending steps. Lewis followed the two, he stepped gently onto the steps as the wood grunted under his weight. Arthur eased the door shut at his back and followed the dull blaze of the penlight climbing into the thick air about them. “Take the right, count five doors, one of them is unlocked.”

“And where does that lead us?” Arthur asked. He hastened up the steps and nearly ran into Lewis, which caused Arthur to throw his arms out and brace himself between the walls or risk toppling backwards. “Sorry.”

“Better than falling,” Lewis admits. He pulls Arthur back onto his feet and they continue following Vivi in silence.

The door at the steps top was stiff but made no sound as Vivi pressed it open, she edged the light in the space and Mystery at her shins poked his face out and glanced around. “The lights are off,” Vivi announced, as she entered into the corridor. She shined her light among the walls and doors as they began to the right, Mystery’s coat flashed under the beam as he sniffed along. She counted five unremarkable doors along the tacky wall paper and thick wood panels. “They still think we’re downstairs.” Mystery poked his nose at a fallen desk but kept moving.

“There will probably be missionaries outside patrolling,” Lewis spoke. He caught up to Mystery and tries a few doors, but most were locked or jammed in their frames. “It was the left or the right. I might’ve gotten turned around.”

A door snapped inward at Vivi’s grip, and she stumbled into the room not anticipating the lack of leverage. “Here’s one.” She coughed at the dusty air, her feet slipped over the grungy carpet as she entered into the open space. Her light revealed little, but some furniture, a bed, and a distinct lack of being lived in.

“Old unused room,” Arthur observed, behind her.

Vivi angled her light to the ceiling, then the walls. Everything had a vague sense of age. “Old forgotten rooms,” she intoned. Clothing and an open suitcase still sat on the vanity, beside one wall of the room. As she turned the penlight, she caught the glinting frame of a window buried under a film of dirt.

The window was nailed shut. Lewis frowned at the sides when he attempted to pull the window up, and failed. “We’re gonna have to book it fast,” he warned. He walked around the bed in the center of the room to reach the vanity, and the chair set before it. “Everyone ready?”

Arthur sighed as Lewis braced himself beside the window. “No,” he says, “but let’s get this over with.” He winced when Lewis shoved the chair right through the brittle glass and the old rotten cross frame. A gush of cool, fresh air swelled into the ancient room disturbing layers of old dust. Arthur coughed and stuffed his face into the sweaters top. Vivi was already climbing out.

“Careful of the glass,” Lewis cautioned. H took Mystery up and slung the dog over one shoulder, but waited at the window as Arthur tiptoed along the floor. “Vi, the light so he can see.” Most the glass was in large shards and had managed to scatter outside, down the slates of the rood. “Just yell if you fall.” Lewis held out a hand for Arthur, in case.

“Har-har,” Arthur grumbled. He gripped the frame of the window as he eased himself out, onto the wood planks of the roof. The temperature had fallen several degrees since they were inside, it didn’t help that the sweater he was wearing now had a big rip in the collar. Arthur leaned down and set his hands to the roof. “How are we getting down?”

“This way,” Lewis trailed his hand along the wall of the upper story. “You’re okay Mystery, I’ve got you.” The dog wrapped his arms around Lewis’ neck and gazed off, toward the ambiguous location of the ground beyond the roofs edge. Vivi followed effortlessly, though she managed the light and her shoes were not the best for precarious perches. The roof jutted our over a porch above the lower dorm, and the support beam of the wooden eave stood beneath the corner of the roof. Lewis and Vivi perched at the edge staring down into the dark grass. Vivi had doused the light in her hand to prevent them from being seen but it made it difficult to view what was below. The lack of activity and sounds was encouraging. “It looks clear.” Lewis swung down first, one arm clasped to the roof while the other kept Mystery secure. Arthur followed. When Lewis set Mystery down, the dog circled around the group and turned his attention off toward the dark blocks of the village dorms.

“We’re on the edge of the village?” Vivi asked. She dropped down into Lewis’ open arms, and he caught her bridal style and set her back onto her feet. Vivi kept the light dim as she stepped away from Lewis, and gave their perimeter a short examination. Through the gloom and lack of moonlight, Vivi was still able to distinguish the rows of buildings from that of the cage of the forest growing around the village. “We came in from off the side, that way.” She indicated along the outskirts of the dark buildings, aware of the haphazard commotion from within the building they had exited. “Hurry.”

The forest loomed beneath the dark sky and the collecting thick clouds obscuring what little illumination was present from the cosmos. Arthur could only follow the rustle of his friends and hope for the best. “We’re going into the woods,” he whispered. “And we don’t know if that thing is still following us!”

“Probably is,” Vivi pants. “If that thing was some sort of guardian of the village, the runes are only meant to deter it. The village as a whole may be in the same danger we are, so no one will follow us.” The light glistened over the blades of grass rushing under their path, the calls and energy of the dorm fade behind them. “We’ll be safe once we reach the van.”

The fear Arthur felt was justified, and Lewis had his doubts as well but he wouldn’t voice them. “Mystery will let us know if there’s any danger.”

Mystery yapped. The woods were eerie this late in the evening, but it could have been his own nerves betraying his instincts.

“Don’t look back,” Lewis says. “Keep moving.”

“I think you said something similar, not long ago,” Arthur commented. He slowed as they departed the village outskirts and moved towards the muggy breeze trailing through the deep inky woods. Leaves shiver along the grassy carpet, while above the tree branches moan as the wind jostled the rough limbs. It brought back his memories of the hanging tree, and Arthur rubbed at his sore wrists as he dithers from entering the thick cover of the trees contrasting the night sky.

Mystery halts in his tracks, prompting Vivi and Lewis to turn back. “It’ll work out,” Vivi offered. “But it’s not safe to stop for too long.”

Lewis gestured to Arthur. “C’mon, don’t get left behind. You don’t want to get lost tonight.”

Mystery pivots and barked at the open air. A direction to follow.

With a groan, Arthur resumed his pace and they entered the woods. “Just creepy woods,” Arthur says. “But I have never been in a wood grove before with some many tiny, sharp rocks.” He hissed as his toe caught on what felt like a root, but Arthur’s feet were stiff and numb. “My brains asking if I’m still sane, my feet are screaming ‘WHY?’”

“You want me to carry you?” Lewis offered.

Arthur snorted, and declined the offer. “If I fall dead from blood loss, then yeah, go ahead,” he grumbled. “Not before then.” He winced but not from some vague piece jamming into the arch of his foot, he had heard something beyond their pants and footfalls but Arthur wasn’t sure. It didn’t sound any more specific than a tree branch cracking, or the leaves rustling, though there was no cool breeze about them. Keeping going. Don’t stop.

At length Vivi snapped on the penlight, once they were a presumably safe distance from the village. They moved in silence focused on the odd sounds in the old woods, a constant twitter and scraping moved through the thin brush among the trees. Sometimes the sound of hooves would thud at the soft earth, but the sound was always near and Vivi never could pinpoint exactly where. They didn’t want to speak of the sounds, but presumed that something was there but for whatever reason or compulsion, it could not reach them. At odd times Mystery would bark and sniff at something unseen, and at other pauses Arthur thought he saw a pale figure melting among the bars of the tall tree trunks that engulfed them.

By the time they reached the van, parked in a small clearing just off the road, they were exhausted. Vivi fell down in shock when the light flashed over the bright yellow hull, stabbing out through the thick tangle of shrubs and trees that bordered the clearing. She managed to stay on her feet for the last few yards to the vehicles side and used it to support her weight.

“Who has the key?” Vivi gasped. She stood beside the back door and tried the handle, though that was pointless. “Please don’t tell me we lost the keys.” She turned the penlight on the door when Lewis emerged from the shadows, going through his pockets. Lewis hands shook as he took the key and shoved it into the lock of the backdoor. Vivi made no comment.

“Viola,” Lewis praised, as he pulled the two doors open. Mystery and Vivi didn’t waste time getting inside. “Quick Art, you’re almost there. Stumble faster.”

Arthur struggled to climb up the bumper into the vans back. “You’re one to talk.” Vivi grabbed Arthur’s hands and hauled him in. “Not so rough, Vi! My feet.”

“I forgot you lost your shoes,” Lewis mentioned. “You didn’t show it.” He pushed Arthur in and joined the group, closing and locking the door after him. Pale blue light glittered over the interior of the van, brightening and defining the inner walls and the few cuvees. “Are we safe?”

“That’s not the question that needs asking,” Vivi replied. She was still trying to catch her breath. She handed the flashlight to Arthur where he was nestled by the back of the bench seat, and he angled the light at the roof of the van. “The van is our home field advantage, we have power here. That makes us safe, but not enough.” Vivi crouched beside one wall went through the slots for items, charms, essentials. “What will work is to remove the curse from this book. Or… something.”

The light pulsed around the room, flashing sporadically until Arthur found a space in the floor among some blankets where he could wedge the handle. “Reassuring,” he says, under his breath. He pulls the first aid box out from under the driver’s seat and goes through the container, shoving aside crumpled band aid wrappers and half used up gauze rolls until he finds the bottle of antiseptic. He winces as he applies the cold liquid to the raw spots on his heels. “So are we cursed?”

“The book is,” Vivi answers. She pulled the tome out of the backpack and set it on the center of the vans floor. “It’s filled with the names of the missing families.” Mystery sat beside Vivi and stared at the book, one ear tilted and his brows fixed in a scowl.

“But why?” Lewis inquires. He sat across from Vivi cross legged, studying the withered surface. “The books protected for all those names, I get that. But why?”

“Some kind of ritual.” Vivi flipped the cover open and examined the first pages, turning each in turn slowly, careful of the thin texture. “In some cultures, names are a precious gift that must be guarded.” She fumbled with her backpack and freed one of the notebooks. “It’s ill-advised to give your name so freely when asked. You don’t know what someone might do with it.”

“Cool,” Lewis piped. “So… that would be a valid reason to protect a—” He paused when a sound came. The van was in near silence, aside from Arthur digging around in the first aid box and Vivi’s narration. Strange noises had followed them all evening, always at a careful distance. Scratching and whispers.

There came a knock on the door, faint with a pause between each rap. No one said a word. A low whine rose up beside the seat of the van, where Arthur was laying. The knocks began again.

Lewis cursed and turned to the wall of the van, searching in the cuvees. Vivi hissed at him, and handed over one of the sage bundles she carried in her backpack. He fished the lighter from his pocket and gave it a hard slap over his knee. The gray leaves burn red, Lewis blows the flame out and fans the tendrils of smoke over the surface of the door.

“I’m going to assume this thing can’t enter unless we open a door?” Lewis posed. “What’s the catch?” He twists around to a new knocking, on the side of the van. “Damn.”

“It can’t get in.” Arthur sat up and stares at the wall where the soft tapping echoed. “It can’t get in! The windows!”

Lewis dropped the sage he was holding. “Markers! Where’d we put the markers? Do we even have markers?” There were no markers, but he did locate a box of paints. He tore the container apart as he vaulted over the bench seat. “What was the barrier rune you copied?”

Vivi leaned over the seat and handed Lewis the notebook. “Art, help me build some shielding circles,” she urged. “Get the salt and some candles, quick.”

“We’re doing this?” Arthur yelped. “In the van? Really?” Mystery yapped at him, and turned pawing at the wall of the van. “Is this the only way?” He jerked forward on his knees when Vivi grabbed him by the front of the sweater.

“We’ll clean it up later,” she hissed, voice strained. “Like it never happened. But you’re gonna have to keep it together, and help us through this. Get the salt, some candles, and more sage. It won’t be so bad, you’ll see. Stay calm, make some nice circles. You can do this.”

“Okay, yeah.” He nods. “No problem, I got this.” Arthur pulled the sweater front out of Vivi’s grip and followed Mystery as the dog nosed at the walls. “How’s it going Lew?” Arthur jumped back when the knocking thuds through the wall directly in front of him. It might’ve broken him from the panic momentarily, but he really didn’t want to see what Lewis was doing to the windows.

“About as good as you’d expect,” Lewis hummed. He did the two side windows first, dipping his fingers into the jar of black paint and making as neat of pictures as he could manage, with only the little light available that glistened off the sleek paint. A graceful curl ended the last mark, then he moved to the windshield. “I’ll be back in a sec to help with whatever you guys need.” A hard bang came from the passenger door right at his elbow and he recoiled, nearly spilling the paint. “Fuck.” He recovered and dabbed his finger back into the jar and leaned onto the dashboard. It was confining and difficult to maneuver in, but there was no better position to work beneath the large window.

“Make a circle here, and here. Mystery, you sit there.” Vivi indicated a small circle of salt that Arthur had traced out. Hard banging began to vibrate through the roof of the van, as if a parade had descended upon their heads. Vivi glanced up, the knocking was coming from almost every surface of the vehicle, it sounded like the ceiling and walls would cave in under the force of the clamor. “Hurrying would be advisable.”

Arthur was about to pick up the tome but hesitates and glanced to Vivi. “Are we gonna set marks on the floor?”

“I don’t think it would help,” Vivi admits. She takes the book and sets it in a circle and places another circle of salt around it. “Sage.” Arthur hands her one of the bundles he carries, and Vivi checked their vicinity. “The lighter?”

Lewis sprang down between Mystery and Arthur. “I need a ward scripture. Do we still have any?” he asks, as he set the container of paint aside. “Keep your hands steady, Artie. I always envy your circles.” He hands the notebook over to Vivi, and takes the long sheet of rice paper Mystery offered. “Thanks?” The dog shoved his paw over the blank page, pressing it into the floor, then returns to his spot in the circle where Vivi set a small carved stone figurine.

“You have the lighter?” Vivi sways on her knees as the van began to shake, not rock. The sharp blows became stronger, more fevered. Whatever plagued them, connected to the book, was steadily becoming aware of their intentions.

“Give me a sec,” Lewis utters, as he fumbles with the thin sheet. A few circles, thin sharp lines, Lewis dabs at the paint bottle and finishes the sign on the rice page, all while he digs at his pocket with his free hand. He produces the lighter and clicks it open and raises the flame to burn the end of the sage Vivi held. She thanked him, and set the bundle upon the book and spoke calm words, despite the din crashing through their eardrums.

Lewis swopped to the back of the van and pinned the stained ward script between the doors, by binding the corner and jamming it into the crease between the metal doors met. He used the last of the paint on his hand to inscribe a mark near the roof. Arthur wouldn’t notice.

“These need to be lit,” Arthur mentions, when Lewis shuffled back over. He shoves a couple candles into Lewis hands, and gives a short shriek in the same breath when a hard crash bellows in the vans wall. The clatter had risen and sounded more like rocks were being slammed over the metal sides, while the carriage continued to sway on its wheels. “How are there so many of them? Shouldn’t it just be one?”

“It’s just a desperate illusion,” Lewis rasped. “Don’t let it get to you, they can’t get in.” He recognized the Latin in Vivi’s voice, but he had only a vague idea of what she would be saying. Regardless, it always sounded beautiful despite their perile when she wove her words and sang compulsion or harmony, for the restless and lost souls, reeling them through the rift between existence and null until those with lingering ties to redemption could find their way. Without further comment he began lighting candles and struggling to set them upright, despite the violent motions of the floor. They would only need a few. “Remember, Art. They’re trying, but these barrier spells will stop them. Uh, Vi? We’re trying to… dispel the book, right?”

“We’re purifying it,” she says. “For our protection and those that may encounter it when we leave off.” Mystery set his bandaged paw on the book and glanced to his friends; Arthur cringed under the raging sounds and Lewis lit candles, giving sharp glances to the girl and dog with each wick lit and set. “Sever that from the ties to this book, and whatever law binds it to our world.” Vivi went to the side of the van and went through the cuvees along the low wall. She located a jar of soil and returned to the halo of glimmering candles surrounding the book. One candle tipped over, and Arthur snatched it and set it back upright.

“Here.” Lewis held a lit candle and carved into the wax with the edge of the lighter. “This’ll protect you.”

Arthur glanced dubiously at the ordinary, dollar candle that Vivi always bought whenever the chance came along. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?” Lewis’ smirk was comforting though.

“That would be cheap,” Lewis assured. “But it wouldn’t hurt you to believe that, either. C’mon Arthur, I’m right here.” Lewis took another candle and did the same, carving a shallow symbol into the wax. He sat between Arthur and Vivi, in one of the circles that had been made.

Vivi spoke incantations, beseeching no ill will of whatever kept the tome guarded. The rapping on the van swelled to thundering levels, until Mystery’s ears ached and the group didn’t know how much more they could take. Mystery buckled and bent his ears back, but even that didn’t subside the roar of wallops of clatter coming all at once. “Hang in there,” Vivi whispered. She resumed her low speak. “Don’t look at the windshield,” she warned Arthur. “Focus on the candle flames.” Then Vivi smiled at him. She took the jar of dirt and unscrewed the lid, from it she took a handful and sprinkled a small amount of the soil over the books surface, and across the burning bit of brush leaves.

“The call is gone, the binding severed,” Vivi spoke. “Put your hand on Mystery’s.” Vivi set the notebook she had referred to aside, and plucked up a candle. Arthur stared at her, confused. He barely got out a sound as Vivi took his free hand and set it over Mystery’s bandaged paw. He and Mystery shared a glance, before the dog resumed his concentration. “Lew.” Lewis set his hand over Vivi’s. “By our will, we dismiss your malice. Our will holds strong, unbroken, and you will submit by our decree.” She spoke words, beckoning the force that hounded the van. “Be gone I say, be gone.”

Arthur relaxed a bit as Vivi continued, chanting gently. He took a breath and shut his eyes. “We dismiss you,” he murmured, repeating her words to the best of his ability. He paused when Vivi hummed a prayer, and resumed when her voice came firm rising as the bashing on the walls persisted harder and faster. “By our will, we are stronger. No challenge, no malice. Your chained is severed.” Vivi tightened her hand over Arthur’s. “Be gone. Be gone.”

Vivi brought the candle down and lit the corner of the book. “Your chain is severed. Your license above those given over to you is undone,” she hummed. “Return to the derivation. Do no more harm and depart in no ill will.” She jerked her hand back, and the group collectively recoiled when a wild burst of fire tore across the surface of the tomes cover and flared briefly. The display lastes a short moment, and all together the tremendous clatter plaguing the metal walls ceased, aside from a few far between and weak bumps around the sides. The soft crackle of embers bristle with an olive glow as the flame settles over the hard surface of the tome and diminished completely, the sage bundle upon the blackened surface reduced to ash. “Return to wince you were called,” she whispered. “Be gone.”

They repeat the mantra over and over as the thudding on and at the metal sides begins to slow with each passing minute. “Be gone, the bond is severed.” The sounds become distant and the rocking of the carriage ceased. “Be gone, your time is done. Leave in no ill will.” Frail rapping, like the first of the knocks that had occurred, persists at the back door of the van. Lewis fixed his tense gaze upon the barrier ward as the knock continues, slower paced. “No longer tethered, return to what once was. Be gone, be gone.”

The air becomes still, the warm fragrance of sage and burning wax lazes in the small interior of the van and only the breathing of the group is audible. Arthur opens his mouth to speak, but Vivi holds up her hand with the candle and turns her attention away. They wait. Mystery grumbles something under his breath and perks his ears.

Sudden rapid trotting races into their hearing, as if cutting through the solid walls of the van and into the midst of their small perimeter. Lewis throws his arms around the group shielding them from no visible force, before an ear splitting Crash! collides with the wall nearest to Vivi’s side. The van heaves sideways on its wheels, metal groaned as it rocked and their gear slide across the floor around the huddled group. The candles topple over, most going out leaving only the blue light of the flashlight to trail over the sharp contours of the walls. Somewhere beyond their protected zone, a shrill screeching rose up and the clawing panic of a body thrashed in the leaves. This went on for some undefined length of time, what felt like hours, before they realized it. The serenity of the night had resumed. Even then, they hadn’t found the strength to uncoil off the floor.

This continued over the course of the night. Vivi whispering prayers and occasionally burned the cover of the book, though the flame never penetrated the withered binding all the way, and never once harmed the delicate pages within. This only reinforced her harsh treatment of the Scripture, until at last a page caught light and only then did Vivi cease the flames and set the candle she held aside. Never did she pause in her words, or falter in her hymn as the night wore on.

The first to fall into fidgety slumber was Arthur, taxed by wandering barefoot and left in the open air for hours before he could be rescued. Occasionally, Lewis would repeat along with Vivi the chant she spoke and restock the sage when it burned down. The noises never returned but a false atmosphere of respite had settled on the unsteady night, and a hard tension like electrical residue clung over the cold candles abandoned on the floor.

In the dawn hours Arthur awoke now and then, stirred from nightmares of a pale figure standing at the end of a decrepit hall waiting for him, eyes hollow. It never did anything, it only stood and waited and watched. When the haze of light finally crept around the dark marks dried in the windshield, he was able to locate where Vivi had curled up on the floor in a mess of salt with her protector, Mystery, curled up in a tight bundle with his soft fur pressed into her head. Maybe Lewis had fallen asleep sitting upright, but he never faltered from his stern vigilance of the vans back doors from where the knocks had first stemmed the night before.

#msa #mystery skulls animated #mystery skulls fanfic #msa fanfic #mystery skulls fanfiction #fanfiction #msa fanfiction #msa lewis fanfiction #msa arthur fanfiction #msa vivi fanfiction #msa mystery fanfiction

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binaconfusa · 4 years ago

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15 of April was the 5th year of the Freaking Out clip realese, and bc of this special occasion I made this!

Hope y'll like it :3

Thank you for the support on Twitter!

#mystery skulls animated #my art #arthur kingsmen #msa fanart #msa #vivi yukino #digital art #lewis pepper #msa arthur #msa mystery #msa vivi #msa lewis #msa shiromori #shiromori #mystery skulls fanfiction #msa freaking out #freaking out

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nyrandrea · 4 years ago

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Your Enemy

I’m on a Mystery Skulls kick right now so here have a one-shot fic with plenty of Arthur and Lewis angst with a dash of fluff!

Summary: In a brief respite amongst the chaos, Arthur tries to reconcile with a long lost friend.

Takes place during the events of The Future.

Enjoy!

“Lewis...?”

The name felt foreign on Arthur's tongue, almost taboo in a sense. Probably because he had found out the truth only moments ago while hanging over a pit of glowing magenta stalactites, only to be dropped down by his best friend's skeletal hand.

In a strange way he felt at peace as his body silently dropped through the wisps of pink smoke. He had finally found Lewis after months of painstaking searching, but there was a sharp jab that threatened to break through his ribs; that pang of betrayal, and a vague sense of de-ja-vu.

There was nothing else he could do now but stare up, maybe even reach out in some sort of last-minute grand gesture to show that he still cared. Not that it mattered; it would all be over soon.

But then... there's something there. It's hard to tell with Lewis, always has been, but there's a flicker of emotion. A little doubt at first, then realization kicks in, his eye sockets crease down into an expression that Arthur can't really read from this far down.

Sorrow? Regret? Guilt?

A small glimmer of hope buds in his chest as the ghoul seems to reach out.

The spikes beneath start to crumble into dust, and the world around them warps.

The crackling of a gunshot rings out.

And suddenly Arthur was back in the truck, smothered by a mountain of cardboard boxes.

Senses sharpened by adrenaline, Arthur held his breath, straining to hear with whatever concentration he had left. There was a clink as something hit the metal floor next to him, but he didn’t want to open his eyes in the fear that maybe that ghost – Lewis – might be hovering over him with second thoughts.

A few more shots blasted through the truck, and there was a grunt from Lewis as a bullet hit him square in the chest. It was only a few moments later when muffled shouting came from outside.

…Uncle Lance?

Shit.

With one hand to steady his racing head, Arthur finally came to, his eyes darting around the truck for Lewis and his uncle – neither were there, and it was starting to grow eerily quiet.

His gaze fell onto a dark grey heart-shaped locket that seemed to beat with a life of its own, albeit weakly. On closer inspection, there were cracks laced around it; some were light, while others seemed to cut deep.

Wait, wasn’t this the same heart that Lewis had on him? Maybe the shock had messed with his head, but he was pretty sure it been a bright yellow before. Now it just looked…sad.

Part of him knew it wasn’t his place to go prying, but something compelled Arthur to open the locket up, despite the fact that it would probably piss Lewis off even more than he already was. And there was still his uncle to think of.

Still, his entrancement got the better of him.

Inside was Lewis, of course, but there was Vivi too…smiling up at him as he cradled her in his arms.

There was that pang again, and Arthur couldn’t help but frown as he stared down at the picture. They were a great couple, nobody could deny that, but weren’t they meant to be a team? A family? Did Mystery not matter to Lewis anymore? Did…did he not matter?

But as he squinted, he swore he could see the picture… changing – different colours and figures warping into the frame with every pulse. Lewis and Vivi were still there, but now Mystery was too with a fang-filled grin – to which Arthur couldn’t help but shudder at – and…he was there too. His eyes widened as he watched himself slowly manifest in the corner, smiling up at the camera with a cheesy smile and a peace sign.

