[IC] Stranger Beetles

[Metronome]

"Yeah! And she can hook herself up to this big machine and find all the other mutants in the world!" Beetlejuice was now hunting a moth.

"Really?" Nate asked.

"No, you little geek!" Beetlejuice cackled. "Hey Lyds, weren't we supposed to check in at the Maitlands' too? I miss mackin' on those cute little devils."

"Gross," Nate made a face.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Beej, behave yourself." Lydia said before sighing softly. "He is right though, we were going to check in on them and let them know we're okay."

She headed over to the window before looking back at her friends. "We'll try to visit again when we can. In the meantime, you never saw us or ever heard of us, right?"

[Metronome]

"Saw who?" Nate said cheekily. Beetlejuice flew up behind Lydia and grabbed her shoulder. Then they were gone. They reappeared in the Maitlands' living room.

"Daddy's home!" Beetlejuice called. Barbara got there first, and BJ made a beeline for her. She wacked him with the broom she was holding, then saw Lydia.

"Lydia!" She ran over to hug the girl. Adam arrived moments later.

"Lydia! What are you guys doing here?"

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia hugged her back before looking over at Adam. "We wanted to visit you guys. We've been in a cabin for weeks and were starting to go crazy. Long as Dad doesn't know we snuck out and we keep a low profile we're safe." She explained.

[Metronome]

"Oh honey," Barbara held the girl out at arm's length. "He just wants you to be safe. You probably shouldn't stay here long. Just in case."

"We have, er, a feeling that our house might be...that thing that Beetlejuice likes to eat."

"Bugged?!" Beetlejuice perked up. Adam shushed him loudly.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Beej!" Lydia hissed before signing at him to be quiet and look around for anything that didn't belong in the house like small microphones or cameras. She then looked over at the Maitlands, thankful she had taught them sign language before talking to them.

"I know he wants us safe, but we've been trapped in a cell for years. All we wanted was freedom and now it feels like we're trapped again." She signed.

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice shrunk a little, then went off hunting for electronic bugs...and maybe a few live ones.

"I understand," Adam signed back, clumsily at best. "But we want you to be safe. Why don't you two head back home, and we'll try to keep in touch.

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia sighed softly before nodding in agreement, hugging the labradoodles one last time. They had been so kind and sweet to her that she almost didn't want to go back home but knew she had to before Charles found out she was missing.

She looked over at Beetlejuice once he returned. "Ready?"

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice was chewing on something, but seemed pretty disappointed about it. He pulled a tiny electronic mic out of his mouth and dropped it into Adam's hand, much to Adam's horror.

"Not my cup of tea, I guess," he said before flying back to Lydia. "See ya' hot stuff!" He waved to them as he grabbed Lydia and poof'd them back to the cabin.

They arrived in the living room, a lamp on and a Charles waiting in an arm chair.

"Lydia," he said sternly. Beetlejuice froze. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick! And what is that demon doing back in my house?!"

"Surprise pops!" Beetlejuice said with a slight growl. "I've been here the whole time!"

[Beetlejuice96]

"We just wanted to see our friends and let them know we're okay. It's not a big deal, we weren't even seen." Lydia argued

[Metronome]

"You don't know that, Lydia," Charles argued back. "They could have seen you through a window, or they could have their houses bugged. Did he put you up to this?" He pointed accusingly to Beetlejuice.

[Beetlejuice96]

"What?! No! Why do you always accuse him of something he hasn't done? It was my idea to see them!" Lydia exclaimed, getting between the two as she heard Beetlejuice growl. Her own eyes were slowly changing as anger built.

"You don't trust him because he's a demon, don't you?"

[Metronome]

"I don't trust him," Charles roared, "Because he's a mentally unstable pervert who, yes, also happens to be a demon!"

Beetlejuice, in his anger, forgot the whitty come back and only answered with a growl, his eyes now glowing red.

"Who could also kill us on a whim with the a snap of his fingers!" Charles continued. "He isn't safe, Lydia!"

The lights in the room went out, and Beetlejuice appeared to be on the verge of another full blown fit.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Not safe?! He's kept me safe more times than I can count whenever I was in danger! He has never even lifted a finger to harm me or anyone who's close to me! Yes, he's everything you just said, but you don't know what he's been through that makes him that way!" Lydia shouted back, her eyes golden now as her hair moved on its own.

[Metronome]

"Lydia, stop this this instant! You can't just blow up every time someone confronts you," Charles held firm. "You're grounded. No leaving this house for a week. Do you understand me?"

"So we went from one cage to another?" Beetlejuice growled. He took Lydia's shoulder, opting to remove them both from the situation before they destroyed the house. They were suddenly upstairs in her bedroom. Beetlejuice roared with anger and frustration, kicking the nearby wood dresser in a fit of rage.

"Can you believe that shit?! Not safe?!"

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia let out a roar of her own, her door slamming shut without her even touching it. "This is bullshit!" She yelled, no doubt loud enough for her father to hear her. She grabbed a duffel bag she had found while searching the house beginning to pack her clothes, the grimoire she started to create, tarot cards, and her pocket knife Charles had given her for protection.

She grabbed a piece of paper before furiously scribbling something down. When finished, she turned to Beetlejuice, eyes still golden with anger and energy. "Take us to the city. Now." She signed to him so Charles wouldn't hear.

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice floated around the room angrily while Lydia packed. He was still griping about what Charles had said, up until he noticed Lydia signing.

"Say no more!" He grabbed her hand and they were gone.

The city of Indianapolis was massive compared to Hawkings. Beetlejuice took on his dog form and trotted next to Lydia, tail wagging. This was what they should have done to begin with: fuck off and never look back.

[Beetlejuice96]

Fear gripped Lydia as the city attacked her; car horns, bright lights, people bustling about their daily lives, it was all too much. She put a hand on Beetlejuice, reminding herself that he was there beside her to keep her safe. A faint smile appeared before she started to join the crowd. "Come on, boy." She coaxed.

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice didn't mind the crowd. He could get away with so much mischief here! Dogjuice managed to slip a hot dog out of a man's hand, and was halfway up the block before the guy noticed. He chomped on it happily.

"This is great," he whispered to Lydia. "We can be bums on the run! Just us against the world, but not trapped in a box this time!"

[Beetlejuice96]

"I do have my tarot cards, I could tell fortunes for a price so we can eat." Lydia said, her eyes returning to normal as she calmed down and became more optimistic. Maybe Beej had a point, they were free here in the city with no chance of anyone knowing them.

"We'll need to find the right spot for it, a place lots of people pass by." She said as she looked around