Skullboy was practically beside himself. He dashed from one end of his room to the other, showing his newfound relation his possessions in a flurry of jumbled words. "… and this is my telescope… when I thought I was from a long line of astronomers… because I had a telescope… and liked looking at the stars… but then… oh! My hat… I think I thought I was a…" he paused, looking at the furry hat, which had most likely once been an animal. "Raccoon? No, that's not right…" He trailed off, scratching his head, and then tossed the furry hat back over his shoulder. "I guess it doesn't matter what I thought, Bones," he shrugged. "I guess you can tell me everything I need to know."
Bones smiled. He'd been patiently waiting for his brother's excitement to die down. "All in good time, Skullboy," he said, clapping a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "I'm just glad I found you. You have no idea how long I've been searching."
"Well, maybe… I don't know if you've noticed," Skullboy glanced around his room, "but I've been searching for a long time too."
Bones smiled again. "You really want to find out about our family, don't you?"
Skullboy's eyes brightened. He'd been avoiding asking his brother directly. "Uh huh… would… you tell me?"
"After I get some sleep," Bones stretched. "I've been riding all day."
"Of course… you can use my bed if you want."
"Thanks. Oh… I just wanted to ask. I take it you're good at building things… working out problems…?"
Skullboy thought for a moment. "I guess… Ruby keeps telling me I am. She's usually right about stuff like that. Why do you ask?"
"I'll tell you later tonight, promise," Bones yawned. "About everything."
"I can't wait!" Skullboy nodded furiously. He paused briefly, then grinned and threw his arms around his brother. "I'm so glad you're here!"
Bones returned the embrace. "Yeah, me too."
----
It was later that night, probably closer to the wee hours of the morning. Gloomsville was darker than Doom Kitty sitting in the shadows of a dark room. The only light near the two brothers came from a single street lamp, and dim security lighting shining through the windows of the Gloomsville Museum.
"Bones?" Skullboy asked. "Tell me again why we're at the Gloomsville Museum?"
"Scouting…" Bones replied, sounding slightly distracted. He peeked over the top of the bushes they were hiding behind, holding a pair of binoculars to his eyes. "Well… the lighting's not too desirable… but I think we can work with it… there's no guards outside or anything." It almost sounded like he was speaking to himself.
"It's just the Museum…" said Skullboy, raising an eyebrow. "You know, it'd be easier to visit during opening hours… which I expect is obvious… so just why are we here? You promised you'd tell me."
"I did." Bones lowered the binoculars. "We can't do much tonight anyway… we should pay a proper visit in the morning… see what's inside…"
"Bones…" said Skullboy. It was partially a demand for an answer, but Skullboy also sounded nervous. Though his brother was being vague, he wasn't sure he liked what he seemed to be saying.
"Alright, alright…" Bones sighed, and sat down next to Skullboy. "Look, you and I… we're from a long line of… liberators."
"Liberators? That sounds… good. But perhaps a little obscure… just what do we 'liberate'?"
"Stolen histories. That museum of yours has likely stolen many priceless artefacts from peoples too poor to stake their claim to their rightful possessions. What we're going to do, what our family does, we're going to return those items back to their rightful owners!"
Skullboy looked at his brother for a brief moment. It didn't take him long to work out the bottom line. His eyes widened, and he stood up, almost as if to distance himself from Bones. "You want to rob the Museum!?"
"Crudely put…?" Bones sighed. "… yes."
"You want me to help you steal for you? I can't do that… you can't do that!"
"They stole it first…" Bones tried to explain.
"You're telling me," Skullboy interrupted. "That our family are all… criminals!?"
"No! We're not!" Bones stood up now. He was getting angry. "Skullboy, there is an artefact I am sure is in that museum… it's called the 'Crystal Skull'. Now, I came here to return that to the people it really belongs to. You can help me, or not, it's your choice. But you told me you wanted to find out about your family? You have! And this is what we do!"
"I am not going to help you with this! It's wrong!" Skullboy shook his head. "You came here to get that artefact… and I thought you said you'd come to find me."
"I did."
"Yeah, well you know what? You can liberate your own 'stolen histories'!" Skullboy snapped. He turned on his heel and stormed off.
----
"Skullboy's been in his room all day." Ruby sat outside on the Mansion's steps, worrying about her friend.
"Yeah… and I saw his brother leave for town a few hours ago," put in Frank. He and Len sat next to her. "You think they're fighting?"
"Already? Doesn't seem a great start… poor Skullboy… I hope they work it out… this should be happy for him."
"It'd suck," said Len. "He's finally found his brother… only to be apart again. Hey, Frank? You'd never leave me if we fought… right?"
"No, Len. I wouldn't," Frank sighed. "I couldn't if I wanted to."
"Oh, right…" said Len. "So… what are we going to do about Skullboy and Bones?"
"I'm going to go talk to Skullboy," said Ruby, standing up. "Maybe I can find out what's wrong, or at least cheer him up."
----
"I have nothing to talk to Bones about," huffed Skullboy. "There's nothing more to it."
Ruby was now up in Skullboy's room. Skullboy paced the floor, looking agitated.
"Yeah… but what exactly did he do?"
"It's not what he did… it's more like who he is. Who he's trying to tell me I am… but I'm not!"
"Skullboy, you're not making any sense…"
Skullboy sighed. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I know you're trying to help. But… Bones got around to telling me what he did… what his… our family does. I just don't think I can be that."
"Skullboy, you've been nearly everything. Well, it seems like it. How do you know you can't be this unless you try? I know you can be anything you put your mind to. Every book you read, or idea you get in your head… when you try to become that, well… I guess you always do it so well. Why don't you just give this a try; give your brother a chance? Who knows, maybe you'll find out it's not so bad. He is your brother after all."
"You really think so?" He sighed, and then dropped cross-legged to the floor. "Maybe I can't be anything I want. After all, everything I try out I just throw away, never to think of again. Maybe I can't be anything other than what I'm supposed to be. I've been so many other things, perhaps you're right, and this is it."
"Could be it," said Ruby, resting a hand on Skullboy's shoulder. "But it wouldn't hurt to try. So… what does he want you to do?"
Skullboy paused for a long moment. "Oh," he finally said, "don't worry about it for now, Ruby. I'll let you know how everything goes in the morning."
Ruby had a niggling feeling that Skullboy was trying to hide that answer from her. But it was obviously worrying him at the moment, so once he'd sorted himself out, he'd surely tell her. She didn't really have the heart to push him anymore now… despite that slight worry she couldn't shake. "Okay… I guess I'll see you in the morning."
Skullboy nodded. "Ruby…" he said, just as the girl nearly stepped out the door. "I… er…"
"Yes, Skullboy?"
"Ah... thanks."