Stunned, Arthur could only keep staring as the heart started thumping erratically before suddenly being snatched from his grasp. Fright gripped him like nothing else on this earth as Lewis glowered down at him. It wasn’t like before, when he was in full-on anger and murderous rage mode. No, this was more like an annoyed scowl as if he had just caught Arthur looking into his secret diary.

Which…wasn’t far from the truth, honestly.

As the spectre turned his back to Arthur, shock seemed to overtake him as he fell to his knees; his broad shoulders trembling as he seemed to just stare at the picture in silent disbelief, as if he just couldn’t accept what was right in front of him.

Was…was he…crying?

“Lewis…?”

When Arthur received no answer, he mustered up enough courage to slowly shuffle his way up from behind, but the closer he got, the bigger and more menacing Lewis somehow became. Not to mention the sweltering warmth that seemed to emanate from him like a blazing aura, threatening to melt his skin if he got too close.

For that reason alone, Arthur stopped there, just about an arm’s length away.

From here, he could observe his best friend – or sworn enemy, seeing as he had been trying to kill Arthur – and make out just what the hell had happened to him. From the jutting ribcage and skull-head to the fact that he floated, it was safe to say that Lewis was, in-fact, dead.

Arthur swallowed a hard lump down his throat.

They had been looking for him for months now – well, Arthur had, as Vivi had no recollection of her boyfriend whatsoever – and they had unknowingly found him at some dusty old mansion. What had he been doing there? Why was he so angry looking all the time? How did he die?

The questions swirling through his head were interrupted though when he heard a sob rattle out from the ghost; it was quiet, almost a whisper, but as deep as a rumble of thunder rolling out in the distance.

It was a sound that made the hairs on the back of his neck bristle with apprehension, and he could feel his body start to kick into fight or flight mode.

Mostly flight.

But this was Lewis: the guy with the level-head, the caring big brother, the kindest friend that anyone could ask for. And now he was upset and… Arthur couldn’t just let that slide, despite everything.

With a deep breath to console himself – as he had done before with Mystery – he reached out a trembling hand, only hesitating when the heat started to become unbearable, like he was testing fate with an open fire.

But he had come so far, there was no point in pulling back now, not when he had a chance to finally reconcile with his friend.

Maybe even ally.

At the very least an acquaintance.

However, when he finally laid his bare hand on Lewis’s back, he was surprised to feel that it wasn’t sizzling like bacon in a frying pan, but instead the heat was…almost pleasant to the touch. Still intense, but not excruciating.

Still, there was a moment then. A moment in which Arthur could feel Lewis’s body jolt in surprise at the sudden touch before going rigid in realization. He could only hope that this was the good kind of surprise, the kind that Lewis would open up his arms and they would embrace in tears as they had done many times in the past after a particularly cheesy chick flick (in which Vivi would just roll her eyes and comment that she was supposed to be the woman in this relationship.)

Hopefully not the kind of surprise that would get his ass burned to a crisp.

The reaction he got wasn’t one way or the other though, as Lewis only turned around to gaze down at him with black tear-tracks running down his skull. It wasn’t a particularly fond look, nor was it a hateful glare. He was just…indifferent, like he didn’t quite know what to do with the shivering excuse of a mess that was trying to pat his back in a weak attempt at comforting.

“H…Hey it’s okay, L-L-L…”

Lewis’s violet pupils constricted into slits as his eye sockets frowned in irritation, which was enough to send Arthur scrambling back as the ghost rose from the ground and towered above him.

“Don’t patronise me.”

“Holy shit,” Arthur muttered in awe – or horror, he couldn’t even tell what he was really feeling right now. “You can talk?!”

A dry look was his response.

“Sorry Lew,” Arthur said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “It’s just really weird seeing you like- “

A snort of derision suddenly cut him off.

Arthur couldn’t help but be a little taken aback. Lewis had always been so patient – having been brought up with three energetic little sisters – and always had his back when it came to exploring haunted places.

Well, Arthur really had Lewis’s back, since he was hiding behind him all the time.

Now here he was, sneering down at him with his arms crossed like some tough bully of the playground that had just asserted his dominance by stealing Arthur’s lunch money.

“Look at you,” he drawled out. “Calling me ‘Lew’ and pretending we’re still friends after what you did.”

Arthur flinched a little and cocked one brow up in confusion before scuttling back even further when Lewis quickly swooped down to his level, shoving his cracked heart into his face.

“This doesn’t change anything, do you understand?!” he barked, using one hand to pull Arthur up by the collar of his shirt when he tried to shrink away again, while the other pointed to the picture of the group.

Arthur weakly nodded, hoping he would be spared if he agreed.

“This…is a mistake! It shouldn’t be there! It shouldn’t…”

Lewis trailed off and let Arthur drop back down to the ground as the poor man’s sides heaved in both relief and exhaustion, like he had holding in his breath for an eternity.

Skeletal fingers traced around the picture longingly, like he was remembering his previous life. All the good times they had together, even the bad times; all precious memories that he wished would fade away so he wouldn’t have to endure this pain any longer.

“You…shouldn’t…”

“…be there?” Arthur finished for him.

Lewis closed the heart with a forced click.

“Exactly.”

A heavy silence settled between them as Lewis stared down at Arthur for a moment longer, narrowing his glowing eyes before making a "Tsk!" of disapproval and turning his back on him once again, this time with more purpose as he strode towards the front of the truck trailer. Leaving Arthur behind.

Again.

“Well, why shouldn’t I be?!”

He flinched slightly when he saw Lewis pause at the door, his towering figure silhouetted against the full moon. The little bravado Arthur had dissipated as quickly as it had come, and there was a niggling thought at the back of his mind that suggested that maybe he should just let this go. Let Lewis go. It would make his life a lot easier. Hell, maybe he could just retire from Mystery Skulls altogether, lead a normal life as a mechanic at his uncle’s garage.

If he survived tonight, that was.

Arthur shook his head. No, he couldn’t think like that. Not anymore.

“Excuse me?”

Lewis turned his head to the side, glowering at Arthur as if daring him to test him again.

And he did.

“Why shouldn’t I be in the picture?” he asked, his tone wary but stern enough. “I-I have a right to be there as much as you or Vivi or, hell, even Mystery! We were a team!”

“Were.”

“Wh…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t play innocent with me.”

“What the hell, Lewis?!” Arthur snapped, finally deciding to stand up to him, both metaphorically and literally. “I don’t deserve this, any of this!”

He gestured wildly around the van, as if he were still in that cave of purple death.

“What did I ever do to you?!”

“What did you ever…?”

A combustion of pink flames swirled violently around Lewis’s body and threw Arthur back into the cave. The roaring of fire drowned out his pitiful cries as Lewis lunged forward and held him up by the neck and suddenly he was over that pit of spikes again. Arthur’s body screamed so much in protest that he almost wished for Lewis to drop him, and to let him fall this time.

“What did you ever DO to me?!”

Arthur flinched as Lewis tightened his grip, and the longer he looked at Lewis’s eyes the more shrunken his pupils became; soon enough he was staring into two soulless black pits.

But despite this, despite the sleepless nights looking over his shoulder, despite that he couldn’t take much more of being rag-dolled all over the place, he couldn’t back down now. This was Lewis. Kind, caring, gentle-giant Lewis who wouldn’t even raise his hand against a fly. He was still in there, somewhere. He just…had to be coaxed out somehow.

Raising his robotic arm – because his other was far too weak at this point – he reached out and brushed his fingers over the cracked heart, feeling its pulse even underneath the metal digits.

“I was looking for you, Lew.”

Startled, Lewis loosened his grip.

“What?”

“You just…disappeared,” Arthur breathed. “Mr. and Mrs. Pepper had no idea where you went, and Vivi had no idea who you even were anymore. It was like you just vanished off the face of the earth, I was convinced you’d been abducted by aliens or some shit.”

He laughed, if you could call raspy wheezing that, and his lungs immediately regretted it; the heat of the flames that licked around them and fumes of smoke not helping. But Lewis’s face of how dare you make casual jokes when you should be begging for your life was just too funny to him.

“We searched all over the states for months, but you didn’t even leave a trail or anything. I was so close to giving up but then…the mansion and well, the rest is history I guess,” he finished with a weak chuckle.

Lewis still failed to see the funny side of it as the cave was swept away in a cloud of purple smog, leaving them back in four enclosed walls. The spectre let Arthur’s limp body slide back down to the ground with a tired grunt and hovered back as if he had been struck down.

“You’re lying.”

Arthur sighed and ran a hand down his singed face, pinching his nose in frustration. He was becoming much less afraid of Lewis and more…frustrated. How much was he going to have to drill it into that thick skull of his that yeah, they were actually friends once?

“Why would I lie about something like that? Wouldn’t you have done the same for me?” he asked.

Lewis seemed to flinch at the question.

“…You would, right?”

He couldn’t believe that he actually had to ask and felt even worse at the fact that Lewis wasn’t answering him. Vivi wouldn’t have hesitated; she was a ride or die kind of girl. Mystery was loyal, even if he did rip his arm off for…whatever reason. It must have been a good one. That’s what he told himself anyway.

Even if his skull lacked the hydration needed, Arthur could still see that Lewis was sweating bullets.

“Well, guess that’s my answer then- “

“You couldn’t have been looking for me!” Lewis interrupted. “Not after you…,” he trailed off, looking to the side, as if in thought.

Arthur gave him an expectant look as he waited for him to finish the sentence, frowning when it never came.

“After I…?” he motioned with his hand, as if it would somehow jog his memory.

But one look told him that Lewis hadn’t forgotten, he just wasn’t telling.

“Lewis, what did I do?” he asked again, his tone changing.

There was yet another moment of hesitation before Lewis finally said, “You really don’t remember, do you.”

Something must have happened in the past that Arthur’s mind had blocked – much like Vivi – something so horrible that it pushed Lewis’s vengeful ghost to come after him with murderous intent.

…Murderous.

A couple of tears pricked at his eyes.

“Remember what, Lewis? Wait, did I do that to you?!” he screamed, the ghost flinching a little as he did.

Arthur desperately wanted to stand, run up to him, shake the confession out of him. But his body refused, so he was doomed to be stuck on the floor in a pit of musty cardboard and impending despair.

All anger melted away from Lewis’s eyes, replaced with…something else.

Sorrow? Regret? Guilt?

He didn’t care.

He wanted answers.

“Goddamnit, tell me what I-!”

A rush of white and blue suddenly crashed in between them from above, and before either could even react a flash of white-hot light blinded them before engulfing the whole truck with a pillar of smoke and fire.

xxx

Arthur should have been dead; he knew that much. But despite the overwhelming odds stacked against him, it seemed that heaven nor hell had any reservations for him today. Figures.

He stared up at the night sky as his vision slowly came back into focus, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Clearly the truck exploded, hence him lying on a bed of ash with his body covered in charred debris, but what had caused it?

Rolling his head to the side, he could just about make out two blue figures darting and clashing it out in the distance – one was clearly Vivi (how could she even move like that?) – though steel beams and parts of the truck blocked his vision of the fight, but…what was helping her? Some kind of big dog?

Mystery?

His vision still wasn't the best but Arthur knew he wasn’t hallucinating, he was pretty sure he had seen Mystery like that before; a tall and lean beast with more tails than he could count, when he tore off his arm.

Why was it all so hazy?

Throwing his head back, he closed his eyes for a moment to drown out the confusion. Maybe even calm down a little.

“Arthur!”

Or maybe not.

A small part of him was grateful though as a pair of massive hands heaved the blackened, twisted metal that had been pinning him down and pulled Arthur to his feet, keeping a steady grip on his shoulders when his legs buckled beneath him.

“Are you okay?”

Arthur gave him a dry look.

“Yeah, stupid question. Is anything broken?”

“I thought this was what you wanted.”

Now it was Lewis’s turn to scrutinize, to which Arthur muttered a meek, “Sorry.”

The ghost sighed and swung Arthur’s arm around his shoulder – though he barely managed to reach it – and put his other arm around his waist to keep him grounded.

“Are you able to walk?”

Arthur looked away and managed a weak nod, hoping the heat in his cheeks went unnoticed.

As they traipsed through the uneven rubble – Lewis steadying Arthur whenever his leg got caught on something – the clashing of metal was even more prominent now and…did it suddenly get chilly?

“To answer your question from before."

Arthur side-eyed him.

"I would look for you."

He managed to crack a small smile, "Thanks."

"Not that you'd be hard to find, with those lungs of yours. Vivi would think you were a banshee and drag me with her."

His smile changed to a grimace, "...Thanks?"

The lightened mood dipped for a moment as Lewis paused to look ahead.

"I didn't want any of this."

Arthur stayed silent.

“To hurt you, I mean,” Lewis clarified. “I was just…so overcome with rage that everything else became a blur, I never really stopped to think for a moment that maybe…,” he trailed off then, as if thinking hard on what his next words might be.

Deciding to stay quiet and listen, Arthur desperately hoped he was about to get the answer he needed right now.

“Ah, I think that’s your uncle there.”

His head snapped forward as his gaze fell upon his unconscious relative. With a gasp he loosened himself from Lewis’s grip and surged ahead, despite the ghost’s protests.

“Holy crap, Uncle Lance?” Arthur turned him onto his back and gave him a good shake. “Oh my God, is he dead?!”

“Relax. He’s still breathing.”

“The hell did you do to him?!” he barked back, much to Lewis’s surprise.

“The uh…explosion must have knocked him out,” he flustered, rubbing the back of his magenta hair.

“Explosions don’t punch you in the face.”

“Don’t they…?” he tried with a shrug but dropped it when Arthur narrowed his eyes. “Sorry,” he said, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. “Blind rage, remember?”

Deciding to ignore him, Arthur just about managed to heave his uncle onto his shoulder, much to his and Lewis’s surprise.

“Must be the adrenaline kicking in,” he figured.

“Isn’t that usually reserved with running for you?”

Arthur deadpanned, before adding, “You’re cracking an awful lot of jokes considering the danger Vivi’s probably in right now.”

That caught his attention.

“Wait. Vivi’s here?!”

“Uh…yeah, didn’t you see her in the van when you were chasing us? Ah, wait-“ he stopped, feigning sudden realization.

“Right. Blind rage, got it.”

“Arthur!”

Before either of them could get into another argument, a terrible rumble shook the earth beneath them as a tsunami of thick blue and white plant vines twisted and snaked through the ground at an impossible speed.

Heading straight for them.

“What the fu-“

“Not her again,” Lewis growled, much to Arthur’s complete and utter bewilderment.

“I’m sorry, her?”

“I’ll explain later, just get ready to run.”

“Wait!” Arthur called out, catching Lewis’s attention. “Just tell me. D…Did I…? Was it…?”

He thought at the very least he would manage to get the question out without becoming a stuttering mess. What little determination he had was gone for good now, replaced with his all too familiar one emotion of fear. His stomach was in more knots than the monstrous plants that towered above them, and now he was doubting if he even wanted to know what crucial little detail Lewis was hiding from him.

The one that, deep down, he already knew.

A heavy but delicately placed hand on his shoulder brought him back from the endless pit that was his guilty subconscious, and as he looked up at Lewis, he was brought back to a time when they were just about to head into whatever dangerous, horrifying excursion that Vivi had planned for the night, and Lewis was the rock that would get them all through it. No matter what.

“There was a time when I would have said yes; that there was no doubt in my mind.”

A jolt of guilt surged through him.

“But now I’m not so sure. It’s not…really as clear as it was before. But I- we’ll… figure it out.”

His grip tightened slightly.

“And if it turns out it really was you, and you’ve been playing me for a fool, then I’m going back to plan A. Sound fair?” he said with a friendly slap on the back that nearly sent Arthur hurtling forward.

“Sounds fair,” he replied with a nervous grin.

In the end, Arthur figured he would probably get what he deserved. But for now, he wasn’t worried about the future.

For it was time for the past to catch up.

xxx

Just a note to say that this isn’t a sequel to my other MSA fic ‘Cave of Regret’, which you can read here!

Apologies for any errors, it’s currently 3am

What did you think? Let me know!

#Mystery Skulls #Mystery Skulls Animated #msa #msa the future #mystery skulls the future #msa lewis #msa arthur #lewis pepper #arthur kingsmen #lewthur #lewvithur #fanfiction #fanfic #msa fanfic #msa future #my writing

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tatttletale · 3 years ago

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Moving On | Mystery Skulls Animated

In which Lewis isn't vengeful or corporeal. AU, I guess?

I wrote this tiny piece in an hour for an exam and I think it turned out okay?? So I'm just... leaving it here for angst...

The shop's doorbell rings and Arthur sits up from his place on the ground, ever attentive.

This is the fourth car in as many hours and yet he immediately agrees to fix it, promising its return at the same time tomorrow. He smiles and chats effortlessly as the customer fills out the form, hands over his keys and leaves again just as quickly, adding yet another project—another distraction—to the queue.

Arthur does not falter. Instead, the mechanic gulps water from a plastic bottle, signs agreement on the form and cycles around to the Toyota on the far side of the garage, delivered this morning with a crumpled bonnet. Before removing the engine, he decides to check underneath and stretches out on a creeper, pulling himself under the mangled car. I catch a glimpse of dark bruises under his eyes before he disappears.

I huff in frustration, glancing again at the front desk. A drained mug has been left on top of the paperwork, staining the service sheets underneath with coffee rings. Uncle Lance hasn't uttered a word to his nephew all week, which is extraordinary, considering how high the head mechanic's standards are. I can hear him in another room, barking orders at employees.

I walk to the Toyota and stand beside it. Arthur seems to notice me because he stops work and pushes himself out on the creeper.

"Arthur," I sigh. "You can't work all day. You need some sleep."

Irritated, he sighs, sits up and rubs his eyes.

He signs himself out early.

*****

When we get home, Arthur immediately disappears into his room, avoiding my violin stand in the hall. Our home is cozy like that, packed with knick knacks, with memories.

I don't follow him. It's three hours later when Vivi finally saunters up and knocks.

"Artie? You wanna come out for dinner? It's pizza night tonight."

Good on you, Vivi. That will bring him out.

"Gimme a minute," comes Arthur's strained voice.

He emerges twenty minutes later for dinner, eyes bloodshot. Dios mio, is he tired.

Arthur's quiet at the table. He looks sullen. Whenever Vivi speaks, he engages with her, smile taut and a little too wide. Fifteen minutes later the pizza boxes are empty and he goes back to his room. This time, I decide to peek.

When I open the door and look through, Arthur's sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Thick tear trails run down his face and his pillow is wet.

He doesn't seem to notice me as I enter, padding across the carpet to sit on the bed next to him. "Arthur, we love you," I tell him, resting a hand on his knee. "And we're worried about you. Please tell us what's wrong."

He doesn't respond. I sigh and remain, waiting for the silent tears to stop.

When he finally wipes them away, he doesn't talk to me. He rolls over and sets his alarm for 7:30am—that's the usual. His shift starts at 8:00.

He kicks off his shoes and flicks the lamp off. I leave then.

He doesn't even change into pyjamas.

****

Arthur drops the keys back into the customer's hand and flashes him a smile. The garage is now empty, all distractions gone.

Uncle Lance is about to speak to him, I can see it. The doorbell rings before he can open his mouth and we turn to find Mama walking in. Her lush skin looks like the night against mine. Her crimson curls starkly contrast my own unremarkable hair.

"Mrs Pepper," Arthur greets her, ever formal.

"Arthur, please, it's Camila," she smiles, like she does every time.

"Camila," Uncle Lance says, stepping forward. "'Scuse me fer askin', but what're yer here for? Yer car broke down too?"

"No," she assures him, throwing a wink at Arthur. "But I'm sure your nephew would have no trouble fixing it if it were."

"Tell me 'bout it," Lance grunts. "Artie here's been takin' half the damn cars that drive in!"

She smiles kindly at him. "You must be so proud of how hard he works. My Lewis used to cook for us all the time."

I smile at her, warm pride in my chest.

"Well, I came here to invite you two to dinner," Mama continues. "And Vivienne too, of course. Any friend of Lewis' is a friend of ours."

"Thank you, Mrs Pepper," Arthur says weakly. She gives him a light squeeze on the shoulder.

"Artie, why don't yer go home."

Arthur turns to Lance in surprise. "But my shift ends at five."

"And yer been workin' yer arse off," Lance retorts. "Yer needa rest sometime. 'Sides, I wanna have a talk with Camila. You go home now."

Arthur does what he's told. Thankfully.

*****

Tonight plays out the same as before. The same as every night.

After dinner I go back to his room to check on him. He's crying again.

"Oh, Artie," I sigh, but I leave him alone this time. Instead I take notice of the photos on the walls. All three of us, mucking around. The walls at the garage are bare.

It seems like hours before he quiets and kicks off his shoes. He sets his alarm to 6:00am, and I raise my eyebrows. He sleeps.

*****

The next morning he drags himself out of bed before the alarm, taking care to shut it off before it blares and wakes Vivi. He ambles to the kitchen and pours himself coffee, gulping it down and leaving through the front door. Concerned, I follow him out to the van, slipping into the passenger seat.

He ignores me, turning the key in the ignition and pulling out of the driveway. Down the road, he pulls up to the florist's and disappears inside. I frown. Arthur isn't a flowers guy—that's more my thing.

He reappears a few minutes later with roses—my favourite colour, too. He hops in and I breathe in the scent of the purple blooms as we cruise down the road, the town waking from slumber around us.

Finally we pull up to a tall iron fence, and he cuts the engine, grabbing the flowers and jumping out. I follow him tentatively into the cemetery—why here?

We weave through gravemarkers, past multiple rows, Arthur precise in his direction. Eventually, we stop by a black marble headstone, and I bend to read the inscription.

Here lies LEWIS PEPPER Beloved son, brother and friend.

1998—2019

It's been a year. Arthur sets the roses down and I see the tears. My heart sinks.

All those nights awake. . . the never-ending work. . . the fights. . . the tears. . .

Because of me?

I kneel in front of him. I know he can't see me, so I take his face into my hands. He seems to shudder.

"We love you," I tell him, sincere, and press my forehead to his. "And we want you to be happy."

He closes his eyes. "We love you," he echoes. "And I know you want me to be happy."

He sighs, and stands, walking away. I take one last sweet smell of the roses and follow, leaving them to wither. Some things are more important than rest.

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braveskyered · 4 years ago

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Knights (Part 20)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19

(NOTE: The entire outline for Knights was written and finalized months before the release of Mystery Skull Animated: The Future and the recent reveal of Reverb's profile. No changes are to be made to fit into the Knights canon, as it's already become canon divergent as it is.)

It seems some people have not learned their lesson.

I am obligated to remind you that whether it is here or elsewhere, please be aware that there may be some topics from here on out that you as a reader will find uncomfortable. Elaborating what they are in the beginning will be considered spoilers, and we all know how much people hate spoilers.

Once again, do remember that this story is a work of fiction. Any similarities between characters or events to persons – living or dead – in our real world are purely and entirely coincidental.

If you have followed this since the beginning, then I am sure you know what you are getting yourself into. But for those who do not or quit halfway, know that reality is harsh. Should you stand behind a wall of safety and redundancy too often, you will not be able to withstand your own battles. We may be able to help reinforce you in battle, but we are not the ones capable of winning it, you are.

And yet you consider me a monster?

Don’t make me laugh! The real monster is nearby.

Enjoy the show.

Part 20: Can You See What I’ve Become?

- - - - - - -

Arthur has a hard time believing the reality that is now before him.

Standing in front of him is a nurse around Elaine’s height holding one of the two babies wrapped in a light blue blanket.

“It’s all right, Mr. Knights,” the nurse said with amusement, “You can hold her.”

“I-I don’t know. What if… What if I drop her?”

The amusement fell from the nurse’s face in an instant and was replaced by mild annoyance. She then made a gesture with her head, “Mr. Knights. Do you see that sleeper sofa over there?”

“Yes?”

“Sit down on the long cushion side, please.”

Arthur obeyed. The L-shaped sleeper sofa is somewhat large and spacious, yet very comfortable. It’s more like something one would find in a living room if it’s this luxurious.

“Comfy?”

Arthur nodded to her, but he still didn’t see what the nurse was getting at.

“Then here,” the nurse said as she handed the small white bundle to him, “Now you have no risk of dropping her. Make sure you support her head like this, okay?”

His whole being is trembling. He swallowed a lump in his as the nurse took her arms away, letting him hold the newborn baby by himself. He looked down and didn’t know what to think as he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

She’s so small…

He never knew just how small a newborn baby could be. The tiny little girl with black hair in his hold looks small enough to fit in the palms of his hands alone without the blanket wrapped around her. One of the baby’s tiny little hands is poking out from the blanket, and when Arthur gently nudged it, he let out a small gasp when he saw her even tinier little fingers try to grasp it.

This… this is my… This is my daughter.

He didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling. He didn’t know what it was. This lump in his throat, the faint heat within his face that started to well through his eyes…

This… is our daughter. She is here because I love Elaine. I’m… a father.

He never knew this would be possible.

“Aren’t they precious?”

Arthur looked up and could see tears coming from Elaine’s eyes as she held a small yellow bundle while in her hospital bed.

“I never would’ve thought that I would be able to have them, I’m so happy,” she said as she wiped some tears from her face, “For so long, I’ve always wanted to be a mother. To think, here we are, holding them in our arms!”

