A story about life, love, courage, and testing ultimate friendship. What happens to Beetlejuice and his friends when one of their own falls into despair and changes completely? Nothing will ever be the same. This story is an Alternate Universe set five years after Dark Shadows in the year 2008, and does not follow the intended story line. I repeat, this story does NOT follow the intended story line of the two stories (A New Beginning & Dark Shadows) included in my Beetlejuice Afterlife series, which is why it is simply titled "Mania" and not "Beetlejuice Afterlife – Mania". If I have someone ask me why I would put this as a sequel, I'll ignore them, because, right here it says: THIS STORY IS NOT A SEQUEL. This story was just bursting to be written, but I have no intention to make it part of my previous series. It just happens to use that series' events as a prelude. I hope there is no confusion.
Hehe! I'd like to thank Wanda for the exceedingly long review! hugs I like them RP reviews from you, Wanda-chan, and as soon as you update your story hint hint I'll give you one as well. Thanks also to everyone else who reviewd and made my day a little brighter, namely Maya Beebop (who has excellent fics herself) and Kelly (who has fics posted on my website), and also Li-Leah from deviantART.com. I'm so glad you guys like it! hugs everybody
Let us proceed onward, shall we?
Mania
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004
R – Drama – Angst
Chapter Five – Torn Asunder
Another two days went by without incident. Endri woke in the afternoon of the third day and groggily made his way downstairs. He tripped on one or two steps, but made it down with relatively no problems. Upon entering the kitchen, he noticed Kyle and his father eating a lunch of soup and sandwiches.
Beetlejuice dropped his wriggling "grubwich" back to the plate and leapt up, running over to hug his son. "There's my boy! Didja sleep good?"
The ghost smiled and hugged back. "Hai, Papa."
Kyle pulled out a chair next to his and said around a half full mouth of food, "Haba seat! 'Ungry?"
Grinning, Endri licked his lips. "Mmm." He sat down just as his father set a plate of "normal" sandwiches in front of him. Immediately, he started eating.
Kyle swallowed his bite. "Damn, man. You're eatin' like you've been starved!"
The ghost looked as if he was about to reply, but his mouth was too full to form words.
"Well, he hasn't eaten in over two weeks save a half bowl of cereal," Beetlejuice answered for him.
Kyle chuckled, nodding. "Ah, well, I guess you are starved, then, huh?"
Endri smiled around a mouthful. Soon, he had the entire plate finished off, and he stood to excuse himself. "I think I'll take a shower. I feel a little dirty," he said, running a hand over his chest and up over his face to glide the fingers back through greasy hair.
Smiling, his father indicated the door toward the living room. "Knock yourself out, kid."
Endri made his way out through the living room to the stairs, then up to the bathroom at the end of the hall on the second level near his bedroom. After pulling a towel from the cabinet near the locked door, he turned on the water to almost scalding hot. It was a habit of his to use hot water instead of just warm. The light sting felt so much more invigorating.
After stripping down and then stepping into the shower to bask a few minutes in the thick steam and hot spray, the ghost reached for the shampoo, scrubbing it into his hair. Conditioner followed closely behind, and after that, he washed his body with a washcloth and soap. All the while, his mind was working, unconsciously going about the normal activity of showering but thinking of something totally different.
Maybemaybe things aren't as bad as I thought. Everyone seems genuinely happy that I'm around. Of coursethey could be pretending so I won't become upset again. He paused. But I know Kyle isn't. He can't be. He cares about me, I know. I can feel it when I'm around him. A soft sigh escaped his lips to play with the steam from the shower. Ah, he's so wonderful. He risked his life to save me. That says so much, doesn't it? I at least have him for a true friend.
Endri sighed again. II feel pretty good, actually. I don't feel very oppressed anymore. I'm here, taking a shower in the upstairs bathroom. Yes, I think I have a firm grip on myself. I'm just fine. I don't have any mental disorders. Me? Endri Juice? Have a mental disorder? Not likely. I do not have the Mania! I'm just fine.
At that firm resolution, the ghost's shower was ended. He turned the squeaky faucets off and pushed the tattered shower curtain back. Reaching over, he picked his towel up from the towel rod and dried himself with it, making a mental note to take a trip to the Real World and buy a new set of towels. Beetlejuice's set was rather ratty.
Wrapping the towel around his waist and securing it there, he reached up and wiped the condensation from the mirror over the sink. He stared into the pale reflection that stared right back for a moment before picking up his brush. He ran it through his damp hair several times, straightening the blonde locks and removing any tangles. After a moment, he leaned in close to examine his sparkling eyes, not even noticing the tiny rings of red around them.
YesI'm fine.
Endri's reflection blinked. But he did not.
Backing away in surprise, the ghost stared as his reflection moved of its own accord, grabbing the sides of the mirror and pulling itself out. It landed with a heavily—booted clunk on the tiled floor in front of Endri, wearing his old outfit of black boots, pouches, and a trench coat. The apparition smirked evilly.
"Well, well, well" he looked his counterpart up and down, "what have we here?"
The Endri wearing only a towel backed into the cabinets next to the tub. "Wh—Who are you?"
The other grinned. "Endriethi Hidari. I'm you."
"Me? But"
"You've flipped out. Gone off the deep end. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here. Don't you remember all the problems you had a few years ago, Endriethi Kenri? I came to you in your dreams." He spoke lowly, advancing one step at a time.
"Y—You're the part of me that likes conflict! I thought I got rid of you! I thought I flash burned your body in the forest!"
"Fool! You can never get rid of me! I am you! Without me, you aren't yourself. Look at you. Why are you backing away from me? Why do you fear me?" He reached up to hold Kenri's shoulders against the cabinets.
"I—I–"
"It's because we are no longer one. You are the weak, jittery counterpart of our whole. While we are apart, we aren't the same as the whole." Hidari eyed his counterpart, his left eye with the red Mania ring, the other back to normal. "And I will be damned if I will get back together with a pathetic excuse for a being like you. I'm glad I finally went off the deep end. Otherwise, I would never have my freedom."
