"Bloody hell…" Arthur uttered under his breath in annoyance, feeling over the granulated grey, patterned work top. This was the fifth time something went missing when he needed it this week and frankly, he was losing his patience. However, he knew the cause of the disappearances and movement of the objects in his house; bloody ghosts. For some reason, the paranormal activity seemed particularly active from 23rd May to the present date, 29th May and as frustrating as it was, Arthur had to do something or they could he haunting him for a long time. He crawled on the floor under the table when a chime from the front door jolted him, banging his head under the table in the process. Unleashing the non-stop grumbling from the British man, his feet shuffled on the cream carpet as he made his way towards the door. He couldn't complain too much however; he had visitors coming and he was the one that called them over so he had to put his complaints to the side and pulled the mahogany door open.
"Artie!" All at once after the shrill cry, the Englishman was embraced into a bear-like hug from one Alfred F. Jones.
"Get off me you bloody git!" Arthur focused so much on prizing the American off himself that he didn't notice Alfred's younger brother, Matthew Williams, standing in the door step smiling awkwardly at Alfred's antics with his polar bear, Kumajiro, in his arms.
"Hey Arthur," Matthew greeted in his gentle whisper like voice. Once the space between Alfred and Arthur opened, the Englishman composed himself and welcomed the two into the house.
"You'll have to excuse some of the mess," he started, "But I've been having a bit ghost trouble."
"G-Ghost!" Alfred suddenly shrieked in panic. Arthur sighed. "You should really get over your fear of ghosts and spirits. It's not like they'll try to hurt you."
"I don't care! They scare the crap out of me!"
"And they'll keep doing that if I don't find out why I'm being persecuted," Arthur cut in. "What sort of objects were taken?" Matthew asked looking at the Englishman quizzically. "Today it's my keys but I have seen other objects move around by themselves. One of my chicken ornaments for example moved from one end of the cabinet to another, a postcard kept fluttering to the floor after I've put it back so many times and it took all the cheese from the fridge! Once was enough but it does get annoying when I want some on my crackers at lunchtime. So to stop the menace, I've asked you two to help me with a séance."
"Oh no!" Alfred yelled in protest and folded his arms. "There's no way I'm helping you summon the devil!"
"We're not going to summon anything you bloody git! I'm going to contact the spirit that's making my life a misery!" Arthur slapped the back of Alfred's head gently causing the American to yelp. "Ow! That hurt!"
"Good," Arthur said as he turned away from the North American brothers and made his way towards the cupboard under the stairs. "If you want to help me prepare for the séance, by all means, be my guests."
"Okay. What do you need?" Matthew enthusiastically asked while Alfred still looked unnerved about the paranormal investigation.
The house darkened as evening came and all three men knelt around the coffee table in the dimly lit (by that, it was only lit up by one candle) living room. On the centre of the wooden table sat a pad of paper and a heat-shaped, mahogany, wooden planchette held a pen in place. Matthew glanced at a fidgety Alfred who in turn looked at Arthur nervously. "I don't know whether we should be doing this you know? I mean, I heard that using one of these actually opens up a portal to hell where evil spirits come out."
"Alfred, I'm experienced in using these and if that does happen, I can close it so there's nothing for you to worry about." The Englishman gave the American a look that didn't look concerned at all. "Now, place your index fingers on a side of the planchette." Both brothers did exactly as Arthur said (although Alfred was hesitant to oblige) and placed their fingers on the planchette. The Englishman took a deep breath after he put his fingers on it. "If there is any spirits who would like to make their presence known, move this planchette." He said in a commanding yet calm voice. The three men waited for its response, staring at the planchette intensely. Nothing happened after a few minutes so Arthur began speaking again. "I know there is someone who wants to speak to us. Let us know you're there; touch one of us, move an object, anything."
"No! Don't let it touch me!" Alfred whined.
"Keep it down idiot!" Arthur hissed. "Don't scare it away!"
"You guys, the planchette!" Matthew whispered as everyone felt movement underneath their fingers. The brothers watched the planchette slowly scribble some joint up letters in awe while Arthur concentrated on discerning the message. Once the wooden object stopped writing, Alfred frowned. "Je nee comprendee pass? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He shouted as Matthew read the message again.
"It's French Alfred. It means "I don't understand"."
"Brilliant. I've got a French ghost haunting me." Arthur rubbed his face with one hand before placing the index finger back on the planchette. "I wonder if Francis accidently killed himself. Knowing his luck he might have". Without any warning, the planchette moved scribbling faster. Everyone's fingers stayed on the heart-shaped piece of wood as best as they could as they could and when it finally stopped the sentence read "Est-ce que vous savez Francis?" Matthew translated the text again. "Do you know Francis?"
"What does Francis have to do with this ghost?" Alfred looked to Arthur as if he knew the answer.
