[IC] Stranger Beetles

[Metronome]

"Yeah, so what're we gonna do about that?" He asked. "We can't let those bastards get away with what they did." Beetlejuice knew he'd put off dealing with that facility for too long. They had to exterminate the humans involved, and find that demon.

"Do you think your kid would be up for a trip to Shithole Nowhere, Indiana?"

[Beetlejuice96]

"I'm not sure. Iggy's never really left the city, neither have those in her group. Convincing them might not fully work." Ash replied.

"I know you're wanting revenge, but perhaps now isn't the time for it. Regain your strength, come up with a plan, then attack. Sound good?"

[Metronome]

He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "I guess." Beetlejuice didn't feel out of his element very often; he was typically a very comfortable and confident demon. But talking to Ash, after resenting them for all these years, was strange. A commotion across the station distracted him.

"Ladies, please, no fighting inside," Iggy interrupted Max and Toph's bickering. BJ drifted back over towards Lydia, who had been chatting with Iggy about their powers. "So anyway," Iggy turned back to Lydia, "We'll have to get those powers under control, girl. Then, we can take them out for a joy ride." She gave Lydia a wink and made a finger gun towards a large barrel in the middle of the room. A flame shot from her fingertip, flying into the barrel and igniting the trash and wood that was piled inside.

The gang quieted down a bit and came over to huddle by the fire. Hot dogs were passed around, and Beetlejuice plopped down next to Lydia to roast his over the flames.

"Ash is a fire demon," He said quietly to her, "Iggy's powers must be tied to them somehow. You think that means yours are tied to me, kid?"

[Beetlejuice96]

"Fine, whatever. Just pick up your damn toolbox, Max." Toph grumbled before hearing Iggy talking to someone. "We got a new one? Come over here so I can see you. You too, Stinky, don't deny you're there cause my sense of smell is stronger than a pregnant women's." She said pointing where she thought Beetlejuice was...but it was actually at Riff Raff.

Lydia blinked before walking over to her, clearing her throat to let her know she was there. Toph's hand searched for Lydia before finding her face, fingers fluttering over as she saw her. "Nice to meet you, kid. Okay, Stink, you next." She said holding her hand out for Beej to walk to...but almost slapped Nina instead.

Lydia chuckled softly before looking over at Beej as he spoke. "I...I don't know. You manipulate reality, how does that work with my powers?"

[Metronome]

"I'll have you know that I had a bath two months ago!" Beetlejuice said, feigning offense. When the girl tried to feel his face, he snickered and shifted his head into her's, but on his body still. Riff Raff about pissed himself with laughter. Beetlejuice was pleased to have found someone else who had such a fine taste in comedy.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Oh, haha, motherfucker. Like I don't know my own face." Toph snapped though she, too, had a smile on her face. "What's the matter, are you shy?" She teased, using a baby voice.

Lydia chuckled at Beetlejuice's antics, glad that she wasn't the only one who enjoy them and Beej wasn't getting scolded for it. She snorted when Toph asked him if he was shy, finding the voice hilarious.

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice cackled, but did eventually change his face back to his own. He was happy his shenanigans were well received, as opposed to being called "cruel and mean spirited" or "inappropriate", or any number of other things that Charles, and even the Maitlands on occasion, had labeled him with.

He flew back to Lydia and answered her question from before. "I mean...telepathy is kinda' like reality warping. Just a really lame version of it. But I won't hold it against you, kid."

"Wait, so you can 'warp reality'?" Nina asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "What exactly does that mean?"

Beetlejuice shrugged. "The Wikipedia page isn't exactly clear, so, honestly, just whatever moves the plot or is the funniest at the moment."

"What?"

[Beetlejuice96]

"What Beej means is that he's able to change reality or even himself. He's actually more akin to the Lovecraftian creature known as Shoggoth. It's his last name actually." Lydia explained.

"Wait, your name is Beetlejuice Shoggoth?" Malcolm asked, raising an eyebrow.

"His middle and last name." Ash replied with a smirk. "His first name is-"

[Metronome]

"THANK YOU ASHLEY," Beetlejuice interrupted, giving the other demon a huffy glare. "But the kid is right. I can do all sorts of stuff. You wanna' go swimming? There's a pool." A kiddie pool appeared next to them, "Wanna' meet Elvis? Well there he is." An Elvis appeared in the pool, wearing a speedo and floating on a flamingo shaped inner tube. "Wanna see my Tinder profile? It's right he-"

"I think we get it, BJ," Iggy interrupted before the demon could whip out whatever sad shit he put on a Tinder profile.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Ah, you haven't changed at all, darling." Ash chuckled, unfazed by being called by their first name.

"He's only able to do all that since he's currently summoned. If I say Beetlejuice three times or if we become separated, he's unsummoned. Only a small fraction of his powers to use." Lydia explained before glancing at him. "A good portion of the time, he's been what others call a ghost. But now that we're free, he's able to fully be himself."