Once he knew he had the newborn child in his hands steady in his hold. Arthur stood up to be at Elaine’s side. He shifted his gaze to the other child with blond hair in Elaine’s hold, wrapped in a gentle yellow blanket. Even now, Arthur still has a hard time believing the new reality before him.

That… that is my son. Our son.

Learning that Elaine was with child is one thing, learning later that she was carrying twins became another. Actually holding said twins in their arms is…

“Have you picked out any names for them yet?”

Arthur had actually forgotten about the nurse that is in the room with them. Thinking about it, he moved to place his daughter next to his son, which made Elaine adjust her hold so she could support both of them.

“Well, my star?” Elaine smiled as she looked up at him.

Arthur knew exactly what to name them. It’s the least he can do for the twins… and for Vivi and Lewis. Because he cared for them that much, the names will be in memory of a life that had been lost unfairly, for the bittersweet memories they carried, and for a friendship he could never go back to. Lewis was probably joking when he suggested the names over two years ago, but Arthur figured he may as well use them. They are good names by themselves, after all.

“Gwen Vivi,” he said as he brushed a finger against their daughter’s hair before doing the same to their son, “And Percy Lewis.”

“Vivi?” Elaine looked puzzled as she looked up at Arthur, “Where did that come from?”

Arthur spelled it out to her before explaining, “I thought sounded nice, and it’s somewhat inspired from your grandmother’s name. I had thought of Gwen Vivienne, but…” he looked away briefly to think up a good excuse before turning back, “It didn’t sound right.”

Elaine hummed in thought, “Gwen Vivi Knights and Percy Lewis Knights,” she tested the names before smiling, “You’re right. Thinking about it, it fits them perfectly.”

It’s official. Arthur realizes as he wraps an arm around Elaine. Starting today, he now has a family of his own. Today, he made a vow. This isn’t about him anymore. These twin children mean so much more to him than life itself. He vowed that no matter what, he will protect these two with his life.

“The rest of my family will be so surprised when they see him,” Elaine said as she and Arthur watched their son move a little, “For over ten generations, we’ve never had a son. But here he is, our little Percy.”

“I guess it’s a good thing he looks like me, or else they might think he’s not ours,” Arthur laughed a little, “After all, in my family, we’ve only had sons.”

“Really?”

“No, I’m joking.”

Arthur already knew about Elaine’s family only having daughters based on the very long family tree they have. While he had found the supposedly female-only birth rate to be rather strange, he just chalked it up as a very unlikely but not impossible odd chance of that happening.

Still, Gwen and Percy are their children. And even though he is scared, Arthur swore that these two will always be loved. He will let these two grow up and have a happy life away from the hell he had long escaped from, away from the fox that took his arm, away from the vengeful desires of the wraith.

The fox will not hurt them. The wraith can not have them. Arthur will not let either take them away.

They’re his. They’re Elaine’s.

He himself had been thrown away with hatred by those he knew in Tempo, and Arthur promised himself that he will do whatever he can to protect these two, to let them live the life that he never had the luxury of having.

Gwen, Percy. Know that I will always love you.

- - - - - - -

Arthur knows for a fact that the wraith is too dangerous to keep around.

First it had hurt him so badly so long ago, then it just casually reveals that it had the demon trapped with it the whole time and therefore exposing people to it now that they’re free from their prison?!

Elaine didn’t sense anything wrong with the kids, so he’s confident that the demon is nowhere near them, but if that thing actually had the opportunity to take hold of one his own when they were at the wraith’s mansion…

He quickly reached his former bedroom. Gwen and Percy are sitting on the floor with some papers scattered about, although the twins froze in their spots and looked up at him. Vivian is still asleep with Niniane sitting on a chair beside the bed while reading a book of something about… anatomy? Not important.

“I take it things didn’t go so well?” Niniane asked without looking up.

Upon seeing that the children are safe, Arthur didn’t waste any time, “There’s no signs of a demonic possession happening to anyone in this room, is there?”

“Of course not, Morgan and I would’ve noticed,” Niniane looked up, “Now what brought this on?”

“We found out that Vivi and Mystery were on a wild goose chase the entire time since I left,” Arthur crossed his arms in irritation, “They couldn’t find the demon that’s responsible for the town’s curse, because it was sealed with the wraith the entire time. And now, that thing’s roaming free somewhere.”

“This is also the demon that took control of your arm and killed Lewis Pepper, correct?”

He nodded.

Niniane narrowed her eyes and closed the book in her hands with an audible snap before standing up, “It seems I will have to search the town again. I did not sense anything of an evil nature the last time I looked. I will also need to have another word with Yukino and the mutt. They’re more petty than I thought.”

Arthur didn’t understand what Niniane meant but decided not to question it. As far as he knows, the wraith and the demon are the only major threats left. That being said, while Vivi and Mystery will not try to hunt down the children anymore, that doesn’t mean that they’re no longer a danger to the children’s lives.

“Since you’re here, I will check in with Elaine,” Niniane said as she placed a hand on Arthur’s shoulder, “As much as I hate to potentially delay things yet again, finding that demon is probably going to be our priority for the time being. Will you be staying with the children in the meantime?”

Upon seeing Arthur nod, Niniane returned the gesture before exiting the room, leaving him and the children to themselves.

The room is quiet. Arthur didn’t want it to be so, but he isn’t sure on what to say. He looked at Gwen and Percy to see them both looking and him and then glancing at each other. Seeing that neither were saying anything, Arthur sat down on the chair Niniane was at moments earlier by the bed Vivian was sleeping in. He took a moment to check the section of hair that had been cut by Vivi. Much to his dismay, it hasn’t grown back yet.

To think that it could’ve been so much worse. Arthur shuddered.

Gwen is the first to break the silence, “Is everything okay, Daddy?”

Arthur sighed, “No.”

No point in trying to sugarcoat anything anymore. Everything is just so messed up now.

“Dad,” Percy is the next to speak up, “I need to ask you something. About the photo in the locket.”

That stupid photo Vivi had taken so long ago, where it had all four members of the Mystery Skulls smiling and being friends… Arthur felt sick to his stomach. Under normal circumstances, it’s a memory he would treasure. Now, though? He isn’t sure. Not after everything that had happened in the past two days, where his children had almost been killed by two (three?) of the members in the picture.

“What of it?”

The harsh way Arthur spoke gave his son pause, then the boy composed himself, “You looked really happy in that photo. What happened that made you guys hate each other so much?”

“I don’t hate them,” Arthur corrected, “I just don’t trust them to be near you. Vivi and Mystery tried to kill you three, and as your father, I can’t forgive them for that. As for Lewis,” he averted his eyes, “He’s been dead for over seventeen years. Whoever that wraith claims to be, it’s not Lewis. Or at least, the Lewis I used to know," he sighed before nodding to his children, "But to answer your question, us going to that cave is where everything went wrong.

“I think it used to be a sort of tourism spot before it was abandoned, and sooner or later there were stories of the place being haunted. Vivi, she adored the supernatural and the occult, and under most circumstances, she’s usually pretty safe when exploring these places. Back then, though, she and Lewis were getting overconfident, and dangerously so. I didn’t want to go in there, I kept having bad feelings about the place. Even though we’ve had close calls in the past, some of which could have landed us in a hospital or worse, they ignored my concerns and went in without a care in the world.”

Although Arthur didn’t want to, he finally told Gwen and Percy about the incident where everything went wrong. How he didn’t want to go in there, how he tried to stop Vivi and Lewis from entering, how he didn’t want to split up, how the demon took control of his body and forced him to shove Lewis to his death, Mystery ripping off his arm to save him but at a bloody cost, the memory loss and trauma all but Mystery had. His determination to find his friend and fix things, not knowing Lewis was dead, to finding the ghost mansion, encountering the wraith for the first time, and all the other events that took place.

“Everything just went downhill after that,” Arthur continued as Gwen and Percy looked horrified, “I thought that… when we managed to defeat that demon after we learned what truly happened, that things would work out. Yes, Lewis is dead, but we all thought that things would just go back to normal. How wrong I truly was.”

Arthur gave out a dark chuckle at the memory of the first time the wraith had hurt him after Vivi and Mystery left them alone. How naïve and foolish he was, believing that the wraith born from his friend’s death was in fact Lewis himself. Although Arthur wasn’t aware of it at the time, after marrying into the Knights family, he learned of some of the teachings that the Knights family would pass on to the next generation after them. If he had known such facts…

“How the fu—How the heck is any of that your fault?” Percy tried to keep his voice in check, no doubt in consideration for Vivian who is still asleep, “They knew it was a demon that took control of you, so why did Lew—why did that ghost blame you in the first place?”

“Do you remember the five rules when it comes to death and ghosts?” Arthur looked up with a sad smile.

Gwen nodded and started counting off with her fingers, “Rule #1: ‘Once dead, they can never come back to life. Their mortal coil is forever severed, thus true resurrection is impossible.’ Rule #2: ‘Ghosts will always manifest at the place of death. Although where they choose to linger is up to them, it has to be close to their actual place of death.’ Rule #3: ‘A ghost of the dead can have memories of when the living being was alive, but not all memories are there unless they are stimulated to remember of what is forgotten.’ Rule #4: ‘A ghost can last anywhere from a few hours to many centuries if not even longer, but they will always gradually decay and become feral the longer they linger.’ Rule #5…”

Arthur immediately saw that his children are understanding what he’s hinting at if their looks of horrified realization mean anything.

“Rule #5,” Percy said grimly as he held up his hand with all fingers held up, “A vengeful wraith will never let go of their obsessions of love and/or hate, even after new information reveals contradictions in their beliefs.”

“Considering that I was the last person Lewis saw in his last moments, and he saw ‘me’ laughing with my hand stretched out after being pushed,” he smiled without a shred of genuine happiness, “If only I knew of those rules myself before I met your mother. I probably wouldn’t have put myself through such misery when Vivi and I started living with that thing.”

"Dad…"

"If I had known, I probably would've accepted that my friend, the one whose name I gave you to honor his memory, was no longer a part of this world before I went to live with Vivi and that monster. I--"

"Dad, that's enough."

Arthur was cut off when Percy spoke and wrapped his arms around him.

"You don't need to say anymore, Daddy," Gwen said as she joined in, "We know enough."

…

A short time later, when Arthur calmed down enough to know that the children were safe, he returned to the open doorway leading to the lobby. Vivi, Mystery, and the wraith were arguing about something. Mr. and Mrs. Pepper tried to calm them down, while Lance stayed behind the sidelines to talk to Morgan, who nodded once as she watched the Mystery Skulls with a sharp eye. No one but Elaine noticed Arthur yet, which gave him an opportunity while remaining hidden from view.

“What happened while I was gone?” He asked her in a low voice.

“Nana Niniane left to search for that demon after threatening the Mystery Skulls and the ghost into not trying anything funny with the kids. …And I just realized I worded that wrong, but anyway,” Elaine said, “Those guys are basically playing the blame game against one another. In fact, none of them – not even the ghost – are faulting you, but each other.”

Not even the wraith is blaming him? That can’t be right, Arthur thought. He needed to know, “For what, exactly?”

“Essentially everything that’s been going on,” she said as she glanced at Vivi uneasily, “Also, I’m under the impression that Yukino doesn’t like me very much, and I don’t think it’s because I have a monster form. She did say that she and Lewis loved you, so maybe she thought I… stole you from her? Er… them? If that makes any sense?”

It actually does, as much as Arthur would hate to admit it.

“I’ll handle this,” Arthur said as he stepped into the lobby, “Stay here so they can’t get to the kids easily.”

Upon seeing Elaine nod, Arthur walked up to the Mystery Skulls, even though his instincts are constantly screaming at him to run and get away and hide and get the fuck out of Tempo--

“Quite a lot of blood has been spilt by your actions, Lewis.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” the wraith protested, “I took that demon down with me so it couldn’t hurt anyone after your grandmother sealed me!”

“It still cursed the town!” Vivi countered, “You didn’t do anything to stop the townspeople from suffering these past seventeen years!”

“Vivi, calm down!” Mr. Pepper said frantically, “Yelling isn’t going to solve anything!”

“I told you, I didn’t know it’s been that long! It felt anywhere from hours to mere days! That thing tortured me, too! If I had known what was going on--!”

Keep it together. Keep it together. Keep it togeth—

“Arthur!” “Arthur!”

Arthur forced a hand up towards them. Everyone, even the wraith, immediately quieted down with a guilty look on their faces. While Arthur knew Vivi is genuine, and maybe Mr. and Mrs. Pepper are as well, he isn’t too sure about Mystery and the wraith. Unless it actually is Lewis—Arthur threw the thought out of his head as soon as it came. That thing is not Lewis.

The wraith and the fox are still staring at him, which did not help Arthur’s nerves as it kept telling him to get away. With Mr. and Mrs. Pepper nearby, those instincts were really yelling at him now.

…

“Stay away from them.” “You’re not to approach our family.”

Watch out for the teeth.

“You will not go near them.” “Who gave you the right to go near them?” “What gave you the right?”

Get away, you’ll get burned and mauled. Rocks will be thrown. They’ll hit you again. That slap hurt.

“Who gave you the right?”

…

“Um… Arthur?” Vivi broke the silence, “What are you doing?”

“I should ask you the same thing,” Arthur said as he glared at her and Mystery, “All you had to do was destroy that demon. Clearly you guys failed to do that. So instead of playing the blame game like you’ve all been doing, how about we actually try defeating the demon this time around once Niniane finds it? Assuming she doesn’t take it out herself, that is.”

No one responded. Arthur didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

“You’re right,” Vivi’s sighed which snapped Arthur out of his thoughts, “We probably should assist N-Niniane in the search.”

“No, we are to leave the search to Nana Niniane,” Morgan butted in as she walked up to face the younger woman, “You never needed Arthur to break the town’s curse. Frankly, I don't know what exactly you and that fox mutt all are trying to get out of this, Yukino, but frankly, after everything that’s happened ever since I got here, I have no intention of letting any of you run freely. After you and that mutt nearly killed three children from our family, I think I have every right to be concerned.”

“We said we were sorry, didn’t I?!”

“Yes, but that does not mean we are willing to forgive you, Yukino,”

Arthur looked at the Peppers, who remained quiet once he came into the conversation. He then risked a glance at the wraith, who in turn looked as if it didn’t dare to interject with anything, “If you’re trying to apologize, you’re too late for that," he turned away, "Seventeen years too late.”

Apologies can only do so much. Knowing that someone is genuinely sorry is one thing; however, some actions can never be truly taken back. What the Peppers had done to him hurt, and it wasn’t until recently that Arthur realized that, no, he didn’t deserve it. Arthur didn’t know how to feel about this.

He started to walk away.

“Arthur, you can’t keep running away like this!” Vivi snapped back, “You ran away before we could talk things through! We waited for you to come back from your work that week because we wanted to give you the space!” She then pointed at Elaine, “The fact that you just left and married a monster like her in a moment of weakness is just—”

RED.

“Vivi Yukino!” Arthur glared and stomped to her before Morgan could say something, “You did not just say that! You did not! Just say that!”

Vivi took a step back.

“Whatever nonsense you spouted just now? It’s not true,” Arthur spat out firmly, “Yeah, I won’t deny it, I was afraid of Elaine and her family when I learned what they were capable of. The only reason I stayed? Unlike the monsters here,” he briefly gestured to Mystery and the wraith, “Elaine never hurt me, she saved me. She told me that I could be afraid of her, or even leave her if I wanted to, just so long as I didn’t hate her. Do you have any idea what that means?”

Vivi didn’t answer. Typical.

“Then I’ll spell it out for you. It means that unlike you, when Elaine proposed to me, she gave me a choice. She gave me the choice to leave. I chose to stay by her side. You and that monster you call Lewis didn’t give me that. Instead, that monster gave me this,” he tugged at his sweater’s collar to show the faint burn scar on his neck, “All because I said ‘No’ when the two of you asked me to be your boyfriend. There’s no way I could ever love either of you, not after everything that happened.”

- - - - - - -

“Arthur.”

He froze. Vivi is talking to him first. That means the wraith will punish him against for going near her even though she came to him first.

“I was wondering…”

Arthur looked to where Vivi is. To his horror, Mystery is nearby, and the wraith is right next to her, wearing Lewis’s face and smiling kindly at him. What is it up to now?

“You know how we’ve been dating for a while, right?” Vivi asked as she placed a hand over the wraith’s that remained on her shoulder, “Well, before, you know, everything that happened to us last year?”

Arthur nodded. He did not dare speak to Vivi. The wraith did not like it when he talked to her, even when it was to answer a question Vivi asked.

“Well, we meant to ask you this after we did that cave exploration, but you know how things got in the way,” Vivi said as she waved a hand in nervous dismissal.

Of course Arthur knew how things “got in the way.” Lewis dying was one of them.

“I’ll say it now. We like you, Arthur.”

He froze.

“So we were wondering… if you wanted to be our boyfriend?

Crack.

What?

“Arthur, will you go on a date with us?”

Crack.

His chest felt tight as his stomach dropped. Did he hear her right? Is she serious? She has to be joking. Asking him out for a date right in front of the wraith? Both Vivi and the wraith were smiling at him.

Arthur didn’t know what to do as he tried to calm his heartbeat and keep his breath steady. The wraith always punished him for interacting with Vivi in any way with no exceptions, even when she was the one to approach him, and even when Arthur had no choice but to respond to her. At the same time, he did whatever he could for Vivi to be happy. He let her stay with that monster even though it hurt him so much, just like how he had let Mystery stay even though he feared him.

He knew he felt something for Vivi and Lewis, but the burns… those teeth…

What is he to do? Say yes and let Vivi be happy, then let the wraith punish him for “taking Vivi’s affections” or something among those lines? Or say no, let Vivi not be happy, and then get punished for upsetting her?

If he were to accept her feelings, there is a chance that the wraith would stop hurting him, but if he were forced to… love the wraith? Arthur couldn’t do it.

Why didn’t Vivi ask before Lewis died?

Vivi and Lewis? He would’ve accepted. Vivi and the wraith? He can’t do it.

“N-No,” Arthur shook his head and looked away, “I’m sorry, I can’t…”

“Wait, what?”

His blood ran cold when a large hand came down on his shoulder.

“Lewis, give him some space,” Vivi said as she pulled the wraith away and approached Arthur, “Arthur, what do you mean you can’t?”

He can’t take it anymore.

The wall broke.

“Because I hate it,” Arthur glared at her angrily, “I hate being in here. I don’t want to live like this anymore! I don’t want to get involved with that, with that monster!”

“Arthur, how can you say that?! Lewis isn’t a monster! He wouldn’t hurt a fly!”

“Lewis is dead!” Arthur yelled out and stepped away from her, “Dead and gone! All that ghost had ever done is hate me! That thing wants me dead!”

“Well, yes, but we cleared up that misunderstanding! It was that demon that did that!”

“It still tried to kill me!” Arthur snapped, “How can I ever move past that?!”

“Arthur, please,” Mystery started, “Cal--”

“And you!” Arthur grabbed at the wrist of his prosthetic as he glared at Mystery, “You did this to me! And then you just went on like nothing happened and left me on a wild goose chase for nothing! And then that thing that happened with the demon--! I don’t want to be near you!”

“Arthur, hold on!” Vivi moved to cover Mystery from Arthur’s view, “Why haven’t you said anything about this?”

“And you!” He glared at her, “I did so much to make sure you’re safe and happy, and yet you still…! I can’t be a Mystery Skull anymore if this is the life I’ll be living!”

He took a deep breath.

“Why the hell would I love any of you?!”

A large hand grabbed at his neck. Arthur screamed in pain. It burns!

“If you’re not happy here, then just leave!”

“LEWIS!”

The hand lets go, and Arthur falls to his back on the floor. He looks up at the three in fear, who all look horrified.

“Vivi. Mystery,” the wraith said, “You two should leave the room.”

Vivi looked like she wanted to say something. Regardless, she nodded before picking up Mystery and leaving the room. Soon, it was just Arthur and the wraith. What kind of punishment is the wraith going to give him this time? He closed his eyes and awaited his fate.

“Arthur, I… I’m sorry,” the wraith gently pulled him up, “I didn’t mean to—”

He pulled himself away. Those hands burned.

He couldn’t do this anymore. He had to get away from here, get away from Tempo.

He ran off.

He stopped at the hallway that led to his bedroom to catch his breath. He rolled up his right sleeve to look at his arm and saw that he did in fact get burned. He hissed in pain upon feeling the burn on his neck. He groaned to himself. Not only will this burn be difficult to hide, it will be a while before it’ll even stop hurting.

He took his phone out of his pocket. The most recent text message is from his uncle.

“Hey, Arthur. I’m sure you’re busy, but can you come help out at the shop for just a week? I’ll pay you time and a half.”

…There’s no way Lance could afford to do that, but Arthur accepted, saying that he will work the hours.

Now he just needs to start packing…

- - - - - - -

“Arthur, I—”

“Wow, I didn’t think you’d go that far with your abuse. Disgusting.”

All of a sudden, Morgan snatched the wraith’s heart out of Vivi’s hands.

“Mrs. Knights!” Mr. and Mrs. Pepper protested. Morgan raised an arm in response.

“The fact that these two played with, and manipulated, my nephew-in-law’s heart like that,” Morgan seethed, “That is something I will not tolerate. I don’t know about you, Arthur, Elaine, but I’m through with this.”

For some reason, Arthur felt that he should stop Morgan, that what she is doing isn’t right. But at the same time, he isn’t sure if he wants to. He hesitated for too long, he realizes when he hears the wraith scream in pain before disappearing.

“We’ll deal with this wraith once Nana Niniane returns the next day,” Morgan said as she finished sticking a paper charm over the heart locket. She glared at Vivi and Mystery, “You’re dismissed. Go home.”

Arthur didn’t know what to think. If he were to acknowledge that the wraith is Lewis, then that would mean that he never really knew his “best friend.”

He looked away when Morgan forced the Mystery Skulls and the Peppers to leave.

…

"Hey, Arthur?"

He turned to Lance.

"Before you leave, do you mind coming with me for a moment? There's something I wanted to show you in the spare garage. I meant to do it yesterday, but you left after Belle and Cayenne came, so… yeah."

Arthur didn’t know what Lance had in store for him. Another trap to get him to talk to the Peppers by phone or something? Forget it.

“It’s not the Peppers, I promise. It’s something I’d think you’d want back.”

A possession of his?

“It won’t take us long, Morgan, I promise,” Lance said to the older woman when he saw her give him a look of suspicion.

His curiosity piqued, Arthur nodded and followed Lance. As his uncle walked in, it dawned on Arthur that this garage had been built sometime after he left Tempo long ago. He looked around to see what exactly Lance had in here. A fair number of toolboxes filled to the brim with items, a few stacks of tires tucked into a corner, and other various things a mechanic could want and need to run a repair shop. In the center of the garage is a large vehicle, possibly a van, with a large piece of cloth. The large shape looked familiar, but Arthur could only see the tires peeking out from beneath.

“Well,” Lance began as he pulled the cloth off, “Here it is.”

Some sort of weight sank onto his shoulders, although whether it’s from nostalgia or something else, he isn’t sure. He placed a hand over the panel van’s hood, from what little he has seen, not a single scratch could be found on the van’s exterior.

“I kept it in here the whole time,” Lance said nervously, “Well, actually, I do drive it around at least once a week to keep it in good condition and whatnot. After I had to report you missing, I had to take the van back from Vivi and Lewis since its registration is under both your name and mine. Not to mention I didn’t want to risk dealing with any of those weird insurance bits should Vivi drive it around and get into an accident. I don’t even know if there’s even a clause that would apply to ghosts should Lewis drive it.”

It wouldn’t have mattered. Arthur thought grimly. That monster would just possess the vehicle whenever it chose to drive, which was every time back then.

“When I said that you will always have a place to here, I mean it. I did everything I could to make sure of it. You loved and cared for this van like it was your baby. So it was only fair that I kept it in good condition when you couldn’t.”

While Lance was talking, it was then Arthur realized why the nostalgic feeling felt so off. The decals depicting the Mystery Skulls logo had been removed, which left the van’s looking very empty in comparison.

“Maybe when you go back to Cantabile, you could put the name of your wife’s business on it. I think it would make good advertising.”

Would the Four Queens be willing to take in the Kingsmen?

“Here,” Lance said as he placed something small in Arthur’s hand, “I mean it when I said that the van is yours. If by some chance you don’t want to keep it, you can just sign some papers and I’ll take full ownership of the van. Otherwise, I’ll transfer the title for you next week.”

He looked over at the van once more, then inserted the key that Lance has just given to him into the driver’s side door and opened the van.

“Not to brag, but I had to make quite an effort to get the interior spick and span,” Lance said as Arthur climbed into the driver’s seat.

Arthur looked down at the single car key with a very worn keychain bearing the old Kingsmen Mechanics logo. Has it really been over seventeen years since he last held this? He looked over into the back of the van, and he noticed that everything the van held was gone. No tools, no items with holy properties to fend off ghosts, no random weapons or knick knacks that Vivi had picked up from curiosity shops, none of it. The only things to be seen where the shelves that held everything and the frame for the little cot right behind the car seats.

