I'm putting a notice right here about the updated earlier chapters. I HAVE UPDATED CHAPTERS 1-4!! Better spelling, grammer and punctuation are a result, but there are also added bits here and there that weren't there before. If you'd like to pick up on some extra added stuff, I suggest taking a look. It may not be noticeable, a word here or paragraph there, but all in all, it makes the story better.
Not only that, but I've uploaded that last two chapters to the story! BJ AFTERLIFE - A NEW BEGINNING IS NOW COMPLETE!! I do so hope everyone enjoys the last 2 chapters and leaves a nice reveiw! But don't worry! This story isn't the end! O_O
Onward!!
Spencers13 2001-2002
PG-13 — Sci-Fi/Fantasy — Action Drama
Story concept, Endri & Kyle © Spencers13
Chapter Ten - Allies At Last
Beetlejuice, Endri and Kyle stood near the center of the Last Place You'd Ever Look, watching as a rockworm made its way closer to them over the rocky soil.
The creature was a bit different from what Beetlejuice was used to. Its segmented armor plating resembled the pattern of stripes on the sandworm, but they were all one color: a dirty brown. The size of this worm was much greater than that of a sandworm as well. He had heard stories about all the different kinds of worms, but never thought he would actually see them for real. Now that another one was bearing down on him, he realized how difficult it would be to get rid of them all.
Endri leaned over to Beetlejuice slightly. "Let's take care of this one before we try anything else."
"You got it," he nodded. "From what I know, your gun won't work against that worm's shell. Lie low for this one," he told Kyle.
The human reluctantly nodded, laid a reassuring hand on his partner's shoulder, then took cover behind a large rock.
Beetlejuice wasted no time. He leapt into the air and flew straight toward the rockworm's face.
No time like the present to face your fears! he thought quickly as he twisted his body in mid-air and landed a solid kick on the worm's forehead. With Anóra's energy boost, a lot of his old fears were alleviated. He felt he could take on the whole Neitherworld.
The worm shook it's head several times back and forth before opening it's shell mouth and letting forth a horrid screech that almost broke Beetlejuice's eardrums. It swung it's head around and lunged for him, ready to swallow him whole in it's rage.
Endri flew up behind the worm and welled all the power he could in his hands before loosing it upon the beast. His energy ricocheted off the worm's hard shell to be harmlessly dispelled into the sky, leaving no trace of damage.
Beetlejuice narrowly dodged the rockworm's mouth and sped up into the sky to float next to his son.
"There isn't even a scratch on it! What can we do? That was one of my most powerful attacks!" shouted Endri.
Beetlejuice, however, took to rubbing his chin. "That thing has to have a weakness we just have to find it." He stared down at the obviously unintelligent worm who seemed to be searching for it's lost meal on the ground. From what he saw so far, the whole collective of worms seemed to be stupid. However, they still weren't to be trifled with. "Watch the way it moves and attacks. We'll find it eventually."
"Or die again trying," his son mumbled.
"Let's not think about that now. We need to kill this thing before more come and we're outnumbered."
"Right."
They both took attack stances.
"Waiiiiiit"
Just then, the rockworm spotted the two in the sky and coiled back for a lunge.
"Waiiit" Beetlejuice repeated. "Now!" he shouted just as the worm's jaws came snapping between them.
The worm's shell mouth opened wide and its inner body slid out, trying to gnash its teeth into Endri's leg. He dodged and weaved through the air, escaping from certain demise with ease. On the ground, Beetlejuice watched the display thoughtfully. This rockworm was very similar to sandworms. And he knew sandworms inside and out not literally, thank heavens.
"I've got it!" he shouted triumphantly.
Endri landed on the ground not far away in a billow of dust, narrowly dodging some nasty teeth.
"Already?"
Beetlejuice gave a shout to catch the worm's attention and sped into the air.
"Hey, ugly! Yeah, I'm talkin' to you!"
The worm roared angrily and lunged for the insolent ghoul.
"You want some o' this, huh?! Well, I'll give it to ya!" he shouted, diving not away from the worm's mouth, but directly towards it!
In one swift move, the rockworm's mouth closed around Beetlejuice's striped form and swallowed.
"FATHER!" Endri screamed in disbelief. Just as he was about to exact revenge on the creature he was sure was spawned from Hell itself, he held his ground as something strange caught his eye.
