bakerstreet | The Road

The Road

The Road

Maybe you’ve always been traveling this road. Maybe you just started. But, either way, now you have a companion. They say it’s not about the destination, it’s the journey. Now you’re going to have to find out.

1. Post-apocalyptic. There’s not much left of the world out there. But there’s still this road, and at the end of it, they say, there’s a haven.
2. Epic fantasy. It’s a long and winding road, through forests and plains, and all manner of treacherous fairies and giant spiders along the way. Supposedly, at the end of it there’s a castle, a dragon, and a treasure.
3. Yellow brick road! A journey through a world weird and wonderful, and at the end, if you’re lucky, is a way back home.
4. Road trip! Route 66, cheap motels, diners, small-town America and the open highway.
5. The Eternal Commute. Welcome to hell. Or New Jersey. Either way, really. The two of you are stuck in this car, in traffic, and you’re getting nowhere. Eventually, one day, you’re going to get to your destination.
6. Wilderness road. Maybe you’re lost, or stranded, or this is all you’ve ever known. All you know is there’s only one road in all this wilderness, and if you’re ever going to get back to civilisation, you’re going to have to follow it.
7. Shangri-La. You’ve heard a rumour about this road. It goes somewhere. Somewhere special. El Dorado. Atlantis. Camelot. But if you ever want to get there, you’re going to have to follow the road. Don’t stray.
8. WILDCARD

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((OOC: Idea. They are both stuck in the van, magically, until either Arthur dies or they settle their differences?))

[Works for me! I'm about to go to bed, but feel free to start us up, or I'm happy to write a starter if you'd rather when I return.]

[Arthur was so tired. He could feel the bags growing under his eyes from how long he hadn't slept. He yawned from behind the steering wheel as he drove down the straight and quiet road. He knew this feeling of exhaustion. It was like an old friend who loved to visit when his buddies fear and sadness came into town. At least, that's how he thought of them. His Uncle and Vivi always made it out like it was something worse and more sinister.

He didn't want to think of it that way. Normally he'd be in the shop or in his room working on things when he was like this. Driving? No. He'd never driven while doing this. Still, no one else was going to drive. He yawned again and his eyes closed for a moment. Just a moment. Or so he thought. He woke with a start to realize he wasn't in the driver's seat anymore.

He was in the back. He hadn't sat back here since the days with Lewis. Lewis was a great driver and he was the leader. Sort of. That was why he drove normally. That and to keep Arthur from falling asleep at the wheel. When did he pass out? Did Vivi wake up and get him to pull over without waking him? He yawned and rubbed his eyes.]

...Thanks for driving. Sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep. [He said without looking up. If only he had, the fear of seeing the dark suit or the flaming magenta hair might have been the start he needed to wake up.]

[Well, to be fair, he wasn't driving. The van was, in fact, pulled over, though neither of them could actually see out the windows - just impenetrable blackness. Lewis has merely been looming in the familiar, junk-crowded back of the van, waiting for Arthur to wake - there's no point to a vengeance he's not conscious for, after all.

And, more alarmingly, Vivi and Mystery both appeared to be missing.

Of course, Arthur is the only thing that mattered to the ghost at the moment. Even watching him sleep had stirred that roiling anger within him, and he'd been this close to shaking his ex-friend awake himself.

He quite nearly had, but the arm had caught him off guard. It was so strange - when had Arthur lost his arm? And that arm, to boot? Leave it to the mechanic to merely build himself a new one, though. Lewis pushed this aside - it didn't matter, he'd still set things straight with this traitor.

So, when Arthur finally stirred and groggily spoke, his response was a violent burst of that ghost flame swirling around them, cutting Arthur off from any of the van's trinkets and casting the interior in a dramatic, haunting light.

If Lewis was looming before, he loomed even more now, arms crossed and expression furious.]

Welcome back, Arthur.

[The fire woke Arthur up. He heard the roar of the flames as they sprung up around him, cutting him off from the back of the van. All the talismans, his bat, and his tools were behind a wall of fire. He screamed and tried to scamper away from the fire, only to come face to face with the ghost from the house. Arthur's eyes widened as he stared at the skull faced ghost. Then he spoke.]