When Arthur properly sat on the driver’s seat, he looked up at the rearview mirror and saw the familiar blue ghost ornament from a very old video game. He remembered buying it on a whim because it looked interesting, and when Vivi hung it over the mirror as a joke days later, Arthur just never bothered to remove it, enough to where not having it there felt so wrong.

If Arthur were younger, he probably would’ve cried. But now? He didn’t really feel any sadness, just a somewhat deep pit of disappointment.

“You didn’t have to do this, Lance,” Arthur finally said as he turned to Lance, “When I left here, I gave up everything, including this van, and even my place here.”

Lance gave out a quiet laugh, “You might have given them up, Arthur, but I haven’t.”

Why did his uncle have to be who he is? Gruff on the outside, yet kind and caring for family on the inside. Arthur knew that had it not been for him, then he probably wouldn’t still be around in more ways than one.

“…Thanks, Lance,” Arthur said before slipping out of the van and closing the door, “If you’re sure about this. I’ll have to inspect it a little more to make sure it’s safe, and if it is, I’ll take it home with me. It might make a good backup vehicle for my family to use, maybe even teach Gwen and Percy how to drive on the road when they’re old enough next year.”

“Any time,” Lance smiled briefly before asking, “Hey, so, after this, do you think you’ll be okay with me visiting you every now and then?”

Arthur looked up at the ceiling.

“I’ll think about it.”

- - - - - - -

Later that evening, after having a somewhat late dinner, Arthur and his family returned to their hotel rooms. Gwen and Percy wanted to ask what happened, but Elaine said that it is not to be talked about and sent them to bed with Morgan.

“Hey, Arthur.”

He looked up from where Vivian is sleeping on her bed.

“If… they had confessed to you back then, as in, before the cave incident,” she shifted her gaze away briefly before facing him directly, “Would you have accepted their feelings?”

Arthur looked away, "I don't know. Maybe? I can't really give you an answer since I, you know, don't really feel anything like that for them anymore?"

"That's understandable."

He is so lost, he didn't understand. Elaine seems to pick up on it. “Arthur, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I just don’t get it,” Arthur said as he turned to her, “How are you so calm about this? The fact that I—that I actually loved both Vivi and Lewis at the same time and yet it—It’s just so wrong! I shouldn’t have had those feelings, and yet they tell me that they felt the same way and yet they hurt me and scarred me so much and—” he was cut off when Elaine pressed a finger on his lips.

“I’ll be honest with you. Personally, the thought of a polyamorous relationship by itself isn’t a bad thing. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about what it would like if I were in one myself at least once,” she pulled her hand away and shrugged her shoulders, “I hear threesomes are quite an experience to have.”

Arthur stared at her in disbelief. Is she serious? Either way, it made him realize that while Elaine didn’t know much about him until now, there are still plenty of things he didn’t know about her until now, too.

“But Arthur, do know for a fact that I am perfectly happy having you as my husband,” Elaine smiled before her expression shifted into something more serious, “I don’t know how to say this, but I’m going to try. If… if you still feel something for Vivi and Lewis, that’s one thing, but I just don’t think you should ever be in such a romantic relationship with them. Or, at least, not with Yukino and the ghost. As far as I know, the relations between the two of them were already rather strained. Does that make sense?”

“I guess?” Arthur said slowly, unsure.

“To put it simply, no matter what kind of relationship you’re in, all I want is for you to be in a healthy one,” Elaine emphasized, “A healthy relationship that includes proper communication, friendly debates, knowing when to say ‘no’ and respecting each other’s decisions. From what little I have seen, Arthur, they didn’t have that. They didn’t communicate properly with you, they didn’t take you saying ‘no’ for an answer, and they didn’t respect your wishes. Or, at least, not enough. Either way, they didn’t make you comfortable, or happy, in the long run. You knew that, and instead of letting them drag you around for their own desires, you left that toxic environment so you could live your own life. Not to mention that the ghost had abused you for the longest time, so it kind of boggles me that he just kept doing it and then go 'Oh, I love this person. Let us confess and get him to be my boy toy, instead.'” Elaine quoted with a fake British accent before looking annoyed, “Yeah, like that's going to go well.”

In the past, Arthur would’ve told her that none of it was true. Now, with him no longer being in denial of everything, he can process the words clearly. What Elaine said isn’t wrong, and Arthur had to add something of his own, “I know you’re right, but I also know that even I have some responsibility in the suffering they went through.”

“Maybe. You didn’t say anything because you didn’t want to hurt their feelings, so you chose to run away without telling anyone," Elaine said, “Although while I can’t say that was your best move, we did meet because of you doing that. Personally speaking, whatever happened to them while you were with them was one thing. But the events that happened to them after you left, however, even if it was the result of you leaving, was not your fault. You don’t owe them a damn thing for any of that. As harsh as it is, this is just them reaping what they sowed.”

“Even though innocent people got caught in the crossfire?” Arthur asked, “There were those suicides Vivi mentioned.”

“Again, it’s not your fault. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the demon, not you,” Elaine said as if it was obvious, “And besides, from what I’ve seen, it’s Yukino’s actions that started the whole domino effect of all this, and she’s already taking responsibility. …Or so she says. Anyway, if you ask me, you shouldn’t worry yourself over this,” she cupped her hands around Arthur’s face to bring him closer to her, “Perhaps in another time, in another place, another you is in a happy relationship with another them.”

“But we’re not in that other place,” Arthur said as he lifted a hand over Elaine’s, smiling as he felt her wedding ring, “And I’m perfectly happy being with you in this one. I wouldn’t have it any other way after being with you for so long. I guess we’re okay keeping secrets from one another?”

“I wouldn’t say keeping secrets from one another,” Elaine said as she gently pressed her forehead against his, “If anything, we just left a lot of questions that didn’t need to be answered until now. It’s not that neither of us were willing to communicate, it’s just there wasn’t a need for us to ask back then.”

“Quite a lot of questions, at that.”

Elaine laughed before her lips ghosted his, “We’re seeing this through, right, my star?”

“Don’t we always, my light?"

“You bet,” she kissed him before letting go, “We’ll find that demon and take it down, and end this tragedy once and for all. If destroying that thing is what will give Lewis and many others rest, then it’s only fair that I will help you every step of the way,” she then snapped her fingers, “And then we can finally get the rest of the money from Mr. Yukino, he still owes me the remaining sixty percent when he paid us to come down here.”

For some reason, the sudden change of subject gave Arthur a much needed laugh.

“We can use that money to give the kids a Christmas they’ll never forget.”

“You said it, my star,” Elaine laughed with him before wrapping him lovingly in her arms, “Now… we should get some rest for tomorrow. I will be with you every step of the way.”

…

Even though they went to bed, Arthur remains awake. Vivian had already crawled into bed with Arthur and Elaine about an hour ago, which Arthur didn’t mind.

The TV had been left on at a low volume. Elaine figured the white noise made from a nature documentary will help Arthur sleep. As much as he appreciated the gesture, while the noise isn’t bothering him, it hasn’t exactly done what it’s supposed to do. There’s just so much in his mind that he doesn’t know what to do.

Groaning in frustration, Arthur sat up and got off the bed without disturbing Elaine and Vivian. Maybe a drink of water or a walk around the hallway will do him some good. He dressed into his usual clothes before starting to make his way out to the door until something caught the corner of his eye.

Arthur glared at the cracked heart that lay on the table before him. He didn’t know what Elaine or Morgan were thinking, leaving such a dangerous object unattended with nothing but a single paper tag with some symbols written wrapped around its front. The wraith hadn’t emerged yet, but Arthur knew that it’s just biding its time.

He took a moment to peek into the adjacent room. Gwen and Percy are currently asleep in one bed, Morgan in the other. As he quietly closed the door, he looked over at Elaine and Vivian still asleep in bed, the little girl clinging to her mother, before finally deciding.

His mind is made up.

Arthur silently walked over to his wife and daughter. He looked over at Vivian and carefully adjusted the bedspread so it would keep her warm before gently combing his fingers over the lock of hair that had been cut, and smiled somewhat upon seeing that it has finally grown back. He went over to Elaine’s side without waking her and gave her a kiss on her temple.

I love you, Elaine.

Arthur stepped away from his wife and daughter, grabbed the wraith’s heart locket from the table with his left hand and replaced it with his cell phone. A part of him is saying that he should talk to Elaine, but the more rational part of him is saying that he shouldn’t waste any more time.

Niniane is already searching for the demon. Arthur can take care of the wraith by himself in the meantime. He left the hotel room to reach Morgan’s camper in the parking lot.

Whenever Morgan wasn’t driving or giving directions, or working at Four of a Kind Queens, she would make various charms in her spare time. She may not have a monster form like the rest of her family, but her ability to handle tools and magic are top notch. Knowing that they would help, Arthur packed a handful of all the charm types he could find in the small box he had set aside. To his disappointment, all he could find were charms mostly made for wards and binding. A shame there weren't any for exorcisms, which could eliminate the wraith from the get-go, but it's probably beyond Morgan's ability for the time being.

He picked up a ward he didn’t recognize and read it. He rose a brow in confusion upon seeing that it’s a purification charm, which isn’t something he has no interest in using on the wraith. Still, he has a feeling that he should take it, so take it he did.

This should be plenty for him to do what’s needed to be done.

With everything prepared, Arthur took the box he stuffed the paper charms in and left the camper. It would take a little while to walk to Kingsmen Mechanics, but he knew to leave the camper with his family. They will need a ride home, after all.

…

This may be the year I disappear…

Arthur shook the toxic thought out of his head. He promised himself that he will do whatever he can to protect his children. He will return alive. He will return in one piece. For his children, and for Elaine. More than anything, he wants to go back to his current life in the mountains of Cantabile.

And that will be done as soon as he takes care of the wraith.

When he finally reached Kingsmen Mechanics, Arthur noticed that Lance had left the old Mystery Skulls van outside on the parking lot, which has made things significantly easier for him. He took the old key with the shop’s logo out of his pocket and unlocked the door leading to the van’s driver seat.

The nostalgic feeling is hard to deny. The feeling of the fabric wrapped around the seats, the empty shelves in the back of the van that used to house various tools, knick-knacks, and doodads that the Mystery Skulls would use in their investigations, to seeing the familiar car ornament of the little blue ghost with a long yellow tongue hanging from the rearview mirror…

The heaviness Arthur felt in his chest suffocated him. Even though he didn’t want to drive this van, it’s the only vehicle Arthur knows is available. His family will need Morgan’s camper to get home, and Lance will need his spare car back eventually. If there was one car Arthur won’t mind losing, it’s this old thing that should’ve been left in the scrapyard. He shook the thought out of his head as he tossed the heart locket and the box containing the charms onto the passenger side before climbing in. He buckled himself in, turned the key into the ignition, and finally started the drive to where Arthur knows he needs to go.

No one in this town would be awake at this hour, and no one would interfere.

“…Arthur?”

Arthur took a sharp breath in apprehension at the sound of someone calling for his name. Before long he gave a quick glance at the passenger seat before returning his focus on the road.

The wraith can’t do anything in its current state. It can’t even touch him.

“Where are we going?”

Arthur ignored it. It will learn soon enough.

“Where are the others? Are they not with you?”

He kept his focus on the road.

"Arthur, please. What's going on? Did something happen?"

Arthur pulled over, tired of hearing the wraith using Lewis's voice. If he had been in the same spot as his twenty-two-year-old self, he would've cracked and just chucked the heart out the window. But that would mean giving the wraith time to regain its power. Frustrated, he picked up the small box in the passenger seat and took out the paper charm that held the binding spell. He wondered why he didn't do this in the first place.

"Arthur, I know I'm stepping out of line, but you should go back to your family," the wraith said, "I know Gwen and Percy are--"

"Shut up."

How dare that monster speak their names.

"Arthur, wait, I--"

He slapped the charm around the heart, and he didn't hear it speak anymore. Satisfied, he gripped at the steering wheel and resumed his driving to the place he knows is the beginning and the end of everything.

- - - - - - -

He's finally here, in the place he never wanted to step foot in ever again.

The place where everything went wrong, where Lewis Pepper died, where he lost his arm, and Vivi… well, other than losing her boyfriend, she pretty much came out unscathed. One more thing to envy Vivi about, Arthur figured as he felt the wraith's gaze coming from behind him.

No matter.

He took the box full of seals and the heart locket before stepping out of the van.

"Just like old times, huh?" Arthur said to no one in particular, "I remember always being reluctant to take part in these expeditions. I always had a bad feeling, none of us took safety precautions, and yet against common sense, I let all this happen."

He started to walk forward.

"I honestly didn't know what was going on through my head before this all went downhill with the Mystery Skulls. It wasn't until I met Elaine and loved her did I realize that I had the exact same feelings for Vivi and Lewis. Ha!" Arthur let out a single laugh, his smile not reaching his eyes, "But as I'm sure you know, reality never goes the way we want it to, no matter how much we wish for it."

As expected, the wraith couldn't reply. It felt nice to know that it cannot speak up like he couldn't all those years ago.

"Even though there is a 'Lewis' here, the one I knew and loved is dead. Even now, I still wondered why I thought you were him. I should have realized it as soon as you burned me the first time after we fought off that demon at Kingsmen and thought things would be back to normal," he glared down at the heart clutched firmly in his hand, "I was ignorant, and you took advantage of it. If anything, you abused Vivi, too, and I can't forgive you for that. You might say something along the lines of 'Oh, but you left Vivi behind when you ran away!' So what if I did? I knew that you wouldn't hurt her physically, you could just make her forget about me and then you'd have your happily ever after."

He stepped into the cave. Nothing seemed amiss, so he kept going.

"When Vivi confessed to me with you behind her, I was horrified. What the hell was she thinking, asking me to love you, a monster, with her? If the real Lewis had been there, alive and well, I probably would've said yes. I don't know whether the relationship would work out in the end, but at least I would’ve known how we felt for one another. Either it would've worked out, or we would've parted ways and moved on. No funny games or lies or trying to be subtle. I don't know if I would've met Elaine had that path been opened to me, but we all know how small the world is."

Water is dripping down from the stalactites. It would've been comforting if not for what Arthur needs to do.

"On the day I left, I made the decision to cut ties with everyone I knew and everything I had in Tempo except for Galaham, as no one else could take care of him, and I didn’t want to leave him alone. I figured that as soon as he passed, I would end my own life right after since I would not have anything else to live for anymore," he said as he scanned the area carefully to make sure he wouldn't trip or nick himself on the stalagmites, "But Elaine… just a month before Galaham passed, I was already bound to her. Yeah, maybe Elaine didn’t tell me everything when we were dating, but she did tell me all the important things I needed to know before we married. I know that I probably married her during a moment of weakness like Vivi said, but I don’t care, Elaine kept me in this world. She made sure to talk to me, she gave me time to trust her, and she embraced me even though I hid so many things from her. We did have some rocky times here and there, of course, but we were happy."

A fork in the path. A familiar wooden sign pointing in two different directions, the text all but legible due to the rot. The nearby stanchions had fallen into disarray, the velvet ropes having long since rotted and discolored with age.

Arthur knew to take the sinister route. He went left.

"I never meant for her to fall pregnant. We were told that she would not be able to bear children, yet somehow, against all odds, she did, much to her happiness. Even though I was terrified, terrified that I would be punished for having a family, I didn't run away. I refused to. I didn't want to abandon her, nor the twins that were born because of me. My parents weren’t the best, and I didn’t want to follow in their footsteps, so I used them as an example of what not to do as a father. Unlike them, I swore to be there for those kids. If I couldn’t love them, then I would help raise them and be the father they deserve to have. When they were born, when I first held them in my arms, they, along with Elaine, became the only reasons for me to live."

This is it. The edge of the cliff. The anticipation is making Arthur shudder. His instincts are screaming at him to leave this place and go back. He gritted at his teeth, steeling himself for the inevitable. He set the box full of charms down on the ground and looked down at the stalagmites below. To be on the safe side, he briefly looked behind him to make sure no one had the funny idea to shove him down to his death.

"Those…" he shook his head, "My children are innocent of any wrongdoing. I won't let you or anyone have them pay for my sins, or let you take them as your playthings like what you did with me. Unlike me, they deserve a happy life, a future. A life free of the burdens I carry, one free of the burns."

He glared down at the heart in his hand, before lifting it up in a way the wraith had done to him so long ago. He felt a familiar pressure on his forearm, like someone was trying to grab him. He looked up without taking the heart out of his sight and saw the wraith struggling in his grasp. So the binding seal isn't capable of silencing the wraith entirely. This thing is more powerful than Arthur thought. He briefly thought about giving the wraith a response, but in the end decided it wasn’t worth it.

It’s not like it listened to him at all back when it would burn him here and there.

"Arthur, don’t do this! It’s me! Lewis!”

Arthur could barely contain his fury.

"You're. Not. The Lewis I knew. Goodbye."

He let go, the wraith falling down with it.

The sound of the metal heart clinking as it fell into the stalagmites below haunted his ears, and Arthur felt a weight lift off from his shoulders as he shuddered. It is done. The wraith is gone, and his children are safe. Perhaps now, Lewis Pepper can finally rest in peace. Yet...

...why does it feel so wrong?

Arthur shook his head. It's probably the fact that the wraith Lewis had been using Lewis's face to the very end, knowing that Arthur would never want to harm his best friend. It made one critical error, however. Arthur had long accepted that Lewis is dead, unable to interact with the world of the living. Ironically, it was the wraith's own actions that convinced Arthur of that fact. All that's left now is to place the remaining charms all over the cave to seal this place, and then bring Elaine and Niniane here the following morning to take out that monster for good.

He stepped back from the cliff and picked up the small box. He took out the binding charms first before sticking them in spots that look suitable as he slowly made his way back to the exit. Once he reached the area that combined two separate paths into one, he took out the wards and stuck them around some nearby stalagmites and around the entrances of the two paths. Finally, he took out one of the charms that are made to finally seal this place once and for all. He held it up to make sure the character were legible—

Something shot through the charm, rendering it useless as Arthur let go of it in surprise.

“D-Daddy!”

A chill shot through Arthur's spine. It can’t be— He quickly turned to see— She followed him all this way?!

“VIVIAN!”

Vivian is behind him, struggling to reach out. The charm from earlier had been speared by her hair, but it wasn’t the charm being destroyed that alarmed Arthur, it was seeing the left half of Vivian’s face turning green. While Vivian was following him to the cave, the demon found her! Where is Niniane when Arthur needed her?! Why did she not find the demon before this?!

“Daddy… Help…!”

Arthur was by her side within seconds and held her hand. He winced as Vivian’s hair ended up cutting his cheek just below his right eye. The charms in Vivian’s clothing were only meant to keep her power under control, so they were never made to protect her from possession.

Wait. Protection?

To Arthur, With Love & Protection, Elaine.

Without hesitating, Arthur ripped off the moon pin from his vest and pinned it on Vivian’s dress before taking off the cord holding his wedding ring around his neck and tied it over his daughter's. Vivian's hair stopped moving around so frantically, but Arthur could still see the green over her face.

He grabbed at the box of charms and found the one that should help: the lone purification charm that he had taken on a whim.

"This might hurt, Vivian. I'm sorry."

Arthur placed the purification charm over the green on his daughter's face. The characters on the charm glowed a bright blue before sparks blew from it. The results were immediate as Vivian screamed; the green left her face just as something flew away from her body. As much as he would want to search for it, his child's health takes priority as he watched the purification charm disintegrate into dust.

"Vivian, are you okay?"

"Daddy…" she tearfully looked up at him.

"You should be asleep with Mama," he said, relieved that she is safe, "Why did you follow me out here?"

Vivian didn't answer, instead she hugged him, trembling.

If Arthur were to be honest with himself, he is upset at Vivian for not staying with Elaine like she was supposed to. However, it's no secret that Vivian has always been closer to him than with Elaine, and as such, would always stay by side with every chance she gets. He can't get angry at her for that.

He took a deep breath before checking the box and cursed to himself. All of the seal charms he had on hand had been torn in the struggle from earlier, rendering them useless, thus preventing him from being able to properly seal the wraith. He hated the fact that a good bit of Morgan's hard work had gone to waste, but hopefully the binding seals he had put on the wraith will be enough to keep it at bay until he can tell Elaine and Niniane to destroy the wraith and then seal off this place once and for all.

One tragedy happening in this cave is more than enough. Lewis had already lost his life in here. Arthur swore to himself that he will not let Vivian suffer the same fate.

With Vivian safe in his hold, Arthur started making the trek back to the exit. Even though he had left his phone behind in the hotel room, there is a gas station on the way back. Maybe with luck, there might be a TV screen big enough to let Vivian get back to Tempo safely. He knew he left the TV in the hotel room on as white noise to help him sleep.

In hindsight, Arthur knew he shouldn’t have left his phone behind. He definitely wouldn’t have done it had he known that Vivian would follow him.

"Vivian, one day, when you're older, I will have to leave your side," he said sadly, "I know you will do fine without me. You won't be lonely; you'll have your brother and sister to look out for you."

Vivian didn't say anything, which Arthur took as a sign that she is listening, but doesn't understand. Arthur sighed, knowing that a three-year-old wouldn't comprehend the idea of her parents no longer being around, especially if it was through death. Regardless, Arthur knew that he would do whatever he can to survive for his family's sake.

"No!"

Arthur turned behind him, his eyes wide with angered shock.

Lewis The wraith somehow managed to break through Morgan's binding charms. Why aren't the wards working? They're supposed to stop malicious spirits! How is it that it can still move?!

"Arthur! Run!"

A painful thump pounded in his chest.

…What?

Something pulled him down. His body felt heavy. The air became still in his throat. The pounding of his heart intensified. His entire body is filled with searing pain enough to make anyone howl. Vivian had somehow left his embrace. Arthur looked up to see that wraith cradling his daughter in its grasp.

Lewis’s Its eyes widened before it flew off with Vivian in its arms, his little girl reaching out to him and crying. The wraith is taking his daughter away.

The wraith. Is taking. His daughter. Away.

Taking. His daughter. Away.

Daughter. Away.

Away.

AWAY!

Something snapped in Arthur's mind. Red filled his vision. His left arm shattered into multiple pieces of scrap metal and wires as he roared out an agonizing scream. That monster never gave up its goal into taking away his family, just like it had tried to do in his nightmares. But this time, it has done it for real.

Now he knows the truth.

He will get his daughter back. He will get his children back.

He felt himself getting torn open from the inside. He felt himself growing angrier, stronger, bigger. His fingers grew longer, his nails becoming darker and sharper as his veins pulsed with fury. Furious at what the wraith, what Lewis, had done to him, to what the Mystery Skulls had forced him to go through, to what the people of Tempo that had forsaken him had put him through. The mantra of pain coursing through him.

It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!

"Lewis…" His voice grew hoarse, and he growled, "Lewis!"

The pain! The pain! The pain! So much pain!

No more playing nice. He will destroy all of the threats and finally let the little ones he protected in his nightmares for so long finally have peace once and for all.

"LEWIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSS!"

He finally gave in to the madness of red, black, and green.

- - - - - - -

"Daddy!"

"We're getting your mama, Vivian! She'll help Daddy!"

“No! Daddy!”

“Vivian, listen to me! We can’t help Daddy, we need your mama for this! We must get Mama, understand?”

“Daddy!”

Lewis knew he screwed up. When he realized the severity of his actions and the resulting aftermath of him missing so much, he knew not to interact with Arthur or his children anymore. Anything he did from speaking normally to even just looking at Arthur and his family was enough to push his former friend’s boundaries. He didn’t want to set off Arthur’s trauma, but he didn’t have a choice if it meant that Vivian would've been hurt by the demon again when Lewis saw it possessing Arthur. Again.

And he couldn’t do anything to help him.

Lewis tried to be logical as he flew back to Tempo as fast as he could with the little one struggling in his grasp. As a wraith, Lewis has no access to a means of expelling a demon from someone without the risk of hurting anyone within range or getting possessed himself. He knew that he needed to get help. Vivi, Mystery, Duet, Arthur's wife and in-laws, anyone. But would they listen? He didn't want to bring Gwen and Percy into this, but they may be the only ones in Arthur's family that are willing to. He hoped that no one would get the wrong idea and think that he had kidnapped their youngest child from her father.

Lewis didn't dare look back, keeping Vivian safe in his hold until he could get her into the safety of her family.

Even though his power has greatly weakened from those charms Arthur and that woman Morgan had used on him, Lewis managed to summon a Dead Beat. He quickly gave it the instruction to find the twins first and then bring them his way with the rest of their family. It’s his only hope.

Despite the Dead Beat also being weak, as evidenced by its pale white color and unsure expression, it nodded and flew off to Tempo at a much higher speed ahead of Lewis.

He could see Tempo just up ahead. It didn't matter anymore if he were exorcised by the Knights family or anyone else at this point. All that mattered was just getting Vivian away from the demon, and if Arthur were sane, Lewis knew that his former friend would have wanted the same thing.

“Daddy!”

“We’re almost there, Vivian!” Lewis said as he finally managed to reach the town border, “Once we get you to your mama, we’ll go help Daddy.”

