Chapter 7
Well, the trio had made their fun choices of going to the Shocking Mall and catching a Neitherworld flick first. It was quite the enjoyable start to their day and it had reached the afternoon by the world of the living's time, which was about a half hour after three. Where as the Neitherworld's time was not even close to noon, but more like half past eleven in the morning. One can only be intrigued by the oddity and almost illogical sense of time between the two worlds, but this is just what each of the group had grown to know. Anyway, as for the trio, themselves, they had all made their way back toward the Roadhouse where each had been greeted with friendly beeps from an oddly looking vehicle or two that were parked outside the house. "Did I just hear a form of communication from some cars?" Katie asked a bit surprised and rather interested in curiosity as she lifted a brow slightly and flicked one of the canid ears atop her head. Lydia looked to her with a brief laugh as she answered. "You did actually." She then pointed over to a dull, lime and yellow colored vehicle next to a bright pink one. "That would be Doomie and Pinky, you hear." The humanoid canine tilted her held to the side for a moment as she took a look at the two cars she was directed to, taking notice of their headlight eyes and somewhat grill mouths. The older woman, herself, then took a step closer toward them, flicking her tail from side to side. Said motion of her tail, making Lydia and the poltergeist beside her to jump a bit as if to expect something bad to happen as they both eyed the lime and yellow colored car.
The sound of the duo jumping caught her attention as she glanced back at them questioningly. "Something wrong?" She asked, looking a tad confused. The two friends then became shocked to see that the aforementioned car known as Doomie was not reacting in the way they knew him to in seeing anything dog like. The car, himself, even looked a bit confused at his two creators as he looked to them. Beetlejuice simply chuckled for a second before he decided to answer the young woman's question. "Well, Doomaroo here, usually goes insane when he sees anythin' that's even dog like. So, me and Lyds kind of get a bit jumpy about that sort of thing, know whut I mean?" She simply giggled and turned to smile at the vehicle in question. "I see, but I think I look too human for him to go bonkers." She said as she moved to pat the hood of Doomie. The car just smiled and beeped happily at the meeting of a new friend. Katie just laughed a little and gave the vehicle a compliment. "I can also see that this is a gentleman car. After all, he does have a lovely lady auto by his side." Both Doomie and Pinky honked at that as they each gave the young woman a big grin. All this in turn caused Lydia to laughed a little and look pleased at the given compliment to her and BJ's vehicular companions.
The ghost, however, stuck his striped tongue out in disgust at the pleasantries. "Bleh, eeeeyyyyuck." Was all he could muster to say. The young woman just rolled her eyes in response to the ghoul's disgust as she then motioned toward the door, opening it. "Shall we all just retire to the living, err, I mean, dead room to relax a bit before heading back." She suggested with a grin, causing Lydia to laugh. "Of course, besides, That Darn Werewolf is about to start." The young girl chimed in answering as she zipped inside, dragging her best friend with her while her new friend followed along behind them both. As soon as the trio got seated on the dusty, dirty, and old couch, they were all soon greeted by a large spider in what looked to be a pink dancer's suit and heels, hanging from a strand of thread. "Hey there Lydia, honey. How's it goin'?" The spider's voice was feminine with a mixture of New York and New Jersey sounding accent. Said spider then turned her attention to the young woman, whom was trembling a bit while remaining still. "What's wrong with Katie?" She asked. Clearly, the spider had met Katie during the time she's been around the ghoul and the young girl, but that didn't mean she had grown comfortable at the fact this other creature was a spider. Lydia moved to reach and rub at the canid humanoid's ear in attempt to relax her, answering the spider. "Well, Ginger, it's all going quite well and I guess she's still not adjusted to you."
The young woman simply gave an apologetic smile to the spider known as Ginger. "Yeah, kind of hard to get over a fear of spiders right away. I'm sorry to say that, Ginger, but I still have to get use to the idea, you know." She said as the humanoid relaxed a little at her new friend's gesture. The spider nodded in understanding as she gave a small smile and replied with. "Oh, no harm done, honey. I can understand perfectly, just need more time, right?" Katie responded by nodding in answer before turning her attention back to the TV and watching the show that was mentioned before. Beetlejuice busted out with a cackle when a scene came on with the werewolf doing something stupid. "Ahahahahahahahaha, no matter how many times I've seen this episode, it's still damn funny every time." The poltergeist said while cackling all the more. Lydia conversed with Ginger in the meanwhile as the time grew late. Well, late in the living world that is. It was now six in the evening there as opposed to what the Neitherworld time was. The young woman nudged at her friend and said. "Hey, I think we need to head back." The young girl turned to look at the watch BJ had gotten her years ago as a friend anniversary gift. "Oh geez, you're right!" She exclaimed as she looked back to the spider and bowed her head while getting up. "Sorry, Ginger, but we need to go. I'll catch you later and good luck on learning the new dance!" She then pulled the ghoul along with her out the door while Katie followed behind them and Ginger retreated back into the walls.
