"This won't ever come back to bite me in the ass, huh? It's all the in the past, huh?" Artie turned inward, away from what their eyes displayed and faced his mirror self, slumped over in the shadows of his mind. "You owe me so much information."
You glance briefly out through the eyes. The breath is being pulled in over milliseconds that feel like full minutes. Mystery's last word still hangs, reverberating in the air. "You are burning up more than our surplus reserves of energy for this stunt. But we need more time, and speeding up our thoughts is a clever maneuver. The expenditure is warranted."
"So talk."
You sag slowly to a seated position, cross-legged. "He found Mother. Somehow." You stare down, pulling yourself into a small, curled form. "It shouldn't be possible. She was destroyed."
"Destroyed how?"
"Not important. What's important-"
"No! You do not get to decide what's important, you know how this works for me! I need all the pieces. When I'm missing any, that's when we screw up big time!"
"Firstly, even though you have bought us a window to think, there is not time to tell you all, allow you to rearrange the pieces into some plan, and put it into action. Second, you continue to persist in this even though I have told you time and again, detailed knowledge of this situation would destroy us."
Artie scrutinized Arcturus. Something was missing from his claim about the destructive knowledge, some note that was always false. "Fine. No time to fight you on this now. What will you tell me?"
"He found Mother, our creator. Mother wants the death and destruction of a creature that no longer exists, but she thinks that is you. Mystery seems to have done nothing to relieve her of this false belief. Or perhaps he had no say. He is utterly drained."
Artie seized on this. "What do you mean by drained? Is this about the emotion sucking thing?"
"Yes. Look at him. No acknowledgement of Vivi, minimal usage of words, not a single gesture that remotely allows for display of personality. All signs of starvation among our kind."
"Does that mean we're stronger than him?" Artie demanded. "Can we take him in a fight?"
You do not hide how much this question pains you. "We are a little stronger than him in general so, yes. We can take him in a fight, but it is ill advised. While we have the immediate strength advantage, he is a natural shifter and we are not. He can simply outwait our strength and pick us off after we've reverted to human form." Your eyes narrow in thought. "Unless you intend to kill him."
"No! Of course we're not killing him!"
You frown. "Artie, this is something you need to consider. We may have to. If we fail to disable him and still get away, Mystery will come after everyone you care about. He may even…" You bolt up, peering out through the eyes. "Gods. Do you see? He's looking behind us. What's behind us?"
"Lewis," Artie said, uncertainly. "You're saying this like it's really important."
"Think!" You snap. "There is no wasted motion in this state! He is starving, and right behind us is-"
"A collection of unshielded emotions and memories! We have to protect Lewis!"
"Every motion will count. Mystery has already crouched to spring."
"Can we shove him into Vivi's locket?"
"Temporary measure, and unless Lewis knows what we're doing he won't react like we want."
"Can we tell him?"
"Not enough time for communication, comprehension, and him taking action."
"Can we force him into Vivi?"
"We would have to break down his form first. If we just grabbed him and shoved him at her, he would bounce off. He has control of what he does and doesn't phase through and again, he doesn't know what needs to happen or what danger he's in."
Artie stared at Arcturus, dread building in him. "Arcturus… can we… can we absorb him and keep him separate long enough to transfer him to Vivi?"
You dip your head once. "It will be difficult, but it can be done. Vivi's living body is protection enough and Lewis' strength will offer her more protection as well."
"Do you swear-"
"Artie, I understand who Lewis is to us. There is no need to bind me to an agreement."
"And it won't be like Mr. Pepper?"
"No. I did not deem it important enough to keep those memories separate at the time and you were inexperienced. I deem it extremely important to keep Lewis separate. He will not be lost."
"Can we send a copy of this conversation with him on the way out? He'll need to understand instantly what's happening."
"Yes."
Artie initiated their body's spin toward Lewis. The view through the eyes dragged slowly sideways and the mouth began to open.
"Meantime, more planning. We need Chloe back, she may be able to help."
"I suspect Lewis will scream at what is about to happen. That will be more than enough to bring Chloe thundering back."
"Can she protect us from Mystery?"
"If she feels like it. What are the odds she won't just let him attack us?"
"I… don't know. I hope she will, but I don't know her well enough to be sure. We'll have to throw ourselves on her mercy."