The sheer amount of power that Lewis could sense looming behind him is nauseating. He didn't doubt that the demon had been slowly regathering its strength during the seventeen years it had been sealed with him. At the same time, he shuddered upon wondering how powerful it would’ve been if it had managed to get a hold of Vivian or himself.

“Lewis!”

Upon hearing his name, Lewis looked around and saw Mystery in his true form running towards him. Vivi is on his back.

“Lewis, why do you have her?!” Vivi asked with worry upon seeing Vivian, “Her family isn’t going to be happy if they find out you kidnapped her!”

“I didn’t! She followed us!” Lewis as he looked back from where he flew from, “Arthur tried to seal me in the cave I died in. Just when he was about to, Vivian here got possessed by the demon that killed me!”

“What?!” Mystery looked down and sniffed at the child, “But I don’t sense any of its traces on her?”

“I don’t know how Arthur did it, but he managed to expel it from her, but now it’s taken a hold of him. I couldn’t risk it possessing her or me. I had to take her to safety. Where's her family? We need to get help.”

Mystery looked back to Tempo. Hesitant, he turned back to Lewis, "Niniane should be here soon. Let's just hope she doesn't try to end us on the spot--"

“No! No! No! Let go!”

As if on cue, an explosion of a thick white mist consumed them. It wasn’t until Lewis landed on his back that not only had he been sent flying, but Vivian is no longer in his arms. He scrambled to his feet and looked around. Where is he? He couldn’t see Tempo anymore even though it was right there.

A loud roar. It wasn’t a furious one like Arthur’s had been, but it’s full of sorrow and pain. Is it calling out for someone? He turned to the direction where it came from and looked up in shock.

“What in--?!” Vivi’s voice.

Something that big was within Tempo the whole time? It's practically the size of a kaiju monster! Just where did that giant elephant-shaped creature come from? Is it even an elephant? Something about its shape seems off, but Lewis couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Mystery somehow found his way back to Lewis with Vivi beside him, “What just—"

"YOU!"

Right on cue, they all turned and saw a large white nine-tailed fox gunning towards them.

"Oh, for--!" The Mystery Skulls managed to avoid Niniane's jaws but were soon caught in her magic.

"I knew I should have destroyed the two of you when I had the chance," Niniane growled as she brought them closer to her while keeping Vivi separate, "It seems neither of you have learned your--"

Vivi is quick to cut her off, "Niniane! We don't have time for this! We have more pressing issues at hand! Arthur and Vivian need our help now, we can't waste our time fighting each other!"

Lewis sincerely hoped Vivi knew what she was doing.

"They would not have disappeared on us had it not been for you three, especially the two of you," she snarled at Mystery and Lewis, "Why should I trust the word of the ones who hurt my distant grandson-in-law the most?"

Lewis looked on in horror as he saw his heart being brought closer to Niniane’s jaws.

"All right, wraith. Where are Arthur and Vivian?" Niniane demanded with a harsh growl, "Answer me now, or I will crush your anchor into oblivion."

"I-I'm sorry! I tried! I couldn't stop it from taking Arthur! I tried to bring your granddaughter back here safely, but she vanished from my hold just seconds before you came! I don’t know where she went!”

Niniane growled, and Lewis feared she wouldn't believe him.

A loud lamenting cry pierces through the air.

It sounded like an animal. An elephant? Lewis isn’t sure. Niniane’s ears flicked upon hearing it, causing her to look into the distance. Within the horizon...

…Something that big was within Tempo the whole time? It's practically the size of a kaiju monster! Just where did that giant elephant-shaped creature come from? Is it even an elephant? Something about its shape seems off, but Lewis couldn't quite put his finger on it.

“Wait, this mist is..." Niniane sniffed before her eyes widened, "Vivian?!"

“Nana Niniane! We’ve got trouble!”

“What is it?” Niniane turned to the woman Lewis recognized as Arthur’s wife, who ran up to them, “Why are the children with you? They’re supposed to stay with Morgan!”

Lewis felt relieved seeing Gwen and Percy trailing behind their mother with his Dead Beat following. Did they get the message? Arthur needs help.

"We’ve got worse problems, it's this mist! Monsters and undead creatures are roaming around the town! It's like we're walking in a nightmare! Aunt Morgan is keeping Mr. Kingsmen safe, so he should be fine," Elaine said before noticing the Mystery Skulls. Immediately, her expression turned dark enough to look murderous, "You… Where is my husband and daughter?"

Gwen and Percy aren’t saying anything. Why? Their father is in danger!

"From what this fool has told me, Arthur is in that cave he mentioned earlier. As for Vivian, she's over there," Niniane looked up at the giant monster, where only its silhouette is seen, "That… is her monster form."

“What?!” Elaine and the twins looked up to the giant monster.

“That giant elephant is Vivian?!” Elaine asked incredulously, “Th-That can’t be her! Since when can a Zashiki-warashi turn into something like that?!”

The words Elaine spoke caught Lewis’s attention. Although his conversation with Gwen and Percy was brief, the twins did tell him a bit about how their bloodline works, and how unusual Vivian is in her case.

“It’s because Vivian isn’t a Zashiki-warashi, and that is not an elephant. She’s a baku, and a very powerful one at that,” Niniane said, her nine tails flicking about erratically, “All this time, we were mistaken. I should have realized it myself. You know above all else that, unless we have a specific talisman on our person, we Knights can only have our monster forms so long as we are awake and alert, yet we’ve seen Vivian sleep with her hair long for over three years. In other words, her power has awakened as a baby, but this is the first time she’s ever used her monster form,” Niniane let out a shuddering breath, “This is bad.”

“Oh, geez. It all makes sense now,” Elaine said as a realization of horror came over her, “The reason Arthur wasn’t able to remember some of his nightmares so clearly as of late, and the fact that he could sleep okay here and there ever since Vivian was born, it was all because she was eating his nightmares! It must have been an instinct she was born with to eat them! This could also explain why she’s so powerful for her age, all that power and nowhere to go? Did the charms on her clothes prevent her from letting loose until now?”

“I find it most likely,” Niniane finally set the Mystery Skulls down from her magic, “And since we are at the time of night when the people of this town are asleep, taking the demon’s nightmare curse into account, this place has become a baku’s ideal feasting ground. However, young baku do not know that they are only to consume so much in one sitting, otherwise they go out of control, like Vivian has now. It does raise the question why this hasn’t happened back home, but the curse may have something to do with it,” she nodded to Elaine, “I will take care of Vivian, Elaine. You go find Arthur.”

“What about us?” Percy asked.

As if it was a response, a loud rumbling came about as the ground shook.

“What now?!” Gwen shouted.

"LEWIS!"

Lewis felt a chill run down his spine.

The way Arthur roared his name, filled with a primal rage so deep that it's no longer human as the ground shook hard enough to knock everyone except for him off their feet.

"GIVE! HER! BACK!"

One crashing sound after another. One after another, again and again. It’s coming closer.

Lewis quickly turned to the direction Arthur’s voice came from and immediately paled at the sight.

A gigantic green hand large enough to crush a human emerged from the mist, an eye visible on its palm. Following that is a sight no one wanted to see. Towering over them with a glare so severe that it froze everyone in their tracks. Percy is the first to react.

“…Dad?”

THE PATRIARCH: KING ARTHUR

His body and torso, darkened and decaying and exposing his ribs and spine, towered over them as if they were vermin. A large red X took the place over his left eye, his right eye twisted a full ninety degrees sideways. Sharp teeth letting the putrid smell of green death leak out. His nails turned into claws that will kill should one carelessly walk in their path. His hair turned into a twisted mane that reached past the ribs. He got down to his hands and roared.

"YOU… YOU… HURT ME! YOU'LL HURT THEM, TOO! I WON'T LET YOU!"

Lewis knew he messed up.

- - - - - - -

It’s down to you!

It’s down to me!

Did you ever really think that I’d become…

Someone you’d call…

Your enemy?

…

Your enemy?!

YOUR ENEMY!??!

Part 21: !?KA?!

#mystery skulls animated #msa fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #msa arthur #arthur kingsmen #elaine knights #gwen knights #percy knights #vivian knights #niniane knights #msa vivi #vivi yukino #msa lewis #lewis pepper #msa mystery #msa ???

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unluckyxse7enart · 4 years ago

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MysMarch2021: Doubt

Notes: eyyyyy, I'm late but I finished this! I'd been chipping away at it over the last week, but there's been a lot interrupting me from it so this probably is a little clunky even for me. This is inspired by the scene in Freaking Out where Arthur is checking his computer, but as you can tell by the scene details given it's not the same. This may or may not be a nightly ritual for him. As if anyone would expect differently lmao

Unofficial title: Certainty falters

----------

Arthur squinted at the map on the screen, deep creases in his brow as he analyzed the data recorded. So far, it wasn't promising.... no leads on where Lewis could be, only definite areas where he wasn't. Well, mostly...

His eyes lingered on the tiny icon he made of that ghost they came across recently, and he bit back a groan. The first possible lead to their missing friend, and it was a ghost. That definitely wasn't an omen or anything.

He sighed, leaning back in the seat as he stared down at his computer absently. He didn't want to think Lewis was dead... He hoped against hope that he wasn’t.... But as the days and weeks and months wore on, the likelihood of that became increasingly small. He had been pushing himself forward regardless of the signs, because he had to, for Lewis, for Vivi, for the gang... But it was getting harder to quell the doubts growing in his chest, threatening to overwhelm and suffocate him like they always did.

Arthur gave a forlorn look over his shoulder to the back of the van, where Vivi and Mystery were currently sleeping in a cuddle pile on the mattress together. It was at times like this he really wished he could talk to Vivi about all of this. She probably did, too, if how much she constantly pressed him about his ‘secret project’ was any indication. In the past, he relied a lot on her positive attitude and unshakable assurance in everything, everyone did. But even with her so close by now, that reassurance felt so distant, like a dream you remembered less and less of as the day wore on.

She would probably be able to pick out some clues in his records so far. Some tangent his map had yet to reveal to him. Sometimes on nights like these, he entertained the notions of sharing his data with her, heavily censored. She'd pick out the patterns in minutes that would take him nights to even start to notice. But… He couldn't do that. It wasn't her responsibility, and he wouldn't dare risk her health for maybe getting just one more clue. He didn't want to risk losing or hurting his only other friend, and besides, no matter how desperate Arthur got, he always remembered one thing… Lewis wouldn't want that, either. Not if it meant her getting hurt.

Arthur's thoughts were interrupted by a sharp shoulder twinge, and he winced silently, carefully rolling his shoulders back. He needed to take a break. He hated when it was his shoulder bothering him, because it was so much harder to work through that than exhaustion, or hunger, but he didn't have any other choice. It was time to detach the arm for a bit and let his back unwind, and… put away his notes. Working his computer one-handed was a task he could do, but proved annoying at the best of times.

Arthur gave the screen one more, longing look, as if something on it would suddenly reveal the whereabouts of his missing friend, just for him. The screen remained steadfastly the same, much to his disappointment, and he sighed, closing the windows and beginning the power-off process. Once the computer was tucked away, arm detached, Arthur leaned back in his seat, staring out at the starry night sky just past his dashboard.

Some nights he wished he could get to their next destination quickly so that he could find Lewis sooner.

Tonight he just hoped that he'll even be able to find Lewis, at all.

#mysterymarch2021 #mystery skulls animated #msa #arthur kingsmen #msa arthur #mmmm not gonna tag the others since they dont have speaking lines really #fanfiction #fanfic #se7enfic #se7enfics #long post

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eevee-eclair · 4 years ago

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Put On Mute

Written by Eevee

Things to look out for: repression, being ignored, depressing thoughts(?), (please tell me if I missed one)

