Hey peoples! It's time for the adventure part of the story to begin again and with it, a plot that will most assuredly bring about an end to the fun and games. Spirits will be tested, both mentally and literally. Let the endgame begin!
Prompt: Midnight
After weeks of practice, timing, scripting (and training if you so happened to mated to your sister), the play was finally there. Well, almost.
Jr. snored loudly, making Minnie giggly with delight at the sight of her love.
"Brother mine, thou must awaken. Thy performance is imminent, 'tis nearly nightfall."
Jr. merely turned towards her voice, reached for her and grabbed quickly, his Nergalian reflexes unmatched. Minnie squealed with laughter as Jr. pulled her closer. The delightful sound awoke the prince and Jr. stretched and yawned.
"Thank goodness, I feared thou would sleep the day away. We have a play that is most dependent on our attendance, my love."
Jr. murmured an agreement before kissing her and walking to his closet. Jr. could barely open his eyes, but all he needed was his towel. Granted, his closet was a complete mess, so walking into it was a danger zone. Only he was brave (or rather sleepy enough) to walk in there without fear.
CRASH! "ARRGGGH!" Junior yelled, causing Minnie to wince as she heard a catastrophe happening within the confines of the dungeon that was her brother's closet.
Jr. stumbled out the clothes that were attached to him and pushed through, holding his towel out so that it didn't get tangled along with him. Minnie smiled piteously as she watched her now up and bedraggled brother exit his room.
TLTS
Olga was waiting impatiently as the Black siblings arrived with their mother at the studio. Before they could get to the theater, their costumes remained at the hands of the teacher.
"Hurry, I do not have time for lollygagging. Please, Lady Minnie, your audience awaits their Princess…I guess you are needed to."
She gesture first to Minnie brightly before turning a tolerating gaze on Jr. They still were at it, despite how much time they worked together. Then again, they were fighting most of the time unless Minnie was there, in which case, they'd just glare at each other and make rude gestures behind Minnie's back.
Jr. growled low in his throat. Dealing with this insufferable woman was like…a really bad pimple you wanted to get rid of, but the more you prodded it, the more it grew uglier.
"Just like her."
Jr's Nergal laughed as his host just chuckled. Olga looked back at him and narrowed her eyes. He stopped and lowered his brows before childishly sticking his tongue out. Olga scoffed and turned away haughtily.
They walked into the studio and Olga pulled their costumes from the pop-open closet. She tossed Jr's like a rag to him before she laid Minnie's out for her to see.
"See, Princess! It almost looks exactly like your original ballet outfit, except no cover and the blouse frills at the bottom, see? It's almost as if you and Ruby had been in the same class, now doesn't it?"
Jr. almost wanted to gag at the suck-upery, but stopped when Minnie turned to him, holding the dress up to her form.
"Dost thou favor it?"
"Trust me, the costume's got nothing on you. You'll look great, Mins."
Minnie blushed, but gleamed at the compliment. She looked curious again.
"How is thy apparel?"
Jr. held his out from his body. The shirt was a form fitting long sleeve with the material a stretchy silken feel to it. The pants were also close body, except when it reached the end, it flared out into a cone. He was guessing he would be wearing his sneakers since his outfit didn't come with shoes like Minnie's.
"I hope it squeezes the life out of you. Oh wait, yeah."
Jr. looked witheringly at the ballet teacher. Oh, how he would strangle the crap out of her if she wasn't his sister's coach…Fuck it, he was Little Boy Death after all, and he could kill the bitch and blame it on some random disease. He'd make it work. Yeah, torture the mess out of her and when he was done, she'd scream in pain and them he would take a knife and-
"Brother mine?"
"Huh?"
"I asked if the costume was to your liking."
"Uhh, yeah, I think it capture's Skull Boy great."
"Now let's just hope you don't screw the performance."
"She's just a fucking peach, huh?"