"You know, going belly up is a weakness that could get you killed."
"Frontal attack doesn't work and running will have him on our heels, right? We're low on options."
"And when he goes after the ones you care about?"
They had turned fully to face Lewis. They began inhaling his form, absorbing what was left of his existence. Artie shut the eyes too late-Lewis' horrified expression would forever haunt his memories. "That would be Kay, Dulcie, and Uncle Lance. Vivi has Chloe and Lewis to protect her. Mr. and Mrs. Pepper don't qualify as enough leverage. We have to protect Kay ourselves. If Lewis can house Dulcie and Uncle Lance in his Mansion and make it vanish to wherever it goes in-between states, they'll be safe. Right?"
"We don't know what prolonged existence in that limbo will do."
"Got a better option? We're going to have to risk it unless Vee and Lew can cook up something else." Artie paused. "Can Lewis hold us in his mansion, too?"
"As long as we are in reach, Mystery has no reason to launch a full attack on Vivi and Lewis. The moment Lewis gets in the way, Mystery will murder Vivi and tear their souls apart to find us. Even together they are no match for him. Our only advantage is that Mystery has no energy to spare for side tasks such as prying Lewis loose from Vivi to devour him."
Artie shuddered. "So we can't hide there, but Kay could and Kay's the first one Mystery will go for. We have to get to her and hold him off long enough for Lewis to collect the others and then come for her. Then we can run."
"But we are not faster than Mystery in this form."
"We won't be faster in the van, will we?"
"No."
Artie opened their eyes again. Lewis had vanished. He could feel the shape of Lewis' spirit, terrified and writhing inside him. Artie pitched their body toward Vivi. "Well. Kay gave us extra time for just this situation, didn't she? Tell me how we can be fastest."
You hate to use the gift she gave you, but there's no chance of success if you don't. "If we use it to boost this form, your original body, we will be fastest and use the least energy."
"Give me the second fastest form if plan A goes wrong."
Grimacing, you acknowledge there is a high potential something will change the situation. "Plan B is we shift to my original form, a kitsune. It will cost much more and hurt, but we will be able to both fight and run with only slightly lesser speed. I-the Shiker-used to run circles around the world. Even on three legs, our body will remember the relief of running as a good thing, not a strain."
They seized Vivi by the face, drawing her close and placing lips over hers. As Artie funneled Lewis into Vivi, he replicated the conversation he had just had with Arcturus, slipping it in along with Lewis' entire existence. He scoured himself for any memory or emotion from Lewis that may have gotten caught, but Arcturus was as good as his word. Lewis left them whole and unharmed, if utterly terrified.
"So. First we go belly up and beg Chloe to buy us time. Hope Lewis unscrambles himself fast enough to coordinate what needs to be done. Go for Kay."
"Ready?"
"Ready. But when we can breathe again, you'd better be ready to tell me everything."
…..
Vivi clutched the locket, staring at the house-sized kitsune crossing the desert flats toward them. She'd been doing well. She'd been steadily improving, and now it was all sliding sideways into shock, precursor to some emotional bombshell. The thoughts were tangling with feelings faster than she could sort them, but the hurt rang loud and clear.
You didn't tell me.
You just left.
No word for months.
You're not even looking at me.
Arthur's face was pale as he descended the mansion steps, his lips a bloodless line. His eyeballs twitched faster than REM cycles allowed for, and Vivi wondered what sort of conference he was having with himself. Did he know what Mystery was even talking about?
Halfway through that thought, Arthur spun on his heel to face Lewis and opened his jaws monster-wide, inhaling. Lewis melted, dissolving into Arthur's maw. She froze as Arthur turned, wild-eyed, to her. Pink lit the inside of his mouth as he lunged forward, grabbed her shoulders and covered her mouth with his .
Fire poured into her mouth and flooded her airways down to the lungs, radiating out through her chest. She broke free and stumbled back with a cry. Flat, colorless memories sprang to life in her mind. First dates and stolen kisses, months of home-cooked dinners and evening violin-practice, and big, warm arms holding her tight.
Her heart slammed triple-time against her chest, the heat of Lewis' presence washing through her body and winding all through her brain. She was scared-no, Lewis was scared. Vivi was hurt and very confused, but not scared.