Random side note: This is kinda vent-ish but I’m pretty proud of it. This is the most fandoms I’ve included in a single fic! (Please forgive me if some details are wrong)

~~~

Yakko loved talking—that’s why his name is Yakko. Yet most people didn’t like him talking. They found it annoying and a waste of time that he could tell you every detail of something, especially if it was fictional.

So Yakko learned the hard way that there was times to talk, and times to stay quiet. Unfortunately, the times to talk are becoming less frequent.

Maybe he should change his name.

———

Logan loved the stars and knew almost everything about them. The problem was that he had no one to tell it to.

Roman was always too busy with work to listen, Patton wouldn’t listen, Janus would come up with some excuse to leave half way through, Virgil would pretend he forgot to do something and hurry off, and Remus would almost always interrupt with his own story.

And Thomas? Sure he said he’d look into astronomy, but Logan hadn’t heard anything about it since. Nico would probably listen, but he couldn’t see him so it was no use. So what’s the point of being logic if nobody listens?

Maybe he should change his function.

———

Arthur was a mechanic and he loved it. He could tell you every little detail about the way your toaster cooks your toast or the way your car moved. But no one was interested in it.

Sure Vivi and Mystery looked like they were listening, but he knew they weren’t. Lewis was a ghost and still held a massive grudge against him so he didn’t want to talk to him any more than he had to. He could always talk to his uncle, but that would get boring really fast.

Maybe he should find a profession that’s more interesting.

———

Ranboo was dealing with a lot. L’manburg blowing up and people finding out he was a traitor was just a fraction of it, but it was enough to stress him out horribly.

But he couldn’t talk to someone about it, or they’d be concerned—or worse, they’d pity him—and he’s not about to pile more stress onto them because he can’t handle a little anxiety.

So no, he had it under control. He had the books and his panic room to help him along with his pets. But their was always something telling him to talk to someone, even if he had no one to go to except maybe Phil and Techno.

Another question is would they listen? If they don’t, it’d be for nothing but if they did he might become a burden. Either way, it was bad.

Maybe he should just keep repressing.

———

“Hey, Yakko, you’ve been very quiet recently... Are you okay?” Wakko asked.

Yakko shrugged.

———

“Logan, why haven’t you lectured me yet? Are you sick?” Roman questioned, squinting at him.

Logan avoided his gaze.

———

“Arthur, you looked tired. Are you okay?” Vivi asked, looking worried.

Arthur sighed.

———

“Ranboo, are you okay? You haven’t said much since you came...” Phil commented, looking worried.

Ranboo scratched the head of one of Techno’s dogs.

———

“I’m fine.”

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alphashley14 · 3 months ago

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One of Us

A Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated/Mystery Skulls Crossover

<Prev

Chapter 26

Erase Me

There was something good about the Mystery Machine. It was filled with a sort of warmth that never really went away. And almost always, it was filled with sound. Plotting, theorizing, and swapping stories and information while on a mystery. Or in mundane moments, there would be idle chatter, laughter, music or voices drifting from the radio, tapping from Velma’s computer as she typed away, or Shaggy and Scooby munching away in the back seat. And even when the Mystery Machine did fall silent, there was a sort of lightness to be found there; when five friends could find comfort in a familiar place with nothing more than one another’s presence.

It was never a good thing when the Mystery Machine was the other kind of quiet.

This kind of quiet.

The sort of heavy silence when there was an elephant in the room. So many words that needed said - would inevitably be said, but weren’t ready to come out. And yet the five of them were so stuck in their own thoughts that it didn’t seem very quiet at all. But to the sixth occupant of the van, the silence was suffocating.

Before the drive, before the quiet, back at Daisy’s when she and Steven had finally walked back into the living room, the five Mystery Solvers had barely moved and none of them had spoken. Daisy, mascara slightly smudged, had stood in front of her sister and said, “Daphne.”

But Daphne didn’t look at her.

“Daphne,” Daisy said again. And this time she actually knelt down. Daisy Blake, who had never once stepped down to meet her little sister in the middle, knelt down to look her in the eyes. This time, Daphne looked up.

“Steven and I talked about it and… we’ll do it.”

The next few hours passed in a blur. They called the Mystery Skulls back inside and Vivi and Lewis did most of the talking. Logistics. Timing. Whens, wheres, and hows. Plans and backup plans. Numbers were exchanged for if and when those plans changed and so the nitty-gritty details could be hammered out later, and then they were leaving.

Daisy led them out herself, Steven beside her, but as Mystery Incorporated was heading down her front steps Daisy said, “Daphne?” And when her sister turned around, Daisy looked like she didn’t know what to say. Or perhaps like she wanted to say more than what came out. “Just- like… be careful. M’kay?”

“I- uh… okay Daisy. You too.” Daphne stammered, bewildered.

Then they were at the Mystery Machine, and Fred was fumbling with the keys when Lewis gently placed his hand over them. “Fred,” he said, “I’ll drive.”

“Huh? What do you mean you’ll drive? C’mon Lewis, that’s ridiculous,” Fred tried to laugh it off, but he wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Dude,” Lewis said, gently yet firmly, “you guys have been twitchy since… look, you can barely get the car started with how bad your hands are shaking. You are in no state to drive. Please, Fred. Let me.”

And as much as Fred loved the Mystery Machine, he didn’t fight Lewis on it any further. But once they were actually in the van, heading back to the mansion behind Vivi and Mystery in the other vehicle, the quiet set in.

The sort of tense silence that had Lewis very, very worried. What had they seen? Because whatever Mr. E had been facing then, it was what Arthur was facing now!

And Mystery Incorporated knew that. Really, they did. And they were thinking about it. But their thoughts were also elsewhere, elsewhere, and all over the place.

Yet individually, they stood united under one question: How could you?

Mr. E was the one person who believed in Professor Pericles more than anything. The one who gave him another chance, even after everything. His best friend. And he’d-

But that train of thought just made them replay what they’d seen all over again. And that was one thing Shaggy absolutely did not want to do. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl.

He kept having to remind himself that Ricky wasn’t there anymore. He was safe and sound in Shaggy’s body back at the Mystery Skulls’ mansion. And Shaggy was safe and sound in Arthur’s body - but where did that leave Arthur?

It isn’t fair, he thought to himself. It wasn’t fair that Arthur was fighting a battle that wasn’t his own. The way Mr. E had screamed in that video… Arthur had already endured what Ricky had at least once. Had he screamed that way too? Was he screaming now? He shouldn’t be, and it wasn’t fair! But if Shaggy wished Arthur to be safe and sound back where he belonged, then where would that leave Ricky? And Shaggy-

Once his train of thought went down that road, Shaggy shrank in on himself and felt dirty. He wasn’t a stranger to being afraid. Or running away, or wanting to quit. But this time? That kind of thinking made Shaggy feel like a rotten, selfish, ungrateful coward. Because if they could swap bodies one more time and Shaggy had the chance to take their place, he knew he wouldn’t have the strength to do it. And for a moment, he wasn’t sad for Ricky or worried about Arthur. He was just glad that it wasn’t him.

Feeling awful about himself, Shaggy looked up and his eyes wandered to each face in the Mystery Machine. Scooby was laying at Shaggy’s feet, ears drooped. He looked oddly guilty, or as though he was going to be sick. Velma, sitting next to Shaggy, had alternated between looking completely blank or on the verge of tears ever since they’d seen the footage. And from what he could see in the front seats, Daphne was looking out the window and Fred was staring straight ahead. So while he could not see their expressions, he could see the glances Lewis kept giving them; And his face told Shaggy everything he needed to know.

With a sigh, Shaggy looked down at Arthur’s prosthetic arm, flexing the metal fingers thoughtfully. Now wasn’t the time to be feeling bad about what a shitty person he was (which of course only served to make him feel even worse) for one simple and obvious reason: it wasn’t about him. It was about Ricky. Ricky, who had been carrying all of this around from the beginning. Ricky, who had trusted them with one of the most horrible things to ever happen to him, and was probably waiting back at the mansion right now worrying over what their reaction was going to be. Ricky, who was somehow brave enough and strong enough to face what Shaggy knew he couldn’t.

Mr. E.

Who didn’t really have anybody else.

So the five of them would have to do.

༻˚⁺･⚉｡○✼༓☾⦾♫෴♡💛♡෴♫⦾☽༓✼○｡⚉･⁺˚༺

When they arrived at the manor, they found Ricky and Angel in the library.

Not that they were exactly difficult to find. The Dead Beats were diligently patrolling the hallway outside and their voices were drifting down the corridor from the open door.

“-So the first and really only culture to write about the Annunaki and the Nibiru event were the ancient Mesopotamians,” Ricky was explaining. “But there’s evidence of their presence among other cultures under different names. Which obviously there must be at least some truth to because Mystery’s Annunaki ancestors spent time in Japan, and according to our research the evil entity behind the curse, which is an Annunaki, was defeated and imprisoned in Ancient Egypt- oh!”

Ricky stopped mid-sentence and looked up when Mystery Incorporated stepped into the doorway. He and Cassidy had some of the notes the two groups had made yesterday spread out on the floor and the two of them had been laying on their stomachs side-by-side reviewing them. But the moment he saw their faces he sat up and his stomach dropped.

They’d seen it.

Daphne’s eyes were red and puffy, Fred could barely look at him at all, there was no mistaking the pity on Shaggy and Scooby’s faces, and Velma’s eyes were fixed on the floor.

I knew it.

They’d never go back to the way they’d been this morning. All the progress they’d made, and for what? How little they must think of him now. They must be so disgusted…

Ricky could see the Mystery Skulls coming up behind the kids, and even though they hadn’t seen the footage, it was plain on their faces that they were worried. It was also clear even to poor Cassidy, who didn’t fully know what was going on, that something was up. Right as she was sitting up, looking between them, Ricky nervously cleared his throat and stood up abruptly.

“So!” He said, as if ignoring the elephant in the room would somehow make it go away. “How did it go?” Ricky rubbed his hands together and started picking up the notes and books that they were done with, busying himself with stacking them and setting them on tables to quell his nervous energy. “I uh- heard from Lewis that you went to see Professor Hatecraft. I know he’s your friend. Must’ve uh- been nice to see him again. And you’ll have to tell me how it went with Daisy. I know Daphne wasn’t looking forward to it, but I really do apprecia- oof.”

Right as Ricky was setting the first stack on the table, Velma suddenly marched forward, grabbed him by the shirt, turned him around, and hugged him tight around the middle.

Ricky was so shocked by the gesture, much less from Velma, whom he’d wronged more than any of them, that for a stunned second he froze. Eyes wide, arms awkwardly held above her like he didn’t know what to do with them. Did he hug her back? Was he allowed?

“Uhm… Velma…?”

Then finally she whispered, “I’m so sorry…”

Her bottom lip trembled, her shoulders tensed, the tiniest little whimper slipped out, and then she was crying.

“Velma…” Feeling extremely awkward about it, Ricky brought his arms down, rubbing her back and gently patting her hair. And when she didn’t pull away he hugged her back. Then the rest of her friends were around him too - and Ricky didn’t have enough arms for them all. Shaggy’s head on his left shoulder, Daphne’s on his right, Scooby against his hip, and Fred’s cheek leaning on the crown of his head.

They’d never go back to the way they were this morning. And slowly, it dawned on Ricky that it wasn’t because they’d gone backwards.

But any warmth that realization inspired was replaced by a cold dread. Because he could feel Cassidy’s eyes boring into his back and he was fresh out of excuses.

Swallowing nervously, Ricky gently backed Velma off of him, and the other four took the cue to let go as well. “Aw, thanks guys. There there, Velma. It’s alright-”

“No. It’s not,” she said. And now she sounded angry. “I-” she sniffed and dabbed her eyes under her glasses with the thick fabric at her turtleneck. “I cannot believe they did that to you!”

“Reah!” Scooby agreed with a growl.

“Like yeah. Friends like- friends don’t treat friends like that, man!” Shaggy exclaimed.

“Oh It went far beyond treating someone bad!” Velma said, so loudly it bordered on yelling. “It- it was assault! That’s what it was! I just- I can’t believe he- Oh god… Ricky, I- dammit, I know I already said it but I’m so sorry!”

“She’s right,” Fred said. “What they did was- beyond anything I could ever imagine doing to one of my enemies, much less one of my friends. And I can’t believe my real parents-”

“Fred,” Ricky said, his brows coming together, “I don’t blame you. What they did- it wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah. I know that,” Fred said, sounding every bit like someone who didn’t completely believe it. “But that doesn’t make it any less true.”

“And the way they talked to you!” Velma scoffed.

“No kidding! If Pericles has got one thing going for him, it’s the audacity,” Daphne quipped, hands on her hips.

“Reah! Rit’s not like you asked for anything unreasonable!” Scooby added.

“Like yeah! He totally didn’t!” Shaggy agreed.

“He asked for the bare minimum really,” Daphne said.

“So- Are you okay, Ricky?” Fred asked.

By now, Ricky’s head was ducked as far between his shoulders as it could, and he was positively red in the face with a mix of embarrassment and flattery… and a smile he couldn’t wipe off his face no matter what other emotions were clambering over each other for attention. Everything they were saying- even after seeing it. Even after presumably knowing everything. They weren’t disgusted or treating him like he was made of glass. And in spite of all the words of comfort and wisdom he’d gotten up until now, he’d never felt so validated before.

But of course he couldn’t say all of that without embarrassing himself further. So all he said was, “M’ good. I’m- better than I thought I’d be, actually.” And he laughed when he said it, in spite of himself. “So uh- what exactly did you see? I mean I was under the impression that there was… a lot on that flashdrive. I mean did you watch all of it?”

“Not even close,” Fred said. “We started at what I can only assume is the first time he hit you. And we got to the first time he- did it. Before we uh… sorry. We couldn’t bear to watch any more than that.”

“Couldn’t bear. To watch any more. Of what?”

All six of them froze and had the same thought at once: Shit.

They slowly turned around, and there she was. Brows furrowed, mouth set in a firm line, arms crossed, weight balanced on one hip. Looking positively murderous. Without daring to look away, feeling very much like they were facing a rabid animal, Fred gulped. “You didn’t tell her, did you?” He asked out of the corner of his mouth.

“Most of it, but then couldn’t get the important part out,” Ricky grumbled back. Also out of the corner of his mouth.

“Want us to help you out?”

“No Fred, I’m afraid this is something I have to do myself. But thank you.”

Also not looking away from Cassidy, like she’d jump out and bite somebody at any moment, Velma pulled her laptop out of her bag, stuck the flashdrive in it, and passed it into Ricky’s arms. “All yours, E.”

“Hoh-boy. Like, we believe in you man.” Shaggy laughed nervously.

“Rud ruck,” Scooby said.

“Ranks. I’m gonna need it,” Ricky gulped. And then they were backing away. Not leaving, but lurking just beyond the doorway to give them the space they needed (yet close enough to witness the drama unfold). The Mystery Skulls meanwhile, still respecting Ricky’s wishes and privacy, had made themselves scarce.

Ricky was glad the kids were sticking around, because if they left he would’ve been alone with quite possibly the scariest thing in the entire manor. Had she really been contently laying beside him while they talked just a few short minutes ago? Because now, it was as if the energy of the room itself had shifted.

“What happened to you?” She pleaded. Her voice wasn’t as hard as it had been a moment ago but there was a crack to it already, and she hadn’t even seen it yet. “Ricky. Baby. Please. Talk to me.”

He took a deep breath and nodded. He set the laptop down on a desk between them and opened it right to where the kids had left off. With the screen paused on a scene he remembered all too well. His hands were shaking when he slid the timestamp back to the beginning. Then he looked up at her, still staring expectantly over the top of the screen. And he knew this whole day, waiting for bad news must’ve been torture for her. His mouth was dry and his heart was pounding in his ears. But he remembered the kids. He remembered how seeing it, knowing what had happened to him, hadn’t ruined anything between them.

He hoped the same would be true with Cassidy.

And he told her - he must have. But if anyone asked him what he said, he couldn’t tell you. Even as the words came, it was as if he blocked them out.

But not the look on her face. First anticipation. Then unease. And finally horror. And once he ran out of words and couldn’t bear to see her look at him that way anymore, he turned the laptop around and hit play.

“He’s late,” he heard his own voice, his real voice, say.

Then came Judy’s. “You know he shows up when he means to. I’m sure he’ll be here soon, don’t you think Brad?”

He couldn’t look at her as she watched the scene unfold. Try as he might to tune it out, those voices- that scene started playing in his head and the feelings started coming back in real time, as if he was back in the shoes of his past self all over again. Anxiety. Hope. Pride. Power. Then frustration. Anger. And as the video neared the inevitable tragedy, the feelings of his present self, knowing what was coming, seeped in.

Fear. Fear that grew and swelled into abject terror.

“-If you won’t listen to me,” his true voice said, and his mouth silently traced the words, having played this memory over in his head a hundred times before. Searching for some way it could have ended differently. “-Then you haven’t left me with much choice: Get out…”

Ricky turned around and all but stumbled out of the room. Wanting- needing to get away. He knew how this story ended, but he didn’t want to live it again. The kids made some move to stop him. But he played little heed to their voices and jerked away from the kind hands that reached for his shoulders.

The sounds of his own screams chased him down the hallway as Ricky blindly fled his own memory.

༻˚⁺･⚉｡○✼༓☾⦾♫෴♡💛♡෴♫⦾☽༓✼○｡⚉･⁺˚༺

Cassidy didn’t know what she’d been expecting.

But it wasn’t this.

A torture button? Using what- mutated cobra llarvae?

Who on God’s Green Earth other than Professor Pericles even thinks of that?

After spending time with Ricky in someone else’s body for the past few hours, it was sort of jarring seeing him in his own skin again. Even in a video. But when Ricky of two weeks ago (according to the timestamp) started telling Pericles off, Cassidy sat back, looked up at Ricky, and laughed, impressed.

The far-off look in his eyes and the tremble in his shoulders stole the smile from her face. She looked back at the screen.

At some point, she became aware that he left. And she would have gone after him, but tunnel vision locked her legs in place and her eyes on the screen.

When Pericles pushed that button, when Ricky went rigid, then dropped to his knees, it hit Cassidy right in the heart. Then came the screaming. The begging. The pleading. And she froze.

She had never heard Ricky scream like that. And she never wanted to hear it again.

And Brad and Judy were smirking at one another. Like a pair of naughty children who’d gotten a third into trouble.

And Pericles was laughing.

“I had wondered what sounds you would make,” the parrot sighed, chuckling to himself. “And of course, my sweet Ricky, you did not disappoint me.”

A cold fury seeped into Cassidy’s veins like venom. She had already hated Professor Pericles for far longer than the time she’d once considered him a friend. But at that moment, listening to him laugh and gloat over the sound of Ricky screaming- Angel Dynamite thought to herself for the very first time, I’m going to kill you.

Pericles had finally stopped, but Ricky was still quietly sobbing, his body shaking with the aftershocks when Cassidy stopped the video, unable to watch any more.

There was a painful lump at the back of her throat that Cassidy couldn’t afford to let out. Her hands steepled against her lips, her elbows on her knees, and she closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She wanted to scream. Throw things. March out of this manor right now and put a damn bullet through that bird’s skull. But the kids were still lurking just outside - watching. And Arthur was in there- oh God, Arthur was in there! And above all, Ricky needed her.

Ricky. She opened her eyes. And what did she see? With the video closed, she was faced with a long, long list of files. And it hit her, really hit her, that what she’d seen was only the tip of the iceberg. “Oh sweetheart…” She muttered.

Then one of the file names jumped out at her: “CASSIDY 🗣️🔴”

… What was her name doing there?

For a moment, she was torn. She didn’t want to see any more of Ricky’s suffering. She wanted- needed to go after him. To see him, comfort him, hold him. Reassure herself that even if not in his own skin, she had him.

But that file. It was as if it was calling her. Cassidy. Cassidy!

She had to know.

Cassidy opened the file and hit play.

Ricky was sitting alone in front of his monitors. With the glare, she couldn’t see what he was doing, but he was anxiously bouncing one leg. Brad and Judy appeared on the island behind him and he flinched, but said nothing, trying to ignore them.

“You’ve been on the computer more and more.”

“He sure has, Brad! You’re not allowed on the internet, so what do you do in here for hours on end?”

“There’s been no sign of her for weeks!” Ricky finally said.

“Who are you looking for?”

“Cassidy.” And the way he said it- even while trying to mask it, he sounded so worried. Earlier today came to mind. The look of shock, hope, anguish on his face when he’d seen her standing alive and well at the bottom of the staircase.

“Maybe she finally gave up,” Brad suggested smugly.

“No! She would never give up! She’s gone!”

Again, this morning came to mind. Ricky, screaming those very words at the top of the stairs.

“Of course she’s gone,” Professor Pericles said, appearing onscreen. “Anyone who crosses me gets… eliminated.”

If Cassidy had found the first video hard to watch, seeing Ricky’s heart shatter into a million pieces right in front of her was somehow worse. Again, she remembered this morning. The way he’d hugged her like his life depended on it-

“You were informed she had been taken care of,” Pericles said dismissively. The Ricky on the screen was hyperventilating. Falling to his knees beneath the weight of his grief. His guilt.

She remembered Ricky sobbing into her shoulder, hardly able to get a word out between sobs. ‘I never stopped looking for you and then he told me- he-’

“Would you like to know how she died?” Pericles asked, as if he enjoyed the pain he caused. “If it is any consolation, my sweet Ricky, she likely did not suffer.” Cassidy stood up. She’d seen enough. But as she stepped around the computer she could still hear the audio. “-They say that drowning is one of the most peaceful ways to die. If the explosion didn’t kill her instantly.”

Then she heard two words come out of Ricky’s mouth in such a frigid tone of voice it stopped her in her tracks. “Fuck you.”

“What?” Pericles said. And he sounded just as surprised as Cassidy. She slowly turned around. She never would have expected Ricky to talk to Pericles that way. But then-

“FUCK YOU! You bastard! You were always jealous of her! All because you wanted me all to yourself, you just couldn’t let me have anyone else that I loved! And look at what you’ve done to us! Brad and Judy threw away their own son like garbage for that stupid treasure! Anyone with eyes can see what I’ve become! Cassidy was the only one of us who was strong enough to stay good in spite of that stupid curse - in spite of you! And YOU KILLED HER!”

Then Pericles must have pulled out the button again. Because Ricky made that same horrible choked, strangled sound from the other video. Screaming on the inside, but unable to muster the breath to let it out.

Cassidy slammed the laptop shut with a snap, unable to bear a second more.

There was a beat- maybe two, of stunned silence. Then the music began.

Dramatic violins overlaid with static - all too fitting for the tightness in her chest, the burning in her throat, and the wetness on her cheeks. Right as the deep thrum of the cellos and clarinets joined the orchestra, Cassidy took a deep breath, turned around, and walked out of the library with as much grace as she could. She barely glanced at Mystery Incorporated when she passed them. A few of them were crying, and a few of them had their hands clamped over their ears. The crash of the cymbals all too fitting for what they were feeling. Angel herself was holding her own emotions back by a thread and knew that if she stuck around a second longer, she was going to lose it right in front of them.

She strode up to the nearest Dead Beat. And right as the striking beats were ending and the gentle thrum of the piano began, Cassidy looked up at it with angry, bloodshot eyes and asked it point blank, “Where is he?”

The sad little ghost knew without being told who she was asking about. It pointed a nubby arm and went zipping down the corridor. Cassidy walked after it at first.

So right now I can feel it, feel it overtaking me

Then she couldn’t stand it and walked faster.

So right now, ooooh I can feel it overtaking me.

Then the moment she turned a corner and the kids couldn’t see her anymore, she was running. And when it sped up, she sprinted after it.

'Cause there's, 'cause there's no one in this world that could treat me like 'Cause there's no one in this world that could take me back 'Cause there's no one in this world that could make it fit 'Cause there's no one in this world

Turn after turn, paintings, doors, and suits of armor flew by. Cassidy’s boots colliding with the carpeted hardwood floors echoed through the corridors. Where is he? Where is he?

Erase me Erase my mind again. Erase meeee~, ooooh~ Erase my mind again, love

When the Dead Beat led her into the foyer and went zipping up the stairs, Cassidy dashed after it. Where is he? Where is he?

Erase me Erase my mind again

Cassidy ran after the Dead Beat for what felt like an eternity, but really wasn’t very long at all. They found Ricky on the second floor, having been trying to retreat to the relative safety of his room before his own emotions got the better of him. He was kneeling on the floor leaning against the wall between two suits of armor, clearly facing the tail-end of a breakdown, his hands fisting his hair. She stopped when she saw him, breathless, shoulders sagging with relief. And then she was striding towards him.

Erase me, oh

He turned around when he heard her coming. Red-faced and puffy-eyed he croaked, “Cassidy I-”

Erase my mind again, love!

He was cut off just as the song came to an end, when she dropped to the floor at his side and flung her arms around him. He stiffened, surprised, but a moment later she felt him relax. Only then did Cassidy lean back and, gently yet firmly, she dragged his upper body into her lap and pressed her nose into his soft caramel colored hair. He stretched his legs and curled them in on the floor to get comfortable, and his arms came, gentle yet firm, around her waist.

And she held him; So tight it probably wasn’t comfortable but he didn’t complain - just held her back. Leaning into it with a sigh when her fingers carded through his hair, then stayed there. Ricky had always loved having his hair touched.

Cassidy’s shoulders shook. Her vision blurred. That lump in the back of her throat finally slipped out. And then for the first time in what seemed like forever, she was sobbing.

He muttered her name, muffled with his face pressed into her chest, “Cassidy,” and his arms tightened around her. “M’ sorry…”

“Don’t you-” she sniffed, “dare apologize- hic! It’s just- I… oh Sweetheart… Baby. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

“Yeah,” he said. “I know.”

They laid there together for what seemed like the longest time. There was something unmistakably intimate about their position, and yet in spite of everything that had happened between them none of it seemed to matter.

It did matter. That much should not be mistaken. And they would hopefully work through it. Or they wouldn’t. But that didn’t seem to matter much for the moment either.

All that mattered was that, at least for the moment, he was safe. And he was with her.

-Except he wasn’t.