"Wh—What do you want with me?"
He smirked. "Nothing much. I just want to be free to make my own choices. Without your nagging influence, I can finally be who I'm supposed to be."
"Who are you supposed to be?"
Hidari grinned, exposing all of his teeth and overly sharp canines. "You should already know, but since you're a simple-minded fool, I'll go ahead and enlighten you. I am a warrioras I was always meant to be. A Viking warrior."
Kenri's eyes, colored opposite of his twins'–the right with the red Mania ring, and the left back to normal–widened. "W—Warrior?"
"Think of it. How I used to be. I never took orders from anyone. I lived free and wild–taking what I wanted and destroying anything I wanted! I was a pure Viking!" Hidari closed his eyes as a soft smile caressed his lips. "I long to be again."
"No! No, please, don't go back to that chaos! I don't want to hurt people or take their things. I just want to live peacefully."
"Not this time, my little Kenri. I've become too frustrated as of late, being hindered more and more behind your kindness and caring. A real Viking doesn't care about others. A real Viking only pillages, rapes, kills, and destroys whatever is in his path! And if you haven't checked lately, we are a real Viking! The blood resting in our veins is pure and untainted!" Hidari growled, tilting his nose up and squinting as if smelling something rancid. "And I know you have forgotten who you really are. You refuse your own heritage. You disgust me."
Kenri frowned. "I haven't forgotten. That's why I tried to change my way of living. Your selfishness and barbarism makes me sick."
Hidari laughed, showing his sharp canines again. "You can't stop me from doing what is in my blood. My power exceeds yours, you weak, little thing. I could destroy you so easily, and then I'd never have to worry about being weak ever again." He lifted his hands from the cabinets on either side of his opposite and brought them closer to his neck.
"W—Wait!"
Hidari paused, curious.
"You can't destroy me."
He frowned. "What?"
Kenri swallowed nervously. "I—If you destroy meyou'll be destroying a part of yourself you can never get back. You could never be whole again without me. You'd go even more insane without me. I keep you rooted to reality. We need each other."
The dark Endri looked his lighter counterpart over, taking in his own form clad in only a towel. "HmmI've never considered that before." He ran his hands over Kenri's face and down his bared chest, the exact same as his own, only a little more slender and less muscular. "WellI guess I could spare your wretched existence. But, just for being so sweet and loving to all those pathetic Humans over the years, and especially for actually caring about that fool father of ours and his annoying human mate, I think I'll punish you."
"P—Punish? But–"
Hidari licked his lips, running his hands up to his opposite's neck once more. "Mmand it will feel so good to finally get a taste of someone's blood again, even if it is my own." He squeezed Kenri's neck tightly, loving the choking sounds produced from the weaker ghost's parted lips.
Kenri reached up and laid trembling hands to his bad side's wrists, tugging helplessly against the iron grip. His air cut off, but that didn't matter much. It was the pain that sent him to his knees before his superior–the pain and the weakness.
"P—P" he croaked out, tears gliding down his cheeks. "I"
"And I'm sick of myself!" Hidari shouted, releasing one hand to rear back and smash the fist into Kenri's stomach.
Downstairs, Kyle and Beetlejuice still sat in the kitchen, chatting about the next Neitherworld Groan Prix and how they will enter it that year with a supped—up Doomie. They were sure to win this year.
A piercing cry from upstairs startled them, and they looked at each other for a split second before tearing from the room. They ran upstairs and down the short hall to the closed bathroom door. Beetlejuice was the first to knock.
"Endri? Endri, you okay in there?"
A harsh voice yelled from inside, "Get lost!"
The ghoul blinked and glanced to Kyle in surprise. "Uhare you all right, son? You don't sound yourself."
"I said get out of here! I'm busy!"
Quietly, Kyle put his ear to the door. Inside, he heard muffled shuffles, whimpers, and grunts. "BeetleI don't think he's okay. Somethin's wrong," he whispered.
"Yeah, I guessed that," the ghoul whispered back.
Hidari's almost gravelly voice was heard through the door at that point. "Shut up! You're the one who deserves this."
Kenri's voice followed, strained and whimpering. "Ah! N—No more! Please, it hurts!"
Beetlejuice and Kyle exchanged worried glances, thinking both voices came from only one person: the whole Endri.
The ghoul reached up and pounded on the door. "Endri, what's going on in there?!"
"Nothing, Father. Get the hell out of here!"
Confused, Beetlejuice asked, "Father? But you've been calling me 'Papa'."
"I would never consider you my 'Papa', you murderous bastard! Now get the fuck out of here!"
The ghoul frowned. "Open this door right now!"
"Leave!"
"Iya! Help me, Papa!!"
Kyle whirled on Beetlejuice. "If you don't break the door down, I will!"
The ghoul grit his teeth and pounded his foot into the door, popping it open. Inside, two men knelt next to the tub, one bent backwards over the rim, his head dipping below and out of sight, and the other kneeling before him, his long, blonde hair hiding his face. The dominating man had his right arm cocked back, ready to deliver a blow, and his left hand disappeared into the tub, holding his captive still. His black trench covered the nakedness his victim now displayed, since his towel had been lost in the earlier fray.
"What the hell–?!" Beetlejuice shouted.
Endriethi Kenri whimpered from inside the tub, his voice echoing a bit. It was surprising his back wasn't broken, the way he was bent over it. "P—Papa"
The ghoul assessed things quickly. "What the hell are you doin' to my son?! Who the hell are you?!"
Beside him, Kyle almost gasped, but held it in just barely. He knew the back of that head, the trench coat, those black boots, and those blue jeans all too well. But what his brain couldn't register was why Endri suddenly decided to put that outfit back on. And who was the guy bent over the tub? From what he could see of the half-hidden man, he looked somehow familiar too. And did he call Beetlejuice "Papa"? Didn't Endri call him that now? There couldn't possibly be two of him, could there?