Oh gods. The shock was gone. Hurt went from smoldering embers to an inferno of rage and sorrow in seconds as the effects of the medication were overwritten. Lewis' interference had done this the night he died but she'd just gotten back on track with them. Now it was all down the tubes. She sucked in a breath, moaning, "This is why we don't do possession anymore! What the flipping feces were you thinking?"
Lewis' thoughts were fragmented to boot. No answers there. Clutching the front of her shirt, she willed Lewis to the background, attempting to get a lock on Squire and Mystery.
Mystery was a good deal closer now. Arthur scrambled two steps back for every one of Mystery's steps. The ground trembled, giving Mystery pause. Relief surged up to quench Vivi's anger as Chloe approached at a dead run, nostrils flaring, horn lowered.
Tell her I'm okay. The thought was weak and barely coherent, but it was Lewis.
Vivi threw up her hands, shouting, "Lewis is okay! I've got him!"
Chloe slowed her approach, raising her head slightly as she cantered up next to Vivi and stopped, stomping the ground with both front hooves. "So now we have two dogs instead of one. Does that mean they are both here to teach? Why was Lewis screaming?"
"Lewis was attacked by Arthur." Mystery sat, now, fixing his attention on Chloe. Vivi balled her hands into fists. "I ask for your assistance in capturing him. I must take him to Mother for justice."
Chloe's eyes widened.
Arthur bolted to his feet. "No! Chloe, I saved-"
"He consumed Lewis. He released Lewis because he struggles against evil. He's losing that battle. If he loses again, Lewis will be destroyed. Give him to me."
Eyes wide, Vivi turned to Arthur, who looked just as gobsmacked as she felt. Is that what had happened? Had Arcturus pulled the wool over their eyes long enough to get the upper hand?
No. Vee. Don't say it. Lewis struggled to stabilize. He unleashed a surge of urgency, of important things unsaid. Time. He needed a few more seconds to gather himself.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Vivi turned to Chloe. "Something's wrong. Don't buy what Mystery says right away. Lewis is trying to communicate, but he's shaken."
Mystery stood to his paws and approached. He towered over Chloe and she laid her ears back, shying. "If you won't help me, don't stop me. I must take-" and that word slithered out again. The one full of sounds that made no sense.
Arthur gasped, clutching his chest.
Mystery made the sound again, repeating it over and over in a rote recitation.
Reeling, Arthur staggered forward, dropping to his knees within five feet of Chloe's hind legs. She snorted hard, eyes wide and ears laid back as she sidestepped and angled around to stand between them, shifting her hooves. Arthur dragged himself the last couple of feet and, with a cry, laid hold of her front left hoof.
Lewis' alarm tripled. He can't be that close! He shouldn't even be touching her!
"Please," Arthur rasped. "Help. We submit… to your judgment… not his." Smoke rose from his skin, his hands now cracked and blistered.
"This doesn't concern you." Mystery crouched. "Move."
Chloe reared up, trumpeting a terrible roar that sent Mystery scrambling backward. "Fuzakeru na! It's my business too! Vivi-chan says we wait, and so we wait! And you, you wouldn't dare touch a sacred unicorn. You said so yourself. Arthur-sama has been doing what you promised you would do, teach me about my magic! Omae no aite wa ore da, and now I know that if I attack you, you'll melt from the inside out, so back off! Nobody takes anybody captive until we hear what Vivi-chan has to say!"
Was Chloe bluffing, or was that something she could do? There were no clues from Arthur's prostrate, trembling form.
It seemed enough of a challenge for Mystery, though, who turned tail and ran off full speed. Vivi relaxed for a moment. "Well… well done, Chloe. Crisis averted."
Sometime in between the words "crisis" and "averted," Arthur vanished. Dust clogged Vivi's mouth and nose and she curled her arms around her face to protect it from the stinging sand. As the cloud settled, Vivi saw see deep-impact footprints leading away from the spot Arthur had been laying in.
Her lips moved without her. "We… we have to move now," Lewis croaked. "Mystery's going after hostages."
…...
Note: If you think about it, consider taking a look at what my (pat reon) has to offer. Chapter title excerpted from The Last Unicorn by Kenny Loggins.
