Revenge And Reunion

Chapter 4

"No. I'm not just going to leave Lewis here and Vivi all alone at home, heartbroken. If Lewis kills me, I deserve it. Now just go hide, Mystery – if you can't be bothered to help me. I'm not going without a fight."

Mystery whined but took a step back. "I'm just trying to help you – but if that's what you want, so be it." Magenta flames crept along the floor and Mystery yelped, scampering behind Arthur to take shelter.

This isn't going to end well...

"If a fight is what you want then that's what you'll get." Lewis leapt forward, bunching the front of Arthur's shirt in his fist and lifting him from the ground, legs kicking. After some thought, Lewis moved both hands to curl around Arthur's neck and slammed him against the wall.

Stars burst across Arthur's vision as he hit the brick wall. Oh God, this was a bad idea...

"Lewis stop!" Arthur squeaked, lungs deflating. Out of the corner of his limited vision he saw Mystery creeping up behind Lewis and, in an attempt to help, latching onto his leg.

"Mystery ... how many times do I have to tell you to NOT GET IN THE WAY!" Lewis shouted, shoving the dog away with his foot. Mystery whined. If only he could assume his true form – but something was blocking it! A flash of green flared in the darkness and Mystery crept towards it, hackles raised and lips pulled back in a snarl.

"M-Mystery!" Arthur's vision was beginning to blur as an ache started up in his chest. "Could I ... Have a little..." Lewis' fingers tightened around his neck. "Gark! HELP, Mystery!"

This is not the way I want this to end.

Alerted by Arthur's cry, Mystery came running back, baring his teeth. The canine leaped into the air and managed to scrabble onto Lewis' shoulder, catching him off guard.

"UGH!" Lewis whirled around, releasing his grip on Arthur and letting him drop to the floor, choking. "What is WITH YOU TWO?" Lewis' hands engulfed in flame and he raced forward, only missing Mystery by a hair as the dog sidestepped the attack.

Hair flaring, Lewis turned and advanced on Arthur, fiery irises glowing coldly. Arthur backed up against the wall, feeling tiny as he stared up at the bony face of his former best friend.

"W-Wait!" Arthur knelt and snatched Mystery's glasses, holding them to his face. "You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you?"

Furious, Lewis snatched the glasses and brought them down on Arthur's head, glass cracking and falling away from the blow. Soft tinkles sounded all around him and a drop of blood trickled down Arthur's face, disorienting him. He grinned stupidly. "Hah, you wouldn't hit a guy with glasses..."

Meanwhile, Mystery sat off to the side, watching the debacle and fuming. He couldn't believe Arthur had taken his glasses! Like, Arthur had been in danger of being liquefied, but that was no excuse. Arthur would be wishing he hadn't made it out of this alive when Mystery shifted to kitsune again.

Slowly Arthur's dizziness was fading away, being replaced by a sharp wave of urgency and fear. He had no idea how he was going to turn Lewis around now. Ugh, why did he even come here?! And you're supposed to be the genius, he thought to himself angrily.

Lewis once again loomed over him, murder in his eyes. There was no getting out of this.

Just as Lewis lifted flaming hands, a voice echoed from the shadows.

"Lewis, stop. If you lay a finger on him, you'll regret it."

A scene in this chapter taken from a YouTube video, "[Mystery Skulls Animated] Glasses" by PM Seymour ;^)
Thanks for reading!