Endriethi Hidari slowly lowered his fisted hand, a low hiss escaping his clenched teeth. "It figures you would ruin my fun, Father."
Beetlejuice and Kyle's eyes bulged.
"EEndri?" his father stumbled.
Hidari faced them, smirking and still kneeling before Kenri.
"Wellwho's that?" the ghoul asked, pointing to the man bent over the tub.
Hidari smirked. "Aw, do you hear that? He doesn't know who you are, my weak little Kenri." He shifted his left hand's grip and grabbed Kenri by his hair, pulling his head up into view. The more placid side of Endri grunted in pain as his head snapped forward by the hair, forced to face Beetlejuice and Kyle.
They both gasped.
"Two of them?!" Kyle shouted.
"Kenri?" Beetlejuice wondered aloud.
"I see no reason to explain anything to you fools," Hidari hissed, pulling a bruised and battered Kenri forward into his lap and wrapping protective arms around his middle. He reached up to painfully grip his counterpart's chin and tilt his head back to allow room for him to brush his lips along the weaker one's ear. "Now, go away. I'm busy."
Beetlejuice frowned. "What are you doin' to him–to you?"
Hidari smirked. "I'm just playing with myself. No harm in that."
"I—Iya! He's bea–!"
Endri's warrior side clamped a hand over Kenri's mouth. "Shut up, weakling! You deserved it."
"How could you do that to yourself?!" Beetlejuice gasped.
"Quite easily. He's so weak compared to me. There is no way he could put up a good fight. Besides, he wanted it. Didn't you?" he cooed, tilting Kenri's head more to nip playfully at his ear.
The weaker of the two whimpered, tears on his cheeks. "H—He's mad. Don't believe him!"
Kyle's eyes widened and Beetlejuice glanced at him a quick second. "Mad?"
"H—He wants to go back to the way it was. He only wants to hurt people. He said it's m—my fault for him being so nice. I just don't want anyone hurt! Especially my friendsand K—Ky—chan."
Hidari growled, scowling at the two intruders. "I've had enough of this. Get out of here. Both of you. I'd like to finish what I started." He trailed his tongue up Kenri's ear then bit down hard on the lobe, drawing a slow flow of dark blood. The weaker of the two tried to arch away from his dark counterpart, eyes squeezed tight in pain.
At long last, Kyle stepped forward a pace. "No, stop it!"
Hidari's head whipped toward him, eyes wide.
"Leave him alone! He's you! How could you do that to yourself?!"
Hidari frowned, gripping Kenri possessively. "He is me. I can do whatever I want to myself. No one can tell me otherwise."
Fortune smiled upon the human as he remembered something vital told to him a few weeks ago. Endri would bow to no one's will but his ownor Kyle's. "I saidleave him alone," the human pushed, his voice quiet and forceful.
Hidari glared, but indeed halted his assault on his counterpart. He didn't, however, move away.
Kenri reached out weakly, trembling, bleeding, and crying. "K"
The human knelt to the floor, reaching out one hand. "Come here, then. Come—on."
Kenri leaned forward more, reaching out further. Surprisingly, Hidari made no move to stop him.
"C'mere, 'Dri. Come—on," Kyle coaxed, beckoning with his fingers.
Kenri crawled from Hidari's lap and over to curl against his human friend in an almost fetal position, whimpering. Kyle wrapped his arms around him, hugging comfortingly, then reached down to pull the discarded towel over him.
"It's okay, 'Dri. We'll figure things out. You'll be okay," he soothed.
Suddenly, Hidari growled, swiveling around to crouch on his hands and feet. "MmmI hadn't thought of taking you both on at once. It's been a while since I've battled a group of people. That sounds like fun."
Beetlejuice jumped in at that point, grabbing Endri's bad side and lifting him to stand, slamming him against the opposite wall. "You can't be my son! My son would never be so cruel and heartless!"
Hidari just laughed in his face. "So! You think I'm heartless ne? How correct you are. And I am very frustrated for not being able to be my true self for so many hundreds of years, so I plan on taking it out on one or both of them," he hissed, pointing to both Kyle and Kenri huddling on the floor. "Now release me before I hurt you." He punctuated his statement by glaring with malice from two different eyes.
Kyle's voice reached Beetlejuice's ears from behind. "Beetle, he is your son! But he's just a part of him! It's like he's been 'split' into two different personalities. One good and one bad."
The ghoul's eyebrows rose in recognition. "Of course."
A feral smirk spread over Hidari's lips. "So, the old fool gets it finally. It only took my human's sharp intellect to figure it out for you."
"Your human?"
"AaKyle is mine."
The human still sat on the floor, slowly rocking Kenri. He frowned up at the harsh counterpart. "And what makes you think that?"
Hidari chuckled, directing his voice over to Kyle but staring his father in the eyes. "I see no other ghost or ghoul with a claim over you. That stupid wife of yours left, so now you are free for me. I've always wanted a human for a pet, but never got around to it. I think you'd be perfect."
Beetlejuice growled. "Well, I don't. I won't have you skipping around the Roadhouse assaulting yourself or keeping anyone as pets while I'm here!"
Hidari laughed at him again. "Oh, please, Father. You couldn't even dream to stop me. You're just as weak and pathetic as my jittery Kenri over there."
With a hiss, the ghoul reared back and decked Hidari across the cheek. The ghost's body suddenly enveloped in blue light, then vanished in a streak down to combine with Kenri still cradled in Kyle's arms. The battered ghost glowed the same bright blue, then faded back to normal.
Blinking, he looked up. "KKyle?"
The human gazed down at him, worried, still. "'Dri? Youokay?"
"What are you doing in here?" His head turned to the side. "Papa? What's going on?" He looked around, confusion eating him up. "Why am I on the floor?" A hiss escaped his lips when he realized he was nude with only a ratty towel loosely covering him.
Kyle swallowed, using his scientific and very fast brain to come up with an elaborate excuse as to what happened. "Uhhhhslipped!"
"Yeah! And you shouted when you fell," Beetlejuice chimed in.