[Metronome]

Beetlejuice cringed at the mention of being unsummoned. He, of course, preferred being free. The Elvis was now asleep and snoring loudly, so Beetlejuice waved him and the pool away.

"Yeah, and nothing I make is permanent. If I leave, it disappears with me. That's why I can't just conjure up food, money, clothes, or you know, useful stuff."

"Damn, what a bad break," Iggy said, totally about to ask if he could make them all millionaires. "So you two have been through it, huh? Ashy and I have been through thick and thin ourselves. Ain't that right, Ash?" She looked up at her demon affectionately.

[Beetlejuice96]

"True as Beetlejuice and I are demons, dearie." Ash confirmed. "Then we found these lovelies with their own stories who became our family." They smiled at the group of people around them.

"Oh please, Ash, you're making it sappy." Toph teased them, her poor hot dog completely missing the barrel fire before Malcolm corrected it.

[Metronome]

As the night carried on, BJ and Lydia getting to know their new friends better, the fire died down. Everyone slowly disappeared off to their own spaces. Finally, Beetlejuice asked where Lydia would be put up at.

"There's a spot over there. It'll have to do for now," Iggy pointed to a nook with old filing cabinets for walls, plywood as a roof, and a blanket curtain for a doorway. Beetlejuice gathered up a few blankets and pillows from the gang's supply and headed over there.

"Wanna make a fort like we used to at the foster home?" He asked, grinning at the fond memories. A tiny Lydia crawling into a cave made of blankets strewn over a chair, tea parties with plastic food, and staying up past bed time to read comic books and watch tv.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Yeah, like old times." Lydia chuckled, smiling at the memories. It was a simpler time then, when she thought he was just an imaginary friend who was there to help her cope with her parents being gone. The elaborate tea parties, playing explorer, and always a comic bedtime story.

"Hey, we never did find out what happened to Super Beetle after the government took us. It was left on a total cliffhanger." She said, referring to the comic Beetlejuice made of them as a Batman and Robin crime fighting duo. "I want to know what happened after he was thrown into The Pit of Nowhere."

[Metronome]

BJ frowned. This kid had a hell of a memory. He struggled to remember where the hell he was going with that idea before he started to just wing it. While they made a nest for her, he put on a whole production, rapid fire changing from hero to villain, and making voices. Finally, when Lydia was asleep, an exhausted but happy Beetlejuice shifted into his cat form to squeeze into the space above her head. He curled up, purring, and dozed off.

Images of chains and red stilettos haunted his dreams, quickly turning them into nightmares. Catjuice whimpered softly, twitching. He was running, fighting off tentacles and trying to hide from the shrill voice of his mother. He could never hide...could never get away...

[Beetlejuice96]

Lydia moaned softly in the middle of the night, having heard the scared chirping mews Beetlejuice was letting out. She gently placed a hand on his frame before petting to help calm him. "I'm here, Beej. You're safe...you're safe." She soothed until falling back asleep, still petting him.

She woke with a yawn the next morning, hearing someone making breakfast. "Mornin', Beej." She mumbled.

[Metronome]

The sizzling and the amazing smell woke Beetlejuice up. He stood and stretched, then pawed his way out of the fort. He shifted back and rubbed his eyes, still a little groggy.

"Morning, sunshine!" Riff Raff was cooking something in a skillet over the barrel. "Who wants hash browns?"

The skillet was piled with chopped potatoes, peppers, onions, and sausage, and it smelled like heaven.

"Come on Lyds!" Beetlejuice urged.

[Beetlejuice96]

"I'm comin', I'm-" Lydia replied, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked at him. "Uh...Beej? What did you do to your hair?" She asked, unsure if he was pulling a prank this early in the morning. It was odd to see his usual gravity defying hair now...groomed.

Ash was minding their business as they walked over before seeing Beetlejuice's hair, their eyes bulging as well. "Darling, your hair!" They exclaimed.

[Metronome]

"Hm?" He ran a hand over his hair, which was slicked back and...clean? Almost as soon as he did, poof, his suit was sparkling, and his shoes were polished.

"What the fu-" Beetlejuice started, but made a strangled sound as a zipper appeared over his mouth and zipped it shut. He let out a muffled yell and tried to unzip it, but it wouldn't budge.

Suddenly, his face was shaved and no longer stubbled, he smelled like expensive cologne, and lastly, four iron cuffs appeared, one for each wrist and ankle.

"Mmhmmh?" He looked at Ash, then to Lydia, a look of scared confusion on his face.

[Beetlejuice96]

"Now, darling, calm down. Breathe. I'm sure there's an explanation for all of this." Ash said, equally telling themselves that. What was happening to their lovely, foul mouthed, messy demon? They walked over and tried their best to get his untidy mane back to normal but to no avail.

"Someone has to be doing this. Beej wouldn't do this to himself, not even as a joke." Lydia realized, now worried about her friend. It was strange seeing him like this.