AAAAAAH! [He scurried backwards quickly and almost crab walked right into the fire. He stopped as he felt the heat soak into his clothes and skin. His head darted side to side, eyes desperately searching for a way out. There was none. He looked back to the ghost. Arthur felt his entire form shaking. No. This couldn't be happening. This had to be a dream. The stinging heat from the fire told him otherwise.

This was real.]

W-What do you want?!

What do you THINK I want!?

[The rage and frustration echoed perhaps a bit louder in Lewis's ethereal voice than he intended, but he had no desire to reel himself in. He lunged forward, one massive, bone-encrusted hand grabbing roughly for Arthur's vest.]

Murderer.

[If there is one thing Arthur is, it's squirrely. The hand did grab a fistfull of vest but Arthur was pulling his arms through the holes. He ducked around Lewis and fled toward the front of the van. Not that it would help. Still, maybe he could put a chair between him in the ghost.

Poor thing forgot ghosts could go through walls and seats.]

M-Murderer?! I...I haven't murdered anyone! What are you talking about?!

[No kidding. Lewis glowered at the vest before tossing it aside, and made another lunge for the spiky-haired mechanic. Strangely enough, however, he didn't phase through the chairs - look, he was new to this ghost thing, he kind of forgot too, okay? Though without doing that, it was a bit hard to angle that huge arm of his in there.]

Don't play dumb with me, Arthur! You've been perfectly happy to keep Vivi in the dark too, haven't you!? Was it worth it, to finally have her all to yourself?

[Arthur shrieked as that burly ghost arm reached around the chair for him. He pressed his back into the dashboard and sucked in his stomach. He was trapped. At least the ghost couldn't reach him yet. He looked around for something, anything, to get him out of this. Those words cut right into his heart and he turned to stare at the ghost.]

W-What? [He stared into those ghostly eyes in the skull eye sockets. He wasn't keeping Vivi in the dark. He'd never do that! Was it worth it? Slowly realization washed over his exhausted mind. He sucked in a breath as he could almost see his friend behind the chair reaching for him. No. It couldn't be. Tears gathered at the corners of Arthur's eyes.]

...L-Lewis?

[Was. Was he serious. He'd deliberately given himself the fiery ghost-pompadour and everything...

Lewis put his efforts to grab for Arthur on hold in favor of dragging a hand down his skull.]

No, I'm the ghost of Christmas Past.

OF COURSE IT'S ME!

[The indignant roar from the ghost shook the van, though the fires he'd stirred up earlier seemed to have died down some. The ghost fire had left the van undamaged - showman as he was, Lewis had only planned for it to set the stage.]

[Normally Arthur would be more concerned about his van. His van was his baby. He built it himself and took care of it. He did all he could to keep it without a scratch on it or a single odd noise coming from the engine. He knew the van like the back of his hand. He even hated it when Lewis, Vivi, and Mystery decided to eat in the van because he didn't want stains or crumbs anywhere near his baby.

Right now it was the last thing on his mind.

He flinched at the roar and put his hands over his ear. His tired mind rejected this truth. It had to. He was looking for Lewis. He had to find Lewis. Lewis would make everything okay again. Lewis would make Vivi remember and they'd be happy. This was wrong. This was all wrong.]

No. No. NO! NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo! It's a dream! It's a bad dream! You can't be Lewis! You...

You...

You can't be...dead.

[Something had begun to eat at Lewis about this. Something didn't feel right. Some part of him still really, really wanted to believe that Arthur's reaction was genuine, that something else had happened that night, but...

But he remembered. He had seen the guy that he thought was one of his best friends shove him from that cliff. Watched him snatch Vivi away from him once more when he'd finally lured the traitor back in. He never would have guessed that Arthur was capable of such things - he must've misjudged his character pretty badly, right? Every inch of his spirit burned with that betrayal so painfully that he felt like his locket would burst any moment, and the need for vengeance still rattled in his skull.

Arthur was right here. Just letting that need drown out any reason was a tempting proposition - he didn't need to talk. He could engulf the van in flames right now and be done with it. He raised an arm as if to do so, but his glower caught on Arthur's metal arm and he... hesitated.

Lewis pointed at Arthur instead, dramatically as always, locking the mechanic's gaze with his own.]