Because no matter how much she kept telling herself that this was Ricky, and that was enough, her heart still longed for the rest of him. All of him. Complete and whole. In his own skin. As he should be. She missed his face. His voice. His dark brown eyes, even with the bags under them. His beard and thick, silky dark hair. She’d never gotten the chance to touch it, in the five years since she’d gotten to see him again. She remembered being surprised to see it so long, and had caught herself wondering how it would feel beneath her fingers. Or how the rest of him had changed for that matter. How would it feel to lean against him? Or to have his arms around her? Did he still have that scattered peppering of freckles across his back and shoulders? And how much could those constellations have shifted?

It scared her to think of Ricky, even part of him, still in the clutches of someone who only wanted to hurt him. And it horrified her to know that Arthur was in his place. Oh God, Arthur! He was such a sweet guy- a good person. He was the grounding member of the Mystery Skulls, who’d been the best at easing her into… all of it. And he’d never been anything but kind to her. Even going as far as to let her stay in his room while she stayed in Tempo recuperating with his uncle. And now he was in that Hell too. And now? If he really did get himself- get Ricky out of this mess, she didn’t know how she’d ever repay him.

Pericles came to mind again. Looking so proud of himself for what he’d done to the one person who’d stuck by his side the longest. And she didn’t even want to imagine him doing to Arthur what he’d done to Ricky. Anger set her heart ablaze and that thought came again, with even more conviction than the first time: I’m going to kill you.

Suddenly the walls began to scream. Cassidy and Ricky both jumped and scrambled out of their embrace, searching for the source but there was none! The sound was all-encompassing, as if it was coming from everywhere! But then they realized-

Cassidy’s blood ran cold. She knew that scream. And when she looked over at Ricky, she knew he recognized it too.

Because it sounded like him. The real him. Shouting in agony, and begging for it to stop.

In an instant, Cassidy was on her feet and dragging Ricky to his as well. “Come on Ricky!” She said to him, but he was having a freeze response. Staring straight ahead, straight through her. “Ricky! Ricky, look at me!” Cassidy shouted above the din, shaking him slightly, and finally his eyes focused on her face. “We have to find the Mystery Skulls! Come on!” And then she was dragging him down the hall with her as fast as she could. Within a few moments, he was snapped out of it and running after her.

༻˚⁺･⚉｡○✼༓☾⦾♫෴♡💔♡෴♫⦾☽༓✼○｡⚉･⁺˚༺

The paintings they passed along the way were either laughing or cowering in the corners of their frames. And as they ran the screaming got louder, and then the music began.

Erase me, just like before. But the house had never played the same song twice in a row, and this time the music was different. Corrupted. Jagged, almost. Like playing a scratched CD. Around the time the cursed cellos started, the walls began to shake.

When they ran into a swarm of Dead Beats, it became even clearer that something was very wrong. They were ignored when they tried to get the ghosts’ attention and hissed at when they tried to reach out. They were glowing more brightly than they’d ever seen them before and they were shrieking, pulsing, swelling and shrinking in size as they howled and scrambled along the walls like lizards, leaving claw marks in their wake. And they were all heading in the same direction. And as terrifying as it was, they followed.

They arrived right when the piano made its entrance in the song, at the same time as Mystery Incorporated, who had followed the Dead Beats from elsewhere. And they found the Mystery Skulls in what was- should have been an art gallery. The Dead Beats were swirling around the walls in that same panicked frenzy, not knowing where to go or what to do and in the middle of it were Mystery, Vivi, and Lewis. Huddled together staring at the paintings in utter horror.

Ricky, the fastest of them with Shaggy’s body, got there first. “Mystery! Vivi!” He shouted at them above the cacophony. “What’s-” Then he saw what they were looking at, and he let out a gasp of absolute mortification.

S̷o̷ ̷r̷i̷g̸h̴t̸ ̵n̵o̸w̷

He was in every picture frame. Convulsing on the floor in agony back at Destroido. It was as if the contents of the flashdrive had been hung up on every frame! Except- wait.

I don’t recognize that scene. I never would’ve gone anywhere without my coat. And why do I have a bottle of wine - oh dear God.

S̵o̵ ̵r̷i̵g̷h̴t̶ ̵n̷o̶w̸,̵ ̸o̴o̷o̴o̴h̵ ̶ ̷I̶ ̷c̶a̴n̸ ̵f̸e̶e̷l̷ ̵i̴t̵ ̵o̶v̷e̸r̸t̷a̸k̷i̷n̶g̸ ̵m̶e̸.̶

THAT’S ARTHUR!

At once he rushed to their side, dodging Dead Beats as they flew by his head. “Guys! It’s okay! Everything’s gonna be alright! Don’t look at that! Look at me!” Ricky shouted above the din.

C̶̮̓a̷͓͐u̶̗̚s̸̥̕e̴͈̊ ̷̞̕t̶̰̒h̷͖̿é̴͓r̴̘̊e̶̘͌'̷͈̽s̴̜̔ ̷̣̉n̴͈͑ó̵͖ ̸̞̓ŏ̸̹n̶̥̓é̴̯ ̷̍ͅȋ̵͔n̷͖̂ ̷̝͝t̸̮̕h̴̳͂ȉ̸̧š̸̤ ̴̫̋w̷̞̚ọ̷̅r̸̤͝ḽ̶̀d̶̪̉ ̶̦̿t̸̺̿h̵̯̉a̷͎͒t̷͊ͅ ̸̞̈́c̵̥̽o̶̯̚u̸͈͒l̴̟͊d̷̼̆ ̷̗̿t̷̙̒r̷̗̒e̶̯̅à̴̼t̵̙́ ̵̗̈m̸͚̐ē̸͉ ̸̟̍l̶̖͝i̴̻̎k̷̬͠e̵̟̓

When the others saw what he was doing they rushed to join in. “Come on, Mystery! Snap out of it! Do something!” Ricky shouted. But the kitsune was so big and utterly frozen with horror that no amount of shaking or shoving against the creature, even with Fred and Scooby helping, could rouse him.

C̶̨͎͆͒a̷͇̖̽̒u̷̘̲̚ś̷͓ȩ̴̋̎ ̵̹̀̃t̶̢̹̿́h̴̔͜e̷̬̐̀r̶̲̙̔̾ȅ̵̖́'̸̘͕̌s̴̖̩̄ ̷̻̗̋n̸̬̾͝ô̷͈͜͝ ̵̖͈̅̕ō̴̗ņ̴̇̏ẽ̵͖̟ ̴͖͑͐į̴̒̒n̸͙̊ ̸͙͈̅̊ẗ̸̖́̓ḩ̶̎͘í̸̲̜s̷̛̤ ̸̥͑̕w̴͓̄͝ơ̷̩r̵̟̅l̴̝͘̕d̸̠̐ ̵̣̦̚t̴̠̔h̷̞͛͜ả̸̳̖͝t̴̚͜ ̷̹̫͆̚c̶͉̈o̴̧͔͆͒ṵ̵̳̃l̶̪̘̀͝d̷̦̃͐ ̸̻͛t̷̼́ạ̸̡̾͘k̶̮̈e̶̲̜̋͐ ̷͚̉m̶͓̔́e̸͖̳͌̄ ̴̪̍b̴̞̗̀a̸̧͇͂̑c̴͕̆͒k̷̠͍̇͠

Desperate, Ricky looked over at Vivi but she was absolutely inconsolable. Cassidy, Velma, and Daphne were shaking her, blocking her view of the moving pictures with their bodies, to no avail. She was hugging herself, trembling, looking straight ahead with loud, ugly, gasping sobs bursting out of her.

C̵̳̫̪̍̕̕ä̵̞̲̚ų̸̂͋ͅș̶̡̘̔̌ę̴̺͊͂ͅ ̴̡͚͕̋̄t̵̺̹̯́h̸̡̺̐̍̀e̴̥͊͆r̴͈̽̐͜ë̵̹̭́'̷̛̗̖̱s̷͙̖̒ ̵̜̳̥̂̕n̵̰̣͒͠ö̷̜̣͑̔ ̸̥̮͆̏͝ȭ̷̬̦̠n̷̺̰̟͗̏e̷͉͂ͅͅ ̴̨̯̜̓͑͝i̵̳̟͐̕n̶̖̈͋ ̸̞̏́t̵̝͑ḩ̵̬͔͗̀ì̵͍͕͗s̴͈͕̑ ̸̛̤̪̄̇w̵͎̺̚o̸̼̰̊̌̕r̶͓̳̂̃͆ĺ̵͖d̸̲̮̬͗̍̽ ̵͈̿̇̀t̴̟̱̥̅͌h̵̫̞̰͗̇a̴͍͒ṱ̴̋͊ ̵̞͎̪̑̎̓ċ̷͈̖͍̋̀o̷͇͇̖͗̽͠ư̶̙͓̐͐ͅl̷̢̦͋̕͘ͅď̸̹̜̦͝ ̵͍͈̉̌̈m̶̮̏a̵̛̜͉̔̇k̶͍̳͉͒̊e̷̻̠͔̊̂̒ ̵̧̮̫̉ì̷̤̰̈́̍ț̵́ ̸͉͝f̷̛̜̰̦i̷͍͍̒͊t̴͚͎̃͌͝

And that left Lewis. The Master of the House was in his ghostly form, staring wide-eyed at his friend in pain with ugly black tears, like ink, dripping from his eye sockets.

C̴̛̰͈̲̻̽͆͆ą̶̛̠̘̘͉̭́̔̀̀ų̸̮͍͎͉̋́̌͘ͅs̵͙̒͐̐̒̏e̴̢̼̯̰̔̓̓ ̸̡̡̗̦̐ͅṯ̷̨͍̹͇͆͐͘̕h̶̤̋̃̈́̊e̶̲̫͖̒̚̚r̴̨͔̤̩͓̦̂̿̽͌ḙ̶͙̜́͑̀̐̿̓͜'̸̪̳͗̐͑̚s̴̜̫̾̐͘̕͝ ̶̧̈́̑͌͝n̶̛̖͔o̵̧͉̗̮̞̱̓̋̅͌͛̕ ̸͔̊͑̓̚͘͜o̵̬͙̦̎͝n̸̬̲͍̝̄̒͛͒͘é̴̬̹͔͉̗̝̌͛̿͌̎ ̵̨͍͎̞̈́̍̋̃ḭ̸̃̓n̶̡͙̬͈̞̼̈́ ̶̠̩̩̭̟́́̇ẗ̶̢̘̫̬̝̲́h̸̲̙̭̮̙͂̈́ì̵̫̩̲͇̟́s̴̨̒̀̾͂͘ ̸͉́̀̀͗̍̽ẃ̷̤̘ǫ̵̛̪͈̹̤̏̎̚r̶̗͈̦̞̃͘͝ĺ̵̝d̸͕̋

“Lewis! Like come on man!” Shaggy was shouting.

Ë̶̢̦̪̺͍̥͉́̓r̸̜̫̮̝̟̲̓͐̏̚a̷̡̫̗̬͕̱̹̎͝s̵̢̙͙̦͂̓̃̌e̸̯̰͈͙͓͆̐̍͆̽̎̿ ̵̢̞̩͓̑͋̔̕̚m̴̼͓͚̭̫̓̾̀̽̃̒ȩ̵̜̀͌͗̕

“Like dude! You’re the master of the house! You gotta stop this man! Like snap out of it!” And in desperation, Shaggy slapped Lewis across the face so hard that his skull spun around like a top for a moment before the ghost slapped both sides of his face and turned his head around the right way. Dazed, but finally alert!

É̸̛̛̥͇̤͛̋̔r̶̠̯̹̠̹̈̈́͒̀a̶͉̣̝̣̝̾̂̐̊̚s̸̡̫̑̕ȇ̸̡̖̩́́ ̶̡͎͎̟̾̄̎͒̐́͜m̶̨͓̱͂̓͜y̸̹͍̐̈́̈ͅ ̶̣͉̃̂͗m̷̮̣̲̼͓̲͂̅̃̉̉͘̕ĭ̶̧͈̙͐̃̌̏̂̕ń̸͖̗̩̲͒̓̓̎͝d̵͇̠͂͆̃͛̚̕͠ ̴̢͊̊̏å̴̡̧͔̣̩̣̟ǵ̴̻̌̒̎̿̈̀ą̸̯̦̩̼͇̠͠ḭ̷́̌̇͛͗͊͠n̷̥̏́͌͘͠.̶̢͉̱̦̼̬͔̋̔͑̈́̎̽̓ ̶̡̟͕̠̓͐̒̽̋̈͠E̷̻̫̭̼͕̓̄r̶̮͍̅̑̿͐a̴̱͙̟͌͆s̶̹͖̙̖̭͘é̶̢̱̭̬͕̽͌͠͠ ̷̘͘͠m̶̱͖̔͒e̷̝̣͔̾̎̅̌̑͝ĕ̷͙͈̔̓̎͜ě̸̛͇̩̣͔̣̓͝͝ͅe̷̢͓̬̤͔̳͗̎͋̍͊̒~̶̹̩̻̬̊̿̈́̄,̴͓̏̃̒̉̑ ̷̣̯̱̦͌͗̍́̕͝ơ̴̢̟̐͠o̸̢̱̫̞̼͇̣͆̌̿͆ỏ̵͇̖͇͊ö̷̪̰̠̫̟̆̂h̷͇̱͎̰͇̥͒̂͛̓̆͝͠~̷̞͔̝͝

His eyes finally focused on Shaggy, then his gaze darted to Vivi and Mystery. Flames dancing across his shoulders, the ghost looked back at the paintings with fury.

E̸͔̗̪̣͚̤̗͎̘̯͍̣̿̓̓̒̕͜r̸̡̧̬̙̮̝̖̜̖͎̟͓̒̃̔a̷̧͚̭͓̭̻̎̔͆̿́̓̑̋̌͝͝s̴͍̹̯͔͓̙̮̹̓̈́͋̏̂̒͒̓͐͐e̸̝͓̼͑̏̃̾́̌̚ ̴̨͎̗̫̲̜͚͎̯̗̑̏̔̈́̃͑̃̓m̶̨͍̬͉̗̩̺̣͈̼̟̩̿̎̊̊̊ẙ̷̢̧̧̹̞͍̘͎̗͕̤̈̌͗̿̒̒͌ ̸̡͈̺̘͕̱̪̠͉̫͈͚̙̈́͂̔̈̿͛͌̐̉́͌̀́m̸̛̮̞̄i̴̧͕̥͈̠͍̯̘̠̟͈͎̤͎̓͒ǹ̸͍̟̗͐̅͑̿ͅḑ̷̧̧͙̠̠̗̹̥̪̙̇ ̴̭͈́̄̓ą̶̡͇̣̳̖̻̮͉̼̦̲͎͉̳̬͐̔̿͗̂́̈͛̕͠g̸̻̬̙̟̟̦̼͖͇͎̮̑̔̍̑̐̿̎̉͌̾̇̈́ä̶̭͍̺́̊̍͋̋̌͑̆͋̔̾̃͌͝͝į̸̯̦̗͎̜̹̹͖̜̱͍̞̻͈͛̾̆͗̈́̈́̈̇͂͒̈̿̌͠͝͠n̷̢̰̹̭̗̹͙̤̬͕̳̼̺̮̺̂̾͆̇͆ͅͅ,̸̧̧̼̖̞̘͕̤̯̞̗̫̫̑́͐̈́́́̀̔̈̕̕͠͝ ̶̧̡̝͔͎̺͕̱̙͈͙̙̼͖̝̀̉l̷͉̬̩̥̍͌͋͘͝͝ơ̸̢̞̜̰͓͉͇͕͛͊́͊́̆̍̋̾̍̿̀͘ͅv̴̟̬̜͓̟̲̩̜̠̘̤̼̼̘̊̊̆̊e̶̡̨͙̰̘͎͈̝͉̦͕̱͍̾

“ENOUGH!”

There was an explosion of blinding pink light!

And just as suddenly as the screaming had started, it was quiet. The music was off. The screaming stopped. The Dead Beats vanished into corners and crevices unseen. The only sound was Vivi’s crying.

Mystery Incorporated, Ricky, and Cassidy slowly sat up from where they’d hit the deck, looking around partially surprised they hadn’t been torched by the pink fire. And yet none of them were burned and nothing was touched. The torches had been blown out, and the only light came from the cloudy sky outside the large window. Other than that the room was back to just how it should be, with macabre paintings of supernatural creatures and statues of the dead. And in the middle of it all, just as they had been, were the Mystery Skulls.

Vivi’s legs shook, then gave out under her as she sobbed. “Ar-Ar-Arthur! Artie….”

Lewis still looked absolutely stricken, that black fluid still leaking from his eye holes like tar. He made some move towards his girlfriend, “Vivi-” but he stopped, looking torn, and finally his eyes settled on Ricky. “ I’m sorry. I- it was an accident we- I- we didn’t mean to-... I’m sorry. I have to go!” And then in a flash of pink fire, he was gone.

And then there was Mystery. Once the images stopped, the kitsune was finally shocked out of his stupor and his gaze dropped to the floor. Large, fat tears dripping silently down his snout.

There was a sort of tension in the air, like the calm before the storm. Did the others feel it too? Either way, Daphne was the first to move. She dropped beside Vivi and pulled her into a hug, trying to comfort her, and Velma and Scooby joined in to do the same. Cassidy, Fred and Shaggy stood up as if they didn’t know what to do, and when Ricky stood up, something told him to be very, very careful.

“Mystery?”

“Ricky!” Cassidy hissed at him quietly, and when Ricky looked over at her he could see it on her face: she felt it too.

But he’s my friend, Ricky thought. And he remembered how Mystery had comforted him more times than he cared to recount. So he continued on anyway. With careful, deliberate footsteps towards the creature. “Um- are you-”

“He trusted you.”

That voice. Inhuman. Part growl, part hiss. The only time Ricky had heard anything remotely like it was when Mystery had lost his temper back in the conservatory. But this was different. It was so loud, so deep, so powerful that it froze Ricky dead in his tracks, reverberated deep in his chest, made his skin break out into gooseflesh. And when Mystery turned, a new set of crimson markings were on his face and the only thing in his glowing red eyes was pain and rage. Rage that raised his hackles and bared his fangs. Rage that sent pale mist rising from his shoulders and made his snowy coat glow like a silver flame. And Ricky realized then that he, in fact, had never seen Mystery lose his temper.

“Mark TRUSTED YOU with his BOY…”

Ricky’s heart seized for an entirely different reason. Mark? Mark Owens? Dad?!

But that train of thought ended when Mystery snarled,

“And now you DARE HARM MINE?!”

That was when Ricky realized he was growing. Seven tails lashed menacingly behind him as the kitsune swelled in size until he positively towered over them, almost incorporeal. Glowing, as if his body was made of smoke while curses rumbled out of him in Japanese, in English, in tongues that had never been spoken by man! Until finally Mystery raised his head to the ceiling and everyone’s hands snapped over their ears when he let loose a bellow that shook the house to its very foundations! Then as swift and smooth as the wind itself, the kitsune leapt over their heads and out the window with a howl and the piercing scream of shattering glass.

Ricky’s last glimpse of Mystery as he rushed to the window after him was a white blur vanishing into the dark mass of jagged branches surrounding the manor. And he was gone.

For a few beats of stunned silence, the only sound was Ricky’s heart pounding in his ears and the soft rumble of thunder overhead. Then right as the first raindrops were starting to fall from the dark sky above, Ricky shakily turned around. To Vivi, still sobbing on the floor. And to the others: Cassidy, Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby. All staring out the broken window with the same question written on their faces: what do we do now?

༻˚⁺･⚉｡○✼༓☾⦾♫෴♡💔♡෴♫⦾☽༓✼○｡⚉･⁺˚༺

Thunder boomed overhead as the storm rolled in and began to unleash its fury upon the land below. Soon the rain began to fall in sheets, hiding the Earth in a gray haze of falling raindrops. But even still, as he ran the trails beneath Mystery’s paws were familiar. Smells and shapes, similar yet changed, that he’d seen a thousand times before flew by as he squinted through the rain. Leaping over roots, stones, and creeks. The forest whispered to him like an old friend welcoming him home, but Mystery was too far gone for niceties. Breathless and furious.

How could you? How could you? How could you?!

He trusted you. He trusted you. He trusted you!

With a roar, Mystery burst out of the treeline and was met with a familiar hillside. The familiar sound of waves crashing against the rocks. A familiar church silhouetted black against the sky as lightning cracked across the heavens behind it.

But the god this temple had been built for had long-since forsaken it, and a demon had taken its place.

Mystery’s ears laid flat against his skull as he let loose another otherworldly shriek and took off across the grass. So fast his paws seldom touched the ground. The same ground where all those years ago he’d sniffed and searched until he knew every blade of grass, and still he’d found nothing!

When he reached the top of the hill, the Old Spanish Church towering above him, Mystery exploded through the double doors and screamed, “YOU!”

But another crack of lightning was his only reply.

“You VILLAIN! You COWARD! Did his screams delight you?!” The kitsune roared into the storm as he paced across an empty floor, looking around at shattered stained glass windows and fallen arches.

“I thought I’d won when I denied you the blood of my children, but I see now that I gave you what you wanted! My old nemesis! Have you enjoyed these twenty years of free reign? Drawing power from the pain you’ve caused? DID YOU THINK THIS DAY WOULD NEVER COME?! Well hear me now you disgraced, twisted, FALLEN GOD! My vow was no bluff!” He hissed and spat, and though he received no answer, he knew that it could hear his every word.

“This has all happened before, but OUR story won’t end the way you want it to!” Mystery swore, as lightning split the sky and the wind clawed at his fur. “I’ve taken back Jasmine’s daughter and Mark’s son,” he hissed, chuckling darkly. “By your enemy’s blessing, I have your newest opponents at my side. You tried to kill my children when they were small, but now they’re grown and they are strong, strong, STRONG. Ready to fight you just as their predecessors did five hundred years ago, a hundred years ago, twenty years ago! But you won’t survive it this time. I’ve brought them back just as I promised I would.”

A mad grin split across Mystery’s face as he roared into the storm.

“-AND WE’RE GOING TO KILL YOU!”

Well that was intense. Not gonna lie - this chapter wasn't an easy one to write for that very reason. Ain't NOBODY having a good time right now. 🙁 (But I had so much fun with the formatting and fanart for this chapter for that very reason. 😜) Seriously I put my whole soul into the fanart for this chapter, and I'm so proud of how it came out!!! Good thing too, because I had two other pieces planned for this chapter but uh... they didn't work out. 😅 I have part of a plan for chapter 27 and a whole-ass plan for chapter 28. But plans can always change and no promises as to when either of those will be completed OR posted. Because yay me - I just started college classes again. (And that's not a complaint. Actually I'm having a great time.) So to say the least, I'mma be a busy bish. Please let me know what you thought of the chapter and art!

And of course! Here's the tag list for all the beautiful people who wanted to be notified when each chapter is up. If you want to be added or removed from this list, then feel free to DM and let me know!

@void-lioness @nikicherry1234 @angorwhosebabyisthis @lunasummers04 @orithereticent @mysteryskullsblog @the-moogle-of-your-nightmares @sfcabanasstarcgs

Chapters 1-25 of 'One of Us' are presently posted on Archive of Our Own!

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someonemultifandom · 8 months ago

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Pop-Ups for my fanfic

Well, I made them for my crossover fanfic, like those from Happy Tree Friends. One for Arthur and one for Envy, only 41 more to go xd

#multifandom fanfiction #mystery skulls #msa arthur #inside out envy #envy #inside out 2 #inside out 2 envy

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pi-cat000 · 4 years ago

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MSA time travel idea (part 42)

Part 43: here

...

(ARTHUR POV)

“Maybe, if you’d been even half of what he was, you wouldn’t have been possessed so damn easily. I mean, this kid put up more of a fight, and he’s pretty much a walking collection of neurosis,” the demon taunts.

“I said shut up!”

The demon, and by default, Arthur, narrows their eyes. Micky’s sudden appearance has thrown a wrench into its plans, drawing its full and undivided attention. Irritation curls around Arthur, replacing the previous sensations of smug satisfaction and amusement. The emotion is unpleasant, making Arthur’s mind crawl but it’s better than the sadistic joy he had been forced to endure as it was stabbing Lewis. For the first time since that disastrous meeting in the hospital’s car-park, Arthur finds himself completely free of surveillance. The demon’s attention is focused solely on Micky and the gun. The shift is so sudden and is Arthur so panicked, that he almost doesn’t recognise the opportunity.

Luckily-the only luck he’s had in a long while-he does recognise his opening. His one chance to make things right.

A desperate calm settles over him. Lightning flashes, illuminating the faint blue and purple of Vivi and Lewis’s clothes. Mystery glows ever brighter, casting a red tint on the concrete around him. Everything else is darker shades of grey, fading into black.

In his new state of calm, Arthur can envision how the next few seconds would play out. Micky would shoot. The demon would dodge. Even now, he can feel how his body is tensing, preparing to duck to the side. The demon is hyper-focus on the gun, watching Micky’s every muscle twitch. To dodge, the demon would have to already be moving even before the gun went off. It would need precise control and a split-second warning just before the shot. After the gun fired, Vivi would run forward to ‘save’ him, putting herself in danger. Then, Mystery would be forced to transform and save her. In the commotion, the demon would make their escape.

“Did you even go back to bury him, or did you just leave him there? What happened to all the ritual, funeral nonsense to send his soul on its merry way? How disrespectful.” The demon’s voice is full of malice, coloured with amusement, aiming to both harm and insult.

The gun clicks in Micky’s hand. Already, Arthur can feel himself tensing, preparing to move fast.

“Stop!” Vivi lurches upright and Mystery blocks her from jumping between them. “If you shoot, you’ll kill Arthur!”

This is okay. Arthur has already accepted that he might never see his friends again. The demon would run, take him away, and they would be safe. Mystery would pass along his apology and it would be fine. The only one to really suffer would be him and he thinks he can live with that. Is that true though?

“That fucking brat sent us to our deaths. He’s just as guilty.”

It wasn’t just him that would suffer was it? This thing would keep on killing. It would use his body to kill other people and maybe, one day, it would go after Lewis or Vivi again. The creature wanted Arthur specifically and he is aware enough to know that the demon has got some sort of plan involving his messed-up soul.

The body snatcher sniggers, “I’m sure Dan would be very unimpressed with how you're threatening this poor innocent human. I mean, if he weren’t a shish-kebab at the bottom of a cave.”

Micky yells, loud, animalistic, full of pain and rage. Arthur feels a pang of empathy for the man who had had the misfortune of running into him and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like Darrel.

In that fraction of a second before the gun goes off, his body, under the direction of the demon, lunches to the right. Everything slows, time crawling by. Arthur can already see Mystery leaping, his dog form rapidly expanding. Vivi is also running towards him, face white with fear.

His way out was suddenly blindingly clear.

With all his remaining will power, throws himself to the left. He slams into the mental barrier separating him from his body. Similar to when he’d first tried this in the van, the demon falters ever so briefly, its attention refocusing onto him and away from Micky. For a fraction of a second, in between heartbeats, the demon’s movements slow. Unlike when he had tried this before, there is no time for the demon to react.

“ARTHUR!”

The shout rings in his ears alongside the loud CRACK of a shotgun discharging.

A sudden weight smacks him in the chest and he stumbles back. This time, Arthur’s sense of fear is mixed in with his own cold vindication. In a moment of role reversal, it is Arthur feeling spiteful and the demon experiencing surprise.

“You little shit,” He feels himself spit the words out, angry, even as new wetness clogs his throat and the metallic taste of blood floods his mouth. Time accelerates again. Arthur hits the pavement and doesn’t even care that his head cracks on the hard surface. All bodily sensation is fuzzy now. Any pain one would expect to feel after getting shot is dulled. Surprise quickly turns to anger. The demon is almost brittle with furry, its full attention bearing down on him from all angles, pressing in. Suffocating.

“Shit. Shit. Shit…Bleeding…that’s a lot of blood. Need to control the bleeding.” Arthur focuses on Vivi’s face which materialises above him. For the first time since his possession, Arthur managers to move of his own violation, taking a hash breath. The process is an immense struggle and he’s not sure if it’s because of the demon or blood loss.

“Vi…” His tong feels heavy and foreign, the words he tries to say are garbled by the blood coming up through his throat. He doesn’t get more than a syllable out before the control is wrestled away.

‘You think this is over?’ The voice echoes in his head, low and threatening.

“Shh. Don’t speak. Everything will be okay. I don’t think its hit anything important. Just lie still.” Her expression is a mix of horror and worry. Regret quickly roles over his vindication because the last thing he wants is for Vivi to have to watch her friend bleed out and die.

His vision blurs. A purple outline appears alongside Vivi. It’s Lewis, equally, if not more panic-stricken. He can feel to demon’s attention re-centre, staring Lewis right in the eye.

“What’s…up. You…goin…watch him die …with me?” The demon jerks, trying to grab a hold of Lewis’s bear unprotected hands.

‘You can’t have Lewis.’

Arthur slams his full mental weight into malicious presence, pushing it to one side, cutting it off mid-sentence. As his body weakens so does its control. They’re both weak now.

‘Sharing is caring.’ Is sneered. A wave of malicious intent chips away at his control, paralysing rational thought with uncontained fear. Arthur feels his hand lift under the demon’s renewed power, reaching weakly for Lewis, beckoning.

“Lew…is.” Arthur tries to speak and warn his friend off.

‘Don’t do it.’ He can’t get the words out, his control failing. It is like being back in the cave, unable to stop the unimaginably terrible from happening. His vision distorts, made worse by the night around them. He can barely see the conflict waring across his friend’s face. His arm is numb. He and Lewis are standing on a ledge overlooking a steep drop…green is pooling at the edges of his vision. It doesn’t matter that they are both weak, the demon’s got him beat in the willpower department. Too many past mistakes occupy his thoughts, distracting him.

Lewis’s hand hovers then closes around his, drawing his focus. The hand is warm almost comforting.

NO.

He claws at the demon, ripping and tearing at anything he can reach, trying to drag it down with him. A patronising laugh bounces around and there is the sensation of something rushing to escape. Arthur scratches and grasps but it is hard to hold onto something that hardly exists. The result is an exercise in futility like he’s trying to dig his nails into loose shale.

‘Nice try but you’re a few centuries too inexperienced to hold me down.’ The demon slips away, leaving him to sink downwards, alone. ‘Try not to die while I’m out would you. I would hate for all this drama to be for nothing,’ Arthur can still feel the echo of rage and malevolence underlining its final amused jab as it fades from his consciousness. The demon is angry. He knows it is going to do its level best to hurt Lewis. There is nothing he can do to stop it. And, suddenly, Arthur is alone in his own mind.

“Why?” He coughs, wishing he could shake an answer out of Lewis. ‘Why did you do that Lewis?’ The last he sees of Lewis is a green discolouration creeping up the other’s arm. Lewis stumbles away, swallowed by the night.

Vivi’s shocked face fades to nothing a second later. Then there is only darkness. No demon, just himself and all his mistakes. No snarky running commentary on how screwed up and pathetic he was. No weird dissonance as he experienced two sets of emotional responses. He is just Arthur existing alone. He should feel relieved. This should be a triumph.

It's not...

It’s dark and he’s falling, slamming into a stone spike. Two sets of memories blur together, becoming one extended nightmare. Two failed timelines are laid before him in a spread of damning evidence against his very existence.

Lewis is dead…then alive, grinning, eyes flashing bright green as he looks down on him, “Once in a millennia chance and you managed to screw it up.” There is fire rising around him, growing increasingly not, framing Lewis’s human visage. “This is your fault.”

He coughs, gripping the spike piercing up through his chest.

“How many can say they’ve had a second chance? None. That’s how many?” Lewis growls and the flames become unbearably hot till even the air itself hurts. “Face it. I just wasn’t that important to you.” Arthur should just stop trying to fight and let the fire burn away all that was left of him.

It’s what he deserves.

“So that’s it.” The female voice cuts through the crackle of the fire, “You’re just going to give up?"

The stone around him shifts, colours mutating from purple and green to a gleaming, blue-tinted ice. Gone is the stone spike, the cliff, and the cave, to be replaced by an empty snow-filled field. He is no longer in pain. He is kneeling, half-buried in snow, surrounded be an empty silver-grey landscape.

“What about your promise to answer my questions. You’re going to leave everyone behind wondering what the heck happened?” Lewis and his fire disappear, replaced with cold air and a familiar voice. He squints up at the blurry Vivi-shaped outline but can’t make out her face. The word around him is too blindingly bright to make out any details.

“I can’t…” he pleads, “I’ve made so many mistakes.”

“So what. That’s never stopped you before.”

He drops his gaze, ignoring the the rustle of fabric as a person knelt in front of him.

“We all make mistakes.” Her voice is soft.

“I don’t know what to do?”

If there’s one thing the demon has taught him it was that things could always get worse.

“It’ll be okay Arthur. Just explain what happened. I’ll understand.”

He looks up, desperately searching for the face of a familiar older Vivi.

“I miss you.” He doesn’t care that he is angsting over what was probably a figment of his imagination. The shadow of a Vivi he’d left behind in a future that would never happen.

“Silly, I never left.”

The white space above him splinters, shattering like glass, falling on him like flakes of snow.

His next breath is heavy like he is struggling against some immense weight. It is nothing like being on the cliff, struggling to breathe against the heat and having it cut with frigid cold, this is real. The sensation of forcing his lungs to expand and take in the dry air is almost too real. A dull ache settles over him and he can’t tell if it is coming from his body or somewhere deep in his chest. Everything feels floaty and unreal and he struggles to pull together a coherent thought. Arthur wills his eyes to open, almost afraid to try and have this illusion of control snatched away.

Light eclipses the dark. The imprint of spikes, fire and ice, fade into a nightmare. He stares up at a familiar off-white ceiling. A pattern of square panels, broken by two overhead lights, one of which is switched off, meaning the room in only half lit. The faint smell of anaesthetic and bleach lingers in the air. Absently, he recognises the hospital ceiling. The dejavu is painful.

Slowly, almost too afraid to try, he turns his head, scanning for his arm. There is a needle disappearing into his skin just above his wrist which is connected to a machine beeping a faint rhythmic pattern. It is his flesh and blood arm. This is his original arm, meaning this is the other timeline. The one he had just royally screwed up. His fingers twitch when he wills them to move, jerking inwards to grasp at nothing. This is the timeline where his Uncle is dead, and Lewis is probably off somewhere killing people under the demon’s control. An unbearable sadness descends upon him. He takes solace in the melancholy, welcoming it, wrapping it around himself like a familiar blanket. Maybe, if he waited long enough, the demon would return, and he would be able to save Lewis. Arthur doubts it, he has nothing of value to trade aside from himself and Lewis is ten times more valuable than him. It was pointless. Maybe he hadn’t learnt his lesson about wanting things. Maybe he will just lie here forever, wasting away.

Maybe that didn’t sound so bad.

“Arthur.” The surprised voice cuts into him, slicing apart his thoughts.

He blinks, twitching to glance to the side, focus shifting past the empty hospital chair placed next to his bed and towards the doorway. Vivi. She is standing in the entrance. Her clothes are wrinkled, speckled with dirt, and she has smudges across her face that look a bit like wood ash. Her eyes are wild with open surprise.