"So we came up to check on you."
"And we saw you laying on the floor."
"So I got down and helped you up. You okay?"
The ghost rubbed his cheek, feeling a throbbing soreness there. "Ifell?"
Kyle nodded rapidly. "Oh, yeah. Smacked your head too. You were out cold when we got here."
Endri frowned, rubbing his cheek a little more. "It does kind of hurt a littleand my stomach too." He reached down to rub there, trying to alleviate the throbbing ache. He must have fallen against the edge of the sink when he slipped. But, when did he slip? He had no memory of that ever happening. Strange.
"ButI'm fine now." Standing, he secured the towel around his waist once more. "I'd like to finish cleaning up, then, if that's all right."
Beetlejuice and Kyle nodded hurriedly.
"Oh, yeah! Yeah, that's fine! You do that, kid. We'll be downstairs." The ghoul walked past his son and pushed Kyle out through the half broken door, closing it behind them.
Endri only shrugged and went back to brushing his hair, but, for some odd reason, avoided looking into the mirror.
In a rush, Beetlejuice and Kyle skidded into the kitchen downstairs.
The ghost turned to his human friend, worry dripping from his tone. "I think I know what happened."
Kyle plopped into a chair. "Pleaseenlighten me. I'd really like to know why I suddenly had two best friends, and why one of them wanted to beat up on the other just for being nice and then turn me into some kind of Human pet." He paused. "Aietell me before my brain goes on overload." He leaned onto his elbows and held his head in his hands.
"His personalities split, just like you said. One good and one bad, respectively. It happened to me once a long time ago." He paused to look almost sad. "But when I did it, I said a pun that came true. Endri doesn't do that because he's got such a good grip on his powers, even with his 'instability' now."
Kyle huffed and let his hands fall from his head, the backs of them batting against the table. "But something had to make him split into two."
The ghoul eyed him.
Swallowing, Kyle got it. "His Mania."
Beetlejuice nodded solemnly. "It's messing with him and his powers. I'm afraid if we don't get him to calm down and help him to control his Mania, it's going to become so bad that he might do some serious damage to someone or the Neitherworldor himself."
The human gripped his hair. "But what can we do? Endri's the one who has to ultimately control himself and the Mania so it won't get so bad."
"True, but with our help, it could push him along in the direction he needs to go."
"What can we do?" he repeated.
Beetlejuice sighed and began pacing on the opposite side of the table. "Kyle, I hate to say this, but you seem to be veryimportant to the kid. It seems he'll listen to you. Even his bad side listened to you when you told him to stop. You're gonna be the one to make a lot of this happen."
"But what am I supposed to do?!"
"He's your best friend, right? He trusts you more than anyone else because you've known each other for so long. Hell, the boy doesn't even trust me as much as he does you."
Kyle sighed, lowering his eyes. "Yeah, I guess so." Quickly, he looked up. "Wait a minute."
The ghoul stopped pacing and put his hands up. "Now, I'm not askin' you to get all sweet on him–"
"What?!"
"I'm just asking that you use the trust you two have to help bring him back to reality!" He closed his eyes and sighed, letting the tension ease from his bones before opening them again to look at the human. "Kyle, I have a good reason to believe Endri would be happy just hanging out with you for the rest of eternity. And I also have a good reason to believe he's afraid to lose you for any reason. That's why his bad side is so frustrated. His good side is trying so hard to be the best friend he can to you, and that's messing him up on the inside now that he has the Mania."
Kyle eyed him. "What exactly are you telling me."
The ghoul sighed. "It seems his bad side has nothing more than an idle interest in you, like someone lookin' through a science magazine in the doctor's waiting room. That part of him could care less about you unless you're right in front of him and he has to deal with you."
"Hnthat makes me feel so special."
"Buthis good side is all about you. You're Endri's best friend, you're on top of his list, you come first, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If there's something wrong with you, he'll drop everything to try and fix it. I'm sure if you guys had a fight at this point, it might tip him off into some kind of violent attack, or even depress him into wanting to off himself again."
"So what are you telling me here?! Get to the fuckin' point!"
Beetlejuice rolled his eyes. Kyle was smart, but sometimes he needed things spelled out for him. "What I'm saying is," he grumbled slowly, "that since you're so close to him, and he apparently won't let anyone else be as close to him as you are, you should be the one to take care of him and help get him back to his normal self. I know you don't wanna see him all broken up like he was that first night. I know I don't. Pleasetake care of him. Stick close and take care of him."
Kyle frowned and closed his eyes, folding his fingers together and covering the closed lids with them. An exasperated sigh slipped from between his lips. "I don't believe any of this."
"I'm sorry, Kyle. You seem to've been dragged into this against your will. It's not your fault Endri has a fascination with you. But you have to admit, you have a huge pull on him. He listens to you and no one else it seems. Not even me, his own dad." He sighed, blinking slowly. "I just ask you: pleasetake care of my son. Just think about it. And don't give it any half—assed thought. Really think about it. He's your best friend, ya know. He needs you."
The human fisted his hair. "I don't know, Beetle. I just don't know."
Beetlejuice nodded. "I understand. And it is up to you, after all. Justthink about it."
Kyle rubbed his hands over his hair and forehead. "'Kay, but I can't think here. I gotta head out somewhere." He stood and made his way out toward the living room with the ghoul following close behind.
"Where ya goin'?"
The human found his black double collar bomber jacket hanging on the coat rack next to the front door and donned it. "I'm not sure. Wherever I end up, I guess. Tell Endri I'll be back, but I'm not sure when. If what you say is true, he'll probably worry about me."
"I will."
The human opened one of the double doors.
"Kyle"
He turned his torso and head back to look.
"Be careful. Andplease–"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'Think about it.' Later, Beetle," Kyle mumbled, leaving.
Beetlejuice sighed and turned to head upstairs. He hoped that the news of Kyle being gone for a while wouldn't upset his son too much.
Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:
Kenri / ken-ree / right the good/weak side of Endri's personality; the right side of something is generally the good side
Hidari / hee-dah-ree / left the bad/strong side of Endri's personality; the left side of something is generally the bad side
iya / ee-yah / No!
-chan / chahn / a term of affection, usually used on women and small children - the word acts as a suffix to a name
Some new translations for ya. Thank you so much for reading so far! Words of kindness or constructive criticism are always welcome and cherished!
Hehe! I'd like to thank Wanda for the exceedingly long review! hugs I like them RP reviews from you, Wanda-chan, and as soon as you update your story hint hint I'll give you one as well. Thanks also to everyone else who reviewd and made my day a little brighter, namely Maya Beebop (who has excellent fics herself) and Kelly (who has fics posted on my website), and also Li-Leah from deviantART.com. I'm so glad you guys like it! hugs everybody
Let us proceed onward, shall we?
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004
R – Drama – Angst
Chapter Five – Torn Asunder
Another two days went by without incident. Endri woke in the afternoon of the third day and groggily made his way downstairs. He tripped on one or two steps, but made it down with relatively no problems. Upon entering the kitchen, he noticed Kyle and his father eating a lunch of soup and sandwiches.
Beetlejuice dropped his wriggling "grubwich" back to the plate and leapt up, running over to hug his son. "There's my boy! Didja sleep good?"
The ghost smiled and hugged back. "Hai, Papa."
Kyle pulled out a chair next to his and said around a half full mouth of food, "Haba seat! 'Ungry?"
Grinning, Endri licked his lips. "Mmm." He sat down just as his father set a plate of "normal" sandwiches in front of him. Immediately, he started eating.
Kyle swallowed his bite. "Damn, man. You're eatin' like you've been starved!"
The ghost looked as if he was about to reply, but his mouth was too full to form words.
"Well, he hasn't eaten in over two weeks save a half bowl of cereal," Beetlejuice answered for him.
Kyle chuckled, nodding. "Ah, well, I guess you are starved, then, huh?"
Endri smiled around a mouthful. Soon, he had the entire plate finished off, and he stood to excuse himself. "I think I'll take a shower. I feel a little dirty," he said, running a hand over his chest and up over his face to glide the fingers back through greasy hair.
Smiling, his father indicated the door toward the living room. "Knock yourself out, kid."
Endri made his way out through the living room to the stairs, then up to the bathroom at the end of the hall on the second level near his bedroom. After pulling a towel from the cabinet near the locked door, he turned on the water to almost scalding hot. It was a habit of his to use hot water instead of just warm. The light sting felt so much more invigorating.
After stripping down and then stepping into the shower to bask a few minutes in the thick steam and hot spray, the ghost reached for the shampoo, scrubbing it into his hair. Conditioner followed closely behind, and after that, he washed his body with a washcloth and soap. All the while, his mind was working, unconsciously going about the normal activity of showering but thinking of something totally different.
Maybemaybe things aren't as bad as I thought. Everyone seems genuinely happy that I'm around. Of coursethey could be pretending so I won't become upset again. He paused. But I know Kyle isn't. He can't be. He cares about me, I know. I can feel it when I'm around him. A soft sigh escaped his lips to play with the steam from the shower. Ah, he's so wonderful. He risked his life to save me. That says so much, doesn't it? I at least have him for a true friend.
Endri sighed again. II feel pretty good, actually. I don't feel very oppressed anymore. I'm here, taking a shower in the upstairs bathroom. Yes, I think I have a firm grip on myself. I'm just fine. I don't have any mental disorders. Me? Endri Juice? Have a mental disorder? Not likely. I do not have the Mania! I'm just fine.
At that firm resolution, the ghost's shower was ended. He turned the squeaky faucets off and pushed the tattered shower curtain back. Reaching over, he picked his towel up from the towel rod and dried himself with it, making a mental note to take a trip to the Real World and buy a new set of towels. Beetlejuice's set was rather ratty.
Wrapping the towel around his waist and securing it there, he reached up and wiped the condensation from the mirror over the sink. He stared into the pale reflection that stared right back for a moment before picking up his brush. He ran it through his damp hair several times, straightening the blonde locks and removing any tangles. After a moment, he leaned in close to examine his sparkling eyes, not even noticing the tiny rings of red around them.
YesI'm fine.
Endri's reflection blinked. But he did not.
Backing away in surprise, the ghost stared as his reflection moved of its own accord, grabbing the sides of the mirror and pulling itself out. It landed with a heavily—booted clunk on the tiled floor in front of Endri, wearing his old outfit of black boots, pouches, and a trench coat. The apparition smirked evilly.
"Well, well, well" he looked his counterpart up and down, "what have we here?"
The Endri wearing only a towel backed into the cabinets next to the tub. "Wh—Who are you?"
The other grinned. "Endriethi Hidari. I'm you."
"Me? But"
"You've flipped out. Gone off the deep end. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here. Don't you remember all the problems you had a few years ago, Endriethi Kenri? I came to you in your dreams." He spoke lowly, advancing one step at a time.
"Y—You're the part of me that likes conflict! I thought I got rid of you! I thought I flash burned your body in the forest!"
"Fool! You can never get rid of me! I am you! Without me, you aren't yourself. Look at you. Why are you backing away from me? Why do you fear me?" He reached up to hold Kenri's shoulders against the cabinets.
"I—I–"
"It's because we are no longer one. You are the weak, jittery counterpart of our whole. While we are apart, we aren't the same as the whole." Hidari eyed his counterpart, his left eye with the red Mania ring, the other back to normal. "And I will be damned if I will get back together with a pathetic excuse for a being like you. I'm glad I finally went off the deep end. Otherwise, I would never have my freedom."
"Wh—What do you want with me?"
He smirked. "Nothing much. I just want to be free to make my own choices. Without your nagging influence, I can finally be who I'm supposed to be."
"Who are you supposed to be?"
Hidari grinned, exposing all of his teeth and overly sharp canines. "You should already know, but since you're a simple-minded fool, I'll go ahead and enlighten you. I am a warrioras I was always meant to be. A Viking warrior."