The worm roared triumphantly after it swallowed its prey. It felt slight regret that it couldn't savor the sweet yet bitter taste of the ghoul being pulverized inside its mouth as it chewed; it would have been a quicker demise for him. The worm's stomach acids would make slow work of him, and besides, there was another it could mash to bits in its mouth.
The rockworm reared back and snarled viciously at Endri, ready to make him its next tasty meal. It started for the ghost, but then stopped suddenly. Something was wrong. Its stomach was beginning to hurt.
Before any information could register in Endri's mind, he saw the worm scream and writhe in pain. Then, just as quickly as the episode came, it passed by with an explosion of gut mass and the worm's shattered outer plating. Where the worm's body had been, Beetlejuice hovered in the air glowing a light yellow. He slowly descended to the dusty ground watching Kyle and Endri run up to him.
"That was a stupid stunt," Endri scolded.
Beetlejuice smirked at his son. "It worked though."
While Endri rolled his eyes, Kyle asked, "Now what do we do?"
All seriousness was back on Beetlejuice's normally carefree expression. "We can't fight all the worms. When we destroy one, two more will show up. We gotta close those gates somehow. After that, it's a simple matter of killing off whatever got through."
Kyle spoke up again. "How will we do that, though?"
The thoughtful look on Endri's face dissolved into certainty, and he snapped his fingers. "I got it! All the gates need all the keys to stay open if we take one key away, they'll all close!"
"Great! The Sea Gate is just over there," Beetlejuice pointed. "Let's go!"
All three men raced to the gate console not far away.
Kyle was the first to try to pry the key from its base. "It's stuck!" he snarled, frustrated. He looked as though he was pulling on the very tip of an immovable boulder.
Endri smirked at his friend. "See, Kyle? If you would have worked out with me, then you wouldn't be so weak now."
Kyle humphed and nodded toward the key. "You try," he said indignantly.
Endri casually brushed him aside. "I'll try." He grabbed the ends of the key and yanked. Puzzled when it didn't budge, he pulled a little harder. When it still didn't move, he removed his trench coat, cracked his knuckles and jumped up onto the console. Placing his feet on either side of the key and gritting his teeth, he pulled with all his might. The only thing he succeeded in doing was letting his fingers slip off of the key, and he flew backwards onto the ground in a billow of dust.
Kyle snickered at the sight of his friend lying on his back in a pile of dirt.
"Not one word" Endri said angrily getting up and dusting himself off.
Beetlejuice, who had simply been watching until that point, stepped up to the console. "Let me," he said, giving the key a good, hard yank. It stayed in its place. He tried several more times, each result the same. "Damn even with Anóra's energy, I can't pull it loose!"
"We'd better think of something quick!" Endri shouted. "More worms are coming through the gate!"
Beetlejuice and Kyle spun on their heels and peered into the gateway. Sure enough, in the hazy distance on the other side, half a dozen seaworms were making their way toward them.
Beetlejuice growled deep in his throat and spun back to the console, slamming his fists on it.
"Dammit!"
The rock console cracked slightly under his blow, and an idea instantly struck him. They had been pulling at the key itself, not completely realizing that it was the console that held it so securely. They had been pulling when they should have been pushing, or in this case, hitting.
"That's it, guys! Break the console!"
No one waited to be told twice. Endri and Beetlejuice attacked the console with their bare fists, and Kyle grabbed up a small rock and pounded with that. The rock console was quickly reduced to rubble, and the key fell loose with nothing to hold it. The ground began to rumble, and the three turned to see the gate beginning to close.
Endri bent down and picked up the Sea Key. He closed it and looked determinedly to his father.
"We have to prevent this from ever happening again" With that, he threw the key into the gate just as it crashed closed, seconds before more seaworms invaded the Neitherworld.
Now not only that gate, but all of them, were closed. The three men let out a sigh of relief in unison.
"Whew! I hope I never have to do that again!" Beetlejuice wiped the sweat from his brow and grinned at his son and his friend.
"Nor do I," Endri breathed, allowing a slight smile to grace his handsome face.
Beetlejuice grinned at both Kyle and Endri, stepped between them and put his arms around their shoulders.