Her surprise becomes relief, mixed with conflicting joy and apprehension.

“You’re awake.” She speaks slowly, voice halting.

“V…” His throat is far too dry to speak so the word comes out as a wheeze.

Whatever misgivings had Vivi frozen in the doorway, they don’t hold her for long and she is across the room in a flash of blue. The next thing he knows her weight is resting across his shoulder and chest, gripping onto him. There is a brief flash of purely physical pain as she bumps the wad of bandages he only just notices are covering the upper half of his torso, wrapping his collar bone. Her face is awkwardly pressed against his opposite shoulder.

When his vision blurs, he panics, momentarily thinking he was losing his control. However, he quickly recognises it as a different sort of loss of control. A normal loss of control. There is water pooling in his eyes, running down his face. He’s crying, making breathing hard.

“You idiot.” Vivi’s voice is unsteady now, full of hurt, “You colossal idiot.”

“I'm…sor…” He swallows, coughing out the apology “…ry” He doesn’t know what exactly he’s apologising for but he’s made so many mistakes that it’s the only thing he can think to say.

“I thought you were going to die.”

Sluggishly, Arthur tries to raise a hand, the one without a needle sticking into it, to hold onto the fabric of her jacket. His muscles feel a bit like jelly, spasming occasionally, as his mind re-associates mental commands with movement. He realises with a pang of grief that she is wearing Lewis’s jacket. What happened to Lewis? He tries to speak, to explain, to ask questions, but his throat is still too dry. After attempting this a few more times he gives up and allows himself the small comfort of being able to hug Vivi again.

NOTE: Happy Holidays!! Have an update as a gift :) Hope everyone is safe and wish you all good luck transitioning into the new year. Thank you for another years worth of support of this fic, it means a lot.

Part 43: here

#MSA #mystery skulls animated #arthur kingsmen #Vivi Yukino #angst #angst overload #depression #Suicidal Thoughts #tw suicide #descriptions of violence #fic is sad and angsty what else is new #hopefuly the worse is over...hopefuly...#arthur and vivi angst stuff #arthur and vivi friendship #time travel au #fanfiction

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the-headbop-wraith · 4 years ago

Text

3_45 _ The Past is Gone

Nothing of Kingsman Mechanic’s appeared out of place. A few lights poured clarity across the work floor, but the other rooms and the storage chamber remained inactive. On the main floor, the white and black hound scurried this and that way, struggling to untangle the erratic path.

Arthur raised his legs as Mystery padded by. The dog took a sharp left and continued, first checking the flatbed the intruder skipped over, and then roving toward vehicles parked in stations. Mystery came upon a large and swollen duffle bag, laying beside a supply cart. He pawed at the clunky thing, nipping at the zipper on the side.

Lewis prodded at the sack, shifting it one way then the other cautiously. It was hard and chunky, likely some sort of equipment. The question though, did he bring this in or was he taking it?

A bark form Mystery assured that there was nothing hazardous. Lewis tugged the zipper and tilted his skull.

“You should’ve barbequed the guy,” Vivi grumbled. She moved in beside Lewis and peered over his shoulder. “Skinned and then barbequed.”

“A bit excessive.” Lewis angled his skull up and peered across the room, to Arthur. “Turned him inside out, and then barbequed.”

“Now you’re talking.” She leaned down and touched his hand. “It’ll be okay. Uncle cares a lot about you, but he needs some time to adjust.”

Lewis rasped. “He needs time to adjust.” He didn’t bother to zip up the bag, and stood. “First thing he does is put a hole right through me. Who does that?”

“A protective parent?” Vivi posed. She leaned around Lewis’ side, staring up at him. “Arthur’ll be fine, he’s sore but it’s all aches. He told me nothing in his shoulder was torn or cracked, which is a marvel.” She pushed him by the lower back, coaxing the tall spirit on his way.

Two hours following the intruder’s retreat, Uncle Lance was on his second pot of coffee. In that time, Vivi did her best to reconstruct the events of what transpired all that time in the past, wherein an ‘accident’ occurred. There remained crevices that she could not put description into, due to Lance’s inexperience to the actuals of the Mystery Skulls paranormal investigation. And also, that Lewis’ did not merely loose his footing on some slippery rocks. It wasn’t a good time to bring in the influencing force, or place the ideal that it’s compulsion was strong, if not impossible to fight away. Despite the skewed memory, Vivi was the only candidate to elaborate the details. Lewis was adamant about that.

For the most part, Lance seemed to take it all in as well as anticipated. He did need some time alone to think, and really grapple with what he was seeing. Beyond the revelation that Lewis wasn’t gone – not entirely there, either – the shock that supernatural creatures existed out there, entities that occurred not far from his home base.

As for the intruder in the mask, the trail led outside and down the road. Mystery lost it on the sidewalk, prompting Vivi’s speculation that he got into a vehicle and departed. She returned to Kingsman and checked on Arthur, while Lewis accompanied Mystery in the next search. The motivation and intent of the assault. The bag offered some insight.

“Good news, we figured out what the guy was here for,” Vivi proclaimed, in a strong dramatic whisper.

“And there. I didn’t drop you off someplace. High.” Lewis set the bag down at Arthur’s feet. A look of ‘what the fu—' crossed Vivi’s face when she directed her eyes to Lewis. “You… don’t seem as appreciative as you should be.”

“Lew!”

Arthur fixed the soggy bag of water against his neck. “Sorry. Not surprised, is all. This is the furthest anyone’s got with getting away. At least, that I know of.”

Vivi was aghast. “This has happened before?”

“Not like this.” He flecked his hand upward. “If someone breaks in, they jack shit that’s easy to access. Grab’n go. We store special components upstairs, things that get legs real easy. Whatever’s pricey and small, easy to miss, gets locked up. Only one other guys has the keys, aside from Uncle and me.” He sighed. “Not that this would do anyone any good.” With his hand, he rifled through the duffle. Some folders were crammed in, among the shell and arm shapes.

Lewis shifted and looked away, his thumb stroked the underside of his cheek bone. “Then, could it have been someone working here? One of the grease monkeys?”

Mystery yapped and gave his head a shake, ears flopping.

“Not… likely,” Arthur drawled out. “These models are shells, nothing useful has been incorporated into them. It’s possible the guy grabbed and jammed, if he was in a hurry. But you didn’t run into him upstairs, not in that tiny corridor. So, he was already on his way out.”

The four hung quiet a moment, debating on the assessment. Lewis broke the silence, “So, what does that mean?”

Arthur shrugged. “I’ll go upstairs and check, make sure nothing else is missing. You lost the trail?”

Mystery borked and spun in circles. Got in a car and zoomed.

“And what sort of car?”

Mystery tapped his front paws, raising one and flattening his ears down. “Mhh….”

Lewis and Vivi exchanged a look. Vivi said, “Hangs around a car garage?”

“Can’t distinguish between the different models?” Lewis finished.

Mystery snorted and left them, ears twisted back and muzzled crinkled. All this oil smells the same.

Lewis gestured to Vivi. “There’s not a lot to work with.”

“No.” She turned to Arthur. “Let’s get you upstairs so you can lie down.” Vivi leaned down and took Arthur’s upper arm. Lewis took the bag up and moved aside, while Vivi hefted Arthur off the box. “We can ask Uncle Lance about the cameras later.”

“I’m fine,” Arthur insisted, though he let Vivi aid him in getting upright. Lewis stood by, hand open as if he wanted to assist but wouldn’t move towards Arthur. “Think I was mostly stunned. Good thing these boxes were empty. Anyway, the cameras wouldn’t be much help. Aside from proving the guy was a jerk.”

“Always the optimist,” Lewis crackled. “I doubt they’ll come back around.”

“You sound real proud of yourself,” Vivi quipped, through a grin.

“I really wish you’d seen them. It was like they saw a ghost.” Lewis’ skull swiveled on his collar, and he wound his shoulders around to face the stout figure approaching them.

Lance gave his face a firm rub, before searching the group over. “Don’t mean tu break up teh powwow. Your gunna be okay, Art?”

Arthur grimaced and pulled on the edge of his vest. “I’ve been worse.”

A steely expression crossed Lance’s face, but he didn’t respond on that. “Yuh. Sure. Um, I want to head on over to my place, sleep this off. Might take the rest of the day off.” He pointed to Arthur. “And you’re not comin’ in either.”

“I already had the day off….”

“The whole week, then.”

“Uncle,” he groaned, stretching awkwardly around Vivi to facepalm.

“No. M’words final. You. Ghost Pepper.”

Lewis eye sockets surged with those fuchsia flames. “It’s Lewis, Uncle Lance. Lew-Is.”

Lance swept his arm. “C’mere. I want a word with you.”

A low rattle burned through Lewis. “Juro si este va a ser un tema recurrente….”

Lance led the way through the work floor, and into the dim corridor entrance. The shorter man stood with his arms crossed, glaring at Lewis and trying to look as imposing as he could muster without standing on his toes. Lewis met the stance, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

“Vivi talked with you.”

“She talked with me,” Lance acknowledged, with a nod. “N’it was a good conversation. A lot tu take in. There’s a lot tu… tangle mah thoughts ‘round.” He glanced a little beyond Lewis’ shoulder. “I try not tu pry into your kids… Arthur and Viv-vi’s going on’s. I trusted… ‘em, despite whut happened to m’boy. Tu yu.”

Lewis creaked back and looked away.

Lance went on, “I thought stayin’ busy an’ doin’ their thing was right. But now, I dunno if that was what bein’ best for ‘em. She told me what ya’ll been preoccupied with, but there bein’ more she ain’t willing tu give over. All this time, I thought yu were out on the road, unmasking kooky loonies playin’ pretend. Fakes doin’ shenanigans for publicity, tryin’ to shirk a profit.”

For a minute the two stood, quiet and contemplative on the crossroads. It was not total silence, a steady thrum persisted from Lewis. Like a heartbeat, Lance was not eager to address.

“And what’s this about Arthur comin’ home, with his arm all beat tu heck?” Lance snarled. “First, he loses it. Now it’s cursed, and he can’t – he can’t furbish a replacement to make use. Keep it functional for more than… a couple months! Yu’re adults, and ya’ll got yur business tu work through, but do yu lot got yur priorities squared?”

Lewis frowned. “You’d have to take that up with the boss lady.”

Lance pressed his hands to his face and took a deep breath. “Yu and I are talkin’ it now.” He pried his hands from his face and held his palms together, against his nose.

For the first time, Lewis realized Lance’s hands were quaking. It was subtle, maybe he didn’t realize it. The stillness hung between them, while Lance struggled to get his bearings.

“Somethin’ happened between you an’ Art, I’ve seen enough tu conclude that.” Lance sighed. “Yu won’t e-Lab-or-ate on it, an’ that’s all right. It’s your business. But yu should know I am downright upset I wasn’t told about this.”

Lewis tilted his skull. “About… what?”

“About what?” he exploded. “About… everything! All of this! I deserved tu know something, any small scrap that wasn’t a lie! A bit of the truth, that’s all I ask. I can’t be there for Arthur,if he’s hidin’ away!” Lance threw his arms up gesturing nothing in particular, his breath came labored and his brow beaded with droplets. “About yu! I should’ve in the least, been told yu’d… resurfaced, or sumthin’! Whatever y’all call it. Do your parents kn—?”

“NO!” For the first time Lewis’ features snapped from gnawing fury, to wide eyed horror. “No-no! They can’t! And you can’t tell them!”

Perplexed and alarmed, Lance eased back. “Okay. I got it.” The light of the corridor fluttered, the embers in Lewis’ skull flashed.

“They can’t know about me, about what I— About what happened. Please, Uncle Lance,” Lewis rasped, the remnants of his speech drew on a rustling surge. The spirit clasped his hands together. “There’s only one thing I will ever-ever ask of you, and it’s that you never speak about what you saw here with anyone, save for Vii and Artie. Please! Don’t do that! I’m begging!”

There was something else that Lewis wasn’t saying, he could scarcely make it out in those gleaming eyes. But the utter desperation and remorse reverberating in that ‘voice’, he couldn’t bear to ask and witness the rush of agony. Lance didn’t understand, but the topic pained Lewis in some undefined way. Or, it could’ve been a trick of the light.

Lance took another step back, hitting the wall behind him. “I hear ya, they won’t… Yu have mah word.” The skull retained its defensive countenance, and he struggled to overlay what a living Lewis might’ve looked like right now.

“They uh… they’re likely waiting on yu. Art and Vii,,” Lance took a work rag from his belt and swept it across his face.. “Lewis, listen. I want to— You’ve always been a good kid.” How did he say this? “I worry abou’ ‘em, and I’m worrin’ more now thinking about… all this. You can’t, I mean – I know I can’t— I don’t want what happen….” There wasn’t a good way to deliver the request, so he gave up in a long-winded sigh.

“I’m headed off now.” Lance moved down the corridor, but only got three steps before he about-faced and marched back. “I did’t park out front.” He inched by Lewis and made it another five steps, then swung back. “It was good seein’ yu again. Yu gunna be around an’—” Before he finished, a flash of flames engulfed the figure and in the curling ash remained nothing but a faint outline. In short time, as Lance’s eyes readjusted, the murky impression faded.

“I’ll take that as a no….”

In the time that Lance took Lewis aside for a short exchange, Arthur had relocated upstairs to his work room where he currently perused through his personal gear and spare parts. When Vivi made certain Arthur would take it easy and not stress, she left to pick up some food for the evening. Given everything that went down, neither was inspired to head back to her apartment and try getting back on track. Work, even casual work stuff, could wait.

“None of the work gear got mucked with,” Arthur mentioned offhand, when Lewis materialized in a plume of heat in the doorway. He lay reclined on the sofa, his head resting on Mystery’s back while his legs sat propped by the arm rest. “Dunno how long the guy was working, since closing. Arms are easy to build, for the most part. But that paranormal stuff is kinda pricey.”

He leaned his head up to see Lewis better, when the spirit glided over behind the couch. The skull and death suit, any number of reasons why. Could’ve forgotten in all the chaos, or didn’t care. “How you holdin’ up?”

“Fantastic,” Lewis wheezed. “I have one fear now.”

That didn’t sound good. Arthur pondered if he should tease the subject further, but given the vibrant tension smoldering around Lewis he decided any other day might work better. He adjusted the new ice bag on his forehead and shut his eyes.

“Why didn’t you just, y’know, disappear? You’re good at that.” He opened his eyes and winced. Lewis was leaning on the couch, glaring down at him.

“Wasn’t really keen on leaving you in the care of your Uncle, regardless of good intentions.” Lewis lifted one arm from the couch and touched the locket thudding on his chest. “Did not expect him to go full Ash Williams with handling threats. Where’s Vivi?”

Mystery woofed.

“You should get some rest while you can,” Lewis offered. “It’d be safe now.”

Something in Lewis’ tone made Arthur leery. “You gunna keep an eye on me?”

“I won’t go anywhere without telling you.”

Mystery twisted his body around enough to nuzzle Arthur’s hair.

“I have a sneaky suspicion I should keep an eye on you.” The glare subsided, but Lewis still seemed peeved. Arthur edged a little away from the spirit, pulling his body more over onto the coffee table. “You’re not planning on going anywhere. Are you?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Damn it Lewis, I can’t tell if you think you’re being subtle or an ass. Knock it off.” Lewis expression shifted no miniscule way, aside from the faint waver of his burning eyes. Was it possible they looked much hotter than usual? “I’ll update security, put some better locks on the doors – not that it ever stopped thugs from breaking in before.” That’s why Lance had the shotgun. “We can’t go any further. We shouldn’t. And I’m ‘bout done with this.”

“How ‘bout I find this guy anyway?” Lewis stood away from the couch. “A little more inspiration, to assure they won’t even dream of setting foot here, ever again.”

Arthur got off the couch and went over to the boxes of gear, digging through the packing. “What is this fixation you have with revenge? What you’ll wind up doing is, draw too much attention to us. In our hometown no less. Get a grip!”

“My frien—” Lewis let his tone sputter out not too gracefully, and backtracked on the sentence. “You get creamed, I got shot up – I think I’m entitled to invoke a lil retribution.”

Arthur pulled out some equipment and set it carefully aside. Damn, it was tedious doing anything one handed. “You scared him off. That was enough!”

Mystery was glancing back and forth between the two. Where the hell was Vivi?

“It’s not enough,” Lewis hissed. “We’re in a fine fix on account of that-that… delincuente. And I will make certain he never comes back! What are you looking for?”

Arthur dumped one of the energy readers. “Where the heck is Vivi?”

Lewis crossed his arms. “She’d tots be on board with this scheme, and you know it.” Arthur deflated over the box.

“Shit, you’re right.” Lewis leaned over him.

“Tell me what you’re looking for, Arthur.”

Arthur cowered under the shadow. “I’ll tell you one thing, it has nothing to do with you.” Lewis’ eyes burned brighter.

“You’re lying to me, aren’t you?”

Arthur snapped his fingers. “Shoot! Damn. Can’t get one by you, can I?”

Mystery rolled his eyes and face palmed. He bled, for this?

It was not long later that Vivi was standing in the doorway with groceries, beholding as Lewis and Arthur went at each other. She had NO IDEA what was going on, it was the midpoint of some consecutive theme, bouncing around the argument that Arthur was being too passive. For Arthur’s credit, he looked like he was trying to haul Lewis up by the lapels of his death suit. It was quite the sight to walk in on. The scarce traces of embers bristled around the room, and Mystery was trying to keep them from alighting on anything flammable. Anything flammable seemed to be everything.

“—you let that thing into my home. Practically invited it!” Lewis screeched.

“What home?” Arthur snarled. “The mansion?”

“I don’t recall owning costal real estate!”

Vivi took a breath and raised her voice. “Hey, you guys gunna be okay?”

Lewis and Arthur simultaneous spat, “NO!”

She turned to Galahad, bundled in her scarf. “At least they agree on something.”

“You don’t own anything!” Arthur rebuked. “You just haunt some place and—” Lewis pointed down at Arthur.

“Don’t you dare go there, Kingsman.”

In a mad dash, Vivi left Galahad to Mystery and shoved herself between the two, breaking Arthur’s grip on Lewis. “Enough! The both of you can just take two big boy steps away.” Lewis reversed a step due to her full body shoving, but he held his glower on Arthur. “All right, listen! We all had an arguably fucked up evening, but we are not doing this tonight! Both of you! That’ll be enough!” She gave Lewis a harder shove, to dislodge him fully.

“You never had a temper like this!” Arthur snapped back, while Mystery tugged him away by the back of his vest. “The littlest things piss you off. How am I supposed to work around you when you got all these… these barriers, everywhere!” He stamped his foot.

“I’ve been somewhat overheated since my ultimately demise,” Lewis grated, “but I have been trying very-very hard to be very-very-VERRRY patient. All the same, you make that so difficult.”

At least he wasn’t resisting her asserted relocation. “And we are so proud of you,” Vivi snapped. “You’ve been working so hard, hasn’t he Arthur?” She glanced back

Arthur blinked. “Are YOU kidding me!”

“Oh my lor— Hasn’t! He! ARR! THUR!”

Arthur slapped his face. “FINE! The bare minimal, what’s the bare minimal? You didn’t roast Uncle, like you almost roasted me and Vii! I’m so ecstatic! Ya get a Gold Star!”

Lewis shifted against her palms, but seemed to calm down and eased out of leaning. The embers still lingering around the room snuffed out, leaving only the kindling scent. “Yeaah,” Lewis hummed.

There was no way to oppose that. He wouldn’t admit Arthur was right, but he did have a point. It was a lot to deal with, and not a lot of time allocated to process. Though, it wasn’t just getting shot a dozen times and dealing with Uncle Lance all in the same hour; then, the expectation of carrying on, like nothing happened – all of it scorched him. He was a little more than irritated, and he was… afraid. Afraid, when he didn’t reach Arthur in time, and frustrated he didn’t have the foresight to restrain the intruder; more than that, fretful and unsatisfied by what was left. None of this he could convey practically, yet he… he couldn’t hide it either. There was a lot he couldn’t really conceal, ignore, or repress. He could do better, but it was... hard. They didn’t know how hard this was.

The other three went quiet, as well. Arthur hadn’t dropped his hyper-lazer scowl, as if expecting some form of reckless objection – though Lewis was fresh out of those. One of Vivi’s arms remained braced across his chest, though her full-bodied leaning had regressed by multitudes. In the beats preluding his lockets dull thrum, the tension began to ebb.

At last, Lewis broke the silence, “That… would’ve been excessive, yes? He meant well, after all.” The fluorescent light flickered, like the flutter of a heartbeat. “Though not gonna lie,” he hissed, “I was on the fence about socking him.”

Vivi smacked her head against his chest and gave a muffled scream. You could have not said anything!

“It was getting a strong debate. I mean, he shot me like four times.”

“It was fifteen— Wait, I missed that.” Mystery released Arthur’s shirt, and he nearly toppled forward. “Okay. I’m…. I wanna understand, Lew. You and me, and Vivi, we have to talk about this. I don’t want you to do this.”

Vivi brought her gaze up to Lewis. “What? Wait… what is he talking about?” It dawned on her the next second, who could possibly be deserving of a nasty visit. “Artie,” she groaned, “C’mon….”

“Not helping,” he growled.

“Fine,” Lewis grated, ember eyes flashing. “Have it your way.”

Arthur glared, unconvinced. “Lew.”

“Give me the benefit of the doubt,” Lewis beseeched. Without jeopardizing his gaze, he brought a hand up and touched the locket. “I didn’t really believe further involvement on my part was necessary. I’m just… I need some time to think. To… get a grip.”

“Like literally,” Arthur huffed. He cleared his throat and tottered back, when Vivi delivered a scathing glare of her own. “Fine! Done. I’ll sleep better knowing I didn’t have a hand in someone else’s ultimately demise.” He gave Lewis a sharp look, before spinning away.

Lewis stood to the side, gazing off as if he didn’t know what to do now or where to relocate. Vivi pointed a finger, directly into his bleached skull face – warning. His glower did deepen, as she left him to collect the bags left at the threshold.

“Vivi,” his voice was distorted, echoey. “I’m heading back down to look around. When you get the chance, would you come meet me?”

A note of shock crossed Arthur’s features, but upon the direct request the alarm faded. Vivi handed over the bags.

“Sure,” she replied. She plucked Galahad up and set him on the couch, beside Arthur. To Arthur, she whispered, “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“You both are making me so nervous.”

“I won’t be gone long.” She kissed Arthur on the forehead, and set another bag of drinks beside him. “Try and relax, please?”

Arthur took a breath and sighed. “I’ll give you three, before I start losin’ my mind.” He snared Galahad, before he could begin chewing at the supplies.

Before leaving, she charged Mystery with looking after Arthur. She wasn’t confident Arthur was fully out of the woods yet, despite Lewis’ assurance.

The workspace of the garage seemed infinitely more barren and silent, once all the excitement had aired out completely. Uncle Lance would’ve under normal circumstance shut down the lights through the entire building, save for the upper floor. As she crossed the floor, she was almost afraid the place was utterly abandoned. Not that this would matter to her, but Arthur’s distress was cause for concern. The argument between he and Lewis was nearly lost on her, but given the day it didn’t take much to deduce her living friends hesitation.

When she rounded the sportscar, Vivi uttered a squeak of relief. “I thought maybe you’d already taken off.”

Lewis actually maintained his solidity and rotated his skull, then his shoulders, but only a margin. “No. I was thinking.” He was examining the space beside the toolcart, where they located the bag of Arthur’s crafts. A number of orbs bobbed around Lewis, while he contemplated.

“Personally, I would prefer you go after this guy,” she admitted. She stepped up alongside Lewis, and gave the area a brief but mortal search. “But what would that solve?” Vivi wasn’t certain if he was aware the living guise was not restored yet, or if his focus was out of whack.

“Not a lot, I suppose,” he uttered, voice rustling. “I might head over to your apartment, and rest there for a bit.”

She meant to say, ‘You don’t have to, unless you want’. But what came out was, “I don’t think you should.”

“I’ll be well enough. So will Art,” Lewis replied. His skull adjusted, lifting a little higher than anticipated above his crisp white collar. “He and I… well, you saw.” There was something else indistinct to that tone, but it was choppy and a trial to translate. “I’ve never seen him so mad before. Not even on a botched assignment.”

Arthur had many fears, both grand or miniscule threats to his personal being. There were methods to supersede the private terrors which confronted him.

“You gunna be all right?” she posed, while reaching out to his hand. But stopped herself.

“The concern is appreciated, though I don’t think… well, I wouldn’t be in any peril.” Lewis turned fully to Vivi and set his hands on either of her shoulders, he leaned down and set the upper edge of his jaw against her bangs. An endearing skeleton kiss.

Vivi couldn’t help but giggle. “We’ll come by and check on you in the morning.” As Lewis backed away, his shape and color drained out beneath the blazing illumination of the lamps above.

“By then, we should have cooled down.” With a surge of embers, Lewis vanished entirely. His words continued to ring out, however, “No dejes Arthur to worry. He can do with taking better care of himself, for a change.”

Uncertain if Lewis was still present or not, Vivi went ahead and left the area. She called, “I’ll remind him, like usual. It’s a task easier said than done.” The atmosphere was completely palpable, when Lewis abandoned the area completely. Likely due to the anticipation, the sensation of being observed from afar evaporated. She had her suspicions, but she wanted to take Lewis’ word on the matter.

The lights too emptied out of the open airspace of the work floor, when she snapped the switches off. Her course from the entry corridor and to the ascending steps was very lonely, her perception becoming constrained with each set of lamps clicked off. A penetrating silence moved through her, while an overbearing draft kneaded her muscles. Her hand traced the wall with her ascent, each step calculated, cautious should Galahad have made his way down the steps on the behest of his most favorite person.

When she reached the private workroom, she found Arthur already fast asleep. That was good, she reckoned. Both for his bruised body, and the emotional expulsion. Arthur was entirely out cold, his good arm curled beneath his cheek and the muscles in his face relaxed – she could scarcely make out his breathing, until she closed in further. Nestled against his neck, a small ball of puff and metal.

Across Arthur’s folded legs lay Mystery, his bright eyes observed Vivi as she approached. On the ground beside the couch, rested a few crumpled wrappers of junk food and an open can of coffee drink; the caffeine no match to physical or mental exhaustion.

“Tomorrow might not be better than today,” Vivi hummed. She took a rumpled blanket from the couches back and lay it around her friends. “But it’ll deliver us further away. The only constant is that days are relentless, whether we want them or not. Take us on a journey, and though we never can return to once ways.”

She climbed onto the couch, close beside Mystery so she could lean over and scratch his neck. “There’s a place awaiting us, ready to receive the person we became. Indifferent to the changes, next year only wants to see us arrive. Scars aside, hurt and disappointment, blessings all the same. When we arrive, there will be no resentment. Celebrate who we are, and mourn the loss of who we once were. There is no turning back, and no regret, if our steps are steadfast. Survival is an artform, and I’m a masterful composer. The colors I use on my canvas will never dull. No matter how far we travel down the road, at my core I am complete.

Mystery arched his head up and licked at her hand.

“If I wasn’t, my world would crumble. Without you, the bridges fail. And the peril will never end, without you. Without you, there’s no place like home. No where to go. Without you I’d lose my way, caught up in the shadows of long-lost days.”

In the stillness of the small workroom, Vivi drifted off into a deep slumber. Perhaps assisted, perhaps not. One aspect was for certain, as it became a certainty that Vivi was well and asleep, the light of the room doused completely. The door creaked on its hinges, as an imposing silhouette eased back trailing a rose tinged vapor of light.

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