Kenri's eyes, colored opposite of his twins'–the right with the red Mania ring, and the left back to normal–widened. "W—Warrior?"
"Think of it. How I used to be. I never took orders from anyone. I lived free and wild–taking what I wanted and destroying anything I wanted! I was a pure Viking!" Hidari closed his eyes as a soft smile caressed his lips. "I long to be again."
"No! No, please, don't go back to that chaos! I don't want to hurt people or take their things. I just want to live peacefully."
"Not this time, my little Kenri. I've become too frustrated as of late, being hindered more and more behind your kindness and caring. A real Viking doesn't care about others. A real Viking only pillages, rapes, kills, and destroys whatever is in his path! And if you haven't checked lately, we are a real Viking! The blood resting in our veins is pure and untainted!" Hidari growled, tilting his nose up and squinting as if smelling something rancid. "And I know you have forgotten who you really are. You refuse your own heritage. You disgust me."
Kenri frowned. "I haven't forgotten. That's why I tried to change my way of living. Your selfishness and barbarism makes me sick."
Hidari laughed, showing his sharp canines again. "You can't stop me from doing what is in my blood. My power exceeds yours, you weak, little thing. I could destroy you so easily, and then I'd never have to worry about being weak ever again." He lifted his hands from the cabinets on either side of his opposite and brought them closer to his neck.
"W—Wait!"
Hidari paused, curious.
"You can't destroy me."
He frowned. "What?"
Kenri swallowed nervously. "I—If you destroy meyou'll be destroying a part of yourself you can never get back. You could never be whole again without me. You'd go even more insane without me. I keep you rooted to reality. We need each other."
The dark Endri looked his lighter counterpart over, taking in his own form clad in only a towel. "HmmI've never considered that before." He ran his hands over Kenri's face and down his bared chest, the exact same as his own, only a little more slender and less muscular. "WellI guess I could spare your wretched existence. But, just for being so sweet and loving to all those pathetic Humans over the years, and especially for actually caring about that fool father of ours and his annoying human mate, I think I'll punish you."
"P—Punish? But–"
Hidari licked his lips, running his hands up to his opposite's neck once more. "Mmand it will feel so good to finally get a taste of someone's blood again, even if it is my own." He squeezed Kenri's neck tightly, loving the choking sounds produced from the weaker ghost's parted lips.
Kenri reached up and laid trembling hands to his bad side's wrists, tugging helplessly against the iron grip. His air cut off, but that didn't matter much. It was the pain that sent him to his knees before his superior–the pain and the weakness.
"P—P" he croaked out, tears gliding down his cheeks. "I"
"And I'm sick of myself!" Hidari shouted, releasing one hand to rear back and smash the fist into Kenri's stomach.
Downstairs, Kyle and Beetlejuice still sat in the kitchen, chatting about the next Neitherworld Groan Prix and how they will enter it that year with a supped—up Doomie. They were sure to win this year.
A piercing cry from upstairs startled them, and they looked at each other for a split second before tearing from the room. They ran upstairs and down the short hall to the closed bathroom door. Beetlejuice was the first to knock.
"Endri? Endri, you okay in there?"
A harsh voice yelled from inside, "Get lost!"
The ghoul blinked and glanced to Kyle in surprise. "Uhare you all right, son? You don't sound yourself."
"I said get out of here! I'm busy!"
Quietly, Kyle put his ear to the door. Inside, he heard muffled shuffles, whimpers, and grunts. "BeetleI don't think he's okay. Somethin's wrong," he whispered.
"Yeah, I guessed that," the ghoul whispered back.
Hidari's almost gravelly voice was heard through the door at that point. "Shut up! You're the one who deserves this."
Kenri's voice followed, strained and whimpering. "Ah! N—No more! Please, it hurts!"
Beetlejuice and Kyle exchanged worried glances, thinking both voices came from only one person: the whole Endri.
The ghoul reached up and pounded on the door. "Endri, what's going on in there?!"
"Nothing, Father. Get the hell out of here!"
Confused, Beetlejuice asked, "Father? But you've been calling me 'Papa'."
"I would never consider you my 'Papa', you murderous bastard! Now get the fuck out of here!"
The ghoul frowned. "Open this door right now!"
"Leave!"
"Iya! Help me, Papa!!"
Kyle whirled on Beetlejuice. "If you don't break the door down, I will!"
The ghoul grit his teeth and pounded his foot into the door, popping it open. Inside, two men knelt next to the tub, one bent backwards over the rim, his head dipping below and out of sight, and the other kneeling before him, his long, blonde hair hiding his face. The dominating man had his right arm cocked back, ready to deliver a blow, and his left hand disappeared into the tub, holding his captive still. His black trench covered the nakedness his victim now displayed, since his towel had been lost in the earlier fray.
"What the hell–?!" Beetlejuice shouted.
Endriethi Kenri whimpered from inside the tub, his voice echoing a bit. It was surprising his back wasn't broken, the way he was bent over it. "P—Papa"
The ghoul assessed things quickly. "What the hell are you doin' to my son?! Who the hell are you?!"
Beside him, Kyle almost gasped, but held it in just barely. He knew the back of that head, the trench coat, those black boots, and those blue jeans all too well. But what his brain couldn't register was why Endri suddenly decided to put that outfit back on. And who was the guy bent over the tub? From what he could see of the half-hidden man, he looked somehow familiar too. And did he call Beetlejuice "Papa"? Didn't Endri call him that now? There couldn't possibly be two of him, could there?
Endriethi Hidari slowly lowered his fisted hand, a low hiss escaping his clenched teeth. "It figures you would ruin my fun, Father."
Beetlejuice and Kyle's eyes bulged.
"EEndri?" his father stumbled.
Hidari faced them, smirking and still kneeling before Kenri.
"Wellwho's that?" the ghoul asked, pointing to the man bent over the tub.