"I don't know," Arthur shot an annoyed stare at the American before turning to the Canadian with a serious expression. "Ask the spirit for their name if you don't mind."
"Okay," Matthew nodded before gazing at the planchette. "Comment t'appelle tu?" There was a few seconds pause before the planchette moved across the paper once more. When the pen finally stopped moving, Matthew's eyes widened into shock as he read the new message. "My name is Jeanne of Arc and I need to speak to Francis urgently."
"Impossible…" Arthur let out a whisper. He glared at the message in disbelief reading it over and over again in his head. On the eighth time he read it, he immediately remembered today's date. It's the day before the anniversary of Jeanne of Arc's death; an anniversary that made the Frenchman miserable and withdrawn. It was then that he knew exactly what Jeanne wanted. "Tell Jeanne to meet me in the study during the night and wait for my instructions." He said to Matthew without looking away from the paper. The Canadian blinked for a moment before translating the English message to French while Alfred stayed unusually quiet.
!
Kumajiro's pawing on Matthew's shoulder woke him from his sleep. He groaned as he slowly sat himself up and gazed at his polar bear sleepily. "Kumasaku, what's the matter?" He tried to rub the tired the tiredness out of his eyes.
"I'm thirsty," The bear squeaked. Matthew sighed and put on his spectacles before he took the creature into his arms.
"Alright, let's get you some water." He whispered and carried the cub out of the room.
He eventually found the kitchen after feeling his way around the walls, stair bannisters and other pieces of furniture his hand found in pitch black darkness. Once he entered in what he believed was the kitchen, he winced after the light illuminated the kitchen with a flick of the light switch but then jumped at a scream near the fridge. Matthew yelped as well until he gave a startled Alfred an annoyed look. "Alfred! What are you doing in here?" The Canadian hissed as Alfred shut the fridge door and turned away from it.
"Dude! Don't scare me like that! I thought you were a burglar!" He yelled full blast. Matthew had to rush up to the honey-blonde haired man and hushed him.
"Do you want to get caught by Arthur, you hoser?" He whispered harshly and glared at him through his dark blue eyes. Alfred threw Matthew's hand off his face.
"I was hungry and I wanted a midnight snack! What are you doing down here anyway?"
"Kumagiri was thirsty so I'm getting him some water," Matthew murmured and rummaged through the cupboards to pick out a cereal bowl and took it to the sink to fill with water. "I just hope we don't get busted by Arthur."
"Knowing him we will," Alfred folded his arms as Matthew laid the bowl on the floor to which Kumajiro was more than obliged to lapping the water up with his tongue. Matthew took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes for a moment before asking, "Why do you think Joan wants to talk to Francis?"
Alfred glanced at Matthew and shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno but it must be important if that…" He gave a pregnant paused and gulped. "…Ghost had bothered Artie that bad." Matthew watched the bear drink as he mused about what happened with the séance. Joan of Arc of all people (or ghost as was the case) communicated the fact that she wanted to speak to Francis… and that's when a realisation hit him. "Alfred, what's the date today?"
"Well since it's past midnight, it's the thirtieth of May. Why'd you ask?" Alfred looked at him quizzically. Matthew opened his mouth to say something when he felt Kumajiro nudge his leg and pointed to the empty bowl. "We'd better get back to bed before Arthur catches us," Matthew said and placed the bowl in the sink to wash up later in the morning.
"Dude, we're adults now," Alfred grinned and pushed the door open. "We don't have to worry about being punished by that old man."
"I wouldn't talk about your elders that way wanker," A British dialect provoked the American to leap a few inches off the floor and produce the most girlish scream he could suddenly muster. Matthew jolted a bit when he saw Arthur standing in his white shirt underneath his green sleeveless cardigan and dark brown trousers, holding a brass candle-stick holder with a dimly lit candle illuminating the three. Once Alfred managed to compose himself out of fear, he scowled at Arthur. "Don't do that dude!"
"Keep it down you bloody git!" Arthur hissed. "All three of us maybe awake but I'd rather not disturb anyone else outside this house!"
"Um…" Matthew stepped out from behind Alfred with an apologetic look. "We're sorry we disturbed you. Kumajiro was thirsty and wanted something to drink and Alfred… I don't know what he was doing but…"
"That's fine," Arthur sighed. "Actually, I'm glad you're both awake. I need you two to assist me with something." Matthew blinked for a moment. "Does it have anything to do with meeting Joan?"
Arthur nodded affirmatively. "Yes, and I need you to translate for Jeanne and myself amongst other things but I'll explain those later. Please, follow me. You too Alfred." He turned towards the door with a tree carved onto it and took a key from his pocket and pushed it into the lock. He twisted the door knob and pushed the door open and gestured waved the brothers to follow behind.
