This Time I'll Make You Disappear (Mystery Skulls Animated)

Nineteen: Day Four, The Time Draws Near

Arthur sighed as he waited patiently for Lewis to come and kill him. “What are you waiting for, Lewis? Get here already.”

Suddenly, pink light illuminated the cave. Arthur knew it was time. He started to shake, but he didn’t run. He was ready for this.

“Hello, Arthur,” Lewis’ voice called out, spitting out his name as if it was venomous to say it.

“Well, you’re finally h-here,” Arthur commented. “I’ve been w-waiting for a-ages.”

Lewis raised an eyebrow. “Ah, these four days must have gotten you prepared for this.”

“You deserve this. So...let’s just get this over with, yeah?” Arthur stood and started walking towards the place he killed Lewis.

If Lewis had a mouth, he’d be smirking right now as he followed Arthur up the path. The blonde stood close to the edge, staring at the spikes. He started sweating nervously. ‘Maybe this was a bad idea...accepting this fate...I should’ve went to Vivi for help.’

“Getting nervous?” Arthur could hear the smirk in Lewis’ voice.

“N-n-n-nope!” He blubbered out. “N-n-n-not at a-a-a-all!”

“I beg to differ,” Lewis chuckled.

The ghost grabbed Arthur by the collar.

“Eep!” Arthur squeaked.

“You’re still scared of me. That’s a good thing,” Lewis laughed. “Nothing’s gonna stop me from sending you down there. Not you, not Aria, not even Vivi can stop me.”

“You sure about that, big guy?!” a voice called out.

Lewis turned around and gasped as he saw Vivi and a human that resembled Mystery.

“Vivi…” Lewis said softly to himself. “What are you doing here?”

“Put Arthur down and I’ll tell you,” Vivi said.

“Sure, I’ll put him down on the spikes,” Lewis prepared to drop him, to which Arthur responded by holding onto Lewis’ hand.

“That’s not what I meant, you big goofball!” Vivi chuckled.

“Vivi...just let me kill him and then I’ll-”

“Lew-Lew, I’m not going to let you kill him! I’ve already lost you, I can’t lose him too!” Vivi began to cry.

“Control the emotions, Vivi,” Mystery comforted. “You can do it, I know it.”

“Who are you and why are you touching my Vivi like that?!” Lewis fumed while Mystery placed a hand on Vivi’s back as she started sobbing harder.

“You know me, Lewis,” Mystery winked.

Lewis turned to Arthur, whose eyes were shut tightly.

“Did Vivi get a boyfriend while I was gone?!” the ghost asked angrily.

“N-no! I mean, n-not that I know of!!” Arthur squeaked.

“Arthur! Why didn’t you tell us about this!?” Mystery called up to him.

“I’m sorry! I-I-I know I should have, but...I didn’t w-w-want to c-c-cause you any t-t-trouble!” Arthur called back. “I’m g-g-g-glad you’re here n-n-now, though!”

“You know who he is!!!! TELL ME!!” Lewis pulled Arthur closer to his skull.

“IT’S MYSTERY!!! THAT’S MYSTERY IN HIS HUMAN FORM!!!” Arthur cried out in fear.

“Mystery...but he’s just a dog!”

“He’s a kitsune!! He tore off my arm when...that stupid demon possessed it!” Arthur explained.

“Wait! That’s your doggy!?! That’s Mystery!?!?” called out a much younger voice that made Lewis flinch.

His expression grew from angry to soft as he turned to see his youngest sister looking at the human in awe.

“P...Pa...Paprika? What...what are you doing here?” Lewis asked softly.

Paprika gasped. “Aunt Vivi! Is that...Lew-Lew?!?!” she asked excitedly.

“Yep...that’s him,” Vivi sniffled and wiped her tears.

The biggest grin appeared on Paprika’s face as she ran as close as she could to the stunned ghost.

“LEW-LEW!!!!!!” she squealed.

“My...my baby sister,” tears were brimming Lewis’ eyes. His grip on Arthur loosened a bit, making the poor blonde freak out a lot since they were still over the spikes.

“Lew-Lew...please don’t hurt uncle Arthur...he really didn’t mean to kill you,” she said innocently.

“Paprika...please, go. I can’t let you see what I’m about to do.”

“But brother, you can’t do this! Please!” Paprika cried.

“LEWIS!!!!” everyone heard a yell.

Shortly afterward, the rest of the Pepper family and Lance had arrived. Lewis couldn’t believe it. Big tears fell from Lewis’ eyes as he saw everyone he had ever loved at once.

“Let him down safely, Lewis! This isn’t you!” Peño called.

“He doesn’t deserve this, Lewis!” Kia shouted.

“Big bro! Think about the situation!” Cayenne yelled out to him.

“Would Arthur really want to kill you?!” Belle crossed her arms confidently.

“Even if he did wanna kill ya, he’s too cowardly to go with it!!” Lance smirked.

“HARSH...but true!” Arthur called back.

Lewis looked at his family and friends. They were all on Arthur’s side. Could he have been wrong the whole time? He turned to look at Arthur.

The wimpy, dorky coward who only agreed to be a part of the Mystery Skulls because Vivi wouldn’t accept no as an answer. The coward he had grown fond of in only a day. The coward that would never hurt a fly. The coward who would never hurt his best friend intentionally.

“Arthur?” Lewis looked at the quivering blonde.

“Y-yes?” Arthur stuttered.

“......I…...something in my memories…” Lewis tried to remember back to the memory of his death. “...you...you were smirking, but…...I also saw tears falling down your face……”

“L-Lewis, I promise you...I’m not lying to you. My whole left side...it was possessed! I couldn’t control it! That demon wanted you dead! It sent dark thoughts through my head, but...I refused to listen, so...it took over my left side. Lewis! I swear!” Arthur started sobbing. “Lewis, I’m sorry! I’m sorry that I was so emotionally weak that the demon possessed me! I didn’t want to kill you! I didn’t...want to...lose my best friend...the guy I called...brother!”

Arthur lost it after he said those words. Lewis froze, the world around him going silent. Arthur...had always considered him a brother. The blonde never had a brother and to know how close they were...he was comfortable with calling him his brother.

His realization sunk in deep. His family calling out to him to stop. His girlfriend crying her heart out for all the months she missed of mourning for him. The dog, that was actually a kitsune, comforting her and begging him to reconsider. The blonde in his hand shivering and trembling with loud sobs.

Regret filled his heart. The one thing Aria was trying to tell him the whole time. He let his emotions blind him from the truth.

He was wrong. Oh so wrong.