TLTS
He could feel it. The plan was to commence shortly and he only needed the castle to be free of its tenants. He watched as the rest of the Black family, many of the castle knights headed by Lord Charles Pain, Adram along with Lilith and a visiting Kobal begin to exit the All except one, the very one he needed.
"Grim, are you sure you don't want to go?"
"Nah, Da last time I decided ta go to a play, I awoke as a superpowered creampuff wid extra large eyes. I'll stay back from dis one."
"Then why don't I keep you company? I've never really liked plays as much."
"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. Getting ta know your guests is a part of being a good host."
Gaap smiled graciously.
TLTS
Jr. scratched at his outfit, the material rubbing at his bones weirdly. He tried to hide it and it worked, granted Minnie had to ask him if something was wrong when he flinched in her direction.
The theater was just beginning to fill in. Rows were starting to end off, some people having to find better seats to see their Princess in another great play.
"Oh Brother, mine heart flutters fiercely in the moonlight."
"Mins, what's there to worry about? You'll do great like you always do."
"Maybe if she had a better dancing partner, it wouldn't be too much of a problem. Instead, she's stuck with you."
Jr. and Olga faced off, but Minnie began to breathe hard. Jr. turned to his sis sharply, his anger towards the older woman long forgotten in place of his mate hyperventilating. Then he began to realize some of that was coming from his own nerves. What if he did screw up and Minnie looked foolish? She'd probably hate him, tell he was the worst. Everyone would boo her off stage and in turn she-
"Gotta calm down. She'll gain courage if I grow some balls."
"C'mon, Mins, breathe with me, breathe in, breathe out."
They breathed deeply and Minnie pressed herself up closely, making it look as if it was one of comfort. Jr. pulled her harder and soon, her breaths began to slow.
"You are the Princess of the Underworld and everyone loves you like one. I love you like you're already Queen. And once this is done…"
Images flashed of their kissing, embracement, gazing, even flight into the human night sky raced through her mind. She blushed heavily. That would be a great reward, although hers was wrapped along with some heavy petting, but they could work that in.
Jr. grinned at her cherry face, but didn't kiss. She didn't know and he didn't need anything else they could argue about. His Uncle Nergal's voice ran through his mind, reminding him that everyone might not be as accepting of the relationship they had together.
"Okay, children, we don't have that much time for snuggles. It's time to get in your places."
The director, a long time mutli-hobbyist Mr. Bickles, walked up to them and began caroling them towards their places in the play. Guess it didn't really matter to him that his audience was either half dead or supernatural; had to eat with some kind of money. Almost time.
TLTS
Grim and Gaap began their way through the castle. Grim would point out a particular piece on the wall or bust. They'd pass interesting rooms that would open up to different dimensions. One even opened up to Earth.
"It's de easiest way ta go to nd from da human plane."
"Understandable. Oh, yes, I almost forgot to ask, do you always keep your scythe on you. It just seems like a hassle to lug something that long around."
"Actually, if I'm not using it…why do ya want ta know?"
"I want to see if I can store my whip there. I use it as a belt, but it becomes worrisome if I move around without fighting for too long."
"Well…I guess I could show it to ya."
Grim took lead, Gaap right behind him.
TLTS
Jr. and Minnie looked across the way from each other. Minnie was already seated in the large chair by the scenic fireplace. He smiled and nodded at her. She gleamed before picking up the book in an attempt to simulate her reading.
"Thank God, the house is packed with peo-er, supernatural residents. Some are even standing!"
Mr. Bickles gushed at the thought of all the money that would be coming in from the night. Jr. just hoped some people would stay when they saw him. Even the cast from the Ruby Gloom show was there, special seating off to his left.
His heart pounded, but he calmed himself when he saw the director walk onto the stage.
"Tonight, we have an epic adventure, filled with drama, mystery, action, romance. For those who are familiar, Ruby Gloom is about a red-haired child who can see the see the bright side in almost any situation that she has with her friends who believe in her no matter what happens. Can that still be said when she's kidnapped and her friends must rise and rescue their leader? Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you, Ruby Gloom: Dark Nights."
The curtains opened, light shone, and the play began.