Hidari smirked. "Aw, do you hear that? He doesn't know who you are, my weak little Kenri." He shifted his left hand's grip and grabbed Kenri by his hair, pulling his head up into view. The more placid side of Endri grunted in pain as his head snapped forward by the hair, forced to face Beetlejuice and Kyle.
They both gasped.
"Two of them?!" Kyle shouted.
"Kenri?" Beetlejuice wondered aloud.
"I see no reason to explain anything to you fools," Hidari hissed, pulling a bruised and battered Kenri forward into his lap and wrapping protective arms around his middle. He reached up to painfully grip his counterpart's chin and tilt his head back to allow room for him to brush his lips along the weaker one's ear. "Now, go away. I'm busy."
Beetlejuice frowned. "What are you doin' to him–to you?"
Hidari smirked. "I'm just playing with myself. No harm in that."
"I—Iya! He's bea–!"
Endri's warrior side clamped a hand over Kenri's mouth. "Shut up, weakling! You deserved it."
"How could you do that to yourself?!" Beetlejuice gasped.
"Quite easily. He's so weak compared to me. There is no way he could put up a good fight. Besides, he wanted it. Didn't you?" he cooed, tilting Kenri's head more to nip playfully at his ear.
The weaker of the two whimpered, tears on his cheeks. "H—He's mad. Don't believe him!"
Kyle's eyes widened and Beetlejuice glanced at him a quick second. "Mad?"
"H—He wants to go back to the way it was. He only wants to hurt people. He said it's m—my fault for him being so nice. I just don't want anyone hurt! Especially my friendsand K—Ky—chan."
Hidari growled, scowling at the two intruders. "I've had enough of this. Get out of here. Both of you. I'd like to finish what I started." He trailed his tongue up Kenri's ear then bit down hard on the lobe, drawing a slow flow of dark blood. The weaker of the two tried to arch away from his dark counterpart, eyes squeezed tight in pain.
At long last, Kyle stepped forward a pace. "No, stop it!"
Hidari's head whipped toward him, eyes wide.
"Leave him alone! He's you! How could you do that to yourself?!"
Hidari frowned, gripping Kenri possessively. "He is me. I can do whatever I want to myself. No one can tell me otherwise."
Fortune smiled upon the human as he remembered something vital told to him a few weeks ago. Endri would bow to no one's will but his ownor Kyle's. "I saidleave him alone," the human pushed, his voice quiet and forceful.
Hidari glared, but indeed halted his assault on his counterpart. He didn't, however, move away.
Kenri reached out weakly, trembling, bleeding, and crying. "K"
The human knelt to the floor, reaching out one hand. "Come here, then. Come—on."
Kenri leaned forward more, reaching out further. Surprisingly, Hidari made no move to stop him.
"C'mere, 'Dri. Come—on," Kyle coaxed, beckoning with his fingers.
Kenri crawled from Hidari's lap and over to curl against his human friend in an almost fetal position, whimpering. Kyle wrapped his arms around him, hugging comfortingly, then reached down to pull the discarded towel over him.
"It's okay, 'Dri. We'll figure things out. You'll be okay," he soothed.
Suddenly, Hidari growled, swiveling around to crouch on his hands and feet. "MmmI hadn't thought of taking you both on at once. It's been a while since I've battled a group of people. That sounds like fun."
Beetlejuice jumped in at that point, grabbing Endri's bad side and lifting him to stand, slamming him against the opposite wall. "You can't be my son! My son would never be so cruel and heartless!"
Hidari just laughed in his face. "So! You think I'm heartless ne? How correct you are. And I am very frustrated for not being able to be my true self for so many hundreds of years, so I plan on taking it out on one or both of them," he hissed, pointing to both Kyle and Kenri huddling on the floor. "Now release me before I hurt you." He punctuated his statement by glaring with malice from two different eyes.
Kyle's voice reached Beetlejuice's ears from behind. "Beetle, he is your son! But he's just a part of him! It's like he's been 'split' into two different personalities. One good and one bad."
The ghoul's eyebrows rose in recognition. "Of course."
A feral smirk spread over Hidari's lips. "So, the old fool gets it finally. It only took my human's sharp intellect to figure it out for you."
"Your human?"
"AaKyle is mine."
The human still sat on the floor, slowly rocking Kenri. He frowned up at the harsh counterpart. "And what makes you think that?"
Hidari chuckled, directing his voice over to Kyle but staring his father in the eyes. "I see no other ghost or ghoul with a claim over you. That stupid wife of yours left, so now you are free for me. I've always wanted a human for a pet, but never got around to it. I think you'd be perfect."
Beetlejuice growled. "Well, I don't. I won't have you skipping around the Roadhouse assaulting yourself or keeping anyone as pets while I'm here!"
Hidari laughed at him again. "Oh, please, Father. You couldn't even dream to stop me. You're just as weak and pathetic as my jittery Kenri over there."
With a hiss, the ghoul reared back and decked Hidari across the cheek. The ghost's body suddenly enveloped in blue light, then vanished in a streak down to combine with Kenri still cradled in Kyle's arms. The battered ghost glowed the same bright blue, then faded back to normal.
Blinking, he looked up. "KKyle?"
The human gazed down at him, worried, still. "'Dri? Youokay?"
"What are you doing in here?" His head turned to the side. "Papa? What's going on?" He looked around, confusion eating him up. "Why am I on the floor?" A hiss escaped his lips when he realized he was nude with only a ratty towel loosely covering him.
Kyle swallowed, using his scientific and very fast brain to come up with an elaborate excuse as to what happened. "Uhhhhslipped!"
"Yeah! And you shouted when you fell," Beetlejuice chimed in.
"So we came up to check on you."
"And we saw you laying on the floor."
"So I got down and helped you up. You okay?"
The ghost rubbed his cheek, feeling a throbbing soreness there. "Ifell?"
Kyle nodded rapidly. "Oh, yeah. Smacked your head too. You were out cold when we got here."
