Track 001 || Video

[untrueking]

[The video starts as most newcomer videos do. The view starts with the hologram of Ms. Weiss and the newspaper stand. The phone jostles as a metal arm comes into view. It grabs the phone and turns it around to show a man with bright yellow, orange, and brown hair. He looks left and right, making sure the coast is clear before he speaks.]

This isn't the first time I've been kidnapped but this is the first time I woke up in a cocoon in a cave on a beach! The hologram lady said we're stuck here. This is bad! Like really bad! I need to get out of here!

Vivi! Mystery! Are you here? Can you hear me? [He jumps and looks around.]

Did you hear that? I thought...no. Just the wind. Um. A-Anyway. I don't know where to go from here. Can anyone give me some advi-AH!

[A flash of purple light makes Arthur scream. He drops his phone slowly steps back. The skeleton with the purple hair and suit is suddenly standing there. They stare at each other for a moment before Arthur screams and turns tail. He books it and the ghost roars in unholy rage before he flies after the man with yellow hair, trailing purple flames behind him on the beach.]

Update: 30 minutes later

WHY ARE THERE GHOSTS HERE?! THE PAMPHLETS DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT!

[The blond is clearly spooked and none too pleased about his change encounter with the fiery spirit in the suit.]

I need a place to hide!

Comments

[ACTION]

[shiningheart]

[Okay so him and Ted had a wonderful heart to heart and Lewis was doing so, so well with trying to process, internalize and mull upon the possibility that maybe his best friend of over a decade didn't actually murder him for no fucking reason and that there was a third party at play.

And then Arthur showed up.

It was kind of like someone violently hurling an etch-a-sketch down a hall, when it came to Lewis' memory of that heart to heart, what he'd started to think of, and what he'd had planned for this later.

Just fucking gone.

And speaking of fucking gone, there goes Arthur, managing to miss having his head taken off by a blazing fist before Lewis gives chase in a whirlwind of fire and screaming supernatural wrath.

WELP]

[ACTION]

[untrueking]

[Arthur ran as fast as his legs would carry him. He had to get out of here. He needed to escape! Why?! Why was the ghost here too?! Was this all another trap, like the house?! His eyes scanned the beach, his mind racing but he couldn't think with that UNHOLY SCREAMING coming up behind him. He turned hard to the left. It wasn't fair! He was running on sand. The ghost could fly! He had to find somewhere to hide! He ran toward the edge of the cove. If he could get into the city, maybe he could find somewhere to hide.] LEAVE ME ALONE! [He screamed despite himself. He looked back and THAT WAS A MISTAKE! He picked up the speed. His sides and chest burned but he had to keep going. He had to escape! Even if he hadn't slept in the last 24 hours, he was wide awake now. No even coffee worked like being in mortal danger did!]

Re: [ACTION]

[shiningheart]

[And then he totally stopped and apologized for-

No he didn't. He didn't even seem to hear that demand, the sand behind him flash burned to glistening glass as he chased poor Arthur.

There really wasn't a game plan here, other than grab Arthur and hit him until he stopped moving, it might be safe to say there probably wasn't too much thinking going on inside that skull right now, as the enraged spirit hucked a blazing ball of ectoplasmic fire at the fleeing human]

[ACTION]

[untrueking]

[He was so close now! The sand was ending and he could see rocks and concrete. What he didn't see was the raise up in part of said concrete. The tip of his shoe hit it and gravity suddenly betrayed Arthur. He fell forward with a scream and hit the ground. No. NO! This was bad. He flailed his arms and kicked his legs as he struggled to move forward. He had to get up! He needed to get up! He couldn't help but look back. He didn't have much time, Arthur knew that. He had to see. Just how close was the ghost? Very. Very very close.]

Re: [ACTION]

[shiningheart]

[Stupidly close.

Arthur hit the ground, and there was Lewis, reeling back for a punch like Mike Fucking Tyson.

THINK FAST]

Re: [ACTION]

[untrueking]

[Arthur scrambles to try and move back away from the ghost. His arm touches something round and hard. Without a second thought he grabs the rock and throws it with all his might, aiming for the ghost's chest.] G-GET AWAY! [He screams as the rock launches and flies right for the golden heart on Lewis' chest.]

Re: [ACTION]

[shiningheart]

[Lewis, one hundred percent, didn't expect to be fucking intimidated by a rock.

He wasn't, but he should have.

It struck the golden locket with a harsh CRACK, the hairline fracture that he'd repaired earlier jaggedly snapping across the surface as if it were glass.

The ghost froze with a keening, pained, agonized cry, the blazing shape hazing, jolting and then vanishing in a flash, zipping sharply back into the now dull, ice blue locket.]

[ACTION]

[untrueking]

[That scream. That horrible scream floods Arthur's ears and stabs at his brain and his heart. Suddenly he's in the cave again. He's staring down into the darkness and sees red. A flash of red. Fingers dig into his head and he screams himself. Fear and sorrow spills out of him as he falls over into the sand. No. NO!

He tries to push it away. He tries to shove the image out of his mind and reminds himself he has to run or he'll die. His eyes snap open and he stares at the heart. He pushes himself up and crawls over to it. Slowly, he reaches out and pokes it with his metal finger. Nothing.