TLTS
Grim opened the chamber containing the case for his scythe, along with other weapons that so happened to be there for soldiers use should the Grim Castle get attacked.
"Alright, just hang it up next to de oda ones."
Gaap pulled his whip from within his belt holes and hung it up next to the scythe. Once they left, as if on command, it coiled up onto the scythe, like a snake ready to devour the prey.
TLTS
"What do you mean you can't find her?"
Jr. gestured out to the crowd while looking at the actor who was supposed to be playing Iris. Everything was going well. Ruby had already been taken away and her friends were finally noticing their friend was missing, not that it had been long since she was gone.
"We can't find her, Skull Boy. We've even looked in her room, nothing!"
"There has to be something that can tell us. Maybe she left a note or something, time to put my detective skills to work."
The curtains closed and stage hands started moving the scene around. Minnie came up to her brother ecstatically.
"Brother, thou art born in thy role. Your performance is spectacular!"
"So is yours and it's not done yet. Go, go!"
She quickly ran onto the stage where a stagehand gently tied her hands. Director Bickles began waving people off so the scene could begin. The curtains opened up once again.
TLTS
Grim was finishing a letter while Gaap was reading in a chair aside from the window. It was quiet and neither talked now that the tour was over. All he needed was to find out where the opening was.
"Grim."
"Eh?"
"I have a quick question. I understand that your castle houses many portals to many different realms and universes. Tell me, if I wished to go back to Hell, which door would I be looking for?"
"It'd be the one in da ballroom. At first glance, it's an opening to the outside, but if ya pushed da doors to de sides instead of opening dem in, it'll open a portal to Limbo. Why, feeling homesick?"
Grim was once again talking to air.
"Dat freak needs ta stop doin dat in me house."
TLTS
"I can't believe you would do this, Bunny."
"Trust me, Babydoll, there have been lots of things you would never expect a cute little bunny rabbit to do that I've done. Kidnapping you is the least of your worries. Wait until we get to where the train ends."
Minnie sat tied up as she conversed with pink bunny with red, glaring eyes, crooked teeth and a hat he had to have stolen from Al Capone. Not that he was pulling the look off, especially with the twin gorillas (same demons from Jr's rescue) backing him.
"I can't wait for Skull Boy and the others to get here."
"Oh yes, lover boy and the lackeys. Don't worry, we have a little message we sent for them. Let's hope they have a blast with it."
Minnie growled low in her throat. She was improvising, provided with the factor that Ruby wasn't that much of an assertive person, she was naturally nice. Assertiveness was more Doom Kitty's forte. Still, getting kidnapped would make anyone a little angry.
"Bunny, you are in so much trouble once my friends get here."
"That's what you believe, girl. I think I'll bring your friends to you once they get done opening their present. Or, heh, at least what's left of them."
In another scene, Jr. and the rest of the actors were just arriving to the station, but right before they could enter, it exploded early, opening loud sparklers simulating ear-popping bombs.
Just in time, Scaredy Bat pulled up with a 1940 T car. Apparently Mr. White just had the old thing lying around still in good shape. They piled in and drove along the tracks.
TLTS
Gaap walked through the ballroom, his sights clear. He pushed the doors clear open, just like Grim said. Except, all he got was open air. He looked outwards, but saw only the redden sky the very Underworld was made of.
"He fucking lied."
The portal was supposed to be there. Why wasn't it there. Death could come and go as he pleased, why coul-
He narrowed his eyes. The outside…just moved. He stuck his hand out and the portal waved outwards, not unlike calm waters disturbed. It was a portal! Now all he had to do was walk-
What just happened? He was facing the outside portal and then suddenly, the inside of the ballroom. He walked through it again only to end up within the castle again.
"What is missing? What must I do to be able to open the gates of Hell? Why is Death able to…?"
Death was able to open portals. Portals open through the scythe. The scythe!
TLTS
Gaap's whip began to coil faster and tighter around the scythe, until the black and metal weapon shone out of the weapons case. The light dimmed out and the only thing remaining was the whip.