"Whoa, babes! What's the rush?" Beetlejuice asked as he was dragged along once again. "We need to get back before my parents do." The young girl quickly answered as she rushed along for the door they all had come through earlier in the morning. Once back inside the stone room, the poltergeist looked to his best friend and moved to get out of her somewhat death grip. "Lyds, I think I'll just hang back here. I mean, I pretty worn out." He said as he emphasized his point turning into a worn piece of cloth briefly. The expression on his face was certainly tired, but it seemed to hide another emotion, but Lydia just nodded and decided not to press on it. "Okay, Beej, I guess I'll see you tomorrow after school." She said with a gentle tone to her voice as she then moved to give her best friend a tight hug, which seemed to linger a bit. BJ smiled at her and returned the hug in the same way as she gave it. "Yeah, sure, I'll see you and the mutt tomorrow. Then, we can all cause some hell or something here." He said with a soft and almost good natured tone. At least as good natured as Beetlejuice can get. Katie just stood there, watching the two with a small smile on her face, a smile that neither of them could take notice of at the moment. A thought went through her mind as she began to change her form back to the feral one. 'Seems like the ghost with the most has a lot going through his mind. Maybe just as much as the girl, herself, does.' She gave her body a shake before finishing her thought. 'Guess, the two still need more time to come to terms with their feelings. Either way, they'll end up happy.'
Lydia soon pulled away from the hug as she walked over to the wolfdog and watched as the poltergeist floated back out of the room. "Goodbye, BJ!" She said lastly as she sent a wave his way, as well as, a smile. "See ya, Lyds!" He responded back with a brief wave of his own, grinning. The canine got close to her friend as she said the ghost's name three times, which returned the both of them to her bedroom in the living world. The two stood in the midst of the silence, the wolfdog soon adjusting her ears a bit to see if a sound could be picked up to indicate if Lydia's parents had come home yet. It took about a few minutes, but finally there was the sound of the front door being unlocked and opened downstairs with footsteps following after. "Lyyyyyydiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Came the same sing song voice of Delia as she beckoned for her daughter. "Weeee'rrrrrrrrrrrrre hoooooooommmmmme!" She added a few seconds later. The canine looked up at her companion and saw that the kid's head was hung down and from what the wolfdog could see, Lydia's expression was slightly blank, but in the sense of deep thought more than anything. It was amazing to see that not even her mother's voice didn't shake her from her mental process, but a light nudge to her hand from the canid's cold nose did snap her back to reality.
The young girl shook her head as she lifted it and darted her eyes from side to side before looking down at the cause of her train of thought to be derailed. "You okay, kid?" Katie asked with a hint of concern as she set her ears low to the sides. Her friend took a moment to answer before she gave a nod and said. "Yeah, I'm okay, just got lost in thought." The canine simply smiled at her and whispered. "I understand." She turned her sight toward the door for a second and added as she glanced back at the young girl. "Maybe we should head down and see what mystery meal will be served tonight." Lydia simply laughed at that and nodded in agreement. "Lead the way, my companion." She said in a joking tone as she moved to open the door and let the canid out. Said canine, just went back to playing the role of the pet as she smiled and let out a bark in response to her friend. This caused the young girl to laugh more as she walked down the stairs with her 'pet' wolfdog. As soon as the two reached the bottom, they both were greeted by a sneezing Charles as he entered the house and got close to the extra furry friend. He tried to put on a smile as he looked to his daughter though, patting her gently on the head. "How was your day, pumpkin?" He asked, trying to hold back from sneezing.