Matthew knew exactly what room he was about to enter as he began his decent down the stairs with Arthur; he called it the 'occult room' (or "the room with all the scary ghosts" according to Alfred). His hand gripped the bannister and squeezed Kumajiro closer to his side with his other arm while Alfred fidgeted nervously in between them both (more than likely he didn't want to get left behind in the darkness). Matthew was afraid that taking his eyes of Arthur would result in his getting lost in the darkness until finally they touched on solid ground but he along with Alfred still followed the candle-light in Arthur's hand.
The Englishman placed the candle stand on the table that stood in the middle of the room and turned to Matthew. "I want you to tell Jeanne to give us a sign of her presence, anything that can tell us she's in this room with us," Arthur inquired. Matthew hugged his bear to his chest and nodded.
"Si vous êtes ici, nous donner une sorte de signe. Déplacer quoi que ce soit dans cette salle." They waited for a moment or two before the chair screeched across the wooden floor slowly and slightly. Alfred's teeth chattered and whimpered as the chair came to a stop. Matthew thanked the ghost in his native tongue and turned to Arthur.
"Right Matthew, I'm going to tell you the plan and I don't want you to be too alarmed about it, understand?" The Canadian nodded his head before Arthur continued. "I'm going to place myself in a trance and in doing so; I'll let Jeanne possess my body so she can talk to Francis directly."
"Wait! You're going to let a ghost control you!" Alfred yelled. "Don't do it! I don't want a ghost using your body to scare me- I mean Matthew!" Matthew shot an annoyed look at his brother before turning back to Arthur.
"You mean… you're going to channel Jeanne?"
The Englishman nodded his head. "I am but in order for me to achieve this, I will require absolute focus which means," he turned to face the brothers, "I must have absolute silence. I can't channel her if you're going to make some noise." He directed his gaze at Alfred knowingly, which provoked an exclamation of the American.
"Why are you looking at me for?" He shrieked thus proving Arthur's point before it had been made. Arthur sighed and glanced between the two again.
"If there is a slight possibility that I turn violent for whatever reason, I give you permission to knock me out for everyone's safety, understand?"
"Okay, whatever you say," Alfred said while Matthew simply nodded.
"Good," Arthur turned away from them and lowered himself into the chair, his arms resting at the arm rests. "Oh, and one last thing; do stop me from doing anything I'll regret when I return to myself."
"Will do!" Alfred saluted him as though Arthur was going away on holiday. Matthew hugged his bear closer to him in prevention of him escaping and distracting the Englishman who gave them a confident nod.
"Now, without further ado, I'm going to begin so no disturbing me from this point on." He said and gazed into the flickering orange flame on the candle that stood on the round table in front of him. Both brothers watched Arthur in bemusement and almost became entranced with the light themselves. Matthew could certainly sense the Englishman's breathing rate slowing down just by the movement of his chest. He knew that any type of meditation required a lot of deep breathing and other techniques that he was unfamiliar with but it was fascinating how Arthur was doing it.
Within two minutes, Arthur's eye lids closed and hung his head forward as though he fell asleep instantly.
Five minutes after the Englishman shut his eyes, Alfred and Matthew sat against the wall underneath a window. Kumajiro snoozed in the Canadian's arms while Alfred fidgeted with his fingers nervously and looked around the room warily in hopes no evil spirits would ambush them from nowhere. Matthew watched his brother with a tired expression and wondered how he was the older brother out of the two when he acted like a child. He knew Alfred had always been afraid of ghosts and paranormal activity but he can't think why Alfred wasn't scared of aliens. Surely if he has a phobia of ghosts that aliens would instil him with the same fear; it was practically a contradiction in Matthew's mind. He let out a sigh at that thought and turned to him. "Are you okay Al?" He whispered and took a quick glance at Arthur making sure he didn't disturb him. Alfred jerked out of his uneasiness and snapped his head to face Matthew.
"I'm fine!" He laughed loudly. "Nothing's wrong with me bro!"
"Then why are you being so loud?" Matthew rolled his eyes. "You only do that when you're nervous or scared."
"I do not!" Alfred barked back not realising he was doing exactly as the Canadian predicted.
"Well so far you're proving me right," Matthew raised his voice to normal talking volume and folded his arms across his knees.
"Well what about you, huh!" Alfred jabbed his finger on the Canadian's arm. "I bet you're getting freaked out too by all this ghost business!"
"I'm not," Matthew said in a nonchalant tone. "You're the one shrieking like a banshee when Arthur specifically said he needed silence to concentrate. I wouldn't be surprised if he woke up now and told you off."
"It's not my fault I'm loud! That's the way I am!" Alfred's yells continued. "And I am not freaking out over a little ghost problem!"