Endri frowned, rubbing his cheek a little more. "It does kind of hurt a littleand my stomach too." He reached down to rub there, trying to alleviate the throbbing ache. He must have fallen against the edge of the sink when he slipped. But, when did he slip? He had no memory of that ever happening. Strange.
"ButI'm fine now." Standing, he secured the towel around his waist once more. "I'd like to finish cleaning up, then, if that's all right."
Beetlejuice and Kyle nodded hurriedly.
"Oh, yeah! Yeah, that's fine! You do that, kid. We'll be downstairs." The ghoul walked past his son and pushed Kyle out through the half broken door, closing it behind them.
Endri only shrugged and went back to brushing his hair, but, for some odd reason, avoided looking into the mirror.
In a rush, Beetlejuice and Kyle skidded into the kitchen downstairs.
The ghost turned to his human friend, worry dripping from his tone. "I think I know what happened."
Kyle plopped into a chair. "Pleaseenlighten me. I'd really like to know why I suddenly had two best friends, and why one of them wanted to beat up on the other just for being nice and then turn me into some kind of Human pet." He paused. "Aietell me before my brain goes on overload." He leaned onto his elbows and held his head in his hands.
"His personalities split, just like you said. One good and one bad, respectively. It happened to me once a long time ago." He paused to look almost sad. "But when I did it, I said a pun that came true. Endri doesn't do that because he's got such a good grip on his powers, even with his 'instability' now."
Kyle huffed and let his hands fall from his head, the backs of them batting against the table. "But something had to make him split into two."
The ghoul eyed him.
Swallowing, Kyle got it. "His Mania."
Beetlejuice nodded solemnly. "It's messing with him and his powers. I'm afraid if we don't get him to calm down and help him to control his Mania, it's going to become so bad that he might do some serious damage to someone or the Neitherworldor himself."
The human gripped his hair. "But what can we do? Endri's the one who has to ultimately control himself and the Mania so it won't get so bad."
"True, but with our help, it could push him along in the direction he needs to go."
"What can we do?" he repeated.
Beetlejuice sighed and began pacing on the opposite side of the table. "Kyle, I hate to say this, but you seem to be veryimportant to the kid. It seems he'll listen to you. Even his bad side listened to you when you told him to stop. You're gonna be the one to make a lot of this happen."
"But what am I supposed to do?!"
"He's your best friend, right? He trusts you more than anyone else because you've known each other for so long. Hell, the boy doesn't even trust me as much as he does you."
Kyle sighed, lowering his eyes. "Yeah, I guess so." Quickly, he looked up. "Wait a minute."
The ghoul stopped pacing and put his hands up. "Now, I'm not askin' you to get all sweet on him–"
"What?!"
"I'm just asking that you use the trust you two have to help bring him back to reality!" He closed his eyes and sighed, letting the tension ease from his bones before opening them again to look at the human. "Kyle, I have a good reason to believe Endri would be happy just hanging out with you for the rest of eternity. And I also have a good reason to believe he's afraid to lose you for any reason. That's why his bad side is so frustrated. His good side is trying so hard to be the best friend he can to you, and that's messing him up on the inside now that he has the Mania."
Kyle eyed him. "What exactly are you telling me."
The ghoul sighed. "It seems his bad side has nothing more than an idle interest in you, like someone lookin' through a science magazine in the doctor's waiting room. That part of him could care less about you unless you're right in front of him and he has to deal with you."
"Hnthat makes me feel so special."
"Buthis good side is all about you. You're Endri's best friend, you're on top of his list, you come first, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. If there's something wrong with you, he'll drop everything to try and fix it. I'm sure if you guys had a fight at this point, it might tip him off into some kind of violent attack, or even depress him into wanting to off himself again."
"So what are you telling me here?! Get to the fuckin' point!"
Beetlejuice rolled his eyes. Kyle was smart, but sometimes he needed things spelled out for him. "What I'm saying is," he grumbled slowly, "that since you're so close to him, and he apparently won't let anyone else be as close to him as you are, you should be the one to take care of him and help get him back to his normal self. I know you don't wanna see him all broken up like he was that first night. I know I don't. Pleasetake care of him. Stick close and take care of him."
Kyle frowned and closed his eyes, folding his fingers together and covering the closed lids with them. An exasperated sigh slipped from between his lips. "I don't believe any of this."
"I'm sorry, Kyle. You seem to've been dragged into this against your will. It's not your fault Endri has a fascination with you. But you have to admit, you have a huge pull on him. He listens to you and no one else it seems. Not even me, his own dad." He sighed, blinking slowly. "I just ask you: pleasetake care of my son. Just think about it. And don't give it any half—assed thought. Really think about it. He's your best friend, ya know. He needs you."
The human fisted his hair. "I don't know, Beetle. I just don't know."
Beetlejuice nodded. "I understand. And it is up to you, after all. Justthink about it."
Kyle rubbed his hands over his hair and forehead. "'Kay, but I can't think here. I gotta head out somewhere." He stood and made his way out toward the living room with the ghoul following close behind.
"Where ya goin'?"
The human found his black double collar bomber jacket hanging on the coat rack next to the front door and donned it. "I'm not sure. Wherever I end up, I guess. Tell Endri I'll be back, but I'm not sure when. If what you say is true, he'll probably worry about me."
"I will."
The human opened one of the double doors.
"Kyle"
He turned his torso and head back to look.
"Be careful. Andplease–"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. 'Think about it.' Later, Beetle," Kyle mumbled, leaving.
Beetlejuice sighed and turned to head upstairs. He hoped that the news of Kyle being gone for a while wouldn't upset his son too much.
Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:
Kenri / ken-ree / right the good/weak side of Endri's personality; the right side of something is generally the good side
Hidari / hee-dah-ree / left the bad/strong side of Endri's personality; the left side of something is generally the bad side
iya / ee-yah / No!
-chan / chahn / a term of affection, usually used on women and small children - the word acts as a suffix to a name
Some new translations for ya. Thank you so much for reading so far! Words of kindness or constructive criticism are always welcome and cherished!