His daughter beamed a smile at him in return as she giggled at the head patting, replying with. "It was amazing, father. I spent the day with Katie for the most part." She half lied because she thought better to not mention Beetlejuice as Mr. Beetleman. Charles just held his gentle smile and nodded. "Well, glad to hear that you did, dear." Delia soon came out from the kitchen due to going in there previously to set down some groceries and various art related items, grinning that same eerily cheery grin of hers as she looked to her 'doggy woggy'. "Ohhhh, there's my precious doggy woggy. Did you miss meeeeeee?" She asked in what was close to being baby talk as she squeezed the furry animal in a tight grip of a hug and then pinching the sides of her muzzle when asking the last part. Said canine, gave a groaning growl, which the red headed woman took as a positive answer. "Ohhhhhh, well, mommy, missed yoooouuuuu tooooooo." The mother cooed as she finally released the wolfdog and scratched a tad too hard behind her ears. Lydia held back from snickering at seeing the canid's expression from her mother's insane attention. The woman turned to her daughter and then said. "Lydia, dear, I could use a little help with dinner tonight." The young girl nodded and replied to her mother with. "Sure, mother, what can I do to help?" Delia moved to gently shove her daughter into the kitchen with her, the canine companion following behind the two with intrigue.
The woman turned on her heel as she faced her daughter and by extension, the 'doggy woggy'. "Lydia, is there something that you're not telling me? I can understand your father, but what about me?" Delia asked rather boldly as if using mother's intuition to pick up on what Katie already had. Okay, the woman clearly wasn't one to typically use mother's intuition, but through the years, it seemed like it finally was starting to become more active within the red head's mind. Lydia was a bit taken back by this sudden questioning from her mother, but simply put on a convincing smile as she answered. "Mother, what could I possibly have to tell you that I wouldn't tell father about? I mean, I really have nothing to hide." Again, the young girl half lied with this, but like any other time, she had good reason for it. Delia eyed her daughter for a moment or two almost like she was scanning her and trying to see if she was lying or not, which of course the young girl was, but the less her mother knew, the better. A few more seconds passed by before the woman accepted the answer she was given. "Okay, dear, then never mind that I asked." She then gently shoved her daughter away and added. "Now, run along while I get dinner started." Her daughter looked at her confused and said. "I thought you needed my help with dinner." Delia just smiled at her in return as if to tell her it was fine as she got the young girl out of the kitchen.
Shortly after Lydia was pushed out, Katie soon joined her in the hall, looking to her with a rather confused look herself. Her friend simply shrugged and whispered to the canine. "I'm just as confused as you are, but mother's just an odd one to explain." The wolfdog just nodded in return and barked softly, motioning her head toward the staircase. The young girl shook her head and said to her companion. "Let's take a short walk while mother works on another meal." Again, the canid barked, but in a more joyful tone as she followed Lydia toward the door and exited within moments with her. It was a few minutes before the two got far enough away for the wolfdog to speak again as she looked to Lydia with more concern than when the had returned from the Neitherworld. "You sure you're okay?" She asked as they walked. A sigh is what escaped the young girl as she rubbed at her forehead for a moment. "I'm really not so sure if I am, but it's rather complicated to even say for sure." Lydia replied as she stopped mid stride to knock a small pebble with her shoe, her gaze lingering at the dirt along the road too. "I wish I knew what to say or to be more specific, be able to say what I need to say." She added as she soon turned her gaze to her furry companion.
The canine gave a brief nod as she responded. "Well, kid, I can understand the feeling believe me. I mean, I was your age once. So, yeah, I know what you're going through. Hell, you could even say that I myself still go through this sort of thing from time to time, but if I've learned anything from feeling like that, it's this and it is to at least wait for the right moment where you are truly prepared to speak on what you need to say or even feel." Lydia seemed to smile at what her friend had said as she just nodded in agreement and turned to head back toward the house. The canine followed after her as she too held a smile of her own and the two remained silent for the tread back home because the silence held a slight mental message between the two newly made friends, as well as, a mutual understanding. Once the two had reached the house, they both went on in to dine on whatever meal Delia had made this time and as always, hoping that it was something that wouldn't taste like shit, as much as, it would look shitty. As soon as dinner came and went, Katie and Lydia were back in the young girl's bedroom, sitting for a bit and having a friendly discussion on what to do tomorrow in the Neitherworld before they each grew tired enough to go to bed as had become the usual custom. The wolfdog laid in thought for awhile before dozing off herself. 'I know tomorrow's bound to be fun, but I get the sense that we'll all be running into more chaos too while in the land of the dead.' She exhaled out a soft sigh before adding to her thoughts. 'I really hope that I'm wrong on this, but chances will be that I will surely be right.'