"What on earth are you two fully grown men arguing about?" A new high pitched voice entered the argument. That voice activated a girly scream from Alfred and Matthew being hugged by his boa constrictor like grip. The Canadian had to prize the whimpering American of himself in order to find some air in his lungs again. Matthew looked up to find an intimidating Arthur towering over them.
"Um… sorry…" Matthew stuttered even though he knew it was Alfred's fault for disturbing Arthur in the first place, or so it seemed until Arthur spoke again.
"If you were truly sorry, you two wouldn't 'ave argued in zee first place. 'Onestly, men never sink with zheir 'eads." Not only did Arthur's voice sound shrill than normal but it somehow developed a strong French accent and Alfred was the first to point that out after standing up from the floor.
"Artie, why does your voice sound so squeaky? And why do you sound as though you have a cold?" Alfred asked with all the traces of fear gone.
"Artee?" The Englishman cocked his head to the side. "'Oo is zis Artee you speak of?" Matthew got up from the floor carrying Kumajiro up with him.
"You must be Jeanne of Arc, eh?" He said to which Arthur nodded in response.
"I am Jeanne d'Arc monsieur. Zee Englishman I 'ave possessed 'as kindly let me borrow 'is body for a while, alzough, I do not like it much." He frowned to the side and folded his arm.
"But it's the only way you can talk to Francis right?" Matthew reminded the ghost inside Arthur's body to which Arthur faced the brothers.
"Of course. Apparement, 'e 'as already packed 'is sings in preparation for zee journey to France. I assume you two are just as prepared, non?"
"Wait, I thought Francis was coming here," Alfred pointed to the floor. Arthur placed a hand on his forehead.
"Are you saying zat you are not ready pour zee long journey?" His high-pitched voice expressed a degree of annoyance and frustration. "Must I teach you men 'ow to breathe along with everysing else? I 'aven't got a lot of time for idiocy!"
Matthew couldn't help but feel somewhat sorry for Alfred, as Arthur chased him to the guest bedroom and ordered him to pack his things at a fast pace that the American was not used to. The Canadian even snuck back to his guest bedroom just to get himself and his luggage ready, hoping he wasn't going to get an earful from a ghost possessing Arthur's body. He could hear Alfred's protests and Arthur's yelling from the other room and was fortunate that he wasn't as scatter-brained and forgetful as his brother. That delay cost them a few hours along with Alfred's craving for breakfast. Fortunately, Matthew called a taxi while Joan continued her onslaught at Alfred on how he should become tougher and less of a slob than he already is. It wasn't until 11:45am that the black taxi cab pulled up at the house which gave Matthew enough courage and reason to stop the two from fighting.
"Um… you guys, the taxi's here," He said which motivated everyone to abandon the argument, gather their luggage and made their way to the door.
The first step Jeanne took in Arthur's body and already she seemed to be confused. She stared at the taxi cab for a moment before turning to Matthew. "So where are zey?" He asked as though he was demanding something.
"Where's what?" Matthew looked confused when Arthur directed the question at him.
"What do you sink I mean? Zee 'orses of course!" Arthur scowled at Matthew as though he asked the stupidest question in the world. "'Ow can zis carriage move wizout zee 'orses pulling it!"
"What are you talking about?" Alfred yelled as he strolled up to the two. "That car has all the horse power it needs with an engine." Arthur blinked with disbelief.
"You mean… all of zee 'orses are inside zis small carriage?"
"Um…" Alfred scratched his head awkwardly. "It's not like that but whatever." Arthur stared at the car with fascination.
"Incroyable… I 'ad no idea lots of 'orses could fit in zis carriage and pull it so easily," He whispered to himself. Matthew thought this would be a good time to drag them inside the taxi.
"You guys, we have somewhere to go," He said in an authoritive tone which sounded more annoyed than anything. Arthur turned to the Canadian and apologised before climbing into the taxi, followed by Alfred and Matthew after putting the luggage in the car. Once everyone was inside, the taxi driver turned his head back and asked them where they wanted to go. Arthur opened his mouth to answer when Matthew intervened when he remembered how different his voice sounded with a female spirit possessing the Englishman.
"To Dover please," He spoke politely. The driver nodded and off he drove them down the road. The three nations hardly said a single word occasionally glancing at each other in the awkward silence from the two hour journey from London to the Channel tunnel.
END OF BEFORE PART 1
!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well… it's finally up and I can say a lot has happened since I first put this story up. This is only one half of a bonus chapter and there are three bonus chapters in total. But chapters will be coming in slow because I have a lot of assignments to complete for my uni course. Hopefully when I have them all out of the way, I can continue with this as well as 'Daisy Chain to Destiny'. Until then, try imagining Arthur talking in a high-pitched French accent. By the way in my head canon, Arthur is able to channel spirits as well as seeing them.