That's real funny, coming from the culprit.

Edited 2017-03-23 03:17 (UTC)

[Arthur shook his head harder. He made a mistake and looked up into those eyes. Those purple eyes. He shook harder. No. He wouldn't do that! He wouldn't kill Lewis!]

I DIDN'T- [The purple light of the flaming hair reflected off his arm. He looked down at his arm and stared. His arm. He remembered that night again. They went into the cave. He had a bad feeling about it, like he always did. He knew they shouldn't be there but they were. They found the cliff and everything went...green. It was all green and he remembered the voice. Telling him what he always thought. Telling him he would never be as good as Lewis. Never be as brave as Lewis. Never be with Lewis. Or Vivi. They were in love and he was the third wheel. The unneeded one. The useless one.

He was useless.

He felt something touch his hand. Something hard. He pushed something. No. He pushed someone.

He pushed Lewis.

Then the pain and blood. He woke up with his arm gone and in the mouse of Mystery on Mystery was huge and had glowing red eyes and he passed out.]

I...oh my god...I killed you [He whispers as he stares at his metal arm. Realization washes over his face. His eyes widen and the tears fall faster. He goes still. He doesn't move. He can't. He found Lewis.

Or Lewis found him. Orange eyes try to meet purple eyes again.]

It's all my fault...I...I'm sorry...

[Lewis had not been expecting this reaction. Well, to be honest he wasn't sure what he was expecting - a terrified confession? A psychotic supervillain laugh as Arthur revealed that it really was his plan all along? Something... something to vindicate his rage?

Not this. He was less and less sure by the second that Artie was putting on an act, and it'd started to show in the way his hair flickered and flowed uncertainly.]

You're... sorry!?

[Flame burst around him as he hissed it out, but he forced himself not to let it spread, balling his hands into fists. They too were beginning to shake, and he wasn't even sure whether it was with fury or... well, there were too many emotions starting to rise in his chest to even name. Alarm? Confusion? Heartsickness? Regret?

...The very real fear that maybe he'd been about to make a grave mistake?]

What are you saying!? You don't... even remember?

I don't...I swear. Or...maybe I didn't want to...

[He sobs and covers his face. What has he done? He's done something unforgivable. No wonder Lewis hates him. Lewis should hate him. He hates himself. He feels sick. He falls forward and buries his face into the seat. Why? Why did he do it? He didn't know. He didn't know what happened but he had to do it. Lewis wouldn't lie.]

That had to be why Mystery bit my arm off. I pushed you. I pushed you and he ripped my arm off. [He pushes off the seat and stares up at the ghost, tears streaming down his cheeks.]

I'm so sorry Lewis. I swear I never wanted to hurt you. I don't know why or how but...I'm making excuses. [He hangs his head and stands. He comes out from behind his seat and just sits on his knees in front of the ghost.]

Do it. Just...just do it. I deserve it. Just take care of Vivi. Help her remember. ...She needs you more than she needs me.

Mystery did... that?

[He had been wondering, but he'd figured some kind of accident, not... well. His expression melted slightly into more confusion than rage as Arthur sobbed into the seat, and he couldn't quite meet Arthur's gaze anymore.]

Why? He didn't look wary of you at the mansion...

[The sleuth in him was practically screaming that there's something more to this, that he shouldn't be ignoring those nagging feelings, but it was in an all-out war against the relentless anger that boiled up every single time he thought about that night. Lewis clutched at his skull, going through the habitual motion of running a hand through his hair, and wished he was still able to take a deep breath.

But when Arthur stepped out and muttered those words before him his head snapped up, determination flaring back to life in his eyes.]

No.

[Mystery wasn't wary of him but he was wary of Mystery. He was scared of Mystery. He felt bad because of it. He hated not being close to the dog anymore...or what he thought used to be a god. He didn't look up at the answer. He goes quiet for a moment, his tears still falling.]

Why? You wanted to. It's fine. Just do it. I deserve it, don't I? I killed you. I killed my best friend. I killed...please. Just...do it Lewis. Kill me.

I changed my mind. I'm still angry - I don't think I can not be, not yet. But. No.