"Let's go home"
Kyle, Endri and Beetlejuice stood outside the Roadhouse door talking. The sun was setting quite nicely on the horizon, marking the end of another day survived. Things were looking much better for the Neitherworld. All the hidden gateways were now closed with no chance of being opened again. The only thing that needed to be worried about now were the creatures that actually did manage to get through before the gates closed. But soon enough, things would quiet down, and everything would return to normal as normal as it got in the Neitherworld.
Beetlejuice gripped tightly onto the leather satchel that used to be buckled to Endri's right thigh. In it were the rest of the keys that he planned to dispose of properly. "Well, this is it," he said. "My place. You know, Endri, now that you're here in the Neitherworld you don't have to go back to the Real World if ya don't want to. You have a home here now."
Endri allowed another smile to grace his features. "Thank you father."
Beetlejuice scoffed and waved his hand before his face. "Oh, don't call me that it's too formal. Call me dad or pop or something."
Endri chuckled. "I'll try dad."
His father grinned widely. "That's better." He turned to Kyle and smiled at him as well. "You're welcome to stay too, even if you're not dead yet."
Kyle smiled, amazed at the forgiveness shown by the ghoul. "That's very kind of you, but I think I should be moving on for now. I realize my wife is here somewhere, along with my little girl I'd like to find them." He paused for a few seconds in thought. A frown furrowed his brow when he spoke up again. "And maybe the one who killed them too. I have a score to settle."
Beetlejuice nodded understandingly. "Of course. Just remember, though you're always welcome here," he said, motioning to the Roadhouse.
"Thank you." Kyle turned to Endri. "Well, I guess this is it. Whew," he whistled.
His friend shook his head 'no'. "Not forever, it isn't. We'll see each other again. You'll be hanging around the Neitherworld for a while now, right?"
Kyle nodded, and they shook hands. "Thanks for saving my skin back there. I owe ya one." He smiled and cocked his head a bit to the side. "I'll miss you, Endri. It's been a great nine years working with you. Maybe we can collaborate again sometime? Soon?"
Endri chuckled once more. "Fine with me. But next time, let's leave global destruction out of it, okay?"
"Okay," Kyle laughed. He stared at his friend for a long minute. Nine years nine long years and they meant more than a lot to him. He reached up and wrapped an arm around his partner, clapping him gently on the back. "You're my best friend," he whispered. "That hasn't changed and never will. Take care of yourself" his voice wavered.
Endri nodded and hugged back, grateful he hadn't lost his only friend over petty differences.
Kyle slowly released him and cleared his throat, turning back to Beetlejuice. "Tell Lydia I'm sorry for what I did to her. I guess I wasn't thinking straight."
"I'm sure she forgives you."
"Thank you both of you." Kyle threw one final smile at Endri, then turned away from them and began to walk off. "Catch you later!" he called as he began crossing the rippled, roofing tile bridge, heading for the main road.
Jacques LaLean ran from the main road toward Beetlejuice and Endri, slowing down to pass by Kyle on the way. "Be-atlejuice! All ze gates seem to 'ave closed." The skeleton glanced back to Kyle, still walking away. "I see you got zis human, but are you just going to let ze ozer get away?!"
Beetlejuice cackled. "Don't worry, Jacques. They're friends now. And I'd like you to meet someone," he motioned toward the man next to him, "Jacques, meet Endri my son."
The French skeleton clapped a bony hand to his forehead, muttered a strained "Mon deiu!" and promptly fainted dead away.
The ghoul cackled once again and opened the front door to the Roadhouse. "Go ahead in and make yourself comfortable."
"You're not coming in?" Endri asked.
"There's something I promised to do first. I'll be back later. Oh, when Jacques wakes up, help him organize strike forces to go after what's left of those worms."
Endri nodded briskly. "Done."
Beetlejuice smiled. "Thanks, kid. I'll be back."
The ghoul vanished into a hazy, yellowish mist, leaving Endri alone with an unconscious French skeleton on the ground.
***************
HORRAY!! They did it! *cheers* Everyone came out none the worse for wear, and they are all friends now! Endri is in the Neitherworld where he bleongs, and Kyle is sticking around for a while to look up family. What more could there be? Why TONS! This is only the beginning! A New Beginning! That's why this is a "series"! ^_^ Please head on to the final chapter now and see what happens with BJ and Lydia before you leave a review. Thank you all so much!