TLTS
"Bunny, you so don't want to mess with me right now. I've taken to studying karate. I hope you have someone to protect well enough."
"You're lucky that bomb didn't go off like it was supposed to, but trust me, going up against me isn't smart, Skully."
The play was well liked and the audience was on the edge of their seats. Now they just had to keep on with the good work and good acting.
"C'mon, give me your best shot."
"I intend to. Boys, send in the wolves!"
The gorillas opened the pretend door and out came dancing extremely large werewolves, bestial and snarling. In hindsight, they actually were werewolves, but the audience didn't really care much for it. When it came down to it, seeing Junior flip and twirl and fight like he actually knew kung fu was all they needed.
"C'mon, give me something that can actually beat me!"
To his words, a giant bear-sized werewolf came out.
"Me and my big ol' mouth."
TLTS
Gaap came back through the now cut portal and with him, many demons. So many demons came out with him, they filled the inside of the ballroom.
"I guess it's time for the plan to commence?"
Gaap grinned maliciously. He had a gracious host to repay.
TLTS
"Ruby!"
"Iris!"
The one-eyed girl untied Minnie. They hugged and conversed where everyone else was.
"Everyone is at the train station, trying to get the police to wait for us to come in. Well, everyone, but Skull Boy."
"Where is he?"
"Fighting with Bunny."
"NO! He's got an army of werewolves with him! We've got to save him!"
"Oh, don't worry. Skull Boy took up karate while we went looking for you."
"Well, okay, but I still want to see him. C'mon, we don't have much time!"
TLTS
Grim could feel something in his castle. Something…wrong, something that shouldn't be there.
He walked the halls of his castle towards the feeling. It was coming somewhere in the main halls. It was almost overwhelming him.
TLTS
Jr. and Minnie hugged, not that it was any different than their others. They forced a blush that didn't take much, especially considering what they were thinking.
"I missed you the most, Skull Boy."
"You don't know how much I missed you, Ruby. Man, am I glad to see you."
They smiled at each other happily. Iris pushed in between the two of them.
"Hey, hey, love birds. We can get mushy when we get to the train station. Right now, I'd be safer if we were near the front with more people."
"NOT YET!"
Out from the back came Bunny and he was not happy.
TLTS
In his castle stood demons, his castle was filled with demons! Who dared?!
"Grim!"
"Gaap, what has happened?!"
"I have let open the world of Hell…but not to stay. You see, I am in the middle of a plan that shall overtake the Heavens and the Earth almost simultaneously. But, the only way for me to do so, you are big part of that plan. As cliché as it sounds, your scythe is needed for this plan to actually work. That and all of your powers as well."
"Grim, you better get me outta this!"
"Oh, shut up, Joe, Don worry, dis lil' punk ain't got control over Hell's minions. He ain't nuthin."
"Can you be so sure about that Grim. Do you even truly know who I am?"
Gaap smiled boldly and let the body he coveted fall away from himself. Grim gasped quietly. It couldn't be.
TLTS
"Hah, try and stop the explosion from this one, Ruby!
Bunny laughed, jumping from the window of the cardboard train, leaving the three with a beeping timer on a wrap of dynamite. Iris was running around like a chicken with her head cut off, while "Ruby" and "SB" thought of ways to chuck the bomb without it exploding somewhere with people. They were already passing pieces of suburbs of Gloomsville, nearing into the city.
"You think you can deactivate it?"
"Ruby, I'm into karate right now! Fusel intricacies weren't till next week!"
Minnie sighed calmly. Then, sh looked up, inspired.
"What if we simply make it disappear?"
"What now?"
"Didn't you decide to be a magician once? Maybe you can just send it off to wherever you send anything else you magic away."
"…Well, whenever I make something disappear, it always reappears somewhere close. Even if I did, it'd probably just reappear in the other cart."
"What if we make it disappear off the train and into the air?"
"It's still gonna be on the tracks and blow chunks of rock into the houses."