[The air around him rippled, and there, instead of the spooky skeleton ghost, was Lewis. Well, Lewis with freaky ghost eyes, an uncharacteristically terse expression, and little magenta wisps floating around him, but Lewis all the same.]

Vengeful ghost or not, Arthur, I want to believe you're telling the truth. And if you are, we - you're a paranormal investigator, this is what you do. You don't remember something important. Consider me a case, find out why. Find out... what exactly happened. Because if you are telling the truth, it never should have happened, right?

[The words made him look up. The ghost was gone. The scary skull faced ghost and it was Lewis. Really Lewis. Sure, the eyes weren't his and the expression was wrong but it was still Lewis. Arthur wraps his arms around Lewis' legs and clung to him. He was here. Thank god. He looked up at his friend and tried to stand, his legs nearly giving out. Too many emotions and lack of food and sleep were not a good combination.]

H-How? I'm not as smart as you or Vivi. You guys are the paranormal investigators! I'm just the guy who fixes the van. I've never even solved a case. That's you guys!

Arthur - seriously?

[Lewis wasn't sure how he felt about the clinging - one part of him felt sick and wanted to wrench away, the other was strangely relieved to feel the Arthur Cling once more. Well, as much as he could feel as a mass of ectoplasm or whatever he was, anyway. It was all a good bit fuzzier than being alive. In any case, the end result was just him standing there kinda awkwardly.]

You invented prosthetics for a hamster and your own missing arm, by the looks of it. That's far from "not smart," and it's only one thing I could list.

You can do this. Get Vivi's help, do it for the sake of us all. I'll give you this chance, and it's... not an easy thing to decide, okay? I still don't... I'm still not sure I can trust you, anymore. It hurts.

[That, at least, was classic Lewis. Forcing out a babble of brutal honesty, though it's a bit more... reserved than usual. He really did seem to be fighting back the urge to end this recklessly.

Now that Arthur was closer and things were a little calmer, though, his awful state was not lost on Lewis. It looked like Arthur hadn't slept in a week! Was that because of all of, well, this?]

And also, get some rest first. We don't need two ghosts because you passed out at the wheel.

[The momfriend in him was unkillable, apparently.]

[Arthur looks down at his arm. He flexes the fingers at the praise. Lewis praise used to cheer him up but it was almost hallow now. He nods though. He has to figure this out. Not for himself but for Lewis and Vivi. If they can figure out what went wrong, maybe they can fix it. He has to try.

He runs a hand over his face when Lewis mentions rest.]

That sounds familiar. ...Okay. I'll take a nap. Then we find Vivi and Mystery and solve this...mystery. ...That sounded better in my head. I think.

[Lewis nodded, closing his eyes and giving the facsimile of a sigh as he considered his own options. If he was going to give Arthur this one chance to prove his innocence and figure all this out, he certainly wanted to keep tabs on him. Especially if he'd be working with Vivi. If anyone, even Arthur, wanted to harm her, they'd have to try it over his undead non-body.

And maybe... maybe this means it isn't time to give Vivi the locket and return her memories yet. He hadn't meant to take them, not really, it was... an accident, sort of. But before, he wanted to give them back so she'd also see what Arthur had done - yes, they'd better find the truth before that. Whatever the truth may actually be.]

Arthur, here.

[Lewis guided the floating, gently pulsing locket from over his chest, placing it in Arthur's hands.]

I'll be with you, and I'll be able to tell what's happening outside the locket, just in case.

[In case they need him, in case Arthur tries anything funny. Whichever way it may swing.]

But don't let Vivi touch this unless you want her to regain her memories of me. With this unsolved it... might not be time for that yet. Understand?

[Arthur gently takes the locket into his hands. He holds it close to his chest and nods. Vivi can't remember yet. Not yet. Once they know what happened then he'll give it to her. Even if that means they find out he really did do it. Either way, she needs those memories back. She need Lewis.]

I understand. I won't give it to her until after all this is over. I promise. [It's a promise he'll keep. He has to. For Vivi's sake.]

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mightjustdisappear - 2017-03-23 06:09 (UTC) - Expand

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The Road

Lewis | Mystery Skulls Animated | OTA

5 - ...I am terrible.

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I can start us off

I lied and got distracted by rewatching videos 8D; So one tag, for you!

That's okay. ^^ XD

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