Gently he picks it up, not touching it with his human hand. He looks around. He needs to put it somewhere then run the other way. He walks off the beach and into the city. He needs to find somewhere. He considers a trash can but something inside won't let him. He keeps it held in his hand as he walks. Exhaustion returns and hits him hard. He's tired. Too tired. He finds an alleyway with a box of blankets. He places the heart in it. He stares for a long moment before turning and walking away.]

Video

[youfool]

[Blondes should look out for one another. Unfortunately, this one slept in and missed the first of the Benny Hill sketch. He's pretty alert for round two, though!]

"Yes; where are you? Are you in danger? Ping your coordinates and I'll be along anon!"

[It might've occurred to him that Arthur's not a phone expert just yet. Still, it's a new number, which likely means he's in Genessia City still. It's a start, right/]

Re: Video

[untrueking]

[Fellow blond person! Help him!]

This can do that?! Okay. Let me see. Uh...here!

[He pushes a few buttons and sends his coordinates to Ted. He's near one of the parks in Genessia city.]

Make sure the ghost doesn't follow you, okay?

Re: Video -> Action

[youfool]

[Sure! so long as Arthur won't murder him.]

Well done; if you're on the run, keep pressing till I arrive so I can find you in real-time. Go under the Benevolence till then!

[He's spent a lot of time in Everglade; ghosts he can handle. Getting his charms and supernatural appurtenances at the ready, he speeds over to the location.

What he's dressed in is not what he called in, however. It's his goku uniform, which looked fairly ghostly itself. Arthur looked in danger, so he'd better be dressed for the occasion. He swoops in, a trail of dust and gust of air heralding his heroic entrance.]

All right, are you all right? Where did you see the specter last? What did it want with you?

Action

[untrueking]

R-Right! Keep moving. Good idea! [Arthur is moving through the park and around a few blocks away. He turns when he hears the voice. He opens his mouth as he spins and then he sees the ghostly outfit, the dust and air blowing around them. Arthur's eyes widened as his pupils narrowed. He screamed and ran to a tree nearby and climbed up it in a flash. He clings to a tree branch.] Y-YOU DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A GHOST ON THE PHONE!

Re: Action

[youfool]

[Oop, yeah, should've warned him first. Maybe some jocularity will help.]

Aheh, you're as astute as you are athletic. You'd put a bear to shame with such arboreal agility. Don't fear; it's only a costume. Indeed, it may prove the way to banishing all fear. Speaking of which, what did your assailant look like?

Re: Action

[untrueking]

O-Oh.

...Why are you wearing it? Is it Halloween?

[He's just gonna stay in the tree for a bit. Until his legs stop shaking.]

He's a ghost. Skull face. Uh. No lower jaw. Fire hair. Suit. Gold heart on his chest. He wants to kill me...but I have no idea why.

Re: Action

[youfool]

Aheheh. Not for seven months yet, I'm afraid. It's just, you know, like a...comic book...character.

[Not that it made him feel all that heroic, but it might put him at ease. What Arthur says does the opposite.]

...the hair wasn't pink, was it?

Re: Action

[untrueking]

I mean, I think it's more fuchsia than pink? I don't know. I'm not an art student kinda guy. [He moves to slowly climb down the train. He brushes off his pants and looks at Ted.] Wait...how did you know?

Re: Action

[youfool]

[He'll softly approach so as not to frighten Arthur too much. He'll keep up the questions to stave off his inevitable disappointment while he's at it.]

We may have talked. Was it a "he"? Was his torso very wide?

[And just when he breaches the gap]

May I see your arms?

voice

[scienderp]

... Are you alright?

Do you still require shelter?

Re: voice

[untrueking]

YES! TOO MANY GHOSTS! NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE!

Re: voice

[scienderp]

Ah-

[Well, now was not the time to ask questions about WHAT THE FUCK IS A GHOST]

Of course. I will arrive shortly, please be out in an open area so that I can find you, I'm afraid I won't be able to locate you if you're inside a building.

Re: voice

[untrueking]

Okay. Okay! Should I ping you my coordinates? I can, if you want.

Re: voice

[scienderp]

I would appreciate this, yes.

As soon as you do, I'll be over as quickly as I can.

Re: voice

[untrueking]

R-Right! [He gets outside and pings his coordinates to Skyfire.] Please don't show up looking like a ghost. My heart can't take anymore.

voice to ACTION

[scienderp]

I can assure you, I am fairly certain I do not look like a ghost.

[Even if he doesn't know what that is, no one's called him one so far.

He wasn't kidding about being over quickly, either.

Within a matter of moments, the sound of massive jet engines rumble over head, the massive shadow cast by the carefully descending shuttle enough to envelop a few buildings.

He was exceedingly careful in touching down, ever aware of his own uncomfortably large size, before, with equal care, going to kneel]

... I forgot to inquire: What is a ghost?

ACTION

[untrueking]

[Arthur waits for the the person...only it isn't a person. It's a jet. That isn't a jet. It's...MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!] HOLY CRAP YOU'RE A TRANSFORMER! [Arthur lets out a loud happy laugh!] A ghost is a dead human spirit thing. Doesn't matter. I...I can't believe it. Can I touch you? You're real, right? Please? Please let me touch you?!