"Not if we do it right before it blows. It blows in the air, nothing gets hit. C'mon, grab the bomb."
TLTS
"The Grim Reaper, Angel of Death, Death personified. It's so nice to see you again."
"Lucifer! I can't wait ta send ya back to da disgusting realm of sin and decay whence ya belong!"
"Oh, but Grim, don't you get it? Your powers are coming with me. I won't be able to take over all worlds without it."
"What makes ya dink I'll give it up so easily?"
Grim was talking to the Prince of Hell from the wall of the main hallway, his bones stuck and imprisoned in the stone and iron.
"Hmph. Never was a easy being to get to cooperate. Too bad that came with naivety. Now, hold very still. This will hurt…a lot."
The shell of Gaap the demon was on the floor and Lucifer stood in his place, holding the scythe steady. He chanted into blade, and stepped back. Demons growled and snarled louder at Grim. Then silence.
Lucifer sliced straight upwards, reaping Grim and his powers from his body.
"AAARRRRGHHHH!"
TLTS
The plan worked! Right before the bomb went off, they made it disappear into the night. The audience looked around, waiting for something, anything to happen. Then, fireworks went off above their heads, sparkling and popping in the air. They cheered at the for the actors staying in character.
"Ruby, that was a great idea!"
"Skull boy, it wouldn't have worked without you."
They were so close, breaths apart. Then, Iris's hands shot around their heads in a hug.
"Yaaaaayy, we're alive! I love you guys!"
They chuckled under her.
"We love you too, Iris. Now please let go, we can't breath."
The curtains closed and the cast came out. Dreictor Bickles stood in the middle, gesturing out to the crowd. They bowed out to the audience, who gave a standing ovation for the actors. Minnie and Jr. looked at each other and smiled.
"PSSST!"
They stopped and looked over to the curtains. Charles was beckoning them over.
Everyone exited off to the left, where Jr. and Minnie gave Charles a questioning look.
"The Grim Castle, it's been attacked!"
"What?!"
TLTS
The entourage arrived at the Castle quickly, no time to converse with either the audience or the cast members. They quickly spread into the main hallway and saw Grim encased in the marble rock.
"Dad!"
"Father!"
They ran up to him, worry covering their faces and fear beating inside. Mandy stood off to the side, her expression none too pleasesd.
"What happened in my castle Grim?"
"Mandy, kids, am I glad to see you! Dat rat bastard came right in undah me nose."
"Grim, focus, WHO DID THIS?!"
"De devil! Gaap was disguised as Lucifer!"
"Son of a bitch!"
"Dey took me scythe too!"
"…What?"
"Yes, dey came in-!"
"Took something that belongs to me!? I care if God himself came into this castle, what belongs to me belongs to me! Grim, get out of the wall, now!"
"I can't. Dey took me powers as well."
"…Useless bag of bones. Jr.!"
"Yeah, Ma?"
"This is your fault, you will help fix it."
"He's prolly in da ballroom. When he came in, he had demons from hell wid 'im."
Jr. let his powers seep into the corridors. He could faintly feel supernatural, demonic powers cover the floor of the castle. He ran along with Charles, Mandy, and Minnie to the ballroom and kicked open the door of the ballroom.
There he was, white haired, tall, muscular, but not overly so. It was slow motion as they connected eyes. Destiny was being made at that very moment and the Fates had a hand in it all. Despite all the demons that were now exiting through the door,
Jr. watched him as he turned once the last demon left and enter the portal before the split closed and the image of outside calmed before it looked just like the outside again. He had seen them. Jr. only saw the dark amethyst in his eyes. They were frosty, cold. They made him shiver.
Okay, I understand that this was really long, but I needed to at least go back and forth between the play and plan, as unnecessary as it was. I kinda wanted a transition from the life to the adventure. Eh, I don't know. What really matters is if you guys will like it. Please review. I freak out if not enough people tell me it's alright. Just saying.
Story by: Animaster/Doragoon
Beta by: Blood Brandy